The First Wave of Black Metal

United around a table moaning of pints of beer, in a pub, somewhere in Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom, three musketeers gathered under the conspiracy pseudonyms of Cronos, Mantas, and Abaddon and decided that heavy metal sounds kind of weak and not satisfying enough, and it should be upgraded to a more aggressive, speedy, dirty-sounding, and at a new level of vicious delivery.

Black Metal GIF

 

In this regard, they took action and baptized their new unholy trinity under the name of VENOM, then started to write songs where they managed to merge heavy metal riffs with some punk-wise attitude infused with stories about Satan, occultism, witchery, and other dark topics into the lyrical section.

The first album, "Welcome to Hell," released in 1981, showed a fresh and uncompromising energy, blowing up the entire metal scene and becoming a very important piece within the whole N.W.O.B.H.M. movement.

Their second output from 1982 is the album that gave a name and a new genre for the Heavy Metal audience : "Black Metal"!

A chainsaw teeth were destroyed while recording the intro for the, now infamous "Black Metal" song.

The third effort was titled with the "At War with Satan" name and it was issued as of 1983 representing the band's peak of their carrier, creativity and inspiration.

It is a great album and worth getting into, but somehow, they were musically out-taken by the emerging and competing bands like METALLICA, ANTHRAX or SLAYER, and it became more obvious when the follow-up disc was released, under the name "Possessed" and issued as of 1985.

A video-clip was, also made for the "Nightmare" song, being their one and only official video, of course, excluding the live performances made for their most famous songs published on their first two LP's . 

Also, the band published a VHS tape with one of their live appearance named "The 7th Date of Hell - Live", captured at Hammersmith Odeon back in 1984.

Cronos of Venom GIF

 At some point, Cronos got annoyed that bands  dressed only in jeans and t-shits, somehow were  responsible for shrinking their audience and was  calling them in a direct live confrontation, stating that  then peolpe will understand why VENOM is way greater and stronger.

 

 

VENOM are known for being one of the first bands who used a lot of pyrotechnics during their live performances.

 

Burzum - Hvis Lyset Tar Oss GIF

On the other hand, later on, upon hearing about what happened in the Norwegian Black Metal scene back in the early 90s with all the escalation, crimes, church burnings, threats, and the so-called Black Metal mafia, VENOM stated that their lyrics should not be taken literally, as their music stands only for rock'n'roll and entertainment, and the lyrics are written to fit the music.

 

They had the same reaction when asked about satanism, saying that they are not advising fans to follow Satan, as guys from MERCYFUL FATE did, they only ask their fans to follow VENOM!

 

MERCYFUL FATE is a Danish traditional heavy metal band who is, as well, credited as being part of the first black metal wave with their dark, satanic lyrics and fronted by one of the greatest artists heavy metal had spawn, KING DIAMOND!

Wearing a ghoul-like make up,a cross made of two bones as a microphone stand and with a very impressive vocal range, this band was hard to pass unnoticed, at that time. 

The aforementioned climax can be saw and heard on their two, brilliant official videos : "A Corpse without A Soul" taken from the "Mercyful Fate" EP and "Evil" from their first album "Melissa".

MERCYFUL FATE provided two albums and one EP before their first split-up. "Mercyful Fate" EP was published in 1982"; "Melissa" as of 1983 and "Don't Break the Oath" is dated back in 1984.

KING DIAMOND was member of the LaVeyan's The Church of Satan in those early years, but he left it later on.

BATHORY from Sweden!

In the first place, the Black Metal term was referring to the bands who adopted the full satanic lyrics and esthetics, so to speak, but Quorthon Seth succeeded  to change this situation.

Black Metal and extreme metal of the 80' in general, received a lot of bad reviews in the media of those times. Journalists and fanzine reviewers, at that time, were not prepared for such musical ferocity, or they were too much into the melodic rock and, somehow, many of them being unable to deal with, or to truly understand this hot, explosive, new metal endeavor.

