Opera IX

{{Short description|Italian symphonic black metal band}} {{Multiple issues| {{More citations needed|date=March 2008}} {{Unreliable sources|date=October 2020}}}} {{Infobox musical artist |  | name = Opera IX | image = Opera IX Busto Arsizio 2015 - 1.jpg | caption = Ossian on stage in 2015 | image_size = | background = group_or_band | alias = | origin = Biella, Italy | genre = Symphonic black metal, gothic metal (early) | years_active = 1988–present | label = Avantgarde Music, Displeased Records | associated_acts = | website = {{url|operaix.it}} | current_members = Dipsas Ossian Charon m:A Fog Alessandro | past_members = Cadaveria Flegias Lunaris Taranis Madras Vlad Silent Bard Triskent Dalamar M. Abigail Scùrs }}

'''Opera IX''' is an Italian symphonic black metal band, founded in the city of Biella by the guitarist Ossian in 1988.

== History == === Early years: 1990–1995 === In 1990 the band made the first demo tape "Gothik". There were many line-up changes, eventually settling with Cadaveria's vocals, Ossian at guitar, Vlad at bass and Flegias at drums. The band's early occult metal sound was switched to a mix of gothic, death, and black metal. The second demo, which contained 4 songs, led to a contract for a 7-inch EP, which came out in 1993. The first 500 copies were sold out in 2 months. In the meantime, the band filmed "The Triumph Of The Death" containing 2 videos: Born In The Grave <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8em9NESSEDE| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160410213410/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8em9NESSEDE| archive-date=2016-04-10|title=Born In The Grave video|work=YouTube|access-date=23 November 2014}}</ref> and The Red Death.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iun60hMZlwU| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160603112259/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iun60hMZlwU| archive-date=2016-06-03|title=The Red Death video|work=YouTube|access-date=23 November 2014}}</ref>

At the end of 1993, Silent Bard, a musician with classical background, joined the line-up on keyboard. The band released its first full album, ''The Call of the Wood'', in 1995 under Miscarriage Records. The album contains 5 long songs and has a play time of about 60 minutes. After the CD was released, Opera IX replaced the keyboard player with a new member: Triskent.

Opera participated in ''A Call To Irons'' an Iron Maiden tribute album, also for Miscarriage Records. The cover chosen by the band was "The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner". Other bands on the album included Vital Remains and Absu.

=== ''Sacro Culto'' and ''The Black Opera'': 1996–2001 === In April 1998 the band's second full-length album ''Sacro Culto'' was released by the Belgian label Shiver Records. There are six songs in total, for a duration of 70 minutes. The new keyboardist on the album is Lunaris. The CD was presented in digipak format and a video was made for "Fronds of the Ancient Walnut".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpvTy7o5AN0| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211024034142/SpvTy7o5AN0| archive-date=2021-10-23|title=Fronds of the Ancient Walnut video|work=YouTube|access-date=23 November 2014}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

In the Biellayear 2000, Opera IX signed to Avantgarde Music. In January of the following year they recorded their third album, ''The Black Opera - Simphoniae Misteriorum in Laude Tenebrarum'', at the Underground studios in Sweden. ''Black Opera'' sold approximately 18,000 copies. In September 2001 Avantgarde released a remastered ''The Call of the Wood'' with new cover artwork and two bonus tracks: "Rimes About Dying Stones" and "Born In The Grave".

=== ''Maleventum'' and ''Anphisbena'': 2002–2008 === Flegias and Cadaveria left the band to form a new musical project, Cadaveria. Opera IX reformed with Taranis on drums and Madras on vocals. Their fourth album, entitled ''Maleventum'', is a concept album about witchcraft and paganism. It was recorded in January 2002 at The Damage inc studios in Ventimiglia.

Madras and Taranis left the band at the same time it was finishing the new album ''Anphisbena''. As of December 2003, the current Opera IX line up features M The Bard on vocals and Dalamar on drums.

