Biography
The band formed in 1990 as Eczema. In 1991, they decided to start playing black metal, so the name was changed to Satyricon. Satyr (Sigurd Wongraven) then joined the band. After the first demo, Exhurtum was kicked out of the band because he "preferred hanging out with my girl at the time rather than kicking down gravestones together with the band", while Wargod left the music scene and became a UN soldier afterwards. Lemarchand was kicked out after the second demo.
The band's first album, 1994's Dark Medieval Times, showed off the fascination Satyricon had with the Middle Ages and featured raw black metal blast beats produced by Frost, mixed with acoustic guitar and flute. On their next album, The Shadowthrone, this medieval spirit was continued. Satyricon's third album, Nemesis Divina was released in 1996. Rebel Extravaganza, Satyricon’s fourth album, was released in 1999.
In April and May 2000, Satyricon toured as a supporting band for Pantera. Phil Anselmo has spoken of his love for black metal numerous times, and has participated in some extreme metal projects with Satyricon frontman Satyr. They used to be signed with Daron Malakian's music label EatUrMusic.
Describing their fifth studio album, 2002's Volcano, frontman Satyr stated in a press release and biography on their homepage that "the music is rock based but more extreme; it is black metal pushing the boundaries that began with bands like Venom and Bathory. Reinventing ourselves based on a foundation of rock-oriented black metal is our philosophy." The album won four awards: the Norwegian Grammy for Best Metal Album, an Alarm award for the track "Fuel for Hatred" in the category Song of the Year, the Alarm Award for Metal Album of the Year and The Oslo award for Best Overall Album.
Satyricon participated in the Darkthrone tribute Darkthrone Holy Darkthrone, released by Moonfog Productions in 1998, covering the song "Kathaarian Life Code". In the same year, Satyricon participated in the Bathory tribute In Conspiracy with Satan, released by Hellspawn/No Fashion Records, covering the song "Born for Burning".
In 2006, Satyricon released Now, Diabolical.
In March 2008, the band headlined the Inferno Metal Festival in Oslo for the first time.
The EP My Skin Is Cold was released before their seventh album, The Age of Nero, which was released on 3 November 2008.
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