Ancient (band)
Encyclopedia
Ancient is a Norwegian
black metal
band from Eidsvåg, Nesset
, formed in 1992. The band has released six full-length albums released by Metal Blade Records
and a variety of mini-albums, EPs and special releases. Ancient used to have the classic raw black metal sound, similar to Darkthrone
's works. Beginning with The Cainian Chronicle
, they moved towards a more Nordic/atmospheric black metal sound, akin to Emperor
and a cleaner production. After a period of turmoil concerning their line-up, they went on to add gothic
-style instruments such as violin
s, female vocals, and synthesizers to their music.
To this day Ancient can be considered as one of the original Norwegian black metal bands that were part of the now famous scene of the early nineties. They were one of the very first Norwegian black metal bands to sign for a semi-major label (Metal Blade Records). There is no evidence of any involvement of Ancient with the infamous occurrences of the Norwegian black metal scene, although they were part of the same scene. Ancient can be considered as a historical black metal act by all standards, who's path took a different course upon their relocation around the world and subsequent exit from the local Norwegian scene.
Aphazel in 1992. The following year, Grimm joined the band as drummer and vocalist. They released the Eerily Howling Winds demo in 1993 and the Det Glemte Riket EP
in 1994. They subsequently signed to Listenable Records and released their debut album, Svartalvheim
. After the release of the Trolltaar EP in 1995, Grimm left the band.
Aphazel then moved to the United States
where he met Lord Kaiaphas
of Virginia
based Black metal
band Grand Belial's Key
, who soon became the new vocalist and drummer
of Ancient. In 1996 the band signed a contract with Metal Blade Records
(which led to sellout accusations), and two new members joined the band: Kimberly Goss
as a female vocalist and keyboardist
, and Kjetil as a drummer. Together, they recorded Ancient's second full-length album The Cainian Chronicle
, and later embarked on a Europe
an tour.
In 1997, Goss was replaced by Erichte, Kjetil left the band, and a new guitarist/keyboardist entered Ancient under the name of Jesus Christ. With the new lineup, Ancient released their third album, Mad Grandiose Bloodfiends
. After a world tour, Aphazel met Deadly Kristin, who became the new female vocalist, and he decided to move to Italy
.
1998 brought more lineup changes: Krigse took over the drums, Dhilorz became the new bassist, and Lord Kaiaphas left the band. In 1999, The Halls of Eternity
was released, with Aphazel as the new vocalist.
Upon the exit of Krigse, Ancient went on to find a replacement in the local metal scene. A new tour followed, including the band's first concerts in Scandinavia
, and in 2000, Ancient played at Wacken Open Air
main stage with the new drummer GroM who joined in May of 2000. A compilation
EP called God Loves the Dead was released in January 2001, featuring some remixes, a new single and a cover of Iron Maiden's 'Powerslave' song.
Ancient's fifth album, Proxima Centauri, was recorded at Los Angered Recording (Andy LaRocque
's studio) and mastered at Sterling Sound in New York. It was then released on October 15, 2001. Another world tour followed, including Mexico
, Eastern Europe
and Israel
(though the band was under the impression to be the first foreign black metal band to have played in Israel, the Aeba and Ancient Rites
were there before). After the tour, Deadly Kristin decided to leave the band. Ancient then proceeded to move closer to their classic black metal origins and began the writing of a new album as a 4-piece.
On July 13, 2004, Ancient released their sixth album, Night Visit. Written in drummer Grom's studio at the feet of the Alps, the album was recorded at Studio Fredman
and mixed by famous Swedish
producer Fredrik Nordström
. Following the release, the band embarked on another European tour called "A Night VisiTour" in 2005, with Illdisposed
as co-headliners and Final Breath as support. After the tour, GroM unexpectedly left the band to pursue his professional drumming career in Los Angeles, where he now resides.
Aphazel and Deadly Kristin released an album with their side-project called 'Dreamlike Horror', for Greek label Sleaszy Rider Records in June 2005.
