Hello all. I'm a guitar player (among other things), and I woke up this morning thoughtful of the guitar works that serve as my unquenchable wellsprings of inspiration. I'll include a triplet of those I find most fruitful, and maybe, if you can at all sympathize with my selections or general taste, we could have a back-and-forth :)

1. Taken from their live album Extraterrestrial Live (the album which inspired me to play guitar), Blue Öyster Cult’s version of Veteran of the Psychic Wars played at a 1981 set in Pembroke Pines, FL holds its place to me as containing some of Buck Dharma’s most compelling playing. The solo is long, but also dynamic, containing what feels like a narrative arc, fit with an inciting incident, rising action, climax. etc., a balance of bluesy shredding and causal melodizing, and a few sections of reverb-heavy tremolo picking that saturate it with atmosphere, although atmosphere and soul pervade the entire damn thing. Abandon all freedom from carpal tunnel, ye who seek to learn this beast.
2. Representing what I feel to be the pinnacle of their songwriting prior to fully coming into their heavy metal style, Beyond the Realms of Death by Judas Priest shows how the lead guitar for a ballad is done right. Every note feels absolutely necessary and passionate, with each transition into every lick being slick. Like the solo from Floods by Pantera, the lead guitar and bass complement each other throughout, but here there is a staccato rhythm guitar that syncs with the bass to produce something more symphonic. This is the solo I play whenever I need to impress!
3. Lastly, I’m including Call from the Grave from Bathory’s third album Under the Sign of the Black Mark. Black Metal isn’t usually a genre to include guitar solos, but I find when it does, it is seldom an unwelcome deviancy, especially here, because Quorthon manages a competent exercise in power and intensity through minimalism. The solo is short and low in note-volume, but conveys a dreadful atmosphere through a razor-sharp guitar tone, slow and ominous bends, and concluding with a rendition of Chopin’s Funeral March. Additionally, an attendant droning, thumping bassline sells this song as being one of Bathory’s darkest, which makes it all the memorable.

That's all for me. Please, do share what you like, as I'm always on the prowl for musical virtuosity.

Now that I’ve had some free time in my hands thanks to this global pandemic, I finally got around to working on this project that has been on my mind for months, in hopes to make a small contribution to this community.
Some might remember the translated interviews around Sepultura’s early career. Being born in Brazil, I feel a special pride coming from the same place as such influential bands, known across the world. I have, however, lived most of my life in Portugal, a much smaller country that nevertheless produced some quality material over the years.
In this primer I’ll go over the socio-political context that led to a late arrival into the Heavy Metal scene, the first Portuguese bands to make waves in the 80s, the first excursions into extreme metal territory in the 90s, as well as an overview of the modern scene. Most primers that I’ve seen seem to focus on specific genres in a country, though I’ve decided to take a generalist approach since most people might not be as knowledgeable of the Portuguese bands. I particularly wish to highlight historical context as it seems to be the first significant contribution regarding this subject. Some of the projects were chosen not because of their quality per se, but rather due to their importance in establishing the scene. Also, the focus will be on the band’s first LP or significant release if it never got to put out a full-length. Lastly, I want to point out the primer is loosely organised in chronological order, not by year of formation but rather by output.
 

Socio-political context

Portugal’s 20th century was plagued by instability and conflict, much like the rest of Europe. Though it was one of the first nations to establish a global colonial empire, by this time Portugal was a shell of its former self. A weakened Monarchy that met an abrupt end via regicide in 1910 lead to a feeble republican government, whose power waned with the country’s intervention in WWI. With the end of the war came a period of political crisis that would last until 1926, during which there were a whopping 38 prime ministers.
A dictatorship was then established that would last until 1974, 48 years in total; longer than the rules of Franco, Mussolini, Hitler, or Stalin. This regime had a strong traditional nationalistic and isolationist doctrine, as well as high illiteracy rates among most of the population. All of this made it difficult for foreign media outside of the mainstream to make its way into Portugal, even releases by big bands like Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Black Sabbath or Deep Purple were hard to come by during the 70’s. As a result, it was only at the beginning of the 80’s that the boom of Rock music in Portugal took place, and that’s where we’ll start.
 

The Genesis

The 80s brought about some bands that would be instrumental in establishing a proper scene in post-dictatorial Portugal. In some cases, it is difficult to find material and information online, as some projects were either short-lived or transitioned to softer styles after their first releases.
 
NZZN – Named after its members (Necas, Zica and Zé Nuno), these guys are regarded as pioneers. They started as a Van Halen and AC/DC cover band in 1979 and released what is considered the first Heavy Metal single in Portugal, Vem Daí, in 1980. Their sound can be described as a blurred line between Hard Rock and Heavy Metal proper, which nonetheless reached the number 1 spot on a famous Rock radio show at the time. This band released one LP a year later, titled Forte e Feio, disbanding shortly after.
 
Jarojupe – This band consists of 4 brothers: Jaime, Rosa, Juca and Pedro, whose initials gave the band its name (yeah yeah, I know… and they’re not the last band in this primer to do this). Originally formed in 1981 they played at dance clubs making the switch to a heavier sound to enter a contest, in which they got 4th place. ’84 was a big year for these guys as they got to play in front of 15,000 people in Spain’s Muestra de Pop, Rock y otros Rollos as well as the first Portuguese Heavy Metal Festival, held in the outskirts of Lisbon. A year later they released their first single, Pecado Mortal, which just like the previous band was a weird blend, albeit with poorer production. I couldn’t find anything else from their Heavy Metal days besides that single, since they went on to become a pretty mellow Rock band.
 
Xeque-Mate – Another band that took part in the Portuguese Heavy Metal Festival, Xeque-Mate released a couple of singles in ‘81 with their full-length coming out 4 years later. Em Nome Do Pai Do Filho... E Do Rock 'n' Roll boasts a much more Heavy Metal focused sound in line with early Accept or Saxon and flirting with Speed Metal here or there. Definitely a foundational moment in the Portuguese scene, this is arguably the first purely Heavy Metal album to be released in the country, and with a pretty decent production to boot. You got catchy fist-pumping choruses, shredding solos, and goofy looking cover art, what more could you ask for?
 
MAC-ZAC/TARÂNTULA – Formed by lead guitarrist Paulo Barros (who also played in Xeque-Mate’s debut album) and his brother Luís on drums, MAC-ZAC played a lot of shows throughout the country early on in their career. This got them the attention of a couple of German businessmen who proceeded to invite them for a couple of shows in 1982 in the cities of Frankfurt and Offenbach. There the group took the chance to record a rehearsal, which I can’t seem to find anywhere. MAC-ZAC was also part of the 1984 Portuguese Heavy Metal Festival. A year later they recruited a keyboard player and a new singer, change their name to Tarântula, and release a self-titled album in ’87 with lyrics in English. This release leans more towards Power Metal, with more technical playing than what can be heard from the aforementioned bands. I will admit I am far from an expert in Power Metal, though Tarântula seem to follow the EUPM formula not shying away from using synths and anthemic choruses. Do not be fooled however, this album has its fair share of muscle in the form of blazing solos (I guess these dudes were really into Yngwie Malsteen), double-bass drums, and NWOBHM riffage as well as some bursts of virtuoso bass playing here and there which caught me completely by surprise. All of this is complimented by an organic production style, which does not castrate the music’s agression.
 
