History & Biography When a couple of Blaspherion and Morbid Death members decided they have had enough death metal, they switched to black metal in 1993 and release a promo tape in 1994 that translated into a contract with Evil Omen. But first, a split EP (culled from the promo tape) with fellow Belgians Ancient Rites appeared courtesy of Afterdark Records. After the album, the band hit the road with Marduk, Enslaved, Blood and Ancient Rites. After the debut, the Belgian band recruited former Infected and Heresia guitarist Nornagest. Cernunnos committed suicide in the April of 1997. The 1998 EP Regie Sathanas: A Tribute to Cernunnos is an obvious tribute to the former drummer. The album was recorded with a session drummer. 1998 found the band on the road with Dark Funeral and later with Hecate Enthroned and Usurper. The Apocalypse Manifesto - An Apocalyptical Concept - was recorded at the Abyss Studio. Armoured... featured artwork by Rok of Sadistik Exekution and was recorded in Germany's Real Sound Studio.
More line-up changes had occurred with Namroth being replaced by Seth's Alsvid. Nebiros left Enthroned in 2001, reportedly to return to his roots and play death metal in a band with Tony of Angelcorpse called Flatulation. His replacement is Nerath DaemonThe band had also recruited Nerath Daemon who would nonetheless also remain in his band Emptiness. Late 2001 brought the news that promoters have cancelled the band's European and American tours!
Enthroned signed with Austria's Napalm Records at the beginning of 2002 and announced that the next album will be called Carnage In Worlds Beyond. The Beast issued its first EP through Pain-Killer Records in 2002. Nornagest joined Plague on vocals in mid-2003. The band toured with Destinity, Agathodaimon and Seth in France in 2003.
In June 2003 Nguaroth joined. The band played in South America. Xes Haereticum was released on Napalm Records in late 2004. The band also added drummer Glaurung to the line-up. Enthroned issued a live album in the summer of 2005. The Black Goat Ritual disc was released through Napalm Records and features material recorded in South America. Long-time singer Sabathan and Enthroned parted ways due to personal differences in 2006. The singer, and sole remaining original member, apparently did not share the same beliefs as the other members. Bassist Phorgath of Emptiness rejoined Enthroned in early 2007. Drummer Alsvid temporarily returned to the band in order to contribute to the recording of Tetra Karcist album as present member Glaurung could not take time off work. The band signed with Regain Records in January of 2008. Members of Enthroned and Emptiness opened a professional recording studio in Brussels, the capital of Belgium called Blackout Multimedia in 2009. Nornagest joined Unlocked, the new project of former Prostitute Disfigurement guitarist Benny in 2009. Enthroned again lost members in 2009. Guitarist Nguaroth and drummer Ahephaim decided to part ways with Enthroned due to a lack of time and availability. Former Gorgoroth member Garghuf joined on drums as did returning guitarist Nerath. The Belgian black metal band Enthroned released its eighth album, Pentagrammaton, in March, 2010 through Regain Records. As previously reported in Metallian the band now featured two Emptiness members. Enthroned announced a return to North America for the first time in nine years in August of 2010! The US/Canadian leg of the Pentagrammaton World Tour 2010 would begin in Brooklyn, New York at Europa and would work its way through nearly two dozen cities before winding down at the Hostile City Deathfest in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on August 29. Support would come from Australian black thrashers Destöyer 666. The band signed a new deal with Regain Records in 2011. The band was writing music for its new album. Enthroned instead signed a two-album deal with Agonia Records in late 2011 given Regain’s descent into financial troubles. The band's next album, Obsidium, was released in early 2012. Elsewhere, Enthroned's touring guitarist Tzelmoth quit the band. Enthroned had a new album called Sovereigns. The album is the follow-up to 2012's Obsidium and is out on April 15th, 2014 through Agonia Records. Shagãl joined on guitar in 2018 and left in 2019. Enthroned’s Cold Black Sun album was out through Season Of Mist on June 7th. ZarZax switched to guitar. Towards The Skullthrone Of Satan/Regie Sathanas was a 2021 compilation. The same releases and more were in the Hadean box set of 2023. The five CDs commemorated thirty years of the band. The act was working on a new album in 2023 and was booked for PartySan OpenAir 2024.
Reviews ENTHRONED - THE APOCALYPSE MANIFESTO - BLACKEND
I was quick off the mark to hand this band a heavy dose of criticism, when Enthroned's debut full length Prophecies of Pagan Fire hit the street. For one thing Nordic black metal out of Belgium seemed ludicrous. For another, the band's brand of derivative, heard-it-all-before black metal did little to awaken to sense to anything, let alone Satan! Four years have transpired and the band has persevered with more releases, the remains of a drummer who committed suicide and a new guitarist to put out their brand new CD and boy have times changed! Amidst a decaying scene where fans and press have wimped out in tandem with the 'black metal' scene to worship teen fodder like Dimmu Borgir and their top-hat wearing, silly keyboard-wanking sisters Cradle of Filth; the Belgian quartet have made material more fresh than before, simultaneously remaining dark and fast as ever. The production is clean, the riffs sharp in their spiked edge and the solos classy. One listen to the time change in track eight The Scourge of God confirms my belief that Enthroned have elevated themselves to the elite of the black metal scene - the elite that doesn't include Metal Hamster/ Kerrap-praised bands named above, but true followers of the black sounds of heavy metal. This is the real thing. The only cautionary note would be the absence of listed track Post Mortem Penetrations which, while listed, is nowhere to be found on the actual CD. - Ali "The Metallian"
ENTHRONED - XES HAERETICUM - NAPALM
The new Enthroned album took a little while to get here and, given the length of time and the customary member changes, some variation between this and the last album was to be expected. Xes Haereticum is consistent with Enthroned's policy of delivering pure and faithful black metal. The raucous Belgians are not about to compromise that.
What they have changed is the guitar riffing which is more primal and basic. The blasting roar of the band has been stripped to the bone, streamlined and coupled with the Iron Maiden-esque solos become something slightly different. The singer croaks like Bathory's Quorthon circa The Return album and the drumming, well, it's all there. My favourite song is the album's closer, Hellgium Messiah, but there is lots more on this album than just that track worthy of the black metal tag. - Ali "The Metallian"
Interviews
|