Throughout his years with Ancient, drummer Grom has recorded, released and participated in a vast number of recordings for various side-projects and other bands as a guest or hired session player. Some of these include cult Italian progressive black metal band Hortus Animae, Opposite Sides, Hate Profile, The 'K', K-Again and Dragonheart records/SPV Viking metal band Doomsword among others. Bassist Dhilorz was a member of the Italian melo-death metal band Infliction and released several albums with them.
Live, the band featured Aleister of Faust (a cult Italian death metal band) on guitar and following Grom's departure, also featured Nick Barker (Cradle Of Filth, Dimmu Borgir...) on drums.
Ancient's original demos, including Eerily Howling Winds, were re-released in 2005 in an album called Eerily Howling Winds - The Antediluvian Tapes.
Since then, a lull of inactivity that would last three years would come about, and since then Ancient have parted ways with Metal Blade Records due to the completion of their recording contract and the label's "supposed" loss of interest in the black metal genre.
In 2009 they briefly reformed for a brief new set of live shows.
Metal Blade has since then released a 3-CD pack containing the band's 3 releases before the final 'Night Visit' album: 'The halls of eternity', 'God loves the dead' & 'Proxima Centauri'.
In 2011, band's lead singer Aphazel announced that he shortened his artist name to Zel and also announced plans for a new studio album.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
black metal
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
band from Eidsvåg, Nesset
Eidsvåg, Nesset
Eidsvåg is a village in the municipality of Nesset in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is the administrative centre of the municipality. Eidsvåg is located at the end of the Langfjorden on the isthmus connecting the Romsdal peninsula to the Norwegian mainland...
, formed in 1992. The band has released six full-length albums released by Metal Blade Records
Metal Blade Records
Metal Blade Records is a record label which was founded by Brian Slagel in 1982. The U.S. corporate office for Metal Blade is located in Agoura Hills, California. It also has offices in Arizona, Germany, Japan, Canada, and the UK. The label is distributed in the U.S. by Sony BMG Music...
and a variety of mini-albums, EPs and special releases. Ancient used to have the classic raw black metal sound, similar to Darkthrone
Darkthrone
Darkthrone is a Norwegian black metal band. They formed in 1987 as a death metal band, but after embracing the black metal style in 1991, they became a driving force in the Norwegian black metal scene. For most of this period Darkthrone has consisted of just two musicians, Nocturno Culto and...
's works. Beginning with The Cainian Chronicle
The Cainian Chronicle
The Cainian Chronicle is Ancient's second full length release. The album has some sort of twisted legacy towards it with the gruesome case of Jarno Elg, a Finnish devil-worshiper that listened to some songs from this album while instigating others to torture the victim and having others eat parts...
, they moved towards a more Nordic/atmospheric black metal sound, akin to Emperor
Emperor (band)
Emperor was a Norwegian black metal band formed in 1991. They dissolved in 2001, but reunited in 2006 and again in 2007 for a few festival dates and brief US tours. The group was founded by Samoth and Ihsahn .-Biography:...
and a cleaner production. After a period of turmoil concerning their line-up, they went on to add gothic
Gothic metal
Gothic metal or goth metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music that combines the aggression of doom metal with the dark melancholy of gothic rock. The music of gothic metal is diverse with bands known to adopt the gothic approach to different styles of heavy metal music...
-style instruments such as violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
s, female vocals, and synthesizers to their music.
To this day Ancient can be considered as one of the original Norwegian black metal bands that were part of the now famous scene of the early nineties. They were one of the very first Norwegian black metal bands to sign for a semi-major label (Metal Blade Records). There is no evidence of any involvement of Ancient with the infamous occurrences of the Norwegian black metal scene, although they were part of the same scene. Ancient can be considered as a historical black metal act by all standards, who's path took a different course upon their relocation around the world and subsequent exit from the local Norwegian scene.
