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{{Short description|Norwegian extreme metal band}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2017}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name            = Antestor
| image           = Lars Stokstad & Thor Georg Buer EoR2011.jpg
| image_size      =
| caption         = Thor Georg Buer and Lars Stokstad at Elements of Rock 2011
| alias           = Crush Evil
| origin          = [[Jessheim]], Norway
| genre           = [[Unblack metal]]<ref name="Sharpe-Young, Garry">{{cite web |author=Sharpe-Young, Garry |title=Antestor |url=http://www.musicmight.com/artist/norway/oslo/antestor |publisher=[[MusicMight]] |access-date=December 21, 2009}}</ref><ref name="Ryhanen_1"/><br> {{nowrap|[[Death metal]]}}<br>{{nowrap|[[Black-doom]]}} {{nowrap|[[Blackened death metal]]}} {{nowrap|[[Blackened death-doom]]}} {{no break|[[Doom metal]] (early)}}
| occupation      =
| instrument      =
| years_active    = 1989<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Antestor/3048 | title=Antestor - Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives }}</ref>–2007, 2010–present
| label           = {{hlist|Cacophonous|Endtime|Bombworks<ref>{{cite web |author=Antestor |title=Antestor |url=http://www.facebook.com/pages/Antestor/312509509072 |work=Official Facebook page |publisher=[[Facebook]]}}</ref>|[[Rowe Productions|Rowe]]}}
| associated_acts = [[Vaakevandring]], [[Grave Declaration]]
| website         =
| current_members = * Ronny Hansen
* Lars Stokstad
* Erik Normann Aanonsen
* Henning Børven
| past_members    = * Robert Bordevick
* Morten Sigmund Mageroy
* Nicholas Main Henriksen
* Thor Georg Buer
* Vegard Undal
* Tony Kirkemo
* Kjetil Molnes
* Svein Sander
* Erling Jorgensen
* Stig Rolfsen
* Paul W
* Ole Børud
}}
'''Antestor''' ({{IPA-no|ˈɑ̀ntəstuːɽ|lang}}) is a Norwegian [[Christian metal|Christian]] [[extreme metal]] band formed in 1990 in [[Jessheim]]. Credited for starting the northern European [[Unblack metal|Christian black metal scene]],<ref name=Bryzak >Bryzak, Michael. Liner notes of ''The Defeat of Satan'' album. 2003. Endtime Productions</ref> Antestor is the only Christian band to have an album released by Cacophonous Records, which has also released records by bands such as [[Dimmu Borgir]], [[Sigh (band)|Sigh]], and [[Cradle of Filth]]. The band's only release on Cacophonous, ''[[The Return of the Black Death]]'', proved influential for the Christian black metal movement, and has sold over 10,000 copies.<ref name="Intense_Interview"/>
In the late 1990s, they dubbed their musical style as "sorrow metal" rather than black metal because the [[early Norwegian black metal scene]] was publicly affiliated with [[Theistic Satanism|Satanism]] in Norway. According to ''[[HM (magazine)|HM]]'' magazine, the progressive elements on the debut album, ''[[Martyrium (album)|Martyrium]]'', were possibly ahead of their time in the Norwegian extreme metal scene.<ref name="HM">{{cite web |url=http://www.hmmagazine.com/reviews/cd/archives/000416.php |title=Antestor - Martyrium |access-date=May 10, 2008 |author=Lee Rake, Jamie |year=2000 |work=[[HM Magazine]] |publisher=Open Publishing |archive-date=August 28, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090828180103/http://www.hmmagazine.com/reviews/cd/archives/000416.php |url-status=dead }}</ref>
The group has gone through several line-up changes over the years, and currently Antestor consists of the founding guitarist Lars Stokstad (Vemod), vocalist Ronny Hansen (Vrede), bassist Erik Normann Aanonsen, guitarist Robert Bordevick, and drummer Henning Børven. The original vocalist Kjetil Molnes (Martyr) and drummer Svein Sander (Armoth) left the band around 2000, and the members of a fellow Norwegian black metal group, [[Vaakevandring]], joined Antestor. The reputable Norwegian extreme metal drummer [[Jan Axel Blomberg]] (Hellhammer) played session drums for their 2005 album ''[[The Forsaken (album)|The Forsaken]]'' and ''[[Det tapte liv]]'' EP. A fourth studio album, ''[[Omen (Antestor album)|Omen]]'', was released in 2012.
