Satyricon (band)

This article is about the Norwegian black metal band. For other uses, see Satyricon (disambiguation).

Satyricon is a Norwegian black metal band formed in Oslo in 1991. 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).^[2]

Satyricon
Background information
Origin	Oslo, Norway
Genres	Black metal^[1]
Years active	1991–present
Labels	Moonfog Century Media Sony BMG EMI Napalm Records Roadrunner
Members	Satyr Frost
Past members	Kveldulv Samoth Exhurtum Wargod Lemarchand

History

 

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

The band were formed in 1990 as Eczema^[3] by the bassist Wargod and drummer Exhurtum. In 1991, they decided to start playing black metal and change the band name 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",^[3] while Wargod left the music scene and became a UN soldier afterwards.^[4] 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.^{[citation needed]} In the meantime, Frost was being "promoted" as a permanent member^{[citation needed]} 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 around this time.

In April and May 2000, Satyricon toured as a supporting band for Pantera.^[5] Phil Anselmo has spoken of his love for black metal numerous times, and has participated in Eibon with Satyricon frontman Satyr.^[6] They used to be signed with Daron Malakian's music label EatUrMusic.^[7]

 

Satyricon performing live in 2011

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.^[8][9][10]

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 – A Tribute to Bathory, released by Hellspawn Records/No Fashion Records, featuring the song "Born for Burning" originally released on Crusade from the North in 1996.

In 2006, Satyricon released Now, Diabolical.^[11]

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.^[12][13]

Satyricon released their self-titled eighth full-length album on 9 September 2013.^[14]

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 4 May 2015.

A fully remastered 20th anniversary edition of 1996's Nemesis Divina was released on 20 May 2016.

According to recent updates on Satyricon's official Facebook page, they entered the studio in March 2017 to record their ninth full-length studio album titled Deep Calleth Upon Deep, which was completed in Summer 2017 and was released on 22 September.^[15] Frost had stated in recent interviews that once the new album was released, they would then complete work on their first ever covers album Formative Oddities, though they have yet to announce its release date. The band also revealed plans to release a new studio album with original material in 2022.^[16]

On June 8, 2022, the band announced their new album, Satyricon & Munch, would be released digitally on June 10, with physical releases to follow sometime in the future. The album features music created for the Satyricon & Munch exhibition held since April 29 at the Munch Museum in Oslo, Norway, which celebrates the life and works of Norwegian artist Edvard Munch.^[17]

Musical style

The band's first album, 1993'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.^[18]

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."^[19] Mühlmann wrote that Satyricon's path after their zenith was reached with their second and third album has only a limited connection to black metal,^[18] 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".^[20]

Band members

Current members Sigurd "Satyr" Wongraven – vocals, guitars, keyboards, bass (1991–present) Kjetil-Vidar "Frost" Haraldstad – drums (1993–present) Current live members Steinar "Azarak" Gundersen – guitars (1999–present) Anders Odden – bass (2009–present) Anders Hunstad – keyboards (2011–present) Attila Vörös – guitars (2017–present) Former members Ted "Kveldulv" Skjellum – guitars (1996–1997) Tomas "Samoth" Haugen – guitars, bass (1993–1996) Carl-Michael "Exhurtum" Eide – drums (1991–1992) Vegard "Wargod" Tønsberg Bakke – bass (1991–1992) Håvard "Lemarchand" Jørgensen – guitars, bass (1991–1993)

Former live members Dirk Verbeuren- drums (2014) Silmaeth – bass (2011–2012) Brice Leclercq – bass (2009–2011) Gildas Le Pape – guitars (2008–2013) Victor Brandt – bass (2008) Schoft – guitars (2007) Jonna Nikula – keyboards (2003–2011) Trym Torson – drums (2004) Joey Jordison – drums (2004) Ivar Bjørnson – keyboards (2003) Lars K. Norberg – bass (2002–2007) Arnt Ove "A.O Grønbech" Grønbech – guitars (2002–2007) Terje "Cyrus" Andersen – guitars (2000–2002) Kine Hult – keyboards (2000–2002) Jan Erik "Tyr" Tiwaz – bass (2000) Morten "Sanrabb" Furuly – guitars (1999) Terje Vik "Tchort" Shei – guitars (1997–1999) Daniel "Død" Olaisen – guitars (1996–1999) Richard "Daimon" Cabeza – bass (1997) Kenneth "Destroyer"/"Svartalv" Skibrek Halvorsen – bass (1996)

