Another great US black metal band.

Black Funeral is:
Akhtya Nachttoter (Michael Ford) - Composition, Arrangements, production and vocals.

Dana Dark - howling and Lilithian Chants

Lux Ferro - howling and Lilithian Chants

Abstract:
Black Funeral is as Khrafstra, an ancient Persian word for a beast of Ahriman, the Adversary, a Druj (of dragon relating to vampire or Draugr, the Lie) and Daeva (demon) which exists to bring chaos into the living world. Black Funeral began in 1993, under the title "Grim Medieval Vampiric Black Metal", a title which today in 2004 does not change. Black Funeral has arisen from the grave to spread filth and darkness again, the Demonic - Ahrimanic Mask of the Beast is worn again.

Blending traditional cold black metal with machine like aggression, Black Funeral is an epitome for the Iron Age, the Kali Yuga. "Az-i-Dahak" is the comeback CD of Black Funeral as a concept of ancient Persian black magic and vampirism. The essence and concept of Black Funeral is the Satanic soul, the dragon - beast within man, war, chaos and willed order. Black Funeral is a long study of the shadowside of human nature, but expanding beyond human nature - the symbol of the Dragon is derived from the Vampiric Cult of The Black Order of the Dragon; Tiamat and Azi Dahaka.

And..... another cliche "grim" biography.....

Background

"Formed in 1993 by industrial musician and occult/chaos magic author Michael Ford (aka Drakkheim Abaddon Nachttoter), Black Funeral was one of the first seminal cult black metal bands in America. Inspired by early Bathory, Von, Hellhammer, early Emperor, Darkthrone, Mayhem and Burzum, "Journey's into Horizon's Lost" was recorded and distributed everywhere possible. The recordings ugliness, bad production and extreme sound placed Black Funeral as one of the most chaotic black metal bands in the USA. Musically Black Funeral was a cold and raw mix of black and deathlike metal, always ugly and harsh. It was during this time Nachttoter had worked with a focused interest on his part of the Demonic - Odhinnic Deathcults, Vampirism and Lycanthropy. It was the intention of Black Funeral to oppose common perceptions of black metal from 1993-1996, to challenge and confront. As Michael held an interest in vampirism from a magical point of view, his membership in two Vampire Black Circle one of which being The Black Order of the Dragon, and several Satanic organizations, Nachttoter was a practitioner of Magick and the darker aspects of sorcery. Musically, Black Funeral was and still remembers powerful bands such as VON, Blasphemy (Fallen Angel of Doom era), Bathory, Hellhammer, Buruzm, Celtic Frost and others. Black Funeral seeks to unite machinery with traditional metal soundstructures. Black Metal music created as a lycanthropic-daemonic ritual, to unleash the beast in man and woman.

Black Funeral released "Spells of Darkness and Death" as a limited demo in 1995, as well as releasing their debut cd "Vampyr - Throne of the Beast" on Fullmoon Productions of Florida. The work of Nachttoter was very much focused on the concepts of Nihilism and death, the study of the transformation of the human spirit into a beast. Black Funeral soon recorded "Empire of Blood" and Nachttoter was working very much through his death - industrial project, "Valefor", since its debut on Swedish industrial label COLD MEAT INDUSTRY. It was soon after Nachttoter grew sick of the state of the metal scene and the problems with members, thus he recorded the ritualistic CD "Moon of Characith", which was black ambient and ritual music. It was labeled then "Black Funeral was dead" and he only contributed to a Fullmoon Productions compilation CD as a black metal track. From 1999 to 2002 Nachttoter (Michael Ford) was a student of Magick and various Luciferian and Sabbatic circles and lore, developing his initiatory work and what is called "Luciferian Witchcraft", a magical focus of Persian Sorcery, Satanic medieval lore and early Gnostic Luciferian studies. Ford's work also included authoring his first book called "Book of the Witch Moon", with an introduction by Chaos Magic founder, Peter Carroll (Author of Liber Null/Psychonaut). Ford's musical work is now Psychonaut 75 and Hexentanz, both of which are strong bands in the ritualistic and industrial scenes.

2002 and 2003 brought the "Belial Arisen" CD and LP, black metal recorded badly in 1996 and unreleased until then. Michael Ford stated in several interviews he would probably not continue with Black Funeral. In 2004 while producing dark industrial recordings of Psychonaut 75, Ford was developing methods in the studio to produce quality black metal, having discovered a way to do this in the vision and scope of Black Funeral, "Az-i-Dahak", the new CD was recorded. Black Funeral has returned as a black metal band which displays more cold power than any previous recording in Black Funeral's 10 year + age.

