Hecate Enthroned - Biography

Biography

The band was formed in 1993 under the name Daemonum by singer Jon and guitarist Nigel, as a black/death metal hybrid. After a few practices and recording a demo, vocalist Jon left the band after taking up an offer to join Cradle of Filth as their bassist. However, during which time Jon was also heavily involved in the production of Dusk... and Her Embrace. A year or so later, Jon rejoined and they changed their name to Hecate Enthroned, this time playing a more melodic black metal style.

In 1995, they recorded their demo Ode for a Haunted Wood, which got the attention of the British label Blackend Records. Blackend had it remastered under the title Upon Promeathean Shores (Unscriptured Waters) in 1996.

On the band's similarity to Cradle of Filth, Dani Filth commented:

I won't even mention that band's name because I mean, people say "Are you worried about it?" Well, what have we got to worry about? It's an imitation, and it's ridiculous. It doesn't even make much sense, really. But, you know, good luck to them. If they want to rip off our ideas... it's flattering, really.

1997 saw the release of their first full-length album, The Slaughter of Innocence, a Requiem for the Mighty, which saw the band enter a faster, more brutal direction, with more emphasis on the symphonic interludes. Though well-received, the album still got the same criticism that plagued Upon Promeathean Shores. Subsequent tours with bands like Dark Funeral, Enthroned, Sigh and Usurper would follow.

The band went back to the studio in 1998 to record Dark Requiems... and Unsilent Massacre, this time lowering the speed and using the keyboards as the primary instrument and creating more horror-styled atmospheres, though still retaining the brutal heaviness of the first two albums.

In 1999, the band fired vocalist Jon, due to problems between him and the rest of the band. The band then recruited vocalist Dean (from the band EWOC) to record the vocal lines for their follow-up album, Kings of Chaos.

2001 saw vocalist Dean Seddon guest with Akercocke on their Goat of Mendes album track, "The Serpent" - David Gray of Akercocke quoted them as "...the most criminally under-rated Black metal band of all time..." on the band's forum.

2001 also saw the release of a small EP of original songs (with a cover of "Buried Alive" by Venom), entitled Miasma, that served as an appetiser for their next full-length album, 2004's Redimus (Latin for "We Return"), their second album under their new death metallish sound. During the recording of the album, vocalist Dean left the band, as well as keyboardist Daz, who were then replaced by new singer Dagon from fellow UK black metal band Heathen Deity and keyboardist Pete.

In 2005, Dean returned to Hecate Enthroned. This return was followed by several sold-out gigs in the Czech Republic and numerous gigs around the UK. 2006 saw Hecate Enthroned embark on a UK headline tour playing in London, Southampton, Nottingham, Bradford and Wolverhampton.

2007 saw them perform in Norway at Inferno Festival alongside Immortal as well as several shows in Spain, Bulgaria, Romania and Germany.