All of the Heavy Metal Bands from the South Caucasus (Updated: 2021)
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This article is a metered compilation of three separate lists I had made of metal bands from the South Caucasus: Georgia, Armenia, & Azerbaijan.
I have simplified these articles and compiled them together here, creating one coherent archive of all three countries.
Much of the credit in the research goes to The Metal Archives, Bandcamp, YouTube, Spotify, and other platforms that I used to harvest information on each of the bands.
This project is the culmination of many years of archiving resources and compiling them. Not counting countless hours actually listening to the music!
I hope you enjoy!
For further resources, I highly suggest you check out The Metal Archives and their country pages:
ARMENIA
Adana Project
Female-fronted symphonic metal from Yerevan, formed in 2014.
Lyrics focused on Armenian history and patriotism, Armenian folklore, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the Armenian Genocide, etc.
They also cover Armenian pop and folk songs, such as “Gini Lic” (Գինի Լից) — a song about Soghomon Tehlirian’s assassination of Mehmed Talaat Pasha in 1921:
Spotify:
You can access their Facebook page here. As well as their official YouTube and Instagram accounts.
ALQ (ԱԼՔ)
Heavy/thrash metal from Vanadzor. Formed in 1995, but officially active from 1995–1998 and 2013-present. Only known releases are from 1995 and 1996.
Myspace page can be accessed here, although unsure if it is official or not.
AMBEHR (Амбер)
Folk/power metal from Yerevan, now Moscow. Formed in 1995. Originally a death/thrash metal group that transitioned to folk in the mid-2000’s.
Death/thrash phase (2005):
Spotify:
Official VKontakte group (in Russian) can be found here.
Ancient Fear
Black metal from Yerevan. Formed in 2012.
Official VKontakte group (in English) can be found here.
Arbor Mortis
Black metal from Yerevan. Formed in 2013.
Full album:
Official Facebook page can be accessed here.
Bandcamp:
Asparez (Аспарез)
Hard rock / heavy metal from Yerevan. Active between 1982–1991.
Only known release:
There is a Russian forum thread about Asparez that can be found here. It is the only other source of information/discussion I could find on the group.
Avarayr (Ավարայր)
Atmospheric black metal from Yerevan. Formed in 2013 as Symphony of Silence, before changing its name shortly thereafter.
Full discography on Bandcamp:
Official Facebook page can be accessed here.
Basturma (Բաստուրմա)
Cooking recipe-themed experimental death metal project from Gyumri. Formed sometime around 2013–2014. Named after the cured beef dish of the same name.
Only known release (via Bandcamp):
No other information could be found about the group.
Beerdigüngs Läuten
Death metal / grindcore from Yerevan. Active 1993–1995 and again in 2004.
Discogs:
I couldn’t find any audio of their known releases, however I was able to find a public Facebook group here with more information — including band photos, live performances, and more.
Blood Covenant
Christian symphonic “unblack” metal from Yerevan. Formed as Iron Cross in 2001 before changing their name.
Full album:
Blood Covenant is very active on social media. They have accounts on Twitter, Facebook, and VKontakte, as well as their own website.
Bokrag
Death metal from Yerevan. Formed in 2010.
Full album:
ReverbNation profile:
Bokrag also maintains a Myspace profile which can be found here.
Daemoon
Symphonic black metal from Yerevan. Formed as Eternal Nightfall in 2015.
Bandcamp:
As Eternal Nightfall (2015):
Daemoon also maintains a Facebook page here.
Deathspawn
Death/black/thrash metal from Yerevan. Formed in 2020.
Single:
Also available on Bandcamp:
Deathspawn also maintains a Facebook account here.
DivahaR
All-female symphonic black metal from Yerevan. Formed in 2009.
Spotify:
Bandcamp:
DivahaR also maintains accounts on Instagram, Facebook, and SoundCloud.
Edengard
Symphonic black metal from Yerevan. Formed in 2011.
Bandcamp:
ReverbNation profile:
I couldn’t find any further information about the status of Edengard and whether it is still an active project, as some sites indicate that the group split in 2013.
Endlessly Scarred
Doom/death metal from Yerevan. Formed by Artak Karapetyan in 2017.
Bandcamp:
Eternally Scarred maintains a Facebook page here.
Eyeless in Gaza
One-man funeral doom from Yerevan. Formed in by Franklin Avetisyan in 2020.
