Xantotol – Thus Spake Zaratustra (1995)

 Country: Poland

Tracklist

1. Conqueror 07:20
2. Coming The God Race 05:34
3. Aeon 01:51
4. Law 06:06
5. Fallen To Arise 05:37
6. Pride 06:04
7. Capri Sancti 04:21

Xantotol formed in July 1991 in Kutno, featuring guitarist/lead vocalist Mała

and drummer Jacek "Venom" Szczepański while they were still in high school.
The band experienced some problems in the early days trying to find a place to rehearse

but eventually played at the local Dom Kultury once a week, using cheap equipment.

Inspired by the likes of Venom, Bathory, Samael, Necromantia, Nietzschean Satanism and Aleister Crowley,

Xantotol developed a style of black metal that was at once primitive, brooding, and atmospheric.
In April 1992, they recorded their first demo "Glory For Centuries", that was released through Devilish Sounds Production.
The title-track appeared on one of the first black metal compilations in Poland "The Blackest".
During this period, Szczepański also formed the Fullmoon collective, which teamed up with leading 

satanic organizations, such as Order Of Nine Angel from England, Luciferian Light Group from USA 

and Order Of The Left Hand Path from New Zealand, distributing in Poland didactic satanic cult material and literature.

Subsequently, the band would severe itself from the organization, creating the notorious Temple Of Fullmoon.
Mała’s school mate Siwy joined the band in 1993 handling the bass.
On September 17th, Xantotol recorded at the KDK Studio, their second demo "Cult Of The Black Pentagram".
Pagan Records was the band's first choice to release it but they decided to sign with Witching Hour Productions instead.
In the meantime Szczepański started playing avant-garde music with Siwy’s band Bicz.
In 1995, the band entered the KDK Studio once again with Krzysztof Szejki on the production,

to record their new material entitled "Thus Spake Zarathustra" in one 12-hour session.
The intros performed by Hermh's keyboard player Marek Kutnik,
and the new songs were released through Witching Hour Productions, only on tape at the time.

The record label's owner Bartłomiej Krysiuk (Batushka) proposed US label Wild Rags Records releasing both 

"Thus Spake Zarathustra" and "Cult Of The Black Pentagram" on CD, but there was eventually no agreement

due to financial problems, also the cassettes that were sent to Wild Rags Records got lost.
After a while Siwy left the band and Piotr Nastarowicz from Sauron

was invited to join as second-guitarist, though the proposal didn't come to fruition.

Instead Szczepański participated on Sauron's unreleased demo "Wilderness...".

Despite going through line-up difficulties, they managed to compose new material.
In August 1996 while the band was working for a record entitled "The Devil", which was nearly finished,

Witching Hour Productions suspended funding for the recording, without any explanation.
Xantotol planned to record again some of the new songs in spring 1997 at their own expense but they eventually broke-up.
Following the band’s disintegration, Mała joined Kayzen.

Memory