Sepulcro – Yet another group that played in the ’84 Festival, Sepulcro was a short-lived project that never got to release a full-length. Nonetheless, these guys were an important part of the early scene brewing at the time, putting out a couple of demos that were put together as a compilation named Flesh Meets Steel in ’87. Just like Tarântula they had a Portuguese name but sang in English, though their sound did not boast the same Power Metal inclination. Sepulcro played a more straightforward type of Heavy Metal, influenced by the likes of Judas Priest (to me the singer kinda sounds like a discount Rob Halford). The production here is not the best, though it is far from unlistenable.
 
V12 – This band came to be in 1984, though it was only 3 years later that they released their demo. Late to arrive in the scene, V12 put out their self-titled LP in 1990, which represents a landmark in the Portuguese scene. The band wear their influences on their sleeves, the first track sounds like Iron Maiden in Portuguese, but the album soon takes a turn to heavier sounds, hinting at Speed/Thrash Metal as it progresses. This release would make a strong argument for Portugal’s Traditional Heavy Metal crowning jewel, an amazing way to put an end to the 80s, with Tarântula as another contender. After this V12 sadly only released a single and another demo, disbanding in ’93.
 
These are not the only bands to arise during the decade, there were other names such as Valium with clear Mercyful Fate influences (later became Casablanca when they released their first LP) and STS Paranoid, both groups played in the Portuguese Heavy Metal Festival. Also worth mentioning because of their cool name and much darker sound is Satan’s Saints, who shared stages with those other two bands, they recorded a demo (this is some good stuff, if you can endure the rough recording quality) and then disbanded in 1987.
By the end of the decade some more attention had gathered around this underground movement and some new projects started to emerge, following in the footsteps of the more extreme bands making a name for themselves abroad. The 90s mark a new chapter in Portuguese metal, with these more aggressive sounds popping up with new groups. Perhaps Quorthon’s autograph session in a Lisbon record store in 1990 served as a harbinger of what was to come. In that video you can actually see people that would go on to form important bands mentioned here such as Moonspell, Filii Nigrantium Infernalium or Thormenthor.
 

The extreme 90s

Some of the projects mentioned here actually had their origins in the late years of the past decade, though their main releases happened in the 90s, hence why they are listed here. As I pointed out in the last paragraph, these bands began to explore heavier, and at times downright weirder sounds.
 
Moonspell – Ok, let’s just get these guys out of the way alright? Most of you have probably heard of Moonspell, they are the most famous of the Portuguese bands. Maybe you knew they existed as Morbid God from ’89 to ’92 (which is now a side project I guess?), maybe you didn’t. No one’s questioning your street cred calm down, jeez. They went from folky Black Metal on their early releases to an Atmospheric Black Metal sound with heavy gothic and folk aesthetics by the time they put out their debut album, Wolfheart (1995). I don’t like the Gothic Metal subgenre label but perhaps it is a good way to describe it. If I had to draw any comparisons, it’s like In the Nightside Eclipse or Thy Mighty Contract, Black Metal with tasteful synths but written and performed by that weird goth kid who’s obsessed with vampires and Edgar Allan Poe. Oh, and sprinkle some Bergtatt on it too. This kind of sound would go on to influence other Portuguese bands, which in addition to their active output calendar during the rest of the decade would cement their status a central piece in the local scene.
 
Sacred Sin – Finally, some d-beat and blast beats. Sacred Sin came to life in ’91 playing the best kind of Death Metal: OSDM! It’s pretty straightforward stuff, think early Morbid Angel with muddier production. Their debut LP is titled Darkside, dropping in ’93; it doesn’t show as many signs of the Thrash Metal influence you can hear in early Death Metal projects. Throughout the album you can hear some melodic interludes and passages where the band employs synths for added atmosphere, though it is not overdone at all. The version of the album linked here is the remastered version from ’94 with bonus live tracks, as well as some changes in-between songs such as fade outs and transitions that might make the pacing weird at times. Sacred Sin were an important band, as they released the first Death Metal album in Portugal and were also the first Portuguese group to be featured in MTV’s Headbangers Ball. José Costa, the band’s vocalist also took part in several projects such as Disaffected, Paranormal Waltz, and Corpus Christii.
 
Thormenthor – Sticking to the Death Metal theme, this band started putting out demos as early as 1988, though their only album only dropped in ’94, one year later than Sacred Sin. Not to take anything away from Thormenthor however, as their style differs from the straightforward sound of the previous band by adding some technical flourish and progressive elements to their Death Metal. Look, I’ll just go ahead and say it: I’m not into Progressive Death Metal at all. Leprosy is as far as I’ll go with Death’s discography. If you’re into that kind of style Thormenthor might be a good band to check out, Abstract Divinity clocks in at a little over 30 minutes, it doesn’t overstay its welcome. You can also hear some Voivod-esque vocal passages and weirdness which keeps you on your toes. The band is still active to this day, though they haven’t released any new material since this album. Here’s a fun fact: Pedro Quaresma played guitar for this band and went on to also play in Portugal’s biggest hip-hop group, Da Weasel, which might explain this.
 
Genocide – Bonus dose of OSDM. Genocide released their self-titled debut LP also in ’94. Their style differs from Sacred Sin in that they forgo synths and atmosphere to deliver a no-frills sonic bludgeoning much like early Deicide. Throughout the album you can hear some Hardcore Punk flirting going on, giving this album a grindy feel.
 
Decayed – Tremolo picking? Shrieking? Blast beats? Paganism? Yeah that’s Black Metal alright. Decayed came out with The Conjuration of the Southern Circle, their debut LP, in ’93. This album features some good old orthodox Black Metal riffage, mixed with occasional synths and acoustic passages to up the atmosphere factor. Mortuary Drape and Mystifier could be a good reference for what is going on in this album, in contrast to the pure guitar driven assault from the likes of Darkthrone or Immortal. The production style is reminiscent of the last two examples, which is a good thing if you’re into the whole lo-fi necro sound, not so good if you prefer clean stuff. It’s Black Metal recorded in 1993, sorry bud. Besides being pioneers of the genre in Portugal, Decayed have been quite active to this very day, putting out an album last year even.
 
Evisceration – Here’s one for all you SICK GRINDCORE FREAKS. The first Grindcore LP to come out of Portugal was created by the hands of the short-lived Evisceration. Hymn to the Monstrous was released in ’94 and it has all of that good stuff you guys enjoy: BLAST BEATS, GROWLING, GORE, AND… a 5-minute acoustic intro? What? Seriously, the longest track on this thing is pretty much a moody acoustic guitar. Maybe you’re into that, I’m not judging. Just letting you guys know because it’s not what I was expecting coming into this. Other than that, it’s a solid Death Metal leaning Grindcore album. The guitars sound like chainsaws, the vocals are as disgusting as the track titles, and the bpm is high. I’m not big into Grind and I enjoy this, so they must be doing something right. This is the last everyone has heard of them, as they never released anything else.
 