==History==
===Crush Evil era===
In 1990, the band was formed under the name '''Crush Evil''' by Lars Stokstad, Kjetil Molnes, Øyvind Hope and Erling Jørgensen in [[Jessheim]], Norway. Paul W joined them as a drummer later on. Back then, the band's music style was a mixture of death metal, doom metal, and thrash metal.<ref name="Ryhanen_2">{{cite web |author=Ryhänen, Pekka |title=Antestor - The Defeat of Satan |publisher=Imperiumi.net |date=March 9, 2003 |url=http://imperiumi.net/alb_2.php?id=1258 |access-date=August 29, 2007 |language=fi |archive-date=December 18, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071218163505/http://imperiumi.net/alb_2.php?id=1258 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
In 1991, they recorded and released their first demo, ''[[The Defeat of Satan]]'', which contains three songs and an outro. The band is Christian and over the course of their career have received death threats because of this.<ref>{{cite web |author=Lucas |title=Antestor |publisher=Godcore.com |date=August 8, 2004 |url=http://www.godcore.com/music/bands/review.php?bid=728 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927033102/http://www.godcore.com/music/bands/review.php?bid=728 |archive-date=September 27, 2007 |access-date=August 29, 2007}}</ref>
The existence of the band itself caused a debate in the metal underground. For example, during the early 1990s, [[Bård Faust]] of [[Emperor (band)|Emperor]] brought up the subject when he discussed with [[Euronymous]], guitarist/vocalist from the seminal black metal band [[Mayhem (band)|Mayhem]], in his zine Orcustus about the Norwegian scene.<ref name="Orcustus"/> Faust asked: "Don't you think that something is terribly wrong when it has gone so far that we have a Christian "death metal" band here (Crush Evil)? Any advice on how we should kill them?"<ref name="Orcustus"/> Euronymous replied to this: "It's bad enough to have a couple of society bands, but a Christian band is too much. But don't worry, we have plans. They will not continue for a very long time."<ref name="Orcustus">{{cite web |author = Eithun, Bård G. "Faust"|title = Mayhem Interview|work = Orcustus zine|publisher = Blackmetal.nu|url = http://www.www.blackmetal.nu/~ubc/files/euroint.htm|access-date = August 29, 2007|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070927043510/http://www.www.blackmetal.nu/~ubc/files/euroint.htm|archive-date = September 27, 2007|url-status = dead}}</ref> However, the band persevered despite these threats. Antestor was never forced to split apart, and in an almost ironic twist of fate, [[Jan Axel Blomberg]] (better known as [[Jan Axel Blomberg|Hellhammer]], the drummer for Mayhem) was Antestor's session drummer on their latest two releases.
===''Martyrium ''(1993–1996)===
{{Listen
|filename=Antestor - Depressed.ogg
|title="Depressed"
|description= 29-second sample of "Depressed" by Antestor, from ''[[Martyrium (album)|Martyrium]]'' (1994). The song represents the band's early [[death/doom]] sound with some black metal elements.
|format=[[Ogg]]}}
In 1993, Vegard Undal joined the band as a bassist and Svein Sander became their drummer. During that time, they changed the name Crush Evil to Antestor, which is [[Latin language|Latin]] ({{IPA|la|anˈtɛstɔr|pron}}) for "to call to witness" or "testify".<ref>{{cite web |title=Antestor |work=The Christian Underground Zine Issue 4 |publisher=Open Publishing |year=2000 |url=http://www.tcu.sjr.fi/zinearkisto/z4/antestor.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928094618/http://www.tcu.sjr.fi/zinearkisto/z4/antestor.html |archive-date=September 28, 2007 |access-date=August 29, 2007 |quote=Antestor: 'The name means witness in Latin. Our old name began to sound not-so-good, and since we had gone through line-up changes we decided to change the name.’}} (Translated from Finnish)</ref> ''Despair'' was their first self-released demo, and was released under the band name Antestor. The demo starts with an intro and ends with a cover of an old Norwegian hymn, called ''Jesus, Jesus, Ver Du Hjå Meg'' ("Jesus, Jesus, Be With Me"). Strawberry Records pressed 600 copies of the recording.<ref name="Antestorbiography">{{cite web |title=Antestor Biography |work=Antestorband.com - an unofficial Brasilian Antestor page |publisher=Open Publishing |date=April 30, 2005 |url=http://www.antestorband.com/bios.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070824130740/http://www.antestorband.com/bios.html |archive-date=August 24, 2007 |access-date=August 29, 2007}}</ref>
In December 1994, Antestor recorded their first full-length album titled ''[[Martyrium (album)|Martyrium]]''. Arctic Serenades Records was originally supposed to release that album, but because of unknown reasons that never happened, and the band tried to get another label to release the album. American-based label Morphine Records would subsequently distribute bootleg copies of the album in 1997.<ref name="MorphineRecords">{{cite AV media |date=1997 |title=Martyrium (Pre-Release Cassette) |location=Glen Allen, VA |publisher=Morphine Records}}</ref> In an interview, the drummer Armoth said: "...we were in contact with a label called Morphine Records. But that was about signing a deal for the ''Martyrium'' album. But we never signed a contract but that guy, Burrito, made several promotapes and sold every bit of it illegally 'cause he didn't have a contract."<ref name="Art_for_the_Ears"/> However, the tape copies circulated in up to fifth generation copies and their audience grew fast.<ref name=Bryzak /> ''Martyrium'' was the last album that emphasized the band's death/doom direction.<ref name="Ryhanen_2"/>
On June 3, 1994 Antestor appeared on a local television program called "BootlegTV" where youth could practice and experience recording and video production. Usually local bands from Oslo played on that program which was broadcast on the television station [[TVNorge]]. During the course of this program, Antestor played five songs from ''Martyrium''.<ref name="Antestor_Movies"/> On June 6, 1995 Antestor was featured on the Norwegian weekly newspaper ''[[Morgenbladet]]'''s article about the phenomenon of Christian black metal, surrounding the black metal parody controversy of the Australian unblack metal group [[Horde (band)|Horde]]'s 1994 album ''[[Hellig Usvart]]''. In the article, vocalist Kjetil Molnes explains the band's stance on if a Christian band can play black metal: "We identify ourselves as black metal as a music style, not black metal as an ideology or belief."<ref name="Morgenbladet">{{cite web |title=MusikkOpp-ned oppnedkors! |work=Morgenbladet |publisher=Oslonett |date=February 6, 1995 |url=http://www.oslo.net/historie/MB/utg/9521/kultur/13.html |access-date=December 19, 2007 |language=no |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080101122447/http://www.oslo.net/historie/MB/utg/9521/kultur/13.html |archive-date=January 1, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
===''The Return of the Black Death ''(1997–1998)===
{{Listen
|filename=Antestor - A Sovereign Fortress.ogg
|title="A Sovereign Fortress"
|description=Sample of "A Sovereign Fortress" by Antestor, from ''[[The Return of the Black Death]]'' (1998). The song illustrates Antestor's "sorrow metal" style, which is a mixture of black metal and doom metal with folk influences.