Biography
The band initially started as a solo project of guitaristGuitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
Aphazel in 1992. The following year, Grimm joined the band as drummer and vocalist. They released the Eerily Howling Winds demo in 1993 and the Det Glemte Riket EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
in 1994. They subsequently signed to Listenable Records and released their debut album, Svartalvheim
Svartalvheim
Svartalvheim is Ancient's debut album. It was recorded between November 1993 and May 1994 at Hindu Lyd.The album was released in 1994 through Listenable Records and Osmose Productions.- Track listing :All music by Aphazel, all lyrics by Grimm....
. After the release of the Trolltaar EP in 1995, Grimm left the band.
Aphazel then moved to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
where he met Lord Kaiaphas
Kaiaphas
- Biography :Lord Kaiaphas was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. When he was six years old, he went to live in Washington D.C., U.S.A., where he grew up. Most of his family members were musically inclined. His grandmother, on his father’s side, was a very famous soprano opera singer during her youth...
of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
based Black metal
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
band Grand Belial's Key
Grand Belial's Key
Grand Belial's Key is a black metal band formed in 1992 by guitarist Gelal Necrosodomy and vocalist Lord Vlad Luciferian. Lord Vlad Luciferian was later ejected from the group due to internal differences and joined the formerly Norwegian band Ancient that had moved to the USA, using the new stage...
, who soon became the new vocalist and drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
of Ancient. In 1996 the band signed a contract with Metal Blade Records
Metal Blade Records
Metal Blade Records is a record label which was founded by Brian Slagel in 1982. The U.S. corporate office for Metal Blade is located in Agoura Hills, California. It also has offices in Arizona, Germany, Japan, Canada, and the UK. The label is distributed in the U.S. by Sony BMG Music...
(which led to sellout accusations), and two new members joined the band: Kimberly Goss
Kimberly Goss
Kimberly Goss is the vocalist and founding member of the Finnish band Sinergy.-Early life:She was born in Los Angeles to a Korean father and a German-American mother, who was a jazz singer...
as a female vocalist and keyboardist
Keyboardist
A keyboardist is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instruments with keyboards have come into common usage, requiring a more...
, and Kjetil as a drummer. Together, they recorded Ancient's second full-length album The Cainian Chronicle
The Cainian Chronicle
The Cainian Chronicle is Ancient's second full length release. The album has some sort of twisted legacy towards it with the gruesome case of Jarno Elg, a Finnish devil-worshiper that listened to some songs from this album while instigating others to torture the victim and having others eat parts...
, and later embarked on a Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an tour.
In 1997, Goss was replaced by Erichte, Kjetil left the band, and a new guitarist/keyboardist entered Ancient under the name of Jesus Christ. With the new lineup, Ancient released their third album, Mad Grandiose Bloodfiends
Mad Grandiose Bloodfiends
Mad Grandiose Bloodfiends is Ancient's third full-length release.The album was recorded, mixed and mastered in Cue Recording Studios, Falls Church, Virginiaduring September 1997.- Track listing :Music as indicated....
. After a world tour, Aphazel met Deadly Kristin, who became the new female vocalist, and he decided to move to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
1998 brought more lineup changes: Krigse took over the drums, Dhilorz became the new bassist, and Lord Kaiaphas left the band. In 1999, The Halls of Eternity
The Halls of Eternity
The Halls of Eternity is Ancient's fourth full-length release.The cover-art is airbrushed by Perre, a Flemish airbrush artist.This is the first album to feature Aphazel, as band's vocalist. He recorded almost the entire album himself, except for drums, female vocals and guest appearance by Jesus...
was released, with Aphazel as the new vocalist.
Upon the exit of Krigse, Ancient went on to find a replacement in the local metal scene. A new tour followed, including the band's first concerts in Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
, and in 2000, Ancient played at Wacken Open Air
Wacken Open Air
Wacken Open Air is a summer open air heavy metal music festival. It takes place annually in the small town of Wacken in Schleswig-Holstein, northern Germany...
main stage with the new drummer GroM who joined in May of 2000. A compilation
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
EP called God Loves the Dead was released in January 2001, featuring some remixes, a new single and a cover of Iron Maiden's 'Powerslave' song.
Ancient's fifth album, Proxima Centauri, was recorded at Los Angered Recording (Andy LaRocque
Andy LaRocque
Andy LaRocque is best known as a guitarist, songwriter, and occasional synth player for the band King Diamond.-Biography:...