Grog – We’re keeping it brutal with the sweet tunes of Grog. The name itself is an indication of what to expect, as is the title of their debut album from ‘96, Macabre Requiems. This record also opens with a slow track, though it only lasts 3 minutes this time around and it’s actually a bit spooky. When it comes to the music itself, it’s meat and potatoes grindy Death Metal. Or is it the other way around? I’ll admit the line is nebulous to me. Anyways, just like Evisceration’s album, it has all that fun stuff, the vocals go from a low growl à la Cannibal Corpse to a higher Black Metal shriek to keep things interesting. I’m including Grog in this primer because while they released their debut a couple of years later than Evisceration, they stayed active and carved their place as one of the bastions of Portugal’s extreme music landscape to this day.
 
W.C. Noise – Interestingly enough, Thrash Metal in Portugal didn’t seem to have as much of a development as the other extreme genres did during the 90s. Perhaps the late arrival to the whole Metal scene made it so that Portuguese bands just missed the Thrash train. There were some small projects that didn’t bear much fruit, while other bands just went straight to the Pantera-influenced Groove Metal route, which makes sense if you take into account the decade being discussed. I’m happy to say that despite all of it, Portugal managed to produce a gem in the form of W.C. Noise, who released Loud & Mad in ’92. As you can see, subtlety is out of the question with these guys, playing no-nonsense Crossover Thrash inspired by bands like D.R.I. or Suicidal Tendencies. There isn’t much nuance here, the band’s name is literal toilet humour for crying out loud. What you can expect from this is 36 minutes of solid in-your-face Punk-infused thrashing riffs, loud distorted bass, and lyrics that range from social commentary to literally nuclear poo.
 
RAMP – Ricardo, António, Miguel and Paulo came together to form R.A.M.P. (ok, this the last band with initials for its name, I promise), active since ’89. Intersection came out in ’95, a Groove Metal album with its fair share of thrashy moments. The vocal performance here sits somewhere between Pantera and Machine Head, so if you’re into those two bands this album should appeal to you. If not, well, RAMP is one of the better respected names in the Portuguese scene as the veterans they are, so you should still check them out.
 
Heavenwood – This band started out as Disgorged from ’92 to ’96, year in which they changed their name to Heavenwood and dropped Diva. Remember when I said Moonspell’s gothic aesthetics would go on to influence other Portuguese bands? Case in point. Though admittedly their sound leans more towards Death/Doom Metal in the vein of Paradise Lost according to MA, this is just one of the first bands in this primer that dive deep into a weird fusion of genres with heavy emphasis on atmosphere and goth themes introduced by Moonspell. The vocals remind me of 90s James Hetfield when it’s clean.
 
Malevolence – Keeping up with the goth kids, Malevolence delivers their debut offering in the same year as the previous band. Dominium is closer to a straight up Death/Doom Metal album, a melodic one at that, though it is heavier than Heavenwood. At times you can’t even tell it hangs out with the goth clique, it’s very discreet about it until you get to know it better.
 
Inhuman – Another member of the ’96 class. Oh yeah, Strange Desire gets right on your face with its goth aesthetic, it doesn’t try to hide it at all and wears it proudly. This album has melody, synths, and tracks with titles like My Blackest Daylight, Fallen Majesty, or Angeldom. This sounds different from the other two previously mentioned bands, the production (especially the guitars) gives me a Black Metal vibe plus the riffs just don’t have the same Doom Metal-esque weight to them, and the synths are way more prominent.
 
Paranormal Waltz – Wrapping up with the Edgar Allan Poe fan club, here’s a gem that might have flown under the radar. Paranormal Waltz never got to release an LP, but they did put out an EP titled In the Name of Tranquility, also in ‘96. Look at that album cover. Is it Black Metal? Is it Death Metal? I’m not sure. What I’m sure of is that this record is really, really into creating an atmosphere. It starts off in Dungeon Synth territory, which it revisits more than once in its 23-minute runtime, perfect for you to blast in your Victorian mansion while wearing your finest black attire. The joke is kinda played out at this point isn’t it? I’m sorry. This is heavy atmospheric gothic goodness. Give it a spin.
 
We are now reaching the twilight years of the decade, and with it come a few outlier bands that encompass several genres. These projects do not particularly stand out in my eyes, but I have decided to include them for the sake of showing what else was being done around this time. For the fans of Industrial Metal, Bizarra Locomotiva are a staple in the Portuguese scene, putting out a self-titled LP in ’94. Fallen Seasons keeps up the goth theme with the far mellower Insanity (1998, NSFW album cover), while In Solitude delivers a Trad-oriented album in Eternal from the same year. Still counting them on this chapter’s conclusion, Oratory put out Illusion Dimensions, a Symphonic Power Metal LP in 2000. At the same time Evidence released Truth From a Lie, in the Power Metal camp.
 

The consolidation of the 2000s

This section of the primer will include both decades of the current millennium to keep things simple. The years since have seen the rise of new names that would go on to become staples of the Portuguese scene, veterans rising to new heights, as well as flirting with the weird sounds that came up around this time like alt/nu metal. An example of this is Mindlock in 2003.
 
Holocausto Canibal – Their name seems to be a reference to the infamous 1980 Cannibal Holocaust movie, so this should give you an idea of what you are getting into. Lyrical themes for this band include gore, cannibalism, and perversion, according to the Metal Archives. What a way to start things off. This band dropped their first offering titled Gonorreia Visceral, in 2000 (NSFW ALBUM COVER). This is an 18-minute Gore/Grindcore album that doesn’t pull any punches, with samples that range from gore to sexual in nature (the last track is nothing but samples actually). Holocausto Canibal have kept themselves busy since their inception and nowadays are regarded as one of the bigger names of the Portuguese extreme underground.
 
Corpus Christii – Yes, the second “i” is intentional. Saeculum Domini came out in the same year as the previously presented album, a by-the-books 2nd wave Black Metal record that was a bit late to the party. Seriously, this sounds like Emperor or Burzum worship with very, very raw production. The drums are low in the mix, as are the synths, drowned by the tremolo guitars and shrieking vocals. When I say the production is raw, I mean it is worse than the bands Corpus Christii seems to be trying to emulate here, so bear that in mind. The Norwegian bands are known for their lo-fi sound, but most of the time they seem to make it work in their favour, which is not quite the case here, in my opinion.
 
