Argentum

An obscure band on the global scale, perhaps, but Mexico's ARGENTUM--from the city of Monterrey--is a major band in that country's black metal scene. I would even go so far to say that only Xibalba Itzaes is more important when it comes to a discussion of Mexican black metal.

Originally formed in 1989 as Burial, like many extreme bands of the late 80s, they played a more death metal-oriented style than black metal. As Burial, they managed to put out a couple of now very hard-to-find demos that showcased their old school sound. But, like many extreme metal bands of this era who were in their early years of existence, Burial experienced several lineup changes that also led to changes in their sound. This, in turn, led to them changing their name to Argentum in 1991.

1993's Matter Misericordiae is the first demo under the name Argentum

Argentum's initial sound still contained elements of death metal, but there was a very mystical, occultic atmosphere to their music. Combining doom metal with this old-school black/death, Argentum had a sound that not too many other bands had at the time (perhaps Mystifier is a fair point of reference?). Their first demo (Matter Misericordiae), above, is a solid example of this sound.

Misericordiae and a live demo later that year (1993) led to Argentum's name becoming more well-known in the underground. Still struggling with finding dedicated musicians, a new demo emerged after additional line-up changes as well as further evolutions in Argentum's sound. On 1994's Exothaernium, Argentum is moving away from the old-school black/death of the Burial years and toward a doom/death style with occultic black metal influences. I would say that the evil mysticism in their sound is reminiscent of some of the slower, more dirge-like elements of classic hellenic black metal.

"Ad postumum" is from Exothaernium 

After their 1994 demo and a noteworthy EP,  Argentum released their true masterpiece: 1996's Ad Interitum Funebrarum. On this album, Argentum's style reached its peak. A doomy, mystical affair that has been compared to Mystifier or even Tiamat, we've got long, gloomy passages with creative keyboard usage. With lots of Latin and eerie vocals, the overall effect is one that calls to mind dark Satanic rituals performed in abandoned temples.

From their 1996 album, this is "Spheram de Tenebras"

After that album, things in the band kind of ground to a halt. They went on hiatus in 1997 before breaking up in 2001. They have, however, re-formed in the past few years and are as prolific as ever.

Select Discography:

Burial  (demo) (1990) (as Burial)

Demo '91 (demo) (1991) (as Burial)

Matter Misericordiae (demo) (1993)

Live in Monterrey (live demo) (1993)

Exothaernium (demo) (1994)

Insious Omnium Rerum EP (1995)

Ad Interitum Funebrarum (full-length) (1996)

Next time: BLACK FUNERAL

Opera IX

Italy really does have a sorely overlooked black metal scene. Necrodeath, Bulldozer, Schizo, Sinoath, Mortuary Drape....all crucial bands from the early years. But there are few bands in Italian black metal history as interesting as OPERA IX, from the Piedmont region.

"Cemetaria" is from 1990's Gothik

Opera IX was formed in 1988 by guitarist Ossian. While they are now known as pioneers in the gothic style of symphonic black metal, their initial sound was more of an almost doom/death with gothic overtones. Their 1990 demo, Gothik, is a sterling example of this. This was more or less the basis for Opera IX's sound in their early years, and it probably would have remained so if not for two important developments.

Off of The Triumph of the Death, this is "Born in the Grave"

First, vocalist Cadaveria joined in 1992. She is one of the earliest--and most well-known--examples of female vocalists in extreme metal, and she is able to combine beautiful, enchanting vocals, with gruff, harsh growls. She helped Opera IX stand out from the pack. But the other--equally important--development was the recruiting of Silent Bard on keyboards. He was a classically trained pianist, and his ethereal keyboard playing added another layer to Opera IX's sound. The first album with both Cadaveria and Silent Bard contributing was the 1993 EP The Triumph of the Death. This can rightfully be hailed as a landmark in not just Italian black metal, but symphonic black metal and gothic black metal as well.

The world really sat up and took notice after the release of this crucial EP. Not too long after, Opera IX were able to record their debut full-length album, 1994's The Call of the Wood. This album was more of the same style as the EP, but members of the band have since said that they wished they had a bigger budget for better production. Personally, I think that the production values on Call work with Opera IX's style. Call of the Wood is, in my opinion, a masterpiece.

"Al Azif" is a fantastic song off of Call of the Wood

After a one-album deal with Shiver Records (which resulted in the follow-up to Call of the Wood, 1998's Sacro Culto), Opera IX signed with well-known Italian label Avantgarde Records. Their next several albums were released through this label. They also appeared on two really great compilations put out by Dwell Records: Awakenings - Females in Extreme Music in 1997, and A Call to Irons - A Tribute to Iron Maiden in 1998 (where they covered Maiden's "Rime of the Ancient Mariner")

1998's Sacro Culto gave us "My Devotion"

At the same time, the band underwent immense personnel changes. Silent Bard had left before the recording of Sacro Culto, and in 2001, Opera IX parted ways with Cadaveria and drummer Flegias. Ossian and the remaining members of the band soldiered on, recruiting Madras on vocals, Taranis on drums, and Lunaris on keyboards.

I honestly believe that Opera IX's work with Cadaveria is their best--truly genre-defining. That being said, Opera IX in general is one of the most important and interesting bands in all of symphonic/gothic black metal's history.

"Act I - The First Seal" is from the 2000 magnum opus The Black Opera

Select Discography:

Gothik (demo) (1990)

Promo '92 (demo) (1992)

The Triumph of the Death 7" (1993)

The Call of the Wood (full-length) (1994)

Sacro Culto (full-length) (1998)

The Black Opera: Symphoniae Mysteriorum in Laudem Tenebrarum (full-length) (2000)

Maleventum (full-length) (2002)

Amphisbena (full-length) (2004)

Next time: MUSSORGSKI

Salem

Most people don't associate rock'n'roll of any kind--let alone extreme metal--with Israel or the Middle East.  There are most certainly exceptions to this, like Israeli bands like Melechesh, Bishop of Hexen, and Orphaned Land.  But ahead of all of these bands is Tel Aviv's SALEM.  They formed in 1985, and released several demos in the later 1980s before releasing full-length studio albums in the early 1990s.

Title track from their 1987 demo Destruction Till Death

After such demos as 1986's Salem, 1987's Destruction Till Death, and 1990's Millions Slaughtered, Salem managed to catch the attention of the fast-growing Norwegian scene.  Black metallers such as Mayhem's Dead and Euronymous tried to woo Salem away from the Middle East and to northern Europe in order to join the rapidly expanding Scandinavian scene.

From 1992's Creating Our Sins EP

In 1992, Salem put out the Creating Our Sins EP, and began a long and storied career of influential studio albums.  1994's Kaddish went on to be hugely important--but also controversial--in the global extreme metal world.  Controversial because of the overtly pro-Israel, Zionist lyrical content.  Many elements in the black metal underground were not comfortable with such sentiments (Burzum's Varg Vikernes allegedly sent a mailbomb to the members of Salem).

"The Fading" is off of 1994's Kaddish

Since 1994's Kaddish, Salem has produced a fairly steady stream of albums and singles.  Their style has changed somewhat, however, shifting from an old school brutal black/death sound to a more doom/death-oriented sound to a more straightforward death metal sound.  For the purposes of this black metal retrospective, their more recent work (basically since Kaddish) is not relevant--that doesn't mean it's not good, just not very black metal.

Select Discography:

Salem (demo) (1986)

Destruction Til Death (demo) (1987)

Millions Slaughtered (demo) (1989)
Promo 1989 (demo)  (1989)
Creating Our Sins 12" (1992)
Kaddish (full-length) (1994)

Next time: MORTUARY DRAPE