A tale from Finland, land of snow, forests and thousand lakes...
Reverend Bizarre was founded in 1994. Lohja, a small industrial town in southern Finland, witnessed the wall of sound created by doomsters Albert Magus, Peter Vicar and Juippi. From the beginning it was clear there would be no big venues available for this kind of music in Finland, but love and respect for the true Doom Metal kept them on the right path. After the three fellows had returned from the army, Peter had to move to the city of Turku. This happened in the fall of 1997. At the same time Juippi's habit with certain stimulants started to affect his playing. It soon became impossible for the Reverends to carry on as they were.
Luckily enough, Albert moved to Turku in the summer of 1998. Two doomsters Magus and Vicar realized it was time to resurrect Reverend Bizarre. To complete their unholy union they joined with Albert´s old band mate Earl of Void, who had just been released from the prison. Heavy rehearsals started in the winter of 1999 and the true joy of playing was found immediately. To promote their mission they recorded their first demo, 'Slice of Doom', in three days. What happened in 16th, 17th and 23rd of August 1999, was a solid foundation for their mission of spreading the old school Doom Metal. With the demo CDr they also sent following statement:
"Listen! Reverend Bizarre is Finland´s first and only old school doom metal band. City of Turku seems to lack interest in good old 70´s and 80´s style doom music, so they are currently searching a way to make their music know across the world´s "massive" doom-scene. One of the ways to accomplish this is their new promotional CD, Slice of Doom, which they are sending to some promising record companies in hope of signing a record deal. Also it seems necessary to contact all known and survived doom zines. Reverend Bizarre tries to travel to the fountains of true HEAVY metal in fashion of Sabbathian classics, such as Saint Vitus, Pentagram, Witchfinder General, Trouble, The Obsessed and others... Purity is the key! The main principle is that exact rules give you musical and lyrical space, where to develop your own expression. The core of those rules is the Law: Doom what thou wilt!
"It is truly impossible task to publish this kind of music in Finland. One of Reverend Bizarre's main goals is to be able to keep on spreading the knowledge of old school doom metal. If you are able to benefit their cause, be welcomed to contact Reverend Bizarre's Holy Parish of Doom as soon as possible. All those loyal souls will be blessed and hailed as true puritans! Thank God there is still Faith in the Earth - there ain´t a day when Reverend Bizarre would stop believing in their message and the power of real music. It will come through! Doom on!"
This proud declaration by Reverend Bizarre's Holy Parish of Doom, not to forget 'Slice of Doom', was a starting point for something which Magus, Vicar and Void had not expected. Their work was well received, to say the least. Russ Smith (Black Tears), Gabriel Lilliehook (GL-productions), Malcolm Dome (Metal Hammer), Rich Walker (Solstice, Miskatonic Foundation), etc... The list of believers is long and impressive. Russ and Rich have special importance for Reverends, since they have supported the mission with strength. But what was unbelievable, was the fact that there was and is an active group of old school doomsters in Finland, too. The bands Minotauri and Spiritus Mortis still play genuine Doom, and have toured with Reverend Bizarre under the brotherhood of "Friends of Hell!".
Reverend Bizarre's music will appear on Miskatonic's excellent international Doom collection 'At the Mountains of Madness vol. II', and Black Widow Records' 'Not of This Earth', a science fiction tribute. Reverend Bizarre is also on Psychedelic Zine's compilation 'Out of Focus vol. I' and Raven Moon Record's tribute to Saint Vitus, 'A Timeless Tale'.
Reverend Bizarre's first album, 'In the Rectory of the Bizarre Reverend', is out through the sublabel of Mastervox Records, Sinister Figure! Licenced to Low Fequency Records. Gigs are coming up, puritans are awake, the crusade against trendy stoner shit goes ever on... Doom over the World!
Source: http://www.metalprovider.com
