Watain
Encyclopedia
Watain is a Swedish black metal
band from Uppsala
, formed in 1998. The band's name is taken from a recording by the American black metal
group Von
.
on the Swedish label Grim Rune Productions, recorded in Necromorbus Studios 1999. The French black metal label Drakkar Productions
offered Watain a deal for two full length albums, and the debut album Rabid Death's Curse
was released in 2000. After the release, Watain toured and performed alongside bands such as Rotting Christ
, Antaeus
, Dark Funeral
and Malign.
In 2003, Watain again entered the studio to record their second full-length album, Casus Luciferi
, which features lyrics by members of other bands like Funeral Mist
and Antaeus
. The 'Stellar Dimension Infernal Tour' through Europe followed, alongside Secrets of the Moon
and Averse Sefira
. They also toured throughout 18 countries with Dissection
on their two months-long 'Rebirth of Dissection' tour in 2004. Watain member Set Teitan
was officially also a member of Dissection at this point, and Erik Danielsson played bass in live shows.
In 2006, members of the band did the Hitler salute
and wore t-shirts of the National Socialist black metal
(NSBM) band Absurd
after their gig on German Party.San Open Air
, leading to accusations of being a Nazi band. Asked about this incident in an interview to the German online metal magazine Metal.de, Erik Danielsson (vocals and bass) gave an evasive answer, but when asked about his views on NSBM, he explained the band sees it as a joke: "NSBM is a joke, a despaired approach of people who're incapable to comprehend the perversion and the insanity of Black Metal. They're trying to appear extreme and limit their selves in their conception to that kind of society, which describes something that we wouldn't care less about. Fuck the world! Black Metal doesn't have anything to do with the world like you know it."
Their third full-length album Sworn to the Dark
was released in Europe on February 21, 2007, then they toured Europe along with Celtic Frost
, Kreator
and Legion of the Damned
. In 2008 they played their first headlining tour in North America with Withered
and Book of Black Earth. Eclipse Eternal and Kronosfear joined them for some shows as well.
Watain's next album, Lawless Darkness
, was released on June 7, 2010. They released a single for the song "Reaping Death
" in two formats, picture disc vinyl with a cover of the song "Chains of Death" by Death SS
, and digisleeve CD with a cover of the song "The Return of Darkness and Evil" by Bathory
.
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....
band from Uppsala
Uppsala
- Economy :Today Uppsala is well established in medical research and recognized for its leading position in biotechnology.*Abbott Medical Optics *GE Healthcare*Pfizer *Phadia, an offshoot of Pharmacia*Fresenius*Q-Med...
, formed in 1998. The band's name is taken from a recording by the American 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....
group Von
Von (band)
Von was a First Wave black metal band from San Francisco, California, USA. They are thought to be the first American black metal band, and have strongly influenced the second wave of black metal.-Biography:...
.
History
After recording a few demos which the band does not intend to re-release, their first official release was the 7" EP The Essence of Black PurityThe Essence of Black Purity
The Essence of Black Purity is the third release by the black metal band Watain. It was released in 1999 on EP format on Grim Rune Records. It was limited to 300 copies.-External links:**...
on the Swedish label Grim Rune Productions, recorded in Necromorbus Studios 1999. The French black metal label Drakkar Productions
Drakkar Productions
Drakkar Productions is a French record label that has released many recordings of black metal bands throughout the world, on CD, cassette and vinyl. They have usually limited the prints to 1000 copies or less, but some have been known to vary...
offered Watain a deal for two full length albums, and the debut album Rabid Death's Curse
Rabid Death's Curse
Rabid Death’s Curse is the first studio album by the black metal band Watain. It was released in 2000 on Drakkar Productions. It is notable as being the first and only album for which the band had two guitarists; from Rabid Death’s Curse onwards, the band would be a trio...
was released in 2000. After the release, Watain toured and performed alongside bands such as Rotting Christ
Rotting Christ
Rotting Christ is a Greek black metal band formed in 1987. They are noted for being one of the first black metal bands within this region, as well as a premier act within the European underground metal scene.- Line-up :...
