Like Crucifier, GRAVEWÜRM is one of those American bands that toiled away in the underground with demo after demo before releasing actual studio albums. Hailing from near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, before relocating to Northern Virginia (where I live!) and then Ohio, Gravewürm plays a raw, angry black metal not for the faint of heart.
Originally formed as Dominion in 1990, they started off as more of a doom-death band. But as the main force behind the band, Funeral Grave (born one Kevin Fye), became more interested in bands like Goatlord, Beherit, Burzum, and Emperor, it became necessary to change the face of Dominion completely. And so by 1992, Gravewürm had emerged.
1993's Possessed by Darkness is an early demo
By their own admission, their sound draws on first-wave black metal bands and classic heavy metal. There are no blastbeats, and the song structures are very straightforward. The influence of old-school bands like Venom, Sodom, and Hellhammer is apparent as well.
This is the title track to their '96 demo
According to the band themselves, it was a challenge to get record labels interested in putting out a full-length studio album. Their sound didn't match any of the black metal trends of the day (clones of the Norwegian styles of Darkthrone or Mayhem, or symphonic black metal), so label after label passed on them in the late 1990s. That didn't stop them from releasing vicious underground demos!
This is a live performance of "Ancient Storms of War", the title track from their first official studio album
Once labels expressed interest, Gravewürm simply has not stopped releasing album after album of nasty, vile old-school black metal. 2000's Ancient Storms of War was their first official studio album (see above for the title track), and since that time, they've released over twenty albums.
"Under the Banner of War" comes from the 2005 album of the same name
Gravewürm has also admitted that they're not afraid to mix it up a little bit. Sometimes an album will draw heavily on old-school black/thrash, sometimes it will draw on doom metal, and so on. At the end of the day, you know you're getting raw, brutal black metal that is true to the old-school ethos!
Off of 2010's Blood of the Pentagram, this is "Goat Command"
"Lair of the Gravewurm" is from 2015's Doomed to Eternity
Stockholm, Sweden's NECROPHOBIC represents an interesting conundrum in extreme metal.Having formed in 1989, they set as their goal the creation of a darker, more sinister style of death metal than existed at the time. Yet, they cited old-school black metal like Bathory as their primary influences. Furthermore, I see them on black metal playlists all the time, but they sound more death metal to me. Their guitar tone is more Sunlight Studios than Grieghallen to my ears.
This raises one of the most interesting aspects of heavy metal: the separation of bands into different genres. While some metalheads lament the drawing of lines that determine which band is or is not one particular genre or other, others go the opposite direction. I find myself in the latter category: genre distinctions are important to me. To those on the other side of this discussion, I ask you this: you're gonna tell me that Mütiilation sounds like Iron Maiden? Or that a fan of Deeds of Flesh would love The Gathering? Distinctions are important.
So what happens when the distinctions literally collapse? When you don't know where to put the line? This post is going to explore that question.
Celtic Frost: death metal? Black metal?
The line between death and black metal was originally fairly arbitrary. This is why some bands from the early days belong to both traditions: think Hellhammer/Celtic Frost. But why is Possessed associated with death metal more than black metal when they sound like a lot of bands that are labeled "black metal" from the same era (Necrodeath, Sarcofago)?
Now, the lines are clearer. No one would point to Darkthrone's Transilvanian Hunger and call it death metal. Similarly, no one would call the latest Dying Fetus record black metal. But there have been bands that are hard to classify, and they weren't even trying to blur any lines. They were just making the music they wanted to make.
Returning to Necrophobic, what are we to make of them? Where do they fall? Their current label, Century Media, even calls them blackened death metal. Have a listen to a few songs, below:
"Before the Dawn" is from Necrophobic's 1993 debut album
"Spawned by Evil" is off of 1997's Darkside
2002's Bloodhymns is the source of "Cult of Blood"
We see why it's so tough to figure out. A few adjustments one way and you've got a Dissection b-side. A few adjustments the other way and it resembles a classic Unleashed or Dismember song.
