The Swedish black metal band Setherial was formed in 1993 by Zathanel and Mysteriis. Their first work, a demo recorded in 1994, was titled A Hail to the Faceless Angels, which was released without a label and never officially distributed in Sweden. A Hail to the Faceless Angels was a solid start and received positive feedback for the band. In this demo, three band members — Zathanel, Mysteriis, and Kraath (on bass and drums) — were joined by two supporting members, Devothan and Kheeroth, on guitar and vocals.
In 1995, with the help of Kheeroth and Zathanel, the album Nord was released through Also and Napalm Records, creating quite a buzz in Europe. In 1996, the band went through another lineup change and Choronzon officially became the band’s guitarist, performing excellently on their second album, Lords of the Nightrealm. This album was recorded in one of Europe’s best studios, Hellsound Studios, and Napalm Records invested more heavily in the band.
Following this, Setherial went on a European tour with Battle and Malignant Eternal, during which several live performances revitalized the band. In 1998, the band’s third album, Hell Eternal, was recorded and released, featuring vocals by their new vocalist Wrath, and guest appearances by Themgoroth from the legendary band Dark Funeral. In this album, Sasrof from The Bloodline played bass, and Moloch assisted with drums.
In 1999, due to an unknown incident, the band suffered a major theft, losing nearly all of its funds, and became inactive. It took a full year before they could restructure and begin again. Eventually, Zathanel, who had left the band, returned along with Sasrof to support the others, and after intensive rehearsals and frequent concerts, they recorded the album Endtime Divine in 2001 at Abyss Studios. However, due to unknown issues, this album was never released.
Finally, in April 2003, Napalm Records released Setherial’s last album under their label, From the Ancient Ruins, which was beautifully and powerfully produced. It marked the end of their collaboration with Napalm Records. Afterward, Setherial played only two concerts in Sweden and focused mainly on rehearsing.
The Swedish powerhouse label Regain Records signed Setherial for the album Endtime Divine, investing heavily in its production, which proved effective. After the release of Endtime Divine, Setherial became one of Sweden’s top bands, performing live with other major acts like Diabolicum, Infernal, and Dark Funeral.
Setherial’s 2006 album was pursued more seriously and with greater intensity. The album Death Triumphant, released by Regain Records, marked the label’s return after three years to support Setherial again. The drums, guitars, and vocals — or what could be called the essence of this album titled “The Cry of Death” — were recorded in November 2005 at Abyss Studio, and the bass was recorded in January 2006 at Ethereal Studio by Mysteriis. The album progressed slowly, with mixing and arrangement handled by Sverker Widgren and Mysteriis at Necromorbus Studio in late January. Finally, with cover art by Kris Verwimp, the album was completed on the first day of February.
According to reviews, the purpose of the first track The Limbo of Insanity is to cleanse corrupted black metal and restore true black metal with a heavy headbanging rhythm and meaningful lyrics about alcohol — from burning and fire to consumption — which is quite interesting. Death Triumphant, the second track, is described as a musically poetic piece written about the band members. The third track, With Veins Wide Open, became known as a killer tune, full of tempo and heavily influenced by the Nord album.
The lyrics of the track Aeons of Bloodlust were written by Mysteriis and Infaustus, centered on ancient myths, with fast-paced melodies and incredibly precise and powerful arrangement. The fifth track, Relinquishment from the Unlighted Chambers, is considered one of the band’s best works. This track leans more towards atmospheric black metal and elements of eerie or horror black metal. It is about the sleep of death in a sunken, dead city and is written and performed in prose.
Hellstorms Over the Empyrean is a classic, old-school Setherial piece with insane speed and a rhythm closer to death metal. Its lyrics, which interpret war, complete the musical vision. Inhale the Embers is the first solo-written piece by Mysteriis on the album. This track also leans back toward the Nord album and could be seen as a fusion with Endtime Divine. The theme of this piece is death and darkness.
The eighth track, Devilry, Wickedness and Scorn, makes up a major part of Death Triumphant and arguably completes the album. The music is an attractive blend of black and death metal, with excellent lyrics telling the story of a man trapped in hell, eventually released from this world.
The final track, Curse of the Manifest, is described as follows: a devastating storm among bands in the hell of black metal, ultimately meaning… Death shall triumph.
