In the Czech black metal scene, the names of A-list bands like Master's Hammer, Root, and Maniac Butcher ring out. But just below them are bands like AVENGER. Hailing from the South Bohemian Region, they formed in 1992 as Astaroth before changing their name in 1993.
Announcing themselves to the world with demos like 1994's Minister of Madness, they began life as an old-school death metal band. Their sound was unremarkable in this regard, but the best was yet to come.
Here is Minister of Madness in its entirety
They struggled getting off the ground because of their early line-up instability, but after some label interest, were able to put out their debut full-length album, 1997's Shadows of the Damned. Their sound was still fundamentally an old-school death metal style, but with some black metal elements mixed in (I maintain that some of the riffing in some of the songs would sound more like black metal with slightly different drumming laid underneath).
"Kořeny zla" comes from Shadows of the Damned
Their follow-up album was 1999's Fall of Devotion, Wrath and Blasphemy. The band was initially not happy with the album's sound, so they re-recorded it in 2001 at Hellsound, a studio owned and operated by band co-founder and primary song writer Honza Kapák. Whichever version you listen to, the change in sound from their first album is apparent. It's still a (mostly) death metal foundation, but with some black metal riffs and drumming. Sound-wise, it's as if old-school Swedish death and black metal collaborated.
From their second full-length album, this is "V Okovech"
As the years passed, Avenger's sound began to incorporate more and more black metal elements. They've become known in metal circles for their blackened death metal style, but they call themselves "Bohemian dark metal" (even going so far as to release an album with that title in 2012). After the release of a sixth album in 2017, they disbanded--only to reform as a new band, Bohemyst.
From 2003's Godless, here is "Execution of the Soul"
Bohemian Dark Metal gives us "Fales a apatie"
Select Discography:
Pandemonium (demo) (1993)
Eternal Voices of Hell (demo) (1993)
Minister of Madness (demo) (1994)
The Black Zone (demo) (1995)
Shadows of the Damned (full-length) (1997)
Fall of Devotion, Wrath and Blasphemy (full-length) (1999/2001)
Godless (...Assuming the Throne of Immortality...) (full-length) (2003)
Feast of Anger, Joy of Despair (full-length) (2009)
Bohemian Dark Metal (full-length) (2012)
Next time: FRANCE'S LES LÉGIONS NOIRES - VLAD TEPES
Austrian extreme metal isn't the most well-known the world over, but there are a handful of bands who've made a massive impact. BELPHEGOR is definitely one such band. In their own words, they play "metal of death" with "blasting black metal influences."
Arising from the ashes of old-school death metal band Betrayer, Belphegor was formed in 1992 by Helmuth, Chris, and Max. Their goal, like many such extreme bands, was to make extremely brutal music that was "raw, primitive, and obscene." Inspired by such bands as Death, Deicide, Mayhem, Slayer, and Mötorhead, they have definitely succeeded in their stated goal!
This is their complete 1993 demo, Bloodbath in Paradise
They released a brutal, take-no-prisoners demo in 1993, Bloodbath in Paradise. The music on this demo was a vicious, angry death metal--not really black metal at all. But Belphegor were just getting started!
After the 1994 EP Obscure and Deep, they entered the studio and recorded their first full-length album, The Last Supper. A continuation of their early sound, this album combined the raw death metal they had already been playing with atmospheric synths and black metal tempos for a black/death sound unlike any other.
"A Funeral Without a Cry" comes from their first full-length album
Off of 1997's Blutsabbath, here is "Purity through Fire"
Belphegor's third full-length, Necrodaemon Terrorsathan, showed a shift in sound. On this release, the death metal receded a bit in favor of black metal-influenced song structures. Brutal death metal riffs (reminiscent of Morbid Angel, to my ears) gave way to blazing fast passages that would not feel out of place in a Swedish black metal album. Check out "Vomit Upon the Cross," below:
Belphegor is definitely a band that marches to the beat of their own drum. When they formed, American death metal was peaking and second wave Norwegian black metal was on the rise. Yet, they chose not to follow either path, but carve their own. Even their lyrical inspiration--everything from the poetry and prose of Marquis de Sade to occultic writings of Aleister Crowley to the texts of ancient rituals--doesn't always neatly fit into the trendy extreme metal topics of the day.