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums

Title	Album details	Peak chart positions									Sales	Certifications
		NOR ^[21]	BEL (Fl) ^[22]	BEL (Wa) ^[23]	FIN ^[24]	FRA ^[25]	GER ^[26]	SWE ^[27]	SWI ^[28]	UK ^[29] ^[30] ^[31]
Dark Medieval Times	Released: 25 October 1993 Label: Moonfog Formats: CD, CS, LP, download	—	—	—	—	—	53	—	—	—
The Shadowthrone	Released: 12 September 1994 Label: Moonfog Formats: CD, CS, LP, download	—	—	—	—	—	69	—	—	—
Nemesis Divina	Released: 22 April 1996 Label: Moonfog, Century Media Formats: CD, CS, LP, download	—	107	—	—	—	71 ^[32]	—	—	—
Rebel Extravaganza	Released: 6 September 1999 Label: Moonfog, Nuclear Blast Formats: CD, CS, LP, download	32	—	—	27	—	—	—	—	—
Volcano	Released: 25 October 2002 Label: Moonfog, Capitol, eatURmusic Formats: CD, LP, download	4	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	US: 15,000+^[33]
Now, Diabolical	Released: 17 April 2006 Label: Roadrunner, Century Media, Columbia Formats: CD, LP, download	2	—	—	28	—	—	47	—	195	NOR: 12,000+^[34] US: 1,500+^[33]
The Age of Nero	Released: 3 November 2008 Label: Koch, Roadrunner, Indie Formats: CD, LP, download	5	—	—	30	136	73	26	—	156	NOR: 15,000+^[35] US: 6,000+^[36]	NOR: Gold^[37]
Satyricon	Released: 9 September 2013 Label: Nuclear Blast, Roadrunner, Indie Formats: CD, LP, download	1	108	148	6	132	37	18	47	129	US: 1,600+^[38]
Deep Calleth Upon Deep	Released: 22 September 2017 Label: Moonfog, Napalm Records Formats: CD, LP, download	7 ^[39]	61	84	17 ^[40]	152	20	36 ^[41]	25	—
Satyricon & Munch	Released: 10 June 2022 Label: Napalm Records Formats: CD, LP, download	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Compilation albums

Title	Album details
The Box Set	Released: 1998 Label: Moonfog Formats: LP
Ten Horns – Ten Diadems	Released: 25 June 2002 Label: Moonfog Formats: CD, download

Split albums

Title	Album details	Note
The Forest Is My Throne / Yggdrassil	Released: 1995 Label: Moonfog Formats: CD	split with Enslaved

EPs

Title	Album details
Megiddo	Released: 13 June 1997 Label: Moonfog, Nuclear Blast Formats: CD, LP, download
Intermezzo II	Released: 10 May 1999 Label: Moonfog, Nuclear Blast Formats: CD, CS, LP, download
My Skin Is Cold	Released: 2 June 2008 Label: Roadrunner, Indie Formats: LP+CD

Singles

Year	Single	Peak positions	Album
		NOR ^[21]
2003	"Fuel for Hatred"	–	Volcano
2006	"K.I.N.G."	7	Now, Diabolical
	"The Pentagram Burns"	–
2008	"Black Crow on a Tombstone"	–	The Age of Nero
2013	"Our World, It Rumbles Tonight"	–	Satyricon
2017	"Deep Calleth Upon Deep"	–	Deep Calleth Upon Deep
2017	"To Your Brethren in the Dark"	–	Deep Calleth Upon Deep
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Demos

Title	Album details
All Evil	Released: 22 June 1992 Label: Self-released Formats: CS
The Forest Is My Throne	Released: 1993 Label: Self-released Formats: CS

Video albums

Title	Album details
Roadkill Extravaganza – A True Roadmovie	Released: 2001 Label: Moonfog Formats: VHS, DVD
Live at the Opera	Released: 2015 Label: Napalm Records Formats: CD, DVD

Music videos

Year	Title	Director	Album
1996	"Mother North"	Sigurd "Satyr" Wongraven	Nemesis Divina
2002	"Fuel for Hatred"	Jonas Åkerlund	Volcano
2006	"K.I.N.G"^[42]	John Nothingworth	Now, Diabolical
	"The Pentagram Burns"^[43]	Håvard Arnstad
2008	"Black Crow on a Tombstone"^[44]	Ove Heiborg, Fredrik Kiosterud	The Age of Nero
2013	"Phoenix"^[45]	–	Satyricon

A music video was made for "To Your Brethren in the Dark", directed by Laban Pheidias. The video (the first from the band in nine years), features American actresses Tonya Cornelisse, Jesse Hotchkiss, Diana Wyenn and Shawn Kathryn Kane.