ThanatoschizO – Originally formed as Thanatos they changed their name in 2001, year when they release Schizo Level. I am really at a loss with this band and album to be honest. This is Death Metal with some… interesting twists throughout, I have never heard anything quite like this. The band makes use of a wide array of sounds which range from synths to shamisens. You know, the Japanese stringed instrument? That 3rd track is a wild ride. Scratch that, the whole album is a wild ride into the weirder side of Death Metal, I guess you could even call this Avant-garde? There are also some passages that lean into Doom Metal, with operatic and clean vocals, piano, flutes; the list goes on. Amid it all there are also riffs, I guess. Just give it a spin, words just aren’t enough here.
 
Filii Nigrantium Infernalium – Some might find this a weird position for Filii Nigrantium Infernalium. Truth is, this band has existed since the early 90s and had already established themselves as a respected name within the scene. Their first LP only came out in 2005 however, titled Fellatrix Discordia Pantokrator. If you compare it with their ’95 EP, A Era do Abutre, you’ll see they went from a Black Metal oriented sound to a Blackened Speed/Thrash assault which could be aptly described by the title of a track in one of their later releases, Necro Rock n’ Roll. The vocals are not your standard-issue shrieking or shouting, with the band’s vocalist employing full blown screams which constantly seem at the edge of ripping his vocal cords. It gives a vibe of pure insanity, which goes hand in hand with their whole theme and aesthetic. Quality satanic hedonist insane Black n’ Roll, I highly recommend this. But don’t just take my word for it, ask any Portuguese metal fan and they will have heard of this band at the very least, as these guys sit comfortably on the higher echelons of the local scene.
 
Ava Inferi – Here’s a fun fact for you all. Aura Noir’s Rune Eriksen (aka Blasphemer) is married to a Portuguese Fado singer, Carmen Simões. Together they formed Ava Inferi, a Doom Metal band with (surprise, surprise) heavy gothic influences. Forget Aura Noir, this is a completely different thing, there’s no Black Thrash Attack going on here. Burdens was released in 2006, a quite melodic Doom Metal offering, where Carmen’s versatile vocals take centre stage. She goes from dramatic operatic harmonies to unsettling whispering which would feel right at home in a Tim Burton movie. Dramatic is a good way to describe this album yes, though it is not meant as a derogatory term, as that was the point.
 
Alkateya – Finally, another Traditional Heavy Metal album. Alkateya (intended misspelling of “alcateia”, Portuguese for wolfpack) released Lycanthropy in ’06 as well, showcasing some Power Metal tendencies throughout the album. Interestingly enough, instead of following the European approach, they seem to take cues from the USPM style that so many of you are fans of, all bite and no bark (get it? Because werewolves). Anyways, I feel like some people in this sub could consider this a gem, there are some solid riffs in here, none of that synthesizer crap. Another fun fact, this album includes a reinterpretation of a Sepulcro track: Street Survivor, as a couple members of that band went on to play in Alkateya.
 
Process of Guilt – One more offering from 2006, Process of Guilt showcased their brand of Death/Doom in Renounce. None of their full albums seem to be on Youtube, though you can find them on Spotify. For quick reference, I’ll link you to Motionless from their debut, which should give you a good idea of how they roll. Drawn out plodding riffs, with a steady pounding rhythm coming from the drums to keep the momentum going. On top of it Hugo delivers his vocals, ranging from clean and deep almost spoken word at times, to a crushing guttural growl. Since I could only give you a single track, I’ll throw in Feral Ground from their latest LP, Black Earth. This track shows a clear turn to Sludge territory with an almost Industrial beat at times, with no clean singing this time around.
 
Martelo Negro – Old school Black/Death/Thrash in the vein of HellhammeCeltic Frost, with lyrics in both Portuguese and English. Is this not enough for this band to win you over? Originally a one-man project called Black Hammer (the literal English translation of the band’s name), their first album came out in 2011, titled Sortilégio dos Mortos. When I mentioned this band was inspired by HellhammeCeltic Frost, I mean they are heavily inspired, which should be immediately apparent as soon as the first riff is played. There shouldn’t be much in the way of surprises for the seasoned metal listener, though it might be interesting to find out what Tom G. Warrior would sound like if he sang in Portuguese. There is even the occasional “EUGH” for maximum fidelity. Again, can’t find a full album on Youtube, so I’ll leave Altar nos Escombros from their debut for your listening pleasure, as well as Culto Hermético from 2014’s Equinócio Espectral. You can find Martelo Negro on Spotify, if those two tracks piqued your interest.
 
Midnight Priest – Are you guys into NWOBHM at all? How about King Diamond? Because this band sure is. Dropping a self-titled LP in 2011, Midnight Priest got into the whole Traditional Heavy Metal revival wave with bands like Demon Bitch or Savage Master in the USA. There’s not much effort in hiding their influences, just a quick glance at their name should be enough to tell you that. If that wasn’t enough, Sábado Negro, is a direct reference to Black Sabbath themselves; just as Triunfo do Aço is the literal translation for Triumph of Steel, for all you Manowar fans out there. They got a new vocalist for their next two albums, Midnight Steel and Aggressive Hauntings, who in my opinion does a better job of emulating King Diamond. There’s no wheel being reinvented here, as you might have gathered by this point, just take it as a fun ride through some revivalist riffage and Heavy Metal with Portuguese lyrics in their first album. After that they switch to English.
 
Black Cilice – This project might be a familiar corpse-painted face to some of you here. Currently signed by Iron Bonehead, this mysterious Black Metal act got a fair amount of fame within the underground circuit. A Corpse, a Temple was released in 2011, and it is raw. Seriously, early Burzum albums sound like they have amazing production next to this. Darkthrone wishes they were as raw as Black Cilice. In short, this is a whole new beast. But while Corpus Christii’s lo-fi production might have retracted from the end product’s quality, Black Cilice have it at the core of their concept, creating an almost impenetrable wall of sound which subtly hints at haunting melodies just below the surface. This project carved a spot for itself in many a veteran Black Metal listener’s frostbitten hearts, though it is definitely not an easy listening experience. Proceed with caution, and bring your best robes and monochrome makeup kit.
 
Toxikull – Thrash fans might be feeling a bit left out as they read through this primer, and as a big Thrash Metal fan myself I understand perfectly. This band is a recent one, with Black Sheep coming out in 2016. If you listened past Midnight Priest’s first album, you might notice some similarities, as Lex Thunder (aliases never stopped being cool, I guess) fills the vocal duties for both bands. Toxikull seem to take a lot of cues from early Megadeth, so if you like Thrash with a hint of technicality this might appeal to you; plus the vocalist is more proficient than Dave Mustaine. No, I am not implying this is better than Megadeth, that would be blasphemous. This is not a carbon-copy either, as some Traditional Heavy Metal elements are introduced throughout the album, with the vocals reaching some high notes à la King Diamond.
 
Analepsy – One of the bigger recent names in Portugal’s extreme metal landscape, Analepsy plays some slamming Brutal Death Metal. Atrocities From Beyond is their debut LP, released in 2017, which seemed to garner a fair bit of attention from outside of the country, as a follow up to an EP from 2015. These guys have already been through Europe several times, as well as a headlining tour in Japan last year. Their active tour schedule seemed to show some potencial for growth, though apparently there were a bunch of line-up changes, so let’s see how that goes.
 