In the early 2000s, Belphegor continued to plug away as an underground extreme metal band. Besides two incredible albums of vile black/death (Lucifer Incestus and Goatreich Fleshcult), they also put out a live album on their own record label. But it was in 2006 that saw things really shift for the band.
"Hell's Ambassador" is the most well-known song from '06's Pestapokalypse VI
First off, their latest album--2006's Pestapokalypse VI--was getting rave reviews. The mainstream metal media was finally giving Belphegor the kudos they deserved. Second, this was also the time when Belphegor had slimmed down to a two-piece: Helmuth and Serpenth were now the core of the band. Add this to the fact that they were finally on a record label that could properly support them (Nuclear Blast), and we'd entered a new phase for these Austrian metal maniacs.
2008's Bondage Goat Zombie gives us "Stigma Diabolicum"
The focus for the band since then has been staying true to their musical vision, all while relentlessly touring. They think of their performances as "rituals"--not shows. In 2010, while on tour, Helmuth was exposed to contaminated water and contracted typhus. The experience nearly killed him. But after a long recovery, Helmuth emerged as dedicated as ever to Belphegor. And the band keeps soldiering on.
"Rex Tremendae Majestis" is from 2014's Conjuring the Dead
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)
Part of that brutal scene of early nineties Finnish black and death metal, BELIAL is one of those bands that doesn't get the respect they deserve. From the city of Oulu, Belial's members never really went by evil stage names. Perhaps this was because of their close connection to fellow Finns Impaled Nazarene, all of whose members went by their regular names. In fact, when Belial did eventually break up, some of their members went on to play in Impaled Nazarene.
Forming in early 1991, it was their first demos--especially Gods of the Pit, released in October of that year--that really made them known in the extreme metal underground. Limited to 500 copies, this cassette-only demo featured a raw and brutal black/death style that compares favorably to fellow countrymen Archgoat. In terms of genre, even the members of Belial themselves have acknowledged that it was "basic death metal...with a flirtation in the direction of black metal."
This is their first demo, simply titled Rehearsal. It was released in August of '91
From the Gods of the Pit demo, this is "Voices Beyond"
Their brutal sound caught the ears of a few labels. Belial signed with Lethal Records with the intent of entering the studio to produce actual albums. The result was 1992's Wisdom of Darkness EP. The sound was a refined version of their demo brutality, cleaned up a little with better production values.
"The Hypocrisy of God's Sons" is a killer track from Wisdom of Darkness
This was also the time when the band began unraveling. They kicked out guitarist Jukka Valppu because of differing artistic visions (he then joined black/death band Mythos), but then the entire band went on hiatus because they wanted to do something different musically. However, Lethal Records reminded them of their contractual obligations, so they entered the studio and recorded their one official full-length album of black/death, Never Again.
The music on this album was more brutal black/death madness, but some of the songs leaned in the direction of modern death metal. It's almost as if Blasphemy tried to incorporate Swedish death metal riffs. It's still a brutal underground Finnish release, though.
Off of Never Again, here is "As Above So Below"
After the release of Never Again, the band started moving in a new direction. They began experimenting more with a grunge- and electronica-influenced sound. This resulted in their second major album, 3. Having not heard this album, I cannot comment on it. That said, it is not well-liked and it is not black metal.
As Belial's popularity peaked in 1992-93, the American label Moribund Records sought to capitalize on it and wanted to release the Gods of the Pit demo as an album. The result was Gods of the Pit II (Paragon So Below), an EP with some of the demo's songs in a slightly better sound. This release has been re-issued by Moribund Records several times, including as recently as 2023!
After the release of 3 and Gods II, Belial broke up. As noted above, many of their members went on to play in Impaled Nazarene.