Also, back in 1986 some of them were truly convinced that this genre will disappear at some point, just because they perceived it as nothing but senseless noise, as MORBID ANGEL's vocalist David Vincent recalls in some of his interviews taken later on.

That was the case with the Swedish band BATHORY, as well.

Quorthon Seth, the vocalist, guitarist and the main songwriter was so annoyed by the above mentioned attitude, that he started to lie, misguide, giving false names or funny pseudonyms in order to piss off the media and the journalists in some of his early of interviews.

The Return......of Bathory

Back in those incipient days Quorthon Seth was struggling hard to find a drum and a bass player for the band, without much success, just because many of the metal or rock musicians, in his area, were mostly into the melodic hard rock bands who were very famous at the middle of the 80's. For example, bands like Whitesnake, Europe, Scorpions and so on.

BATHORY was formed in 1983 and is one of the main and the most important pioneer for the Black Metal scene, as they created the specific vocal style and the sonic identity known up to this day.

Their first achievement was to record two songs for a compilation called "Scandinavian Metal Attack" back in 1983 : "Sacrifice" and "The Return of Darkness and Evil" issued by Quorthon's father label Black Mark Production.

The result was astonishing and overwhelming as they received sacks full of letters from around the world.

Their fans were literally fascinated by the songs, and especially for the icy vocal delivery and they begged for a full album.

The first "Bathory" album dated back in 1984 musically saw a heavier version of VENOM and it was greatly received by the fans worldwide.

With their second "The Return....." release from 1985 creativity took off and the band managed to create their own, original sound. 

The American band SLAYER indirectly contributed to this situation, just because Quorthon listened and liked SLAYER, and he wanted BATHORY to sound more evil and minimalistic than SLAYER, in order to save his band from becoming just another regular Thrash Metal act.

There is a photo circulating on the internet with Quorthon among SLAYER guys made in one of his visits in U.S.A.

In his interviews, at that time, he was describing the music present on this LP as being Death Metal. 

It isn't Death Metal, actually, but definitely is a very extreme form of Black Metal for those times. 

The follower output "Under the Sign of Black Mark" from 1986 created the standard Scandinavian sound we know up to this day, with all the ingredients, so to speak : melodicity, speed, vocal delivery and most important, the typical atmosphere black metal should have in order to be at its highest quality.

Starting with "Blood, Fire, Death" released in 1988 BATHORY's music started to incorporate more and more choruses , acoustic and symphonic elements, by the fans' request, as they asked for more songs in the "Enter the Eternal Fire" vein, transforming their music in what is labelled Viking Metal today.

The band HELLHAMMER are known for a much "greasier", doomier sound than the other bands within the style. Same goes for CELTIC FROST who was formed a few days later after HELLHAMMER was disbanded.

Hellhammer - Triumph of Death GIF

This happened in Switzerland back in A.D. 1983.

HELLHAMMER released one legendary EP called "Apocalyptic Raids" as of 1984 , besides three demos, before the front-man Thomas "Ugh" Gabriel Warrior decided to switch the band's name to CELTIC FROST. 

He stated that he wished to experience more with the music and at the general sound side, being the main reason for the up-said change.

After two EP's : "Emperor's Return" issued as of 1984 ; "Morbid Tales" and a legendary album "To Mega Therion" both issued by 1985, the band released "Into the Pandemonium" back in 1987. 

A quite avant-gardistic attempt mixing industrial sonority, gothic-like atmospheres, female vocalists were, also invited, and somehow a poetic touch created on some of their songs, such as "Mesmerized" Featuring Claudia-Maria Mokri as guest vocalist or "Sorrows of the Moon" Featuring Manü Moan as guest vocalist.

The album received a mixed reaction from the audience. 

Some part of the fan-base were not very much "mesmerized" by the output and looked in suspicion and overall disappointment, regarding the album.

Sadly, their worst intuitions came truth when the band decided to publish the following disc in 1988 under the name of "Cold Lake".