|format=[[Ogg]]}}
In 1997, Antestor recorded a promotional CD titled ''Kongsblod''. The promo-CD caught the interest of British Cacophonous Records, one of the biggest labels with experience in the black metal style and helped established groups such as [[Cradle of Filth]] and [[Dimmu Borgir]] start their career.<ref name="Art_for_the_Ears">{{cite web |title=Antestor interview |work=Art for the Ears |publisher=Open Publishing |date=December 12, 1998 |url=http://www.artfortheears.nl/NL/r/i/antestor.htm |access-date=May 17, 2008}}</ref> Cacophonous signed a record deal for 2 albums with Antestor. In 1998, Cacophonous released ''Kongsblod'' under a different name, ''[[The Return of the Black Death]]'', and changed the original cover art of a famous Norwegian painting to artwork by [[Joe Petagno]], a well-known American heavy metal cover art creator.
Cacophonous being a secular label releasing material by a band that held Christian beliefs generated some interest in the metal scene. In an interview with ''Art for the Ears Webzine'', published on December 12, 1998, Armoth said: "We sent the CD and a short biography. They just wanted to sign us because of the music. And that's exactly what we wanted to do."<ref name="Art_for_the_Ears"/> 2 years later in a 2000 interview with the Finnish ''The Christian Underground Zine'' issue 4, the fanzine's interviewer asked Antestor: "However, you had a record deal with Cacophonous Records (ex-Cradle of Filth, Bal-Sagoth). What kind of experiences did you get from that?" The band replied: "Pretty bad, actually. I can not say they did anything else than released the album. No money, no royalties, nothing."<ref name="TCUzine"/> The interviewer also asked: "Did the record company set any demands concerning your image?" Antestor replied: "Nothing like that. They just said that it is not recommendable for us to proclaim exactly everywhere that we are a Christian band, and they censored the words 'Lord' and 'Jesus' from our lyrics. We ourselves removed a few texts because we did not want to provoke unnecessarily."<ref name="TCUzine">{{cite magazine |title=Antestor: turskamusiikkia turskain luvatusta maasta |date=24–26 March 2000 |magazine=The Christian Underground Zine |volume=4 |quote=Interviewer: 'However, you had a record deal with Cacophonous Records (ex-Cradle of Filth, Bal-Sagoth). What kind of experiences did you get from that?' Antestor: 'Pretty bad, actually. I can't say they did anything else than publish the album. No money, no royalties, no anything.' Interviewer: 'Did the record company set any demands concerning your image?' Antestor: 'Nothing like that, they just said that it's not recommendable for us proclaim everywhere that we're a Christian band, and they censored the words "Lord" and "Jesus" from our lyrics sheet. We ourselves removed a few texts because we did not want to provoke unnecessarily.'}} (Translated from Finnish)</ref>
''The Return of the Black Death'' was mostly well received by both Christian and non-Christian black metal fans and critics. For example, the British metal magazines ''[[Kerrang!]]'' and ''[[Terrorizer (magazine)|Terrorizer]]'' both gave the album 4 points out of 5.{{citation needed|date=January 2011}} Musically, ''The Return of the Black Death'' is a mixture of black metal and doom metal. The album relies on hypnotic, cold atmosphere and showcases influences from Norwegian folk music, which led some to label Antestor as Viking metal. Unlike previously, around this time the band themselves said they felt uncertain whether a Christian band can play black metal, because the movement was still strongly associated with Satanism. The drummer Svein Sander says in the 1998 interview:
{{Cquote|We don't even call our music black metal... We call it Atmospheric Sorrow Metal. Because that's more neutral. Then people wouldn't say, "oh, you play black metal, you are Satanists". There really is a sorrow sound, sad sound, in our music. And it's kinda cold, winterly, Nordic in a way.|30|30|Drummer Svein Sander of Antestor in an interview with Art for the Ears webzine, 1998.<ref name="Art_for_the_Ears"/>}}
===''The Forsaken ''(2000–2009)===
[[Image:Borgundstavkirke.jpg|thumb|left|upright|[[Borgund Stave Church]] is depicted in the ''[[Det tapte liv]]'' (2004) EP's cover art.]]
