Faustcoven

Formed: 2002
Genre(s): Black Metal




Faustcoven is a black/doom metal band from Norway, founded in 2002 by Gunnar Hansen. Faustcoven is aiming for a heavier, more gloomy sound than the usual sound of modern black metal bands. In an interview by The Metal Crypt, asked about his inspirations for Faustcoven's style, Hansen stated the following:

I wanted to do something completely different, something darker and heavier. I also am heavily into old doom metal, and saw that the sound and heaviness of bands like Saint Vitus and Pentagram was very compatible with the more evil and frentic approach of Bathory, Venom and Mercyful Fate. And I just loved the idea of combining it into something both heavy and sinister.

History

Faustcoven is a Black/Doom Metal band from Norway, started in 2002 by sole member Gunnar Hansen (with Johnny Tombthrasher, and Terje Kraaboel having contributed live drums in the studio). The sound of Faustcoven however, is far removed from what one usually expects from Norwegian Black Metal, being mainly inspired by the first wave of Black Metal, trad./proto Doom and classic Heavy Metal of all shapes.
The production is bassy and heavy not the usual trebly & thin B.M.-production, the riffs groovy and midpaced instead of tremolo raping two note melodies, and no blastbeats are to be seen for miles around. Instead of frozen forests and evil elves, the atmosphere of Faustcoven invokes horror and DOOM. Oh yeah, and; No corpsepaint! Neither is Faustcoven a Funeral Doom band in disguise, the riffs are more dynamic, trying to follow the lead of Sabbath, Pentagram and Hellhammer/Celtic Frost rather than the more static, droney riffs many other Black/Doom bands use. The most modern part of Faustcoven is probably the extensive use of dissonance, lending a sense of eeriness to the music, but the total package is one mans personal time machine back into the 80’s (and sometimes even the 70’s).
Signed on die hard old school label Barbarian Wrath, the discography of Faustcoven so far apart from demos, includes 2 full lengths (The Halo of Burning Wings (2003) and Rising From Below the Earth (2008)) and one 7’’ split with fellow Norwegian band Koldbrann released in 2006.

The next several months will also see the two albums released as LP’s on legendary vinyl label Nuclear War Now!, a demo/rehearsal anthology on Under the Sign of Garazel, and a split 7’’ on Iron Tyrant with German labelmates Cultes des Goules. The next full-length, tentatively titled “Hellfire & Funeral Bells” is also in the works, although it will not be released anytime soon.
While representing a rebellion against everything modern, gothy and sterile, as well as the so called old school mid 90’s clichés of Black Metal, firmly rooted in the underground, what Faustcoven first and foremost is, is a passionate declaration of love for everything that was great about 70’s and 80’s Metal, and a salute to the gods of the riff.

Faustcoven played live for their first time at the Hole In The Sky festival in Bergen, Norway the 26th of August 2009.

Studio albums

• The Halo of Burning Wings (2003)
• Rising from Below the Earth (2008)

Compilations and split releases

• Koldbrann/Faustcoven (2006) – split single with Koldbrann.
• The Priest's Command (2009) – consist of tracks from the two demos, rehearsal tracks from The Halo of Burning Wings and one previously unreleased track (Atomsmasher).

Demos

• Satanic Doom 2002 (2002)
• The March of Cloven Hooves (2003)

Band members



Current members

• Gunnar Hansen – vocals, guitar, bass (2002-present)
• Johnny Tombthrasher – drums (2004-present)

Official Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/faustcoven