Melechesh
Melechesh, Hebrew for King of fire ', is a black metal band from the Middle East, founded in 1993 in Jerusalem.
Band History
The band was founded in Jerusalem in 1993 by Ashmedi; In 1994, a solid lineup was found. With their first demo As Jerusalem Burns ... (1995 ) and the EP The Siege of Lachish (1996 ) Melechesh moved for the first time the attention of the scene, but also the authorities themselves. The band were accused of satanic activities in Jerusalem and Bethlehem. Some time later, the charges were dropped, however.
Signed in 1996, Melechesh a recording contract with the U.S. indie label Breath of Night Records of Akhenaten (Andrew Harris of Judas Iscariot ) and released under this their debut album As Jerusalem Burns ... Al'Intisar. Then the band played several concerts in Israel.
For personal and professional reasons ( Ashmedi was disadvantaged as Assyrians in Jerusalem), the individual band members were forced in 1998 to move to France or the Netherlands. Drummer Lord Curse remained first in Jerusalem, but then moved to the U.S. to complete his studies, and therefore left the band. His position could then be filled by Absu frontman and drummer Proscriptor ( Russ R. Givens ). In 2000, Melechesh signed a record contract for three albums with the label Osmose Productions. The band released two albums with this line: Djinn (2001) and Sphynx (2003), which deal with Mesopotamian mythology and occult subjects. Sphynx was recorded in Los Angered Studios in the Swedish Gothenburg and produced by King Diamond guitarist Andy LaRocque. The album gave them international fame in the metal scene.
In 2005 Proscriptor Melechesh had left, and the Thanatos Drummer Yuri Rinkel joined as the new drummer for the band, after he had already played in some live performances. Rinkel had played as a Y. Xul even with Funeral Winds and Liar of Golgotha , at Melechesh he stepped under the shortened pseudonym Xul ( sux. evil) on. In 2006 the fourth album Emissaries, which was included in the German Woodhouse studios appeared.
Melechesh was in June of 2008, looking for a new bass player to be because Al'Hazred " since 2006 was no longer an active member of the band". To be a permanent member found, live and session bassist Kawn would take over this post.
Since Ashmedi is in a relationship with a Turkish woman, the band had the opportunity to record their 2010 released album The Epigenesis in a professional studio in Istanbul.
Style and texts
The band treated in their texts the mysticism of the Middle East; the members have no interest in monotheistic religions. It can accordingly bring immense oriental Melodiegut in their music, sometimes with sophisticated second and third tunes and the Scream vocals often used in the Black Metal.
The intention of the band was and still is to play a self-created and designated as " Mesopotamian black metal " style that contains elements of Black, Death and Thrash Metal and as well as its specificity by use of oriental -inspired guitar riffs and drum rhythms Arabic scales obtained. This style has since been the band's trademark.
Self-perception and relationship to Israel
In the time when the band was still living in Jerusalem, she was often exposed to hostility because of their music and the origin of the members. None of the members at that time was born a Jew or Israeli. Not least in order to be accepted in the international scene, the band entertained at least in these times of an open hatred of Israel. At this time, there was already the current band concept of the " occult Mesopotamian black metal " the band seen in the course of themselves as members of the " Assyrian- Mesopotamian race." The band also draws a subversive pleasure to be a black metal band from Jerusalem. This is evident for example in the following quotation from the booklet of their debut album As Jerusalem Burns ... Al'Intisar:
"Through synthesis Compositions we stab the flag of hell in the heart of god, Jerusalem where we reside blasphemously with pride "
" Through these compositions, we encounter the flag of hell in the heart of God in Jerusalem, where we met us of blasphemy and pride stay "
Around the turn of the millennium there was the organization also founded by Melechesh The Oder of Mesopotamia. The aim was to thereby induce a movement within the black metal scene, which was to form a unique, detached from Europe scene, almost a union of metal workers from the entire Middle East, which should ultimately establish a religion. Ashmedi has now moved away from his earlier belief in dark energy.
Discography
Demos
EPs
Albums
Music videos
- 2001 Genies Sorcerers and Mesopotamian Nights
- 2011: Grand Gathas of Baal Sin