Disharmony (black metal)

Not to be confused with their Heavy Metal namesakes also hailing from the capital, DISHARMONY belongs to the golden generation of Hellenic Black Metal with a history reaching back to the formative years of the movement around 1990/91. While the band’s sound has certainly undergone gradual metamorphosis over the years (not least following the reformation in 2014) their distinctiveness has been kept as a constant in the sense of not adhering to any of the genre’s standardized sounds. Even during their most “Hellenic-sounding” and in retrospective probably most well-known period around 1993’s 7” EP “The Gate of Deeper Sleep” (recorded at Molon Lave Studios), DISHARMONY stood out with their idiosyncratic and Occult-tinged approach to Black Metal, which arguably sounds as close to early SAMAEL as it does to ROTTING CHRIST or VARATHRON.

DISHARMONY’s trajectory can be divided into two main periods: 1990/91 to 1995 and 2014 to the present. During their first incarnation, the band recorded three demo tapes, which witnessed a gradual refinement of sound. Starting from the crude dabbling in primordial Black/Death Metal on “Day of Doom” (1991) and working towards a sort of culmination on the obscure and dream-like pairing of the “High Priestess” demo tape and the previously mentioned “The Gate of Deeper Sleep” 7” (both released in 1993). Following the release of the “Vade Retro Satana” (2016) compilation CD/2LP, it also came to our knowledge that DISHARMONY did some additional recordings around 1994-1995, but these were as far as we know never officially distributed.

During their five years of original existence, many members passed through the ranks, many with imaginative aliases such as Cursed Pharaoh (guitars), Blind Priest (drums – NORDOR) and The Unholy Rapist (guitars – AGATUS, EREVOS). Most consistent of the bunch is definitely mainman/songwriter Damien King III (vocals, guitars, bass – THE RENAISSANCE DANCE/DECADENCE), sole member to participate on all entries in the DISHARMONY discography (including both eras)

After the initial breakup of DISHARMONY in the mid-1990s, Damien King III pursued different although surely related musical goals with THE RENAISSANCE DANCE, which begun as a Heavy/Black Metal hybrid but subsequently shifted style towards some form of Neofolk/Experimental/Neoclassical composite à la Cold Meat Industry (yep, they did release at least one CD on CMU) when the band was renamed DECADENCE.

Perhaps due to the 7” re-release of the “High Priestess” tape on Floga Records in 2014, DISHARMONY reawakened after nearly 20 years of outward absence from the scene. Following in the heels of the previously mentioned “Vade Retro Satana” career retrospective, DISHARMONY unleashed their first proper full-length album in 2017, concisely entitled “Goddamn the Sun” (2017). In addition to the sole remaining original member Damien King III (vocals), the new lineup included guitar wizard Jim “Deathstalker” Dogoulis (MYTHAL) (who allegedly co-wrote the album with Damien) along with three members of Hellenic Black Metal revivalists CAEDES CRUENTA: Konstantinos “Echetleos” Dimitrakopoylos (bass – ITHAQUA, KAWIR, etc.), Giannis “Maelstrom” Votsis (drums –EMBRACE OF THORNS, NERGAL, etc.) and “Nocturnal Caller of the Moon” (keyboards – ITHAQUA, OPUS MAGORUM, etc.) Although keeping the underlying spirit of their early years intact, DISHARMONY returned with a new sonic guise, seamlessly blending (in classic Hellenic methodology) Black and Heavy Metal into a thunderous and catchy album graced with an organic sound that brings an odd reminiscence of the golden years of Metal during the 1980s.

“Goddamn the Sun” was followed up the next year with the equally potent, yet more introspective/ritualistic inclined “Messe De Minuit” EP (2018) – as is evident from the inclusion of the 20+ minute occult celebration “Midnight Mass”. Originally issued as a cassette-only release limited to 100 copies, the EP was eventually re-released on CD/LP, although still in relatively limited qualities.

For those who wish to acquaint themselves with this band, there’s probably no better place to start then the “Vade Retro Satana” compilation. Here you can listen to songs from their first era, as well as a handful of newly recorded tracks and then move on to their more recent releases.

Compilation appearances:
* Delictum Compilation #2 [Cass, Comp, Numbered: Self-released (Delictum Zine), 1993]
* Metal Under… Greece [LP, Comp, Limited (500), White: Molon Lave, 1993]
* Hellas - The Black Death Anthology [2CD, Comp, Limited (1000): Kyrck Productions, 2006]
* Necrical Ecstasy [Cass, Comp, Numbered: Self-released, ?]