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Our Top 10 Darkwoods My Betrothed songs list looks at the work of a black metal band from Finland. They first formed in 1993 under a moniker that cannot be printed here and set out to be a band who were very blasphemous albeit in a humorous kind of way. After they recorded their first couple of demos they decided to become more serious and changed their name to Darkwoods My Betrothed. Under this new name they recorded the 1994 demo Dark Aureollious Gathering.
In 1995 they released their debut full length album Heirs of the NorthStar. The album saw the band experiment with other styles such as Viking Metal which they mixed with their Black Metal sound. Although the lyrics still dealt with religious themes, they were less vulgar on the album and dealt with Viking mythology as well as pointing out problems with organised religion.
In 1996 they released their second album Autumn Roars Thunder. Although this album was also Viking themed lyrically, musically it was not so much, going back to a more pure black metal sound.
In 1998 they released their third album Witch Hunts which was a concept album which musically was their most extreme in nature. It was released nearly a year after being completed due to problems with their record label. They split up soon after the release of this record before reforming in 2000. However, this was short-lived and they split up again in 2001.
After two decades of inactivity it was announced that Darkwoods My Betrothed had reformed in 2020. In 2021 they announced that they are to release a new album titled Angel of Carnage Unleashed. The album is going to be released in November 2021. In the meantime here is a list of their ten best songs so far.
# 10- Part 3: Witch Hunters
The first song on our Darkwoods My Betrothed songs list is, as the titled would suggest the third part of a three part song trilogy known as The Witch Hunt trilogy. Taken from album of the similarly titled Witch Hunts, the band are very much expressing their dislike of Christianity here. Whilst this may be offensive to some people, it is the kind of thing that is generally a mutually held feeling within the black metal community.
# 9 – Inside The Circle Of Stones
This next track comes from the band’s second album Autumn Roars Thunder released in 1996. Darkwoods My Betrothed are an underrated band who should not be as obscure as they are. This is a track that really shows their musical talent and that they should have a more prominent status in the black metal scene.
# 8 – Autumn Roars Thunder
And up next we have the title track of the second album. Here we have an eleven minute epic which is very much a classic of the genre. With this track and album Darkwoods My Betrothed showed that they were a band who were not afraid to experiment and did not want to be pigeonholed into one particular style.
# 7 – Part 2: Burn, Witches, Burn
Next on our list is the second part of the aforementioned Witch Hunt trilogy. This track obviously also comes from the third album. This song is generally regarded by fans of the band to be the best part of the trilogy. This is likely because it is where all of the most interesting parts of the lyrical story happen.
# 6 – Yggdrasill’s Children Fall
Up next we have a song that defines the word epic clocking in at sixteen minutes long. It is from their debut album Heirs of the NorthStar released in 1995. It is a favourite with fans due to its length and also the brilliance of the song itself. The song goes through many different directions during its long time length, which are best left to the listener to hear for themselves.
# 5 – Without Ceremony and Bell Toll
This song is the opening track from Witch Hunts. This is another track that is a favourite with the band’s fans. The album as a whole has been voted and generally regarded as the best Darkwood record. The way to describe this track is that is black metal but the sound has evolved from the super raw production of the genre’s early days and has incorporated symphonic and melodic elements.
# 4 – Hymn of the Darkwoods
This next song also comes from the group’s first album. It is another great track that has a rawer feel to it than that of the band’s later works. This band are so underrated, as this track is easily up there in quality with the band’s who are among the most popular in the black metal genre. Unfortunately there are a lot of very good bands in the genre who are extremely obscure and DMB happen to be one of them.
# 3 – Red Sky Over The Land Of Fells
At number three is the closing track from the band’s debut album. It is a very good album closer to one of the best and most underrated debut’s in extreme metal. Within the metal community in the band’s native Finland, it certainly left an impression and the band were inspired to soon get working on their follow-up album.
# 2 – In Evil, Sickness and Grief
Near the top spot on our Darkwood My Betrothed songs list is the latest single from the band that has just been released this year and is going to included on their forthcoming new album Angel Of Carnage Unleashed. Although it may seem a little bit strange to put a new song this high on the list, this writer will say that it has been well worth the wait.
# 1 – The Crow and The Warrior
At the top of our Darkwood My Betrothed songs list is this song taken from Witch Hunt. It was performed with Nightwish and was included on the album as a promo track rather than a cover. Regardless of who people think deserves more credit for the song, it has elements of both bands. It is also a excellent track which warrants its number one spot on this list.