=== New albums 2009–present === The band has recorded a new album which was planned to be released sometime in the beginning of 2011 by Displeased Records.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://darkdoomgrinddeath.blogspot.com/2009/11/opera-ix-interview.html|title=Opera IX interview (2009) |publisher=Darkdoomgrinddeath.blogspot.com|access-date=23 November 2014}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://myspace.com/discover/featured|title=Featured Content on Myspace|website=Myspace.com|access-date=7 October 2020}}</ref> The drum recording has been completed by Dalamar,<ref name="auto"/> the bass recording has been completed by Vlad,<ref>{{Cite web |title=STUDIO REPORT (bass guitar session and more) |url=http://www.myspace.com/officialoperaix/blog/540534950 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120908004327/http://www.myspace.com/officialoperaix/blog/540534950 |archive-date=8 September 2012 |publisher=Blog von Opera IX |date=10 November 2010 |access-date=10 August 2021}}</ref> the recording of the first guitar has been completed by Ossian.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Opera IX - Strix studio report part 2 |url=http://www.operaix.it/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=49:opera-ix-strix-studio-report-part-2&catid=1:last-news&Itemid=50 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718105407/http://www.operaix.it/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=49:opera-ix-strix-studio-report-part-2&catid=1:last-news&Itemid=50 |archive-date=18 July 2011 |publisher=Blog von Opera IX |access-date=10 August 2021}}</ref> The band also posted two video previews of the new album on YouTube.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2hvo2eCCR4&feature=player_embedded| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211024034203/r2hvo2eCCR4| archive-date=2021-10-02|title=OPERA IX "STRIX" - studio report PT1 - Dalamar drum recording|work=YouTube|access-date=23 November 2014}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUbgh0ZCHY4|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160724063818/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUbgh0ZCHY4|archive-date=2016-07-24|title=OPERA IX "STRIX" - studio report PT2 - Vlad bass guitar recording|work=YouTube|access-date=23 November 2014|url-status=bot: unknown}}</ref> On 15 April 2011 the band terminated the contract with Displeased Records because the label "would no longer guarantee the conditions in the signed contract".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/OfficialoperaIX/|title=Official Opera IX|website=Facebook.com|access-date=7 October 2020}}</ref> Shortly thereafter, the band signed a contract with Agonia Records.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.facebook.com/notes/agonia-records/agonia-records-the-konsortium-svartsyn-opera-ix-new-releases/228658643812319|title=AGONIA RECORDS : The Konsortium / Svartsyn / Opera IX / New Releases.|website=Facebook.com|access-date=23 November 2014}}</ref> A music video for the song Mandragora has been released.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puiHt2wF3iE| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/puiHt2wF3iE?url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puiHt2wF3iE| archive-date=2021-10-23|title=OperaIX - Mandragora [UNCENSORED] OFFICIAL VIDEOCLIP [HD- 720p]|work=YouTube|access-date=23 November 2014}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

The album, ''Strix: Maledictae in aeternum'', was finally released in 2012,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metalstorm.net/events/news_comments.php?news_id=15260|title=Opera IX - New Video Online, New Album Details Revealed|website=Metalstorm.net|access-date=23 November 2014}}</ref> followed by ''Back to Sepulcro'' in 2015.

==Discography== ===Studio albums=== *''The Call of the Wood'' (1995) *''Sacro Culto'' (1998) *''The Black Opera: Symphoniae Mysteriorum in Laudem Tenebrarum'' (2000) *''Maleventum'' (2002) *''Anphisbena'' (2004) *''Strix: Maledictae in aeternum'' (2012) *''Back to Sepulcro'' (2015) *''The Gospel'' (2018)

===Extended plays=== *''The Triumph of the Death'' (1993)

===Compilation albums=== *''90-92-93 The Early Chapters'' (2007)

===Live albums=== *''The Triumph of the Death'' (1994) *''Live at Babylonia'' (1998) *''Mythology XX Years of Witchcraft'' (2008) *''Sabbatical Live'' (2013)

===Demo releases=== *''Gothik'' (1990) *''Demo '92'' (1992)

== Members == === Current === * Ossian – guitars (1988–present) * Dipsas Dianaria - vocals (2018–present) * Charon - bass (2018–present) * m:A Fog - drums (2014–present) * Alessandro Muscio - keyboards (2014–present)

