| Von | |
|---|---|
| Origin | San Francisco, California, USA |
| Genres | Black metal |
| Years active | 1989–1992 2010- |
| Labels | Von Music Group |
| Associated acts | Von Venien, Abscess Eatmyfuk Sixx |
| Members | |
| Goat, Von Venien | |
| Past members | |
| Snake, Kill | |
Von was a black metal band from San Francisco, California, USA. They are thought to be the first American black metal band, and have strongly influenced the second wave of black metal.
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Von was formed in 1989 by Goat (then using the pseudonym Von), Snake, and Venien. After Venien (for personal reasons) departed in 1990, Goat and Snake played one gig as a duo. In early 1991 Kill joined the band and the trio recorded their first demo, Satanic Blood. During 1991-1992 Von played a couple of live gigs and recorded another demo, Blood Angel, which was never released on its own. The band disbanded shortly after the release of Satanic Blood in 1992.[1]
In 2003 Nuclear War Now! Productions released Satanic Blood Angel, a double CD compilation featuring the band's demos on one CD and a recording of a live show on another. Beside the Satanic Blood demo, it remains the only official Von release.[1]
The band reformed for a one off show on June 6, 2010 at the Armageddon Fest in London, England. Watain and The Devil's Blood opened for the band marking the first time they have played live in 20 years.
To commemorate the show the band put out a brand new 7 inch single with re-recorded versions of Satanic Blood and Veadtuck, and a brand new song titled Blood Von. The 7 inch was released on VMG Records with a limit of 500 copies.
Von played highly simplistic black metal with short songs based on almost continuous blast beats (occasionally accompanied by drum fills) and repetition of only from one to three riffs, each containing only about three or four power chords. The vocals were performed in a guttural growling fashion more characteristic of death metal than black metal.
Von can be seen having been ahead of their time, playing minimalistic black metal on a time when the genre was virtually non-existent, especially in the thrash-oriented West Coast.
Von have gained a cult following in the black metal underground since their disbandment and the few recordings of Von are considered classic and pioneering black metal. Prominent black metal bands have covered Von, either on record or live (or both), including Dark Funeral, Enthroned,[2] Krieg, Taake and Watain (who are also named after a Von song[3]), to mention a few examples. Also, in addition to spreading copies of the Satanic Blood demo,[1] Varg Vikernes of Burzum did arguably direct promotion for Von by wearing their t-shirt in one of his murder trial sessions.[1][4]
The band's name is sometimes falsely thought to be an acronym for "Victory Orgasm Nazi(s)". Varg Vikernes used those words to spell the band's name during a phone interview because the interviewer apparently did not hear the name correctly.[1] According to the band, the name stands for "nothing but images of darkness and blood."[1] Ironically, the word von means hope in some of the Scandinavian languages, from where the band's main musical influence is originated.
Several bootlegs exist, mostly containing the Satanic Blood demo, one notable example being a split compilation with Dark Funeral entitled Devil Pigs, released by Karmageddon Media.[6]