Two other Swedish bands--GROTESQUE and UNANIMATED--also merit being part of this discussion. Where do they fall? Grotesque eventually evolved into At the Gates, the most famous melodic death metal band of all time. But there are those that call them black metal. Unanimated suffers from the same fate. Take a listen:
Grotesque's "Angels Blood" is from 1989/90
"Blackness of a Fallen Star" comes from Unanimated's 1993 album
We've got songs with blazing fast tremolo-picked riffs, but with a death metal guitar tone. We've got blasphemous lyrics. The overall song structures wouldn't be out of place on a melodic death metal or melodic black metal album. What do we call songs by bands such as these? Of course, an acknowledgement of this issue recognizes that some of the bands I've already explored could be questioned as well: is Dissection really black metal? Sacramentum?
From the opposite direction, the American band ACHERON enters the debate. Emerging as part of the Tampa, Florida, scene in the late 1980s, they are typically thought of as a death metal band. Yet, their blasphemous themes and dark aura feel almost blackened. Listen below, to "To Thee We Confess," off of their first full-length album:
Again, why stop there? What about Crucifier? Order from Chaos? At the end of the day, it's about drawing a line and sticking with it. On this side, we might find Dissection, but on the other side, we might see Necrophobic. Or perhaps not?
Select Discography:
Necrophobic:
Realm of Terror (demo) (1989)
Slow Asphyxiation (demo) (1990)
Unholy Prophecies (demo) (1991)
The Call EP (1992)
The Nocturnal Silence (full-length) (1993)
Spawned by Evil EP (1996)
Darkside (full-length) (1997)
The Third Antichrist (full-length) (1999)
Bloodhymns (full-length) (2002)
Grotesque:
Ripped from the Cross (demo) (1988)
The Black Gate is Closed (demo) (1989)
In the Embrace of Evil (demo) (1989)
Rehearsal (demo) (1989)
Incantation EP (1990)
In the Embrace of Evil (compilation) (1996)
Unanimated:
Rehearsal (demo) (1990)
Fire Storm (demo) (1991)
In the Forest of the Dreaming Dead (full-length) (1993)
MORBOSIDAD, who formed in Oakland, California, despite the band members being from Mexico, is a raw and brutal band known for a style that blends elements of war metal and black/thrash. There has been some debate about when they formed, with the band insisting they didn't form until 1993, but Tomas Stench (the mastermind behind the band and the one constant in the band) realizing they had actually formed in 1991 after finding an old interview in a 'zine from that year!
Regardless, it wasn't until '93 that their first demo was released. Their follow up, 1994's Santísima Muerte, was what made the extreme metal underground sit up and take notice. Featuring a sound that was heavy on the death metal side, Morbosidad's lyrics were also noteworthy for being highly blasphemous, in the vein of Profanatica.
Here is the complete 1994 demo
Just as things were starting to take off, tragedy struck. Their drummer died in a freak explosion in 1995. The band was devastated, and put things on hold. They didn't return to making music until 1999.
When they returned on the scene with new material in 2000--including their self-titled full-length album--their sound was still primitive and raw and evil. However, they were less death metal and more like what we now know as war metal.
From their self-titled album, this is "Bestial y Morboso"
Morbosidad is nothing else if not consistent. They wear their influences--Sarcofago, Beherit, Blasphemy, Archgoat--on their sleeve. Each release features that insane war metal style, with ultra-blasphemous lyrics in Spanish (because, according to Tomas Stench, "it gives our music a more primitive, evil, and blasphemous sound"). Even among American war metallers, very few bands sound like Morbosidad.
From their 2004 album, this is "Sangriento Sacrificio Cristiano"
Since their re-emergence in 1999, Morbosidad has consistently released brutal black/death brilliance on album after album. Even when drummer Goat Destroyer fell out of a window and died in 2009, the band soldiered on. In fact, they actually put out albums in his honor, including a split with Manticore.
"Poseido por el Diablo" comes from 2008's Profana la cruz del Nazareno
Select Discography:
Demo '93 (demo) (1993)
Santísima Muerte (demo) (1994)
Morbosidad (full-length album) (2000)
Bajo el egendro del crucificado EP (2002)
Cójete a Dios por el culo (full-length album) (2004)
Legiones bestiales EP (2006)
Profana la cruz del nazareno (full-length album) (2008)
One of the key USBM bands of the 90s that is still around today, BLACK FUNERAL has a history that dates back to 1991. The brainchild of one Michael Ford (who has been known by such stage names as Akhtya Nachttotter and Baron Abaddon), Black Funeral is a band that has been about staying true to the Satanic ethos of black metal since the very beginning.
