Loading details…
Artist
XIV Dark Centuries
12+ albums
pagan metalfolk metalviking metalblack metalgerman
about
XIV Dark Centuries is a German pagan metal band from Zella-Mehlis in Thuringia. The name translates to “14 Dark Centuries” and reflects the band’s thematic focus on pre-Christian history and mythology. The band’s origins date back to 1994, when several of the later members first began playing together. After a number of line-up changes, the group was fully formed by 1998 and released its first demo recording, "For Your God", in the same year. At that stage, the band primarily saw itself as a live act and performed frequently, including appearances alongside German bands such as Menhir and Die Apokalyptischen Reiter. In 2000, a change in the guitar position brought in the new guitarist Tobalt, who subsequently became the main contributor to the band’s compositions. Due to an increasing number of live performances and growing musical complexity, a second guitarist joined in early 2002. That same year, the band released the CD "Dunkle Jahrhunderte", which largely consisted of older, previously unreleased material. New compositions created with the expanded line-up were released in spring 2003 on the album "Den Ahnen zum Grusse". Since that period, the band has described its style as “Heathen Thuringian Metal”, emphasising three central influences: paganism, regional identity, and metal music. In summer 2003, the band signed with the Austrian label CCP Records. The EP "Jul", released in 2005, featured a stronger emphasis on folkloric and acoustic elements, along with increase
