Last Updated on 10:43 PM by Nikos Nakos
Hells Headbangers announces the signing of Greek black metallers Funeral Storm. The first fruit of this union shall be the band’s highly anticipated debut album, ‘Arcane Mysteries’, which will see release through the label later this year. Now featuring members from Hellenic scene legends Deviser and Varathron, Funeral Storm deliver truly ancient – and truly authentic – Greek black metal in the most classic early ’90s style, full of mysticism and might.
Funeral Storm was formed in 2001 by Wampyrion Markhor Necrowolf under the name Raven Throne as a one-man-project. The name was later changed for legal reasons, and after several changes, the moniker Funeral Storm was chosen. Lyrical themes were set early on, and are heavily inspired by occultism, legends, myths, evil, mysteries, horror, and the Cthulhu mythos.
After several lineup changes and one live show, Wampyrion decided to stop any activities concerning the band until 2012, where he released a digital split with Mortuus Sum and a six-way split on tape format with Human Serpent, Thaer Os Valael, Opus Magorum, Silent Dominion, and Varg Order a year later under his label Abyssic Black Cult Records.
Funeral Storm were active again with the addition of members of Serpent Path. In 2016, Mercyful Hell Productions released a compilation with songs that cover most of the years of Funeral Storm that were never actually released. In the meantime, Wampyrion decided to change the sound of the band, now fully inspired by ’90s Greek black metal.
Nick Christogiannis of Deviser and Necroabyssious of Varathron/Katavasia/Zaratus then joined as fulltime members. With this lineup, Funeral Storm released a split in early 2017 with Celestial Rite entitled Funeral Rite with Eskarth of Agatus performing acoustic guitars and a solo on the song ‘Martyr Of The Lake’. Reaping international acclaim, Funeral Rite was released on 12″ vinyl and CD formats by Iron Bonehead, while Mercyful Hell released the tape format.
Funeral Storm now join Hells Headbangers with the addition of Arcania (Aherusia) on guitars to deliver their first full-length album, ‘Arcane Mysteries’. An album of approximately 40 minutes of atmospheric tartaric black metal in the vein of old Hellenic black metal inspired by sorcery, magic, and myths, Arcane Mysteries will also feature two special guests: Eskarth of fellow Hells Headbangers labelmates Agatus and M.W Daoloth of Necromantia/Prinicipality Of Hell. The music is being recorded at Raven Studios, while the vocals were recorded at Crown Audio Conspiracies, with mixing & mastering to be done at Studio 222. The front cover design, titled ‘King Necromancer’, has been created by Markus Vesper (Denial Of God, Manilla Road, Attic).