Gaerea – Another recent project that enjoyed a meteoric rise in popularity both in Portugal and beyond borders is Gaerea. Dropping an EP in 2016, followed by Unsettling Whispers in 2018, they have more recently signed to Season of Mist, with an album to be released this year if memory serves me right. Their sound is hard to describe without sounding like a parody of the typical metal elitist, does Blackened Melodic Post-Hardcore sound too pretentious? I guess it does. Gaerea plays Black Metal infused with melody and some slight Hardcore elements thrown in for good measure. If you’re a fan of the modern Black Metal sound from the likes of Mgla or Uada, but want something that is not as straightforward, this is a good band to check out. They also mask their faces on stage and have misanthropic/nihilist lyrics. They have already toured Europe several times, as well as China last year, which I think is a first for a Portuguese band. Oh, I couldn’t find the full album on Youtube, so the link leads to a single. Their discography is up on Spotify.
 

Closing remarks

Inevitably, this primer cannot give you the full scope of what Portugal produced throughout the years. There doesn’t seem to be a unifying trend or aesthetic coming out as the scene developed, probably the result of a late arrival and a subsequentially rapid evolution to the more extreme sounds, which didn’t leave much space or time for a natural progression without outside influence. When you take into account that Tarântula’s debut came out in ’87, the same year as landmarks such as Under the Sign of the Black Mark, Persecution Mania, or Scream Bloody Gore; you can imagine how sudden the jump was for the Portuguese crowd, especially in terms of sound as the 90s came along. All jokes aside, the gothic overtones introduced by Moonspell soon became one of the strongest trademarks of the local scene by the late 90s/early 2000s, in conjunction with the Death/Doom influence of Paradise Lost. Heavenwood, Inhuman, Paranormal Waltz, and Malevolence are good examples of this, as is Process of Guilt’s early material.
 
There isn’t much of Portuguese culture or music ingrained into its Heavy Metal output, besides from the bands with Portuguese lyrics. Maybe it is the result of so much influence coming from beyond our borders. A somewhat common theme in early projects was the mention of Portugal’s glorious past of seafaring and empire building. This nostalgic sentiment is a widespread phenomenon in the country’s artistic output through the ages, the most notorious of which is perhaps Os Lusíadas, dating back to the late 16th century. Aside from that, bands just seem to follow the international trends that influenced them.
 
If you want to dig deeper, I hope this serves as a good steppingstone into the Portuguese scene and its many gems. I also direct you to a few lists posted previously that focus on specific subgenres: Black Metal, Death Metal, and a short line-up from 1990 to 2003.

Bathory's wiki page says they stopped playing live in 1985 and I can't find any recording of their early shows. The only video footage I can find of Quorthon playing a guitar is in the One rode to Asa Bay Music video and it's only a brief snippet.

First of all, major shoutout to u/batushblast and u/xvertoi. The former provided the interview itself, while the translation is entirely the latter's. I have made very small notes in the interviews to clarify things and very slight edits to make the word choice and vocabulary more natural, with the meanings intact. They did all the work!
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Secondly, a special thanks to Teraz Muzyka for interviewing both of these individuals and asking questions that are both valid and interesting. Kudos to them for giving a spotlight to both of them instead of just one or the other. Support the magazine if you have it available in your country, or purchase through this link: https://www.terazmuzyka.pl/sklep/269/teraz-rock-07-2019-197.html
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Read and share your thoughts below!