=== Former === * Daniel Vintras – vocals (1990) * Cadaveria – vocals (1992-2001) * Madras - vocals (2001-2002) * M the Bard - vocals, guitars (2003-2014; died 2017) * Abigail Dianaria - vocals (2014-2018<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.facebook.com/operaixvocalist/posts/1591072847607282|title=Abigail Dianaria - Posts|website=Facebook.com|access-date=15 May 2018}}</ref>) * Vlad - bass (1990-2014) * Scùrs - bass (2014-2018) * Flegias - drums (1992-2001) * Taranis - drums (2001-2002) * Dalamar - drums (2003-2014) * Silent Bard - keyboards (1993-1995) * Triskent - keyboards (1995-1997) * Lunaris - keyboards (1997-2006)

===Timeline=== {{#tag:timeline| ImageSize = width:800 height:auto barincrement:18 PlotArea = left:170 bottom:80 top:0 right:50 Alignbars = justify DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy Period = from:01/01/1988 till:{{#time:m/d/Y}} TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1988 ScaleMajor = increment:2 start:1988 Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:4

Colors = id:vocals value:red legend:Vocals id:guitar value:green legend:Guitar id:bass value:blue legend:Bass id:keys value:purple legend:Keyboards id:drums value:orange legend:Drums id:bars value:gray(0.95) id:studio value:black legend:Studio_Album id:other value:gray(0.5) legend:Demos/EPs

BackgroundColors = bars:bars

LineData = at:06/01/1990 color:other layer:back at:06/01/1992 color:other layer:back at:06/01/1993 color:other layer:back at:06/01/1995 color:black layer:back at:04/18/1998 color:black layer:back at:05/05/2000 color:black layer:back at:03/25/2002 color:black layer:back at:11/27/2004 color:black layer:back at:01/24/2012 color:black layer:back at:11/15/2015 color:black layer:back

BarData = bar:Daniel text:"Daniel Vintras" bar:Cadaveria text:"Cadaveria" bar:Madras text:"Madras" bar:M text:"M the Bard" bar:Abigail text:"Abigail Dianaria" bar:Dipsas text:"Dipsas Dianaria" bar:Ossian text:"Ossian" bar:Vlad text:"Vlad" bar:Scurs text:"Scùrs" bar:Charon text:"Charon" bar:Silent text:"Silent Bard" bar:Triskent text:"Triskent" bar:Lunaris text:"Lunaris" bar:Aless text:"Alessandro Muscio" bar:Flegias text:"Flegias" bar:Taranis text:"Taranis" bar:Dalamar text:"Dalamar" bar:MA text:"m:A Fog"

PlotData = width:11 bar:Daniel from:04/01/1990 till:11/01/1990 color:vocals bar:Cadaveria from:01/01/1992 till:09/01/2001 color:vocals bar:Madras from:09/01/2001 till:11/01/2002 color:vocals bar:M from:02/01/2003 till:04/01/2014 color:vocals bar:Abigail from:04/01/2014 till:02/09/2018 color:vocals bar:Dipsas from:02/09/2018 till:end color:vocals bar:Ossian from:01/01/1988 till:end color:guitar bar:Vlad from:01/01/1990 till:04/01/2014 color:bass bar:Scurs from:04/01/2014 till:04/20/2018 color:bass bar:Charon from:04/20/2018 till:end color:bass bar:Silent from:03/01/1993 till:10/01/1995 color:keys bar:Triskent from:10/01/1995 till:06/01/1997 color:keys bar:Lunaris from:06/01/1997 till:06/01/2007 color:keys bar:Aless from:04/01/2014 till:end color:keys bar:Flegias from:01/01/1992 till:09/01/2001 color:drums bar:Taranis from:09/01/2001 till:11/01/2002 color:drums bar:Dalamar from:02/02/2003 till:04/01/2014 color:drums bar:MA from:04/01/2014 till:end color:drums }}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [http://www.operaix.it Official website] * [http://www.displeasedrecords.com/?id=4,475 Official page at Displeased Records] * {{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p440710}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Opera Ix}} Category:Blackened death metal musical groups Category:Italian black metal musical groups Category:Italian death metal musical groups Category:Italian gothic metal musical groups Category:Italian musical quintets Category:Musical groups established in 1988 Category:Symphonic black metal musical groups