Graveland is a Polish pagan black metal band formed in 1991 by Rob Darken, born Robert Fudali. Initially conceived as a solo project, the band began within the black metal genre before gradually incorporating elements of pagan and Viking metal. Its lyrical themes draw on European mythology, nature, winter, and warfare. Early material was influenced by Celtic and Slavic mythology, while later works focus more on Norse mythology and Wotanism. The band has often been associated with the National Socialist black metal scene due to its imagery and themes. Darken founded the project in 1991 and was influenced by bands such as Bathory and Emperor. He recorded the early demos "Necromanteion" and "Drunemeton" alone. In 1993, drummer Maciej "Capricornus" Dąbrowski joined, and together they recorded "In the Glare of Burning Churches". In 1994, they were joined by Grzegorz "Karcharoth" Jurgielewicz, formerly of Infernum, and recorded the EP "The Celtic Winter", which was released by No Colours Records, a label that continues to issue the band's later material. The debut album "Carpathian Wolves", recorded in 1994, marked the band's first full-length release and attracted attention from larger labels. Graveland subsequently signed with Lethal Records, which released the second album "Thousand Swords". This album showed a stylistic shift from raw black metal towards a more melodic and folk-influenced sound incorporating Viking metal elements, and it is often cited by listeners as one of the band's most significant releases. Following reported controversies involving statements by Darken, the band parted ways with Lethal Records. Darken later established his own label, Isengard, later renamed Eastclan, and reissued "Thousand Swords" in various formats. The album was subsequently re-released multiple times by No Colours Records with differing artwork and formats. The third album, "Following the Voice of Blood", released in 1997, continued the development of a more atmospheric and epic style. With the 1998 album "Immortal Pride", influenced in part by the soundtrack of "Conan the Barbarian", the band further expanded its use of keyboards, choral arrangements, and extended compositions, resulting in a more symphonic and epic approach. The album consists of a small number of lengthy tracks, reflecting this shift in style. In 2000, Graveland released "Raiders of Revenge", a split release with the RAC band Honor, as well as "Creed of Iron / Prawo Stali". From this point onward, Darken continued the project without Capricornus as a regular drummer. For many years, Graveland remained primarily a studio project, but in November 2015 Darken announced the formation of a live line-up, and the band performed its first concerts in April 2016. In 2018, the band released a re-recorded version of "Dawn of Iron Blades", featuring updated instrumentation and additional vocals. The single "Possessed by Steel" followed in 2020. The album "Hour of Ragnarok", the band’s thirteenth studio album of original material, was released in 2021. Graveland’s lyrical content and public statements by Darken have generated controversy. Darken has described himself as a Heathen and has expressed opposition to Christianity, advocating a return to pre-Christian European belief systems. He has also made statements concerning ethnicity and cultural identity that have led to accusations of far-right and neo-Nazi sympathies. Darken has addressed these accusations in interviews, offering differing characterisations of his views while acknowledging that some perceive his positions as aligned with extreme right-wing ideologies. Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graveland Studio albums Carpathian Wolves (1994) Thousand Swords (1995) Following the Voice of Blood (1997) Immortal Pride (1998) Creed of Iron / Prawo Stali (2000) (released in English and Polish versions) Memory and Destiny (2002) The Fire of Awakening (2003) Dawn of Iron Blades (2004) Fire Chariot of Destruction (2005) Will Stronger Than Death (2007) Spears of Heaven (2009) Thunderbolts of the Gods (2013) Ogień przebudzenia (2014) (re-recording of "The Fire of Awakening" in Polish) 1050 Years of Pagan Cult (2016) (re-recording of songs from the band's old demos and studio albums) The Fire of Awakening (2017) (re-recording of the album of the same name from 2003) Dawn of Iron Blades (2018) (re-recording of the album of the same name from 2004) Hour of Ragnarok (2021)