Hecate Enthroned

Hecate Enthroned is a Welsh symphonic black metal band formed and based in Wrexham. They formed in 1993 as a blackened death metal act under the name Daemonum. In 1995 the band changed its name to their current one and embraced a symphonic black metal style that was constantly compared to early Cradle of Filth, although since 1999 their work has strayed from their earlier symphonic black metal style and has incorporated more elements of melodic death metal.

The band's name alludes to the Ancient Greek goddess of magic and necromancy, Hecate.

History

Early years: 1993-1995

The band that would become Hecate Enthroned formed in 1993 in Wrexham, Wales. They were a blackened death metal band by the name of Daemonum (previously known as Amethyst), whose members were Jon Kennedy, Nigel Dennen, Ian Maiden, Mark Watson-Jones (also from Blacklisted), Steve, Gary and Marc. They released in 1993 a demo tape, Dreams to Mourn. In 1994, after being invited by Dani Filth to play bass on his band, Cradle of Filth, Jon left Daemonum and joined Cradle of Filth, briefly replacing Robin Eaglestone. However, in 1995, Kennedy left Cradle of Filth and returned to Daemonum, changing the band's name to Hecate Enthroned and developing a more melodic black metal style. Ian, Mark, Steve and Gary left the band soon after, and were replaced by long-time bassist Dylan Hughes, keyboardist Michael Snell (also of Mephisto fame) and drummer Craig. Marc and Nigel Dennen remained both as guitarists. Ian also briefly replaced Jon as the vocalist while he was away with Cradle of Filth.

With this line-up and in the same year, they recorded their first demo tape, An Ode for a Haunted Wood.

Upon Promeathean Shores, The Slaughter of Innocence and Dark Requiems...: 1995-1998

The An Ode for a Haunted Wood tape got the attention of British record label Blackend Records, that included Hecate on its roster and remade the tape under the title Upon Promeathean Shores (Unscriptured Waters), turning it into an EP, also in 1995. Stylistically, this found the band in a more "true" black metal sound, with squashed production, growled vocals, raging tempos, blast beats and symphonic arrangements. For this release, previous bassist Dylan was replaced by Paul Massey (although he would later return to the band), also from Mephisto, Thus Defiled and Reign of Erebus.

In 1997, Craig left the band and was replaced by long-time drummer Robert "Bob" Kendrick (formerly from Art of Mutilation and also Necropsy), and in the same year, Hecate released its first full-length album: The Slaughter of Innocence, a Requiem for the Mighty, produced by Andy Sneap, which saw the band enter a faster, more brutal direction, with more emphasis on the symphonic interludes. Although it was very well-received, the band was also very criticised for being considered a "Cradle of Filth rip-off", a view that Cradle frontman Dani Filth also shared. As he stated on a 1997 interview:

In 1998, Paul Massey and Marc left the band, and were replaced respectively by Dylan Hughes (who returned to the band after leaving it in 1995) and long-time guitarist Andy Milnes; in the same year they released their second full-length: Dark Requiems... and Unsilent Massacre, this time lowering the speed and using the keyboards as the primary instrument and creating more horror-styled atmospheres, though still retaining the brutal heaviness of the first two albums.

Change in direction, Kings of Chaos and Miasma: 1998-2001

A couple of months after the release of Dark Requiems..., due to problems and creative divergences between him and the rest of the band, vocalist Jon Kennedy was fired. Keyboardist Michael also left the band; he was then replaced by Darren "Daz" Bishop, and Kennedy was replaced by Dean "The Serpent" Seddon, also of Ewoc and Nierty fame. In the following year they recorded their first album with Seddon, Kings of Chaos; its style changed drastically from that of the previous three releases, heading towards a more death metal-oriented direction, while still retaining the keyboards and dark black metal melodies of the older albums.

In 2001, Hecate released a small EP of original songs plus a cover of "Buried Alive" by Venom, entitled Miasma. In the same year, Dean Seddon guest-starred on Akercocke's album The Goat of Mendes, providing vocals for the track "The Serpent".

