The band, based in Hyllestad, debuted on April 28th 1993 with a demo entitled 'A Sorcery Written In Blood', featuring two tracks ‘Sexual Bloodgargling' and ‘(Under) The Pagan Megalith' preceded by the intro 'Gathered At Blåkulla', actually a minute plus of incoherent screaming. A further cassette, simply entitled 'Promo'94', captured two more songs 'Katharinas Bortgang' and 'Maaneskuggens Slave'. The opening 1994 'Pentagram' album, recorded at Grieghallen Studios with producer Pytten (a.k.a. Eirik Hundvin) for French label Embassy Productions, featured EMPEROR’s Samoth (a.k.a. Tomas Thormodsæter Haugen) on bass, due to the group's original bassist Kjetter being imprisoned for his involvement in the burning of the 800 year old church Skjold Stavkirke.
A deliberate absence of lyrics, artwork and self-aggrandising promotion neatly served to focus purely on the musical content. The antecedent demo tracks all benefited from a re-cut whilst 'Sexual Bloodgargling' would be re-recorded under a revised title of 'Ritual'. 'Pentagram' gave no quarter, Gorgoroth's grim and disciplined machinations unfettered by keyboards, atmospherics, effects. Further contributions also came from Satyricon drummer Frost (a.k.a. Kjetil Haraldstad). Samoth himself was imprisoned for church burning and was duly replaced by Storm.
On the heels of the album Malicious Records issued the 7" red vinyl EP 'The Last Tormentor', two live tracks recorded at The Garage venue in Bergen on May 23rd that year. The June 1996 'Antichrist - True Norwegian Black Metal' album saw a switch to the German imprint Malicious Records, who also re-issued 'Pentagram', and featured second vocalist and guitarist Pest of Obtained Enslavement. Essentially a studio project of Infernus at this juncture, Gorgoroth’s second album, clocking in at a rather sparse 25 minutes encompassing just five full tracks and a 20 second intro 'En Stram Lukt av Kristent Blod', found the mainman supplying both guitar and bass for these sessions. For touring in Europe alongside Satyricon and Dissection the band's line-up evolved further to comprise Infernus, ex-Immortal drummer Erik Brødreskift, as ‘Grim’, with Aeternus front man Ares on bass.
It all changed again as further line-up changes hit Gorgoroth after the October 1997 'Under The Sign Of Hell' opus, again cut by Pytten at Grieghallen Lydstudio. For this outing the group de-tuned for a more guttural effect but dramatically increased the quota of riffing. Further experimentation resulted in the montage of backward spliced chanting that comprised ‘Postludium’ and the ponderously uncharacteristic ‘The Devil Is Calling’.
Infernus was now joined by guitarist Tormentor (a.k.a. Bøllo Heyerdahl), Malignant Eternal and Obtained Enslavement bassist T. Reaper (Torgrim), Trelldom vocalist Gaahl with Aeternus and Thy Grief drummer Vrolok (Erik Heggernes). Gorgoroth switched to the aggressive Nuclear Blast label in Germany for the high profile 'Destroyer, or About How To Philosophize With The Hammer' album in May 1998. This outing, mixed by Hypocrisy's Peter Tägtgren, included an unaccredited version of Darkthrone's Slottet I Det Fjerne. Keyboard contributions for these sessions, poignant on the industrialized 'På Slagmark Langt Mot Nord', came courtesy of Daimonion (a.k.a. Ivar Peersen / / Ivar Bjørnson).
Grim and Infernus would also be operational as members of Borknagar. Infernus featured on the Deskrator ‘Metal For Demons’ album of 1999. That year Gaahl activated the solo project Sigfader, issuing the 'Sigfaders Hevner' sessions. On October 4th of the same year, drummer Grim would commit suicide by drug overdose.
With King Ov Hell now installed on bass, Gorgoroth’s February 2000 album 'Incipit Satan', laid down at Sunlight Studios, was to be the group's most adventurous to date, employing samples, keyboard enhancements and the quite surreal prospect of the 50s styled 'Death Rock' excursion 'When Love Rages Wild in My Heart'. The record saw the drum stool now occupied by former Molested man Erlend 'Sersjant' Erichsen. However, this latest recruit would soon be supplanted by Kvitrafn (Einar Selvik) of Det Hedenske Folk. The instability continued as, scheduled to play South American dates in Mexico and Colombia, Kvitrafn injured his arm. Frost of Satyricon would take the position temporarily.