The story of Black Funeral starts with the band ABADDON. Abaddon was formed by Ford in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in 1991. Inspired by old-school black metal bands as well as luminaries of the early nineties like Hellhammer/Celtic Frost, Bathory, Von, and Blasphemy, Abaddon's sound was a raw, death-influenced style. Their one demo, 1991's Of Darkness, is evidence of this:
Not too long after the release of this demo, Ford relocated to Indianapolis, and renamed his band SORATH. As a musical outlet for Ford's sincerely held Satanist beliefs, Sorath also continued the death-influenced, raw, old-school sound of Abaddon. With the release of some truly cult-worthy demos, Sorath's name soon became known in the underground USBM scene as a force to be reckoned with.
From the 1992 demo Forest of Winter, this is "Do What Thou Wilt"
By 1993, Ford had formed Black Funeral. Ford's own involvement with Satanism had been growing, and it needed an outlet for expression. Hence, Black Funeral. There is question as to whether Black Funeral evolved out of Sorath, or whether Sorath was an entirely separate artistic entity. Whatever the case, Sorath released material as late as 1995, when Black Funeral was just getting started.
Black Funeral's mission was to be a sonic vessel for Satanism. Ford noted that he felt there were no great Satanic black metal bands in the US scene in 1993 when Black Funeral formed. And, looking back, you have to admit that he was mostly right. There were a handful of bands that were truly committed to Satanism (the black/death band Acheron comes immediately to mind), but for most bands, it was either a joke or a gimmick. Not for Black Funeral.
In addition to being an expression of a Satanic ethos, Black Funeral was also about vampiric spiritualism. In the band's own words, they sought to be "the incarnation of death and vampyrichbloodlust." This unique approach to Satanism and evil can be heard in their music.
This is their 1994 demo, Journey into Horizons Lost
From their first full-length album, this is "The Floating Blue Witchlight"
On such classic early albums as 1995's Vampyr - Throne of the Beast and 1997's Empire of Blood, Black Funeral's sound was a pretty typical second-wave black metal sound. Ultra lo-fi production and tremolo riffing reminiscent of Darkthrone and Burzum, but with an aura all their own, Black Funeral was one of the purveyors of true black metal in a time when infantile death metal clones still dominated the American musical landscape.
"Opferblut" is a classic of USBM. From 1997's Empire of Blood
As the main force behind Black Funeral, Ford's vision drove the band forward. This also meant that any changes or setbacks in his life impacted the band. And he did face a few. First off, like many black metal musicians, Ford had to have a day job in order to support himself. And for a few years in the 1990s, Ford was able to successfully climb the corporate ladder as part of his day job. This affected Black Funeral's ability to consistently put out music and remain a dominant force in USBM.
Additionally, Ford also wanted to spend time spreading his Satanist beliefs. In addition to publishing scholarly tomes on Satanism (and works for laypeople as well), Ford also sought to found a temple for the propagation of his beliefs. Being that the US is a pretty religiously backwards country, he received a lot of pushback for that.
Off of the album Belial Arisen, this is "Infernal Majesty"
Still, Black Funeral should be mentioned in the same breath as Judas Iscariot as one of the classic, foundational second-wave USBM bands. Anyone seeking to know and understand American black metal needs to listen to their works of the 1990s, as the sound laid down there has had an impact on almost all American BM bands to this day.
Select Discography: Abaddon:
Of Darkness (demo) (1991)
Sorath: Forest of Winter (demo) (1992) Sodomizing Jesus Christ (demo) (1993)
One of my favorite American black metal bands, SUMMON emerged as part of the very fruitful late 1980s Midwest extreme metal scene. Lucifer's Hammer is one band I've already mentioned from that scene (in my post on late 80s American black metal), and that band shared some members with Summon (I know vocalist/guitarist Xaphan was in both bands, for example).
Hailing from Lansing, Michigan, Summon was formed by Necromodeus and Xaphan in 1991. Upon formation , their initial sound was a black metal infused with a death metal aesthetic--imagine Incantation writing old-school black metal. However, they only managed to release one demo (1992's Devourer of Souls) before putting the band on hold in order to focus on their work with up-and-coming band Masochist.