, Antaeus
Antaeus (band)
Antaeus is a French black metal band formed in 1993 offering eerie ambient and chaotic black metal.The group's slogan is "Anti God, Anti Music, Anti You". Their debut album, Cut Your Flesh and Worship Satan, was a collection of re-recorded demo tracks...
, Dark Funeral
Dark Funeral
Dark Funeral is a black metal band from Stockholm, Sweden, founded by guitarists Blackmoon and Lord Ahriman in 1993. They are one of the bands to have emerged in Sweden during the Second wave of black metal....
and Malign.
In 2003, Watain again entered the studio to record their second full-length album, Casus Luciferi
Casus Luciferi
Casus Luciferi is the second studio album by the black metal band Watain. It was released in 2003 on Drakkar Productions. It was also released on tape by the Romanian label Mirgilus Siculorum and on limited edition vinyl by Norma Evangelium Diaboli...
, which features lyrics by members of other bands like Funeral Mist
Funeral Mist
- Biography :The band in its original form was founded in autumn of 1993 by now former members. Bass player Arioch was added in the summer of 1994.In summer 1995, Funeral Mist’s first demo entitled Darkness was recorded but was released in early 1996...
and Antaeus
Antaeus (band)
Antaeus is a French black metal band formed in 1993 offering eerie ambient and chaotic black metal.The group's slogan is "Anti God, Anti Music, Anti You". Their debut album, Cut Your Flesh and Worship Satan, was a collection of re-recorded demo tracks...
. The 'Stellar Dimension Infernal Tour' through Europe followed, alongside Secrets of the Moon
Secrets of the Moon
Secrets of the Moon is a black metal band from Osnabrück, Germany, founded in 1995. They played at the Summer Breeze Open Air in August 2007 and at the Hellfest Summer Open Air in June 2007.-Current members:* sG - Vocals, guitars, synth...
and Averse Sefira
Averse Sefira
- Biography :Averse Sefira was formed in 1996 by guitarist and vocalist Sanguine Mapsama and bassist Wrath Sathariel Diabolus. Their demo, Blasphomet Sin Abset, was released later that year. It featured a drum machine in lieu of a live drummer...
. They also toured throughout 18 countries with Dissection
Dissection (band)
Dissection was a black metal band from Strömstad, Sweden. The band was formed in 1989, by Jon Nödtveidt. The band released its first EP in 1991. They disbanded in 2006, after Nödtveidt's suicide.- Band overview :...
on their two months-long 'Rebirth of Dissection' tour in 2004. Watain member Set Teitan
Set Teitan
Set Teitan [Sethlans Teitan] as Davide Totaro. He was the guitarist of industrial black metal band Aborym from 1997–2005, lead guitarist for Bloodline 2000-2005, as well as the second guitarist of the Swedish black metal band Dissection. He is also the second guitarist for Watain and performed on...
was officially also a member of Dissection at this point, and Erik Danielsson played bass in live shows.
In 2006, members of the band did the Hitler salute
Hitler salute
The Nazi salute, or Hitler salute , was a gesture of greeting in Nazi Germany usually accompanied by saying, Heil Hitler! ["Hail Hitler!"], Heil, mein Führer ["Hail, my leader!"], or Sieg Heil! ["Hail victory!"]...
and wore t-shirts of the National Socialist black metal
National Socialist black metal
National Socialist black metal is black metal that promotes National Socialist beliefs through their lyrics and imagery. These beliefs often include: white supremacy, racial separatism, antisemitism, heterosexism, and Nazi interpretations of paganism or Satanism...
(NSBM) band Absurd
Absurd (band)
Absurd is one of the best-known black metal and pagan metal bands in Germany, classified as right-wing extremist by the Thuringian Landesbehörde für Verfassungsschutz....
after their gig on German Party.San Open Air
Party.San Open Air
Party.San Open Air is a metal festival held annually in Bad Berka, Germany since 1996. The 2012 edition will took place on August 9 - August 11.-History:The festival was founded in 1996 as an open air birthday party with a few local bands...