{{Listen
|filename=Antestor - Rites of Death.ogg
|title="Rites of Death"
|description=27-second sample of "Rites of Death" by Antestor, from ''[[The Forsaken (album)|The Forsaken]]'' (2005). The sample showcases the group's more modern, faster and more melodic sound with advanced production.
|format=[[Ogg]]}}
In 2000, Antestor was signed by Endtime Productions, a metal record label that also helped to start the career of the Norwegian metal band [[Extol]]. The original vocalist Kjetil Molnes (Martyr) left Antestor. However, the breakup of another Christian metal band in Norway, [[Vaakevandring]], led to several former Vaakevandring members joining Antestor. Namely, Ronny Hansen, adopting the new moniker Vrede, became Antestor's new vocalist, and Morten Sigmund Mageroy (known in Antestor as Sygmoon) stepped in as the new keyboardist. [[Ann-Mari Edvardsen]], who has sung in the Norwegian [[gothic metal]] group [[The Third and the Mortal]], joined the band as a female vocalist.<ref>{{cite web |author=Kemman, Max |title=Antestor |work=Jesus Metal |publisher=Open Publishing |date=September 10, 2003 |url=http://members.ziggo.nl/kemman/interview8.htm |access-date=August 29, 2007}}</ref> For the first time in their career, Antestor began using the infamous [[corpse paint]] masks as a part of their live shows and overall image.<ref name="Tcu_corpsepaint">{{cite magazine |title=Antestor: turskamusiikkia turskain luvatusta maasta |date=24–26 March 2000 |magazine=The Christian Underground Zine |volume=4 |quote=Interviewer: 'What's your relation to penguin masks? Do you use them on your concerts?' Antestor: 'Until now we haven't done many gigs, so the answer would be no. On the other hand today (at Bobfest) we all are going to paint our faces for the first time, so yes, we use masks. It is the same for us as masking is for actors or mimes. One way to express certain feelings in the battle we are in. The main purpose is to concentrate on God and not to twist the knife in the wound in side issues like these.'}}</ref>
In 2000, Endtime Productions released ''Martyrium'' with cover art done by the reputive Swedish metal music cover artist [[Kristian Wåhlin]]. Antestor toured the United States with Extol that year, playing small venues and finally performing at [[Cornerstone Festival]].<ref name="Antestor_Movies">{{cite web |title=Antestor Movies |publisher=Antestor.net |year=2007 |url=http://www.antestor.net/Movies.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070827113802/http://www.antestor.net/Movies.html |archive-date=August 27, 2007 |access-date=August 29, 2007}}</ref> Over the next several years, the band remained somewhat quiet; they did not release any more albums until 2003, when they re-released their two earliest demos on one CD, titling it ''[[The Defeat of Satan]]''. The drummer Svein Sander left the band during this time, and Antestor would not find a new full-time drummer for several years.
In 2004, Antestor changed their style into a more modern black metal,<ref name="Ryhanen_1">{{cite web |author=Ryhänen, Pekka |title=Antestor - Det Tapte Liv |publisher=Imperiumi.net |date=April 29, 2004 |url=http://imperiumi.net/alb_2.php?id=2033 |access-date=August 29, 2007 |language=fi |archive-date=December 22, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081222022340/http://imperiumi.net/alb_2.php?id=2033 |url-status=dead }} Translated quote: "[Their] old dark and slow sorrow metal has changed into more modern, artistic and fast black metal."</ref> and released their first set of new songs since ''The Return of the Black Death'' in an [[Extended play|EP]] called ''[[Det tapte liv]]'' ("The Lost Life"). ''Det tapte liv'' concentrated less on the black metal aspects of Antestor's style, instead focusing more on instrumental songs.  However, it hinted at what the band was preparing for their 2005 full-length, ''[[The Forsaken (album)|The Forsaken]]''. The cover arts for both releases were once again done by Kristian Wåhlin, and the cover for the EP depicts the [[Borgund Stave Church]]. [[Jan Axel Blomberg|Hellhammer]] played all drums on both of these releases. In an interview with the Russian metal site Metal Library on January 7, 2007, Blomberg was asked what did his Mayhem colleagues and record company think about his participation in Antestor, and he said: "To be honest, it was a big 'fuck off!' to them all. I will repeat again that I decide what I do and I play not only in black metal groups."<ref name="Hellhammer interview">{{cite web |author=Skogtroll |title=Hellhammer (Jan Axel Blomberg): "У меня просто замечательные воспоминания о вашей стране!" |trans-title=Hellhammer (Jan Axel Blomberg): 'I just have wonderful memories of your country!' |work=Metal Library |publisher=Open Publishing |date=January 7, 2007 |url=http://www.metallibrary.ru/articles/interviews/96.html |access-date=June 24, 2008 |language=ru }}</ref> The band also asked Hellhammer to play live for them, but Blomberg refused. Hellhammer also went to state: "In my opinion, black metal today is just music. I will tell you that neither I nor other members of Mayhem never really were against religion or something else. We are primarily interested in music."<ref name="Hellhammer interview"/> Ronny Hansen commented on Blomberg's appearance:
{{Cquote|First of all Jan Axel "Hellhammer" is a total professional. He started up together with the secular scene and worse (laughs) but he doesn't care if it's secular or Christian. He knew from the start what Antestor stands for. And maybe if we get the chance, we are more than willing to use him again. Cause his drumming is outstanding. I think that he is the very best drummer in the scene and we are just very lucky to have borrowed his brilliance.<ref>Kemman, Max. [http://members.ziggo.nl/kemman/interview16.htm Antestor interview]. Jesus Metal. Retrieved 2007-10-30.</ref>}}
[[Image:Antestor Endtime festival.jpg|thumb|250px|Antestor at Endtime Festival 2007.]]