Here is the 1992 demo in full
Only Necromodeus was present in Masochist from their inception (I think Xaphan was still with Lucifer's Hammer), but Xaphan joined close to the end of that band's career. Masochist also had rising USBM star Tchort on the roster. Tchort is primarily known as the mastermind behind cult band Wind of the Black Mountains (more on that group at a later date).
"Feast of the Goat" is from Masochist's 1993 demo
Masochist played a vicious, apocalyptic-sounding black metal that owed a debt to both death and thrash metal. As an example, listen to the above song, taken from their 1993 demo Frost of the Diabolical Forest. From the years 1992-1994, the band recorded a slew of well-received demos and EPs in this style. While hard to find, much of that material was recently released by Moribund Records as the compilation album History. In 1995, Masochist came to an end. The members of the band had other projects they wanted to focus on. Necromodeus, Xaphan, and Supmur revived Summon, and Tchort wanted to put his energy into Wind of the Black Mountains--a band that was fast rising in the USBM underground.
"Fuck Your God" is the title track from Masochist's 1994 seven-inch EP
Summon--as a three-piece--quickly got down to business. They announced their return to the world of black metal by self-releasing the cassette-only album Fire Turns EverythingBlack in 1995 (it was re-released by Grinding Piece Records in '96).
Here is Fire Turns Everything Black in its entirety
Much had changed in Summon's sound since their first demo. The death metal influence was still there, sure, but the production, vocals, and overall sound was more on the black-thrash end of the spectrum (this does make sense, given that the band had cited old school masters like Venom, Bathory, Destruction, and Kreator as inspiration).
Summon's 1997 album is Dark Descent of Fallen Souls
And this would be the template for the future of Summon's style: furiously fast tremolo picked riffs usually laid over a thrash metal pace, with a drum sound that is reminiscent of aggressive black metal, paired with Satanic lyrics delivered in a screeched voice. Fans of traditional black-thrash, aggressive thrash metal, and well-produced black metal will definitely like what Summon has to offer.
From 2000's Baptized by Fire, this is "Visions of Apocalyptic Grace"
Over the course of several albums released in the late 90s and early 2000s, Summon perfected their style. I would argue that they peaked on 2002's And the Blood Runs Black. This album contains many Summon songs from previous albums, but absolutely honed to perfection. The crisp production complements the thrash-influenced black metal well, and it is my favorite album of theirs.
The title track fromAnd the Blood Runs Black
After 2002's Blood, they put out a good (but not brilliant) follow-up with 2005's Fallen. It was a well-executed slab of thrashing black metal, and enjoyable to listen to. But, alas, change was in the wind in the world of Summon.
"Blood Red Skies" is from 2005's Fallen
Xaphan departed the band in 2006 (he had other projects he was more passionate about pursuing, I believe) and so the band decided to go on hiatus. Things ended on good terms, so a few years later (2009, I think), Summon re-formed with the intention of being a fully functional band--new material and all. A few years after re-forming, Xaphan left the band for good after having a fallout with Necromodeus. I'm not sure of their status today.
Select Discography: Summon:
Devourer of Souls (demo) (1992)
Fire Turns Everything Black (demo) (1995)
Rehearsal Tape '96 (demo) (1996)
Dark Descent of Fallen Souls(full-length album) (1997) Promo Tape (demo) (1998)
Baptized by Fire (full-length album) (2000) No Thoughts from the Sky (full-length album) (2001)
And the Blood Runs Black (full-length album) (2002) Fallen (full-length album) (2005)
Masochist:
The Satanic Baptism(demo) 1992
Feast of the Goat (demo) (1992)
Frost of the Diabolical Forest (demo) (1993) Sucking the Tongue of the Ancient One (demo) (1994) Fuck Your God 7" (1994) Nocturnal Practices (demo) (1995)
Next time: NEBIRAS AND BIRTH OF MALAYSIAN BLACK METAL
In the annals of American black metal, few bands command the respect that Illinois's JUDAS ISCARIOT does. Emerging around 1992 just as the second wave was gaining momentum, Judas Iscariot would practically become the face of USBM during the 1990s.
