Black Flame (band)
Black Flame is an Italian black metal band, formed in 1998 in the districts surrounding the towns of Asti and Turin. History Black Flame was formed by Cardinale Italo Martire, Serpentrax and m:A Fog in 1998. They started playing black metal in a way generally perceived as "cold and raw" by the black metal scene, strongly influenced by the occult both musically and lyrically. There are very few traces of the band's first years of activity, since at that time the band had no official website and was communicating with fans and media only through letters or email. "Welcome" and "Orgiastic Funeral" Demo era 2001-2002 Black Flame released their first two demos Welcome and Orgiastic Funeral in 2001 and 2002, followed by several live performances. Both demos raised a lot of interest in the band which culminated in the recruitment of the drummer m:A Fog by the Italian cult band Mortuary Drape. This event helped Black Flame to be known also outside Italy and as a result of this the German label Sombre Records released in late 2002 a 350 copies limited 7-inch EP entitled From Ashes I'll Reborn. "The Third Revelation" and "Torment & Glory" Album era 2003-2004 The first full-length album by Black Flame was released in April 2003 with the title The Third Revelation and created a sort of speculation among media and public about considering it a proper full-length album or not, since it was self-released by the band. However, the media reacted very well to the record, adding a more official confirmation to the will of the band to consider it a proper first full release. This album included a cover version of the Mortuary Drape song "Abbot", with Mortuary Drape's original vocalist, Wildness Perversion on vocals, as a clear statement of a Band deeply rooted in the old school of extreme metal. The live activity of the band increased a lot in 2003 and culminated in a show with Norwegian bands Carpathian Forest and Tsjuder. Their second full-length album, Torment and Glory, was released by Eerie Art Records in CD format in later 2004, accompanied by a release in LP format by the American label Shades of Death Records and a tape version by the Italian Bylec-Tum Prods. "Conquering Purity" and "Imperivm" Album era 2005-2008 After doing some more live work, the band again returned to the studio and released their third full-length album, Conquering Purity, in May 2006, an album which was very well received. Reviews applauded in particular what was seen as the incredible intensity of the work and its genuine roots in the late 1980s' sound. The album featured Peter Kubik, guitarist from the Austrian band Abigor, as songwriter. In 2006, Black Flame became the first band to sign on Forces of Satan Records, the Norwegian record label run by Gorgoroth guitarist and founder Infernus. The complexity of Black Flame compositions, progressively increased through all the releases, brought them to add a second live session guitarist for the live performances, so