TOTAL DARKNESS

At the end of 2018, there was a split in Batushka. The guitarist Krzysztof Drabikowski and vocalist Bartłomiej Krysiuk ended their partnership and both claim to be the true creators. The court will decide who's right, but right now they intend to co-exist in different line-ups under the same name. Below you'll read how it appears from the perspective of the creator and composer of their first album Литургия.
- Will there be 2 Batushkas?
- Probably. We could coexist, although Krysiuk registered the name as his own trademark; therefore, I technically break the law. The name "Batushka" was created before he joined the project. He's also trying to block me on social media. I don't forbid him from creating music, but I know that it could be difficult without a sense of rhythm and musical hearing, that's why people are doing it for him.
- Are all the announced concerts Krysiuk's?
- Right now, yes. In July 2018, he came to me with a proposal that if I make the album, there is a possibility of a tour with Slipknot, but I'd have to commit to it being finished by May 2019. I didn't want to be rushed, I didn't want to release an unfinished album.
- How did Krysiuk contribute to the first album Литургия?
- Krysiuk recorded the vocals, but at the beginning he sounded like he did in Hermh (his previous band) - incorrect, off key. And his pronunciation was poor because he had no prior experience with the language [Old Church Slavonic]. I had to verify and edit almost all of his parts. However, musically, he didn't contribute at all.
- Why did you even invite him to Batushka?
- Accidentally. Someone else was supposed to sing because I didn't feel like writing lyrics, I wanted to focus on the music. This person didn't feel my idea though, and additionally was unable to use this language, so ultimately, he quit. I had all of the music completed and I came to the conclusion that I would just have to write lyrics and record the vocals on my own. So, I started recording choirs, screams, voices, and then I accidentally bumped into Krysiuk in a club in Białystok. I hadn't seen him for like 10 years. At this point, I was already out of the metal scene. I wasn't involved in metal and I didn't force anything because I wasn't interested in playing shows for empty clubs.
- It turned out that Batushka played sold out shows and not only in Poland.
- At the beginning I only planned to release the album. When I did it, I suddenly started getting concert offers. But how am I supposed to play the concerts if I recorded almost everything by myself? I even recorded electronic drums at the start. When I was mixing it, it sounded artificial, so I asked a friend to do it on acoustic drums, according to my guidelines.
- Was the idea about keeping the project tied to the Orthodox tradition right from the beginning or did you come up with it during the time when you were creating the album?
- There's a clear voice in the intro of "Yekteniya I" which was the first song I wrote. I put it there when the song wasn't even finished yet and I realised that there's a weird atmosphere/mood in this song. I started laughing, saying "what the fuck did I create?" I showed this song to my wife and she said, "I don't understand it." So, then I showed her an Orthodox church mass and that's when she understood it. So, then I decided that I'll keep this theme throughout the entire album. I did everything in 8 days - one song per day. I'd take my guitar whenever my kids would go to sleep, and I'd just write. I thought it'd just stay on my hard drive, I didn't intend to release it. Although I also wanted to print it in vinyl in a small amount.
- What was the role of Krysiuk in the band?
- The deal was that he'd be the manager. The only way anyone could reach out to us was through his label Witching Hour. He'd also deal with getting stage props and scenography. I'd send him the concepts and then he'd intermediate in contacts with people who do these kinds of projects.
- Did you intend to record Панихида with Krysiuk?
- I started recording the 2nd album before we even began touring and promoting the 1st one. I finished composing it in December 2018. The troubles with Krysiuk started even before the 1st show, his friends warned me that he has problems with solvency. It was more and more difficult to break this stupid deal/agreement [ u/xvertoi: Derph isn't talking about the contract here, just the entire situation]** with him as the time went on and that's why I didn't want him on the 2nd album.
- Did you create Панихида alone?
- The process was very similar. But I tried to make the album sound different. Just like on Литургия, the songs are ordered by what song was recorded first. That's why you can feel the climate of Литургия in "Песнь 1" but the longer it goes, the further I drift away from this. Some of the cleans and other voices I recorded alone, just like on Литургия, but the rest was sung by, for example, Черный Монах [ u/VitoCornelius: "Chernyy Monakh" in English pronunciation, Russian for Black Monk - he was a clean vocalist on the** Литургия tours] and Лех - he was supposed to sing on the first album too [ u/VitoCornelius: "Lekh"]. This time I recorded the drums and wrote the lyrics. When I was writing Литургия I understood how to write the lyrics in a way that'd fit the concept. The language is pretty much dead so the only way to use it is reading liturgical and ceremonial poetry/texts/poems/hymns, transforming them and giving them a new sense.
- I imagine that Krysiuk worked on his album simultaneously. Did he tell you anything about it?
- Absolutely not. He was doing it secretly. The same way he secretly registered the trademark. He told me in November 2018 that he's quitting the band after December. I felt relieved. I had a blank page. He promised to settle everything up before the end of the year but after only a few days I saw a poster promoting Brutal Assault 2019 with Batushka in the lineup. I called him, he didn't answer. When he did finally answer, he said that he registered the name and recorded an album that's already being pressed. He filed the application in like May 2018 or something. This process takes a few months. It turned out that he told me that he is qutting the band a day after this process was finished.
- You uploaded Панихида on YouTube without any prior announcement. Are you intending a physical release?
- I was thinking about releasing it in vinyl and that's all - the way I planned to do it with Литургия. Or maybe a small number of CDs for people who want to support me and have the album on their shelf. There were labels who wanted this album, but I didn't want all this promotion stuff which they'd demand from me. I didn't want to wait for the release until the end of the lawsuit, which may take as long as 3 or 4 years. I don't feel any pressure that people should like it. I released this album to show the truth because the situation has become very tense.
- Will you play any live shows?
- If there are offers, then why not? I don't want to force anything but if someone is proposing, then I appreciate it and I take it as a testimony/proof of appreciation for my work and I usually don't decline. That's what happened with Литургия. I didn't plan to play shows until the bookers started knocking on the doors. That's when I made the decision to form a live band.
- Have you been interested in Orthodox music for a long time?
- Before creating this project, I would often explore orthodox hymns on YouTube. I stumbled upon a song called 'Basso Profondo' and there was a comment below it saying "it's more metal than satanic bands”. Total darkness. There's something in it. Catholic hymns/songs are usually like an amusement park. But in Orthodox songs you can feel the evil/badness even though it's directed to God.
- Batushka's imagery and the fact that the lyrics are neither in English nor Polish made it so that people received it in various ways. Some were seeing orthodox promotion, others saw Satanic elements like inverted crosses.
- That was the plan. I didn't want it to be obvious. I have respect for someone if they’re blasting nonstop "Satan, Satan, Satan!!!!" because not many people do it very directly like this anymore. If someone wants to play religious music, that's fine too. Some of my friends do it. But I didn't want to declare anything with Batushka. The voices and lyrics were supposed to create the mood. The heaviness was coming from the guitars.
- There were some controversies. You had to cancel your shows in Russia because people were threatening you.
- There was a protest. Our promotor was jailed for a day. But mostly because they thought that my music was anti-Russia because it was created by Polish people. They think that the church is theirs and that we don't have orthodox churches. They treated it as if they were Polish anti-Russian songs, they thought that we were going to burn their churches. But we played without any problems in Kiev, twice. Although our promotor didn't look human after the first show. He was very stressed, he thought that we were going to be killed. But we pulled through without any accidents and I want to go back there.
- Were they threatening him?
- Who knows. Even if so, he didn't tell us.
- How did people in South America react to your music? Did they understand your imagery, or maybe it was something too distant culturally?
- We were received very well. There was so much interest that we played 2 shows in one day. They probably treated us like just another band dressed as monks. Although the Orthodox Church is functioning there so maybe some understood it? I think they saw us like just a dressed-up metal band and focused on music instead of our image.

