Memnock
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Susperia is a Norwegian
thrash metal Thrash metal (or simply thrash) is an Extreme metal, extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its overall aggression and fast tempo.Kahn-Harris, Keith, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'', pp. 2–3, 9. Oxford: Berg, ...
band formed in October 1998 by
Tjodalv Ian Kenneth Åkesson (born 1976), known professionally as Tjodalv, is a Norwegian drummer. He is a founding member of the black metal bands Dimmu Borgir and Old Man's Child. He now plays in Black Comedy and Susperia. Tjodalv played guitar on th ...
and
Cyrus Cyrus () is a Persian-language masculine given name. It is historically best known as the name of several List of monarchs of Iran, Persian kings, most notably including Cyrus the Great, who founded the Achaemenid Empire in 550 BC. It remains wid ...
.Allmusic Biography
/ref> The band was originally named Seven Sins, but since there was another band with that name they changed it to the title of the horror film ''
Suspiria ''Suspiria'' is a 1977 Italian supernatural horror film directed by Dario Argento, who co-wrote the screenplay with Daria Nicolodi, partially based on Thomas De Quincey's 1845 essay '' Suspiria de Profundis''. The film stars Jessica Harper ...
'', changing the spelling to avoid a clash with
Suspiria ''Suspiria'' is a 1977 Italian supernatural horror film directed by Dario Argento, who co-wrote the screenplay with Daria Nicolodi, partially based on Thomas De Quincey's 1845 essay '' Suspiria de Profundis''. The film stars Jessica Harper ...
, a gothic rock band that also took its name from the film.


History

Susperia was started by Tjodalv (
Dimmu Borgir Dimmu Borgir () is a Norwegian symphonic black metal band from Jessheim, formed in 1993. The name is derived from Dimmuborgir, a volcanic formation in Iceland, the name of which means "dark cities" or "dark castles/fortresses" in Icelandic lang ...
,
Old Man's Child Old Man's Child is a Norwegian black metal band originating from the city of Oslo. The band was founded by Galder (formerly known as Grusom; birth name: Thomas Rune Andersen), who is the sole permanent member of the group. History Old Man's Ch ...
) and Cyrus (
Satyricon The ''Satyricon'', ''Satyricon'' ''liber'' (''The Book of Satyrlike Adventures''), or ''Satyrica'', is a Latin work of fiction believed to have been written by Gaius Petronius in the late 1st century AD, though the manuscript tradition identifi ...
,
Old Man's Child Old Man's Child is a Norwegian black metal band originating from the city of Oslo. The band was founded by Galder (formerly known as Grusom; birth name: Thomas Rune Andersen), who is the sole permanent member of the group. History Old Man's Ch ...
) in October 1998. After Tjodalv left
Dimmu Borgir Dimmu Borgir () is a Norwegian symphonic black metal band from Jessheim, formed in 1993. The name is derived from Dimmuborgir, a volcanic formation in Iceland, the name of which means "dark cities" or "dark castles/fortresses" in Icelandic lang ...
in the middle of March 1999, he started to concentrate fully on Susperia together with old-time friend Cyrus. At
Wacken Open Air Wacken Open Air (, abbreviated as W:O:A) is a Heavy metal music, heavy metal music festival, held annually since 1990 on the first weekend of August in the village of Wacken, Schleswig-Holstein, Wacken in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Almost all ...
Festival in 1999, Tjodalv met with singer Athera (Vanaheim), who joined the band subsequently, followed by bass player Memnock (Old Man's Child, Vanaheim) and guitarist Elvorn. They recorded a demo, ''
Illusions of Evil Susperia is a Norwegian thrash metal band formed in October 1998 by Tjodalv and Cyrus. The band was originally named Seven Sins, but since there was another band with that name they changed it to the title of the horror film ''Suspiria'', chan ...
'', in December 1999 at Pitfire Studio outside
Oslo Oslo ( or ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of 1,064,235 in 2022 ...
, which was mixed and mastered by L. Argedick. Synthesizer and piano parts were played by
Mustis Mustis is the pseudonym of Øyvind Johan Mustaparta (born 10 September 1979), a Norwegian keyboardist best known for his work in the symphonic black metal band Dimmu Borgir, as well as the black/ thrash metal band Susperia. Biography Mustis ...
(Dimmu Borgir). He was briefly an official member of the band before he left to fully concentrate on
Dimmu Borgir Dimmu Borgir () is a Norwegian symphonic black metal band from Jessheim, formed in 1993. The name is derived from Dimmuborgir, a volcanic formation in Iceland, the name of which means "dark cities" or "dark castles/fortresses" in Icelandic lang ...
. Mustis returned to the band in 2010, after being fired from Dimmu Borgir. The demo was sent out to different record companies and gained some positive feedback. They received a few offers from mainly major record labels and signed in early 2000 with
Nuclear Blast Nuclear Blast Records is a German record label with subsidiary, subsidiaries located in Germany, the United States and Brazil. It was founded in 1987 by Markus Staiger in Donzdorf. Originally releasing hardcore punk records, the label moved on ...
for four records. Susperia played their first live gig at John Dee in Oslo, following Ragnarok and Alsvartr; just a few months later, they played at the Scream Magazine 10-year anniversary party. In March 2009, it was reported that vocalist Athera (real name Pål Mathisen) had suffered a heart attack. It was later confirmed that he had been rushed into hospital in
Lørenskog is a Municipalities of Norway, municipality in Akershus Counties of Norway, county, Norway. A suburb of Oslo, it is part of the Oslo urban area and the Districts of Norway, traditional region of Romerike. The administrative centre of the municipa ...
, suffering from acute stomach pain and heavy bleeding. He was expected to remain hospitalised for some time. It was later announced that he would undergo a
triple bypass Coronary artery bypass surgery, also known as coronary artery bypass graft (CABG, pronounced "cabbage"), is a surgical procedure to treat coronary artery disease (CAD), the buildup of plaques in the arteries of the heart. It can relieve Angina ...
operation on 16 March 2009. Susperia joined
Melodi Grand Prix Melodi Grand Prix (), commonly known as Grand Prix and MGP, sometimes as Norsk Melodi Grand Prix, is an annual music competition organised by Norwegian public broadcaster (NRK). It determines for the Eurovision Song Contest, and has been sta ...
in 2011, but lost before the semi-final. Cyrus also played bass with Dimmu Borgir between 2010 and 2018, having previously filled in on lead guitar in 2008. In 2015, founding vocalist Athera left the band.


