# Nargaroth

Nargaroth is a German black metal band led by René "Ash" Wagner, who was previously known as 'Kanwulf.' The band is associated with raw and misanthropic themes within black metal.

## History

Nargaroth was formed by René Wagner, also known as Ash, following the disbandment of his previous band, Exhuminenz, which included members R.S., Charoon, and Darken (not to be confused with Rob Darken of Graveland). While Wagner had previously claimed that Nargaroth was established in 1989 and had released the demo Orke in 1991 and Herbstleyd in 1993, later statements clarified that the band was officially founded in 1996. The early Nargaroth recordings, including the aforementioned demos, were completed in 1998 with Charoon on guitar and the use of a drum machine.
Nargaroth's debut album, Herbstleyd (translated as Autumnal Suffering), was released in December 1998 through No Colours Records. In 2000, the label released Amarok, a compilation featuring older and previously unreleased material, including an early version of Herbstleyd and a cover of Burzum. The same year saw the release of the demo Fuck Off Nowadays Black Metal, originally limited to 333 cassette copies and 100 vinyl pressings by Sombre Records. A picture disc reissue followed in 2005 through No Colours Records.
In 2001, the album Black Metal ist Krieg was released, described by Wagner as a personal tribute to black metal. The album's artwork and lyrical themes led to controversy, particularly due to the inclusion of wartime photographs of Wagner's deceased relatives who had served in the Wehrmacht during World War II. The album also featured the track The Day Burzum Killed Mayhem, which narrates the events surrounding the 1993 murder of Mayhem guitarist Euronymous by Burzum's Varg Vikernes.
The band continued to release music throughout the early 2000s, including the Rasluka series (Rasluka Part I in 2004 and Rasluka Part II in 2002), both dedicated to Wagner’s former bandmate R.S., who died by suicide in 1995. The album Geliebte des Regens (Beloved of the Rain), recorded in the same sessions as the Rasluka series, was released in 2003. In 2004, Nargaroth released the live album Crushing Some Belgian Scum and Prosatanica Shooting Angels, which was initially intended to be released under a separate project named Prosatanica.
In 2007, Wagner released Semper Fidelis, marking a shift in his artistic approach. He stated that he was moving away from his former stage name, Kanwulf, and adopting Ash, a childhood nickname, to distance himself from the black metal scene. The album was released in both a standard CD format and a limited-edition box set containing various bonus items, including a DVD and personal effects.
Nargaroth performed in Mexico and Guatemala in 2008, followed by a South American tour in 2009. That year, the album Jahreszeiten (Seasons) was released in a limited A5 digibook format and as a double LP, with the vinyl version containing spoken introductions to each track, which were omitted from the CD edition. The band continued touring in 2010, performing in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Colombia, and Venezuela.
The album Spectral Visions of Mental Warfare was released in 2011, followed by Era of Threnody in 2017.

## René Wagner

René Wagner describes Nargaroth’s music as 'German Hateful and Misanthropic Metal,' distinguishing it from traditional black metal, which he associates with Satanism. However, due to its musical similarities to classic black metal, Nargaroth is often categorized within the genre.
In an interview with Magacinum ab ovo, Wagner stated that he does not support fascist ideology and views Nazism as a form of mental restriction. He cited his support for the Kriegsgräberfürsorge, a German war graves organization, and MIA International as evidence of his stance.

## Discography

* Orke (demo, 1998)
* Herbstleyd (demo, 1998)
* Herbstleyd (1998)
* Amarok (2000)
* Fuck Off Nowadays Black Metal (demo, 2000)
* Black Metal ist Krieg (2001)
* Rasluka Part II (2002)
* Geliebte des Regens (2003)
* Crushing Some Belgian Scum (live, 2004)
* Rasluka Part I (2004)
* Prosatanica Shooting Angels (2004)
* Semper Fidelis (2007)
* Semper Fidelis Boxset (2007)
* Jahreszeiten (2009)
* Spectral Visions of Mental Warfare (2011)
* Black Metal Manda, Hijos de Puta (live, 2012)
* Era of Threnody (2017)