Full album:
Eyeless in Gaza maintains a Facebook page here.
MDP (Manic Depressive Psychosis)
Progressive / psychedelic metal from Yerevan. Formed in 1990 at Yerevan State University, although its current status is unknown. Releases are incredibly hard to find and information is limited.
Wikipedia:
MDP maintains a website which can be found here, although most of the links are broken and the music player is inactive.
Selected discography:
- 1993, Usurper of the Sun Rays (Tape, Live-in-studio, MDP, Armenia)
- 1995, Take Your Nibbled Apple Back (CD, Live-in-studio, Rostov/Russia)
- 2000, Vibrographus (CD, MDP Studio, Armenia)
- 2003, MDP Live (CD, Live/Recording at the “FireWall” and “MinDPower” Rock Festivals, Armenia)
- 2005, Beauty (EP, MDP Studio, Armenia)
Merial
Death/black metal from Yerevan. Formed in 2015.
Bandcamp:
Merial does not maintain any other active social networking account.
Sadael
Funeral doom / death metal from Yerevan, now St. Petersburg. Formed in 2004 by Vahe Soghomonyan.
Bandcamp discography:
Full album (2017):
Sadael also maintains a Facebook account which can be found here.
SEGØR
Melodic death / “unblack” metal from Yerevan. Formed in 2008 by Sergey Areskin.
Single (2017):
He also maintains a Facebook account here.
Temple of Demigod
Symphonic black/death metal from Yerevan. Formed by Mark Erskine in 2014.
Full Bandcamp discography:
Temple of Demigod maintains a Facebook account here. They also maintain a YouTube channel, although nothing has been uploaded.
(BONUS) System of a Down
Although Armenian-American and not from Armenia, it would be a missed opportunity not to include the most famous “Armenian” metal / rock band of the past two decades.
System of a Down maintains a website here:
AZERBAIJAN
3,14…
Gothic/doom metal from Baku. Formed by Maksim Kochetov and Emin Kerimov in 2002. Active until 2016.
Live footage, including interviews with band members:
3,14… also maintains accounts on VKontakte and Facebook (both in Russian).
Fatal Nation
Groove/alternative metal from Baku. Formed in 1999 before taking a hiatus, active again in 2020–2021.
New release:
Music video:
Fatal Nation also maintains a social media presence on VKontakte (in English) and Instagram. They have an associated Facebook account, but it hasn’t been updated since 2010.
Gatteria
Groove metal from Baku. Formed in 2016.
Full album:
Live footage:
Full discography on Bandcamp:
Gatteria also maintains accounts on VKontakte, SoundCloud, and Facebook.
Minimorum
Funeral doom from Sumgait. Formed in 2013 by Adil Hajili.
Full album on Bandcamp:
More:
Minimorum also maintains accounts on VKontakte (in Azeri), SoundCloud, and Facebook.
Pyraweed
Sludge/stoner metal from Baku. Formed in 2015.
Spotify:
Pyraweed maintains an account on Facebook.
Silence Lies Fear
Melodic death metal / metalcore from Baku. Formed in 2008.
Full discography on Bandcamp:
Music videos:
Silence Lies Fear also maintains their discography on Myspace:
They also maintain a Facebook account.
The Nails
Gothic/black metal from Baku. Formed in 2007.
The Nails maintains an account on Myspace, which is the only source I could find for streaming their music:
They also maintain a VKontakte account (in Russian), with some links to download their albums.
Violet Cold
Experimental “AI simulated” black metal project from Baku. Started by Emin Guliyev in 2013.
Full discography on Spotify:
As well as Bandcamp:
Video:
Violet Cold also maintains accounts on Twitter, VKontakte, and Facebook. As well as its own website with relevant links.
Vozmezdiye (Возмездие)
Black metal from Baku. Formed in 2007.
Full album:
Full discography on Bandcamp:
Zommm
Post-black metal / shoegaze from Baku. Formed in 2017.
Full album:
Full discography on Bandcamp:
Zommm also maintains accounts on Facebook, SoundCloud, and VKontakte.
GEORGIA
Adramalech
Black metal / dark ambient from Tbilisi. Active 2009–2012.
Sample:
They have a Blogspot account, although it doesn’t seem like it has been updated since 2012:
There is also an associated Myspace account.
Askeesi
Atmospheric black metal from Tbilisi. Formed in 2020 by Beka Gachava.
