Obscure Italian Metal Bands of the 80s/90s

BATHIM Style: Black Metal City: Bergamo Active from 1994 to 1999 Line-up: Lord Iconoclast (bass) Lord Serber (drums) Faust (guitar) Kleudde (guitar) Tyrant (vocals) Formed in 1994 as Amrita, they changed name in Bathim in 1995. They released only one demo ("Vexilla Regis Prodeunt Inferni") in 1998, then disbanded in 1999. Some members went on to form Unholy Land.

NYARLATHOTEP Style: Black Metal City: Palermo Active from 1998 to 2002 Line-up: Lord Inrakar a.k.a. Imrakar (guitar) Tenebrio a.k.a. Gioaccchino Stabile (vocals, 2001-2002) Nefandus a.k.a. Sirio (vocals, 1998-2000) Nekhator (bass) Sharnath a.k.a. The Dark Sharnath (drums) Lord Inferos (guitar, 2002) Shudde 'ell a.k.a. Giorgio Arcara (keyboards, 2001) Formed in 1998, they released a demo ("Rise Of The Black Pharaoh") in 2000, an EP ("Tenebra") in 2001, a live album ("Hateallfuckingpeople") in 2002 and a compilation ("Under The Pyramids") the same year. A full album entitled "Deorum Cultus" was planned to be released in 2002 but never materialized.

WITCH HUNTERS Style: Heavy Metal  City: Pavia Active from 1987 to 1991 Line-up: Graziano Forni (keyboards) Cesare Forni (guitar) Christan Nant a.k.a. Christian Nanti (bass) Davide Maggioni (vocals) Paolo Losio (drums) Formed in Pavia in 1987, they were a keyboard-oriented band, but  with some dark and NWOBHM influences and with lyrics dealing with Witches. They released one self-titled demo-tape with 8 tracks in 1990 and a full-lenght LP ("Cry For The Moon", private pressing, limited edition, 300 copies) in 1991.

 ANGRYON Style: Gothic Metal / Black Metal City: Mantua Active from 1995 to 2001 Line-up: Tiziano "Tizio" Valente (guitar) Thomas Mantovani (drums) Simone Zarotti (vocals) Luana Messena (keyboards) Eugenio Bellini (guitar) Roberto Dinnella (bass) Serana Savioli (vocals) The band was founded in 1995 by Tiziano Valente in the Mantua region.  After a few months without a drummer, he met Thomas Mantovani from the thrash metal band Diskarika. They started writing songs and singer Simone Zarotti and keyboardist Luana Messena joined the band. A few more months later, other three members joined: Eugenio Bellini as guitarist, Roberto Dinella on bass and Serena Savioli on backing vocals. At this point they started playing live in northern Italy and released their demo "Eternity Beyond The Silence" in 1998. They released another demo in 2000 ("Ghost In The Mirror"), then disbanded the following year. The band reunited for just one show in December 2009.

BLACK DEAL Style: Thrash Metal City: Turin Active from 1984 to 1988  Line-up: Cristian Zanirato (guitar) Michele Nallino (bass) Massimo Cavagliato (drums) Marco Rigon (vocals) The band was formed in 1984 in the juvenile prison of Ferrante Aporti in Turin where future members of the group were serving their sentences (Cristan Zanirato and Michele Nallino, held in jail, soon became friends of Mauro Cavagliato, who was working as guard and is the brother of drummer Massimo Cavagliato). Musically they began as a band influenced by NWOBHM, then evolved towards thrash metal. They recorded a couple of demos ("Demo 1985" in 1985 and "Escape" in 1986) and contributed to two compilations, but their violent lifestyle (heavy drugs and alcohol) did not abandon them, making them come and go from Italian prisons. In 1988 the band split-up and guitarist Cristian Zanirato started a solo career under the pseudonym of Chris Holder. In 1992 Zanirato died of heroin overdose and bassist

MECLET Style: Folk Metal / Black Metal  City: Naples Active from 1995 to 1998 Line-up: Luigi Ugolini (bass, vocals) Daniele Ciao (drums, kyboards) Pino Salviati (vocals, guitar) Raffaele Sodano (guitar) Formed in Naples in 1995, the name Meclet comes from the Latin "miscete" and means "mix, blent, entwine, exchange, embroil": it's a common medioeval euphemism for having sexual entercourse and was also used during the Sabbath with the formula "Meclet! Meclet!". Meclet's lyrics are inspired by the Parthenopean folklore and mix English, Latin and Neapolitan languages. They released only one demo ("Maleventum") with six tracks in 1997 and then disbanded the following year.