Quantos Possunt ad Satanitatem Trahunt
Encyclopedia
Quantos Possunt ad Satanitatem Trahunt is the eighth studio album by Norwegian
black metal
band Gorgoroth
. It was released in October 2009 through Regain Records
.
Infernus – founding member and guitarist of Gorgoroth – began work on this album in October 2006 and was first reported writing it when he was released on parole from prison in March 2007. However, the latter stages of the songwriting and much of the recording process would be overshadowed – at least as far as public attention was concerned – by the Gorgoroth name dispute
which began in October 2007. Within two weeks of the ignition of the dispute, the album title was revealed to the public.
This album marks the return of Pest
on vocals, as well as the debut of Tomas Asklund (ex-Infernal
, ex-Dissection
, ex-Dark Funeral
) on drums and Bøddel
(the pseudonym of Frank Watkins, Obituary
) on bass.
Infernus cited the ecclesiastical writer Adam of Bremen
as the inspiration of the album's title, parodying his maxim Quantos Possunt ad Christianitatem Trahunt.
In October 2007, then-members Gaahl
and King ov Hell
attempted to remove Infernus from the band, igniting the Gorgoroth name dispute
. On 31 October 2007, Infernus revealed the title to be Quantos Possunt Ad Satanitatem Trahunt (QPAST). Infernus said that "between 50 and 70% of the music" had "already been written (some of it even pre-recorded)" as went for "two or three lyrics". He stated that it would be released through Regain Records, which was reinforced following the decision of the record label in December 2007 to side with Infernus during the ongoing Gorgoroth name dispute. In December 2007, Bøddel and Tomas Asklund were revealed as new members of Gorgoroth on bass and drums respectively, and also former Gorgoroth guitarist Tormentor was revealed to be assisting Infernus on arranging and producing the album.
, Sweden
, where the next few months were spent rehearsing the material for QPAST in Tomas Asklund's Monolith Studio.
In August 2008, it was announced that a pre-recording for QPAST was made with guitars, bass and drums. After having spent the previous few months rehearsing in Monolith Studio, Infernus said that he was working on arrangements with assistance from Tormentor.
On 4 December 2008, it was announced that former Gorgoroth vocalist Pest had returned, thus completing the band's lineup, both to record the new album and play future live performances.
The Gorgoroth name dispute concluded in March 2009, when Oslo District Court
recognised Infernus as the legitimate owner of the band name. Shortly thereafter, recording of QPAST began with Tomas Asklund recording drum tracks in Monolith Studio. During this period Infernus also recorded the guitars, "manually recording six basic guitars".
Although it was announced in August 2008 that the guitar and bass lines would be recorded in the Laboratório 6 studio in Pindamonhangaba, Brazil with engineering help from Fabio Zperandio of Ophiolatry
, once the trial pertaining to the Gorgoroth name dispute was scheduled to take place at the end of January 2009 these plans had to be abandoned and instead the band decided to continue the recording process in Monolith Studio. Furthermore, since Infernus wrote all the music for the album and extensive rehearsals and a pre-production recording had also been completed before second guitarist Tormentor rejoined the band the previous year, it was decided that it would be more convenient for Infernus to record all the guitars on the album.
Bøddel and Pest recorded bass and vocals respectively in June 2009, and the mixing process was finished by June 26. On July 6, 2009, it was announced that the album was to be mastered at the Cutting Room in Stockholm later that month and it was scheduled to be released on October 21 in Europe
and November 11 in the USA. A tentative track listing was also revealed.
. A second press listening was held in Bergen, Norway, on August 28, 2009, in connection with the band's headlining performance at the Hole in the Sky
festival on August 29, 2009. At the Hole in the Sky concert the song "Aneuthanasia" was performed live, marking the first ever live performance of material from the album. A sample of the album version of this song was released on September 21. The song "Prayer" received its live debut at the band's concert at UKA 2009 in Trondheim, Norway, on October 19 - a concert which served as a "release party" for the new album.
The album was well received upon its release, earning high marks in magazines such as Metal Hammer
UK and Rock Hard. The first pressing of the CD version of the album was packaged as a jewel case and included a limited edition slipcover and also a patch of the cover artwork and band logo. It was also announced that it would be released on regular 12" vinyl by Regain Records.
In April 2010 the band went on a European mini-tour to promote the album, with a total of nine concerts taking place in Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Italy and Germany. The setlist for the tour contained three tracks from Quantos Possunt ad Satanitatem Trahunt, with "Satan-Prometheus" being included in the list in addition to "Aneuthanasia" and "Prayer".
Production:
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 Gorgoroth
Gorgoroth
Gorgoroth is a Norwegian black metal band based in Bergen. Formed in 1992 by Infernus , the band is named after the dead plateau of evil and darkness in the land of Mordor from J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings. The group is currently signed to Regain Records and have released...
