Underrated Bands in Gothic Doom and Black Metal

Kvist: A Symphonic Black Metal masterpiece from the second wave

There was only ever one full length album recorded by Kvist. A masterpiece named For Kunsten Maa Vi Evig Vike It came out in the mid nineties towards the end of the epoch of the second wave of black metal. Kvist belongs in to the symphonic Black metal genre and so does this album. Kvist has come forth from the mists with this epic and powerful release which cannot be faulted in any way, before they disappeared again in to the mists of the Norwegian Night. After listening to For Kunsten Maa Vi Evig Vike one can not help but look for other albums by this band, but none exist but two small and obscure demos which have come in to existence in the years before the manifestation of the only album. Getting a hold of such a demo would certainly be no easy task as any such demo would be in the possession of a purist black metal Ork who will have them guarded by trolls in the deep and frozen Norwegian forest and will not exchange them for any amount of money one could possibly offer.
Very little is known about this band. This project is gem and one cannot help but feel as tough something magical has been discovered. There is no Kvist Website or internet presence or any path that leads to a source. Like the Easter rabbit leaves chocolate eggs Kvist has left For Kunsten Maa Vi Evig Vike out of the realm of mythical Midgard like a gift from the Gods. Listening to this album can make one nostalgically reminisce the black metal epoch. Especially in our modern day where many bands have sold out with their pictures on popular media covers and websites that look like portals for their twitter and Facebook accounts with pages cluttered with product endorsements. Kvist is unspoiled and authentic ancient black metal they belong to no one but the Norse Gods themselves. This album will be much loved by symphonic black metal fans and I believe due to its authenticity and unspoiled purity even fans of true black metal will find this album precious.

Stupet by Kvist

V:28: Futuristic Psychedelic Black Metal from Norway

Themes of paganism, demons and the ancient world have been associated with black metal for a long time. V:28 Is regarded by many as a black metal band with its own unique futuristic trend. The band could really fit in to many genres and they loosely label themselves as belonging to the genres of psychedelic industrial death metal. The band is fairly open to which genre their music gets categorised in to. There is definitely a symphonic element to V:28 and it is obvious when listening to their music that there is something which links them to the black metal genre. While black metal usually deals with times before the light V:28 deals more with technological and post apocalyptic end of World type themes.
The Band has been using a Drum machine which they have deliberately continued to utilize to great effect. I was actually impressed by the drums in V:28 before I learned that it was a machine. They sound very appropriate and well programmed. They come across very powerful and organic enough to sound like the real thing while at the same time lending the music the mechanical precision which V:28 needs to achieve their sound.

V:28 set out to create a trilogy containing a total of 28 tracks. Three albums telling the story of the earth's destruction and the demise of mankind.

• NonAnthropogenic 1-10
• SoulSavior 11-19
• VioLution 20-28

Following the completion of the Trilogy V:28 released a album with remixes and special guests called Total Reconstruction after which the V:28 disbanded and slowly disappeared in to oblivion.

Albums by V:28

V:28 resources

web.archive.org/web/20110424003851/http://www.v28.com
This link will take you to a archived version of the official V:28 Website which unfortunately no longer exists.

v28band.bandcamp.com
V:28 has a excellent Bandcamp profile where you can listen to all available albums on demand.

Obtained Enslavement: Epic and ancient Norwegian Black Metal

The Album I am most familiar with by Obtained Enslavement goes by the name of Witchcraft. This is symphonic black metal with a ancient and festive spirit. Obtained Enslavement is fairly obscure and underrated symphonic black metal Band. After releasing their demo's they released their truly amazing black metal masterpieces. Centuries of Sorrow, Witchcraft and Soulblight. These albums take you back to the black metal era, ancient, pure and unspoiled is their presence like lighthouses in the ocean of time they carry within them the magic which was black metal of its time.
After the release of these albums a forth album by the name of The Shepherd and The Hounds of Hell. This album was a commercial one and many original fans of the band where deeply disappointed. Perhaps the album doesn't sound quite as bad as some fans make out, but it is true that one no longer recognizes them as the band they once where. The artwork of the album is nothing short of ghastly throughout. One cannot argue that the magic of Obtained Enslavement has all but disappeared. It is a shame that it ended as it did. If only they had released this album under a different band name the integrity of Obtained Enslavement would have remained intact and gone down in history in the highest regard. Following this unfortunate release after having existed from the year 1989 to 2000 Obtained Enslavement split up due to Vocalist / Bassist Pest moving to the USA.

