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Back in 1989, Chris Anderle and Franz Josef Krebs began to gather musicians who were able to express their morbid moods and unholy emotions through litanies of dark, extreme Metal music. Ancient Ceremony became a reality when several members (partly sessionists) joined the band to complete the line-up under the Winter Moon of 1991. Here began the formation of the band's musical identity with powerful guitars, atmospheric keyboards, extreme vocals and Satanic lyrics. In 1993 the first successful step into the international underground was done with the "WHERE SERPENTS REIGN" demo. The first live appearance took place in June 1992 and performances with bands such as In Flames, Absu and Impaled Nazarene were following.
February 1994 saw the own-release of the "CEMETARY VISIONS" cult-MCD, a dark infernal Metal aria which was re-issued one year later through Alister Records and achieved global distribution.
Inspired and influenced by many different genres of Metal music, classical composers, horror movie soundtracks, photographies presenting dark erotica or sinful sexuality and also literature of a Satanic, Gothic or occult nature, Ancient Ceremony already here could easily proof that their individually created “Devilish Trinity“ - consisting of music, lyrics and artwork - is to be seen as a very important aspect in the band's concept from the first day on.
In December 1996 Ancient Ceremony signed to London based cult-label Cacophonous Records and released the worldwide successful albums "UNDER MOONLIGHT WE KISS" (1997) and "FALLEN ANGEL’S SYMPHONY" (1999) under their banner. With these two dark-symphonic albums the band could win many new fans all over the planet, not the least as gigs with a.o. Dimmu Borgir, Moonspell, Umbra et Imago and Therion were played.
Faithful to their motto "There is no real Art without the Influence of the Devil" and after several changes in the line up Germany's longest existing formation in Black/Death Metal again gave a shit on current trends and followed their paths consequently without limits to themselves and their diabolical spirits.
Through "SYNAGOGA DIABOLICA" (Alister Records, 2000) Ancient Ceremony definitely went more "back to their roots", located in the mentioned mixture of extreme Metal with dark horror-elements, so that not only Metallica's cultsong "Creeping Death" but also an own classic ("Choir of immortal Queens") got a new interpretation on this epic. Lyrically the album deals with different facets of Satanism, such as mythological, poetical, historical, modern or philosophical ones. Vocalist Chris has been in contact with several international Satanic organisations and lodges for many years now which causes a favourable effect on his lyrics.
Anno Satanas XXXV the band played – after several international open airs and festivals as well as many club gigs – their first headliner tour which led them through 6 European countries. The most important step forward for Ancient Ceremony was the deal with the Trisol Music Group, one of the world’s leading independent labels, which was signed in summer 2001.
The band nowadays has 4 permanent members: Chris (Satanic Screams), Jones (Bass), Patrick (Guitar), Christoph (Keyboard) and is completed for works in the studio or on stage by different session members.
Released through Trisol/Armageddon Shadow on 25.01.2002 the actual album “THE THIRD TESTAMENT“ achieved many enthusiastic reactions, fantastic reviews and incredible sales figures from all over the world so that Ancient Ceremony are definitely ready to attack the black throne of their genre!
In the meanwhile a new drummer (Manuel) and also another guitarist (Bales) were established so that this now hopefully constant line up started kicking ass all over Europe at festivals, open air events and club shows.
The blasphemy scandal in summer 2003 brought the band into media worldwide. Being confirmed for one of Germany’s biggest Metal festivals, church and city government forced the promoters to take Ancient Ceremony from the billing as the band would spread blasphemy and Satanism (which is essentially true). In their fight against this censorship and obvious religious stupidity they achieved massive support from fans, magazines and other bands but authorities still want to see them banned. A song about the incident was composed, entitled “P.uritan’s B.lasphemy C.all” (PBC is a radical x-tian party that also has taken some influence on the cancellation) and it will be released either on a special MCD or as bonus track on the upcoming album “Holycaust – Angelus Mortis”. Recordings for the next strike will start in August and the band hopes for a release in early 2004.
To be continued eternally…
Black Roses on Her Grave
Ancient Ceremony Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Bloody Baroness, Thine is my Heart eternally!
