Full Biography
Emerging from the shadows of a small town in Morocco called Settat, Pagan Ulver was founded in July 2020 during a time of uncertainty and introspection. Originally formed with a vision rooted in post-black metal, the band began experimenting and evolving their sound, transitioning through various modern styles before ultimately crafting a signature identity that the majority now describe as Symphonic Melodic Black Metal.
From the outset, Pagan Ulver has embraced a thematic focus on fantasy, tragic stories, and sometimes misanthropy, weaving these narratives with profound emotions that delve into the darker corners of self-destruction. As the band continues to explore and refine their artistic essence, their music channels an orchestral and melodic grandeur that sets them apart from traditional black metal tropes.
In 2023, the band released their first demo, Chaos Unfolds, featuring Raven Samael on rhythm guitar, bass, and orchestration, Moorkat on vocals and lead guitar, and Ash on drums. This demo laid the foundation for their debut album, Obsidian Flame of Thy Offering, which promises to expand their sonic and thematic horizons upon its release.
A key milestone in the band's career came in September 2024, when they won first prize at the Tremplin-L'Boulevard Festival, marking them as the first black metal band in the festival's 22-year history to do so. The band's performance was described as "perfect in composition and execution," with their symphonic and melodic style impressing even those unfamiliar with extreme metal.
Following their victory, Metal Hammer Magazine featured the band in an interview, emphasizing their bold artistic vision and potential to make waves beyond Morocco, and adding: "This band is living proof that the future of metal is in Africa and not in Europe or the United States". Later on, another full interview with Raven Samael was released in the magazine's Spanish edition, issue 420. The interview focused on the vision of the band, the difficulties they face, and upcoming projects.
Visually, Pagan Ulver stays true to the roots of black metal, incorporating traditional corpse paint and an ominous stage presence. Despite their minimalist debut performance, the band has expressed a commitment to evolving their live aesthetic to align with the epic and tragic themes that define their music.
Pagan Ulver represents a bold new chapter for Moroccan metal, pushing the boundaries of their genre while staying grounded in their passion for storytelling and raw emotion. With their debut album on the horizon, the band is poised to make an even greater impact on both the local and global metal scene.
Current Members
- Fenrisúlfr - Vocals (2024-present)
- Raven Samael - Guitars (2020-present), Vocals (2020-2023), Backing Vocals (2023-present), Bass (2021-2023), Keyboards (2020-2023)
- Seth - Guitars (2024-present)
- Sin - Bass (2024-present)
- Turab - Keyboards (2024-present)
- Ash - Drums (2020-present)
Past Members
- Hellven - Guitars (2020-2021)
- A.B.H. - Bass (2020-2021)
- Moorkat - Vocals (2023-2024), Guitars (2022-2024)
- H.H. - Guitars (2023)
- B.A. - Vocals (2023)
- A.R. - Keyboards (2023)
- Fenrisúlfr - Vocals (2024-present)
- Raven Samael - Guitars (2020-present), Vocals (2020-2023), Backing Vocals (2023-present), Bass (2021-2023), Keyboards (2020-2023)
- Seth - Guitars (2024-present)
- Sin - Bass (2024-present)
- Turab - Keyboards (2024-present)
- Ash - Drums (2020-present)
- Hellven - Guitars (2020-2021)
- A.B.H. - Bass (2020-2021)
- Moorkat - Vocals (2023-2024), Guitars (2022-2024)
- H.H. - Guitars (2023)
- B.A. - Vocals (2023)
- A.R. - Keyboards (2023)