Albums by Obtained Enslavement

Obtained Enslavement resources

myspace.com/oefan
I am sorry for revering you to a Myspace Page. It was created by a Obtained Enslavement fan who has within the limitations of Myspace created a pleasant page with a well written Biography. The page also contains a music player with several tracks of various Obtained Enslavement albums for you to listen to.

The Sins of thy Beloved: One of the best Gothic Doom Metal Bands

I have always had a love for Gothic Metal and the Sins of thy Beloved are one of the best bands in the genre. It has always been challenging to find good Gothic metal music. A search for Gothic Metal will usually return a whole lot of bands that would be better of categorized as Pop Goth. The Sins of thy Beloved fall in to the Gothic Metal as well as the Doom metal genre. Their music will appeal to you If you are a fan of Doom Goth bands such as Type O Negative, My dying Bride or Paradise lost. I am not saying that they sound the same or are a suitable substitute for those bands for they are uniquely different but they do very much belong in to this Gothic Doom category. It seams to be somewhat a reliable method to look for Gothic metal bands with a doom element if one seeks to stay clear of those numerous Pop Goth bands that are incorrectly label as Gothic Metal.
The Sins of thy Beloved unfortunately only have Two full length studio albums, both of which are truly magnificent. The band utilises Angelic Female Vocals and male death Growls sometimes revered to as Beauty and the Beast Vocals. I will however not compare them to other bands that use Beauty and the best Vocals as is so often done, because it is no different than comparing one band to another because they both use guitars and Drum's. On top of the usual Metal set-up The Sins of Thy Beloved also also have two keyboardists along with a Superb Violin Player who lends the music a beautiful atmospheric element which simply could not be achieved without him.

Albums by The Sins of Thy Beloved

The Sins of thy Beloved resources

tsotb.tumblr.com/
This is The Sins of Thy Beloved Tumblr page. It seems to be official and has al the latest information on the band as far as I can tell.

Gernotshagen: Pagan / Folk Black Metal

Germany's Thüringer forests are not only home to countless myths and legends but also to Gernotshagen, a obscure Pagan Black Metal / Folk Metal band. Gernotshagen is a established band very much alive and active to this very day, their great musical achievements have largely remained hidden especially to metal fans outside Germany where their main audience resides. All their lyrics are sung in German, the native language of the band as well as much of their fan base. The German language sounds well placed in Gernotshagens pagan black metal music and lends itself well to black metal screams.
Gernotshagens music is epic and original. Earlier music by the band sounds closer to traditional symphonic black metal but over time the band has evolved and developed a more independent pagan influenced sound which is unique to Gernotshagen. The band has kept its integrity fully intact throughout their evolution. Drawing on pagan myths and legends for themes and lyrics. Gernotshagen also considers it to be a important part of their message and what they stand for to honer and take care of nature.
This in turn has made Gernotshagen a honourable band that not only creates great music but also conveys a great message which should be dear to any fan of black metal. This is a great band that does not follow usual trends and have only gotten better with age.

Albums by Gernotshagen

Gernotshagen resources

www.gernotshagen.de
This is the official Gernotshagen website where you can discover al you need on this great band

