* En anglais uniquement
Yet another Norwegian black metal supergroup -- or super-duo, as it were --
Ov Hell was founded in 2009 by Oslo-based vocalist
Shagrath (real name Stian Tomt Thoresen) of
Dimmu Borgir and Bergen-residing bass player King ov Hell (Tom Cato Visnes), late of
Gorgoroth (and a member of many other groups). Having recently suffered the double setback of losing legal use of the
Gorgoroth name to previously ousted guitarist Infernus and the supposed "retirement" of former partner in crime
Gaahl, King found himself in possession of some leftover song ideas that were duly completed in collaboration with
Shagrath, thus spawning
Ov Hell. Once they were ready to enter the studio,
Shagrath and King settled for nothing but the best in terms of session players, recruiting guitarists
Teloch (
1349,
Orcustus, etc.) and Arve Isdal (
Enslaved,
Audrey Horne, etc.), plus drummer Frost (aka Kjetil Vidar Haraldstad;
Keep of Kalessin,
Gorgoroth,
Satyricon,
1349, etc.).
Ov Hell's debut album,
The Underworld Regime, was released in early 2010 through Indie Recordings and showcased an intriguing blend of its creators' past experiences across black metal's most primitive and refined extremes. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia