# Byron Roberts > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Byron_Roberts > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Byron_Roberts.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byron_Roberts > Source revision: 1319450358 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|British vocalist}} {{for|the film producer|Byron Roberts (producer)}} {{EngvarB|date=August 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Byron Roberts | image = Byron Roberts of Bal-Sagoth.jpg | caption = Roberts with Bal-Sagoth in 2002 | alias = Byron, Lord Byron, Byron A. Roberts | origin = [Sheffield](/source/Sheffield), England | genre = [Symphonic metal](/source/Symphonic_metal), [black metal](/source/black_metal), [extreme metal](/source/extreme_metal) | occupation = Singer, songwriter, author | years_active = 1988–present | current_member_of = [Bal-Sagoth](/source/Bal-Sagoth) | website = {{url|byron-a-roberts.co.uk}} }} '''Byron Alexander Roberts'''{{cite web|url=https://www.ascap.com/repertory#/ace/search/workID/503567171 |title=TO STORM THE CYCLOPEAN GATES OF BYZANTIUM |website=ASCAP |publisher=American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers |access-date=November 15, 2023}} is a British musician who is the vocalist/lyricist and a founder of the [symphonic](/source/symphonic_metal) [extreme metal](/source/extreme_metal) band [Bal-Sagoth](/source/Bal-Sagoth).{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p406937/biography|pure_url=yes}}|title=Biography Bal-Sagoth|last=Ankeny|first=Jason|publisher=[AllMusic](/source/AllMusic)|accessdate=22 February 2010}} He is also the author of "The Chronicles of Caylen-Tor" book series published by DMR Books, as well as the author of several short stories and poems which have been published in various fantasy and horror fiction anthologies.{{cite web|url=http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/ea.cgi?211580 |title=Summary Bibliography: Byron A. Roberts |website=Isfdb.org |date= |accessdate=2020-05-15}} Originally hailing from [Yorkshire](/source/Yorkshire), England, and also holding full Canadian citizenship due to many years spent living in [Ontario](/source/Ontario) and [Quebec](/source/Quebec), Roberts graduated from [Sheffield Hallam University](/source/Sheffield_Hallam_University) with an Honours Degree in English, writing his final year thesis on the genres of pulp fantasy, science fiction and horror, and more specifically the works of [H.P. Lovecraft](/source/H.P._Lovecraft). Roberts originated Bal-Sagoth's concept and writes all the lyrics for the band, having performed the vocals on all six Bal-Sagoth albums to date as well as the band's 1993 demo. Roberts also contributed guest vocals to the "Dominion" demo from [death metal](/source/death_metal) band Blasphemer, and to the "Halcyon" EP from the [doom metal](/source/doom_metal) band [Solstice](/source/Solstice_(UK_doom_metal_band)).{{cite web | url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/971523-Byron-Roberts | title=Byron Roberts | website=[Discogs](/source/Discogs) }} == Career == === Bal-Sagoth === Roberts came up with the idea for the band [Bal-Sagoth](/source/Bal-Sagoth) around 1989.[Zero Tolerance (magazine)](/source/Zero_Tolerance_(magazine)), issue 10, 2006. Obdurate Publishing Ltd. For years, he had been seeking suitable musicians with whom he could collaborate to realise his grand vision of forming "a sublimely symphonic black/death metal band swathed in a concept of dark fantasy/science-fiction and ancient myths & legends."{{cite book|last=Hill|first=Gary|title=The Strange Sound of Cthulhu: Music Inspired by the Writings of H. P. Lovecraft|publisher=[Lulu](/source/Lulu_(company))|year=2006|isbn=978-1-84728-776-2|pages=54–57}} In 1993, after several aborted attempts to launch the project, the formal inception of Bal-Sagoth took place.''Cult Never Dies: The Mega Zine'', Cult Never Dies, 2016. {{ISBN|978-0-9933077-2-0}} The band began composing songs, the ultimate result (now some thirty years later) being a six album discography released via Cacophonous Records and [Nuclear Blast](/source/Nuclear_Blast).[Terrorizer (magazine)](/source/Terrorizer_(magazine)), issue 142, March 2006. Dark Arts Ltd. For a more extensive account of the band and its releases, see [Bal-Sagoth](/source/Bal-Sagoth). === Short stories and poetry === On 21 February 2015 the fantasy anthology paperback ''Swords of Steel'' was published by [DMR Books](/source/DMR_Books). The publication contains a short story by [Bal-Sagoth](/source/Bal-Sagoth) vocalist/lyricist Byron Roberts entitled "Into the Dawn of Storms" which features Byron's character Captain Caleb Blackthorne who first appeared in the lyrics to the third Bal-Sagoth album [Battle Magic](/source/Battle_Magic) in 1998.