Arkona - Polish pagan black metal

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POLISH PAGAN BLACK METAL

Nuclear - Vocals / Khorzon - Guitars / Triumphator - Guitars / Conqueror - Bass / Namtar - Drums

Biography

In the beginning was the Messiah and Khorzon's idea of starting the project in the area of black art, appealing to pagan's principles. The principle of pagan's black art made flesh in March 1993 when the demo 'The Unholy War' was recorded. The next one was 'Born to Die'. But in fact the quality of these pieces was far from decent standard. Besides, they were recorded by the nameless group. That's why these pieces have never been published. Next step was to find appropriate people in order to enlarge the band.

The wind of change started blowing in autumn... In autumn 1993 the band brought in some fresh blood. This was the Arkona's renaissance, regretably not as a pagan fortress, but a black metal horde. It was a tribute to arconian's warriors. The turn of 1993 / 1994 brought the creation of new stuff for debut demo. Hard work in March resulted in 'An Eternal Curse of The Pagan Godz' - live recording of one rehearsal. Then the band changed slightly as well as their sound. The pieces for another demo were recorded almost completely without keyboards and - what is significant - the lyrics were in Polish.
New demo 'Bogowie zapomnienia' was recorded in July 1994. It was a stroke of luck that the demo caught the attention of the Swiss label Morbid Madness Rec. They suggested to record the stuff from 'An Eternal Curse of The Pagan Godz' once again - as a debut album. So Arkona entered the studio and recorded the tracks for 'Imperium', with Polish lyrics. But finally the album was released by Astral Wings Rec. one year later. During that period Arkona prepared brand new stuff - which was related to second demo 'Bogowie zapomnienia' - entitled 'Zeta Reticuli'. 'Zeta Reticuli' was finally recorded at the beginning of 1996. Many labels offered the release of this album. Arkona had chosen Folter Rec. This German label offered 3 - records contract, beginning with split covering two demos from 1994. The record 'An Eternal Curse of The Pagan Godz' was released in autumn 1997 and it was the first and - at the same time - the last one produced by infamous Folter Rec. Unfortunately, one of musicians left the band and the question mark hung over the future of Arkona...

From the half of 1998 till the end of 2000 nothing brillant happened. Actually, there was only one significant point - the release of tape - version 'Zeta Reticuli' by Czech label Pussy God Rec. Khorzon and Messiah had a crack at new pieces, but prospects for new record seemed to be very distant ...

In spring 2001 Czech label Eclipse Prod. offered the release of 'Zeta Reticuli'. A few weeks later the record was ready. After that, the preparation of new stuff hotted up. In summer 2002 Arkona entered the studio and recorded the pieces for 'Nocturnal Arkonian Hordes', which was released by Eclipse Prod. at the beginning of winter. At the end of autumn 2003 the label edit the fifth album 'Konstelacja lodu' with very severe and underground sound...the sound of paganism. And all next Arkona's albums will be based on the pagan path...