Beherit was not only one of Finland's oldest black metal bands,
but a true pioneer and innovator in the world of grim, cult
black metal.
Taking their cue from bands such as
Venom
and
Hellhammer
and then going one step farther,
their strength was their minimalist approach -- their songs are
among the most simplistic ever recorded by any band, but rather
than sounding amateurish, the songs embody evil in its most raw,
primitive form.
The guitars drone, the drums plod, but the vocals differentiate
the band from their fellow black metallists, often processed with
various effects that only make the band sound that much more evil.
Befitting a true underground band, Beherit's discography is
a bit disjointed.
In actuality the original band only
recorded one true full-length album,
Drawing Down The Moon, preceded by assorted demos, singles,
and EPs
(the debut album The Oath Of Black Blood is actually nothing
more than a re-release of a prior demo and EP).
By 1993 the band had flamed out, but leader Holocausto continued
to record music as Beherit, resulting in the two albums
H418ov21.C and
Electric Doom Synthesis.
These are not metal albums at all, but instead are extremely dark,
minimalist ambient albums, though in retrospect they do represent
a logical progression from their classic works.
Finally, Holocausto resurrected the band (or, at least, the name) in 2007,
and has recorded occasionally since then.
