Rakoth

Named after the "Master of Darkness" in Nick Perumov's Chronicle of Hjorvard, Russia's Rakoth formed in 1996 and began playing literary black metal infused with J.R.R. Tolkein-inspired folk mysticism. Unlike most European black metal bands, Rakoth does not simply unleash an album-long rant of blistering riffs and evil vocals. The group's music is more dynamic, and by being so, creates a multi-hued Middle Earth filled with lore and legend, light and dark. Rakoth dealt with several line-up changes before settling on Rustam on keyboards, P. Noir on vocals and flute, Dy on guit...