Satyricon (band)

Satyricon is a Norwegian black metal band, formed in 1991 in Oslo. Satyr and Frost have been the band's core members since 1993. The band's first three albums typify the Norwegian black metal style. Since its fourth album in 1999, the band has strayed from this style and included elements of traditional heavy metal in their sound. Satyricon was the first Norwegian black metal band to join a multi-national record label (EMI).^[1]

Sigurd "Satyr" Wongraven at Rockharz Open Air 2016 in Germany

History

Satyricon performing live in 2011

The band were formed in 1990 as Eczema^[2] by the bassist Wargod and drummer Exhurtum. In 1991, they decided to start playing black metal, so the name was changed to Satyricon. Satyr (Sigurd Wongraven) then joined the band. After the first demo All Evil, Exhurtum was kicked out of the band because he "preferred hanging out with my girl at the time rather than kicking down gravestones together with the band",^[2] while Wargod left the music scene and became a UN soldier afterwards.^[3] Lemarchand was kicked out after the second demo. Remaining members Satyr and Lemarchand hired the drummer Frost (Kjetil-Vidar Haraldstad) as a session musician and recorded their second and last demo, The Forest Is My Throne. Shortly after this, Lemarchand also left the band. But before leaving the band he recorded guitars (uncredited on the booklet) for the first full-length album, Dark Medieval Times. In the meantime, Frost was being "promoted" as a permanent member and had recorded drums for the aforementioned album. Satyricon have—with two exceptions—been a two-man band ever since: from 1993–1996, Tomas Thormodsæter 'Samoth' Haugen from Emperor was the bassist and guitarist of Satyricon, and participated in the recording of their second album, The Shadowthrone; and later, in 1996, Darkthrone member Nocturno Culto (Ted Skjellum, known as "Kveldulv" during Satyricon's period) became guitarist on the third full-length Satyricon album, Nemesis Divina.

Rebel Extravaganza, Satyricon's fourth album, was released in 1999. During this period Satyr drastically changed his look by shaving off his hair, as seen in the photoshoot for the album as well as their live performances.

In April and May 2000, Satyricon toured as a supporting band for Pantera.^[4] Phil Anselmo has spoken of his love for black metal numerous times, and has participated in Eibon with Satyricon frontman Satyr.^[5] They used to be signed with Daron Malakian's music label EatUrMusic.^[6]

Their fifth studio album Volcano was released in 2002 and won four awards: the Norwegian Grammy for Best Metal Album, an Alarm award for the track "Fuel for Hatred" in the category Song of the Year, the Alarm Award for Metal Album of the Year and The Oslo award for Best Overall Album.^[7][8][9]

Satyricon participated in the Darkthrone tribute Darkthrone Holy Darkthrone, released by Moonfog Productions in 1998, covering the song "Kathaarian Life Code". In the same year, Satyricon participated in the Bathory tribute In Conspiracy with Satan, released by Hellspawn/No Fashion Records, featuring the song "Born for Burning" originally released on Crusade from the North in 1996.

In 2006, Satyricon released Now, Diabolical.^[10]

In March 2008, the band headlined the Inferno Metal Festival in Oslo for the first time.

The EP My Skin Is Cold was released before their seventh album, The Age of Nero, which was released on 3 November 2008.^[11][12]

Satyricon released their self-titled eighth full-length album on 9 September 2013.^[13]

The band released their first ever Full Length live CD/DVD set titled Live at the Opera which took place In September 2013, alongside the Norwegian National Opera, on May 4, 2015.

A fully remastered 20th anniversary edition of Nemesis Divina was released on May 20, 2016.

According to recent updates on Satyricon's official Facebook page, they are now writing their ninth studio album, along with a covers album, which were originally planned for release at some point in 2016. However, during a June 2016 interview with Frost, he gave an update on the status of the albums stating how their next album would now likely be recorded in Fall 2016 and expected to be released in 2017, and made it clear that the band's next album took priority over the covers album, which they will finish work on once they have released the next album.

Musical style

The band's first album, 1994's Dark Medieval Times (recorded in 1993), showed off the fascination Satyricon had with the Middle Ages and featured raw black metal blast beats produced by Frost, mixed with acoustic guitar and flute. On their next album, The Shadowthrone, this medieval spirit was continued. Rock Hard journalist Wolf-Rüdiger Mühlmann wrote that Satyricon reached their "very early zenith" with that album and Nemesis Divina.^[14]

Describing their fifth studio album, 2002's Volcano, frontman Satyr stated in a press release and biography on their homepage that "the music is rock based but more extreme; it is black metal pushing the boundaries that began with bands like Venom and Bathory. Reinventing ourselves based on a foundation of rock-oriented black metal is our philosophy." Mühlmann wrote that Satyricon's path after their zenith reached with their second and third album has only a limited connection to black metal,^[14] whereas Metal Hammer journalist Robert Müller described Satyr as a "latently arrogant guy who, along the way, makes great music that constantly tests the borders of the genre".^[15]

Band members

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums

Compilation albums

Split albums

EPs

Singles

Demos

Video albums

Music videos

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Satyricon.

• Official website