{{cite book|last=Roberts|first=Byron|title=Swords of Steel|publisher=DMR Books|year=2015|isbn=978-0990990000|display-authors=etal}} On 30 July 2015, the fantasy anthology ''Barbarian Crowns'' was published by Horrified Press/Barbwire Butterfly Books. This publication contains a short story by Roberts entitled "Chronicles of the Obsidian Crown" which features characters and events from the Bal-Sagoth lyrical canon. The story is part of the "Obsidian Crown Saga" which also features on the Bal-Sagoth albums [Starfire Burning Upon the Ice-Veiled Throne of Ultima Thule](/source/Starfire_Burning_Upon_the_Ice-Veiled_Throne_of_Ultima_Thule) and [The Chthonic Chronicles](/source/The_Chthonic_Chronicles).{{cite book|last=Roberts|first=Byron|title=Barbarian Crowns|publisher=Horrified Press/Barbwire Butterfly Books|year=2015|isbn=9781326350383|display-authors=etal}} On the same day, the fantasy anthology ''Devil's Armory'' was also published by Horrified Press. This publication contains a short story by Roberts entitled "Darkfall: Return of the Vampyre Hunter" which features the character Joachim Blokk, who first appeared in the lyrics of the third Bal-Sagoth album [Battle Magic](/source/Battle_Magic).{{cite book|last=Roberts|first=Byron|title=Devil's Armory|publisher=Horrified Press/Barbwire Butterfly Books|year=2015|isbn=9781326337513|display-authors=etal}} Additionally, a poem by Roberts entitled "When Dead Cthulhu Dreams" was included in the anthology ''Beyond the Cosmic Veil'', also published by Horrified Press.{{cite book|last=Roberts|first=Byron|title=Beyond the Cosmic Veil|publisher=Horrified Press/Barbwire Butterfly Books|year=2015|isbn=9781326318864|display-authors=etal}} On 27 February 2016, the fantasy anthology paperback ''Swords of Steel II'' was published by DMR Books. This publication contains a short story by Roberts entitled "A Voyage on Benighted Seas", the second installment of the Caleb Blackthorne trilogy which began in the first volume of ''Swords of Steel''.{{cite book|last=Roberts|first=Byron|title=Swords of Steel II|publisher=DMR Books|year=2016|isbn=9780990990017|display-authors=etal}} On 19 May 2017, the fantasy anthology paperback ''Swords of Steel III'' was published by DMR Books. This publication contains a short story by Roberts entitled "The Scion at the Gate of Eternity", the third installment of the Caleb Blackthorne trilogy featuring characters from the [Bal-Sagoth](/source/Bal-Sagoth) lyrical canon.{{cite book|last=Roberts|first=Byron|title=Swords of Steel III|publisher=DMR Books|year=2017|isbn=9780990990000|display-authors=etal}} On 18 March 2018 the sword & sorcery anthology ''Dreams of Fire and Steel'' was published by Nocturnicorn Books. The book includes a short story by Roberts titled "Caylen-Tor", featuring the character which first appeared in the lyrics of the second [Bal-Sagoth](/source/Bal-Sagoth) album [Starfire Burning Upon the Ice-Veiled Throne of Ultima Thule](/source/Starfire_Burning_Upon_the_Ice-Veiled_Throne_of_Ultima_Thule) in 1996.{{cite book|last=Roberts|first=Byron|title=Dreams of Fire and Steel|publisher=Nocturnicorn Books|year=2018|isbn=9781986651905|display-authors=etal}} On 14 May 2019 the collection ''The Chronicles of Caylen-Tor'' was published by DMR Books. The book consists of three novellas by Byron Roberts featuring the character Caylen-Tor who first appeared in the lyrics of the second [Bal-Sagoth](/source/Bal-Sagoth) album [Starfire Burning Upon the Ice-Veiled Throne of Ultima Thule](/source/Starfire_Burning_Upon_the_Ice-Veiled_Throne_of_Ultima_Thule) in 1996.{{cite book|last=Roberts|first=Byron|title=The Chronicles of Caylen-Tor|publisher=DMR Books|year=2019|isbn=9780990990062}} On 13 May 2021, the collection ''The Chronicles of Caylen-Tor Volume II'' was published by [DMR Books](/source/DMR_Books). The book consists of four stories by Byron Roberts featuring his character Caylen-Tor who first appeared in the lyrics of the second Bal-Sagoth album [Starfire Burning Upon the Ice-Veiled Throne of Ultima Thule](/source/Starfire_Burning_Upon_the_Ice-Veiled_Throne_of_Ultima_Thule) and is a sequel to "The Chronicles of Caylen-Tor".