, leading to accusations of being a Nazi band. Asked about this incident in an interview to the German online metal magazine Metal.de, Erik Danielsson (vocals and bass) gave an evasive answer, but when asked about his views on NSBM, he explained the band sees it as a joke: "NSBM is a joke, a despaired approach of people who're incapable to comprehend the perversion and the insanity of Black Metal. They're trying to appear extreme and limit their selves in their conception to that kind of society, which describes something that we wouldn't care less about. Fuck the world! Black Metal doesn't have anything to do with the world like you know it."
Their third full-length album Sworn to the Dark
Sworn to the Dark
Sworn to the Dark is the third studio album by Watain and was released on February 19, 2007 on Season of Mist. It features 11 songs, of which two are instrumentals...
was released in Europe on February 21, 2007, then they toured Europe along with Celtic Frost
Celtic Frost
Celtic Frost was a metal band from Zürich, Switzerland. They are known for their heavy influence on the extreme metal genres. The group was first active from 1984 to 1993, and re-formed in 2001. Following Tom Gabriel Fischer's departure in 2008, Celtic Frost decided to break up again...
, Kreator
Kreator
Kreator is a thrash metal band from Essen, Germany, formed in 1978, but formalized in 1982 under the name Tormentor. They originally performed a speed metal style with Venom influences. Their style of music is similar to their compatriots Destruction and Sodom, the other two big German thrash metal...
and Legion of the Damned
Legion of the Damned (band)
Legion of the Damned is a thrash metal/death metal band from the Netherlands. The band was formed in 2004 following the demise of Occult and the departure of former singer Rachel Heyzer. Lyrically the band tend to focus on horror motifs, dark occult and religious themes and apocalyptic events...
. In 2008 they played their first headlining tour in North America with Withered
Withered
Withered is an American extreme metal band from Atlanta, Georgia, founded by Chris Freeman and Mike Thompson. Both members also participate in a crust punk/grindcore band, Social Infestation, which also features Mastodon bassist Troy Sanders.-Overview:...
and Book of Black Earth. Eclipse Eternal and Kronosfear joined them for some shows as well.
Watain's next album, Lawless Darkness
Lawless Darkness
-Personnel:* Erik Danielsson – vocals, bass* Håkan Jonsson – drums* Pelle Forsberg – guitar* Set Teitan – lyrics on "Hymn to Qayin"* Pete Helmkamp - lyrics on "Total Funeral"* Carl McCoy - vocals at the ending of "Waters of Ain"...
, was released on June 7, 2010. They released a single for the song "Reaping Death
Reaping Death
- Personnel :*E. – bass, vocals*P. – guitar*H. – drums*T. Stjerna – producer- External links :* at Discogs...
" in two formats, picture disc vinyl with a cover of the song "Chains of Death" by Death SS
Death SS
Death SS is an Italian heavy metal band.-Biography:Death SS was formed in 1977 by Steve Sylvester. The band combined elements of horror and heavy metal to become a pioneer in horror metal and gothic metal, as well as doom metal and black metal. Death SS were one of the first...
, and digisleeve CD with a cover of the song "The Return of Darkness and Evil" by Bathory
Bathory (band)
Bathory was a Swedish heavy metal band, formed by Quorthon in 1983. They are regarded as pioneers of both black metal and viking metal. Quorthon remained the main songwriter and member of Bathory for more than two decades. Bathory was permanently ended after Quorthon's death in 2004...
.
Members
- Erik Danielsson - vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Håkan Jonsson - drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Pelle Forsberg - guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- Set TeitanSet TeitanSet Teitan [Sethlans Teitan] as Davide Totaro. He was the guitarist of industrial black metal band Aborym from 1997–2005, lead guitarist for Bloodline 2000-2005, as well as the second guitarist of the Swedish black metal band Dissection. He is also the second guitarist for Watain and performed on...