A very unfortunate move, for sure, as the band took a turn to...Glam-Rock style, for some reason...but that's another story.

The German band SODOM plays, also an important role in the first Black Metal wave, before they became a pivotal name for the European Thrash Metal scene. 

Formed by three gentleman, one of them being a mine worker, they gathered under the pseudonyms of "Angelripper";  Witchhunter" and "Grave Violator" and promoting their band with a photo among some antique ruins, besides other typical 80's metalhead postures.

Their EP from 1985 named "In the Sign of Evil" and the fist LP "Obsessed by Cruelty" issued as of 1986 are the most appreciated contributions, her , before switching more and more towards a Thrash Metal take starting with their second album "Persecution Mania" issued back in 1987.

However, their musical quality and ferocity remained kind on the same coordinates , establishing the band among the most harsh Thrash Metal deliverers of the scene.

The Italian band BULLDOZER is worth to get into, as well.
Through time they became an iconic legend and their music sounds a lot in the vein of VENOM or BATHORY.

Their first three albums became cult-like pieces and they were pointed out and being recommended for a listen in an interview by Fenriz of DARKTHRONE.

"Day of Wrath" published in 1985 ; "The Final Separation" back in 1986 and "IX" as of 1987 should be mentioned here, being part of the first Black Metal wave.

Perhaps, SEPULTURA's first two releases fits the category, here, judging through the whole artistic presentation ; Antichristian/demonic album covers and lyrics, high speed riffs and the wild vocal delivery.

All of the above checked and there we have it! Demo#1 ; "Bestial Devastation" EP both dated back in 1985 and the "Morbid Visions" album from 1986 should be considered closer to the first wave of black metal side, musically and conceptually speaking, than the average Thrash Metal usually practiced in the mid of the 80's.

Also, we have Max Cavalera, describing in an interview, how they were struggling to hand-made their own bullet-belts in order to catch-up with the overall look in the most black metal fashion for the band's first promotional photos, at that time.

Con-national band SARCÓFAGO was formed by "Wagner" Antichrist Lamounier back in 1985, as he left SEPULTURA after his contribution as the vocalist on their demo, and had a huge impact on the black metal development, especially for the musicians from the Norwegian scene. 

Black Metal related GIF

Many of them looked up to this band and it was considered highly inspirational music-wise as they had the proper attitude extreme metal demands.

SARCÓFAGO released the milestone "I.N.R.I." album in 1987 followed by the "Rotting" EP as of 1989 and the "Laws of the Scourge" LP back in 1991.

From the last one it was made an official video-clip for the "Screeches from the Silence" song.

PARABELLUM from Columbia should be in this article, again. 

The band had a comet lifespan, so to speak, from 1983 up to 1988, but still important for the history of Black Metal. They published a compilation on which we can find their both EP's : Sacrilegio - 1987 and "Mutación por Radiación" - 1988 who were gathered under the name of "Tempus Mortis" released back in 2005.

Even that MAYHEM might be credited for creating the second (Norwegian) wave of black metal, they truly are part of the first one as they are active since 1984 and their first demo "Pure Fucking Armageddon" saw the light of the day (or the dark of the night) back in 1986.

Euronymous created the scene by influencing his fellow musicians from the Norwegian scene he got into contact with, to drop their Death Metal approach within their music and fully embrace the Black Metal style, stating that Death Metal became dull, repetitive and the musicians left their right attitude extreme metal should have, in general.

This is the reason why he is credited for being the Godfather and the mentor for the second Black Metal wave.

As for the infamous open chord Norwegian sonic identity, he is credited for, it is unclear if this guitar technique truly belongs to him...or to MAYHEM's second guitar player.

That above mentioned specific sound appears, for the first time, only on the "Live in Leipzig" and "De Mysteriis Dom Satanas" for the first time in MAYHEM's discography and kind of lacks on their aforementioned demo or the "Deathcrush" EP and it might be created by their second guitarist, at that time, which is Snorre "Blackthorn" Ruch originally from the avant-gardistic band THORNS...