Fronted by the enigmatic Akhenaten (real name Andrew Harris), the band arose from the ashes of an earlier project, Heidegger. Judas Iscariot--like Heidegger before it--was an outlet for Akhenaten's own beliefs. Instead of an ethno-nationalist ethos, Akhenaten espoused a nihilistic social Darwinism as the basis for his own national socialist ideals. The songs didn't contain lyrics that were specifically national socialist, but the Nietzsche- and Heidegger-inspired nihilism was present.
This is the Heidegger demo in its entirety
Judas Iscariot's first demo was titled Heidegger, and it was a vile, wretched, noisy attempt at primitive black metal. The songs' structures are barely discernible behind the wall of noise that is the guitar playing. It was not an auspicious beginning.
"Midnight Frost" comes from the first full-length
Shortly after the second Judas Iscariot demo saw the light of day, Akhenaten signed with Moribund Records. An underground label on the rise, Moribund has probably done more for USBM than any other label. The first fruit of this collaboration was the first Judas Iscariot full-length album, 1995's The Cold Earth Slept Below.
With a sound that owes a lot to early Burzum (especially the self-titled album) and Darkthrone's early black metal, it was clear that Judas Iscariot was still finding its sound. That said, no other USBM band had a sound quite like Judas Iscariot's.
"They Saw His Pale Visage Emerge From the Darkness" comes from 96's Thy Dying Light
Their second full-length album was released shortly thereafter, also on Moribund. 1996's Thy Dying Light showed some maturity in the song-writing, but the Darkthrone-esque sound was still present. The songs may have been of better quality, but accusations of being a clone of existing bands (Burzum, Darkthrone) were still leveled at the band.
Around this time, Akhenaten relocated to Germany. Like many American black metallers, he was not pleased with the direction of the US black metal scene and did something about it. This was also the time when he recorded Judas Iscariot's third full-length, Of Great Eternity.
From 1997's Of Great Eternity, this is "Then Mourns the Wanderer"
A more mature offering, Of Great Eternity finds Judas Iscariot finally starting to emerge from the shadow of Norwegian black metal and begin to find their own sound. The songs adhered to a classic Norwegian template, yes, but at the same time, there was something new there. And more was yet to come.
The most fruitful and prolific years of Judas Iscariot were the late 1990s and very early 2000s. With a newly recruited full band, Akhenaten put out two fantastic full-length albums in 1999: Distant in Solitary Night and Heaven in Flames.
"The Black Clouds Roll Under the Parapet of the Sky" is a classic Judas Iscariot song from 1999
"Gaze Upon Heaven in Flames" is essentially the title track from their second 1999 album
The last years of Judas Iscariot's existence were easily their best and the years that showed why they belonged among black metal's elite. Following the triumphant albums released in 1999, Judas Iscariot put out, in swift succession, several splits, a live album, and several albums of new material.
From 2002's To Embrace the Corpses Bleeding, this is "In the Valley of Death, I am Their King"
By 2002, Judas Iscariot was no more. Akhenaten had accomplished all he had set out to accomplish, and his disgust with the sell-outs in mainstream black metal dictated that he abandon the scene entirely. But Judas Iscariot had left their mark on world black metal. Any USBM band that exists today and adheres to an underground ethos owes a huge debt to Judas Iscariot.
Distant in Solitary Night (full-length album) (1998) Heaven in Flames (full-length album) (1999)
None Shall Escape the Wrath (split with Krieg, Macabre Omen, and Eternal Majesty) (2000)
Dethroned, Conquered, and Forgotten EP (2000) To Embrace the Corpses Bleeding (full-length album) (2002) Moonlight Butchery EP (2002) Midnight Frost (To Rest With Eternity) EP (2003)
How fitting that I write the entry for the mighty ABSU a mere two weeks or so after the band has announced their breakup! One of the all-time great American black metal acts is no more.
Absu originally formed in 1989 in Dallas, Texas, as extreme speed metal band Dolmen. Taking their name from the Breton word for a type of tomb, their interest in all things Celtic was thus evident pretty early. Their style drew heavily on thrash and death metal bands like Destruction, Death, Kreator, Sodom, and Slayer. Within a year, they had changed their name to Azathoth . By 1991, they had changed their name yet again---to Absu.
