Nachtmystium

The American black metal scene came into its own in the late 1990's and early 2000's (albeit in a very underground manner), with bands like Absu, Xasthur, Leviathan, and Nachtmystium frequently named as among the most influential. These bands were often either true one-man shows or at least led by one man, and here that man was Blake Judd, who went by the name Azentrius for much of his career. Like many underground bands, the discography here consists of splits and EPs and rarities scattered around several full-length albums. The earlier efforts such as 2004's Demise stick closer to the old early Norwegian style of black metal, but Judd took an interesting turn later, adopting a more laid-back, psychedelic edge on albums such as the pair of Black Meddle releases. It didn't always work, but there were moments of greatness, ultimately placing Nachtmystium in a rather unique place among black metal bands. The band endured an unstable life, due to Judd's well-publicized personal problems and long-running drug addiction issues, and it appeared that the band was done by 2014, following two albums that seemed to generate little interest. Judd apparently cleaned himself up and emerged with a new lineup and renewed vigor in 2017, but he finally decided to pull the plug on the band once and for all in 2020.

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Discography

Studio Live Compilation Video

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