A history of Metal and Horror
1991:
1992:
This material ends up on the band’s first
demo tape entitled ”Oscularium Infame” which is released in summer 1992.
Meanwhile a bassist, Kulmar, joins the band. Being recorded simply in the
rehearsal room on a tape recorder and at a such an early stage, the sound turns
out bad and the playing is anything but tight. The demo is loved by some and
hated by many, but shows a band that does not care about the current trends at
the time and are going their own way, musically as well as lyrically and even
image-wise. It is fair to say the band becomes very much the opposite of the
currents a time where most bands will deliver stripped down shows and dealing
with the supernatural is regarded as something belonging to the past. Most
people fail to understand the concept of the band and some slag the band for the
use of horror make-up and their Satanic approach.The demo includes among others
”Dethrone the Tyrant-God!” which is still played live today and also is
re-recorded for the 1999 mini-album ”Klabautermanden”. Followingly the band
plays its first 2 shows of which the latter takes place in Sweden. Already at
these concerts the band gains a notorious reputation for their onstage antics,
which include the use of living maggots thrown at the concert audience.
1993:
Kulmar leaves the band and is replaced for a
short time by Nomos, but he is thrown out of the band for lack of dedication and
skills, so the second demo ”The Dawn of Aemizaez”, this time a real studio
recording, is recorded as a 3-piece. The demo includes songs like ”Follow
those who died” which has since become a classic and a concert standard. The
demo is followed by a massive amount of interviews in underground magazines
around the world and Denial Of God gain a lot of reputation. ”The Dawn of
Aemizaez” is still considered by many to be one of the best demos from that
period in time.
1994:
The line-up is again completed by a new
bassist, Fargel, and with this line-up they record their first 7” EP ”The
Statues are Watching” for the Italian label Maggot.
1995:
”The Statues are Watching” (b/w a
re-recording of ”The Dawn of Aemizaez”) is released in a limited edition of
1000 copies and is immediately sold out from the label. Being impressed with the
band’s work, the UK based label Dark Trinity Productions signs the band for
the release of a mini-album and a full length album. The recording of ”The
Ghouls of DOG” begins.
1996:
Recordings for the mini-album ”The Ghouls of
DOG” are finished and the mini-CD is released during the summer. Before the
release the band plays the first live show since 1992 which is soon followed by
a 3-date mini-tour through Holland and Belgium. These concerts see the band
developing their imagery to the now wellknown ”ghoul look” which is also
shown on the front cover of ”The Ghouls of DOG”. While loved by some, the
band is again despised by mainly reviewers, often focusing more on the imagery (the
band pictures show a naked woman being bitten and bleeding and the ghouls of DOG
standing on a grave with human bones and skulls) than the music and lyrics.
Denial Of God are, however, again not impressed by the reviewers’ opinion (on
the contrary), knowing that this is all a part of their hideous horror themed
Metal. The mini-album includes the darkest and most creepy material yet, among
others the 8-minute epic ”The Crypt has Eyes”. After an additional live show
bassplayer Fargel is thrown out of the band for his lack of dedication and the
band once again continues as a 3-piece.
1997:
New songs are written, but early in the year
Uksul decides to leave the band and leave Ustumallagam and Azter behind as the
only original members. Right before his departure some new songs are recorded as
demos. These recordings are the last to feature Uksul on drums and at the same
time the first to feature some vocals by soon-to-be bassist Isaz. She joins a
few months later and becomes the last member of the line-up which has meanwhile
been joined by Sorgh on drums. These demo recordings are released two years
later as the "The Cutse of the Witch" 7" EP. Once again the horror continues.
1998:
Being dissatisfied with the ways of Dark
Trinity Productions, Denial Of God leaves the label and signs with Hammerheart
Records for the release of a new mini-album and a full length album. Due to the
distance between the members rehearsals are few, but the band enters the studio
at the end of the year to record the mini-album to be entitled ”Klabautermanden”.