However, in an interview, Fenriz of DARKTHRONE told that the original Norwegian sonic take has been created by both of them.

Along with the Black Metal style, the extreme metal scene of the '80's was active with Death Metal and Grindcore subgenres, as well, practiced by bands such as : MASTER, DEATH, MASSACRE, POSSESSED, NECROPHAGIA, REPULSION, NAPALM DEATH, CARCASS and TERRORIZER.

...to be continued, edited and completed with more details about the topic...

Deathrash

Thrash / Death Metal wasn't an intentional musical admixture, so to speak like Gothic Metal or Doom / Death. The genre evolved along with Death Metal and it was played by bands who tried to sound closer to Slayer or even more aggressive, in the first place.

Deathrash GIF

Sepultura is for sure the first example, in that respect. 

Their first demo, "Bestial Devastation" EP and "Morbid Visions" album are mostly on the Black / Death Metal side and starting with "Schizophrenia" up to "Arise" album, their music surely is too brutal to be called Thrash and not yet Death Metal as it came to be at the end of the '80s. 

As many of you know, starting with "Chaos A.D." they changed to groove metal...and other whatever influences.

Californian band Possessed match in this category, as well, even they are credited as Death Metal inventors, their thrashy energetic riffage is more than obvious to everybody. That would be another example of a-little-bit-more-aggressive-than Slayer music.

 

In 1987 Necrophagia released their debut "Season of the Dead" which surely represent an undeniable milestone in the Death Metal history, as well along with Death's "Scream Bloody Gore" opus, but their music wasn't 100% within this genre as they still have a foot in the Thrash Metal "grave" throughout their entire catalog.

It seems that musically speaking Thrash / Death it's like Death Metal devoid of doomy-sabbath-ish or Celtic Frost influenced way of writing music , but filled with the insane dynamics that Thrash has to offer to the audience.

Floridian bands Malevolent Creation and Massacre are worth to be mention in here, even that the last one moved to a more groovy type of approach on their recent works, the classical "From Beyond" must be a perfect example for sure.

The more technical oriented Sadus, the original Steve DiGiorgio's band is here to be mention hailing, again from the Floridian brigade and, of course, genre-wise hanging between Thrash and Death Metal.

Legendary Paul Speckman's band Abomination,  originally formed in Chicago, Illinois, with the same line-up Master had on their first released LP must be one of the most important player in this game, chronologically and conceptually speaking.

Abomination has two releases "Abomination" and "Tragedy Strikes" plus two EP's "The Final War" and "Live in Germany".

The same goes for the French scene from the '90s consisting of Massacra, Loudblast, No Return and Aggressor. 

These bands manage to consolidate the genre in an original manner and their discographies are a strong recommendation to get into, especially the first three Massacra albums that are absolutely fantastic!

The German band Protector, as well, fits the same category and their music remains absolutely brilliant to this day. From "Golem" onward, every release added more and more brutality and maturity at the delivery section towards Death Metal, even that the thrashy guitar structure remained essential in their music, up to this day. 

Albums recommended? All of them!

The Netherland's Pestilence first three issues complete the ranks in this fashion up to the conceptual "Testimony of the Ancients" album. 

Starting with their fourth "Spheres" album, the music shifted to a more technical death metal with jazz inspired rhythm sections, possibly influenced by the musical direction can be heard on Death's "Individual Thought Patterns" LP.

Swiss band Messiah would be great to listed to. Their conceptual album "Rotten Perish" from 1992 being their greatest achievement, so far.

Another great work to dig must be "Scrolls of the Megilloth" of the Australian band Mortification.

Their entire discography fit in the same Thrash / Death style, as well.

The Colombian band Masacre are, also a strong example to pin-point, here, as an undisputed veteran exponent for this sub-genre.

The three brothers from Krisiun, somehow followed the same path co-nationals from Sepultura opened and despite the velocity, blast-beats and the brutality of their overall music display, the energetic Thrash riffs are everywhere to be found in their musical structure.