Select Discography:
Rehearsal (demo) (1991)
The Gods of the Pit (demo) (1991)
The Wisdom of Darkness EP (1992)
Never Again (full-length) (1993)
The Gods of the Pit Pt. II (Paragon So Below) EP (1993)
Behemoth's classic 1994 demo, ...From the Pagan Vastlands
One could argue that in addition to Graveland, the mighty BEHEMOTH--hailing from Gdańsk--is the most important Polish black metal band of the early second wave. It is no secret that they are one of the biggest metal bands in the world right now, but they are predominantly known for their blackened death metal more than straightforward black metal. Their early years, however, saw them hone a rawer, more necro black metal style that had a particularly sinister edge to it---a far cry from their sound today.
Formed as Baphomet in 1991 by Holocausto and Sodomizer (born Adam Darski and Adam Muraszko, respectively--both of whom would later change their stage names to Nergal and Baal Ravenlock), the band soon realized that there was a glut of 'Baphomets' in the extreme metal underground. They quickly changed their name to 'Behemoth'. The band members still in their teens, they managed to cobble together a raw, unpolished demo in the form of Endless Damnation. This demo--as well as their 1993 follow-up, Return of the Northern Moon--featured a stripped-down, no frills style of black metal that resembled the Norwegian scene more than anything in Poland.
"Rise of the Blackstorm of Evil" is from that 1993 demo
It was their 1994 demo, however, that really put them on the map. ...From the Pagan Vastlands marked a serious step forward in terms of musicianship and quality. Still retaining that raw, necro edge that the first two demos had, it cleaned up the sound a little bit while crafting songs that were clearly indebted to the now-thriving Nordic scene. This, coupled with a wider release, courtesy of upstart label Pagan Records, made Behemoth the new face of true Polish black metal.
"Thy Winter Kingdom" is a classic track off of 1994's Pagan Vastlands
While this demo opened doors and created opportunities for Behemoth, it also marked the beginning of a shift. Whereas the Polish scene--like many other early black metal scenes--had been somewhat incestuous up to this point (with members of many different bands playing on each other's demos and playing live in each other's bands at early shows), now different camps began to form. Rob Darken and his peers in Graveland began to insist on an ideological purity in their brand of pagan, ethno-nationalist black metal, but Nergal and Behemoth had decided to distance themselves from this type of thinking. To Behemoth, Slavic paganism only made sense in the context of Satanism's war against Christianity.
Behemoth's first full-fledged studio release was an EP--late 1994's ...And the Forests Dream Eternally--and it saw them solidify the musical direction of the demo. But it was 1995's mighty Sventevith (Storming Near the Baltic) that truly heralded the arrival of something special. This was a full-length album that not only owed an immense sonic debt to Norway, but also showed masterful originality. The creative incorporation of symphonic elements--thanks to synth player Demonius--gave these songs a new mystical aura to them. One can hear the influence of Dimmu Borgir and Emperor, yes, but these Poles managed to put their own spin on it.
Sventevith gives us this great song, "From the Pagan Vastlands"
After the success of this awesome full-length album, the next few years saw some rather exciting developments for Behemoth. The follow-up to Sventevith was 1996's epic Grom. An album that sought to expand what Behemoth had done before, Grom was characterized by a crisper, cleaner guitar sound that showed the influence of death metal (courtesy of newly added guitarist Les, of Polish death metal band Damnation), as well as variations in tempo and rhythm that were not common in Norwegian black metal at the time.
My favorite track off of 1996's Grom is "Thou Shalt Forever Win"
Yet more changes were in store. Long-time member and founder Baal Ravenlock left the band and was replaced on drums by death metal prodigy Inferno. This has had a huge impact on the direction of Behemoth's evolution. Inferno is a technical wizard on the drums, and as a result, there are no limits to what Behemoth is capable of---technically-speaking. This lead to the release of 1998's masterful Pandemonic Incantations, which showcased a sound that drew on Behemoth's black metal roots while incorporating some more technical and death metal elements. It is--with good reason--one of Behemoth's most critically acclaimed albums.
"With Spell of Inferno" highlights Behemoth's more death metal-influenced sound from Pandemonic Incantations
Since the recruitment of Inferno, Behemoth has continued to carve a very unique and fruitful path. The have a death-influenced style that is heavy on the black metal elements, yet it really doesn't resemble too many other bands out their. With the additional recruitment of bassist Orion and Nergal's lyrical exploration of his complex Satanist personal philosophy, Behemoth has crafted a niche for themselves that no one else can fill.