AN INTERVIEW WITH BARTŁOMIEJ KRYSIUK

- A few days ago, I went to your secret concert which was a general rehearsal before the Hospodi promotional tour. The imagery painting a dark orthodox church is impressive.
- We used to do these kinds of rehearsals in our befriended Zmiana Klimatu (The Change of Climate) in Białystok. This time we needed more space, so we moved with preproduction to Progresja. We invited a few people and performed the entire repertoire of Hospodi and the impressions were only positive. 3 days later, we played on a festival in the Netherlands, our first show with the new album. A full crowd, and only exuberant reactions even though they didn't even know the songs yet. Just like before, I was working on the scenography. From the beginning, I wanted the visuals to be very elaborate/sophisticated. I wanted to make a step forward with Hospodi. Batushka must be elaborate/sophisticated like this. I can't imagine playing a show in sneakers and long socks (laughs). Unfortunately, some people in the band were sabotaging my invention...
- There was a lot of tension around Batushka or Batushkas but let's start with Hospodi. How did you feel about the musical growth after Литургия? Was it important for you to change the formula?
- First and foremost, I wanted to emphasize growth. I don't want to say that we're becoming commercial, but talking among the band (with Krzysztof too), I always tried to convince them to go this direction. Which means extreme music but more accessible. We were compared to Ghost, Cult of Fire, and Deathspell Omega anyway, who also work with Orthodox elements. Now I think that bringing on thrash, heavy metal, or rock themes, I created something that was sitting in me. There are even elements of classical music, there's Siergiej Rachmaninow. That's how we started presenting Hospodi. Parts of the melody of “Polunosznica” is connected to his liturgy that occurs between Good Friday and Holy Saturday.
- You're emphasizing on the fact that you were inspired by almost forgotten folk songs. How did you find them?
- In Podlasie voivodeship, where I come from, Orthodoxy and Catholicism are intertwined. We also have the oldest mosques here. Cultural crucible is rampant, and the effect [victim maybe?] is our special folk tradition. I remember from my childhood when we'd lie a deceased person on the table that we'd eat from afterwards and we'd sing. So, I didn't have to look too far although these traditions are rarely cultivated nowadays.
- The entire album was divided into three main parts.
- Yes, the same way funeral prayers are in Orthodox ceremonies. Everything begins at 21:00 and ends at 18:00. The entire circle is divided into evening, night, and day, which was rendered in the climate of the music and lyrics as well.
- I think the song that is the closest to Литургия is "Pierwyj czas".
- The title, which means "beginning," says it all. It's a conscious reference. There are no coincidences on this album.
- The catchy "Dziewiatyj czas" is almost like black'n'roll.
- Yes. We acted perversely there. People raised up in our culture are always sad after the death of a person they’re close to. But we could be happy, like our grandfathers were, that this person is in a better world. That's why the setting is happier.
- You can't hide that "Szestoj czas" was influenced by Bathory.
- Once more, I referred to creations that in my heart were groundbreaking. And I don’t want to hide it. Quorthon gave the atmosphere to the entire Scandinavian scene. His creation is a transcendent formula.
- In 2019 when you released the last Hermh album "Cold Blood Messiah" you told me: "I was always inspired by choirs, not Gregorian choirs but more like church music. We love the baroque in music, which means splendor, that's where the sublimity comes from." You’re giving it an outlet in "Wieczernia".
- Look, I've been following this path for a long time. I've been learning in one of the oldest monasteries for 6 years, where there is a museum of icons. That's where I first met monks. We'd often ditch school, buy wine, and drink it in a bush while listening to these monks singing. It was incredible. Monk Gabriel taught there, too, which is interesting because he's now the most important person in Orthodox Church in Podlasie and Pomorze voivodeships. He's a clever person, very openminded. Contrary to Catholic priests.
- I know that you think that Polunosznica is the weakest song of them all.
- That was the plan - to start with the weakest single and the most extreme one. This song symbolizes midnight, a transition to a new period. The video is also important. It's the first part of the entire story which is about 30 minutes long and divided into 5 parts. The next one will be inspired by prophet Ilja living in Podlasie voivodeship and it was filmed on his land in Wierszalin. In “Polunosznica”, the first parts (above the coffin) were filmed in my family house! I remember scenes like these. That's why the smell of the Christmas tree that we can see on the video doesn't remind me of Christmas but of the twigs/sticks that we'd lay around the dead person in order to suppress the smell of his body. That's how it was in the countryside.
- On your live shows you perform Hospodi, omitting Литургия, illustrating the story with a fitting scenography. At the end, one of the monks carries a huge orthodox cross.
- We're transitioning from sorrow, emptiness, and a funeral ceremony to the final scene in which we applied a cross symbolism, which is usually Catholic in this context. And everyone must carry a cross. So, it's also about the need of purification, throwing off the burden... We also have choirs at our concerts. We couldn't do it without them. We were practicing these parts like crazy. It had to be perfect.
- Will the lineup be anonymous?
- Yes, we want to keep a certain aura and protect them from certain unpleasant matters....
- Let's talk about your conflict with Krzysztof Drabikowski. Why didn’t you just change the name? For example to a rather funny one - Bartushka.
- I think Bartushka is pretty funny because I'm a very distanced person. I like to laugh but it's gone too far. I lost my anonymity in Batushka, lynching has begun, and the hate is touching my family, too. I didn't want to change the name because I've been working for 3 years for it. I'm not giving up. I'm fighting. I'm not personally interrupting Krzysztof but he is constantly interrupting me. I don’t want to talk about it. I'm filling a lawsuit and I'm not losing energy for unnecessary quarrels. Belittling mine and Marcin Bielemuk's contribution to the first album and lying should be punished. There's also life outside of social media and that’s where everything will be verified. I'm happy that I’m not alone. I have strong, supportive people around me. We were a bit worried about the concert in the Netherlands, but nothing negative happened. Turns out that all pretensions are just an internet blown egg. Life goes on.
- What can you tell about claims about Witching Hour's debts?
- People who never had any business in Poland won't understand but it can happen to everyone. I'm still trying to fix a lot of things and make up for delays. I'm doing it successively. You know why no one sues me for it? Because I'm constantly working on it, I'm paying the debts and doing all these things.
- Martin (Marcin Bielemiuk), the drummer, said that you're responsible for Batushka's success even though Krzysztof was the composer.
- That's true. My friend Drabikowski wanted only a studio project which might've not worked. Let's not lie, he wasn't interested in the imagery at all. It didn’t matter for him. But if we want to resemble a church atmosphere then it must be done with splendor. This ceremonial theatre must be shown appropriately. He wasn’t interested in this. I'm happy that I motivated him to make an album in 3 months after he kept saying for 2 years that the 2nd album won’t be made. And he changed the direction even though I wanted to stick to the Литургия sound [note: the word from the translation here is 'return'; it's safe to assume he's referring to the debut album]. He was always unsure about playing live and the entire scenography, but I took care of it. Now it turns out that he wants to play live shows too.
- Did you hear Панихида?
- Yes, we played one of the songs ("Песнь 2") as the opening of our shows. I like the songs that he created in that period, but after that he went in a different direction which I don't like. Although musically it’s good and it'll defend itself. I'm not wishing him anything bad, I hope he'll find people to work with. The fans should be happy that they received 2 different albums with different targets.

