Prehistory
The band was formed in Ulyanovsk, Russia in 1992 and didn't have any name for some time, but it appeared quite shortly - INTERMENT. There were three gloomy guys in the lineup: Ilya Polagushin (vocal, guitars), Mikhail Antonov (bas) and Sergey Schepochkin (drums). Young blood was up, and they were longer to play as brutally as possible, so as a result debut demo "Mutilated Reality" had seen the light in April 1995. The album was done in the best traditions of brutal death metal. The exception was the final song "My Suffering", which thin a brutalism slightly. This demo tape had a very good response from the fans and good reviews in the underground press.
Soon drummer left the band, guys searched for replacement, but in vain. At that moment band turned to the more slow and melodic music in the vein of aforementioned "My Suffering". Along with the music, the name has changed to THE MISERY. Second album "Her Forgotten Face" was released in 1996. It was 100 % doom metal, something like CREMATORY style. By that moment band was in the state of collapse, besides that the condition became worse because of the uncompleted lineup and lack of gigs. Due to this, guys fell down to a deep depression and disappeared for almost three years.
Beginning - Making The Child ...
But as the saying is, thing that done is the best thing. So in spring 1999 band with fresh power, new lineup and new name - BLACK COUNTESS - released killer MCD "Child Of The Demonic Moon" in the black/doom style. Music became much faster but still filled with melodic solo-guitars. Some samples and live erotic female voices and sensual moans were used successfully. All this features were laid down to the gothic, or even vampiric, canvas of keyboard background, which was created very carefully. This keyboard lines were recorded by two session musicians: Ilya Vakulenko and Katerina Krivova. Young talented guitarist Dmitry Martyanov became new full time member of the band. Quality of the recording went out just excellent, and finally drummer was replaced by well-programmed drum-machine with quite real sound.
After having released "Child Of The Demonic Moon" band played a couple of gigs in Ulyanovsk, dividing scene with such bands as MORBIT, ALKONOST, FLAME EXERGON.
Album got good and excellent responses from press and fans. Reviews and interviews with band appeared in The Surly Sullen Bell webzine, Vae Solis webzine, Thorn zine. Songs from "Child Of The Demonic Moon" was included in Unholy Dark Castle Compilation Vol. 4 "Nothing Sacred Is Anymore" and "Idillia" compilation Vol. 2.
Some distributors also showed their interest: album was (is still being) distributed by Blacksmith Prod. (Russia), MusicMind Prod. (Russia), Beverina Prod. (Latvia), Autumn Sun Distro (Ukraine), Hell Division Distro (Russia).
The Sequel - More Blood, More Desire
At the same time the work at the new stuff was kept. The music became faster, with more various melodies and symphonic sound. Lyrics were concentrated on dark and magnetic world of erotica and vampirism.
Recording of the album lasted more than two months from February to March of the year 2000 at the Morbit studio. Finally, in the May CD "Blood, Desire and Dead Nenuphars" was officially announced to be unleashed.
By the end of the summer 2000 the band was joined by drummer Radik Velikov and guitarist Alexander Somov (ex. A-51), due to it Ilya got the opportunity to perform on the stage as a free vocalist. Eugenia Khazina and Katerina Krivova were engaged as keyboard players in gig's participations.
At the end of 2000 BLACK COUNTESS reached the agreement with Latvian label Beverina Production about releasing 500 copies of MC "Blood, Desire and Dead Nenuphars". Thanks to label's active work this release saw the light of the day already in January 2001 and was taken into distribution by different European labels.
20 January 2001 the first BLACK COUNTESS' out gig took place in Syzran city. The band played with Flame Exergon and Morbit. Excellent sound, light and organization (thanks to Flame Exergon!), excellent fan's reaction make Syzran's gig the best band's show so far.
Getting on with promotion, BLACK COUNTESS took part in some radio-show, such as Charon's Chronicles (Russia), Metal On Wave (Italy), Beverina (Latvia). The number of publications in press also enlarged: the band appeared in Fortitude webzine (Moldavia/Romania), Terroraiser zine (Ukraine), Vae Solis webzine (Russia), Metal PL webzine (Poland).
Year 2002 turns out not very fruitful for the band, although all stuff for the new album was prepared in the middle of the 2001, but various problems regarding studio and rehearsal room did not allow starting the record process for a long time. Besides, the band had to part with the drummer due to his irresponsible attitude and weakness for drugs and alcohol. And on the top of all these miseries, the bassist – Mikhail – broke his right hand, and the fracture was so complex that he wore a plaster for almost 9 months. Trying to get over these hardships the band kept gigs participation and distribution of the albums. As a result, new reviews appeared in press, songs from "Blood, Desire and Dead Nenuphars" were included into different compilations.
Part III - Double Strike
Finally in the end of 2002 – beginning of 2003 studio related problems were solved and Black Countess started the recording. By that time an amount of new stuff increased a lot, so that it was decided to record two albums simultaneously. The first - "Carnivorous Romance" - was a full-length release. In comparison with its predecessor "Blood, Desire and Dead Nenuphars", the music became more complex and more polyphonic, the sound - harsher. The Album possessed a conception and contained a narration of lost forest castle, its carnivorous dwellers and their beautiful and seductive mistress. The second album - "Queen of the Winter" - was an EP, the music there was more melodic. The main difference from the other Black Countess's works was Russian lyrics. The album contained four new songs, instrumental version of song Vampiric Nymphomania from full-length "Carnivorous Romance" and splendid cover version of the song "In the Service of the Evil Force" by the legendary Russian band Aria.
The recording was completed by the end of July, and the band started to search for a label again. In October Black Countess got a proposal from the oldest Russian metal-label MetalAgen Records, and in November the sides signed the deal for six albums (four existing, and two forthcoming albums). Three months were spent to resolve all troubles with cover, but finally the debut CD "Carnivorous Romance" saw the light of day at the end of April. This is a joint release of MetalAgen Records and young Russian metal label Metalism Records.
Other Black Countess’ albums are to be released soon. And the band has already began to prepare new stuff for recording.
