Bathory – Raise The Dead

Country of origin: Sweden

Genre: Viking/Black Metal

Lyrical Themes: (Earlier Bathory) Satanism, Evil – (Later Bathory) Vikings/Paganism

As we get closer to Samhain and Halloween, it’s time to celebrate the dead. As the days grow shorter and colder, I also like to start busting out my old school black metal. Bathory is significant because they were one of the first black metal bands to make music about paganism and vikings, rather than Satan. In fact, Quorthon, the man behind Bathory, was really the father of the genre we now know as ‘Viking Metal.’

Quorthon played multiple instruments, released 14 albums over 20 years, played Satanic Black metal in the 80’s and pioneered the Viking Metal genre in the 90’s. He was the founder and songwriter of the Black Metal Band Bathory (in the 80’s and 90’s). Later he went on to create his own solo albums.

If you have more interest in this topic, check out my more detailed article: Quorthon, Bathory and Pagan Metal