The Defeat of Satan
Encyclopedia
The Defeat of Satan is an album by the Norwegian band Antestor
. The album comprises their first two demos Despair (1993) and The Defeat of Satan (1991). The songs were remastered and remixed in 2003 and was published by the Norwegian label Momentum Scandinavia. The demos on this album are historical since they were one of the few Christian metal releases during the time when the black metal
movement was developing significantly and drew media attention with violent actions such as the church burnings.
similar to that of than 1994's Martyrium
, albeit darker in atmosphere. Despair was released by Strawberry Records and printed 600 copies of it. The last song on the demo, "Jesus, Jesus Ver Du Hjå Meg" is a cover of an old Norwegian funeral hymn. Kjetil Molnes' vocals are mostly deep, guttural death growls but he does some depressed clean singing. Apart from the folk influenced intro and the funeral hymn the demo features very few keyboards by Lars Stokstad.
The Defeat of Satan demo was recorded during time when the band was known as Crush Evil. The material differs from their other releases musically: The Defeat of Satan features minimalistic hybrid of thrash metal
and death metal
with death growl vocals. The songs clock at over 10 minutes in duration. The demo ends with an industrial music
type outro titled "Knus Ondskapen".
The lyrical themes on both demos include forces of evil, warning about them, and spiritual warfare against Satan. These themes opposed the anti-Christian ideology of the early Norwegian black metal scene; the demos were recorded during the time when black metal was developing its second wave. According to the booklet's liner notes, "The history tells of Antestor being the band who started the whole northern European Christian extreme metal scene. About the time the Norwegian Black Metal Inner Circle was rearing it's ugly head, Antestor was stirring things up by playing extreme metal that spoke of hope in Jesus Christ and the deception of Satan." According to the write-up, "Antestor received serious death threats from some of the major bands and key players in the scene."
The demo material were remixed and remastered in 2003 and the Norwegian label Momentum Scandinavia printed 999 copies of the album.
Antestor
Antestor is an extreme metal band formed in 1990 in Jessheim, Norway. Credited for starting the whole northern European Christian extreme metal scene, Antestor is the only Christian band to have an album released by Cacophonous Records, which has also released records by bands such as Dimmu Borgir,...
. The album comprises their first two demos Despair (1993) and The Defeat of Satan (1991). The songs were remastered and remixed in 2003 and was published by the Norwegian label Momentum Scandinavia. The demos on this album are historical since they were one of the few Christian metal releases during the time when the black metal
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
movement was developing significantly and drew media attention with violent actions such as the church burnings.
Recording history
The first part of the album comprises Despair demo's songs. Musically, the Despair songs showcase oppressive and sorrowful doom-deathDeath/doom
Death/doom, sometimes writes as death-doom or deathdoom, is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It combines the slow tempos and pessimistic or depressive mood of doom metal with the deep growling vocals and double kick drumming of death metal...
similar to that of than 1994's Martyrium
Martyrium (album)
Martyrium is the debut album of the unblack metal band Antestor. It is one of the earliest Christian extreme metal albums released in Norway...
, albeit darker in atmosphere. Despair was released by Strawberry Records and printed 600 copies of it. The last song on the demo, "Jesus, Jesus Ver Du Hjå Meg" is a cover of an old Norwegian funeral hymn. Kjetil Molnes' vocals are mostly deep, guttural death growls but he does some depressed clean singing. Apart from the folk influenced intro and the funeral hymn the demo features very few keyboards by Lars Stokstad.
The Defeat of Satan demo was recorded during time when the band was known as Crush Evil. The material differs from their other releases musically: The Defeat of Satan features minimalistic hybrid of thrash metal
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
and death metal
Death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
with death growl vocals. The songs clock at over 10 minutes in duration. The demo ends with an industrial music
Industrial music
Industrial music is a style of experimental music that draws on transgressive and provocative themes. The term was coined in the mid-1970s with the founding of Industrial Records by the band Throbbing Gristle, and the creation of the slogan "industrial music for industrial people". In general, the...
type outro titled "Knus Ondskapen".
The lyrical themes on both demos include forces of evil, warning about them, and spiritual warfare against Satan. These themes opposed the anti-Christian ideology of the early Norwegian black metal scene; the demos were recorded during the time when black metal was developing its second wave. According to the booklet's liner notes, "The history tells of Antestor being the band who started the whole northern European Christian extreme metal scene. About the time the Norwegian Black Metal Inner Circle was rearing it's ugly head, Antestor was stirring things up by playing extreme metal that spoke of hope in Jesus Christ and the deception of Satan." According to the write-up, "Antestor received serious death threats from some of the major bands and key players in the scene."
The demo material were remixed and remastered in 2003 and the Norwegian label Momentum Scandinavia printed 999 copies of the album.
Personnel
- Martyr (Kjetil Molnes) – vocals
- Armoth (Svein Sander) – drums
- Gard (Vegard Undal) – bass
- Vemod (Lars Stokstad) – guitar, keyboards
- Bjørn Leren – guitar
Track listing
- "Preludium" (0:54)
- "Demonic Seduction" (6:09)
- "Message from Hell" (3:45)
- "Lost Generation" (3:24)
- "Human" (5:03)
- "Jesus, Jesus Ver Du Hjå Meg" (3:16)
- "The Defeat of Satan" (9:04)
- "New Life" (7:37)
- "Jesus Saves" (8:26)
- "Knus Ondskapen" (1:03)