Hi everyone,
Some of you may remember that I posted in the general discussion thread about being in contact with Frederick Melander, one of the founding members of Bathory and bassist on the earliest tracks and the Scandinavian Metal Attack songs.
Frederick was very friendly and kindly agreed to answer some questions, as well as for me to share them here. He says hi to everyone and both him and I hope people enjoy it. I've left it mostly unedited besides correcting typos.
Equimanthorn: What was your musical background prior to starting Bathory? The Bathory website says that you and Jonas combined had one of the most impressive heavy metal record collections in all of Stockholm at the time. I understand you played in a band called Die Cast? Did you have any experience with punk music and if so, was it more UK82 style bands like GBH, The Exploited, Chaos UK, etc or were you aware of the Swedish hardcore bands like Anti Cimex, Mob 47, etc? What about other Swedish heavy metal bands like Heavy Load and Gotham City?
Frederick: Yes Jonas and I probably were among those who had an impressive record collection, at the time. We travelled to London very much and bought records as well as in Stockholm, where of course Swedish bands like Heavy Load, Stitch, Red Barron, Six Feet Under, Yngwie Malmsteens early version of Rising Force etc etc there were lots of bands around. Punk was also big but we were not interested in punk, except for very few bands, like the Sex Pistols, the Exploited, Angelic Upstarts, of course The Clash. Our first band was Drifter, and then Diecast, but we always had guitarists who were not heavy metal fans, that is why we put up the notice looking for a guitarist which Quorthon answered to. Jonas and I were metalheads and listened to Black Sabbath, Saxon, Iron Maiden, lots of NWOBHM, but I think our biggest role models of how we wanted our band to be was Judas Priest.
E: It's an often discussed topic. During your time in the band, did you, Jonas and Quorthon listen to Venom or Manowar? There's a lot of conflicting information about this so your input would be really appreciated.
F: Jonas and I listened to Manowar and Venom. Quorthon actually wasn't very very much into heavy metal as he came from the punk movement, but of course he listened to it as well. He could puck out most metal songs on his guitar, sometimes we played Kiss cover songs, Quorthon loved Kiss.
E: Why did you leave Bathory? The Bathory website again says that there was a difference in opinion of what musical path the band should take?
F: There were musical differences, as I said before, Jonas and I deep down wanted a more "Judas Priest"-kind of band, but at the same time we really had a fun and exciting tome with Quorthon, it is not only one reason for our split up. We were on our way to splitting up before we recorded Scandinavian Metal Attack, hadn't rehearsed in months before the recording. And after the album was released Jonas and I heard nothing about the positive respons the record had received. Quorthon and his father, Boss the producer, probably realized this was a great opportunity, as Quorthon could play all instruments himself and they could just use the recording studio whenever they wanted and exactly as Quorthon wanted without any interference.
E: Did you still keep in touch with Jonas and Quorthon after you left? What did you make of Bathory's evolution after you left the band? I understand that you moved to the USA and got involved in design work too?
F: Jonas moved to his father in London and I moved to San Francisco. I didn't really understand Bathory's success until I discovered Bathory albums when I was shopping CD's at Tower Records. But Jonas and I are always in touch, we still are best friends, and we are family, we are cousins so it is natural to keep contact.
E: Do you still follow metal nowadays? According to your Metal Archives page, you did bass for a Nifelheim track on their 2014 Satanatas EP. How did that come about?
F: I have always followed metal. I met Nifelheim through another of my best friend Mappe, guitarist in Candlemass, at his wedding I played a Bathory song with Nifelheim and Watain for fun and we became great friends. They invited me to appear on their album, the recording studio was only a few blocks from where I live! I'm just now rehearsing to play a few Bathory songs with another black metal band live at a gig, nothing final yet but I hope it will happen, would be great.
E: Last but not least, do you have any photos of those early days? There's a few pictures of Quorthon and one or two of Jonas but I haven't seen any of you! If you have any, it'd be a real treat to see them.
F: We used to have dome good fun pictures of the old days but neither I or Jonas have any left, they are disappeared, such a long time ago. I'm attaching a few old pictures of myself, and one of me and Jonas.
Album link
After this, I sent another email in response to his answers here.
Equimanthorn: What did you think of Bathory's later work once you discovered those CDs at Tower Records? Did it take you aback how much faster and extreme Bathory had got over time?
Frederick: I liked the albums but thought the sound production was much too muddled and cluttered, probably still think so. I liked the way we sounded on Scandinavian Metal Attack, that is exactly how our band sounded, raw and fast. We wanted to sound like Motörhead and Tank but even rawer. Wasn't really surprised by the fastness of the later albums, was much more surprised about the turn to Viking style rock and the evolution towards more melodic tunes.
E: What are your own personal favourite Bathory songs? As an aside note, I really like the Scandinavian Metal Attack version of Sacrifice, one of the absolute top Bathory tracks.
F: I think my favorites are The Return of Darkness and Evil and Armageddon.
E: That's a really incredible story about Mappe's wedding! So many members of legendary Swedish bands present at one time. What band are you rehearsing with to play live, if I may ask?
F: I'm sending a couple of poor images from that wedding gig, me on bass, Tyrant on guitar, Hellbutcher on vocals, Erik Danielsson from Watain on drums. I'm not telling what band now, as we have just begun to rehearsE and do not know of the outcome yet.
Album link 2
E: What bands are you listening to nowadays? Do you still have Judas Priest and NWOBHM in your rotation mostly?
F: I still listen to all of the good ole NWOBHM bands. My gods of rock are and have always been Black Sabbath, everything starts with Black Sabbath. But I listen to a lot of music nowadays, not only metal. Metal, rock, classical mostly.
F: Yeah you can share, in my mind I didn't really reveal any dark secrets so that's fine. Say hi to all and have fun!
Hail Satan, Frederick Melander
So there you go. I hope some people find this interesting and like me, are looking forward to seeing Frederick play live at some point. I think it's really interesting that what he said about Quorthon and Boss lends a lot of credence to the idea of Bathory as a one man band from the early days, plus that Quorthon was aware of Venom and Manowar at an early point.

Welcome! This weekly thread features lesser known albums of the Power Metal genre. Recently, I decided to just feature whatever I think it's best, there will be no emphasis in EUPM or USPM, it's all Power Metal. Everyone can message me an album you'd like to see in future weeks. Also, have in mind that this is a discussion thread and as such, discussion about the album/band is encouraged, but you're a free Internet surfer and thus we can discuss anything. I hope you enjoy and if you feel like something should be different, I am more than glad to take your suggestion and apply it if I see fit.
Band: Crom
Country: Germany
Album: Vengeance
Released: 2008
Youtube Stream
Last.fm
Metal Archives Page
Purchase Album (discogs)
Background: Crom is a one man band created by Walter Grosse, he briefly participated in Dark Fortress manning the guitar in the first album and promptly left. Crom as been around since 2000 but it was only when 2008 clocked in that the album "Vengeance" got released. Walter plays a mix of Viking and Power Metal, think Týr with no progressive elements, a more epic tone and the unavoidable Bathory (Viking era) influence. Before the Vengeance album there were a bunch of demos and an amazing EP called "The Fallen Beauty" (listen here), which leaned towards the Viking style but ultimately, an excellent ode to Quorthon with the inevitable Bathory cover. After Vengeance there was one album in 2011 called "Of Love And Death" (listen here), a good album that just sadly went a bit too soft for my taste and lost a lot of the appeal found in Vengeance. Lastly, there was word from Walter that there was going to be a new album in 2013 called "When Norsemen Die", but it was also around this time that news at the Crom Facebook page popped up, saying Walter was going to be a father and I can only wonder if life simply got in the way...
Vengeance: Vengeance is quite something else, the mix between the Viking Metal simplicity and Power Metal technicality is a true winner, plus the lower baritone vocals of Walter really seal the deal. I could talk about each individual song but there's really no point, all songs are great and there's hardly bad moments on the album, "A Life Unbearable" is a "ploddish" moment but that's it. Music in this album is truly a healthy mix of Viking and Power Metal qualities, occasionally leaning into one or the other. Ripping solos, riffs and catchy verses found in songs like: "Wings Of Fire" and "Vengeance Part I" deliver a more prominent Power sensation while other songs like: "The Restless King", "Unchain The Hero" and "The Stars Will Fall" have the melancholic Viking greatness. Everything put together in a well produced album with a great one man performance equals to one hell of an album; almost criminal that this album is as unknown as it is. Best song in the album is "Hammer Of The Gods", just really well written and atmospheric, it's about a man obsessing and questing for the one true hammer and realizing he lost decades of his life when he found the object. At the end of the song, when he screams "The best time of my life" and the solo queues in, it's pure Metal perfection.
My attempt at condensing my opinion into a number (or MAACMOIAN): 8.5/10!
September 27, 2015: Savage Grace
September 20, 2015: Catharsis - Dea
September 6, 2015: Sunrise - Trust Your Soul
August 30, 2015: Freternia - A Nightmare Story
August 23, 2015: Morifade - Possession of Power
August 16, 2015: Omen - Warning of Danger
August 9, 2015: Mystic Prophecy - Satanic Curses
August 2, 2015: Reinxeed - 1912
July 26, 2015: Steel Attack - Diabolic Symphony
July 19, 2015: Celesty - Vendetta