Bloodcult, The

Formed in 1996 by brothers Alexandros and Kostas Karras – primarily known as founders of the longstanding Black Metal band MEDIEVAL DEMON as well as owners of the Athens-based label/store Bowel of Noise – THE BLOODCULT could be described as a mélange of atmospheric and partly experimental Dark Wave/Doom Metal with Gothic overtones. Joining the duo was also a female vocalist/moaner called Stella. Before releasing their infamous (at least in some circles) debut album “Night’s Plutonian Shore” (1998), the band put out two demo tapes (both in 1996), which feature most of the songs that eventually made it onto the first album, but here presented in less polished packaging. A second album called “Pay Day” followed in 2000 and marked an alteration in sound towards more industrial sonorities.

Not to make fun of the band, but THE BLOODCULT works within roughly the same stylistic spectrum as what the legendary Swedish metal music reviewer Hatpastorn would refer to as “kontinental knullgoth” (translates into “continental intercourse-goth”, but the pun is probably lost in translation). This obviously derogatory term was coined in reference to the contemporary rise of tedious romance/eroticism-obsessed Goth Metal acts such as the Norwegian TRISTANIA or Italy’s MACBETH, which generally possess very low cultural capital. However, it should be noted that THE BLOODCULT – at least during their demo days – works within a much more atmosphe-driven and unorthodox style than the above-mentioned bands. As long as they focus on establishing a dark and oppressive ambience, they’re doing alright. It’s when the vampire-with-a-boner-thing gets the upper hand that things take a turn for the worse.

Compilation appearances:
* Into the Catachthonium Vol. 3 [CD, Comp: Unisound, 1998]