Arcturus: Avant Garde Symphonic Black Metal from Norway

Perhaps Arcturus is not as obscure as some of the other bands mentioned in this article. Several members of Arcturus where involved with well known and significant bands within the Black Metal scene such as Ulver, Emperor, Mayhem and Dimmu Borgier. Considering the connection with such big names Arcurus has remained relatively obscure.
Musically Arcurus falls in to the Black Metal Genre but is uniquely different from any of the other big Black Metal bands its members where involved in. Arcturus has developed its own experimental stile which is unique and distinct. Described by many Symphonic Avant Garde Black Metal. Arcturus differs from other Symphonic Black metal bands mostly with their themes and the atmosphere these themes create. Like all symphonic Black Metal bands Arcturus is influenced by classical music. Which lends it the symphonic element. Arcturus is also influenced by a more experimental but subtle electronic element. The music does not have the ancient feel one might be used to in the black metal genre, but it does not have a futuristic feel in the way V:28 does either. Arcturus which takes the name of the brightest star visible in the northern night sky has chosen its name well. Arcturus creates a beautiful Atmosphere which merges Philosophy and Astrophysics creating a type of surreal Fantasy Art which is unique to Arcturus.
Throughout the bands existence which started in 1990 and ended in 2007 Four full length albums have been produced along with several EPs. The band reunited in 2011 Their official website is still non existent and not much information is available.

Albums by Arcturus

Daemonpainter by Arcturus

Arcturus resources

http://web.archive.org/web/20061201213009/http://www.arcturus.no
The Official Arcturus Website has been down since middle of 2007. You can view this archived replica of the former Arcturus website as it once was on the Wayback Machine.

www.season-of-mist.com/bands/arcturus
Arcturus profile and downloads on Season of Mist.

Sirius: Symphonic Black Metal

Sirius is a Symphonic Black Metal band from Portugal named after the brightest star in the sky as seen from earth. Sirius is a started out in 1994 as a solo project by Draconiis. Only a view years later Sirius was transformed in to a full fledged band with a complete line up of menbers.
The band Recorded a demo tape and did one show. The Demo tape was received exceptionally well and so did the show which landed them a two album record contract.
Sirius recorded two full length studio albums, “Aeons of Magick” and “Spectral Transition - Dimension Sirius” both of which were mixed and mastered in Norway the home of Black Metal. In fact they were the same studios that Emperor had utilized. The recording of Spectral Transition - Dimension Sirius also had guest appearances by Faust and Samoth from Emperor as well as Daemon from Limbonic Art.
Many are of the opinion that musically Sirius bears a certain resemblance to Emperor. Although not everyone is in agreement with this. Sirius is a symphonic black metal band with themes on Astronomy, science fiction and Cosmic mysticism. If you love high quality and epic black metal with integrity Sirius is for you. Sirius has definitely never sold out in fact they have pretty much fallen in to oblivion after they split up in the year 2002. It is fairly difficult to find much information about this superb band.

Albums by Sirius

Sirius resources

myspace.com/entersiriusmusic/music/songs
It is extremely difficult to find a official web presence for Sirius. This link leads to what appears to be the Myspace page of Sirius where you can listen to several tracks by the band.

Gloomy Grim: Symphonic Black Metal from Finland

Gloomy Grim was founded in Finland in the year 1995 by Agathon. Initially Gloomy grim was Agathons one man band. A band without compromises or creative conflict due to other members. Many black metal bands have risen during the height of the second wave of black metal. They then either became established and well known within the black metal circles or they discontinued making music and disappeared in to the darkness out of which they arose. Gloomy Grim has remained active throughout the ages to this very day, but have remained poorly recognized and underrated. Musically Gloomy Grim can most closely be categorized as belonging to the symphonic black metal genre. They have never sold out and remain obscure. Some of their music was never released on a label. Despite being a symphonic black metal band there is a certain trueness to Gloomy Grim. Their music will most likely also appeal to fans which regard themselves as black metal purists. The ones who only listen to true black metal. There is also a element of blackened death metal in their music. The bands sound fits the black metal genre well but has very unique and effective characteristics which set them apart. Gloomy Grim often utilizes fast and chugging rhythm guitar, which is generally not very common within the black metal genre. The Chugging Rhythm Guitar is accompanied by unique and sinister sounding percussion which sounds highly effective and distinctly different to that of any other band.

Over the years Gloomy grim has produced five full length albums with various singles , Videos , EPs and demo's in between. Thematically Gloomy Grim themes centre around anti Christianity, darkness and war.

Albums by Gloomy Grim

War by Gloomy Grim

Gloomy Grim resources

web.archive.org/web/20070717195740/http://www.gloomy-grim.info
This is The archived version of Gloomy Grims official website which no longer exists.

www.youtube.com/user/Agathon
Agathons Youtube channel has a lot of Gloomy Grim Videos which you can watch.