Grand Belial's Key

 

American black metal is truly fascinating. With some minor and somewhat obscure exceptions, black metal took hold later in the US than in other places, and there are a surprising number of anti-semitic and NSBM-friendly bands that became important. Judas Iscariot is obviously one such band, but GRAND BELIAL'S KEY is another.

Hailing from Northern Virginia, GBK formed in 1992 as a collaboration between Gelal Necrosodomy and Lord Vlad Luciferian. Having already established their extreme metal credentials with bands like Arghoslent and Meatgrinder, this two-man band didn't wait long after forming to put out their first demo, Goat of a Thousand Young.

Citing Mercyful Fate, Hellhammer, Venom, and Sarcofago as influences, GBK's demo material had a raw yet mystical aura. They used synths to enhance their old-school sound, and Vlad's evil screeches on vocals added a grim edge to the music. This demo circulated far and wide, helping to put USBM on the map.

They soon recruited guitarist/bassist Demonic and went to work on a new demo. 1994's Triumph of the Hordes had a rawer sound to it, and included such soon-to-be-classic songs as "In Rapture by the Fenrir Moon". This demo led to more opportunities for live shows, but GBK was still struggling to establish their live identity. Vlad Luciferian wanted to lean into a gothic black metal vibe, but Gelal and Demonic had a more minimalist, hardcore-influenced vibe in mind.

Here is their '92 demo in its entirety

This tension resulted in some personnel changes. Vlad Luciferian was kicked out of the band, and The Black Lourde of Crucifixion (Cazz Grant from Crucifier) was recruited as a new drummer and vocalist. The resulting sound (described as intentionally "filthy" by Gelal) is evident on the material from the mid-90s, like the 1996 7-inch Witness to the Regicide.

This EP was followed by their first full-length studio album, 1997's Mocking the Philanthropist. Released on Wood Nymph Records, this album showcased GBK's organic approach to black metal. Few other bands sounded anything like them, and still don't to this day. 

"Castrate the Redeemer" is from their 1997 album

By this point in their existence, GBK had become known for imagery and lyrics that openly mocked religion. Using defaced paintings of biblical scenes as cover art and with songs that attacked the major Western religions, GBK were courting controversy. However, this is black metal, not nursery rhymes.

Yet at the same time, GBK's support of Nazi bands became a problem. A photo of Gelal wearing a Spear of Longinus t-shirt was part of the booklet for Philanthropist, for example, and this resulted in some labels refusing to distribute the material. GBK, however, didn't care and played by their own rules.

From 2001's Judeobeast Assassination, this is "Lamb of God Slain Will Be"

GBK's second full-length studio album--2001's Judeobeast Assassination--saw the band digging more into their critique of organized religion. Mocking both Judaism and Christianity, this album saw the mainstream metal media labeling the band as anti-semitic. And there's some truth to that.

Despite this, GBK's name spread further than ever before in the black metal underworld. They had opportunities to open for Mayhem in New York City and play at The Return of Darkness and Evil Fest in New Jersey as well as the Milwaukee Metal Fest. Between this and the release of the Castrate the Redeemer compilation, the new millenium started off strong for GBK.

"Tricifixion of Swine" comes from their 2005 album

And to this day, GBK has remained an organic sounding, uncompromising black metal band. While their continued sonic crusade against organized religion has rubbed some people the wrong way, the black metal elite has never abandoned them. 

Select Discography:

Goat of a Thousand Young (demo) (1992)

Triumph of the Hordes (demo) (1994)

A Witness to the Regicide 7" (1996)

Mocking the Philanthropist (full-length) (1997)

The Tricifixion of Swine 7" (2000)

Castrate the Redeemer (compilation) (2001)

Judeobeast Assassination (full-length) (2001)

Sperm of the Antichrist 7" (split with Chemin de Haine) (2001)

Hobo of Aramaic Tongues 7" (2003)

Kosherat (full-length) (2005)

Next time: THE BLACK

Crucifier

The American black metal scene has always been a bit of a conundrum. Quality bands can slave away in the underground for years without serious acclaim from black metal fans, but sometimes a quirk of fate can change that. Von, for example, probably would not be nearly as well known if Burzum had not name-dropped them in an interview back in the early 1990s. Pennsylvania's CRUCIFIER, on the other hand, had no such luck on their side. They have been a truly underground phenomenon since day one, and continue to be just that. But they are of supreme importance because of their influence on more well-known bands, such as Grand Belial's Key.

The band formed around 1990, with their founding members having legitimate underground credentials. True underground American death and black metal bands from the mid-1980s like Witchery and Caution were the proving grounds for founding members Jeff Anderson, Ira Redden, and Cazz Grant (the mastermind and one constant behind Crucifier). Cazz Grant has said that his early influences were bands like Venom, Sodom, Slayer, and Black Sabbath, followed by Nihilist, Carnage, and the Swedish death metal scene, but by the time Crucifier formed in 1990, they were carving a path all their own.

There were a number of obscure underground demos that were created in Crucifier's early months of existence, but their first actual release was the Humans Are Such Easy Prey demo. The foundation for Crucifier's trademark sound was evident on this early release. It is a raw and vicious slab of old-school black/death that fans of the more brutal styles of black metal (think Archgoat or Blasphemy) or perhaps even early Incantation would find extremely enjoyable.

In its entirety, here is 1991's Humans Are Such Easy Prey

Back in the tape-trading days of the early 1990s, Crucifier ended up making connections with many different underground and cult labels. Polish cult label Pagan Records expressed an interest in collaborating with Crucifier, and the result was a series of crucial releases. Cassette-only albums like 1993's Unparalleled Majesty and By Disgrace of God only helped to spread the name of Crucifier further in the underground.

Off of the Unparalleled Majesty cassette, here is "Sodomy of Angels"

"Portraits in Blasphemy" comes from the By Disgrace of God cassette

In these years with Pagan Records, another key aspect to Crucifier's growing underground fame was their infamous live shows. They were able to tour with such titans of extreme metal as Bolt Thrower, Sacrifice, Immolation, and Revenant, but it was the atmosphere of the Crucifier performance that they become know for. Crucifier performed several notorious shows which had actual animal carcasses, and they eventually become known in some circles as "that band with the goat and deer heads on stage."

Crucifier's formula has not changed much to this day. Their sound is still a revoltingly evil black/death style that fans of both genres should seek out and listen to, but at the same time, they have remained steadfast in their refusal to sell out and sign with a mainstream label.

"My Lord of Swine" is from a 1996 EP, Powerless Against

Crucifier's first full-length studio album--Stronger Than Passing Time--didn't actually debut until 2003

Select Discography:

Humans Are Such Easy Prey (demo) (1991)

Unparalleled Majesty EP (1993)

By Disgrace of God EP (1993)

Powerless Against EP (1996)

Trafficking with the Devil EP (1998)

Stronger Than Passing Time (full-length) (2003)

Next Time: BESTIAL SUMMONING