Tsjuder is a Norwegian black metal band founded in 1993. Originally from Os… Read Full Bio ↴Tsjuder is a Norwegian black metal band founded in 1993. Originally from Oslo, Tsjuder was formed in 1993 by bassist and vocalist Nag and guitarist Berserk, with second guitarist Draugluin joining in 1994. After a year of rehearsals and writing, the band record their first demo tape, entitled Ved Ferdens Ende—shortly after, Berserk left the band. Tsjuder replaced him with drummer Torvus for their second demo tape, 1996's Possessed. The following year, Tsjuder underwent another change in its formation, with Torvus being fired, and his replacement Desecrator, along with American guitarist Diabolus Mort, recorded the Throne of the Goat EP, released through Solistitium Records in 1997. Later in 1998, both Diabolus Mort and Desecrator left the band due to "lack of interest". The full-length debut album was then planned with Blod from Gehenna on drums, and Arak Draconiiz from Isvind; who joined the band as guitarist. They then, recorded the promo Atum Nocturnem actually meant for Blod to rehearse, but indie labels had begun to pay attention to Tsjuder's "totally uncompromising brand of brutal, speed-addicted black metal" and it was eventually released by At War Records in 1999. Later that year, Tsjuder signed a deal for two albums with Drakkar Productions, and the debut album Kill for Satan was recorded. Because of time limits and that Blod was unable to join the band on the first planned tour in 2000, Christian "Anti-Christian" Svendsen joined instead on the drums.

After the release of Kill for Satan, Arak Draconiiz moved away from Oslo, and was replaced by Pål. In October 2001, Svendsen had to leave the band, because he got tendinitis in both arms. Guitarist Pål also left the band due to his working hours. Svendsen was replaced by Jontho of Ragnarok, and this line-up recorded from December 2001 to January 2002, which became the band's second studio album Demonic Possession, which was released through Drakkar Productions in 2002. Norwegian label Mester Productions also re-released the Throne of the Goat EP on picture disc in a limited edition of 666 copies that same year. In 2003, the recovered Svendsen returned to Tsjuder, replacing the drummer Jontho. The band signed to the French label Season of Mist in April 2004, and, after striking this new deal, their third full-length Desert Northern Hell was released in November 2004. Tsjuder toured Europe with Carpathian Forest in early 2005.

As of 2006 the band had split up, but reunited to play at Wacken Open Air festival in August 2011 and continued to tour afterwards. A fourth studio album, Legion Helvete was released in October 2011 and a fifth, Antiliv, in September 2015. The band are reportedly working on a sixth album, originally scheduled for release in 2020, but without drummer Svendsen who left in June of the same year.

Musical style and lyrical themes
The music in Tsjuder is mainly written by Nag and Draugluin, citing as main musical inspirations, the black metal bands from the early 1980s and early 1990s such as Bathory, Celtic Frost, Darkthrone, Gorgoroth, Immortal, Marduk, Mayhem, and "old" thrash metal bands Destruction, Kreator, Possessed, Sepultura, Slayer, and Sodom.

Tsjuder's lyrics are written prior to the music, and are based on topics such as darkness, death, evil, hatred, demons, antireligious themes, Satanism, horror films, and the fictional book Necronomicon, that appears in the stories of horror novelist H. P. Lovecraft, considered as a "great source of inspiration" by frontman Nag.

Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsjuder

Studio albums
Kill for Satan (2000)
Demonic Possession (2002)
Desert Northern Hell (2004)
Legion Helvete (2011)
Antiliv (2015)

Dying Spirits
Tsjuder Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Under the rising moon
Man's spirits rise
As they believe to soon reach
The pinnacle of ecstacy

Under the full moon one can hear
wolves screaming
In the dead of night

Commencing the gruesome war
Of the spirits
With man anaware of
The shattering of their dreams

Under the declinig moon
Wolves gather
To make a tribute
To the decay of man's spirits

Under the black moon
The wolves rejoice
As their victory is complete

In the Darkness
Ravens fly

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Tsjuder's song "Dying Spirits" depict a haunting scene that is shrouded in mystery and full of symbolism. The opening line creates an image of an ancient ritual or ceremony, with the "rising moon" symbolizing the beginning of the process. As the spirits of men rise, they believe that they will soon reach a state of euphoria or ecstasy, but this is merely an illusion.

The second verse describes the sounds of the wolves howling at the full moon, which is a common depiction in folklore and mythology. This serves as a warning to the listeners, suggesting that there is a war of spirits taking place in the dead of night, which humanity is unaware. The wolves are a metaphor for primal instincts, while man represents logic and reason. The shattering of man's dreams is a result of the struggle between these opposing forces.

The third verse describes the gatherings of wolves as the moon begins to decline, which is interpreted as a sign of the decay of man's spirits. Finally, the wolves rejoice under the "black moon" as their victory is complete, signaling the triumph of primal instincts over reason and logic.

Overall, "Dying Spirits" is a haunting and chilling song with deep symbolism and meaning, exploring the themes of human nature and primal instincts that are often ignored or suppressed by society.

Line by Line Meaning

Under the rising moon
During the time when the moon is emerging from the horizon

Man's spirits rise
People's souls and emotions elevate

As they believe to soon reach
As they think they are getting closer to

The pinnacle of ecstacy
The highest point of euphoria

Under the full moon one can hear
When the moon is at its brightest, it's possible to perceive

wolves screaming
Wolves howling loudly

In the dead of night
During the time when darkness prevails

Commencing the gruesome war
Beginning a cruel conflict

Of the spirits
Between the ethereal entities

With man anaware of
While humans are ignorant of

The shattering of their dreams
Their aspirations are breaking apart