Gorgoroth rounded off 2001 by donating their take on 'Life Eternal' to a Mayhem tribute compiled by the Avant-garde label. Recording of a new album would be delayed as Gaahl, sentenced to a year in jail, appealed his sentence. Gaahl was sentenced without parole after an episode of extreme violence where he had repeatedly assaulted his victim. In addition, he was ordered to pay 158,000 kronor in punitive damages. By early May it would be revealed that Gaahl was indeed serving time, his sentence scheduled to run until December. During this period Tormentor had left the band.
With Gaahl released from jail, Gorgoroth began laying down vocals at Shimmer Recordings in Bergen for the album 'Twilight of the Idols (In Conspiracy with Satan)'. The original album sleeve was withdrawn in Europe as it depicted the ruins of the 12th century Fantoft stave church burned by Burzum's Count Grishnackh on June 6th 1992. The Gorgoroth duo of Tormentor and Infernus founded the Orcustus band project in league with ex-Enslaved drummer Dirge Rep. This trio debuted with a limited edition 'World Dirt Nap' 7" single.
The band landed themselves in a legal situation due to a supposedly "horrific" live performance in early 2004. Gorgoroth's show on February 1st at the Krakow TV studios in Poland before an invited audience prompted an investigation to determine whether the group had violated the country's laws by having "offended religious beliefs". Gorgoroth filmed the performance for a projected DVD release. The show included two hooded, naked girls and a naked man, all in the crucifixion position and daubed in sheep's blood. On top of this, the scene was made the more gory by having sheep's heads on spikes and sheep entrails strewn about the blood soaked stage. The show's producers claim they were not informed in advance of the nature of the performance. Metal Mind productions had procured the sheep parts and the group had set up the staging behind a curtain.
To add to the band's woes Gaahl faced a court appearance in April for allegedly "ritually" beating a man in February of 2002. According to the alleged victim's statement this abuse of a man in his forties was supposed to have been conducted at a remote farm in Fjaler in Sunnfjord, ending with the vocalist taking blood from the victim and then drinking it. If convicted the singer faced up to nine years in prison. Gaahl's mother, appearing in court in his defence, claimed she found the allegations of blood drinking unbelievable because the singer is "a vegetarian and very fussy about food". Gaahl was sentenced at Sunnfjord court in Forde to 18 months in prison. In addition to the jail term, Gaahl was ordered to pay 75,000 NOK to the victim, plus an additional 29,000 NOK in damages.
Adding to the band's turmoil Gorgoroth parted ways with Nuclear Blast Records in April. Drummer Kvitrafn would also be replaced by the familiar figure of Frost once again. However, after a matter of weeks this union would be broken off, Frost citing conflicting priorities with Satyricon.
In July Gorgoroth wrapped up songwriting sessions for the 'Ad Majorem Sathanas Gloriam' album and set about auditioning drummers. Meantime, Gaahl had appealed his sentence. In September the band recruited drummer Dirge Rep (a.k.a. Per Husebø) alongside guitarist Teloch as session musicians for their Mexican and European tours.
The French label Season Of Mist licensed the band's early catalogue of albums, 'Pentagram' from 1994, 'Antichrist' of 1996 and 'Under The Sign Of Hell' first issued in 1997 for remastered, digipack release in early 2005. For a new studio album, the group signed to Regain Records. However, on 22nd February Gaahl was sentenced to one year and two months in jail by the Gulating court of appeals. Despite this, Gorgoroth announced European touring, partnered with 1349, for November, concerts on this run being recorded for a live album 'True Norwegian Black Metal'.
The band's woes continued though when in early May guitarist Infernus, along with a friend, was sentenced to three years imprisonment by a Norwegian court. The musician was found guilty of assaulting a 29 year old woman on 27th April 2004 after meeting her at the Garage nightclub in Bergen. Infernus, who appealed the verdict, was also ordered to pay 100,000 NOK in court costs plus an additional 55,000 NOK in punitive damages.
Gorgoroth wrapped up recording of the 'Ad Majorem Sathanas Gloriam' album in early April.
In June Gorgoroth parted ways with bassist King ov Hell, issuing a statement "King has recently had problems fronting some of the ideological aspects of his band Gorgoroth's agenda. As a result, it has now been mutually agreed upon that henceforth he is no longer a member of the band."
