GJALLARHORN::Official site::History

Gjallarhorn is the Horn of the Ancient Scandinavian God Heimdall, in which He shall blow, having notified Gods and people about the beginning of Ragnarok — the last battle, where everything shall die — the Gods, The Giants and people.

It was Winter of 2003 — 2004, when I, Onswar, had met Helg at one of the local sessions. And so Helg offered me to create black metal band. I agreed and it was decided to find the guitarist. Having written the announcements, I placed them in several music shops, but none rang. Finally, Helg took the guitar and we started rehearsing without drums.

Helg played in many bands before, including black metal band NERGAL, which ceased to exist now.

Soon I met one guy named Dionisious, who agreed to be our guitarist. But after definite number of rehearsing it was decided to search for another one. Many other musicians came to the band, but they could not stay any longer because of different reasons.

Someone rang at last, having run by the announcement. His name was Alexander and he offered his candidature as guitarist. Soon he brought another guitarist - Demonium and left the band because of personal reasons. It was decided to name the band as GJALLARHORN approximately then. Alex (Helg's brother) was decided to be the bassist. It was the first full line-up in which GJALLARHORN played at the first time on the stage of the local festival.

It was Winter of 2004 — 2005 when the first Demo "Ancient Times" was recorded at the Onlinerecords Studio, but it was not released or distributed anywhere. The band performed several concerts including the closed ones and played in Voznesensk (Nikolaev region). Alex left the band in summer.

GJALLARHORN took part in concert named "True Metal Session" in March 2006 in Kremenchuk (Poltava region), having shared the stage with such bands as KURGAN, PARANOMIA and IROMOS. New bassist Nameless and guitarist Doomor joined the band in summer. The band performed few concerts with such line-up: "Svarogovo Kolo" festival (Sevastopol, The Crimea) (without Doomor, the concert in Kherson with such bands as DEMONIUM, KURGAN, BERZYNAS and KREST, "Total Metal Fest II" (Kremencuk, Poltava region).

Demonium left GJALLARHORN in Winter and formed with Ascold (KURGAN) the band VIRGO.

The band organized the concert in Kherson and took part in with INDENITY, VIRGO and KURGAN in February and performed the concert in Odessa with FOREST STREAM, FRAGILE ART, SOMNOLENT.

The work on the MCD "Land Of Forgotten" was finished till the end of Spring.

The band took part in Pagan Folk Metal festival "Svarogovo Kolo II" with REANIMATSIA, CHUR, SVARGA, HAGL, RUINA, THUNDERKRAFT, KRODA in August.

Russian label Yar' productions released MCD "Land Of Forgotten" in Spring.

The band performed a concert in Kherson with STORMER, KHORS, FLYING, GROMM and ENTRAILS PUTREFACTION in April. Soon after the concert Helg left the band.

The work on cover version "Woods To Eternity" for SATYRICON tribute was finished this month. The recording of new full-length album was started some time later.

The work on the album named "Awakening" was complete in December. Helg recorded parts of drums just before leaving GJALLARHORN, Onswar performed parts of piano. The work of Loup, ordered specially for "Awakening", and also photo works by Radiowave were chosen to use in album design.

Onswar took the place of drummer this year.

Labels Empire 606 Records and Yar Productions together released A Tribute To SATYRICON "Dominions Of Satyricon" with the participation of GJALLARHORN.

Nameless pledged himself to be guitarist and vocalist.

Ukrainian label Vacula Productions released "Awakening" in Autumn.

The recording of the new album was started this year.

This year was dedicated to rehearsals and creating of the new material. The work on the new album, named "I Fill The Chalice From My Heart", is going on.

Two interviews of GJALLARHORN were published in Aryan Music magazine (Germany) and Samotvorets magazine (Russia) in May and October accordingly.

The concert activity was renewed at last in Summer. GJALLARHORN played a gig in Tsiurupinsk. Soon after new session bassist Skald was invited to the band. After more than three years break the band had a concert with new line-up along with ADAMANTICA, DART, THE SISTELS and LETARGIYA in Kherson. GJALLARHORN performed a concert in Donetsk along with MYRKVIDS DRAUMAR, ERIH and RAUM. Two more concerts were performed in Kherson in Autumn. One of them - "Black October" - was sponsored by the band. GJALLARHORN shared the stage with MYRKVIDS DRAUMAR again. Scald left the band after that performance.

The album "Awakening" was reissued in October by the labels Winter Solace and Master Of All Evil in MC-format.

GJALLARHORN performed the concert in Kiev at "Black Worms Banquet" along with SCREAMING FOREST, VENDOGARD and at the third time with MYRKVIDS DRAUMAR in February.

The work on the concept project "Legacy", dedicated to the Age of Cossacks, was finished at the end of Spring. Yevhen Vetruk — Kherson bandurist, who performs authentic songs of XVI-XVIII centuries, plays old-time and academic bandura, took part in the recording of the album.Traditionally the picture of Kherson artist — Anatoly Bykov — was used for the design of the album.

The official GJALLARHORN line-up recruited a new bass-guitarist Dworkin.

The recording of the material for the split with MYRKVIDS DRAUMAR took place in July: three new compositions, two cover versions and one of the very first songs of GJALLARHORN never released before were recorded. Also the bonus track for the album "Legacy" and one more composition performed by Yevhen Vetruk were recorded.

Combined performance of GJALLARHORN and Yevhen Vetruk took place in October at "Volia" festival, dedicated to the Day of Ukrainian Cossacks. GJALLARHORN played three compositions from "Legacy", Yevhen Vetruk performed "Ah, Ukraine" on the old-time bandura.

