Biography
Enochian Crescent originated in Vaasa, Finland, when vocalist Wrath—whose birth name is Janne Kuru—and guitarist Victor, born Karri Suoraniemi, assembled the group in 1995. Both musicians stood out for their enigmatic intentions and inventive musical approach. The 1996 mini-album Anno Bastardi and the following year’s full-length Telocvovim nevertheless remained confined to local listeners because the band’s modest Woodcut label could not secure wider distribution. Recognition on a broader scale surfaced only after Wrath was hospitalized for slashing his wrists during a performance that disrupted the planned headliners Emperor. Nuclear Blast’s Radiation Records imprint promptly picked up European rights to Telocvovim, which critics and listeners alike praised, prompting a fresh contract with Avantgarde Music. That arrangement yielded the 1998 EP Babalon Patralx de Telocvovim and the 2000 album Omega Telocvovim, both viewed as strikingly original efforts that departed from standard black metal practices. Subsequent member departures and mounting friction with the label then consigned the band to prolonged inactivity. Five years afterward Enochian Crescent resurfaced intact with the conceptual Black Church album, once again charting fresh territory.
Albums