New drummer Tony Kirkemo joined the band later in 2005 as live session drummer. The band played live shows rarely and only at explicitly Christian music festivals. Examples of performances the group have made in 2000s include the concerts at Bobfest in 2000 in Stockholm<ref name="bob2000">{{cite web |url=http://www.bobfest.org/bobfest2000/ |title=Homepage of ''Bobfest'' 2000 |access-date=May 8, 2008 |publisher=Bobfest.org |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080510135430/http://www.bobfest.org/bobfest2000/ |archive-date=May 10, 2008 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> and 2004 in Linköping,<ref name="bob2004">{{cite web |url=http://www.bobfest.org/bobfest2004/ |title=Homepage of ''Bobfest'' 2004 |access-date=May 8, 2008 |publisher=Bobfest.org |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080509133045/http://www.bobfest.org/bobfest2004/ |archive-date=May 9, 2008 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> and at the Nordic Fest 2004 in Oslo.<ref name="nord2004">{{cite web |url=http://www.xenoworld.org/nf2k4/ |title=Homepage of ''Nordic Fest'' 2004 |access-date=May 8, 2008 |work=Xenoworld |publisher=Open Publishing |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071223094719/http://www.xenoworld.org/nf2k4/ |archive-date=December 23, 2007}}</ref>
Some of the members still play in the black metal band Vaakevandring, who played a reunion concert in 2007 together with Antestor at the Endtime Festival held at the end of March 2007 in Halmstad.<ref name="end2007">{{cite web |url=http://www.endtime-festival.com/ |title=Homepage of ''Endtime Festival'' |access-date=May 8, 2008 |publisher=Endtime-festival.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080509084611/http://www.endtime-festival.com/ |archive-date=May 9, 2008 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Antestor performed the concert with numerous session musicians. In this concert the band announced that this is their last live show for a while.
=== ''Omen'' (2010–present) ===
[[File:Antestor-BoE-2012-2.jpg|left|thumb|Ronny Hansen at Blast of Eternity, [[Neckarsulm]], Germany, 2012]]
After the show, the band posted a public statement about the incident, thanking their fans for coming despite the risks involved, and blessing the radicals: "''We are proud to call you our brothers and sisters in Christ. Last but not least we must thank the gig securety and the Belo Horizonte police for escorting us though the angry mob. [...] We do not hate the angry mob who came to hurt us. In fact, our message in our shows is to love your enemy. So God bless everybody who stood outside chanting: Fuck Antestor! Hope we can talk like reasonable people someday over a fresh squeezed juice. Extra special hails to our fans who had the balls to come although they knew it could be dangerous. Antestor salutes you and be blessed.''"<ref>{{cite web|title=Public statement|url=https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151450051854073&set=a.10150393521419073.409999.312509509072&type=1|publisher=Facebook|access-date=January 23, 2013|date=January 20, 2013}}</ref> In a newspaper interview with the Norwegian Christian newspaper ''[[Dagen (Norwegian newspaper)|Dagen]]'' two days following the band's safe return to Norway, bassist Erik Normann Aanonsen said that he had prepared himself for the worst-case scenario that the tour could end in death, and he reiterates the band's gratitude to the aggressive Brazilian Satanists stating: "We're now twice as big in Brazil as we were before we went there."<ref name=Dagen/>
On April 12, 2015, guitarist Robert Bordevik announced his departure from the band.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10153319503649073&id=312509509072&__tn__=%2As|title=Antestor announcement|publisher=[[Facebook]]|author=Robert B.|date=April 12, 2015|access-date=August 11, 2016}}</ref>
==Style==
===Music===
While the band's style on the first publications was primarily [[death/doom]] with correspondingly slow songs and [[death growl]] singing, the band began playing black metal on the 1998 album ''The Return of the Black Death''. On that album the band showcased screaming vocals, tremolo guitar riffs and drum passages with increased speed typical for the black metal genre. Keyboard is also in a central role, which for the typical black metal is used to perform epic interludes and dominates the soundscapes. For example, over the first three minutes of the song "Sorg", only the keyboard melody leads the performance.
With the third album ''The Forsaken'' the band developed more in the direction of a more technical style, as it is apparent on the style of ''The Return of the Black Death''. The band's musical development resulted in that ''The Forsaken'' includes several guitar solos.{{citation needed|date=January 2011}} Also the quality of production compared to ''The Return of the Black Death'' improved. Through the introduction of the two ex-members of [[Vaakevandring]], the style became more melodic and atmospheric.
