Kult ov Azazel

Biography

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Kult ov Azazel (2000-2015, 2015-present): a Black Metal band from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA.

he unholy birth cries of Kult Ov Azazel were first heard in April of 1999, under the infernal name of simply Azazel. Hailing from South Florida, masterminds Xul (vocals) and Xaphan (Real Name: Julian Hollowell; guitar) decided to join forces, for their own grim vision. They would initially practice with session drummers but eventually summoned the talents of Von (Real Name: Vaughn Glenn) for drums to release the 6 track EP Order Of The Fly later that same year, along with the 2 track promotional tape Forever Heaven Gone. Ritualistic live shows then commenced to promote their debut release, an album that gave a nod to the old-school black metal elders while musically beating the unsuspecting black metal underground scene into submission.

Not long after the release of the Order of the Fly, Von left, and a new drummer was conjured under the name of Hellspawn. This new lineup continued to abuse audiences at various venues in South Florida until the time came to record more songs. Three new tracks, and a re-working of Forever Heaven Gone were recorded for a split CD with fellow US black metal band Krieg; the split CD would not reach the public for some time, however. But the Order Of The Fly EP went out of print, much faster than anyone would have expected. The band concentrated on promoting their forthcoming split CD by releasing another two song promo tape, Of Evil And Hatred, consisting of Destruction to the Throne Of God (a demo track, now a KoA classic, from the split) and a cover of Mayhem's Chainsaw Gutsfuck, a track recorded in October of 1999 with Vetis on drums.

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June of 2000 marked a turning point for the entity formerly known simply as Azazel. Deciding to distance themselves from other bands using the same name, they re-anointed themselves as Kult ov Azazel. At around the same time, Hellspawn left the fold, and the Kult took their next step by signing with 'Arctic Music Group', a deal that saw their distribution and budget increase. A tour commenced with session drummer Vetis in tow that was followed by a 50 copy re-issue of their Order Of The Fly EP by 'Blood Fire Death Records' in August of 2000 with an extra track added, as well as revised art depicting the band under their full name proper of Kult Ov Azazel. Xaphan and Xul then took time off to focus on creating new material to unleash upon mankind, after-all they were "never ones to sit back and relax while there are Christians left to burn and spite".

The time had come for Kult ov Azazel to release a full length, and in November of 2000 they entered the studio to exorcise their newest release, Triumph Of Fire, an album released the following year boasting 11 tracks [ahem "hymns"] to the forces of hatred, an album that attempted to demonstrate that true black metal in its raw, pure and sometimes ugly form was still around, successfully living up to the band's motto of "No Beauty, No Atmosphere, No Tranquility". Some of the tracks it contained were older ones, re-ignited by Xaphan's new found affinity for sick sounding harmonies and twin guitar parts, but others were brand new, but all were devastating. It was a manifesto of blasphemy and misanthropy, and embodied everything Kult ov Azazel stood for.

Just before the release, however, between the ending of the studio ritual and the release of the album, two more releases, recorded earlier, were finally released in the form of the CDR Gather Against Humanity split on 'Christ Crusher Records' (featuring Kult ov Azazel, Obitus, Humanicide, Thy Lord; 2001) and the aforementioned Kult ov Azazel/Krieg split (2001) on 'Genocide Music'

In 2001 the band would undergo another line-up change with Hammer on drums, and in 2002 they incorporated a second guitarist, Nocturath. Amazingly, in a short span of time Kult Of Azazel evolved from a vision to a rising force and more hatred and blasphemy was demonstrated with a spate of releases in 2003 for Order of the Fly was re-issued by 'Autopsy Stench Records' as an LP, as was Assaulting the Masses their first live LP and Kult Ov Azazel/Satan's Blood split 7", while 'GoatowRex' created a cassette titled Grandaevus Dæmonum before 'Arctic Music' launched the much anticipated follow-up proper of Oculus Infernum with Hammer (Real Name: John Goss; drums) and Nocturath (Real Name: Joshua Bowens; guitars/vocals (backing)) .

'Inquisition Musik' got the signatures for the Black Mass Consecration (2004) compilation, while 'Arctic Music' re-issued Triumph of Fire. Order Of The Fly (2004) as a cassette by 'Sephiroth DP', while Oculus Infernum was re-issued in vinyl by 'Into The Pentagram Records'.

Nocturath left to join Helcaraxe and was replaced by VJS at the Northern Lights Festival in Toronto, Canada. Two splits Feast of Sacrilegious Impurity split (2006) and Through War or Suicide split (2005) followed soon after.

The World, The Flesh & The Devil (2005) would be the last for VJS for he was not present on the follow-up Destroying the Sacred (2009). Thru to 2016 a set of split releases would arrive featuring Armanen (guitars/vocals (backing); who left in 2010 and returned to take up bass in 2012 only to leave again in 2015) and Necrol (guitars; who arrived in 2013 to leave in 2015 but return later that same year). The group had returned to demo status by the release of The Dawn of Luciferian Enlightenment in 2016.

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