2004's brilliant Demigod gives us "Conquer All"
"Chant for Ezkaton"--one of their best-known blackened death metal songs--is here performed live
Select Discography:
Endless Damnation (demo) (1992)
The Return of the Northern Moon (demo) (1993)
...From the Pagan Vastlands (demo) (1994) And the Forests Dream Eternally EP (1994)
Sventevith (Storming Near the Baltic) (full-length album) (1995)
Traveling to the Philippines, we encounter that country's most famous extreme metal band: Manila's DEIPHAGO. Like many bands from East Asia and Southeast Asia, Deiphago plays a brutal style of black metal that clearly draws on Blasphemy and Sarcofago, and can be compared to other bands from the region like Abhorer, Impiety, and Zygoatsis.
Initially forming in 1989 as Satanas, Filipino metal maniacs Voltaire 666 and Sidapa sought to create evil, dark music in the vein of classic old-school black metal bands like Venom, Sodom, Hellhammer, and Sarcofago. They didn't exist long in this incarnation before changing their name to Baalzebul and eventually Deiphago in 1990. They have since admitted in interviews that the inspiration for this name change was their admiration for Brazil's Sarcofago and American death metal band Deicide.
"Satanas" is from their untitled 1991 demo
Their output for much of the 1990s consisted of some really raw, really vile, truly evil-sounding demos. Their first demo--an untitled demo from 1991--showcases the influence of the bands listed above that inspired their formation. Their sound slowly began to evolve to a heavier, more grindcore-influenced style, and the result was a 1993 demo entitled Hail Mary Inanna. By this time, bands such as Morbid Angel, Beherit, and Impaled Nazarene had begun to shape Deiphago's sound. Such influences can be heard on the demo.
This live performance from 1993 highlights their early sound
Deiphago continued as a purely underground phenomenon for many more years. They put out a demo in 1997, but then life circumstances necessitated that they put the band on hiatus. In their own words, they "had to concentrate on [their] professions to survive." In addition to that, the Filipino society in which they lived--famous for its religiosity--was a difficult one in which to create black and death metal.
This is a re-recorded version of the title track from 2006's Rapeslay of the Virgin Mary demo
In 2004, Deiphago relocated to Costa Rica. This was the year they ended their hiatus and set to work writing new music. They released the Rapeslay of the Virgin Mary demo in 2006, followed by their first full-length album, Satanik Eon that same year. Their sound from the nineties was still intact on these releases: vile, aggressive black/death metal with harsh, growled vocals and pummeling percussion.
2009's Filipino Antichrist is an outstanding Deiphago release
Following Satanik Eon, Deiphago has released a steady stream of raw black/death albums that has helped them maintain their cult status. Never compromising their artistic vision, these Filipino metal maniacs show that brutal black metal intensity knows no boundaries.
Although it is the land in which black metal was born, the United Kingdom is not much known for its black metal since the days of Venom. While I have talked about some major exceptions (Bal-Sagoth, Salem Orchid), I wanted to draw attention to that time period between the early days of black metal when Venom ruled the land and the era when symphonic black metal band Cradle of Filth became the face of British black metal. The bands were few and far between, but several are worth mentioning.
Hailing from Bristol, England, DEAD CHRIST formed in 1990 and left their brutal mark on the underground in swift fashion. Their style of black metal draws heavily on the brutality of death metal, with a resulting sound that reminds the listener of the nastier side of early Finnish black metal (think Archgoat or Drawing Down the Moon-era Beherit). These blasphemous Brits were around long enough to put out a handful of cult demos and one EP in the early 90s.
This is the intro and title track off of the Mortuary Mass demo
Select Discography:
Demo '91 (demo) (1991)
Mortuary Mass (demo) (1991)
Lex Talionis (demo) (1992) Satan's Hunger EP (1993)
Suffolk, England's DECEMBER MOON is probably one of the biggest names in underground British black metal history. Formed in 1992, December Moon is one of a very few early second-wave British black metal bands to actually record a proper studio album. As a result, they're one of the few black metal bands from the UK from this time period to gain wide recognition.
