METALLIAN - Opera Ix

The Call Of The Wood – 1994 – Miscarriage
Sacro Culto – 1998 – Shiver
The Black Opera – 2000 – Avantgarde
Maleventum – 2002 – Avantgarde
Anphisbena – 2004 – Avantgarde
Strix - Maledictae In Aeternum – 2012 – Agonia
Back To Sepulcro – 2015 - Dusktone
The Gospel – 2018 - Dusktone

Members

Vocals

Cadaveria [Raffaella Rivarolo]>>Solo, Dynabyte – Huginn, Darkness, The True Endless, The Blessed Hellbrigade, Torvara, Skoll>>M The Bard [Marco De Rosa]>>Darkness, The True Endless, The Blessed Hellbrigade, Torvara, Malpas, Skoll - Amthrÿa>>Abigail Dianaria>>Amthrÿa - Riti Occulti, Agatunet, Consummatum Est, Vidharr, Riti Occulti, Mek Na Ver>>DIPSAS DIANAR [SERENA MASTRACCO]>>Consummatum Est, Vidharr, Mek Na Ver

Guitar

OSSIAN D'AMBROSIO

Bass

Malpas>>Vlad>>Malpas, Kurgaall – Scurs - Charon

Drum

Necrodeath>>Flegias [Alberto Gaggiotti]>>Necrodeath, Cadaveria – Taranis – Dalamar [Cimi Mezzano] - Black Flame, Daemusinem, Morturary Drape, Glorior Belli, Disiplin, Slavia, Janvs, Dead To The World, Hate Profile, Odaltyr>>M:A Fog [Massimo Altomare]>>Black Flame, Janvs, Dead To The World, Hate Profile, Odaltyr, Totenheer

Keyboard

Lunaris>>Teuta, Skoll – Avatar, Highlord, Amethista, Overmaster, Soundstorm, Soul Mask, White Skull, Nice Boys>>Alessandro Muscio>>Soul Mask, White Skull, Nice Boys

History & Biography

This Italy-based band was founded in 1988 mixing elements of goth, opera, occult and heavy metal. The Gothik demo was released in 1990. Wimp Records issued the band’s 1993 7” EP, The Triumph Of The Death. The label also distributed the band’s video. It established a pattern of desirable cover art and eccentric music and it drifted more towards black metal overtime. The group termed its concept a “five elements sect”. The band has also referred to its music as pagan metal. Guitarist and founder Ossian became the mainstay amidst a whole number of member changes especially after Cadaveria left due to a conflict. Gorgon played as the headliner in Italy with Opera IX in 1994. The Black Opera was just that. It was supported by tours in Italy, the rest of Europe and Mexico. It was the band’s first album for Avantgarde, which had visited the band at its rehearsal space. Black Arts Miscellanea was a limited edition 2001 video. The group lost its most recognizable brand singer Cadaveria – as well as Flegias – in 2001 and singer Madras lasted a year before M was drafted. Cadaveria felt constrained by the occult focus. A 2008 video was called Mythology XX Years Of Witchcraft. It included footage from Mexico. Strix - Maledictae In Aeternum was initially meant for Displeased Records, but the band dumped the label prior to releasing anything there. M (The Bard) also played guitar, but died in 2017. He had left in 2014 and been replaced by Abigail Dianaria. Dipsas Dianaria joined in 2018. Also new in 2018 was bassist Charon. Typical for the band, he was gone soon. G.G. of Dead Chasm was the next bassist.

Back To Sepulcro was another one of those recycling self-cover version releases. Taking the trend to another extreme, the group released Back To Sepulcro MMXXV in 2025. Opera IX signed with the Norwegian label Edged Circle Productions, which was to release its next full-length album. The recordings were to begin in November of 2025.

The group’s attempt at occult and originality runs counter to the cover versions it plays and records. The group asserted that ‘Opera IX’ refers to the act of creation and a magical number.

Reviews

OPERA IX - THE BLACK OPERA - AVANTGARDE/ DWELL
As the name indicates, the third full length release by Italy's Opera IX is an occult opera in six acts (what not nine?) which also tags an additional track in the form of a Bauhaus cover. For those familiar with the combo, Opera IX is all about female vocals which switches between aggressive and lame female tones, lots of keyboards and pianos, interludes of a drum machine and thick rhythm guitars. With over 50 minutes of twisted lyricism and eerie occult passages the presentation will likely appeal to Mortuary Drape or Acheron's debut fans. It's all a bit too image-oriented, but at least the orientation is anything but commercial. - Ali "The Metallian"

OPERA IX - ANPHISBENA - MAGICK
Opera IX has always been regarded as one of the many bands approaching the edges of metaldom, but in essence consistently merely sitting outside its fences. The band's latest album, Anphisbena, is a harder effort and one that gives the band more meaning, but is still burdened by an uneven approach, harp, cello, flute et al. One can hear how the Italians are striving to be heavier and more relevant. The occasional speedy guitar versus keyboards duels are consciously evidence of this. Songs like The Serpent's Nemeton or Battle Cry have a harder/faster edge, yet are obviously not black (or other) metal. The songs are longer than average on this album, although an intro and an instrumental mid-CD pace things on the sixty-four minute long disc. A cover version of Bathory's One Rode To Asa's Bay is also included here. - Ali "The Metallian"

Interviews

Opera IX