Ophthalamia was a Swedish
black metal
Black metal is an extreme metal, extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include Tempo#Beats per minute, fast tempos, a Screaming (music)#Black metal, shrieking vocal style, heavily distorted Electric guitar, guitars played with tr ...
/
doom metal
Doom metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other heavy metal genres.K. Kahn-Harris, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'' ...
band formed in
Stockholm
Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...
in 1989. The band released three studio albums before splitting up in 1998. Members of the band included guitarist IT (
Tony Särkkä
Tony Särkkä (15 December 1972 – 8 February 2017), who went by the stage name It, was a Swedish multi-instrumentalist who played in many black metal bands. He played guitar, drums and bass guitar as well as doing vocals. He was joined by Jim B ...
), guitarist and bassist Night (
Emil Nödtveidt
Deathstars is a Swedish industrial metal band from Strömstad. Formed in 2000, the group are noted for their dark horror-themed lyrics, pessimistic and misanthropic social commentary, distinctive trademark face paint, dark stage uniforms and ph ...
), drummer Bone (
Ole Öhman
Ole Christian Öhman (born 13 October 1973), also known as Bone W. Machine, is a Swedish drummer who was a member of the metal bands Dissection from 1990 to 1995, Ophthalamia from 1995 to 1998, and Deathstars from 2000 to 2011. He appeared on t ...
) and vocalist Shadow (
Jon Nödtveidt
Jon Andreas Nödtveidt (28 June 1975 – 13 August 2006) was a Swedish musician best known as the founder, vocalist and lead guitarist of the melodic black metal, melodic black/Melodic death metal, death metal band Dissection (band), Dissection. ...
).
History
Ophthalamia was formed in 1989 by singer All (Jim Berger) and guitarist IT (
Tony Särkkä
Tony Särkkä (15 December 1972 – 8 February 2017), who went by the stage name It, was a Swedish multi-instrumentalist who played in many black metal bands. He played guitar, drums and bass guitar as well as doing vocals. He was joined by Jim B ...
), both members of the bands
Abruptum and
Vondur. The band was named Ophthalamia after a fantasy-world created by IT, with its own geography, creatures, language and a demon woman Goddess called Elishia. A majority of the band's songs are connected in some way to this fantasy-world. The band's debut album, ''A Journey in Darkness'', was released in 1994. Ophthalamia sophomore album, ''Via Dolorosa'', was released in 1995. In 1997, the band's first compilation album, ''To Elishia'', was released. The following year, both a re-recorded version of the band's debut album titled ''A Long Journey'' and their third studio album, ''Dominion'', were released. In contrast to prior albums which had fantasy-inspired songs, the lyrics on the latter album was inspired by ''
Macbeth
''The Tragedy of Macbeth'', often shortened to ''Macbeth'' (), is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, estimated to have been first performed in 1606. It dramatises the physically violent and damaging psychological effects of political ambiti ...
''. Ophthalamia split up in 1998. Former vocalist Shadow (
Jon Nödtveidt
Jon Andreas Nödtveidt (28 June 1975 – 13 August 2006) was a Swedish musician best known as the founder, vocalist and lead guitarist of the melodic black metal, melodic black/Melodic death metal, death metal band Dissection (band), Dissection. ...
) died by suicide in 2006. Founder and guitarist IT passed away in 2017.
A compilation album titled ''II Elishia II'' was released in 2019.
Members
Final line-up
* IT (
Tony Särkkä
Tony Särkkä (15 December 1972 – 8 February 2017), who went by the stage name It, was a Swedish multi-instrumentalist who played in many black metal bands. He played guitar, drums and bass guitar as well as doing vocals. He was joined by Jim B ...
) – guitar, vocals (1989–1998; ''died 2017'')
* All (Jim Berger) – vocals (1989–1994, 1996–1998)
* Night (Emil Nödtveidt) – guitar, additional vocals (1995–1998), bass (1995–1996)
* Mist (Mikael Schelén) – bass (1996–1998)
* Bone (
Ole Öhman
Ole Christian Öhman (born 13 October 1973), also known as Bone W. Machine, is a Swedish drummer who was a member of the metal bands Dissection from 1990 to 1995, Ophthalamia from 1995 to 1998, and Deathstars from 2000 to 2011. He appeared on t ...
) – drums, percussion (1997–1998)
Former members
* Shadow (
Jon Nödtveidt
Jon Andreas Nödtveidt (28 June 1975 – 13 August 2006) was a Swedish musician best known as the founder, vocalist and lead guitarist of the melodic black metal, melodic black/Melodic death metal, death metal band Dissection (band), Dissection. ...
) – vocals (1992–1994; ''died 2006'')
* Legion (Erik Hagstedt) – vocals (1994–1995)
* Mourning (Robert Ivarsson) – bass, additional vocals (1991–1994), guitar (1989–1991)
* Winter (Benny Larsson) – drums, vocals (1989–1996)
Live members
* Mäbe (Mattias Johansson) – guitar
Session members
* Day Disyraah (Dan Swanö) – guitars, vocals (1994)
* Axa (Alexandra Balogh) – piano, vocals (1994, 1995)
Discography
Studio albums
* ''A Journey in Darkness'' (1994)
* ''Via Dolorosa'' (1995)
* ''A Long Journey'' (1998)
* ''Dominion'' (1998)
Compilation albums
* ''To Elishia'' (1997)
* ''II Elishia II'' (2019)
References
External links
Official website*
{{Authority control
Musical groups established in 1989
Musical groups disestablished in 1998
Swedish black metal musical groups
Swedish doom metal musical groups
1989 establishments in Sweden
1998 disestablishments in Sweden
Musical groups from Stockholm