's studio) and mastered at Sterling Sound in New York. It was then released on October 15, 2001. Another world tour followed, including Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
and Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
(though the band was under the impression to be the first foreign black metal band to have played in Israel, the Aeba and Ancient Rites
Ancient Rites
Ancient Rites is a Flemish black metal band formed in 1988. Initially, the line- up consisted of guitar players Johan and Phillip, drummer Stefan, and Gunther Theys on bass and vocals. In 1990 the Dark Ritual demo was released in the underground scene, getting worldwide attention just as black...
were there before). After the tour, Deadly Kristin decided to leave the band. Ancient then proceeded to move closer to their classic black metal origins and began the writing of a new album as a 4-piece.
On July 13, 2004, Ancient released their sixth album, Night Visit. Written in drummer Grom's studio at the feet of the Alps, the album was recorded at Studio Fredman
Studio Fredman
Studio Fredman is a recording studio in Göteborg, Sweden, owned and operated by producer Fredrik Nordström.It is popular among Swedish metal bands, with artists such as At the Gates, Deathstars, Nightrage, Dimmu Borgir, Arch Enemy, Soilwork, Dark Tranquillity, Amon Amarth, In Flames, Zonaria,...
and mixed by famous Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
producer Fredrik Nordström
Fredrik Nordström
Björn Tom Fredrik Nordström, born on 5 January 1967, is a Swedish record producer and guitar player for the heavy metal band Dream Evil. Nordström is one of the leading melodic death metal producers in Sweden, and he has worked with some of the genre's top acts, including At the Gates, Arch Enemy,...
. Following the release, the band embarked on another European tour called "A Night VisiTour" in 2005, with Illdisposed
Illdisposed
Illdisposed is a death metal band from Aarhus, Denmark that was formed in 1991 by vocalist Bo Summer. As of 2011, the band consists of vocalist Bo Summer, guitarists Jakob "Batten" Hansen, guitarist Ken Holst, bassist Jonas "Kloge" Mikkelsen, and drummer Thomas "Muskelbux" Jensen.Since their...
as co-headliners and Final Breath as support. After the tour, GroM unexpectedly left the band to pursue his professional drumming career in Los Angeles, where he now resides.
Aphazel and Deadly Kristin released an album with their side-project called 'Dreamlike Horror', for Greek label Sleaszy Rider Records in June 2005.
Throughout his years with Ancient, drummer Grom has recorded, released and participated in a vast number of recordings for various side-projects and other bands as a guest or hired session player. Some of these include cult Italian progressive black metal band Hortus Animae, Opposite Sides, Hate Profile, The 'K', K-Again and Dragonheart records/SPV Viking metal band Doomsword among others. Bassist Dhilorz was a member of the Italian melo-death metal band Infliction and released several albums with them.
Live, the band featured Aleister of Faust (a cult Italian death metal band) on guitar and following Grom's departure, also featured Nick Barker (Cradle Of Filth, Dimmu Borgir...) on drums.
Ancient's original demos, including Eerily Howling Winds, were re-released in 2005 in an album called Eerily Howling Winds - The Antediluvian Tapes.
Since then, a lull of inactivity that would last three years would come about, and since then Ancient have parted ways with Metal Blade Records due to the completion of their recording contract and the label's "supposed" loss of interest in the black metal genre.
In 2009 they briefly reformed for a brief new set of live shows.
Metal Blade has since then released a 3-CD pack containing the band's 3 releases before the final 'Night Visit' album: 'The halls of eternity', 'God loves the dead' & 'Proxima Centauri'.
In 2011, band's lead singer Aphazel announced that he shortened his artist name to Zel and also announced plans for a new studio album.
Band members
- Zel (formerly known as Aphazel) – guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
(since 1992), lead vocals (Since 1998), bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(1992–1998), drum machineDrum machineA drum machine is an electronic musical instrument designed to imitate the sound of drums or other percussion instruments. They are used in a variety of musical genres, not just purely electronic music...