. It was released in October 2009 through Regain Records
Regain Records
Regain Records is a Swedish based independent record label. The label predominantly releases death metal and black metal albums. Regain Records was founded from what remained of the former label, Wrong Again Records, by Per Gyllenbäck in 1997...
.
Infernus – founding member and guitarist of Gorgoroth – began work on this album in October 2006 and was first reported writing it when he was released on parole from prison in March 2007. However, the latter stages of the songwriting and much of the recording process would be overshadowed – at least as far as public attention was concerned – by the Gorgoroth name dispute
Gorgoroth name dispute
The Gorgoroth name dispute was in the context of the use of a name for a Norwegian black metal band - which was derived from J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium - between band founder Infernus and members Gaahl and King ov Hell...
which began in October 2007. Within two weeks of the ignition of the dispute, the album title was revealed to the public.
This album marks the return of Pest
Pest (musician)
Pest is a Norwegian black metal vocalist, mainly known for his work in the band Gorgoroth.-Biography:...
on vocals, as well as the debut of Tomas Asklund (ex-Infernal
Infernal (black metal band)
Not to be confused with the Infernal from Kristianstad.Infernal is an influential Swedish black metal band based in Stockholm. It was formed in 1997, mainly by David Parland...
, ex-Dissection
Dissection (band)
Dissection was a black metal band from Strömstad, Sweden. The band was formed in 1989, by Jon Nödtveidt. The band released its first EP in 1991. They disbanded in 2006, after Nödtveidt's suicide.- Band overview :...
, ex-Dark Funeral
Dark Funeral
Dark Funeral is a black metal band from Stockholm, Sweden, founded by guitarists Blackmoon and Lord Ahriman in 1993. They are one of the bands to have emerged in Sweden during the Second wave of black metal....
) on drums and Bøddel
Frank Watkins
Frank Watkins is an American heavy metal musician best known as the former bass player for the death metal band Obituary. As of September 2010, Watkins is no longer a member of the band...
(the pseudonym of Frank Watkins, Obituary
Obituary (band)
Obituary is an American death metal band formed in 1984 in Tampa, Florida under the name Executioner, then changed the name's spelling to Xecutioner, and later changed their name to Obituary in 1988. The band comprises vocalist John Tardy, drummer Donald Tardy, guitarists Trevor Peres and Ralph...
) on bass.
Infernus cited the ecclesiastical writer Adam of Bremen
Adam of Bremen
Adam of Bremen was a German medieval chronicler. He lived and worked in the second half of the eleventh century. He is most famous for his chronicle Gesta Hammaburgensis Ecclesiae Pontificum .-Background:Little is known of his life other than hints from his own chronicles...
as the inspiration of the album's title, parodying his maxim Quantos Possunt ad Christianitatem Trahunt.
Background
Infernus began work on the album in October 2006, as he was about to serve a prison sentence for "gross negligent rape". He continued writing songs while he served his sentence, citing the "lack of outside distractions" as a factor. Shortly after he was granted parole in March 2007, an announcement was made on the official Gorgoroth website (then situated at gorgoroth.org) which reported that Infernus was 'working on new material, both music and lyrics for an upcoming album, title yet undecided'.In October 2007, then-members Gaahl
Gaahl
Kristian Eivind Espedal , better known by his stage name Gaahl, is a Norwegian vocalist, best known as the former frontman of Norwegian black metal band Gorgoroth. He is also the founder and frontman of Trelldom and Gaahlskagg...
and King ov Hell
King ov Hell
Tom Cato Visnes , better known as King ov Hell or simply King, is a Norwegian musician and ex-teacher. He is best known as the former bassist of black metal band Gorgoroth, but he is also the co-founder of Ov Hell, God Seed, Jotunspor, Sahg and I...
attempted to remove Infernus from the band, igniting the Gorgoroth name dispute
Gorgoroth name dispute
The Gorgoroth name dispute was in the context of the use of a name for a Norwegian black metal band - which was derived from J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium - between band founder Infernus and members Gaahl and King ov Hell...
. On 31 October 2007, Infernus revealed the title to be Quantos Possunt Ad Satanitatem Trahunt (QPAST). Infernus said that "between 50 and 70% of the music" had "already been written (some of it even pre-recorded)" as went for "two or three lyrics". He stated that it would be released through Regain Records, which was reinforced following the decision of the record label in December 2007 to side with Infernus during the ongoing Gorgoroth name dispute. In December 2007, Bøddel and Tomas Asklund were revealed as new members of Gorgoroth on bass and drums respectively, and also former Gorgoroth guitarist Tormentor was revealed to be assisting Infernus on arranging and producing the album.
Recording
In April 2008, Infernus announced he was to depart for StockholmStockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
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....
, where the next few months were spent rehearsing the material for QPAST in Tomas Asklund's Monolith Studio.
In August 2008, it was announced that a pre-recording for QPAST was made with guitars, bass and drums. After having spent the previous few months rehearsing in Monolith Studio, Infernus said that he was working on arrangements with assistance from Tormentor.
