Asguard

Distinct from the many heavy metal groups across the globe that share the name Asgard—including outfits based in Holland, Canada, Germany, and elsewhere—the Belarusian ensemble spells its moniker Asguard with a “U.” Originating in Mogilev within the former Soviet Republic of Belarus, the group began in 1996 under the name Ancient Castle, assembled by vocalist and bassist Alexander Afonchenko alongside lead guitarist Andrey Tselobenok and rhythm guitarist Alexander Krotov. Drummer Sergey “Dead” Tselobenok soon joined, enabling the band to commit its initial death metal-oriented demos to tape. Those recordings reached audiences throughout Eastern Europe via a licensing agreement with the regional imprint Fatal Ecstasy. Following the departures of Krotov and Tselobenok, who were succeeded by Oleg Maslakov and Yuriy Yurchenko in their respective roles, Asguard finished its first full-length album, Summis Desiderantes Effectibus, in 2000. The more black metal-leaning Wikka EP appeared in 2003, succeeded the next year by the studio album Black Fire Land. Subsequently, the band’s new American label, This Dark Reign in California, opted to reissue Wikka augmented by the early demos as additional tracks.