(1992–1993), keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
(1993–1998) - Dhilorz – bass guitar (Since 1999)
- Jesus Christ! – keyboards (Since 1997), guitar (1997–1998, 2004 onward), bass guitar (1997–1998), pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, celloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
(1997–1998)
Former members
- Grimm – vocals and drums (1993–1995)
- Kimberly GossKimberly GossKimberly Goss is the vocalist and founding member of the Finnish band Sinergy.-Early life:She was born in Los Angeles to a Korean father and a German-American mother, who was a jazz singer...
– female vocals (1995–1997), keyboards (1997) - Deadly Kristin (born Hayam Nur as Sufi) – vocals and black arts (1998–2003)
- Lord KaiaphasKaiaphas- Biography :Lord Kaiaphas was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. When he was six years old, he went to live in Washington D.C., U.S.A., where he grew up. Most of his family members were musically inclined. His grandmother, on his father’s side, was a very famous soprano opera singer during her youth...
– vocals (1995–1999), drums (1995–1998), guest lead vocals (2004) - Kjetil – drums (1995–1997)
- Erichte – female vocals (1997–1998)
- Lazarus – keyboards (1998)
- Krigse – drums (1998–2000)
- Scorpios – bass guitar (1998–1999)
- GroM - drums (2000–2005)
Session members
- Baard – drums (1997)
- Profana – drums (1998)
- Thidra – guitars (2000–2001)
- Andrea Trapasso – keyboards (2004)
- Aleister – guitars (since 2001)
- Nicholas Barker – drums (since 2009)
Guest musicians
- Neviah Luneville – vocals on "Envision the Beast" from Night Visit
- Lady Omega – vocals on "Out in the Haunted Woods" from Night Visit
- Moonbeam of Iblis – violin on "Envision the Beast" and "Night of the Stygian Souls" from Night Visit
- Alex Azzali – additional guitars on "Night of the Stygian Souls" from Night Visit
Studio albums
- Svartalvheim (1994)
- The Cainian ChronicleThe Cainian ChronicleThe Cainian Chronicle is Ancient's second full length release. The album has some sort of twisted legacy towards it with the gruesome case of Jarno Elg, a Finnish devil-worshiper that listened to some songs from this album while instigating others to torture the victim and having others eat parts...
(1996) - Mad Grandiose BloodfiendsMad Grandiose BloodfiendsMad Grandiose Bloodfiends is Ancient's third full-length release.The album was recorded, mixed and mastered in Cue Recording Studios, Falls Church, Virginiaduring September 1997.- Track listing :Music as indicated....
(1997) - The Halls of EternityThe Halls of EternityThe Halls of Eternity is Ancient's fourth full-length release.The cover-art is airbrushed by Perre, a Flemish airbrush artist.This is the first album to feature Aphazel, as band's vocalist. He recorded almost the entire album himself, except for drums, female vocals and guest appearance by Jesus...
(1999) - Proxima Centauri (2001)
- Night Visit (2004)
- TBA (2012)
Compilations
- Det Glemte Riket (1999)
- God Loves the Dead (2001)
- Eerily Howling Winds - The Antediluvian Tapes (2005)
External links
- Official website
- Ancient at Metal Blade RecordsMetal Blade RecordsMetal Blade Records is a record label which was founded by Brian Slagel in 1982. The U.S. corporate office for Metal Blade is located in Agoura Hills, California. It also has offices in Arizona, Germany, Japan, Canada, and the UK. The label is distributed in the U.S. by Sony BMG Music...
- Ancient at Sleaszy Rider RecordsSleaszy Rider recordsSleaszy Rider Records is an independent record label which was founded in 1999 by Tolis G. Palantzas. The head office of the label is located in Greece. The label is mainly distributed in Europe by Sony Music/EMI...
- Ancient at Listenable Records
- Rivadavia, Eduardo "[ The Cainian Chronicle Review]", Allmusic, Macrovision Corporation
- Huey, Steve "[ Halls of Eternity Review]", Allmusic, Macrovision Corporation