Unlike Dead Christ, December Moon's style is more recognizably black metal. While they utilized a more melodic style, the riffing was more in line with what other major black metal bands were doing at the time.
After a couple of demos that caught people's attention, December Moon recorded and put out a proper studio album: 1996's Source of Origin. This melodic style, replete with brilliantly orchestrated synths, can be regarded as an important moment in British black metal.
"You Can't Bless the Damned"--from Source of Origin--might be December Moon's best-known song
Beyond these two bands, the rest of the British black metal underground in the early 1990s was just that--underground. Beyond a slew of interesting demos, the impact of some of these next few bands was rather limited, but worth noting nonetheless.
WITCHCLAN, from Sussex, only managed to put out two demos in 1993 before breaking up in 1995. Their impact on the scene at the time was relatively minor, but it is important to note that they have since reformed and are as cult as ever. Check out their 2010 demo, Descend Into Darkness, below (some of the music on which had been written in their early 1990s days)
Yorkshire's XAZTUR is another underground band that wasn't around for long in the early 1990s. Their two 1993 demos--Frozen Winter and Pagan Rites--are pretty raw examples of in-your-face old-school black metal. But beyond the music, Xaztur were one of the first British black metal bands to fully immerse themselves in the aesthetic aspects of the scene, as evidenced by their infamous 'graveyard photo shoot' (see below).
Here is 1993's Frozen Winter demo in full
MEGIDDO--hailing from Cheshire--may have formed in 1988, but they didn't record any demos until an unnamed, unreleased one in 1991. After another demo in 1993 (Apocatastasis), they were able to release the 1994 7" The Blistering Glow of My Steel. Megiddo's sound is very reminiscent of some of the more vile, demonic offerings of the Norwegian scene at the time, in my opinion.
"Eldest of Lightnings" comes from Megiddo's 1994 EP
While pagan black metal that draws on Britain's Anglo-Saxon or Celtic heritage may be a relatively common thing these days (Winterfylleth and Wodensthrone come immediately to mind), it wasn't always the case. RAGNAROK--from Venom's hometown of Newcastle--is the major exception during this era. With a very Bathory-esque sound (I'm thinking of their Viking period, obviously), Ragnarok put out three excellent demos with a strong pagan vibe. They--unlike many of their British peers in this era--were able to put out a couple of proper studio albums before breaking up.
Here is Ragnarok's 1995 demo, Beloved of the Raven God
This entry is meant to reflect the minor and lesser-known bands that kept the flag flying for British black metal when there hardly was such a thing. By the end of the 1990s, of course, things had changed. Bands like Cradle of Filth, Hecate Enthroned, Thus Defiled, Adorior and others had taken the black metal world by storm. But more on that at a later time...
Hailing from Saxony in Germany, EMINENZ is a bit of a lesser-known black metal band, but one of historical importance. Formed in 1989, the founders of the band were veterans of the death metal scene. With vocalist Leviathan at the core, the band was rounded out by Zwerg and Butcher on guitars, Darkman on bass, and Iten on drums.
Eminenz's biggest claim to fame is that they were one of the supporting bands for Mayhem's 1990 European tour. This was the tour that gave the world the Live in Leipzig album. What was especially noteworthy about Eminenz earning this supporting slot was that they had no studio albums to their credit, and hardly any demos!
From their first demo, this is "Death Fall"
In terms of their sound, Eminenz's death metal influences can clearly be heard. On the early demos especially, the riffing clearly owes a debt to old-school death/thrash. Listen to "Death Fall" (above), from the 1990 demo Slayer of My Daughter, for a clear example.
After a series of well-received demos, they put out their first full-length, Exorial, in 1994. The interesting thing about this album--and Eminenz's style in general--is they draw heavily from a death metal template, all while crafting highly atmospheric music that clearly fits in the black metal tradition. Their use of well-placed keyboards lent an eerie and occultic aura to their sound. Check out the three-minute mark of "Jesus Wept Nevermore" (from the Exorial album), below:
Eminenz's sound hasn't really changed radically since Exorial. Their music still draws heavily on death metal riffing and song structures, but contains important elements of black metal. They may have never achieved the kind of success or notoriety that fellow countrymen Desaster, Nargaroth, or Nagelfar did (to name a few), but Eminenz has earned their place in the pantheon of German black metal elites.
