Aeternus

Aeternus, self-proclaimed purveyors of "true dark metal," originate from the damp, chill-laden city of Bergen, Norway. Their sound fuses the unpolished aggression of black metal with the guttural depth of death metal vocals, allowing the group to carve out a distinct identity amid the saturated extreme-metal landscape of the early twenty-first century. Ares, who handles bass and vocals and previously performed live and in session capacities with the notorious Immortal, established the initial lineup in 1996 alongside drummer Vrolok and keyboardist/bassist Morrigan. That same year the trio inked a deal with Hammerheart Records and issued their first album, Beyond the Wandering Moon, at the start of 1997. Shortly afterward they were asked to support Emperor and Limbonic Art on tour. Upon completing those dates the band delivered the EP Dark Sorcery, which was succeeded by the full-length …And So the Night Became. The addition of guitarist Radek expanded the lineup to two guitarists, and the resulting 1999 album Shadows of Old adopted a quicker, death-metal emphasis that diverged modestly from the black/folk approach of the earlier material. Two further offerings reached listeners in 2001: the EP Burning the Shroud and the studio album Ascension of Terror.