Stylistically, as Absu had evolved from Dolmen and Azathoth, they evolved from a band that clearly flirted with the line separating thrash and death metal to one being squarely in the death metal camp. Their early demo material was fast, brutal death metal that compares favorably to work by the early genre masters---think Suffocation meets Cannibal Corpse. It was quality stuff that honestly still holds up today---but it wasn't black metal. That being said, the lyrics were not the gore and death-obsessed fare we associate with much of death metal. The band---even this early on---were including occultic, magickal, necromantic themes in their lyrics, as well as drawing on ancient polytheistic paganism for inspiration. It was after the release of the 1992 EP Temples of Offal, however, that the direction of the band changed forever.
Here is the complete Temples of Offal EP---note the raw death metal sound!
It was in 1992 that founding members Equitant and Shaftiel recruited Mysticia (guitars), Black Massith (synths), and Proscriptor McGovern (drums, and eventually, vocals). Proscriptor would eventually take over the reins as chief songwriter and the mastermind behind some of the band's more elaborate conceptual works. The band's sound began to evolve even further. An official bootleg compilation of some live songs---entitled Infinite and Profane Thrones--saw the light of day in late 1992 and debuted some new songs ("Descent to Acheron" and the title track) that bridged the gap between their early death metal years and the mythologically-driven black metal style that they become known for.
The transition to a style that can more accurately be labeled 'black metal'--or something approximating it--was complete within a few months of the release of Infinite and Profane Thrones. Absu entered the studio in 1993 to record their debut album for label Gothic Records. The resulting album--Barathrum: V.I.T.R.I.O.L.--was a mystical blend of black metal eerieness and occultic thrash influence. The obsession with ancient pagan themes was still present, but there was a new, sharper edge to the band. The bluntness of the death metal years were gone.
"The Thrice is Greatest to Ninnigal" comes from their 1993 debut
Barathrum was an American black metal release that took the world by storm. With a riffing style that drew on death metal and a mystical background reminiscent of the 1980s proto-black metal scene, there really wasn't anything comparable coming out of the USA at the time. This resulted in the signing to a bigger label---the up-and-coming French label Osmose Productions. Osmose was the band's home for many of their best and most formative years. After Osmose re-issued Barathrum in 1994, Absu headed back into the studio to record their follow-up. What resulted was 1995's The Sun of Tiphareth.
"The Coming of War" is one of Absu's most famous songs
Sonically, Absu was moving further away from their death metal origins. Now a three-piece (Mysticia and Black Massith had left the band in late '93), Proscriptor and company maintained that mystical atmophere of the early years through the masterful use of layered synths, but their guitar sound was more firmly in the black metal camp than it had been before. Another highlight of their evolving sound was Proscriptor's brilliant, yet precise, drumming (check the beginning of "A Quest for the 77th Novel" for a great example). Lyrically and conceptually, Absu was digging deeper into ancient paganism, mining Sumerian and Mesopotamian sources for its spritual richness. This approach also carried over into the ...And Shineth Unto the Cold Cometh 7", released later that year.
"Highland Tyrant Attack" comes from 1997's The Third Storm of Cythrául
It was on their third full-length album, 1997's The Third Storm of Cythrául, that things really began to fall into place for these mythologically-minded metalheads. Not only did this album feature a much more mature thrash metal-influenced black metal sound with strong riffs and superb drumming, but this was the beginning of Absu's Celtic phase. Absu drew heavily on the mystical aspects of ancient Celtic pagan beliefs for their lyrics, and the band even highlighted their own ancestry to further emphasize the connection. There are some very famous pictures of the bands appearing in kilts and other traditional garb during this era of their existence, for example.
Decked out in Celtic garb, this is the classic line-up in a very famous promotional photo
In interviews as well, the band highlighted the depth and importance of these pagan influences. For the members of Absu--unlike so many other extreme metal bands--the pre-Christian spiritual world was one of magick and power. The charismatic Proscriptor drew attention to the ways in which these beliefs shaped their lives.
Absu continued in this Celtic-influenced vein on the 1998 EP In the Eyes of Ioldanach. This release was not just a continuation of Cythrául in terms of lyrical and conceptual content, but saw a further refining of the thrash-influenced black metal style they had now become known for. But their best was yet to come...