1999:
In spring a 7” EP entitled ”The Curse of
the Witch” is released on Sombre Records to shorten the wait for the upcoming
mini-album. This 7” EP contains the demo recordings from 1997 and is mainly meant
as a collector’s item and as a life sign to show the band is still in
existence. Shortly after the band is once again incomplete as Sorgh decides to
leave the band, but a new session drummer is found in R. Salskov. ”Klabautermanden”
is released and the title track becomes the first and up till today only song
with lyrics in their own language. At the same time the band decides to
re-record two old songs along with some cover songs for the release on two 7”
EPs. The band performs one live show this year which causes them to be banned
from ever playing the place again due to the gory trail left behind from the raw
meat mixed with blood and maggots.
2000:
Again the band parts ways with their label.
Not only did the label release the mini-album without the lyrics printed (something
the band always did since the first demo, believing the lyrics are an important
factor of the concept), but also fails to promote the band in a proper way and
generally back out as the band is not commercial enough for them, relying too
much on major distributions and reviewers. The ”The Crypt has Eyes” 7” EP
is released and the limited edition is again sold out fast. The 7” EP is
backed with a haunting cover of Death SS’ classic ”Terror”. The ghouls travel to
Belgium to play a one-off show and another live
show (the band’s 10th) is played in Denmark and again the band has to face arguing over
the bloody live show. While the venues despise the band, the reactions from the
audience reaches from amazement to shock, but the ghouls leave their impression
as always. The summer furthermore sees the release of ”The Ghouls of DOG”
with bonus tracks on cassette format on the Russian label Oupiric Productions
and the name starts to spread in Eastern Europe and other countries where the
cassette format is still the most common. The band continues to rehearse (although
again on a rare basis as the band members still live far from each other).
2001:
”The Crypt has Eyes” is re-released due to
the high demand for it and is followed shortly after by the second 7” EP
entitled ”Robbing the Grave of the Priest” on Warlord Records. This one is
backed with a haunting cover of Mayhem’s classic ”Funeral Fog”.
In May the band plays at the ”2 heavy 4 you!” festival in Sweden, presenting
among old classics also some new songs from the forthcoming album, and once
again leaves the stage all bloody.
A new recording contract is signed with the Belgian label Painkiller Records,
but unfortunately 2001 is also the last time the band will rehearse for a long
time since first some equipment and later the rehersal room itself is lost.
2002:
The whole line-up is spread all over the country and having no permanent
rehearsal room it makes reasonable rehearsals impossible, so all that can be
done is continuing writing new material for the upcoming album "The Horrors of
Satan".
2003:
The picture disc version of the "Robbing the Grave of the Priest" 7" EP is
finally released by Apocalyptor Records after both Warlord Records and another
label fail to release it.
2004:
The band signs an agreement with Painkiller Records for the re-release of the
deleted mini-albums.
The first rehearsal in 3 years takes place with Atziluth as a session drummer,
and even if only a cover song is played at this sesssion (to be recorded in
December for the upcoming W.A.S.P. tribute) the spirit is Denial Of God is still
very much intact and 2005 should see the band making up for the time lost...
2005:
Longtime bassist and ghoul Isaz leaves the band after losing interest in
dedicating time to the band. The band records the W.A.S.P. classick
"Hellion" for the upcoming W.A.S.P. tribute album "Shock Rock
Hellions - A Tribute to W.A.S.P." as a 2-piece, using Atziluth as a session
drummer.
At the end of the year the bands is finally completed again with Galheim on drums
and The Unknown as live bassist.
2006:
The W.A.S.P. tribute "Shock Rock Hellions - A Tribute to W.A.S.P." CD is
released and both "The Ghouls of DOG" and "Klabautermanden" are re-released in
totally expanded versions and partially remastered on Painkiller Records. The
first live shows since 2001 are performed in Germany, Belgium, Holland and
Denmark. The long awaited album "The Horrors of Satan" is recorded at Berno
Studio, Sweden and is released on Halloween together with a limited edition
single entitlted "A Night in Transylvania" on Painkiller Records.
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