Seigneur Voland

I

n 1996 Anno Bastardi was confined in jail for (apparently) grave desecration, and violating a cadaver when he conceived of the idea of Seigneur Voland. This concept was an impious treptic based on the "Ubermensch annunciation of the Semitic God's death and the rising of a neo-pagan/satanic order and the worship of the Aryan blood", or so he claimed in the brochures.

After his release from jail in April 1999, his idea became reality when L.F. (guitars) and Anthony Mignoni (a.k.a. Xaphan; ex-Kristallnacht; vocals) joined together. Together, with a session drummer and bassist, they completed a split EP with fellow French anthemic black metallers, Chemin De Haine (Céremonie Chaotique... Pour Un Monde Mourant - Acte II (2002)) and another a year earlier titled Gathered Under the Banner of Concilium (2001) with Blessed in Sin and Kristallnacht. After the 2002 release, Rimmon (ex-Infect) joined to permanently take over the drum stool, with Rost joining on bass shortly thereafter.

In 2001 a EP was completed as well as a video of their live performance in St. Orens with comrades Blessed In Sin. The compilation Consumatum Est, was released in 2001 featuring two new tracks. Their self-titled mini-album, featuring heavy bass driven black metal came shortly later. The idea behind Seigneur Voland was not to impress the listener with their skills or technical aptitude, but rather to blast ones ears with high speed black metal sung in the French language, and that's exactly what that release offered.