Gehenna

According to certain accounts in the Gospels, Jesus Christ invoked the term Gehenna when speaking of Hell, a reference to Jerusalem's refuse site where perpetual fires consumed the city's waste. Roughly two millennia later, Norway's prominent black metal outfit Gehenna adopted that name after forming in Stavanger during January 1993, following the rise of local predecessors Mayhem and alongside a generation that encompassed Emperor, Enslaved, Darkthrone, and Ulver. The project began with vocalist/guitarist Sanrabb, guitarist/bassist Dolgar (real name Steffen Simenstad), and drummer Sir Vereda, issuing the demos Black Seared Heart and Ancestors of the Darkly Sky within their first year while still unnamed; they gained underground notice in controversial circumstances when Sir Vereda was imprisoned alongside other notable figures from the scene. By 1994, Sanrabb and Dolgar had recruited bassist Svartalv, keyboardist Sarcana, and drummer Dirge Rep (aka Per Husebø), performed their initial concerts, and released the mini-album First Spell through Head Not Found Records. Frequently cited as their signature recording, First Spell introduced a distinctive blend of somber and melodic black metal that secured a deal with Cacophonous Records, which issued the well-received Seen Through the Veils of Darkness in 1995 and Malice in 1996. Gehenna nearly dissolved in 1997 after Svartalv exited to establish the thrash band Nocturnal Breed, Dirge Rep joined Enslaved, and Sarcana withdrew from music entirely. Sanrabb and Dolgar resurfaced in 1998 with Adimiron Black on Moonfog Productions, accompanied by bassist E.N. Death, drummer Blod, and keyboardist Damien, though Damien was soon removed amid the group's shift toward a heavier style. With the 2000 album Murder, Gehenna had fully transitioned into death metal, surprising many listeners. The 2005 release WW marked a return to their atmospheric black metal origins, yet whether longtime supporters would follow remained uncertain.