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Sunday Old School: Black Metal History Month Part 4 - Enthroned

And so we come to the end of Black Metal History Month for the fifth time. This year we’ve seen how Dimmu Borgir attained commercial success, how Melechesh overcame religious policing and fled their home country and examined the blood drenched story of Dissection. We close another fascinating month with a trip to Belgium, to take a look at another band with a history of extreme music and personal tragedy, Enthroned.

Enthroned began life in 1993 in the city of Charleroi, the brain child of drummer Cernunnos. He sought out like minded musicians and soon found them in Tsebaoth and vocalist/bassist Sabathan, who joined after the group briefly worked with a singer from the blackened grindcore band Hecate. The trio recorded a five track demo which circulated around the metal underground, eventually leading them to release a split EP with countrymen Ancient Rites through Afterdark Records. The label soon folded but the band was picked up by Evil Omen Records, a sub-label of Osmose Productions, who released the band’s debut album, "Prophecies of Pagan Fire" in 1995. It didn’t impress every listener, but received a generally good response, with "At the Sound of Millennium Black Bells" being singled out as an Enthroned classic.

Sadly, the debut was to be the only album with Cernunnos. The group had embarked on a lengthy European tour with Ancient Rites and Bewitched and then prepared to record their sophomore release, but before they entered the studio, the drummer and founder committed suicide by hanging himself. In addition to this, Tsebaoth left the band and was replaced by Nornagest and Nebiros and the three, along with session drummer Da Cardoen, recorded a second album, "Towards the Skullthrone of Satan," released in 1997 through Blackend Records, again to a mostly positive response.

Following the release of their second album, the band released an EP for their fallen comrade, "Regie Sathanas: A Tribute to Cernunnos," which featured previously released songs and a cover of the Sodom song, "The Conqueror." They eventually replaced Cernunnos with a drummer called Namroth Blackthorn and travelled to Sweden to record their third album, which was released in December 1999 under the title, "The Apocalypse Manifesto." The record dealt with the Biblical end of the world, described through Viking eyes and was met with a better reception than the previous two albums.

After touring with fellow black metallers Marduk, the band split with Nebiros and replaced him with Nerath Daemon, who made his live debut with the band on a short tour of Germany, where the band also recorded their fourth album, "Armoured Bestial Hell." It was regarded as their weakest record up to that point and Enthroned soon made amends with their fifth album, "Carnage in Worlds Beyond," released only a year later. It marked the introduction of new drummer Alsvid and saw particular praise being lavished on the opening songs, "Boundless Demonication" and "Infernal Flesh Massacre."

"Carnage in Worlds Beyond," would mark the beginning of their partnership with Napalm Records but the end of work with Alsvid for a time, as he was replaced by Glaurung, as well new guitarist Nguaroth entering the fold to take the place of Nerath Daemon. This new incarnation embarked on a South American tour before recording and releasing the 2004 album, "XES Haereticum," which many fans and critics cite as the best album of their career to date, with "Demon’s Claw" and "Dance of a Thousand Knives" being singled out as some of the best tracks on the album.

Though "XES Haereticum," brought the band increased success, giving them the opportunity to release their first live album, "Black Goat Ritual: Live in Thy Flesh," recorded in Brazil, Lord Sabathan decided to leave the band soon after, leaving the band with no original members. As a result, Nornagest took over the position of vocalist and a new bassist named Phorgath was brought in. The debut of Nornagest as the band’s singer came in 2007 with the release of, "Tetra Karcist," which received a good, if not unanimously praised reception. It marked a brief return for Alsvid, who was soon replaced by Ahephaim, who also parted ways with the band before the recording of their next album, "Pentagrammaton," on which Garghuf performed drums.

The album received a mixed to positive response and following its relase, Nornagest had to stop performing guitar live, as he developed chronic tendinitis in his wrist. He continued to play guitar in the studio however, recording parts for their next album, "Obsidium," which was released in 2012 and was their first for new label, Agonia Records. It was praised as something of a return to form for the band, with the following album, "Sovereigns" garnering critical acclaim upon its release in 2014. Since then the band has mostly been performing lives, taking part in the 70,000 Tons of Metal cruise last year as well as embarking on a Russian tour most recently. Where they go from here remains to be seen and though they may not have won over every metal fan, their place as one of Belgium’s most extreme bands has surely been forever cemented.

Enthroned - "At The Sound Of The Millenium Black Bells"

Enthroned - "Evil Church"

Enthroned - "Walpurgis Night"

Enthroned - "Retribution of the Holy Trinity"

Enthroned - "Wrapped In Fire"

Enthroned - "Infernal Flesh Massacre"

Enthroned - "Hellgium Messiah"

Enthroned - "Oracle ov Void"