KATHAARIA

Kathaaria biography
KATHAARIA is a German progressive black metal duo from Marl, consisting of guitarist Denis SCHNEIDER (aka Opolus) and drummer/vocalist John GRUMPTMANN (aka Helvegr).

The original lineup was a trio featuring Michael Schwarz (aka Sado Ivan) on drums. The band issued their first demo, "Promo 2000", at the turn of the century, playing a brand of black metal influenced by HELLHAMMER, DARKTHRONE and even CORONER. SCHWARZ would leave the band late 2001, with GRUMPTMANN taking over drum duties and eventually changing his nom de guerre to Helvegr. KATHAARIA's sophomore 2003 demo would compile their first release along with a SABBAT cover from a tribute compilation, along with two new songs, "Venus Dementia" and "To Dare Not Speak Its Name," which expanded on the experimentation at which the band only hinted on their first demo.

Demonstrating more challenging and progressive compositions taking inspiration from the more avant-garde strains of French and Norwegian black metal, those tracks would be re-recorded for KATHAARIA's debut and sole album, "The Complex Void of Negativity", released by End All Life Productions in 2008. After over a decade of inactivity, KATHAARIA featured a new song on the Celticmoon tribute album "Crows Gather" in 2019.

KATHAARIA will inspire fans of VED BUENS ENDE, SHINING, DøDHEIMSGARD, ONIRIK, FARSOT and THORNS.

-----Thanks to Gordy for providing the bio and picture-----