Thergothon - Fhtagn-nagh Yog-Sothoth

Demo, Self-Released

November 1991

The later 80's and early 90's were witness to some of the most intimidating happenings in the world. This was nothing else than the upsurge of the underground extreme metal movement which was growing pandemic-ally, all over the globe. It was the time when bands were seemingly involved in a rat race to outdo each other in terms of speed and brutality. But there came a time when a few archetypal bands had something opposite to offer. They were the ones who paved way for the seemingly bizarre doom metal genre. The speed was minus-ed but the heaviness and atmosphere was given profound emphasis. Of course, Black Sabbath had already shown light to these persecutors a long time back, but some of them were ready to take the level to a newer and dizzying height. If Candlemass shook the world with their brand of sorrowful doom metal on Epicus Doomicus Metallicus, bands like Dream Death, Sempiternal Deathreign, Winter, Asphyx etc took the down tempo madness to a newer altitude.

Enter 1991, and a bunch of Finnish lads were preparing for something even more heavier and unfathomably heavy. They were none other than the mighty Thergothon, who were about to weave a spell of occult and gloom with their brand of heavy, down tuned death/doom metal.

The moment you glance through the name ''Fhtagn-nagh Yog-Sothoth'', a Lovecraftian image sprawls through your head and the obscure cover art and song titles justify this to quite a good extent as well. But the real deal arrives when you push the play button and get adorned by an aura of phantasm.

This isn't something which was done before during that time and was indeed a pretty innovative step as far as extreme metal is concerned. The hybrid of death/doom had already evolved but this release was tad ahead from it. Thergothon basically experimented with a much slower and denser attempt at death/doom, coupled with some really atmospheric and droning passages, chants (mainly on Elemental) and a really guttural vocal approach. Overall, it was a release which was much ahead of its time.

Tracks like Elemental are one of those defining moments in metal, where a single piece of aural ritual transports you to a newer level altogether. It oozes with droning melodies and intense vocal chants. Its something which bands like diSEMBOWELMENT embarked on in their career. This track alone stands like a pillar in this whole demo and perhaps the entire Thergothon discography. Spectacular to see that how one single master class song can weave a labyrinth of mysticism around your mind.

The subsequent track ''Evoken'' perhaps gave the soon to be funeral death/doom legends Evoken, their name itself. This song is actually a wonderful collection of sombre wailing of the guitar and some gloomy keyboard minimalism. These elements probably shaped up the entire trait for funeral doom metal.

''Yet the Watchers Guard'' continues in the same fashion and successfully creates a funeral-esque landscape of never ending lamentation.

''The Twilight Fade'', provides the already magnificent demo, a stellar and colossal end. But once the curtains fall down, you don't seem like it's the end of this epic saga. Because this was the beginning of something epochal. Nothing else before this had created an impression so bizarre and bleak. Whilst, the death metal tribe was still raking in the moolah with their ferocious aural assaults, the more deeper sheaths of the underground had got something new to look ahead. After all, a whole new tribe, consisting of enchanters of doom and melancholy, was about to put its strife ahead.

Thanks to Thergothon, a new era of extreme music was born and the various offspring's were only plunging the doom-laden journey deeper into obscure abysses.