Gallhammer

Infobox musical artist
Name = Gallhammer

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Img_capt = Vivian Slaughter during a concert in London, 2007
Img_size =
Landscape =
Background = group_or_band
Origin = Tokyo, Japan
Years_active = 2003–present
Label = Peaceville
Associated_acts =
URL = [http://www.peaceville.com/gallhammer Gallhammer] at Peaceville
Current_members = Vivian Slaughter
Mika Penetrator
Risa Reaper
Past_members =

Gallhammer is a Japanese extreme metal group that draws on black metal, doom metal, and crust punk.cite web
url=http://www.metal-archives.com/band.php?id=28291
title=Gallhammer
quote="Genre(s): Black/Doom Metal, Crust"
publisher=Encyclopaedia Metallum
accessdate=2008-02-24] cite web
url=http://www.metalstorm.ee/pub/review.php?review_id=3960
title=Gallhammer - The Dawn Of… review
quote="What do we have here? A compilation of a young Japanese band who wants to play Black / Crust Metal ?"
publisher=metalstorm.ee
date=2007-03-06
accessdate=2008-02-24] [cite web
url=http://www.metalstorm.ee/pub/review.php?review_id=3960
title=Gallhammer Biography
quote="Although Gallhammer had been known primarily as a black metal/punk act, the album was impressively diverse, showing their implementation of many influences and moods from both metal and non-metal genres."
publisher=Peaceville Records
accessdate=2008-02-24] They formed in Tokyo in 2003. All of the members are female, which is rare in their genre.

Biography

Gallhammer was formed in Tokyo, Japan in 2003. The original idea of the band was formed in 2002, following bassist/vocalist Vivian Slaughter's desire to create a band that based itself around the dark and morbid musical atmospheres of the seminal Swiss black metal band, Hellhammer. Slaughter's previous band was Vivian Christ, a digital hardcore group in which she played saxophones, programmed drums, and sang."Hard of Hearing", Terrorizer #171, June 2008, p. 56-57.] The other members, Risa Reaper (drums/vocals) and Mika Penetrator (guitar/vocals), joined in 2003. When the band started out, none of the members had even learned how to play their instruments, as they had all previously been vocalists.

Their first recording, in the form of a free demo tape that was limited to 30 copies, was distributed at their first gig at Koiwa Death Fest Vol.2, around March 2003, in Japan. In July of the same year, the self-titled demo album was released. By April of the following year, they had released another demo album, entitled "Endless Nauseous Days", and were working towards their debut full-length CD. The 8-track album, entitled "Gloomy Lights", was released on November 11th 2004 through Hello From The Gutter Records.

In January 2006, Gallhammer was signed to Peaceville Records, and a CD/DVD pack, entitled "The Dawn Of...", was released, containing a CD, demo & rehearsal footage, and a DVD recording of Gallhammer performing in Okayama and 5 concerts in Tokyo.

Gallhammer released their second full-length album, "Ill Innocence", through Peaceville Records on 24 September 2007, followed by a European tour. As of March 2008, they did a second European tour. They also played at the Inferno Metal Festival in June.

Influences

In an interview with "Contraband Candy", Vivian Slaughter cited Hellhammer, Celtic Frost, Amebix and Burzum as Gallhammer's main musical influences. [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61uVKeiq2PE Gallhammer interview with Contraband Candy] ] Slaughter is also a passionate fan of Judas Priest. While the group borrows from crust and anarcho-punk, they do not identify with a particular political outlook. ["I never wanted to write political lyrics or sing about political topics -- I just don't feel I can handle the responsibility, but me and many others in Japan were influenced by bands on Crass Records. But the political and economic systems in Japan and the UK are very different." - Vivian Slaughter, "Hard of Hearing", Terrorizer #171, June 2008, p. 56-57.] Risa Reaper is a fan of old school techno, Kraftwerk, Krautrock, and Laibach. The group is also inspired by Japanoise and have collaborated with Incapacitants.

Band members

* Vivian Slaughter - vocals, bass
* Mika Penetrator - guitar, vocals
* Risa Reaper - drums, vocals

Discography

tudio albums

*"Gloomy Lights" (2004)
*"Ill Innocence" (2007)

Live and other albums

*"Untitled (demo)" (2003)
* "Gallhammer (demo)" (2003)
* "Endless Nauseous Days (demo)" (2004)

Video

*"The Dawn of..." (2007)
*"Ruin of a Church" (2008)

References

External links

* [http://www.myspace.com/ghammercrust Gallhammer Official Myspace]
* [http://www.metal-archives.com/band.php?id=28291 Gallhammer at Metal Archives]
* [http://blog.goo.ne.jp/gallhammer/ Gallhammer's Blog (in Japanese only)]
* [http://www.peaceville.com/ Peaceville Records Official Website]