Morgoth (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1987 |
| Founder | Rüdiger Hennecke, Carsten Otterbach |
| Headquarters | Meschede, Dortmund , Germany |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Music albums, EPs, demos |
Morgoth was a death metal group from Germany, established in 1987 by Rüdiger Hennecke and Carsten Otterbach in the town of Meschede.
History
The band originally operated under the name Cadaverous Smell, performing grindcore and noise music. After Harry Busse joined, they adopted the name "Minas Morgul." By 1987, with Marc Grewe as vocalist and bassist, the band took on the name Morgoth, drawing inspiration from Melkor, the dark lord character in J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth Legendarium. Their 1988 demo titled Pits of Utumno secured them a deal with the then-emerging label Century Media.
In 1989, Morgoth recorded the Resurrection Absurd demo at a 24-track facility, which was subsequently released as an EP through Century Media. They supported bands such as Pestilence and Autopsy on tours throughout Germany. Following this, they produced The Eternal Fall EP and toured alongside Demolition Hammer and Obituary. During this period, Marc Grewe stopped playing bass after Sebastian Swart joined to handle bass duties.
Their debut full-length album, Cursed, was recorded in 1991 at Woodhouse studios. To promote this release, Morgoth embarked on a US tour supporting Kreator and Biohazard, followed by European tours with Immolation and Massacre. The band primarily relocated to Dortmund during this time. After a break, they returned in 1993 with the album Odium, touring alongside Tankard, Unleashed, and Tiamat. However, enthusiasm among members declined as they began pursuing other interests.
Their third studio effort, Feel Sorry for the Fanatic, featured industrial influences. The subsequent tour included performances with Die Krupps and Richthofen. Morgoth disbanded in 1998.
The group reunited in 2010 for the Death Feast Open Air festival and announced a "Cursed" reunion tour in 2011, also appearing at the 2011 Wacken Open Air. On December 5, 2014, they parted ways with longtime frontman Marc Grewe but continued with a new vocalist, releasing their album Ungod in early 2015.
On May 24, 2018, Morgoth declared an indefinite hiatus following their June show at Chronical Moshers Open Air in Germany. They officially dissolved once more on December 17, 2020.
Current members
- Harald Busse – guitar (1987–1998, 2010–2020)
- Sebastian Swart – guitar (2010–2020), bass (1990–1998)
- Sotirios Kelekidis – bass (2010–2020)
- Marc "Speedy" Reign – drums (2010–2020)
- Karsten "Jagger" Jäger – vocals (2014–2020)
Former members
- Carsten Otterbach – guitar (1987–1998; deceased 2018)
- Rüdiger Hennecke – drums (1987–1998)
- Marc Grewe – vocals (1987–1998, 2010–2014), bass (1987–1990)
Timeline
Discography
- Pits of Utumno (Demo, 1988)
- Resurrection Absurd (EP, 1989)
- The Eternal Fall (EP, 1990)
- Cursed (1991)
- Odium (1993)
- Feel Sorry for the Fanatic (1996)
- 1987-1997: The Best of Morgoth (Compilation, 2005)
- Cursed To Live (DVD, 2012)
- God is Evil (Single, 2014)
- Ungod (2015)
References