With a perfect crossover between Thrash/Hardcore/Death Metal and a discography spanning for only three albums, the great and brutal Thrash Metal "Tortured Existence" the even more aggressive and their best achievement "Epidemic of Violence" and the more groove oriented "Time Bomb"  New Yorkers from Demolition Hammer gained a well deserved respect from the metal community worldwide and the legendary status every band dream of.

In terms of absolute great, great music is the now the almost forgotten Brazilian band Incubus and their "Beyond the Unknown" first release. They have a unique sound and their riff work flow in a close to perfection fashion on that one. A totally unforgettable jam. 

Later on they moved to U.S.A. in Louisiana and changed their band name into Opprobrium continuing to release music in the same fashion.

Crown of Thorns who later rebranded themselves as The Crown coming from the endless swedish metal contingent with an explosive admixture of Thrash/Death and Death'n' Roll, extremely dynamic and memorable enough to tear down any doubt about originality, as well. 

A not-to-be-missed act for sure!

The German combo Dew-Scented and the Swedish Deathchain complete the circle for this musical endeavor and they are not to be overlooked in a hypothetical history of the Thrash / Death Metal, as a whole.

Gothic Metal I.

By the year of 1991 the underground metal scene, especially in Europe,  was populated, mostly, with endless number of death metal bands, many of them copying what the leaders in charge have already done or copying each other.

...And then a "weird" album arrived on the stores' shelves...

Published by Peaceville Records, it was named "Gothic" and released by the British band Paradise Lost.

Gothic Metal GIF

This album was the first one to inflame fans' and other bands' imagination worldwide.

A game-changer,for sure!

The album "goes" into the opposite direction as their contemporaries, so to speak, in terms of speed, mood and the overall melodic delivery.

An experimental album trying to add and encapsulate the Gothic-Rock atmosphere into their traditional Death-Metal roots.

According to Gregor Mackintosh the album's producer statement at hearing was : 

" - You will never go anywhere with this one! It doesn't fit any category!"

Also, Paradise Lost are responsible for creating the Doom / Death Metal style and introducing the "beauty and the beast" vocal duality, just one album earlier, on "Lost Paradise - 1990" with the song "Breeding Fear" being the first attempt in this category.

Prior to that, the idea of Gothic-Rock came from the Punk-Gothic band The Damned who's vocalist Dave Vanian used to dress like Dracula during their live performances.

Later on, acts lebelled by the music press and listeners as New-Wave, Gothic-Rock, Synth-Pop or Death-Rock, well known heroes, like Joy Division , Siouxsie and the Banshees , Bauhaus , Killing Joke , The Cure , The Sisters of Mercy , Fields of the Nephilim , Christian Death or the very avantgardistic Dead Can Dance took the challenge and started to experimence with a more dark, bleak touch, inspired and paved the way for the most of the Gothic-Metal bands we enjoy today.

Many think that the Gothic-Rock genre was created and clearly defined by Bauhaus' - Bela Lugosi's Dead song with its melodic, and / or melancholic song structure, plus the aforementioned dark attitude highlighted (or darklighted) by the specific baritonal vocal output.

On the other hand, another big influence for this new genre was 1987 Celtic Frost's "Into The Pandemonium" release.

This LP was a very controversial one at that time, as well, as they left their traditional Black/Thrash/Death roots for a more experimental approach.

The result was a rejection by some fans, but it was fully embraced by others.
It is an album full of new ,fresh and innovative ideas combining industrial tunes with dark melancholic moments, almost a prophetic act if we see how Gothic-Metal developed in years to come.

Actually, it cannot be drawn a strict line between the Death / Doom Metal and Gothic-Metal, as the genres are quite closely intertwined from the very beginning. 

The same goes for the lyrical content, as for the both styles includes mostly kind of the same content : philosophical or spiritual subjects, moody description of nature, personal drama ,religious issues here and there or sentimental/psychological issues, and rarely social troubles, per say.

