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Graveland

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This article is about the band. For the In Flames song, see The Jester Race.
Graveland
OriginWrocław, Poland
GenresViking metal
Pagan metal
Black metal (early)
Years active1990–present
LabelsNo Colours
MembersRobert "Rob Darken" Fudali
Websitewww.graveland.org

Graveland is a Polish black metal band which was formed in 1992 by Rob Darken (born Robert Fudali). The lyrics of Graveland are strongly inspired by nature, paganism and nationalism.

History

Darken, who started Graveland as a solo project and recorded the first demos Necromanteion and Drunemeton alone, was inspired by bands such as Bathory. In 1993, drummer Maciej "Capricornus" Dąbrowski joined the band, which recorded the demo In the Glare of Burning Churches. In 1994 the band was joined by Karcharoth of Infernum and recorded the demo The Celtic Winter which was released as an EP by German label No Colours which still releases the band’s albums. A few months later, the band’s first album Carpathian Wolves was released by Eternal Devils Records. With Carpathian Wolves, the band drew several bigger metal label’s attention and signed to Austrian label Lethal Records, which released Thousand Swords, which is seen as the band’s best release and as a cult album by many fans and black metal scene members,[1] in 1995. After several racist statements the band was dropped by its label. Darken then founded his own label Isengard (later Eastclan) and re-released Thousand Swords on cassette. Its booklet contains a statement against both Lethal Records and two other bigger metal labels, Osmose and Nuclear Blast, which are dismissed as part of a "Jewish business conspiracy"; ironically, Graveland song "Born for War" was released on Nuclear Blast Soundcheck - Series Volume 2 in 1995.

With 1998 album Immortal Pride, the band took on a folk influence, and more specifically from soundtracks such as the Conan the Barbarian movie soundtrack;[2] the music moved to Viking metal, became more epic and bombastic, with a strong use of keyboards and chorales, and the songs became much longer: Immortal Pride consists of four songs, two of them being the intro and outro and the other ones being 24 and 17 minutes long.

In 2000, Raiders of Revenge, a split release with the band Honor, and the album Creed of Iron / Prawo Stali were released. Since this album, Darken has worked without Capricornus on drums.

In September 2008, four Graveland releases were indexed by the German Bundesprüfstelle für jugendgefährdende Medien.

In December 2010, the German BPjM (Federal Authority for Publications unsafe for the Youth) applied to have the Dawn of Iron Blades album banned.

Graveland is extremely popular among NSBM fans and generally seen as an NSBM band.[3] Darken rejects the label, however, telling Decibel magazine: "I do not think Graveland is an NSBM band. Graveland is regarded as a NSBM band because of my political convictions, [which] most people would call extreme right-wing National Socialist convictions."[3]

Discography

Studio albums

Demos and promo tapes

EPs

Band members

Current members

Former members

  • Maciej "Capricornus" Dąbrowski - drums (1992–1999)
  • Grzegorz (aka "Anextiomarus" or "Karcharoth") Jurgielewicz - bass (1992–1995)- In 2004 he committed suicide.

References

  1. ^ Christian Dornbusch, Hans-Peter Killguss: Unheilige Allianzen. p. 243
  2. ^ See under "Influences" on the band’s official MySpace page
  3. ^ a b http://web.archive.org/web/20080208184453/http://www.decibelmagazine.com/features/may2006/nsbm.aspx
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