The Encyclopedia of Dutch Black Metal – Update 2005 In December of 2005 it was over a year that The Encyclopedia of Dutch Black Metal was released, and it was about time to do a proper update. Thankfully the Dutch scene did not make a full stop after I unleashed the book upon the masses. This digital version is a mix between my first update and the ones that followed covering the same bands. In every following update I split new data into three categories. The first is NEW BANDS, which speaks for itself. It’s a list of bands that weren’t featured in the original book or in previous updates. The second is ADDITIONS, which has bands that were already featured somewhere, but needed a biographical, discographical, logo update, and/or rewrite. The third is DELETED, which cancels out bands that I thought had a place in the book, but turned out misplaced after all. Unavoidably, the information will become more splintered every time a new update is released, because I chose not to include old updates in new ones – just to save me the trouble of re-checking everything over and over and over and over. To save a bit of space I also decided to leave out track lists of (new) releases. Those are available at www.nlbme.nl in the section “The Bands”… NEW BANDS ABYSMAL DARKENING 2003+ Abysmal Darkening was created January 2003 with the purpose of bringing the world its ‘audiosonic terrorism’: Emperor, Darkthrone, and old Dimmu Borgir. In 2000 the dark and depressive black metal. Abysmal Darkening first song The Black Crowes Of Time was finished. This and two more songs formed the debut demo 666 roses. consists of BM (guitar), CV (drums), 5-KE (bass; Bunkur), and Ludas (vocals; Sauron, ex-Domestic After two versions of that demo (with two extra and two guitar, bass; ex-Verdelger), and propagates Christian and Violence, ex-Melech). Late 2004 the band had recorded renamed songs), Astathica released the 2001 Deus fantastic themes, placing itself in the white metal section. the self-titled demo debut, of which the track End It also Mortuus demo. Birth Of The Infernal Darkness The band was based on the heroic deeds from a story appeared on Total Rust Music’s Asymmetry compilation became the debut full-length. The development and about the fallen city Borgazûr, and the chosen warrior in 2005. In 2007 the line-up had changed into SG recording of that album took over a year and it proved to Ialon fighting the evil domination of a queen from (guitar), CV (keyboards), PL (bass), FM (bass; ex- be the best release to that point. Next up was Cronos, a Kartasiéla. Spring 2003 the duo recorded the demo mcd Bunkur), and Ludas. split between Ziggy Sin (Chiram’s solo-project) and Dit Tranendal Verlaten at Studio Forte, Zwolle. After Astathica. However, the album, which featured a guest that Danathriël and Dathretiëla Ezrilith (violins, keyboard) Abysmal Darkening – demo cd 2004 appearance of Thomas Kok (guitar) remained joined. The latter two left earlier on, but in 2004 unreleased. everything was put on hold, because of a lack of need for In 2002 Chiram left the project and Astathica carried positive-minded black metal in the scene and personal APOCRYPHA on alone. With the help of session musician Thomas Kok, 2002+ obligations. The demo remained unreleased, although it and lead guitarist Harm the 2004 cd Shaped To The was possible to download several tracks online. In 2007 Image Of The Flames was created. It took another four Kildrith (vocals, lyrics), Ilithrir (guitar, drums, backing years for the band to return with Death, Ignorance And vocals), and their new companion Oraf (piano, Destruction. synthesizer) started creating new music, resulting in the 2008 full-length album 2P3: Alchemists Earth Of Aeon 666 Roses – demo 2000 A.C.. Deus Mortuus – demo 2001 Birth Of The Infernal Darkness – cd 2002 Dit Tranendal Verlaten – unreleased demo mcd 2004 Cronos – unreleased split cd 2003: Astathica / Ziggy Sin 2P3: Alchemists Earth Of Aeon A.C. – cd 2008 Shaped To The Image Of The Flames – cd 2004 Death, Ignorance, And Destruction – cd 2008 BUNKUR 2001+ From the Leiden area comes the melodic and keyboard BLOEDAKKER driven band Apocrypha. It was founded in 2002, inspired 2003+ by Dimmu Borgir, Emperor, and Dark Funeral. After some minor line-up changes the band was Gilles (vocals), Bart (guitar), Rudi (synthesizer, backing vocals), Jasper (drums), and Giel (bass). In 2003 the Imminent Bunkur plays a mix of drone and doom metal band and Damnation demo was recorded, which was released in was founded in 2001. Its inspiration comes from bands 2004. In 2005 vocalist Gilles left the band, because of a like Winter, Sleep, and Abruptum. It consists of Demster difference in opinion about the future of the band, (Sauron), 5-KE (Abysmal Darkening), Manuel followed by Giel. Manolito (a.k.a. Manoloxx; vocals; ex- Tillemans (bass, vocals), and Twan