On 4 December 2008, it was announced that former Gorgoroth vocalist Pest had returned, thus completing the band's lineup, both to record the new album and play future live performances.
The Gorgoroth name dispute concluded in March 2009, when Oslo District Court
Oslo District Court
Oslo District Court is the district court serving Oslo, Norway. Cases may be appealed to Borgarting Court of Appeal. As the largest district court in Norway, it handles about 20% of all cases in the country...
recognised Infernus as the legitimate owner of the band name. Shortly thereafter, recording of QPAST began with Tomas Asklund recording drum tracks in Monolith Studio. During this period Infernus also recorded the guitars, "manually recording six basic guitars".
Although it was announced in August 2008 that the guitar and bass lines would be recorded in the Laboratório 6 studio in Pindamonhangaba, Brazil with engineering help from Fabio Zperandio of Ophiolatry
Ophiolatry (band)
Ophiolatry is a Brazilian death metal band formed in 1998. The name was derived from a term meaning "the worship of serpents".-Biography:Ophiolatry was formed in 1998 by Jhorge "Dog" Duarte, Antonio Cozta, Fabio Zperandio and Tiago Nunes. They recorded their first demo, Opposite Monarchy, in 1999,...
, once the trial pertaining to the Gorgoroth name dispute was scheduled to take place at the end of January 2009 these plans had to be abandoned and instead the band decided to continue the recording process in Monolith Studio. Furthermore, since Infernus wrote all the music for the album and extensive rehearsals and a pre-production recording had also been completed before second guitarist Tormentor rejoined the band the previous year, it was decided that it would be more convenient for Infernus to record all the guitars on the album.
Bøddel and Pest recorded bass and vocals respectively in June 2009, and the mixing process was finished by June 26. On July 6, 2009, it was announced that the album was to be mastered at the Cutting Room in Stockholm later that month and it was scheduled to be released on October 21 in 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...
and November 11 in the USA. A tentative track listing was also revealed.
Release
The first press listening of the album was held in Berlin on July 18, with Infernus and Tomas Asklund present. In August the finalized track listing for the album was released, as well as the cover artwork and a sample from the song "Prayer". It was also announced that the album would receive a limited edition picture disc vinyl release on Infernus' own record label Forces of Satan RecordsForces of Satan Records
Forces of Satan Records is a Norwegian-based independent record label founded on , by Infernus of Gorgoroth and Vile Horg. The label only signs, produces and promotes bands with a "clear Satanic attitude and commitment." Current bands signed to the label are Italian black metal band Black Flame,...
. A second press listening was held in Bergen, Norway, on August 28, 2009, in connection with the band's headlining performance at the Hole in the Sky
Hole in the Sky
Hole in the Sky was a metal festival located in Bergen, Norway that was arranged in the end of August each year from 2000 to 2011.It was arranged for the first time in 2000, in honor of the then recently deceased Erik "Grim" Brødreskift - ex-member of Borknagar, Gorgoroth and Immortal...
festival on August 29, 2009. At the Hole in the Sky concert the song "Aneuthanasia" was performed live, marking the first ever live performance of material from the album. A sample of the album version of this song was released on September 21. The song "Prayer" received its live debut at the band's concert at UKA 2009 in Trondheim, Norway, on October 19 - a concert which served as a "release party" for the new album.
The album was well received upon its release, earning high marks in magazines such as Metal Hammer
Metal Hammer
Metal Hammer is a monthly heavy metal music magazine published in the United Kingdom by Future Publishing, and in several other countries by different publishers. Metal Hammer articles feature both mainstream bands and more unusual acts from the whole spectrum of heavy metal music...
UK and Rock Hard. The first pressing of the CD version of the album was packaged as a jewel case and included a limited edition slipcover and also a patch of the cover artwork and band logo. It was also announced that it would be released on regular 12" vinyl by Regain Records.
In April 2010 the band went on a European mini-tour to promote the album, with a total of nine concerts taking place in Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Italy and Germany. The setlist for the tour contained three tracks from Quantos Possunt ad Satanitatem Trahunt, with "Satan-Prometheus" being included in the list in addition to "Aneuthanasia" and "Prayer".
Track listing
Credits
Gorgoroth:- PestPest (musician)Pest is a Norwegian black metal vocalist, mainly known for his work in the band Gorgoroth.-Biography:...
– vocals - Infernus – guitar
- BøddelFrank WatkinsFrank Watkins is an American heavy metal musician best known as the former bass player for the death metal band Obituary. As of September 2010, Watkins is no longer a member of the band...
– bass - Tomas Asklund – drums
Production:
- Oskorei Grapix and Christian Misje – artwork
- Infernus - Production and arrangements
- Tomas Asklund - Cooproduction and mixing
- Christian Misje - photography
- Infernus, Tomas Asklund and Mats Lindfors - mastering