"From Ancient Times (Starless Skies Burn to Ash)" is one of their best songs off of Tara
Absu's next album was 2001's Tara. This album not only saw their obsession with Celtic paganism reach its peak, but the musical style that they had been developing over the past few years peaked as well. It was brilliantly crafted black metal, yet the imprint of thrash metal was still easily recognizable.
While Absu may have reached their creative and musical zenith with Tara, all was not well. Equitant and Shaftiel left over creative differences, and Proscriptor injured his hand in an accident, thus causing the band to be put on hold. Once he recovered physically, he decided to put the band on hold indefinitely. Over the next few years, Proscriptor was the session drummer for many bands in the black metal underground, and even a primary member of Israeli black metallers Melechesh.
Absu was eventually revived after this hiatus. In relatively rapid succession, they then released 2009's Absu and 2011's Abzu. A solid continuation of their earlier sound, these albums saw their occultic obsession with paganism extend more deeply into Sumerian and Mesopotamian mythology.
Absu spent the bulk of the 2010s touring and spreading their sound far and wide. After guitarist Vis Crom left the band in 2018 (after coming out as transgender), the band didn't last much longer: Proscriptor dissolved the band in January of 2020. One of the greatest American black metal bands came to an end after roughly three decades of existence.
The Third Storm of Cythrául (full-length album) (1997) In the Eyes of Ioldanach EP (1998) Tara (full-length album) (2001) Mythological Occult Metal: 1991-2001 (compilation) (2005) Absu (full-length album) (2009) Abzu (full-length album) (2011)
The American black metal scene, as has been mentioned before, got off to a slower start than many other countries' scenes. The 1980s saw some important advancements by bands like Goatlord and NME, and by the early 1990s, groups like Von, Profanatica, and Demoncy were helping the style evolve, but nothing as fruitful as the Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish, or Greek scenes took hold for several years.
Instead, bands were few and far between for several years in the nineties, and a lot of these bands confined their activity to the underground. One such band was black/death band IRREVERENT, from Florida. Forming in 1990, they intially started out as a band interested primarily in covering old-school black metal bands like Hellhammer and Bathory.
"Crush the Messiah" is one of Irreverent's songs from an old demo
After a couple of years as Irreverent, the band kind of ran out of steam and essentially broke up. From the ashes of this band arose WITCHERY. Their style was darker, heavier, more aggressive. By the time Witchery formed in the mid-nineties, the American black metal scene was in full swing, but Witchery was playing in a style not well-represented in the black metal mainstream. The Norwegian template laid down by Mayhem, Darkthrone, and Burzum on the one hand and the eerie symphonic stylings of Emperor, Cradle of Filth, and Dimmu Borgir on the other were the two dominant modes of making black metal, but Witchery's sound resembled an Americanized version of Blasphemy-style war metal.
Witchery's 1998 demo Evil Shall Prevail gives us "Dominion of Everlasting Darkness"
Witchery's demo material from the mid-nineties was well-received in the underground, but member Darkwulf eventually left the band due to his disgust with the direction the USBM scene was taking. Main man Impurath then recruited Tregenda and Vaz to round out the band. With this change, their music got even darker and more hellish. It was also around this time that the Swedish retro-thrash band Witchery was starting to get really big on the international metal scene, so Impurath and company decided to change their name. Thus, BLACK WITCHERY was born in 1998.
After 8 years of laboring in the American black metal underground, this band--under the moniker Black Witchery--was finally able to start putting out proper studio releases. Their first such release was 1998's Summoning of the Infernal Legions 7" on Dark Horizon Records. It featured new versions of old Witchery classics. However, I would say that the release that really dragged Black Witchery from the underground into the light (so to speak) was their split album with Canadian war metallers Conqueror. This album--entitled Hellstorm of Evil Vengeance--is a savage black metal masterpiece, and perhaps my favorite black metal split of all time.
From the split with Conqueror, this is "Unholy Vengeance of War"
With these releases, Black Witchery was now becoming known as one of USBM's more crucial bands. Their style of war metal was still not incredibly common in the American scene, so this made them even more of a curious anomaly. Nevertheless, they have remained a consistent source of black metal intensity since their re-branding as Black Witchery in 1998. Studio albums such as 2001's Desecration of the Holy Kingdom and 2005's Upheaval of Satanic Might showcase this brutal, unapologetic style.
