Opera IX is an Italian symphonic black metal band, founded in the city of

Biella Biella (; ; ) is a city and (municipality) in the northern Italy, Italian region of Piedmont, the capital of the Province of Biella, province of the same name, with a population of 44,324 as of 31 December 2017. It is located about northeast of ...

by the guitarist Ossian in 1988.

History

Early years: 1990–1995

In 1990 the band made the first demo tape "Gothik". There were many line-up changes, eventually settling with

Cadaveria Cadaveria, real name Raffaella Rivarolo (born 31 May 1972), is an Italian musician famous for being one of the first women to enter the extreme metal scene in the early 1990s, as former vocalist and keyboard player of the symphonic black metal ...

's vocals, Ossian at guitar, Vlad at bass and Flegias at drums. The band's early occult metal sound was switched to a mix of gothic,

death Death is the end of life; the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain a living organism. Death eventually and inevitably occurs in all organisms. The remains of a former organism normally begin to decompose sh ...

, and

black metal Black metal is an extreme metal, extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include Tempo#Beats per minute, fast tempos, a Screaming (music)#Black metal, shrieking vocal style, heavily distorted Electric guitar, guitars played with tr ...

. The second demo, which contained 4 songs, led to a contract for a 7-inch EP, which came out in 1993. The first 500 copies were sold out in 2 months. In the meantime, the band filmed "The Triumph Of The Death" containing 2 videos: Born In The Grave and The Red Death. At the end of 1993, Silent Bard, a musician with classical background, joined the line-up on keyboard. The band released its first full album, '' The Call of the Wood'', in 1995 under Miscarriage Records. The album contains 5 long songs and has a play time of about 60 minutes. After the CD was released, Opera IX replaced the keyboard player with a new member: Triskent. Opera participated in ''A Call To Irons'' an

Iron Maiden Iron Maiden are an English Heavy metal music, heavy metal band formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris (musician), Steve Harris. Although fluid in the early years of the band, the line-up for most ...

tribute album, also for Miscarriage Records. The cover chosen by the band was "The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner". Other bands on the album included Vital Remains and Absu.

''Sacro Culto'' and ''The Black Opera'': 1996–2001

In April 1998 the band's second full-length album '' Sacro Culto'' was released by the Belgian label Shiver Records. There are six songs in total, for a duration of 70 minutes. The new keyboardist on the album is Lunaris. The CD was presented in digipak format and a video was made for "Fronds of the Ancient Walnut". In the

year 2000, Opera IX signed to Avantgarde Music. In January of the following year they recorded their third album, '' The Black Opera - Simphoniae Misteriorum in Laude Tenebrarum'', at the Underground studios in

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...

. ''Black Opera'' sold approximately 18,000 copies. In September 2001 Avantgarde released a remastered ''The Call of the Wood'' with new cover artwork and two bonus tracks: "Rimes About Dying Stones" and "Born In The Grave".

''Maleventum'' and ''Anphisbena'': 2002–2008

Flegias and Cadaveria left the band to form a new musical project,

. Opera IX reformed with Taranis on drums and Madras on vocals. Their fourth album, entitled '' Maleventum'', is a concept album about witchcraft and paganism. It was recorded in January 2002 at The Damage inc studios in Ventimiglia. Madras and Taranis left the band at the same time it was finishing the new album '' Anphisbena''. As of December 2003, the current Opera IX line up features M The Bard on vocals and Dalamar on drums.

New albums 2009–present

The band has recorded a new album which was planned to be released sometime in the beginning of 2011 by

Displeased Records Displeased Records was a Dutch independent record label, founded by Lars Eikema and Ron Veltkamp. The label had many Dutch and other extreme metal bands on its roster, but has also re-released albums by Agathocles (band), Agathocles, Cryptopsy, In ...

. The drum recording has been completed by Dalamar, the bass recording has been completed by Vlad, the recording of the first guitar has been completed by Ossian. The band also posted two video previews of the new album on YouTube. On 15 April 2011 the band terminated the contract with Displeased Records because the label "would no longer guarantee the conditions in the signed contract". Shortly thereafter, the band signed a contract with Agonia Records. A music video for the song Mandragora has been released. The album, '' Strix: Maledictae in aeternum'', was finally released in 2012, followed by '' Back to Sepulcro'' in 2015.

Discography

Studio albums

*'' The Call of the Wood'' (1995) *'' Sacro Culto'' (1998) *'' The Black Opera: Symphoniae Mysteriorum in Laudem Tenebrarum'' (2000) *'' Maleventum'' (2002) *'' Anphisbena'' (2004) *'' Strix: Maledictae in aeternum'' (2012) *'' Back to Sepulcro'' (2015) *''

The Gospel The gospel or good news is a theological concept in several religions. In the historical Roman imperial cult and today in Christianity, the gospel is a message about salvation by a divine figure, a savior, who has brought peace or other benefi ...

'' (2018)

Extended plays

*'' The Triumph of the Death'' (1993)

Compilation albums

*''90-92-93 The Early Chapters'' (2007)

Live albums

*''The Triumph of the Death'' (1994) *''Live at Babylonia'' (1998) *''Mythology XX Years of Witchcraft'' (2008) *''Sabbatical Live'' (2013)

Demo releases

*''Gothik'' (1990) *''Demo '92'' (1992)

Members

Current

* Ossian – guitars (1988–present) * Dipsas Dianaria - vocals (2018–present) * Charon - bass (2018–present) * m:A Fog - drums (2014–present) * Alessandro Muscio - keyboards (2014–present)

Former

* Daniel Vintras – vocals (1990) *

– vocals (1992-2001) * Madras - vocals (2001-2002) * M the Bard - vocals, guitars (2003-2014; died 2017) * Abigail Dianaria - vocals (2014-2018) * Vlad - bass (1990-2014) * Scùrs - bass (2014-2018) * Flegias - drums (1992-2001) * Taranis - drums (2001-2002) * Dalamar - drums (2003-2014) * Silent Bard - keyboards (1993-1995) * Triskent - keyboards (1995-1997) * Lunaris - keyboards (1997-2006)

Timeline

References

External links

Official website

Official page at Displeased Records
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Opera Ix Blackened death metal musical groups Italian black metal musical groups Italian death metal musical groups Italian gothic metal musical groups Italian musical quintets Musical groups established in 1988 Symphonic black metal musical groups