Off of 1996's The Heretic, this is "Demons Cross a Fiery Path"
"Infernal Majesty", from the 2007 self-titled album, is a more recent example of their sound
Select Discography:
Slayer of Your Daughter (demo) (1990)
Necronomicon Exmortis (demo) (1991)
Ghost (demo) (1992)
Exorial (full-length) (1994)
The Heretic (full-length) (1996)
Anti-Genesis (On the 8th Day I Destroy Godcreation) (full-length) (1998)
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
The American black metal scene has always played second fiddle to the scenes of other countries (especially the Scandinavian nations). And while the truly legendary bands from the US were few and far between, there were still a lot of noteworthy bands toiling in the underground who had an impact on the direction of the genre. One such band was Pennsylvania's BATHYM. Formed in 1989 by members of underground band SATHANAS, Bathym had a black/death sound that not too many in the American underground were creating at the time.
Sathanas gave rise to Bathym. This is their 1988 demo Ripping Evil
After releasing rehearsal demos in 1989 and 1990, Bathym released the Into Darkness demo in 1990 and the Demonic Force single in 1991. For a few years there, Bathym was becoming known in the underground as purveyors of American black/death. But due to some of the band members losing interest, Bathym called it a day in 1991. Main man Paul Tucker then devoted his energy to Sathanas again.
This is the title track off of the Demonic Force single
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California's NEKROHOLOCAUST originally started out as Necrophagia in 1984. Stylistically, Necrophagia was a fast, raw speed/thrash that--while extreme--wasn't exactly black metal in the strict sense of the word. They released a crucial demo--1987's It Began With a Twisted Dream.
The story as to the name change is a little murky, depending on who you ask. One version is that the band didn't actually change its name. They recorded material in 1988 and 1989 as Necrophagia, but it never saw the light of day until years later as part of a compilation (2005's In Memories of Fire). Allegedly, the record label (Mercenary Musik) demanded the name change. Another version is that the death metal band from Ohio (fronted by horror movie aficionado Killjoy) was rising in popularity, so the name change became necessary. Either way, Nekroholocaust is how we now know this band.
Their sound was definitely more blackened and evil than the earlier Necrophagia material. Raw, vicious, loud, and fast, it even holds its own compared to later material. And it belongs in any discussion of American underground extreme metal of the 1980s.
Here is the In Memories of Fire compilation in its totality
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Hailing from Michigan, LUCIFER'S HAMMER were a fairly prolific black/death band that formed in 1986. They initialy started in a straight-forward thrash metal style before transitioning to an intense and raw black/death style. The only recording from their thrash metal days was a 1988 demo entitled Tales of the Midnight Hour, and it was destroyed in a house fire.
Lucifer's Hammer put out several key demos as a black/death quartet, beginning with the 1989 demo Descent Into Beyond. This was followed up by 1992's The Burning Church.
This is The Burning Church in its entirety
In 1995, they released the Hymns to the Moon demo. On this demo, they began to veer away from black metal, and offered up a more death metal-influence style. This demo was eventually followed by the 1997 full-length, The Mists of Time. With this album, they completed the transition to death metal.
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There were many other noteworthy (some for their sound, others for sheer historical curiosity) bands to emerge out of the US in the late 1980s, and I could devote an entire blog just to those. However, I chose to just highlight a couple of key bands above. That being said, a few other old-school black/death/thrash bands that helped shape American black metal include INFERNAL DEATH, OCCULT, SAVAGE DEATH, and EXORCIST.
Texas' Infernal Death formed in 1988 and was active for about a decade, with a handful of obscure demos under their belt. Their sound can best be described as an extremely fast black/thrash that owed a debt to Sodom and Venom.
"Satan's Metal" is off of their 1989 demo, Incantations at the Gates
Occult, from New York, only ever released one demo: a very raw and intense slice of noisy black metal. 1985's Bloodthirsty demo has been labeled noisecore by some, and there is some merit to that label. But underneath all of the chaos, there is a black metal template.