Moving back to the inventors of the genre, the absolutely memorable "As I Die" the last track taken from the "Shades of God" album was an instant blow, sending massive waves through the extreme metal community and being the track that managed to polarize and amaze with its powerful feeling, originality and spontaneity. 

  Paradise Lost - Icon GIF

Later on, the song was an inspiration for them,, as well, in terms of song writing for their next "Icon" output released in 1993.

 

Their next albums as above mentioned "Shades Of God - 1992" ; "Icon - 1993" 

and the much praised "Draconian Times - 1995" developed the ideas into a more Gothic Heavy Metal approach,  building a mountain of melancholy, evolving and still keeping their original style, but moving their music to the highest levels and increasing their popularity among the metal audience. 

For example, by the year of 1995 the band was called "the european Metallica" as they dethroned them throughout the scandinavian metal tops published at that time.

My Dying Bride must be the second band who cemented the Doom / Death Metal genre through "As The Flower Withers" first LP published in 1992, then on the second one they were also experimenting with gothic bleak atmospheres throughout the entire album. Especially at the vocal delivery.

"Turn Loose The Swans - 1993" is a classic and a very representative album. Their following LP's as: "The Angel And The Dark River - 1995" ; "Like Gods Of The Sun - 1996" and "34.788%... Complete - 1998" put the band on the top of metal listeners.

Anathema surely being the third and the one to complete the-so-called "Peaceville Three" bands
putting, again, British Metal in the top of the well known innovative movement in the general rock/metal picture.

Their slow and crushing, yet very atmospheric metal was a breath of fresh air in the emerging extreme metal scene.
The first two full-lenghts and two EP's are an important reference in that respect.

Another British band that promised a lot with its first album was Enchantment.

"Dance of the Marble Nacked - 1994" will please any Paradise Lost listener with their melancholic heaviness. 

Sadly, despite the fact that they had a 6 records deal with Century Media, Enchantment disbanded after their much appreciated first full-length album.

On the other side of the ocean, an important pioneering band from the first half of the '90s include Type O Negative from New York. 

Their musical core consists in a very Sabbath-ish riffage mixed with The Sisters of Mercy dark-voice singing.
Some Hardcore-punk reprises can be heard here and there, reminiscent of Peter Steele's (R.I.P.)
songwriting for Agnostic Front or hanging out in C.B.G.B's-club area, but their "Bloody Kisses - 1993" is a memorable and classic LP to get into.

Their following catalog cemented the leader status along with Paradise Lost by providing memorable songs for the overall metal hordes.

The Saviour Machine was a christian oriented Gothic Metal band coming from LA, California.

All of their albums are conceptual and they focused their music and lyrical content around the apocalypse chapter from the bible.

Another act coming from the U.S.A. would be The Bronx Casket Co. of Overkill's bassist D.D. Verni.

Sadly, the only three bands alike to be remembered from the States.

In Europe the idea wasn't much expected to be explored and it was embraced soon, as the second wave of Death Metal of mid '90's started to change or to fade away.

The Gathering must be the next band to mention, especially with their first albums, being recommended for a best musical trip, rich in romantic and gothic atmospheres.

Their later works started to incorporate more and more atmospheric elements, probably due to admiration for Pink Floyd of the main composers, there, and the general sound moved away from the strictly "Goth" musical identity.

However, they are mostly described as Doom-Death, early and Atmospheric Metal with Prog and Alternative influences added within, on their last albums.

Norway provided with bands like Theatre of Tragedy , Tristania and Mortal Love to the general map, whose full discographies are totally recommended in order to achieve the absolutely dramatic, dreamy and the melancholic experience northern Gothic Metal has to offer.

The Gothic Metal scene was enriched by Germany with the, veteran by now, band Crematory with his much melodic and romantic Death Metal accompanied by powerful and memorable keyboard lines.

 Their music has that typical German "exactness" in terms of execution, but powerful, straight to the point and with such melancholic substance.

