Septicflesh

Septicflesh is a Greek symphonic death metal group from Athens, formed in 1990. The band begins as Septic Flesh and later adopts the single-word spelling Septicflesh. It comes from Attiki, Athens, and remains active from 1990 to the present. Its current lineup includes Christos Antoniou, Set<’H>, Σωτήρης Βαγενάς, Bob Katsionis, Krimh and Fotis Giannakopoulos.

Formation and early releases

The group forms in 1990 by Sotiris Vayenas on guitar, with brothers Spiros Antoniou on bass and vocals, and Christos Antoniou on guitars. Its debut EP, Temple of the Lost Race, appears in 1991 on Black Power Records. The first full-length album, Mystic Places of Dawn, is recorded in early 1994 at Storm Studio with co-production from Magus Wampyr Daoloth, who has previously played keyboards for Rotting Christ, and is released in 1994 on Holy Records. The follow-up, Esoptron, appears in 1995, also on Holy Records, and is produced by the band with George Zacharopoulos, with recording and mixing at Storm Studio and mastering by Sonic Contact in Athens.

1990s activity and lineup changes

Between 1991 and 1997 the lineup remains stable apart from the addition of singer Natalie Rassoulis as a session member on The Ophidian Wheel and A Fallen Temple, both released in 1997 and 1998. After this period the band splits in 2003. Following the breakup, Christos Antoniou continues with Chaostar, which he forms in 1998, while live keyboardist Bob Katsionis later plays guitar for Nightfall and keyboards for Firewind. The Devilworx forms in 2004 and includes some former members from the original Septicflesh lineup. Sotiris Vayenas later announces a solo project called Aenaos.

Reunion and later albums

Septicflesh reunites in 2007 for the Greek Metal Healing Festival, and soon after confirms work on a new album for Season of Mist. Communion is recorded at Studio Fredman in Sweden and released in 2008. By this time the band has formally changed its name from Septic Flesh to Septicflesh, with Christos Antoniou explaining that the new form simply looks better while keeping the same meaning.

The band then releases the single “The Vampire from Nazareth” ahead of The Great Mass, which appears in 2011. Titan follows in 2014. In late 2014, Krimh joins as the new full-time drummer after the departure of Fotis Benardo. The band later works on its tenth studio album, Codex Omega, which is released through Prosthetic Records in 2017.

Style and label

Septicflesh is described as symphonic death metal and is also tagged with death metal, gothic metal, melodic death metal, symphonic metal and atmospheric death metal. It releases material through labels including Black Power Records, Holy Records, Season of Mist and Prosthetic Records.