Watain
After recording a few demos which the band does not intend to re-release,[3] their first official release was the 7" EP The Essence of Black Purityon the Swedish label Grim Rune Productions, recorded in Necromorbus Studios 1999.[1] The French black metal label Drakkar Productions offered Watain a deal for two full length albums, and the debut album Rabid Death's Curse was released in 2000.[1] After the release, Watain toured and performed alongside bands such as Rotting Christ, Antaeus, Dark Funeral and Malign.[4]
In 2003, Watain again entered the studio to record their second full-length album, Casus Luciferi, which features lyrics by members of other bands like Funeral Mist and Antaeus. The 'Stellar Dimension Infernal Tour' through Europe followed, alongside Secrets of the Moon and Averse Sefira. They also toured throughout 18 countries with Dissection on their two months-long 'Rebirth of Dissection' tour in 2004. Watain member Set Teitanwas officially also a member of Dissection at this point, and Erik Danielsson played bass in live shows.[4]
In 2006, members of the band did the Hitler salute and wore t-shirts of the National Socialist black metal (NSBM) band Absurd after their gig on German Party.San Open Air, leading to accusations of being a Nazi band.[5] Asked about this incident in an interview to the German online metal magazine Metal.de, Erik Danielsson (vocals and bass) gave an evasive answer, but when asked about his views on NSBM, he explained the band sees it as a joke: "NSBM is a joke, a despaired approach of people who're incapable to comprehend the perversion and the insanity of Black Metal. They're trying to appear extreme and limit their selves in their conception to that kind of society, which describes something that we wouldn't care less about. Fuck the world! Black Metal doesn't have anything to do with the world like you know it."[6]
Their third full-length album Sworn to the Dark was released in Europe on February 21, 2007, then they toured Europe along with Celtic Frost, Kreator and Legion of the Damned. In 2008 they played their first headlining tour in North America with Withered and Book of Black Earth. Eclipse Eternal and Kronosfear joined them for some shows as well.
Watain's next album, Lawless Darkness, was released on June 7, 2010. They released a single for the song "Reaping Death" in two formats, picture disc vinyl with a cover of the song "Chains of Death" by Death SS, and digisleeve CD with a cover of the song "The Return of Darkness and Evil" by Bathory.[7]
In 2003, Watain again entered the studio to record their second full-length album, Casus Luciferi, which features lyrics by members of other bands like Funeral Mist and Antaeus. The 'Stellar Dimension Infernal Tour' through Europe followed, alongside Secrets of the Moon and Averse Sefira. They also toured throughout 18 countries with Dissection on their two months-long 'Rebirth of Dissection' tour in 2004. Watain member Set Teitanwas officially also a member of Dissection at this point, and Erik Danielsson played bass in live shows.[4]
In 2006, members of the band did the Hitler salute and wore t-shirts of the National Socialist black metal (NSBM) band Absurd after their gig on German Party.San Open Air, leading to accusations of being a Nazi band.[5] Asked about this incident in an interview to the German online metal magazine Metal.de, Erik Danielsson (vocals and bass) gave an evasive answer, but when asked about his views on NSBM, he explained the band sees it as a joke: "NSBM is a joke, a despaired approach of people who're incapable to comprehend the perversion and the insanity of Black Metal. They're trying to appear extreme and limit their selves in their conception to that kind of society, which describes something that we wouldn't care less about. Fuck the world! Black Metal doesn't have anything to do with the world like you know it."[6]
Their third full-length album Sworn to the Dark was released in Europe on February 21, 2007, then they toured Europe along with Celtic Frost, Kreator and Legion of the Damned. In 2008 they played their first headlining tour in North America with Withered and Book of Black Earth. Eclipse Eternal and Kronosfear joined them for some shows as well.
Watain's next album, Lawless Darkness, was released on June 7, 2010. They released a single for the song "Reaping Death" in two formats, picture disc vinyl with a cover of the song "Chains of Death" by Death SS, and digisleeve CD with a cover of the song "The Return of Darkness and Evil" by Bathory.[7]
One Man Army and the Undead Quartet is a band from Sweden that play a fusion of melodic death metal and thrash metal. The band was formed by vocalist Johan Lindstrand after the breakup of The Crown. After two albums on Nuclear Blast Records, they moved to Massacre Records. Their third album, Grim Tales, received lukewarm reviews
Early career (1986–1993)The band started in 1986 under the name Corpse and changed it to Grave in 1988. They recorded various demos during 1986–1991 and including some singles and EPs as well. Their debut full-length album Into the Grave was released in 1991. The release led to a European and American tour.
