Unlord

 

The Netherlands may not churn out black metal bands like Norway or Sweden, but when a Dutch band makes an impact, you better believe it's truly awe-inspiring. Of all of the Dutch bands covered so far and all of the Dutch bands to be covered, North Holland's UNLORD is my favorite.

Unlord are another example of a band that formed pretty early but didn't make an impact until later. In fact, there is debate about Unlord's existence and demo output in the early 1990s. While it is confirmed that members of several Dutch death metal bands (such as Nembrionic and Consolation) set those projects to the side to form Unlord, questions remain: did Unlord only produce some early 1990s demos that never saw the light of day because they were only intended to help band members learn songs? Or, as some claim, was the Dutch band BLACK METAL an early incarnation of Unlord, and their 1991 demo Pentagram an example of the early evolution of Unlord's sound? 

Here is Black Metal's Pentagram demo from 1991

Black Metal's sound is clearly rooted in black/thrash and grindcore, and Unlord is known for their raw, scorching fast sound, and both bands share at least one member in common that we know of--so the rumor of the connection is not as outlandish as it seems. Regardless, the only material we have to this day with the name 'Unlord' on it is their official albums released in the late nineties and beyond.

Unlord first revealed themselves to the world under their own name with 1997's Schwarzwald. A blazing fast album of no-holds-barred black metal, it is truly an unsung masterpiece of the late 1990s. Band members have said that in addition to old-school bands like Venom and Bathory, more recent bands like Emperor, Marduk, and Immortal helped influence their sound. I think the speed and technicality of Schwarzwald bear that out.

"Uprising Hordes" is from Unlord's first album

From 1999's Gladiator, this is "Hell's Gates Are Opened"

With the follow-up album (1999's Gladiator), there was (even by the band's own admission) a step up in terms of technicality and sophistication. The focus was no longer just on speed-for-speed's-sake, but on speed in conjunction with new rhythms and structures. That said, the song I have chosen from Gladiator ("Hell's Gates Are Opened," above) is not the best illustration of that! By the time of the recording of Gladiator, Unlord had shrunk from a sextet to a trio. This streamlined version of the band continued on to the recording of what would be their final album, 2002's Lord of Beneath.

"Angel of Fire" is from their last album

In 2003, the band called it a day. The band members acknowledged that their differing musical interests had proved insurmountable. Interest in the band never waned, however, and their albums have been reissued several times, including notably by Hell's Headbanger Records. This continued interest led to the band to decide to re-form in the 2020s. We'll see what the future holds!

Select Discography:

as Black Metal (???):

Pentagram (demo) (1991)

as Unlord:

Schwarzwald (full-length) (1997)

Gladiator (full-length) (2000)

Lord of Beneath (full-length) (2002)

Next time: BURZUM

Funeral Winds

For our next band, we visit a nation not often talked about in black metal circles: Netherlands. One of that country's prime examples of great black metal, Rotterdam's FUNERAL WINDS doesn't compromise in their music. The band was formed in 1991 by Hellchrist Xul (guitar) and Gorgoroth (vocals), but it wasn't long before they recruited Esteban on drums and put out some really vile demo material!

Their first demo (a rehearsal from 1992), circulated only among the black metal elite, but it wasn't long before subsequent demos emerged (1993's La Majeste infernable and 1994's Resurrection...)that spread the band's infamy far and wide. This third demo was even released by cult Polish label Pagan Records. This was also an era where they recruited new members, beginning the trend of a rotating cast of musicians outside of the band's core.

This is 1994's Resurrection... demo in its entirety

While their star was rising in the early nineties, and the band was fairly prolific, all was not well in the band. Hellchrist Xul and Esteban didn't get along, and so the band temporarily broke up before even releasing a full-length album. Gorgoroth went on to form Liar of Golgotha (another Dutch black metal band that would go on to become successful), but eventually the members of Funeral Winds reconciled and regrouped. They then began preparing material for a full-length album.

