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Orcrist Are:
Grav : Drums & Lyrics - Ghosta : Vocals & Lyrics - Bhaal : Guitars
As the funeral pyre of the Italian Death Metal band “Eld”
burned low, from its smouldering ashes there emerged a new force onto the
underground Black Metal scene – ORCRIST.
Founded on the 5th April 2000 by Grav (drums/lyrics) and Bhaal
(vocals/guitar/lyrics), the band recorded their first, un-named, rehearsal
tape in December 2000, to be followed by a second - “Over Man’s Doom”- in
2001.
In early 2002 the band were joined by Lucyfer on bass and Ghosta (Fullmoon
Promises, Morgen and Ephedra) on backing vocals, to record their first
official demo “The Third Imperyum”.
November of that year also
saw the release of their second demo/promo “Primitive Damnation”.
“Det Hedenske Norge”, a split 7” with Norwegian Black Metal band Isvind,
was released in December 2003 on Hearse Records.
Orcrist’s first
official album, “Slaged Ved Trollheim” was released on Desolate Landscapes
in 2003, and is now completely sold out.
Just as the band’s reputation was to be further enhanced by their
contribution of two tracks on the Ildjarn tribute album “Gathered Under
the Banner of Strength and Honour”, a serious accident forced Bhaal to
quit the band. The band’s former session vocalist, Ghosta, together with
GM (Svalbard and Human Regression) on guitars and bass, stepped in to
replace Bhaal for the recording of the two tracks on the tribute album,
these being “Intro”, and
“Unknown Harmony”. Orcrist wrote both the title and the lyrics for the
latter, a previously unnamed Ildjarn piece, taking as inspiration the
title of Ildjarn’s first demo “Seven Harmonies of Unknown Truths”.
October 2005 saw the release of “From the Forgotten Forest” on the Oath
label. This is a re-release of the long sold-out “Third Imperyum” demo
and includes a bonus track from the 2000 rehearsal tape and 3 previously
unreleased rehearsal tracks.
The band’s second
album “Black Blood Raised” is scheduled for release in December of 2005 on
Hearse Records in both CD and 12” versions, with Ghosta permanently taking
over as vocalist, together with Never999 (formerly of Calvary and Tears of
Christ) on guitars and bass.
Now fully recovered from the accident that at one time looked likely to
end his musical career, Bhaal has rejoined the band, bringing with him a
renewed energy and creativity.
With their strongest ever line-up in terms of both writing and delivery,
and joined by Lunedei (Morgen and Fullmoon Promises) on session bass, the
band have already started work on their next album. An album that
promises to maintain the underground tradition of the “Old School” Black
Metal that Orcrist firmly believe to be the true life-blood of the genre.
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