In 1992, the band released their second album You'll Never See..., which was a continuation of the style played on their debut. However, bassist Jonas Torndal, left the band as a result of his increasing dislike for touring. After unsuccessfully trying to find a replacement, the group made a decision to become a trio, as guitarist Jörgen Sandström switched to bass.[1] A European tour followed with compatriots Dismember and headlinerMorbid Angel.
[edit]Two more albums, hiatus and return (1994–2003)Soulless - their third album, released in 1994 - showed a somewhat different style, blending some more experimentation and industrial tones into the death metal of the previous album. Sandström departed 1996 and Lindgren took over the vocals on their fourth album Hating Life. This album progressed further into the style started on Soulless. Another European and American tour followed, which resulted in the live album Extremely Rotten Live. Thereafter, the band more or less split up.
1999 was the first year the members rejoined and started rehearsing, nevertheless the band took it slow. Ultimately this led to a warm-up European tour and a new album in 2002. Back from the Grave which was a return to the style played on their second album, You'll Never See..., with minimal influence from the Soulless. As a bonus a CD was added with three demo recordings.
[edit]Fiendish Regression and As Rapture Comes (2004–2007)The 2004 album Fiendish Regression saw the departure of drummer Paulsson, who was replaced by Coercion drummer Ekegren. This album showcased more aggressive and generally somewhat faster songs. Touring followed through Europe in support of Cryptopsy.
Two years later, in 2006 As Rapture Comes was released further increasing the overall speed and aggression. Noteworthy is the inclusion of the Alice in Chains cover of "Them Bones". In support of the album the band will tour with Dismember, Vital Remains, Demiricous, and Withered through the US and Canada. In November 2006 they toured Europe as part of the Masters of Death tour, with Unleashed, Dismember, Entombed and Exterminator. In September, Grave are due to embark on a tour with Nile for their album Ithyphallic, in Europe.
[edit]Recent years (2008–present)In 2008 the band returned with a new full-length album called Dominion VIII. It was one step more back to the old school death metal roots. The next album, Burial Ground, continued the same style. In 2010, Fredrik Isaksson left the lineup and was replaced by Dismember's Tobias Cristiansson.[2]
According to Ola Lindgren, Grave expects to begin recording a new album in the fall of 2011 and have it out in 2012.[3]
[edit]
In 1992, the band released their second album You'll Never See..., which was a continuation of the style played on their debut. However, bassist Jonas Torndal, left the band as a result of his increasing dislike for touring. After unsuccessfully trying to find a replacement, the group made a decision to become a trio, as guitarist Jörgen Sandström switched to bass.[1] A European tour followed with compatriots Dismember and headlinerMorbid Angel.
[edit]Two more albums, hiatus and return (1994–2003)Soulless - their third album, released in 1994 - showed a somewhat different style, blending some more experimentation and industrial tones into the death metal of the previous album. Sandström departed 1996 and Lindgren took over the vocals on their fourth album Hating Life. This album progressed further into the style started on Soulless. Another European and American tour followed, which resulted in the live album Extremely Rotten Live. Thereafter, the band more or less split up.
1999 was the first year the members rejoined and started rehearsing, nevertheless the band took it slow. Ultimately this led to a warm-up European tour and a new album in 2002. Back from the Grave which was a return to the style played on their second album, You'll Never See..., with minimal influence from the Soulless. As a bonus a CD was added with three demo recordings.
[edit]Fiendish Regression and As Rapture Comes (2004–2007)The 2004 album Fiendish Regression saw the departure of drummer Paulsson, who was replaced by Coercion drummer Ekegren. This album showcased more aggressive and generally somewhat faster songs. Touring followed through Europe in support of Cryptopsy.
Two years later, in 2006 As Rapture Comes was released further increasing the overall speed and aggression. Noteworthy is the inclusion of the Alice in Chains cover of "Them Bones". In support of the album the band will tour with Dismember, Vital Remains, Demiricous, and Withered through the US and Canada. In November 2006 they toured Europe as part of the Masters of Death tour, with Unleashed, Dismember, Entombed and Exterminator. In September, Grave are due to embark on a tour with Nile for their album Ithyphallic, in Europe.
[edit]Recent years (2008–present)In 2008 the band returned with a new full-length album called Dominion VIII. It was one step more back to the old school death metal roots. The next album, Burial Ground, continued the same style. In 2010, Fredrik Isaksson left the lineup and was replaced by Dismember's Tobias Cristiansson.[2]
According to Ola Lindgren, Grave expects to begin recording a new album in the fall of 2011 and have it out in 2012.[3]
[edit]
Morbid Angel is an American death metal band based in Tampa, Florida. UK music magazine Terrorizer ranked Morbid Angel's 1989 debut Altars of Madness first in its list "Top 40 greatest death metal albums". Decibel Magazine also rated guitarist Trey Azagthoth as the number one "death metal guitarist ever". The band′s songs are complex in arrangement, owing to the considerable technical skills of both Azagthoth and drummer Pete Sandoval, who also played in the grindcore band Terrorizer. According to Nielsen SoundScan, Morbid Angel is the third best-selling death metal band in the United States (after Cannibal Corpse and Deicide with sales of over 445,000; with their third album Covenant being the best-selling death metal album of all time with over 127,000 units sold.