(Davide Totaro) - guitar (live only) - Alvaro Lillo - bass (live only)
Previous members
- C. Blom - guitar (1998–2000)
- Jonas "Y." Lindskog - bass (a.k.a. "Mörkkh" and "Whorth")
- Tore StjernaTore StjernaTore Gunnar Stjerna has played guitar and drums in the following bands; Watain, Chaos Omen, Corpus Christii, Funeral Mist , Ofermod, Zavorash, Desolation, In Aeternum . He is also a producer who owns Necromorbus Studio....
- session bass (2000–2002)
Studio albums
- Rabid Death's CurseRabid Death's CurseRabid Death’s Curse is the first studio album by the black metal band Watain. It was released in 2000 on Drakkar Productions. It is notable as being the first and only album for which the band had two guitarists; from Rabid Death’s Curse onwards, the band would be a trio...
(2000) - Casus LuciferiCasus LuciferiCasus Luciferi is the second studio album by the black metal band Watain. It was released in 2003 on Drakkar Productions. It was also released on tape by the Romanian label Mirgilus Siculorum and on limited edition vinyl by Norma Evangelium Diaboli...
(2003) - Sworn to the DarkSworn to the DarkSworn to the Dark is the third studio album by Watain and was released on February 19, 2007 on Season of Mist. It features 11 songs, of which two are instrumentals...
(2007) - Lawless DarknessLawless Darkness-Personnel:* Erik Danielsson – vocals, bass* Håkan Jonsson – drums* Pelle Forsberg – guitar* Set Teitan – lyrics on "Hymn to Qayin"* Pete Helmkamp - lyrics on "Total Funeral"* Carl McCoy - vocals at the ending of "Waters of Ain"...
(2010)
Live & other albums
- Go Fuck Your Jewish "God" (demo) (1998)
- Black Metal SacrificeBlack Metal SacrificeBlack Metal Sacrifice is the second release by the black metal band Watain. It was recorded as a live album and was independently released in 1999...
(live) (1999) - The Essence of Black PurityThe Essence of Black PurityThe Essence of Black Purity is the third release by the black metal band Watain. It was released in 1999 on EP format on Grim Rune Records. It was limited to 300 copies.-External links:**...
(EP) (1999) - The Ritual MacabreThe Ritual MacabreThe Ritual Macabre is the sixth release by the black metal band Watain. It is their second live album. It was released in 2001 on Sakreligious Warfare Productions and was limited to 666 copies.-Track listing:#"Limb Crucifix" - 6:24...
(live) (2001) - The Misanthropic CeremoniesThe Misanthropic CeremoniesThe Misanthropic Ceremonies is the seventh album by the black metal band Watain. It was released on 7" EP format in 2001 on Spikekult Rekords. It is a split album with the Swedish black metal band Diabolicum.-Track listing:Watain#My Fists Are Him - 4:47...
(split EP) (2001) - Promo 2002 (Demo) (2002)
- Puzzles ov Flesh (demo) (2002)
- Reaping DeathReaping Death- Personnel :*E. – bass, vocals*P. – guitar*H. – drums*T. Stjerna – producer- External links :* at Discogs...
(Single) (2010)
External links
- The Temple of Watain - Official website
- Rosenbloom, Etan (2008) "Watain work their Black Metal Magic on North American tour", Prefix Magazine
- Begrand, Adrian (2007) "Watain - Sworn to the Dark" (review), PopmattersPopMattersPopMatters is an international webzine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater,...
- "Watain" in Archaic Magazine
- "Watain - Erik Danielsson" (interview), Global Domination, 2007
- "Lawless Darkness" album reviews by Brianna Brackett and Kelley Simms for Metal Assault
- "Audio interview with Erik Danielsson" by Aniruddh "Andrew" Bansal for Metal Assault, May 14, 2010