Full album (2021):
Their releases are also available via Bandcamp:
Askeesi also maintains a Facebook page.
Atalaka
Atmospheric black metal. Origin city and years active are unknown, just “Georgia.”
Releases via Bandcamp:
Atalaka does not maintain a social media presence that I’m aware of.
Blackends (The Blackeneds)
Thrash metal from Tbilisi. Only known to be active in 1998.
Official spelling of their band name is uncertain. Their only known release is two demo songs on an obscure “Metalcompilation” released in Georgia in 1998. Five of the six bands on this tape are unknown outside of this recording:
Bohema
Technical / brutal death metal from Tbilisi. Formed in 2001. Current status is unknown.
ReverbNation profile:
The also maintain a page on Myspace.
Full album:
Diabolus Sanctus
Black metal from Tbilisi. Formed in 2007.
Full discography is available from Bandcamp:
ReverbNation profile:
Diaokhi
Pagan black metal from Tbilisi. Only active in 1999.
Single from 2000 (only known release):
More footage of the band:
Dismorial
Progressive / melodic death metal from Tbilisi. Formed in 2010.
Music video:
ReverbNation profile:
Dismyth
Stoner / doom metal from Tbilisi. Formed in 2015.
Full discography is available via Bandcamp:
Full album:
They also maintain an account on Facebook.
Iahsari
Symphonic metal from Tbilisi. Formed in 2015.
Full discography available via Bandcamp:
Music video:
ReverbNation profile:
They maintain accounts on VKontakte (in Russian), Instagram, Facebook, as well as their own website.
Im Nebel
Symphonic / progressive black metal from Tbilisi. Formed in 2006.
Full discography available via Bandcamp:
Music video:
They also maintain accounts on VKontakte, Facebook, SoundCloud, and ReverbNation.
Last Supper
Doom metal from Tbilisi. Only active in 1998.
Another one of the bands on the “Metalcompilation” demo tape that hasn’t been identified since:
Manticore
Melodic death metal from Tbilisi. Only active in 2002.
I can’t find their EP, The Legend Lives, on any platform.
Here is the album cover:
Nilflheimr
Black metal from Tbilisi. Formed in 2007.
Blogspot (with download links):
They also maintain an account on Myspace.
No Regrets
Melodic doom / death metal from Tbilisi. Formed in 2011.
ReverbNation profile:
They also maintain an account on Facebook.
Omophor
Melodic death metal from Tbilisi. Formed in 2013.
Discography available via Bandcamp:
Also on YouTube:
They also maintain accounts on SoundCloud, Facebook, and Twitter.
Pergamo
Black metal from Tbilisi. Only active in 1998.
Another one of the bands on the “Metalcompilation” demo tape that hasn’t been identified since:
Project Omega
Black metal from Tbilisi. Formed in 2016.
Discography available on Bandcamp:
They do not maintain any other active social media account. Everything I could find has been deactivated.
Sadizm
Death/thrash metal from Tbilisi. Only active in 1998.
Another one of the bands on the “Metalcompilation” demo tape that hasn’t been identified since:
Signs
Symphonic black metal from Tbilisi. Formed in 2009.
Album teaser from 2016:
Signs also maintains an account on Facebook.
Tanelorn
Melodic death metal from Tbilisi. Formed in 2001 as Defenders of Tanelorn.
Full discography on Bandcamp:
Live footage:
ReverbNation profile:
Tattooed Monk
Heavy metal from Tbilisi. Only active in 1998.
Another one of the bands on the “Metalcompilation” demo tape that hasn’t been identified since:
Tianet
Depressive black metal from Tbilisi. Active 2017–2018.
Full discography on Bandcamp:
Tianet does not maintain any other social media profiles.
Undo Creation
Death/thrash metal from Tbilisi. Formed in 2014.
Full discography on Bandcamp:
Undo Creation also has a profile on Facebook.
If you made it to the end of this article…wow. I salute you! This was the product of many years of obsessively listening, headbanging, and bookmarking.
It was the most fun I’ve had in a long time!
If any links are broken, bands are missing, or information is incorrect — please contact me! I will update this as soon as I get more info.
Alexander Leslie is a foreign policy analyst, freelance journalist, and has an M.A. in Eurasian, Russian, & East European Studies from Georgetown University. His interests include U.S.-Georgia relations, energy politics, and studies in counterterrorism policy.
Contact: aejleslie@gmail.com
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