Destiny led us together
Destiny took Thee away, oh Phantom of my Dreams
Thy spooky Fancy now seems lost to me
Awaked by feverish Screams
my Nights bath me in Lust and Desire
Suck - ubus Copulation, exploding dying Stars
"Bring to my Grave a black Rose
whenever mighty Death chose
to take me at His Hand!"
My lovely Mistress, may I fullfil those sensual Words
Thou whispered to me fairy-like as perpetual Testimony:
"Per Disciplinam meam Tenebrae videbis"
"Desdemona in this Grave doth sleep
Darkside Secrets She doth keep
bring to Her Roses, black as Night
to make Her Thy demonic Bride!"
Gravestone unveils this mystic Script
ghostlike it is carved in
Temptating me for Orgasms with the Dead
"Desdemona in this Grave doth sleep
Darkside Secrets She doth keep
bring to Her Roses, black as Night
to make Her Thy demonic Bride!"
The lyrics of Ancient Ceremony's song Black Roses on Her Grave are a poetic representation of the singer's intense attraction to a woman named Desdemona, who is buried in a grave. The lyrics commence with the singer expressing his love for Desdemona and pledging his heart to her eternally. However, destiny plays its harsh hand and takes Desdemona away, rendering the singer's world spooky and incomplete. The singer is gripped with feverish screams and haunted by lust and desire. The lyrics then reference the sexual act of copulation and allude to the cosmic energy exchange that occurs in a moment of intense passion.
In the second half of the lyrics, the singer asks for black roses to be brought to his grave when death takes him. These words were whispered to him by his mistress, Desdemona. She is described as a dark and mysterious force, sleeping in her grave and keeping dark side secrets. The gravestone bears an inscription tempting the singer to indulge in orgies with the dead. In the end, the lyrics call for black roses to be brought to Desdemona's grave, to make her the demonic bride of the singer.
Line by Line Meaning
A Requiem to the most ardent witnessed Beauty
This song is a Requiem (musical composition) for a very beautiful woman who has been witnessed as an ardent lover.
Bloody Baroness, Thine is my Heart eternally!
The woman in question is a Baroness and she has captured the singer's heart eternally.
Destiny led us together
Fate brought the singer and the woman together.
Destiny took Thee away, oh Phantom of my Dreams
However, fate also took the woman away, leaving the singer feeling as if he has lost a phantom from his dreams.
Thy spooky Fancy now seems lost to me
The singer feels like he has lost the woman's spooky and mysterious personality.
Awaked by feverish Screams
The singer is awakened by feverish nightmares.
my Nights bath me in Lust and Desire
The singer's nights are filled with lustful and desirous thoughts.
Suck - ubus Copulation, exploding dying Stars
The singer engages in sexual acts that are compared to the explosion of dying stars.
"Bring to my Grave a black Rose
whenever mighty Death chose
to take me at His Hand!"
The singer requests that someone bring a black rose to his grave when he dies.
My lovely Mistress, may I fullfil those sensual Words
Thou whispered to me fairy-like as perpetual Testimony:
"Per Disciplinam meam Tenebrae videbis"
The singer asks his lover if he can fulfill the request she made to him about bringing black roses to her grave. She had whispered this request to him in a fairy-like way and he sees this as a perpetual testimony of their love.
"Desdemona in this Grave doth sleep
Darkside Secrets She doth keep
bring to Her Roses, black as Night
to make Her Thy demonic Bride!"
The woman's name is Desdemona and she is buried in a grave. She keeps some dark secrets that the singer is not aware of. The singer asks that black roses be brought to her grave to make her his demonic bride.
Gravestone unveils this mystic Script
ghostlike it is carved in
Temptating me for Orgasms with the Dead
The gravestone unveils a mystic script that is carved in a ghost-like way, tempting the singer to engage in sexual acts with the dead.
"Desdemona in this Grave doth sleep
Darkside Secrets She doth keep
bring to Her Roses, black as Night
to make Her Thy demonic Bride!"
This verse repeats the singer's request for black roses to be brought to Desdemona's grave to make her his demonic bride.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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