This seems pretty simple but I'm looking for any brutal music (preferably metal but other genres like hardcore or industrial would be acceptable too) that is about the darker side of history, I'm talking about horrible depictions of genocide, war, rape etc in a historical context. I know theres alot of metal bands with history lyrics like Iced Earth or Ancient Rites, but I'm not really looking for basic history channel stuff. Some good examples of what I like are some of Nile and Marduks later stuff.

A ton of thrash metal is about the horrors of war and genocide, I'd start there. Sodom is a good one.

Cradle of Filth - Godspeed on the Devils Thunder is probably something you'd be interested in.

Ah, finally I can plug this band:

Impureza | Brutal/Tech Death Metal w/ Flamenco influences | France
http://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Impureza/65960

Although "Anti-Christianity" is mentioned as their only lyrical inspiration, they tackle various subjects about ancient Spain; the whole Muslims conquering Spain angle, Spanish Inquisition & the like. Just one problem, their lyrics are in Spanish, maybe that's an instant nope but imo it gives more authenticity to the subject matter.



These guys should be touring with Nile, Melechesh & Behemoth. Too bad they are known to 4 people in the world.

Oh my God yes, this band was exactly what I was looking for! Thanks!

Responses like this just make my day! You're welcome

This is also perfect for me because I'm trying to do more blackened death metal stuff with folk influences, but there aren't particularly a lot of well known bands doing stuff like this other than Nile and Melechesh.

That reminds me of:
Narjahanam | Black/Death w/ Middle Eastern Folk influences | Bahrain

http://www.metal-archives.com/bands/%D9 ... 9%85/99139

Some big label needs to pick these guys up. Fresh sounding while still being brutal as fuck.

There's a band called Ex Deo, a side-project of Kataklysm's vocalist. Lyrics are all about Ancient Rome, its emperors, mythology, wars, etc.

There is this underground 'movement' called Vedic Metal, plenty of interesting topics being covered. The music is pretty fresh too:

Rudra | Vedic Black/Death | Singapore
http://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Rudra/4958


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The Down Troddence | Vedic Death/Thrash/Groove | India
http://www.metal-archives.com/bands/The ... 3540375231


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Cult of Fire | Vedic Atmospheric Black | Czech Republic
http://www.metal-archives.com/bands/The ... 3540375231

Uhhhhhh, Brodequin? They focus on Inquisition-era tortures.

And of course, with Brodequin, BRUTAL needs to be in all caps.

This is a great find. Reminds me of Ade, but with better musical chops, and incorporates the "world" elements in a less gimmicky way. I do prefer them more when they are not just blasting away though, some good grooves and dynamics in there.

Check out Sarpanitum. They're a UK Death Metal band who write about the Crusades and their brutal as fuck.

Fav songs:

None They Shall Receive
I Defy For I Am Free
Malek Al-Inkitar
Blessed Be They Brothers

Ade's new album fucking wrecks though. They are another band that have the potential to be much bigger than they are currently. Do you know about Scarab & Maat? Always can do with more....eh...Nile-core(?)



Fucking Bolt Thrower! How could I (& everybody else) miss those legends. Also try Memorian which is bascially BT reincarnated.

Hail of Bullets. Also Bolt Thrower don't write about history? It's all warhammer 40k dude.

Yes but Warhammer is life, so...

arghoslent come to mind, even though they deal with all the slavery thing from a, erm different point of view. maybe also grand belial's key if you're into "biblical history", but again, don't expect objective accounts here. I've put the inverted commas because the relationship between history and fiction is always open to debate, and even moreso in connection with the bible, but that would lead us beyond the scope of this thread.
there's a shit ton of pagan metal dealing with ancient pagan history, but I'm not an expert here. much of this can be rather unspecific glorification of ancient heathen warriordom and such, but maybe check out early falkenbach and especially hin onde - songs of battle. very catchy, "mellow" pagan metal with some great riffing by narqath of azaghal.
also, two specific GREAT songs come to mind, from the pagan vastlands by behemoth (on sventevith) about a slavonic invasion in rome, and slaget om lindisfarne by enslaved (on eld, of course in norwegian). both bands have single songs about old pagan battles on early releases.

Violent death/thrash about crimes against humanity, genocide and stuff like that.

Ex Deo do some pretty orchestral, OTT death metal about very specific events in Roman history.

God Dethroned's last 2 albums were fantastic and solely based on World War 1.

Well, then I stand corrected.

Here you go:

Pan-Amerikan Native Front: A project with a different lyrical & aesthetic approach. The music is standard black metal fare with emphasis on martial beats.
https://pan-amerikannativefront.bandcamp.com/releases
http://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Pan ... 3540417829

Tartarus: Black/death with vicious female vokills discussing ancient civilizations among other things.
https://tartarus1.bandcamp.com/
http://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Tartarus/3540393225

Can't talk about any crushing, historical-based metal without bringing up Halberd. Metantoine wrote the lyrics based on war history.