===Lyrics===
Antestor's lyrical themes include hope and despair, but also deal with the personal Christian faith of the band members. Therefore, many metal fans oppose classifying Antestor's style to the category of black metal, as their lyrics are often contrary to the ideology of black metal. The lyrics are mostly in English. Norwegian texts are also rare for the group, but on the album ''The Return of the Black Death'' the Norwegian language dominates the lyrics. On this album, only part of the lyrics are listed in the booklet; words directly referring to Jesus Christ and God were omitted. The song "A Sovereign Fortress" dealt with, for example, the acknowledgments of God who protects and supports the lyrical I since birth. It is portrayed in the chorus of this song as:
{{Cquote|You Are My Hope, O Lord, My Trust, O Lord, Since Boyhood<br/>From Birth I Have Leaned Upon You<br/>My Protector Since I Left My Mother's Womb<br/><small>(Antestor: ''The Return of the Black Death'', song 2: "A Sovereign Fortress"; Cacophonous Records, 1998)</small>}}
"Sorg" (Norwegian for: grief, sorrow, sadness), however, deals with the themes of the sorrow and the search for hope, with the song based on darker imagery, and the lyrics are not explicitly Christian yet are not negative in the end. An example (in the Norwegian language):
{|
|-
| style="width:55%;" |
{{Cquote|Hvordan Skal Jeg Kunne Leve<br/>Min Sjel Så Høyt Forhatt<br/>Sorg Er Hva Jeg Føler<br/>Alt Så Ensomt Og Forlatt<br/><small>(Antestor: ''The Return of the Black Death'', song 4: "Sorg"; Cacophonous, 1998)</small>}}
| style="width:45%;" |
{{Cquote|How Should I Live<br/>My Soul So Highly Hated<br/>Sorrow Is What I Feel<br/>Everything Is So Deserted And Abandoned<br/><small>(free translation)</small>}}
|}
Another song that is also a dark, but this takes on Christian theme, is "Ancient Prophecy". The lyrics tells that the man was sinful, and no one can escape the court of God. Antestor process in their lyrics also topics such as [[suicide]], doubts about the certainty of [[salvation]], and longing death, all of which are rare themes for a Christian band, however common to several subdivisions of [[Black metal#Stylistic divisions|Black metal]], such as [[DSBM]]. An example from the text "Betrayed" from the album ''The Forsaken'':
{{Cquote|Will Suicide Break The Ring of Curse<br/>Or Is There Just Another Hell Waiting Out There<br/>Will Suicide Break The Ring of Curse<br/>Tomorrow I'll Be Gone, So Don't Look For Me<br/><small>(Antestor: ''The Forsaken'', song 6: "Betrayed"; Endtime Productions, 2005)</small>}}
===Appearance===
[[File:Lars Stokstad EoR2011.jpg|thumb|left|Lars Stokstad, Elements of Rock 2011]]
[[File:Robert Bordevik EoR2011.jpg|thumb|Robert Bordevik, Elements of Rock 2011]]
Antestor are one of the few bands in the Christian metal scene who use [[corpse paint]] in their appearances and on photos. One example is the booklet photos in the album ''The Return of the Black Death'', depicting Antestor in [[Norsemen]] outfits and black and white face paints at a snowy Norwegian mountain location. Sometimes the group uses [[Blood plasma|art blood]], as known for the session bassist Ravn Furfjord's ([[Frosthardr]]) appearance at the Bobfest 2004 concert. The band explains that corpse paint "is the same for us as masking is for actors or mimes; One way to express certain feelings in the battle we are in. The main purpose is to concentrate on God and not to break a lance in side issues like these."<ref name="Tcu_corpsepaint"/>
==Reception==
According to Vrede in an interview with ''Intense Radio'' on December 13, 2007, "by various sources, ''The Return of the Black Death'' has sold over 10,000 copies and still keeps selling."<ref name="Intense_Interview">{{cite web|url=http://web.mac.com/sanctuaryintl/PB/Intense_Broadcast/Entries/2007/12/13_Antestor.html |title=Antestor |access-date=August 23, 2008 |author=Beeman, Bob |date=December 13, 2007 |work=Intense Radio |publisher=Free Publishing |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090829232010/http://web.mac.com/sanctuaryintl/PB/Intense_Broadcast/Entries/2007/12/13_Antestor.html |archive-date=August 29, 2009 }}</ref>
Very few published reviews of the band's albums exist, yet the ones that are available are positive, often good and some excellent. Michael Bryzak writes in the liner notes of ''The Defeat of Satan / Despair'' that, although the first album was not officially released until 2000, "''Martyrium'' was rightfully considered a cult classic."
The group's position in the Norwegian metal scene was controversial from the beginning. Bryzak writes that "standing up for their faith in Life and Hope, Antestor received serious death threats during this time from some of the major bands and key players of the scene." When asked if the band ever played with other groups in the black metal scene, Antestor said in a 2000 interview with ''Tcu zine'': "We played with some early form of the band [[Old Man's Child]] once. Apparently they expressed their opinion of us with their legs and walked out of the venue during our set. It was their way of saying 'screw you Christians.'"<ref name="TCUzine"/> In the liner notes of ''Martyrium'', Antestor corresponds in a slightly bitter tone: "For those of you who despised us, disbelieved in us and misplaced your anger upon us, may God have mercy on your poor souls!"
