Hailing from Italy since 2006, DARKEND have built themselves
quite a reputation on the metal scene for being an
impressive live act and not least for pioneering a new
genre: Extreme Ritual Metal.
While their debut offering Damned Woman And A Carcass
(2007) was a fine piece of symphonic black metal, the
following two releases, Assassine (2010) and Grand
Guignol Book I (2012), enhanced the bands
individuality in sound and image alike, combining sinister
extreme metal with black metal patterns, classical
symphonies with obscure ecclesiastic chants and nocturne
ambience, featuring some of the heaviest sulphur riffs and
greatest guitar solos.
After numerous shows on Italian territory opening for
notorious BEHEMOTH, MARDUK and IMPALED NAZARENE, it was
Assassine that tore the curtains of obscurity and took
DARKEND abroad to tour throughout Europe with ROTTING
CHRIST, SAMAEL, MELECHESH & KEEP OF KALESSIN, bringing on
stage a magic combination of sound, theatre and occult
ceremony: from esoteric costumes and incense burning to
ghastly skulls, grave candles and dead branches, every
single detail is meant to build an atmosphere of bleakness
and horror.
With rave reception by fans and critics, the new album
Grand Guignol Book I consolidated the bands
spot on the international metal map and set the stage for
further events in autumn 2012, when DARKEND proudly embarked
on a long, crushing European tour supporting legendary
CRADLE OF FILTH & GOD SEED. Later on they closed the year at
Germanys Satans Convention sharing the stage with the
likes of TAAKE and INQUISITION.
2013 saw the band perform at some exciting European
festivals alongside MAYHEM, SODOM, BELPHEGOR, IMMORTAL,
SHINING, 1349, KREATOR and many other iconic acts, and 2014
kicks in with new live rituals in equally stellar
congregations!