Black Metal

One of the most imposing and revered bands in black metal’s underground for the past decade, BEKËTH NEXËHMÜ have built a literally towering body of work. The band is yet another creative vehicle of  Ancient Records linchpin Swartadauþuz (Azelisassath, Digerdöden, Gnipahålan, Musmahhu, Mystik, Summum, Trolldom, Daudadagr, as well as current labelmates GREVE and MUVITIUM), but it’s largely BEKËTH NEXËHMÜ where the man has most built his legacy. Only two official albums have been released – 2011’s de dunkla herrarna and 2019’s De fördolda klangorna – but it’s the band’s myriad demos, each one arguably greater and grander than most band’s actual albums, that have equally put a frightening new(er) face on Swedish black metal, by turns becoming the nowadays face of the form.

Black Metal

The 2018 full-length available on CD.

Black Metal

GNIPAHÅLAN is one of the main projects of Swartadauþuz – lynchpin of Ancient Records and also in such esteemed cults as GREVE, BEKËTH NEXËHMÜ, Trolldom, Musmahhu, Azelisassath, Digerdöden, Mystik, Summum, and Daudadagr among many others – handling all voices, strings, and synths and various session drummers. As GNIPAHÅLAN, modernity is choked dead in favor of staunch ‘n’ strict mid-’90s classicism, specifically the retroactively-applied “second wave” of black metal across Scandinavia. With half a dozen demos, a couple splits, an EP, and a debut album from 2016, Swartadauþuz and cohorts have pursued a breathtaking vision of boundless traditionalism draped in hues of purple (and purple-blue).