On Antestor's achievements, Bryzak wrote that "The birth of northern Europe's Christian extreme metal scene can be attributed to only one act, Antestor." In 2010, ''[[HM (magazine)|HM Magazine]]'' ranked ''The Return of the Black Death'' number 40 on their Top 100 Christian metal albums of all-time list with Beck stating about the album, "Devastatingly dark, ''TRBD'' set the standard for Christian black metal."<ref name="HM_Top_100_Metal">{{cite journal |last=Van Pelt |first=Doug |author-link=Doug Van Pelt |date=August 2010 |title=Top 100 Christian metal albums of all time |journal=[[HM (magazine)|HM Magazine]] |issn= 1066-6923 }}</ref>
Jamie Lee Rake of ''HM Magazine'' wrote of the Endtime Productions re-release of ''Martyrium'', wondering if the progressive elements of the album made the band unnoticed innovators in the early Norwegian extreme metal scene:
{{Cquote|Throughout Martyrium's nine tracks, there are touches of more progressive deathiness: piano and other keyboards, those nearly operatic female vocals, etc. Some of these touches have become nearly commonplace among some of Antestor's metallic competitors, such as Emperor and their side projects. Might Antestor have been a band of believers who were actually (sit down for this one) innovating in their scene?<ref name="HM"/>}}
==Members==
{{BLP sources section|date=April 2018}}
[[File:Ronny Hansen EoR2011.jpg|thumb|right|Ronny Hansen at Elements of Rock 2011]]
'''Current'''
{|class="wikitable"
!Members
!Instruments
!Years active
!Other projects
|-
| Ronny "Vrede" Hansen
| Vocals
| 2000–present
| [[Grave Declaration]], Sylvan Fortress, Vaakevandring, Morgenroede, [[Temple of Perdition]]
|-
| Lars "Vemod" Stokstad
| Guitars, Clean Vocals, Keyboards (1990-2000, 2013-present)
| 1990–present
| [[Vaakevandring]]
|-
| Stig "Erkebisp" Rolfsen
| Guitars
| 1995–1997, 2004, 2015-present
|
|-
| Erik Normann Aanonsen
| Bass, Acoustic Instruments
| 2011–present
| Haruko, Moddi, Monograf, Inglvild Østgård
|-
| Jo Henning Børven
| Drums, Programming
| 2010–present
| Morgenroede, Arvinger, Grave Declaration, Vardøger, Spinning Foundation
|}
'''Former'''
{| class="wikitable"
!Members
!Instruments
!Years active
!Other projects
|-
| Robert Bordevik
| guitars, backing vocals
| 2010–2011, 2012–2015
|[[Vardøger (band)|Vardøger]], Grievance
|-
| Nicholas Main Henriksen
| keyboards
| 2010–2013
| Aspera, Illusion, Oceans of Time, DesDemon
|-
| Thor Georg Buer
| guitars, bass
| 2010-2012
| Grave Declaration
|-
| Morten Sigmund "Sygmoon" Mageroy
| keyboards
| 1999–2007
| Vaakevandring, Merylia
|-
| Vegard "Gard" Undal
| bass
| 1993–2005
|
|-
| Svein "Armoth" Sander
| drums
| 1993–2000
| Mourning Leaves
|-
| Tom W. Holm Paulsen
| drums
| 1990–1993
|
|-
| Øyvind Hope
| bass
| 1990–1993
|
|-
| [[Ole Børud]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Drachman |first=Jillian |date=2022-03-06 |title=10 Killer Norwegian Bands That Only Released One Full-Length Album At Most |url=https://metalinjection.net/lists/10-killer-norwegian-bands-that-only-released-one-full-length-album-at-most |access-date=2024-10-15 |website=Metal Injection |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=MetalPriest |date=31 August 2014 |title=Crítica: Extol - Burial |url=https://www.elportaldelmetal.com/critica/extol-burial |access-date=2024-10-15 |website=El Portal del METAL}}</ref>
| guitars
| 1996–1997
| [[Extol]], [[Selfmindead]], [[Fleshkiller]], [[Schaliach]], Børud Family, Børud-Gjengen
|-
| Kjetil "Martyr" Molnes
| vocals
| 1990–1999
|
|-
| Erling "Pilgrim" Jorgensen
| guitars
| 1990–1993
|
|-
| Bjørn Leren
| guitars
| 1990–1993, 2003–2005
|
|}
'''Session musicians'''
* [[Jan Axel Blomberg]] (Hellhammer) <small>(2004)</small> – session drums on ''[[The Forsaken (album)|The Forsaken]]''
* [[Ann-Mari Edvardsen]] – session vocals on ''The Forsaken''
* Tora – session vocals on ''[[Martyrium (album)|Martyrium]]''
'''Live musicians'''
*Fionnghuala ([[Slechtvalk]]) – vocals <small>(2000, 2007)</small>
* Ravn "Jokull" Furfjord ([[Frosthardr]]) – bass <small>(2005–2006)</small>
* Trond Bjørnstad ([[Vaakevandring]]) – bass <small>(2007)</small>
* Pål "Savn" Dæhlen – drums <small>(2001–2003)</small>
* Tony Kirkemo – drums <small>(2003–2006)</small>
* Gustav "Gurra" Elowson ([[Crimson Moonlight]]) – drums <small>(2007)</small>
'''Timeline'''
{{#tag:timeline|
ImageSize  = width:800 height:auto barincrement:16
PlotArea   = left:130 bottom:90 top:0 right:10
Alignbars  = justify
DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy
Period     = from:01/01/1990 till:18/01/2021 #it is best not to use auto-updating timelines as it can cause problems when the graphic updates on a daily basis
TimeAxis   = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy
Colors =
id:screaming  value:claret       legend:Harsh_vocals
