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Gorgoroth

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Gorgoroth

Gorgoroth is a black metal band from Bergen, Norway. Over the years Gorgoroth, has experimented with noise and industrial overtones, but professes no interest in that particular style[citation needed]. The band has gone through numerous lineup changes, leaving guitarist Infernus as the only remaining original member. Their style, however, has remained relatively consistent from album to album. Though they never print their lyrics, their imagery and general stance focuses primarily on satanism, anti-Christianity, and other such topics. The name Gorgoroth is taken from the J.R.R. Tolkien series The Lord of the Rings, in which it is a dead plateau of evil and darkness in the land of Mordor.

Biography

Cover of Destroyer

Gorgoroth was formed in 1992 by guitarist Infernus, vocalist Hat, and drummer Goatpervertor. In 1993, the band released their first demo, entitled A Sorcery Written In Blood. It was also released as a split album with Burzum entitled Burzum & Gorgoroth; it contained the same tracks as the demo plus various Burzum songs. After the demo was released, Gorgoroth signed a record deal with Embassy Records and started work on their debut full-length Pentagram. The infamous Samoth of Emperor participated on the album by recording the bass tracks. After Pentagram was completed and released, Goat left the band and was replaced temporarily by Frost from Satyricon. This led the band directly into the recording of Antichrist, their second release. Vocalist Hat decided to leave Gorgoroth in 1995, but not until after he had finished recording the vocal tracks. It was at this time Gorgoroth's well-known vocalist Pest joined. Antichrist was a highly successful release, and led to the band's first live performances supporting Cradle of Filth. They also toured Norway and England with Satyricon and Dissection. Soon the name Gorgoroth was commonplace in the black metal underground, if somewhat overshadowed by some of the more famous black metal bands such as Mayhem or Emperor.

Following the release of the band's third album, Under the Sign of Hell (1997), and Gorgoroth's first headlining European tour, the well-known German heavy metal record label Nuclear Blast sought to sign Gorgoroth. The band accepted the offer in 1998. The first album recorded and released for Nuclear Blast was Destroyer (1998). New singer Gaahl joined the band at this time, but was heard on only one song—the title track—on Destroyer.

Cover of Twilight of the Idols

In 1999, Gorgoroth began journeying into unknown territory with the recording of Incipit Satan. Though written by Infernus once again, the album delved into musical ideas not expanded upon by the group in previous recordings. Songs such as "Will to Power" showcased strong industrial, dark ambient, and noise influences (more so than on Destroyer and Under the Sign of Hell, both of which showed signs of experimentation). The song "When Love Rages Wild in My Heart" featured clean, bluesy vocals reminiscent of Danzig. Overall, the album displayed extreme progressive tendencies, yet still retained a traditional black metal edge and Infernus' signature sound.

Three years later, after further line-up changes, Gorgoroth began writing their new album Twilight of the Idols. The album showed a return to a more solidified black metal style, but was still quite different from early Gorgoroth releases, mainly due to the fact that most of the album's songs were written by bassist King ov Hell rather than Infernus. After the release of Twilight of the Idols, Gorgoroth terminated their contract with Nuclear Blast.

In 2006 Gorgoroth released Ad Majorem Sathanas Gloriam through Regain Records. For the recording, Frost performed on the drums again. This album is viewed by many[citation needed] to be Gorgoroth's finest work so far and again features bassist King as the composer. Gorgoroth was nominated in the "Metal" category at the 35th annual Spellemann Awards for this album (the Norwegian equivalent to the Grammy Awards).

Guitarist Infernus is currently starting his own record label called Forces of Satan.

Band members

Current members

  • Skagg (Stian Lægreid) - Guitars (Live performances only)
  • Dirge Rep (Per Husebø) - Drums (Live performances only)

Former members

Discography

Studio albums

Live albums

Compilation albums

  • Darkthrone, Holy Darkthrone
  • Feuerstrum - (1997)
  • Feuerstrum Volume II - The Ultimate Strom - (1998)
  • Death is Just The Beginning Vol. V - (1999)
  • Death is Just The Beginning Vol. VI - (2000)
  • Destroyer / Incipit Satan - (2000)
  • Originators of the Northern Darkness - A Tribute to Mayhem - (2001)
  • Unter Den Flugeln Von Satan - (2005)

Split albums

Demos and promos

Controversy

Concert in Kraków, Poland

On February 1st, 2004, during a live broadcast concert in Kraków, Poland, the band displayed sheep heads on stakes, a bloodbath of 80 litres of sheep's blood, satanic symbols, and four naked crucified models on stage. One of the female models fainted. A police investigation took place with allegations of religious offense (which is prosecutable under Polish law) and cruelty to animals. Though these charges were considered, the band was not charged as it was ruled that they were unaware of the fact that what they were doing was illegal, although the concert organiser faced two years in prison as he knew about it and neither informed the band that it was against the law nor intervened. The whole controversy led to the band being dropped from the roster of the Nuclear Blast Tour and the footage of the concert being confiscated by the police.

Gaahl, Assault charges

Shortly after the Poland Incident, singer Gaahl was sentenced to 18 months incarceration for the assault of a 41-year old man and threatening to drink his blood in Norway in 2002. He appealed the case, and in spring 2006, he was sentenced to 14 months in jail as well as paying the victim a sum of 158,000 NOK. He was released from prison in December 2006.

Infernus, Rape charges

In February 2005, Infernus was accused of raping a young woman at an after-party - who by then had been drunk. She claimed she was kept hostage and abused for more than an hour before she managed to flee in just a towel. Infernus was found not guilty of the actual rape, but was still charged with his indifferent attitude as the rape was committed by a friend of his and he did nothing to stop it, even though he claimed to not have known that the woman had been raped before asking her to have sex with him, in which she consented. He was set to be free early Feb 2007. Released on parole from prison March 6th, 2007.

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