This is the entire Bloodthirsty demo
Also from the New York/New Jersey area, Savage Death was a band with stronger death metal credentials than black metal credentials. Formed in 1985, their sound was one that blurred the lines between genres (in a time when this was still standard practice). Resembling a lot of the black/thrash bands of the day, many members of Savage Death later went on to bands like Incantation, Morpheus Descends, and Ripping Corpse.
From 1985's Mass Genocide, this is "Evil Dead"
Exorcist is a bit of an odd band, but their sound was somewhat important in the underground. They were actually a "fake" band with members from other bands that simply recorded under the Exorcist moniker (members included musicians from power/heavy metal band Virgin Steele). However, their sound clearly belongs in any discussion of 1980s black metal. Occult-obsessed speed/thrash might be a better description than black metal, but for 1986 it merits mention in the same breath as, say, Necrodeath or Sabbat.
Off of the 1986 full-length Nightmare Theatre, this is "Lucifer's Lament"
American black metal didn't really come into its own until the 1990s, and with the exception of NME, Goatlord, Von, and Profanatica, none of the bands mentioned thus far can really be considered truly essential black metal. But that doesn't mean the above-mentioned bands are entirely unimportant--they all made an impact on the scene in one way or another.
Singapore's IMPIETY play a particularly vicious brand of black/death metal. Claiming Venom, Sarcofago, Hellhammer, and Possessed as influences, they initially formed in 1988 as Sexfago. Starting out playing covers of some of their favorite bands, they only lasted two years in this incarnation before changing their name to Impiety. The only known ouput Sexfago ever released was a (very raw) rehearsal demo from 1989. Check out the excerpt below:
From Sexfago's 1989 rehearsal demo
In 1990, Impiety consisted of Shyaithan and Necro-Angelfornicator, but the lineup has changed many times since then--with Shyaithan being the only constant. The first Impiety release was a 1991 four-song cassette that, to this day, is extraordinarily rare and hard to find. It was with their 1992 demo, Ceremonial Necrochrist Redesecration, that they really put themselves on the international metal map. Metalheads far and wide began taking note of this brutal black/death coming from southeast Asia.
Off of the 1992 demo, this is "Pentagramathron"
Based on the strength of this release, Impiety signed to Dutch label Shivadarshana Records, and went to work on more material. The result was the 1994 7" Salve the Goat. Announcing their arrival to the world in true extreme metal fashion, Impiety declared in the liner notes of this release that they would "piss all over" the "Norwegian black-metal clowns". They also released their first full-length album on Shivadarshana Records: 1996's epic Asateerul Awaleen.
"Bismishyaithan" is fromAsateerul Awaleen
A transition in their sound could be hear on Asateerul Awaleen.While the earlier brutality was present, and truly fit the mold of the style associated with the far-east (think Abhorer's Rumpus of the Undead demo), Impiety upped the ante on their first full-length. The raw speed of black metal was present in a way not before heard from these maniacs!
Impiety's journey since the release of Asateerul has been a storied one. They have relocated more than once--to places like Mexico and Italy, for example--and suffered from numerous lineup changes, all while trying to find the perfect record label home for them. It was in 1999 that fate was kind to the band: their album from that year, Skullfucking Armageddon practically made them a household name. It featured more of their now-trademark lightning-fast black/death metal, but the production was the best it had ever been.
"Skullfucked, the Speed Metal Hell" is my favorite song off of Skullfucking Armageddon
Since the dawn of the new millenium, Impiety has kept churning out quality releases that are about furthering their blasphemous agenda. They have toured all over the world, and not let up yet. Here are some samples of their continuing sonic sorcery:
This is "Bloodred Angelshed", off of 2002's Kaos Kommand 696
2007's Formidonis Nex Cultus produced this gem: "Terror, Death, Worship!"
Their 2011 album, Ravage & Conquer, features a more death metal orientation
Impiety has definitely made their mark on the scene. More than any other band from southeast Asia, they have shown the world that there is no limit to black/death brutality.
