1349

Formed: 1997
Genre(S): Black Metal
Representative Albums: 1349 , Liberation, Beyond the Apocalypse,Hellfire, Revelations of the Black Flame (2009)

1349 is a Norwegian black metal band from Oslo, Norway, formed in 1997. The band's musical style and songwriting is modeled after that of bands from the Second Wave of Norwegian black metal of the early 1990s, and notably does not incorporate synthesizers. As a result, 1349 have been compared to the early incarnations of Enslaved, Darkthrone, Immortal, and Mayhem, previously being described as much heavier than most other black metal bands. The band rejected the more commercial style of black metal exhibited by some bands, however their latest studio album Revelations of the Black Flame shows a "new musical direction" for 1349, as it often incorporates a more ambient and "slower sound.

The name 1349 comes from the year the Black Death reached Norway.

History

1349 formed in 1997 and comprises several former members of the band Alvheim. Their drummer, Frost is also a member of Satyricon.

1349 tour on a regular basis; their live shows often begin with fire-breathing. In recognition of their influences, the band performed a cover of Mayhem's "Buried by Time and Dust" on their debut album, Liberation. At their live shows they have also covered Celtic Frost, the band that vocalist Ravn cites as his principal influence.

In 2006, they toured the USA with Celtic Frost. Ravn also appeared on Celtic Frost's 2006 album, Monotheist, performing guest vocals on the CD digi-pack bonus track, Temple of Depression. In 2007, during the French Hellfest festival, they were slated to play during the day, but asked to reschedule their appearance to play in the dark instead. During their appearance at the Oslo Inferno Metal Festival on March 2008, the band was joined on stage by Celtic Frost frontman Tom Gabriel Fischer for a rendition of the Celtic Frost song "The Usurper".

In September 2008 they toured with Carcass, Suffocation, Aborted and Rotten Sound titled as the Exhume to Consume Tour.

A music video of 1349's song 'Sculptor of Flesh' was released following the band's 2005 album, Hellfire. The video, directed by Judd Tilyard not by the fictional "Don Budd" as reported by MTV, alternates between footage of the band performing the song in Norway and clips of surgery filmed in Australia.

During the winter of 2008 the band recorded their long awaited fourth album Revelations Of the Black Flame.The album is co-mixed by Tom Gabriel Fischer and has a European release date of 25th of May 2009. Revelations of the Black Flame marks a change in direction for the band as songs on the album are slower than previous releases and there are also some dark ambient and industrial tinged tracks.

Discography

Studio releases

• 1349 (2000)
• Liberation (2003)
• Beyond the Apocalypse (2004)
• Hellfire (2005)
• Revelations of the Black Flame (2009)


Demos

• Demo (1998)
• Chaos Preferred (1999)

Videography

• Sculptor of Flesh (2005)

Band members



• Ravn – vocals, drums (since 1997)
• Archaon – guitar (since 1999)
• Seidemann – bass (since 1997)
• Frost – drums (since 2000)

Touring members

• Tony Laureano – drums (since 2006)
• Mads Hardcore – drums (since 2007)
• Destructhor – guitar (since 2008)

Former members

• Balfori (Lars Larsen) – guitar (1997–1998)
• Tjalve (Andrè Kvebek) – guitar (1997–2006)

Former touring members

• Teloch – guitar (2006–2007)

Related bands

• Alvheim – The band from which 1349 was originally formed
• Satyricon – The primary black metal band of 1349's drummer Frost
• Pantheon I – Tjalve's new project, also joined by Seidemann

Official website: http://www.legion1349.com/