van Geel (Sauron, Unlord, Cardinal, Consolation) and Jeroen (bass; ex- Flesh Made Sin, ex-Satyr). In 2002 the band debuted Smogus) stepped in. In the winter of 2006 the band won with Dopemoon, followed by the 65 minute one-track second price in De Grote Prijs Van De Bollenstreek, a demo Bludgeon in 2003, which was re-released on lp by competition with 20 bands. Early 2007 the band released Bloedakker is a project initiated in 2003, made up of Deserted Factory. In 2007 the line-up had changed into the cd The Summit Of Creation. Frostbite (drums; Frostbite) and Flamsmidt (guitar, M07 (bass, vocals), T13 (percussion), Wannes Gubbels vocals; Totenkroon). In 2004 it released the debut demo (session bass, vocals; Pentacle, Asphyx), and Martin Imminent Damnation – demo cd 2004 cd Rompen Kapot En Verot (sic). van Drunen (vocals; Hail Of Bullets, Asphyx, ex- The Summit Of Creation – demo cd 2007 Pestilence, ex-Bolt Thrower, ex-Comecon, ex- Rompen Kapot En Verot – demo cd 2004 Submission (Hol), Death By Dawn). ARTEMIS CIRCLE Dopemoon – demo 2002 2004+ B.O.B. Bludgeon – rehearsal demo 2003 Artemis Circle started in 2004, creating black death metal 2002+ Devolve – rehearsal demo 2003 with different influences. The current line-up is Demi B.O.B. is a raw, noisy black metal solo-project of B.O.B., Church Of The Flagellation – split demo 2004: Stabat (guitar), Matthijs Bolier (keyboard), Bastiaan Koster who, apart from handling all instruments, claims to Mater / Bunkur / Mala Sangre / The Sad Sun (drums), Pieter Snoeyenbos (vocals), Aron Verborgt practice self-mutilation during recordings. B.O.B. has Split – split cd 2004: Bunkur / Moss (guitar; Pure Power), and Vincent Krijger (bass; released the 2002 one-track demo cd Spawn, and the Bunkur – cd 2004 Kaasschaaf, Pure Power). Vincent had replaced 2005 demo cd 5000 Years To Midnight, also containing The Gates Of Beherit – split cd 2005: Reverend Bizarre Benjamin Samson early 2005. just one track. / Bunkur Nullify – cd 2008 ASTATHICA Spawn – demo cd 2002 5000 Years To Midnight – demo cd 2005 1999+ CARACH ANGREN Astathica was born in 1999 as the two-man project of 2003+ Sander Colin (a.k.a. Chiram; guitar; Babygrinder) and BORGAZÛR Carach Angren (meaning ‘iron jaws’) is a band coming Michiel P.L. Braas (a.k.a. Astathica; drums, vocals, 2002-2004, 2007+ from the Limburgian region, that consists of Seregor keyboard; Babygrinder; Toorn), both coming from the The symphonic band Borgazûr was founded in 2002 by (‘distortion and sardonic screams’, guitar, bass, vocals; melodic metal band Melancholik. The main purpose was Lord Kildrith (a.k.a. Priest Lethrir; drums; Duister ex-Inger Indolia, Vaultage), Namtar (‘raiser of trembling to create dark and brutal black metal, inspired by Maanlicht, ex-Verdelger) and Knight Ilithrir (vocals, rhythms’, drums; Vaultage), and Ardek (‘spheres of Page 1 The Encyclopedia of Dutch Black Metal – Update 2005 compilation Promo 1997. Following the promo was The drumming. The drums were recorded in Schiedam, in Serpent’s Eye in 1998, limited to 666 copies, followed by rehearsal room Soundcheck, while the music was later a 2001 edition limited to 100 copies, including different added by Midge at home. It was limited to 100 copies, artwork and a bonus track. Late 2002 Charagnanna and professionally pressed. The demo uses session prepared for a more experimental demo featuring female musicians Matthijs de Deckere (piano) and Kristiaan van lead vocals by Jamie Nelemans. der Gaag (violin; Conspiracy, rock). June 2003 Charagnanna decided to split his project Midge has a wide musical interest, from electronic into two sections. One will continue on the dark wave music like Aphex Twin, Moby, and Infected Mushroom to path, while the other will focus on its black metal side. metal like Vader, Immortal, and Zyklon. According to the artist, both sides have already seen over forty unreleased tracks over the years, including the Smashing The Face Of Oblivion – demo mcd 2004 Bathory cover Sacrifice from 2003. DELETERIOUS Reh. Demo 1989 – rehearsal demo 1989 INRI: 1999-2004 Charagnanna’s Land – demo 1992 DELETERIOUS EFFECT: 2004 Conjuration Of The Wicked – demo 1993 DELETERIOUS: 2004+ Dark Tunes From The Netherworlds – demo 1995 spectral harmonies’, synth, piano; ex-Dark Mutation, Enchantress Of The Seventh Night – demo 1995 Vaultage). It was founded in September 2003, when Promo 1997 – demo 1997 Seregor and Ardek met in Vaultage, sharing a passion for The Serpent’s Eye – demo 1998 Deleterious started in Utrecht as INRI in the spring of black metal’s emotional side. After that Namtar joined, The Serpent’s Eye – demo 2001 1999, when Bart Hereijgers (vocals, guitar) and Yorick and they started writing for the debut The Chase Vault van Steenis (bass, keyboard, backing vocals) joined Tragedy, which was recorded at the Carachvan Studio, COLDEEMSTORFT forces.