At the end of December GJALLARHORN played in Kherson, having shared the stage with SYNOPSIS, SILHUETTES and YAR (ex-NERGAL) — the first Kherson Pagan Black Metal band (now playing different genre and live in Portugal).

Two compositions from the planned split with MYRKVIDS DRAUMAR, "Why Have You Gathered Today, Clouds Of Dark" and "Cold Blaze Of Steel" (Absurd cover), were presented in January.

The presentation of the "Legacy" album took place in September with support of the club of historical reconstruction "Knights of the Great Steppe". GJALLARHORN and Yevhen Vetruk performed their songs amongst the picturesque landscapes of Kherson region.

Mixing and mastering of the second full-length album "From Heart Of Mine I Fill The Chalice" was finished at the end of September.

The "Legacy" album was released by EastSide label on 14th of October, the Day of Ukrainian Cossacks. This month GJALLARHORN joined the ranks of the Heathen Circle.

The recording and mastering of the track "Black Cloud From Behind The Liman" took place in December. The poem of Taras Shevchenko "Ivan Pidkova" was used for the lyrics. Yevhen Vetruk took part in the recording of the song.

Mini-interview with GJALLARHORN for Casus Belli Zine was published on the last day of 2013.

In February Dworkin left the band. Bass-guitarist Grimwar joined GJALLARHORN in March. This month took place the performance of the band in Odessa at the local festival Metal Heads’ Mission. In May GJALLARHORN took part in the festival, dedicated to the 200th anniversary of the birth of Taras Shevchenko, which was held in Kherson.

In the late May the Split EP HETMAN / GJALLARHORN "Ivan Pidkova" was released by Knights of the Great Steppe Productions label. The first (HETMAN) and the second (GJALLARHORN) parts of the same-name poem by Taras Shevchenko was used for the lyrics. The album was dedicated to the 200th anniversary of the birth of the great poet.

The work over "The Path To Eternity" EP was finished in the late July. The album includes material, which was planned for the split with MYRKVIDS DRAUMAR.

The interview with GJALLARHORN for Heathen Call Zine was published in August. This month the third Heathen Circle compilation "Heathen Renaissance", where GJALLARHORN took part with "Black Cloud From Behind The Liman" composition, was co-released by labels WolfTyr Productions and Oldenblood Productions.

The recording of NOKTURNAL MORTUM cover version "As The Steel Eagle Into Golden Svarga" took place in October.

In the early November long-awaited second full-length album "From Heart Of Mine I Fill The Chalice" was released by the EastSide label. The photo artwork by R. W. was used for the cover design of the album.

Helg returned back to GJALLARHORN in December.

In February, GJALLARHORN performance took place in Mykolaiv.

In early July, WolfTyr Productions and Azermedoth Records released 3-Way Split RAVNKALD ("Immortal Sun" EP) / GJALLARHORN ("Path To Eternity" EP) / FJORD ("Vinlandic Northern Heritage" Demo re-release). Onswar’s photographs were used for the design of GJALLARHORN EP. The duplicate of the Scythian sword, depicted on the cover, was made by Andriy Lopushinsky ("Knights of the Great Steppe"). The original of the sword (the end of the V-IV centuries B.C.) resides at Kherson Regional Museum.

In December, the ABSURD Tribute "Soldiers Of The Eternal Winter", where GJALLARHORN took part with "Cold Blaze Of Steel" ("Stahl Blitz Kalt") song, was released by Azermedoth Records.

In early January, an interview with GJALLARHORN was published in Total Commando War Zine №8. A compilation from Barbatos Productions label, where the band was represented by "Why Have You Gathered Today, Clouds Of Dark" song and ABSURD cover version as a bonus track, was in addition to the magazine.

In February, Helg left the band.

At the end of winter, the anniversary compilation and tribute to NOKTURNAL MORTUM "22 Years Among The Sheep" were released by Heritage Recordings label. As part of this release, GJALLARHORN presented their version of the "As Steel Eagle Into The Golden Svarga" composition.

In December, Barbatos Productions released "Hammerstorm Vol. VII" compilation, where GJALLARHORN performed their new composition "Crimson Grain Of Gore Epoch", which dedicated to the memory of the warriors of the Ukrainian Eastern Front.

At the beginning of the year, a lyric video for "The Hangmen’s Hill" song, the work upon which continued last year, was presented. Grimwar, who, at the time of recording, had already left the band, created music for this track. The translation of Georg Heym’s poem "Der Galgenberg" was used as lyrics.

In January, bassist Morius joined the band.

At the end of winter, the band performed a concert in Mykolaiv.

In July, the presentation of the conceptual EP "Black Tower", the lyrical basis of which was a same titled poem by William Butler Yeats, took place. Onswar and photographer Vitaly Kurychenko worked on the design. On the day of the release, the album was presented at the official Bandcamp page of the band and GJALLARHORN performed a concert in Kherson. This very month, Morius left the band.

Since the beginning of autumn, the compositions of GJALLARHORN have been included in the rotation of Radio GARTA, a station, which focuses on the Ukrainian metal scene.

At the end of September, the work under "Shadows Over The Southern Steppe" Split, where GJALLARHORN took part along with DAMMERUNG and DEMONIUM, was completed. Saurg (DAMMERUNG) and R. W. worked on the design. This album should be considered as the manifest of the unity and allegiance to the Black Metal scene of the South of Ukraine.

In March, "Shadows Over The Southern Steppe" was released by Swamp Records label.

At the end of July, GJALLARHORN performed a concert in Kherson, after which Grimwar officially returned to the band line-up.