Origin: North Macedonia
Formed: 2005
Status: Split‑up
Genre: Black / Gothic Metal
Label: Independent
Themes: The dark side, Suicide, Occultism
Saint of Fear and Rage was a black/gothic metal band from Skopje, active from 2005 and originally founded under the name Necrotomy before adopting their definitive identity. The project emerged during a formative period for the Macedonian underground, blending harsh black metal elements with gothic atmospheres, melancholic melodies, and dual‑vocal dynamics. Their music explored themes of inner torment, occult symbolism, emotional collapse, and the darker psychological states that defined the band’s aesthetic.
The band’s first release, the 2006 demo At the Hell Gates, introduced their hybrid sound: tremolo‑driven black metal riffing intertwined with gothic keyboards, sorrow‑laden vocal lines, and a dramatic sense of despair. The demo circulated widely in the local scene and helped establish the band as one of the more emotionally expressive and theatrically inclined acts in Macedonia at the time.
Their full‑length Behind the Falling Star (2009) marked the peak of their creative output. The album expanded their sonic palette with richer keyboard arrangements, more complex guitar layering, and a stronger interplay between harsh male vocals and the ethereal female voice of Sanja Zukić. Lyrically, the album delved into themes of suicide, spiritual decay, and occult introspection, aligning the band with the darker side of Eastern European gothic‑influenced black metal. The track Behind the Falling Star later appeared on the compilation Macedonian Metal Attack (2010), further cementing their presence in the regional underground.
In 2010, the band released the single No Angel of Mine (promo version), showcasing a more melodic and gothic‑leaning direction. Their music also appeared on international compilations such as Global Domination Vol. 1 by No Remorse Records, giving them exposure beyond Macedonia.
Despite their growing recognition, the band eventually dissolved, with members moving on to other projects across the Macedonian extreme metal landscape. Saint of Fear and Rage remains a notable chapter in the country’s metal history—one of the few acts to successfully merge black metal aggression with gothic melancholy and emotional vulnerability.
Riste Paunkov – Vocals
(also ex‑Nympholilith, ex‑Maras (live), ex‑ПолтергеисТ)
Sanja Zukić – Female vocals
Damir Omerović – Guitars
(ex‑Leukorrhea, ex‑Scorch)
Dino Zukić – Rhythm guitars
(ex‑Fusnota)
Sara Todorovik – Keyboards
Pance Zahariev – Bass
Past members
Kiril “Brsjak” Mokrov – Bass
(ex‑Highborne, Aryan Motika, ex‑Molnyevit, ex‑Stygian Vrkolak)
Vladimir Sumanov – Drums
Ognen Bojkovski – Keyboards
Daniela Hadzi Tonevska – Keyboards
At the Hell Gates – Demo (2006)
Behind the Falling Star – Full‑length (2009)
No Angel of Mine – Single (promo version, 2010)