BEHEMOTH
Behemoth is a Polish blackened death metal band from Gdańsk, formed in 1991. They are considered to have played an important role in establishing the Polish extreme metal underground, alongside bands such as Vader, Decapitated, Vesania and Hate.
Until the late 1990s, the band played a traditional black metal style with heathen lyrical content, but soon changed to that of occult and thelemic themes written by their lead vocalist Nergal and Krzysztof Azarewicz. With the 1999 release of Satanica, the band showed their presence in the blackened death metal scene, while retaining their own signature style characterized by the drum work of Inferno, multi-layered vocals and Middle-Eastern influences. Despite the fact that Behemoth has been labeled as death metal, black metal or thrash-influenced, Nergal has mentioned that he does not like the band to be labeled.
Until the late 1990s, the band played a traditional black metal style with heathen lyrical content, but soon changed to that of occult and thelemic themes written by their lead vocalist Nergal and Krzysztof Azarewicz. With the 1999 release of Satanica, the band showed their presence in the blackened death metal scene, while retaining their own signature style characterized by the drum work of Inferno, multi-layered vocals and Middle-Eastern influences. Despite the fact that Behemoth has been labeled as death metal, black metal or thrash-influenced, Nergal has mentioned that he does not like the band to be labeled.
DEICIDE
Deicide was formed in Tampa, Florida on July 21, 1987, after guitarist Brian Hoffman called Glen Benton, replying to an advertisement the latter had placed in a local music magazine. They are influenced by bands such as Destruction, Sodom, Venom, Bathory, Mayhem, Possessed, Death,Autopsy and Slayer. The band consisted of Benton (bass/vocals), Hoffman, Hoffman's brother Eric(guitars) and Steve Asheim (drums). Within a month, they had recorded crude Feasting the Beast 8-track demo in Benton's garage and had started playing the occasional gig in the Tampa area. In 1989, Amon recorded their second demo, Sacrificial, at Morrisound with producer Scott Burns.
After a number of lineup changes, Benton assumed the additional role of vocals and the band was renamed Carnage.
Malevolent Creation guitarist Phil Fasciana recalls an early Carnage show: "It was like Slayer intensified a thousand times." "I guess Carnage had hollowed out a mannequin and filled it with fuckin' blood and guts from a butcher shop... and then they threw the fuckin' thing on the floor. Morbid Angelhad these pit bulls with them back then and they were just tearing the meat up. It was a really weird scene, man. There was blood and meat everywhere."
After a number of lineup changes, Benton assumed the additional role of vocals and the band was renamed Carnage.
Malevolent Creation guitarist Phil Fasciana recalls an early Carnage show: "It was like Slayer intensified a thousand times." "I guess Carnage had hollowed out a mannequin and filled it with fuckin' blood and guts from a butcher shop... and then they threw the fuckin' thing on the floor. Morbid Angelhad these pit bulls with them back then and they were just tearing the meat up. It was a really weird scene, man. There was blood and meat everywhere."
VITAL REMAINS
Vital Remains earlier work was considered to be blackened death metal, with minor use of keyboards and ambient noise. After Forever Underground they went for a purely death metal approach. Elements of their music that distinguishes them in their genre are the use of acoustic Spanish-style solos and their construction of very long songs, which is uncommon in the majority of death metal. Many of the songs on more recent releases approach ten minutes minutes in length. With the addition of Dave Suzuki to the band, the lead guitar work took a much more prominent place within song construction. He also chose to employ a neoclassical style of soloing.
DIMMU BORGIR
Dimmu Borgir was founded in 1993 by Shagrath, Silenoz, and Tjodalv, the band released an EP in 1993 entitled Inn i evighetens mørke ("Into the Darkness of Eternity" in English). This short EP sold out within weeks, and the band followed up with the 1994 full length album For All Tid ('For All Time' in English) This album featured vocal contributions by Vicotnik of Ved Buens Ende and Dødheimsgard and Aldrahn of Dødheimsgard andZyklon-B. The initial lineup consisted of Shagrath playing drums with Tjodalv on guitar and Silenoz contributing lead vocals. This line-up changed before the release of Stormblåst (translates to "Storm Blown") on Cacophonous Records in 1996, an album considered by many to be their finest.It is also the last album which features all lyrics written and sung in Norwegian. This album was criticized by Allmusic because of bad sound quality and inaccessibility to wide audience