A Legend of Metal and Horror
1991:
Denial Of God is formed July 5th by the brothers Ustumallagam (vocals) and Azter (guitar) (the only remaining members from back then) along with a drummer named Uksul.
Inspired by a variety of bands and artists like Alice Cooper, King Diamond, Mercyful Fate, Death SS, Mayhem, Bathory, Infernäl Mäjesty and Hellhammer (to name just a few) and everything related to horror, Satanism and the occult and supernatural, the band starts writing their first early material.
1992:
This material ends up on the bands 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 in 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 gains 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 bands 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 Curse 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 collectors 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 bands 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 Mayhems 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 songs for the long awaited "The Horrors of Satan" album are finally completed. Also material for more upcoming releases in the form of split EPs is written.
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 of Denial Of God is still very much intact...
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 on live bass.
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.
2007: This is a year of great promotion for the album, so the band starts off with a big show at the Festung Open Air in Bitterfeld, Germany in May and end up nearly blowing the stage up because of too effective pyros. In July the band starts their 5 date Australian tour together with Nocturnal Graves (Oz) visiting 5 cities down under. Just 2 months after returning home the band leaves for Finland for a 4-date tour together with Gallhammer (Jap) and Darkened Nocturn Slaughtercult (Ger). And less than 2 months after returning home from that tour, the band embarks on a third crusade. This time a 9 date tour through Europe with Demonical (Swe) as support. The tour takes them through Germany, Holland, Belgium, Austria, the Czech Republic and Sweden and leaves Europe in flames. Due to the incapability of Painkiller Records, the band leaves the label and "The Horrors of Satan" is re-released on No Sign Of Life from Finland. To be continued...
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Hell...Demons or Demon! What is new with you? Of course your loyal and most dedicated and neverending supporter of all time has come to bother you once again. I hope that you do not mind me doing so? Muwahaha! Just can not help it, very addicted indeed. Anyhow, hope that you did not vanish out of Hell? Anyways, hope to see you here still? Yes, I will ask always, and hope to hear some more news from you as well? Really means alot. Oh, and yes, this comment is being sent to another band site as well. It does take time to do so you know? Take care...Horns raised high...Val's Hell :)
After more than four months the mastering is finally done and guitar-tracks by our new guitarist were added! Thanx go to Roman and Markus from Jam-Studio!
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