The music of "Az-i-Dahak" is a black metal formed and created in an industrialized way, although never loosing the essence of cold and brutal black metal. Michael Ford has spent years working with industrial and ambient music, thus began creating black metal again with strong mechanical influences. The concepts of "Az-i-Dahak" present a clear connection between the Son of Satan and the music of the CD.



Bone instruments used in recordings of "Az-i-Dahak". The bottom is a kangling, from Tibet which is a trumpet made from the thigh bone of a executed criminal. The sound is a ghostly or crude wail. Michael previously implemented these instruments in the Dark-Electro-Ritual-Industrial band Psychonaut 75. While recording "Az-i-Dahak" he recorded sounds of the human skulls and the Kangling to produce a ghostlike, tribal atmosphere in some of the tracks. Considering Black Funeral's focus of medieval atmosphere with modern machinery this is a perfect unity - human bones with electronics. "

Homepage: http://www.blackfuneral.org/
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/blackfuneral

I have all their albums, their music is sinister... Ordog is my favourtite 2006 BM album so far, it's incredibly dense and corrosive.

What is your favourite of their previous albums?

well, I would say "Ordog" os my favourite work by them so far

I'll download it at home, at school right now..

*watches*

Ordog would probably be my favourite album too. Great songs, great cover.... great music

black metal should be left to europeans id say

Mind explaining?

Haha, thats a relatively outdated opinion. I think it might have been the case some years ago (bm being left to Europeans) but let us not forget Von, Demoncy and a whole list of others. I think that the problem is many people tend to associate american music with commercialism, the antithesis of blackmetal. But I think many USBM bands are completely alienated from popular american culture.
Anyway, in regards to Black Funeral I want to get Belial Arisen. Anyone got it?

I am only familiar with Belial Arisen, Az-I-Dahak and Ordog (the 3 latter albums), so I guess I won't be able to judge the band for the entirety of its art.
Nonetheless, this band creates, most notably on Az-I-Dahak and Ordog, a very special brand of black metal. I like to call it ''schizophrenic'' black metal because that's the feeling I get from this work. The sense of panic, of dementia runs out of this music. The result of a sick mind if you will.

I just love it. Get your hands on Ordog if you can, it was released but a few months ago.

I usec to listen to them a lot a couple of months ago actually. I haven't heard the new release but I really love Empire Of Blood. I bled that album dry (wow, no pun intended!) Seeing all these positive reactions to Ordog makes me want to get hold of it and get into them all over again.

Written by Guest on 21.06.2006 at 22:02

black metal should be left to europeans id say

USA has the strongest BM scene nowadays... and no offense but it's miles ahead of the Brittish one...

Written by Guest on 24.09.2006 at 07:47

USA has the strongest BM scene nowadays

absolutly not! the european scene is much stronger. countries like France, Germany and Italy just throw out good bands. US bands are also good, but there are few of them.

Written by Damnated on 24.09.2006 at 11:16

Written by Guest on 24.09.2006 at 07:47

USA has the strongest BM scene nowadays

absolutly not! the european scene is much stronger. countries like France, Germany and Italy just throw out good bands. US bands are also good, but there are few of them.

well, if you talk as the "european scene" as a whole is obviously stronger, but looking at the individual countries, I think only Sweden can match USA today... not even Norway.

Norway has one good band, Taake, and maybe a few others, Sweden 5. again: France, Germany and Italy are the black metal countries today.

Yep... Germany has a very strong scene, but I can't stand French and Italian (I like one band from each country... Animus Herilis and Aborym, nothing more)...

back on topic: I'm listening right now to Ordog and it's corroding my brain... I'm alone at home, so I can play it as loud as I want (don't give a fuck about neighboars, they had annoyed me enough with their hip-hop), and it's a stunning experience.

Pretty good band, with their "ritual" back metal, they really manage to introduce the listener into the occult atmosphere Akhtya Nachttoter and Sheikh Abd'ajjal seem to dwell.

Lately, all I get from Black Funeral on MySpace is concerning
http://www.vampyreapotheca.com/
http://www.luciferianwitchcraft.com/store.htm

I know them I had listen soem songs and album 'Black Funeral' and I dont remeber if i like that when I listen, but now I think i gonna like that band because its original sound of BM/ambient and I hera them herer and I like it
http://www.myspace.com/blackfuneral

I just finished listening to Az-I-Dahak... All I can say - I'm really impressed!! I've always liked chaotic Black metal so this band will certainly be one of my favourites some day...
Song I immediately fell in love with is Az-I-Dahak..

awesome!! I'm soo happy that I have discovered this band!! Yeey!!
Big thanks to this thread!!

What does everyone think of their Waters Of Weeping album? I was thinking about ordering but I can't find any songs online to preview. Also, what would anyone suggest to get as a first album from these guys as I don't have any yet.