Redimus, line-up changes and Virulent Rapture: 2004–present

In 2004, Dean temporarily left the band, and was briefly replaced by Frostwork and Heathen Deity frontman Dagon. Keyboardist Daz also left and was replaced by Pete White. However, Dean would return for the recording of their fourth studio album, Redimus. This continues along the sound originally heard on Kings of Chaos, with death metal-style guitars, tempos and growls mixed with symphonic black metal keyboards, melodies and grim screaming. There are also elements of progressive tendencies, as evidenced in the title track and "Morbeea", an acoustic track heavily influenced by Spanish flamenco music. Jason Mendonça of Akercocke guest-stars in this album. Redimus was also the last album by Hecate Enthroned to be released by Blackend; they signed onto a new label, Crank Music Group, on September 2013.^[2]

2006 saw Hecate Enthroned embark on a UK headline tour playing in London, Southampton, Nottingham, Bradford and Wolverhampton. 2007 saw them perform in Norway at Inferno Festival alongside Immortal, as well as several shows in Spain, Bulgaria, Romania and Germany. The band was scheduled to do a gig in Bogotá in December 2012, but it was cancelled due to inner problems between the band.^[3]

In 10 December 2012, the band announced via their official Facebook page that they fired both vocalist Dean Seddon and drummer Bob Kendrick.^[4] Bob was then replaced by Gareth Hardy, and on April 14, 2013, the band announced Elliot Beaver (also the vocalist from Aeternum and Phyrexia) as Seddon's replacement.^[5]

In a 21 January 2013 interview with webzine RoarRock, the band announced that a new studio album, tentatively titled Virulent Rapture,^[6] was on the works.^[7] It was released by Crank Music Group on 25 November 2013.^[8] Sarah Jezebel Deva of Angtoria and Cradle of Filth fame guest-stars on Virulent Rapture providing soprano vocals for a track. The band is currently on tour around UK to promote Virulent Rapture.

In February 2013, guitarist Nigel Dennen and bassist Dylan Hughes were interviewed for the Hungarian documentary Attention! Black Metal!.

Band members

Current members

• Elliot Beaver — vocals (2013–)
• Nigel Dennen — guitar (1993–)
• Andy Milnes — guitar (1997–)
• Dylan Hughes — bass guitar (1995, 1998–)
• Pete White — keyboards (2004–)
• Gareth Hardy — drums (2012–)

Former members

• Jon Kennedy — vocals (1993–1994, 1995–1998), bass (1993–1994)
• Dean "The Serpent" Seddon — vocals (1998–2004, 2004–2012)
• Marc — guitar (1993–1997)
• Paul Massey — bass (1997–1998)
• Michael Snell — keyboards (1995–1999)
• Craig — drums (1995–1996)
• Darren "Daz" Bishop — keyboards (1999–2004)
• Dagon — vocals (2004)
• Robert "Bob" Kendrick — drums (1997–2012)
• Ian Maiden — vocals (1994–1995)
• Mark Watson-Jones — bass (1994–1995)
• Gary — drums (1993–1995)

Discography

Demo tapes

• Dreams to Mourn (1993 — as Daemonum)
• An Ode for a Haunted Wood (1995)

Extended plays

• Upon Promeathean Shores (Unscriptured Waters) (1995)
• Miasma (2001)

Studio albums

• The Slaughter of Innocence, a Requiem for the Mighty (1997)
• Dark Requiems... and Unsilent Massacre (1998)
• Kings of Chaos (1999)
• Redimus (2004)
• Virulent Rapture (2013)

Compilations

• The Blackend Collection (2005)

References

External links

• Official website
• Hecate Enthroned on Facebook
• Hecate Enthroned on Twitter
• Hecate Enthroned on Myspace
• Hecate Enthroned biography at Encyclopaedia Metallum