Gorgoroth was nominated in the "Metal" category at the 35th annual Spellemann awards for the album 'Ad Majorem Sathanas Gloriam' (the Norwegian equivalent to the Grammy Awards).
In October 2006 King ov Hell rejoined the band.
The dispute over the rights to the name of the black metal band Gorgoroth began in October 2007, when it was announced that vocalist Gaahl and bassist King ov Hell parted ways with founding member Infernus. The dispute was concluded in March 2009, when a court verdict was announced in favour of Infernus, and that Gaahl and King had excluded themselves from Gorgoroth upon parting ways with Infernus.
Blood Stains The Circle
Gorgoroth Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What do you see?
Takes a while to believe
Feel the wind kissing your chin
Hold your cries make your wish
Dream away, breath...
Why did it take so long to understand?
Black sheep of the flock will soon be banned
(Journey to the sacred ground of dreamland)
To one's heart's content i'll be free again
(Visions telling secrets on the dreamland)
And my fortune ends
In the wishing well
Close your eyes what do you feel?
Hold your cries keep it still
Where am i? Why am i here?
Reasons where
Reasons why
(Journey to the sacred ground of dreamland)
To one's heart's content i'll be free again
(Visions telling secrets on the dreamland)
And my fortune ends
In the wishing well
Oh! Who knows the truth
In this world?
(Journey to the sacred ground of dreamland)
To one's heart's content i'll be free again
(Visions telling secrets on the dreamland)
And my fortune ends
In the wishing well
Close your eyes,
What do you see?
Make your dreams
Come true again
Where am i? Why am i here?
Dreaming is believing,
Your wishing well
The lyrics of Gorgoroth's song "Blood Stains The Circle" are heavily laden with metaphysical and spiritual references. The song seems to suggest that the path to wisdom and understanding comes only through shutting oneself off from the physical world and immersing oneself in the dream world or the world of the imagination. The opening lines ask the listener to close their eyes and contemplate what they see. Perhaps this is an invitation to introspection, to look within oneself to find the answers that may not be readily apparent in the outside world.
The lines "Takes a while to believe / Feel the wind kissing your chin / Hold your cries make your wish / Dream away, breath" are particularly poetic and seem to be urging the listener to let go of their fears and turmoil and allow themselves to be swept away by the power of the imagination. The repeated refrain "Journey to the sacred ground of dreamland" suggests that the dream world is a sacred place where deep truths and secrets can be uncovered.
The final stanza is even more explicit in its spiritual references. "Dreaming is believing / Your wishing well" seems to suggest that the power of the imagination to realize our deepest desires should not be underestimated. Overall, the song is a deeply philosophical and personal reflection on the importance of introspection and the power of the imagination.
Line by Line Meaning
Close your eyes,
Take a moment to reflect and meditate
What do you see?
Visualize your inner thoughts and desires
Takes a while to believe
It takes time to comprehend and embrace the truth
Feel the wind kissing your chin
Feel the air and appreciate the small joys in life
Hold your cries make your wish
Suppress your fears and make a hopeful wish
Dream away, breath...
Relax and drift into your subconscious mind
Why did it take so long to understand?
Reflect on moments of realization and comprehension
Black sheep of the flock will soon be banned
Outliers will be excluded from conformity
Don't loose your hope, wish away
Stay optimistic and continue to have aspirations
(Journey to the sacred ground of dreamland)
Explore your imagination and delve into your dreams
To one's heart's content i'll be free again
Freedom will come once desires are fulfilled
(Visions telling secrets on the dreamland)
Dreams can reveal hidden truths
And my fortune ends
Hopes and dreams have a limit
In the wishing well
A metaphor for wishing and hoping
Close your eyes what do you feel?
Take a moment to appreciate your senses
Hold your cries keep it still
Stay composed and keep emotions under control
Where am i? Why am i here?
Question your purpose and existence
Reasons where
Search for reasons and answers
Reasons why
Delve deeper into the reasons for existence
Oh! Who knows the truth
The truth is elusive, and many may not know it
Make your dreams come true again
Keep striving towards fulfilling your goals
Dreaming is believing,
Believe in the power of your dreams
Your wishing well
Your hopes and aspirations
Contributed by Avery J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Goat Lord
on Burn in His Light
This is fucking bullshit. I may not understand the full lyrics, but the "lyrics" sound nothing the words in the song. It started out with something like "Cast out the disgraced. Lord Satan forever lord" or something like that.