Violent Urban Legends and Depressing Black Metal: The Story of Silencer
Black metal has had its fare share of infamy and urban legends. A prime example is the activities of the band Mayhem following the death of their former front man Per Yngve "Pelle" Ohlin (aka Dead) and his remains following his suicide. Creating an urban legend and rumor circulation that created an unprecedented darkness and evil aura around the band and their lasting legacy. But not every band aimed to be the most “evil” or anti-Christian in the genre of black metal. One band that chose to go a different direction in black metal was the Swedish band Silencer.
Formed in 1995 by Andreas “Leere” Casado, the band was originally intended to be a solo project. This changed when Nattramn would join the band as the band’s vocalist. And the groundwork for Silencer was set. In 1998, the band would hire session drummer Jonas Mattsson and the band would enter the studio to begin recording their demo.
Released that same year, Death – Pierce Me would be released independently. Comprised of a single eleven-and-a-half-minute track, the piece showed unique and progressive instrumentation throughout. With acoustic guitars in its opening moments, creating a haunting, eerie and moody atmosphere that could embody sorrow and isolation in the music’s tone. Showing the early trademarks of a new take on the black metal genre. With droning and repetitive pacing, along with the simplistic nature of the music, added to the lifeless aura of the future subgenre. Almost akin to Burzum’s self-titled record. Then, Nattramn’s agonizing cries kick in as traditional second wave black metal tremolo guitars and blast beats, continue the bombardment of a derivative, anguishing and brooding aesthetic that the band was aiming for on the song and throughout the eleven-plus minute run time.
Following the word-of-mouth and cult following the demo received, Silencer would be signed to Prophecy Productions and begin work on their debut full-length album. With session drummer Steve Wolz recording drums for the debut. Recording of the album was manic and psychotic at some points, mainly leaning towards the performance of Nattramn and his haunting and sorrowful vocal performance. While recording his vocals, he would allegedly self-mutilate by cutting his wrists and hands. While listening to the record and that supposed image in your head, the anguishing vocals and forlorn feeling is really heard in his wailing screams. Bringing comparisons to an animal dying or being slaughtered and the eerie and haunting emotional feelings in the listerner’s ears as you listen to it. Making the music more uncomfortable to listen to and hear as the image of him cutting himself adds to the depressing nature of the music.
In 2001, the band released their debut and only album Death – Pierce Me. With five original songs, and a re-recording of the “Death – Pierce Me” demo track, the album would go on to gain a cult following. Becoming an underground classic in the black metal genre. The unhinged, banshee like wailing of Nattramn truly encapsulated unmitigated pain and demented madness throughout the songs. “Sterile Nails and Thunderbowels” is a great example of Silencer challenging the listener’s ears. Giving them trademark second wave black metal and tremolo guitars you would get off any Darkthrone or Mayhem record. Before sideswiping the listener for longing, hopeless ambience and sadness. Mixed with rambling, grunting, troll-like vocals into otherworldly shrieking. Truly making Silencer a unique act in black metal. A distinction that very few bands have in creating a sound that is instantly recognizable, indistinguishable and unable to duplicate or replicate to their level. With the album being cited as one of the influential albums in a subgenre of black metal called Depressive Suicidal Black Metal (or DSBM for short). This album, along with releases from acts like Bethlehem, Shining, Xasthur, and Lifelover would help bring the subgenre into popularity.
Following the release of Silencer’s debut, the album would become overshadowed by the urban legend-esque activities by Nattramn. After the album was released, he was allegedly institutionalized at Sankt Sigfrids Sjukhus mental hospital in Växjö, Sweden. But per my research in literature about the scene, blogs and magazines, there is no evidence that supports this. The other allegation or lore also stems from Nattramn ties into his time being institutionalized. Allegedly, during his time in the mental hospital, he escaped and randomly drove an axe into the skull of a five-year old girl, but didn’t kill her. Police would arrive on the scene and he attempted to commit suicide-by-cop, shouting “KILL ME! KILL ME!” with the bloody axe still in his hands. This has not been confirmed or validated in any news outlets I found or websites in reference to the incident. And with such a chaotic story and creepy nature behind it, if this were to happen, I think this would have been a major story worldwide. Potentially covered in many news outlets, websites and even modern-day true-crime/murder-like podcasts that have rose in popularity over the last five years. Another urban legend, this time with visual imagery, is that he cut off his own hands and had them replaced with pig’s feet. I consulted with a nurse and she said that this wouldn’t be possible to graph pig’s feet to replace the anatomy of the human body. Which could also lead to the body rejecting the feet, causing gang-green and further medical harm to the person. Secondly, he would have to be an expert-level surgeon to be able to sew the other pig-foot onto his other hand, which due to the intricacy, reflexes and dexterity would almost be physically impossible to do.
Though Death – Pierce Me garnered minor success and a loyal following, the band would break up in 2001 following Nattramn’s “institutionalization”. The band members would continue to make music following the breakup. Nattramn would form a dark ambient project Diagnose: Lebensgefahr and release the album Transformalin in 2007. He would also form another dark ambient project, Trencadis, and would release a 21-minute piece titled "Ödelagt". Nattramn would also become a published author, releasing a book Grishjärta in 2001. The book featured new photos of himself (though still obscured to nor reveal his face) as well as artwork he designed and pieces of poetry.
Casado would go on to join the Swedish depressive black metal band Shining in 2005. He would contribute lyrics to the song “Eradication of The Condition” on the band’s 2005 album IV – The Eerie Cold, but did not play or perform on the album. Drummer Steve Wolz would go on to have a very productive musical career. Wolz joined the Viking/Black Metal band Halgadon in 2004, under the name Stefan. Making his debut with the band on their third album Sein und Werden. The band’s most recent material was the 2020 E.P. Aon des Hammers. He would also join the Blackened Doom band Deinonychus from 2003-2004, appearing on the band’s sixth album Insomnia. He would rejoin the band in 2016 and appeared on the album Ode To Acts of Murder, Dystopia and Suicide in 2017.
The infamous/potentially alleged history of Silencer has definitely not only created a lasting infamy (if true), but with the band’s sole release, helped almost blueprint the sound of tragedy, depression and death. With screeching, wailing like vocals that would become more popular in its wake from bands like Weakling and Ghost Bath, to the melancholic tone and sound that would help push the DSBM movement into a bigger and broader scope within the scene. It is a true loss that the band didn’t continue to make music, since their album is really good. Divisive to some due to the vocals and the completely bonkers urban legends behind the lead singer, but a true sonic delivery of anguish, isolation and depravity in the saddest sense. Delivering hauntingly, almost animalistic vocals that embellished the anguish, longing and sadness that some feel to the almost fatal extent that depression and isolation can lead to. Silencer is an act to look at to see some of the origins to the DSBM movement and hear the influence that this dark, brooding and melancholic record delivers on the black metal genre as a whole.