From "Transmigration - 1993" to "...Just Dreaming - 1994" and the much appreciated "Illusions - 1995" they built a strong and distinctive style not to be forgotten by fans and the metal music history in general.

 
Their following catalog continued mostly on the same musical formulas adding, also industrial influences on some releases, or more or less riff content intensity.

Atrocity is a German band who started to incorporate Gothic Metal tunes as they left Death Metal present on their first two albums.

LP's like "Calling the Rain - 1995" Featuring vocalist Alex Krull's sister, Yasmin Krull ; "Die Liebe - 1995 (in collaboration with the Gothic Rock band Das Ich)" ; "Willenskraft - 1996" are the works to turned the tides on goth and metal waves letting the fans of their first two original albums scratching their heads in confusion.

The German band Evereve, also is about to be mentioned with albums like "Seasons - 1997" ; "Stormbirds - 1998" and "Regret - 1999" combining heaviness with powerful melodramatic lines.

The same goes for the band Dark, who contributed with three albums, much appreciated at that time, starting from 1994.

Pyogenesis will be remembered with "Ignis Creatio - 1992 EP","Underneath - 1992 EP" ; "Waves of Erotasia - 1994 EP" and "Sweet X-Rated Nothings - 1994 LP"...sadly the next records moved their music towards alternative-pop music leaving the goth-metal legions in confusion.

Another band who plays on the quality music specter is Secret Discovery hanging between Metal and Rock,their songs are pretty much memorable Gothic tunes, in this regard!



One of the most important German acts are Darkseed,as they also begin their adventure with Death Metal rawness,then moving towards Gothic Metal through "Midnight Solemnly Dance - 1996" landing on fertile Gothic Metal ground with "Spellcraft - 1997" ; "Romantic Tales - Re-issued 1998" and "Give Me Light - 1999". On the last albums Darkseed combines metal with electronica and Dark Wave inherited from the well known german tradition.

The Austrian band Visceral Evisceration made a significant  standpoint on their "Incessant Desire for Palatable Flesh" back in 1994. 

Heavily influenced by the "Gothic" album, but very much appreciated by the underground fan base of those times. 

At the lyrical section, the band chose to focus around gory dark humor, which can be easily guessed by the way their song titles are named, unlike the contemporaries within this genre.

Lacrimosa the Swiss duo led by Tilo Wolff and Anne Nurmi mixes Gothic Rock with Heavy Metal accompanied by classical instruments and electronica. Originally,on their first album it was more on the Dark Wave style,but as the music evolved metal and classical elements were added gradually to the concept. Their third "Inferno - 1995" album gained international success despite the German language mostly used in their lyrics.

On the next albums Lacrimosa added more and more classical instrumentation in partnership with London a Symphony Orchestra,the Rosenberg Ensemble and the Hamburg State Opera, moving their style to Symphonic Gothic Metal collage.

In the mid '90s from the dark side of Portugal came Moonspell with a quite Black Metal-ish debut "Wolfheart - 1995" that includes, also substantial Gothic vibes and seriously fantastic songwriting, this album is an instant success! The second incarnation as beeing "Irreligious - 1996" totally they totally jumped in the goth-metal wagon delivering a strong ,powerful and representative product.

In years to come metal community was somehow disappointed by their appetite for experimentation, but their last LP's demonstrates that Moonspell is an undeniable force, able to reinvent themselves and to rise again from the ashes, bringing great albums and keeping Gothic Metal fans around their scene.

The second portugese Gothic Metal act, in terms of popularity should be the band Heavenwood.

Their music "goes" more into the Cemetary, Lake of Tears direction, this time.

The band contributed with "Diva" - 1996 ; "Swallow" - 1998 before splitting up, but managed to reform back in 2008 and, since then they brought to the attention albums like : "Redemption" - 2008 ; "Abyss Masterpiece" and "The Tarot of the Bohemians" - 2016

To be continued here...

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