But old grudges die hard, and it wasn't long before Gorgoroth was out of the band and Hellchrist had recruited a whole slew of new musicians who were all willing to add 'Xul' to their stage names (this is the band's hallmark---'Xul' is, I believe, an ancient Sumerian word for 'evil'). This new line-up was the one that recorded their debut album, 1998's Godslayer Xul.

"Thy Eternal Flame" comes from their debut album

In addition to their constantly rotating lineup, Funeral Winds was also known for truly epic live shows--replete with candles, fire breathing, and self-mutilation, all in the name of their Satanic beliefs. You see, Funeral Winds was a band that didn't just talk the talk, they walked the walk. The Satanism associated with black metal was a very real presence in the lives of these Dutch heavy metal maniacs.

But the years after the release of their debut full-length album were not easy ones. The revolving line-up became an issue for the band, and it was over four years before they were able to put out new material. In '03, they put out a split album, followed by their second full-length studio album in 2004, Koude haat.

Koude haat gives us "When the Funeral Winds

Cry For Revenge"

With a title that means "cold hate", their second album featured more of the angry, vile black metal from their earlier years. With a style that also takes its cues from old-school black/thrash, Funeral Winds is the kind of band that should appeal to all black metallers. Since Koude haat, FW has been consistent---but not as busy. While they have released two solid albums since then, they don't churn them out with regularity.

Their most recent release is 2018's Sinister Creed, and it's as punishing and violent as any FW album. I'd say it's angrier and more aggressive than much of their earlier work. Funeral Winds is definitely a band that should be in the rotation for all fans of true, no-frills black metal.

"The Road to Perdition"--from Sinister Creed--showcases Funeral Winds's style

Select Discography:

Rehearsal 1992 (demo) (1992)
La Majeste Infernable (demo) (1993)
Resurrection... (demo) (1994)

Thy Eternal Flame EP (1994)

Screaming for Grace (split with Abigail) (1995)

Godslayer Xul (full-length album) (1998)
For the Glory of Xul 12" (split with Inferi) (2003)

Koude haat (full-length album) (2004)
Nexion Xul - The Cursed Bloodline (full-length album) (2007)

Next time: JUDAS ISCARIOT

Exmortes

 

EXMORTES is kind of an odd selection, this is true.  This Dutch one-man band (Jan List being the one man in question) is somewhat notorious in the underground for being raw to the point of being bad.  But one man's treasure is another man's trash.  Exmortes put out two demos, 1988's Hear the Saw...Coming Near and 1989's Fuckin' Nightmare.  Most of the songs that appeared on those demos later appeared on Exmortes' few EPs.

From the EP--not the demo--Fuckin' Nightmare

One listen to Exmortes' material and you can hear why some people think their rawness is so terrible.  The drums overpower the mix to the point where the guitar is hardly audible.  Some have gone so far as to label this style "raw black noise," and if you listen to more recent black noise bands (Stalaggh, TOMB, Gnaw Their Tongues, etc.) you can hear resemblances.

From 1990's "Lord of Temptation"single

After those two demos (which I have not heard), Exmortes put out the Fuckin' Nightmare EP in 1989.  This had four of the six songs from the demo of the same name.  In the following year, Exmortes put out a single, "Lord of Temptation" which contained the title track and "Forced to Be Silent".

Someone managed to upload the entire 1991 EP, Hear the Saw...Coming Near

In 1991, the EP Hear the Saw...Coming Near was released.  Followed by only one more release (the Total Hate split with Apator, also released in 1991), Exmortes was on the scene only briefly.  I think that any fan of raw black noise can hear the influence Exmortes left on the scene.  The rawness of these early releases has seldom been equalled, in my opinion.

Select Discography:

Hear the Saw...Coming Near (demo) (1988)

Fucking Nightmare (demo) (1989)

Fuckin' Nightmare 7" (1989)

"Lord of Temptation" (single) (1990)

Hear the Saw...Coming Near EP (1991)

Total Hate 7" (split with Apator) (1991)

Next time:  SADISTIK EXEKUTION