{{cite book|last=Roberts|first=Byron|title=The Chronicles of Caylen-Tor Volume II|publisher=[DMR Books](/source/DMR_Books)|year=2021|isbn=9781735898278}} In February 2024, the collection ''The Chronicles of Caylen-Tor Volume III'' was published by [DMR Books](/source/DMR_Books). The third volume in the series by Byron Roberts consists of three novellas featuring his character Caylen-Tor who first appeared in the lyrics of the second Bal-Sagoth album [Starfire Burning Upon the Ice-Veiled Throne of Ultima Thule](/source/Starfire_Burning_Upon_the_Ice-Veiled_Throne_of_Ultima_Thule).{{cite book|last=Roberts|first=Byron|title=The Chronicles of Caylen-Tor Volume III|publisher=[DMR Books](/source/DMR_Books)|year=2024|isbn=9781956173192}} On 07 April 2025, the fantasy anthology paperback "Swords of Steel IV" was published by [DMR Books](/source/DMR_Books). This publication contains a short story by Byron Roberts entitled "The Shrine of the Six-eyed Avatar", featuring characters and concepts from the [Bal-Sagoth](/source/Bal-Sagoth) lyrical canon.{{cite book|last=Roberts|first=Byron|title=Swords of Steel IV|publisher=DMR Books|year=2025|isbn=9781956173253|display-authors=etal}} Roberts also plans to publish a series of Bal-Sagoth related comic books/graphic novels further detailing the extensive stories of the lyrical multiverse, as well as a collection of illustrated prose stories, and even collectible cards featuring his characters.''The Jack Kirby Collector'', issue 50, [TwoMorrows Publishing](/source/TwoMorrows_Publishing), 2008, p. 145. {{ISBN|978-1-893905-89-4}} ==Artistry== === Lyrical content and influences === Drawing inspiration from such writers as [Robert E. Howard](/source/Robert_E._Howard), [H. P. Lovecraft](/source/H._P._Lovecraft), [Edgar Rice Burroughs](/source/Edgar_Rice_Burroughs), [Frank Herbert](/source/Frank_Herbert), [J.R.R. Tolkien](/source/J.R.R._Tolkien), [Shakespeare](/source/Shakespeare), [Arthur C. Clarke](/source/Arthur_C._Clarke), [Clark Ashton Smith](/source/Clark_Ashton_Smith), [David Gemmell](/source/David_Gemmell), [George Lucas](/source/George_Lucas), [Jack Kirby](/source/Jack_Kirby) and [Stan Lee](/source/Stan_Lee), Roberts set out to create his own dark and baroque fantasy universe, with tales told through the medium of extreme metal albums.''Cult Never Dies: The Mega Zine'', Cult Never Dies, 2016. {{ISBN|978-0-9933077-2-0}} He named the band Bal-Sagoth in honour of one of his primary literary inspirations, the writer [Robert E. Howard](/source/Robert_E._Howard), whose story "The Gods of Bal-Sagoth" had first appeared in the legendary pulp fantasy magazine [Weird Tales](/source/Weird_Tales) during the 1930s.''"The Cimmerian"'', vol.4, number 3, 2007, p. 9. ISSN 1548-3398 Sometimes dubbed "The Multiverse" and/or "The Omniverse", Roberts's lyrical world is an extensive landscape of fantasy/science fiction, ranging from intergalactic tales of rogue gods and cosmic empires, to historical epics and high adventures, to sword and sorcery style sagas.[Zero Tolerance (magazine)](/source/Zero_Tolerance_(magazine)), issue 10, 2006. Obdurate Publishing Ltd. The stories of the lyrical world are all connected to a greater or lesser degree, and are roughly divided into several different eras. The first era is the "antediluvian" epoch, during which most of the sword & sorcery style stories take place. Tales occurring even earlier than this, such as when the planet Earth consisted of the mega-continent [Pangaea](/source/Pangaea), are also usually grouped into this broad chronological categorisation. Then there is an era covering recorded human history from ancient times to roughly the end of [World War II](/source/World_War_II), during which Roberts's historical stories occur.[Zero Tolerance (magazine)](/source/Zero_Tolerance_(magazine)), issue 10, 2006. Obdurate Publishing Ltd. Thirdly there is a future era, which roughly dates from the year 2104 all the way to a time frame many thousands of years in the future, and it is during this epoch that the science-fiction oriented stories take place.''Cult Never Dies: The Mega Zine'', Cult Never Dies, 2016. {{ISBN|978-0-9933077-2-0}} Roberts creates all the concepts, storylines, characters, places and lyrics for the Bal-Sagoth lyrics. He also designed the band logo, the album cover concepts, and all the booklet layouts.