"Command of the Iron Baphomet" comes from Desecration of the Holy Kingdom
2005's Upheaval of Satanic Might gives us "Darkness Attack"
Impurath, the mastermind and main driving force behind Black Witchery
Select Discography:
as Irreverent:
Inverted Crucifixion (demo) (1991)
Crush the Messiah (demo) (1992)
as Witchery:
Death to Trends (demo) (1997)
Evil Shall Prevail (demo) (1998)
as Black Witchery:
Summoning of the Infernal Legions EP (1998)
Hellstorm of Evil Vengeance (split with Conqueror) (1999)
Desecration of the Holy Kingdom (full-length album) (2001)
Upheaval of Satanic Might (full-length album) (2005)
Live Destruction Ritual (live album) (2010)
Inferno of Sacred Destruction (full-length album) (2010)
Holocaustic Death March to Humanity's Doom (split with Revenge) (2015)
Forming in Cali, Colombia in 1988 as extreme thrash band Guillotina, INQUISITION has since come to be associated with the American scene. Spearheaded by the dark mastermind known as Dagon, Inquisition is known throughout the world as a truly cult black metal band.
Before changing their name to Inquisition in 1989, Guillotina's Sodom-influenced brand of thrash was already beginning to make waves in the South American underground. Within a year of forming, for example, they had opened for legendary fellow Colombians Reencarnación.
Title track from 1990's Anxious Death
In 1990, they put out the Anxious Death EP, which showcased their early thrash sound. The influence of the German scene can clearly be heard on this release. Inquisition would labor a few more years in the underground in this vein, putting out a 1993 demo, Forever Under.
The years 1994-1996 were a time of immense transition for Inquisition. This was the time where Dagon admits he began to grow weary of the thrash scene, and he answered the call of black metal. He has said in interviews that the sound of extreme metal was what appealed to him, and that he sought more and more extremity in terms of types of sounds. This lead him to eventually arrive at the conclusion that black metal was where his creative energy belonged. By 1996, Inquisition's new black metal sound could be heard on the Incense of Rest EP and on a split with Brazilian band Profane Creation. This was also the time when Inquisition chose to re-locate to the Pacific Northwest of the United States (the land of Dagon's birth). Dagon also met and recruited musician Incubus, who has been his co-collaborator in Inquisition as well as the drummer for that band ever since.
Newly invigorated with fresh blood, Inquisition took the world by storm with their first full-length studio album, 1998's Into the Infernal Regions of the Ancient Cult. This album--along with Inquisition's sound in general--is the very definition of cult. Relying on brutally heavy riffing that clearly draws on Dagon's thrash background, demonic growled vocals that call to mind Attila's best performances with Mayhem, and occultic/Satanic lyrical themes that feel more authentic than most almost any other black metal band out there, Inquisition stands alone in a genre that spawns clones and imitators galore. Inquisition has continued to consistently release brilliant, brutal black metal in the ensuing years. You know what to expect with an Inquisition album--and you get it every time!
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"Empire of Luciferian Race" is off of Inquisition's debut album
From their 2002 album Invoking the Majestic Throne of Satan, this is "Enshrouded by the Cryptic Temples of the Cult"
"Master of the Cosmological Black Cauldron" is a more recent offering (from 2013's Obscure Verse for the Multiverse)
Despite being one of underground black metal's most consistent bands, recent years have brought problems to Inquisition. It came to light in 2018 that Dagon faced charges of possession of child pornography back in 2009. Although Dagon did plead down to lesser charges, Inquisition has faced enormous backlash since then. Record labels, fans, and concert promoters have turned their back on this band. Will there be redemption? Or is Inquisition's time in the sun over? Only time will tell.
Select Discography:
Anxious Death EP (1990)
Forever Under (demo) (1993)
Incense of Rest EP (1996)
Into the Infernal Regions of the Ancient Cult (full-length) (1998)
Invoking the Majestic Throne of Satan (full-length) (2002)
Magnificent Glorification of Lucifer (full-length) (2004)
Nefarious Dismal Orations (full-length) (2007)
Ominous Doctrines of the Perpetual Mystical Macrocosm (full-length) (2010)
Obscure Verses for the Multiverse (full-length) (2013)
Bloodshed Across the Empyrean Altar Beyond the Celestial Zenith (full-length) (2016)
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'sHumans 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 theBy 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
