MESSIAH - SWITZERLAND

Hymn To Abramelin - 1986 - Chainsaw Murder
Extreme Cold Weather - 1987 - Chainsaw Murder
Choir Of Horrors - 1991 - Noise
Rotten Perish - 1992 - Noise
Underground - 1994 - Noise
Reanimation 2003 - Live At Abart - 2010 - Massacre
Fracmont – 2020 – High Roller


  
 
Members
S= Reto “Tschösi” Kühne>>Babylon Sad – Carbonized, Therion>>Christofer Johnsson>>Therion, Demonoid, Crematory – ANDY KAINA
G= Cruise Missile>>R.B. Bröggi>>Cruise Missile, Mourning Side – Cruise Missile>>R.B. BRÖGGI>>Cruise Missile
B= Patrick Hersche>>Amon, Chapter Seven, Requiem, Succubus - Oli [Oliver Kohl]>>C.U.T. - Amon, Chapter Seven, Succubus>>PATRICK HERSCHE>>Requiem
D= R “Jazzi” Heer>>Poltergeist - Infected>>STEVE KARRER>>C.U.T., Mirto Massaker, Pulver, Gurd



History
Baar in Northern Switzerland is known for forests and brooks, but more importantly as the birthplace for Messiah in 1984 by Mr Bröggi. The name was inspired by the Hellhammer song of the same name. The band was immediately an underground favourite courtesy of promotion and demos called Powerthrash in 1985, Live Baar again in 1985 with the band proclaiming itself as “Swiss thrash” and The Infernal Thrashing. A full-length appeared in 1986 and made a point of having a clip overdubbed at the beginning of its songs for some reason. It was later re-released by both Nuclear Blast and Massacre Records. Extreme Cold Weather was different with its cover of a lone polar bear. It was naturally re-released too including the instrumental song Mother Theresa!

The Swiss band next found a home with the German label Noise Records, which already had the other Swiss notables Celtic Frost under its belt. This deal came after a two-year hiatus where the band was effectively broken up. Following a 1990 EP called Psychomorphia, Choir Of Horrors arrived in 1991 followed by 1992’s Rotten Perish. This album charted in Switzerland. Andy Kaina was on vocals now. By the time Underground hit Therion’s Christofer Johnsson was guesting with the act as Kaina had left in 1993. Johnsson and Messiah were acquaintances as the band had performed together and Messiah had even booked Therion in Switzerland. The group threw in the towel in 1995 only reforming for two shows in 2003 with Kaina (who now lived in Mexico), Karrer and Brögi. The Ballad Of Jesus EP from 1984 featured several mixes of the song including a ‘metal dance mix.’

Messiah had a 2004 DVD called 20 Years of Infernal Thrashing Madness through Massacre Records. A live album was also issued in 2010 culled from an older performance. The band had split up, but returned in 2017. Fatal Grotesque Symbols was a 2020 EP. It was followed by Fracmont.

At one point Glen Benton of Deicide criticized its European booking agent wowing not to work with it as one of the acts that was booked with was named ‘Messiah.’ A couple of the Noise Records were issued as ‘Messiah AD’ because the name was also being used by a US act. The Chainsaw Murder label was run by a Celtic Frost roadie with whom Messiah had played.

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Messiah