{{cite web | url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/971523-Byron-Roberts | title=Byron Roberts | website=[Discogs](/source/Discogs) }} ===Vocal style=== Roberts's original vocal style combines [black metal](/source/black_metal) screams with a [pitched-down](/source/Pitch_shifter_(audio_processor)) "narrator's" voice, enabling him to relay story elements in a clear and compelling manner, present dialogue between characters, and imbue the vocals with a "light and dark" contrasting feel. Roberts's primary musical inspirations are bands such as [Bathory](/source/Bathory_(band)), [Celtic Frost](/source/Celtic_Frost), [Deicide](/source/Deicide_(band)), [Morbid Angel](/source/Morbid_Angel), [Sabbat](/source/Sabbat_(English_band)), [Slayer](/source/Slayer), et al.''Cult Never Dies: The Mega Zine'', Cult Never Dies, 2016, p. 46. {{ISBN|978-0-9933077-2-0}} ==Discography== Discography (1993–2013){{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/artist/Byron+Roberts|title=Byron Roberts|website=Discogs.com}} *Bal-Sagoth Demo (1993) *''[A Black Moon Broods Over Lemuria](/source/A_Black_Moon_Broods_Over_Lemuria)'' (Cacophonous, 1995) *''[Starfire Burning Upon the Ice-Veiled Throne of Ultima Thule](/source/Starfire_Burning_Upon_the_Ice-Veiled_Throne_of_Ultima_Thule)'' (Cacophonous, 1996) *''[Battle Magic](/source/Battle_Magic)'' (Cacophonous, 1998) *''[The Power Cosmic](/source/The_Power_Cosmic)'' (Nuclear Blast, 1999) *''[Atlantis Ascendant](/source/Atlantis_Ascendant)'' (Nuclear Blast, 2001) *''[The Chthonic Chronicles](/source/The_Chthonic_Chronicles)'' (Nuclear Blast, 2006) *''Apocryphal Tales'' (Godreah/Exhumation, 2013) ==Bibliography== ===Caylen-Tor series=== *"Caylen-Tor" (2018) *"The Siege of Gul-Azlaan" (2019) *"The Battle of Blackhelm Vale" (2019) *"The King Beneath the Mountain of Fire" (2019) *"The Trial of Blood and Steel" (2021) *"Carnage at the Crimson Stones" (2021) *"In the Hall of the Wolfborn Liege" (2021) *"The Devil Beyond the Gate of Shadow" (2021) *"Lords of the Ensanguined Sea" (2024) *"The Wolf and the Eldritch Moon" (2024) *"The Vengeance of the Witch-Queen" (2024) *''The Chronicles of Caylen-Tor'' (collection) (DMR Books, 2019) *''The Chronicles of Caylen-Tor, Volume II'' (collection) (DMR Books, 2021) *''The Chronicles of Caylen-Tor, Volume III'' (collection) (DMR Books, 2024) ===Captain Caleb Blackthorne series=== *"Into the Dawn of Storms" (2015) *"A Voyage on Benighted Seas" (2016) *"The Scion at the Gate of Eternity" (2017) *"The Voyages of Caleb Blackthorne" (compendium) (2019) ===Other short stories=== *"Darkfall: Return of the Vampyre Hunter" (2015) *"Chronicles of the Obsidian Crown" (2015) *"The Shrine of the Six-eyed Avatar" (2025) ===Verse=== *"When Dead Cthulhu Dreams" (2015) ===Novels=== *''Karnov: Phantom-Clad Rider of the Cosmic Ice'' (with Howie K. Bentley and Matthew Knight) (DMR Books, 2019) ==References== {{Reflist}} ==Sources== * Hill, Gary. ''"The Strange Sound of Cthulhu"'', Lulu, 2006, pp. 54–57 * ''"The Cimmerian"'', vol. 4, number 3, 2007, p. 9 * ''"The Jack Kirby Collector"'', issue 50, TwoMorrows Publishing, 2008, p. 145 *[https://web.archive.org/web/20110928174531/http://www.bal-sagoth.com/ Official Bal-Sagoth Website] *[http://www.byron-a-roberts.co.uk Official site for Byron Roberts] *[http://www.myspace.com/byronbalsagoth MySpace page of Byron Roberts] *[{{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p406937|pure_url=yes}} AllMusic Guide] *[http://www.discogs.com/artist/Byron+Roberts Byron Roberts Discography] *[http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/ea.cgi?211580 The Internet Speculative Fiction Database] ==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20110928174531/http://www.bal-sagoth.com/ Official Bal-Sagoth website] *[https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/ea.cgi?211580 ISFDB bibliography for Byron Roberts] *[http://www.byron-a-roberts.co.uk Official site for Byron Roberts] *[http://www.bal-sagoth.net Official Bal-Sagoth blog site] {{Bal-Sagoth}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Roberts, Byron}} Category:Living people Category:Bal-Sagoth members Category:English male singers Category:English heavy metal singers Category:Canadian heavy metal singers Category:Black metal musicians Category:English lyricists Category:English fantasy writers Category:Musicians from Sheffield Category:Alumni of Sheffield Hallam University Category:English horror writers Category:Year of birth missing (living people) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Byron Roberts](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byron_Roberts) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byron_Roberts?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.