Musical style

On their early albums, the band experimented with a mixture of
black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...
and
thrash metal Thrash metal (or simply thrash) is an Extreme metal, extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its overall aggression and fast tempo.Kahn-Harris, Keith, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'', pp. 2–3, 9. Oxford: Berg, ...
.
Testament A testament is a document that the author has sworn to be true. In law it usually means last will and testament. Testament or The Testament can also refer to: Books * ''Testament'' (comic book), a 2005 comic book * ''Testament'', a thriller no ...
, one of the members' favorite bands, was a major influence, and by the time the album '' Unlimited'' was released, the black metal elements had disappeared. Instead, the band gave more space to influences from heavy metal. Today, Susperia are generally regarded as a melodic thrash metal band. The lyrics written by singer Athera are personal and either purely fictional or autobiographical. Politics and religion are not dealt with, nor are certain concepts. Athera uses both
guttural Guttural Phone (phonetics), speech sounds are those with a primary place of articulation near the back of the oral cavity, where it is difficult to distinguish a sound's place of articulation and its phonation. In popular usage it is an imprecise t ...
and clean vocals. Susperia is not a Satanic band, though their lyrics tend to criticise and question the views and morals of
Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...
.


Band members

Current members * Terje "Cyrus" Andersen – guitars (1998–present) * Christian "Elvorn" Hagen – guitars (1998–present) * Ian Kenneth "Tjodalv" Åkesson – drums (1998–present) Former members * Håkon "Memnock" Didriksen – bass (1998–2019) * Pål "Athera" Mathiesen – vocals (1998–2015; touring musician: 2019) * Øyvind Johan "Mustis" Mustaparta – keyboards (1998–2000; touring musician: 2010–2011) * Bernt "Dagon" Fjellstad – vocals (2015–2019; touring musician: 2009, 2014–2015) Live musicians * Lars "Tristhan" Fredriksen – bass (2019) Timeline


Discography


Studio albums

*'' Predominance'' (2001) *'' Vindication'' (2002) *'' Unlimited'' (2004) *''
Cut from Stone ''Cut from Stone'' is the fourth studio album by the Norwegian thrash metal band Susperia. As with their other albums, there is an extreme Testament influence in their music. Track listing Credits Susperia * Athera – vocals *Cyrus – l ...
'' (2007) *''
Attitude Attitude or Attitude may refer to: Philosophy and psychology * Attitude (psychology), a disposition or state of mind ** Attitude change * Propositional attitude, a mental state held towards a proposition Science and technology * Orientation ...
'' (2009) *''The Lyricist'' (2018)


EPs/singles

*''Devil May Care'' (2005) *'' Nothing Remains'' (single, 2011) *'' We Are the Ones'' (2011)


Demos

*''Illusions of Evil'' (2000)


References


External links


Official website
(archived) *
Susperia interview
(German and English) {{Authority control Norwegian heavy metal musical groups Norwegian thrash metal musical groups Norwegian black metal musical groups Musical groups established in 1998 1998 establishments in Norway Musical groups from Bærum Nuclear Blast artists Candlelight Records artists