References

1. Huey, Steve. "Satyricon | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 5 October 2017.
2. "Very Metal VI". Rock Sound: 14–15. April 2003.
3. Powaviolenza: "Ved Buens Ende – interview with Carl-Michael Eide (guitars / vocals)". gutsofdarkness.com. 26 June 2006. Retrieved 8 September 2012.
4. "Sunday Old School: Satyricon – in Metal News". Metal Underground.com. 15 August 2011. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
5. "Philip Anselmo Says Satyricon Is 'Very Underrated'". Blabbermouth.net. 14 November 2008. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
6. Various Artists: Moonfog 2000 – A Different Perspective, Moonfog Productions 2000.
7. "Satyricon Signs With Malakian Label". Billboard. 18 February 2004. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
8. "Satyricon Set European Release Date For 'Volcano'". Blabbermouth.net. 9 September 2002. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
9. . Spellemann.no. 14 January 2012. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
10. "Satyricon Confirmed For Sweden's Close Up Festival". Blabbermouth.net. 1 March 2006. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
11. "Satyricon: 'Now, Diabolical' European Release Date Moved Forward". Blabbermouth.net. 3 April 2006. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
12. "Satyricon To Release 'My Skin Is Cold' Limited Edition Ep". Blabbermouth.net. 16 April 2008. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
13. "Satyricon: 'The Age Of Nero' U.S. Release Date Announced". Blabbermouth.net. 17 November 2008. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
14. . Omerch.eu. Archived from the original on 27 July 2014. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
15. "SATYRICON To Release 'Deep Calleth Upon Deep' Album In September; Cover Artwork Unveiled". Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
16. "SATYRICON Frontman Says Upcoming Album Will 'Not Have The Instrumentation You Are Used To Hearing'". Blabbermouth.net. 4 March 2021. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
17. Greg Kennelty (8 June 2022). "SATYRICON To Release A New Album This Friday". Metal Injection. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
18. "Satyricon erreichen mit "The Shadowthrone" und "Nemesis Divina" ihren sehr frühen Zenit und begeben sich danach auf neue musikalische Pfade, die nur noch bedingt etwas mit Black Metal zu tun haben." Wolf-Rüdiger Mühlmann: Under the Sign of the Black Mark. Die zweite Generation des Black Metal. In: Rock Hard, no. 269, October 2009, p. 78.
19. "Satyricon Confirmed For Bloodstock 2009 – Bloodstock metal news | Bloodstock". Bloodstock.uk.com. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
20. "BLAKE JUDD ist für den US-Black Metal in etwa das, was Satyr von Satyricon im norwegischen darstellt: Ein latent arroganter Typ, der ganz nebenbei großartige Musik macht, welche ständig die Grenzen des Genres austestet." Robert Müller: Nachtmystium. Genialer Grosskotz. In: Metal Hammer, September 2012, p. 84.
21. "Satyricon discography". norwegiancharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 21 September 2013.
22. "Satyricon discography". ultratop.be/nl/. Hung Medien. Retrieved 21 September 2013.
23. "Satyricon discography". ultratop.be/fr/. Hung Medien. Retrieved 21 September 2013.
24. "Satyricon discography". finnishcharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 21 September 2013.
25. "Satyricon discography". www.chartsinfrance.net. Retrieved 21 September 2013.
26. "Discographie von Satyricon". GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
27. "Satyricon discography". swedishcharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 21 September 2013.
28. "Satyricon discography". hitparade.ch. Hung Medien. Retrieved 21 September 2013.
29. "Chart Log UK: DJ S – The System Of Life". Zobbel.de.
30. "Chart Log UK – Chart Coverage and Record Sales 2008". Zobbel.de.
31. "Chart Log UK – Update 21 September 2013 (wk37)" (TXT). Zobbel.de.
32. "Offizielle Deutsche Charts – Offizielle Deutsche Charts". offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
33. "Shadows Fall, Satyricon, Zao First Week Sales Revealed". Blabbermouth.net. 21 June 2006. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
34. "Satyricon's Record Label Is Hoping To Strike Norwegian Gold With 'The Age Of Nero'". Blabbermouth.net. 6 November 2008. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
35. "IFPI". Ifpi.no. 6 February 2012. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
36. "Satyricon: Second Satyr Video Guitar Lesson Posted Online". Blabbermouth.net. 23 April 2009. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
37. . 10 May 2011. Archived from the original on 10 May 2011. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
38. "Satyricon's New, Self Titled Album: First Week Sales Revealed". Blabbermouth.net. 25 September 2013. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
39. . VG-lista. Archived from the original on 16 October 2011. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
40. "Suomen Virallinen Lista". Ifpi.fi. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
41. "Sverigetopplistan – Sveriges Officiella Topplista". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 29 September 2017. Click on "Veckans albumlista".
42. "Satyricon: 'K.I.N.G.' Video Posted Online". Blabbermouth.net. 20 April 2006. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
43. "Satyricon: 'The Pentagram Burns' Video Posted Online". Blabbermouth.net. 6 September 2006. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
44. "Satyricon's 'Black Crow on a Tombstone' Video To See Mtv2 Premiere". Blabbermouth.net. 23 January 2009. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
45. "Satyricon: 'Phoenix' Video Released". Blabbermouth.net. 11 November 2013. Retrieved 20 March 2014.

External links

 

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Satyricon.

• Official website