id:singing    value:red          legend:Clean_vocals
id:BV         value:pink         legend:Backing_vocals
id:guitar     value:green        legend:Guitar
id:keys       value:purple       legend:Keyboards
id:Pro        value:lightpurple  legend:Programming
id:bass       value:blue         legend:Bass
id:drums      value:orange       legend:Drums
id:blank      value:rgb(1,1,1)   legend:&nbsp;
id:album      value:black        legend:Album
id:other      value:gray(0.55)   legend:Other_release
id:bgbars     value:gray(0.95)
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BackgroundColors = bars:bgbars
ScaleMajor = increment:2 start:1991
ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1990
LineData =
layer:back
at:01/01/1991  color:other
at:01/01/1993  color:other
at:01/01/1994  color:album
at:01/01/1998  color:album
at:01/01/2004  color:other
at:01/01/2005  color:album
at:30/11/2012  color:album
BarData =
bar:molnes    text:"Kjetil Molnes"
bar:hansen    text:"Ronny Hansen"
bar:stokstad  text:"Lars Stokstad"
bar:mageroy   text:"Morten Sigmund Mageroy"
bar:henriksen text:"Nicholas Main Henriksen"
bar:jorgensen text:"Erling Jorgensen"
bar:bjørn     text:"Bjørn Leren"
bar:hope      text:"Øyvind Hope"
bar:undal     text:"Vegard Undal"
bar:rolfsen   text:"Stig Rolfsen"
bar:børud     text:"Ole Børud"
bar:furfjord  text:"Ravn Jokull Furfjord"
bar:buer      text:"Thor Georg Buer"
bar:bordevik  text:"Robert Bordevik"
bar:aanonsen  text:"Erik Normann Aanonsen"
bar:paulsen   text:"Tom W. Holm Paulsen"
bar:sander    text:"Svein Sander"
bar:børven    text:"Jo Henning Børven"
PlotData=
width:11
bar:hansen    from:01/01/2000  till:end         color:screaming
bar:stokstad  from:start       till:end         color:guitar
bar:molnes    from:start       till:01/01/1999  color:screaming
bar:jorgensen from:start       till:01/01/1993  color:guitar
bar:bjørn     from:start       till:01/01/1993  color:guitar
bar:bjørn     from:01/01/2003  till:01/01/2005  color:guitar
bar:rolfsen   from:01/01/1995  till:01/01/1997  color:guitar
bar:børud     from:01/01/1996  till:01/01/1997  color:guitar
bar:bordevik  from:01/01/2010  till:01/01/2011  color:guitar
bar:bordevik  from:01/01/2012  till:12/04/2015  color:guitar
bar:buer      from:01/07/2011  till:01/01/2012  color:guitar
bar:buer      from:01/01/2010  till:01/05/2011  color:bass
bar:hope      from:start       till:01/01/1993  color:bass
bar:undal     from:01/01/1993  till:01/01/2005  color:bass
bar:furfjord  from:01/01/2005  till:01/01/2006  color:bass
bar:buer      from:01/01/2010  till:01/05/2011  color:bass
bar:aanonsen  from:01/01/2011  till:end         color:bass
bar:paulsen   from:01/03/1990  till:01/01/1993  color:drums
bar:sander    from:01/01/1993  till:01/01/2000  color:drums
bar:børven    from:01/01/2010  till:end         color:drums
bar:mageroy   from:01/01/1999  till:01/01/2007  color:keys
bar:henriksen from:01/01/2010  till:01/01/2013  color:keys
width:7
bar:stokstad  from:start       till:01/01/2000  color:keys
bar:stokstad  from:01/01/2007  till:01/01/2010  color:keys
bar:stokstad  from:01/01/2013  till:end         color:keys
width:3
bar:stokstad  from:start       till:end         color:singing
bar:buer      from:01/01/2010  till:01/05/2011  color:Pro
bar:buer      from:01/07/2011  till:01/01/2012  color:Pro
bar:bordevik  from:01/01/2012  till:12/04/2015  color:BV
bar:børven    from:01/01/2010  till:end         color:Pro
}}
* ''Note'': ''Martyrium'' was recorded in 1994, with some bootleg copies leaked, but not officially released until 2000
== Discography ==
'''Studio albums'''
* ''[[The Return of the Black Death]]'' (1998)
* ''[[Martyrium (album)|Martyrium]]'' (2000, recorded in 1994)
* ''[[The Forsaken (album)|The Forsaken]]'' (2005)
* ''[[Omen (Antestor album)|Omen]]'' (2012)
'''EPs'''
* ''[[Det tapte liv]]'' (2004)
'''Demos'''
* ''[[The Defeat of Satan]]'' (1991)
* ''Despair'' (1993)
* ''Kongsblod'' (1998, promotional)
'''Compilations'''
* ''[[The Defeat of Satan]]'' (2003)
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
{{Commons category|Antestor}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20121210062703/http://www.antestor.no/ Official website]
* [http://cmnexus.org/profiles/Antestor CMnexus profile]
* [https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Antestor/3048 Antestor] on [[Encyclopaedia Metallum]]
{{Antestor}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Norwegian unblack metal musical groups]]
[[Category:Norwegian death metal musical groups]]
[[Category:Norwegian doom metal musical groups]]
[[Category:Norwegian symphonic black metal musical groups]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1990]]
[[Category:1990 establishments in Norway]]
[[Category:People from Jessheim]]
[[Category:Musical groups from Akershus]]
[[Category:Rowe Productions artists]]