Origin: Germany
Formed: 2017
Location: Halle (Saxony‑Anhalt) / Leipzig (Saxony)
Genre: Melodic Black Metal
Status: Active
Label: Independent
Themes: Social struggles, Emotions
Askelad is a melodic black metal band rooted in the Halle–Leipzig axis, formed in 2017 and shaped by a modern, emotionally charged approach to black metal. Their music blends sharp, melodic riffing with a strong sense of atmosphere, channeling themes of social tension, inner conflict, and raw emotional expression. Rather than leaning on mythic or traditional black metal tropes, Askelad’s identity is grounded in contemporary struggles and the turbulence of lived experience.
The band emerged from the vibrant underground scene of central Germany, gradually building a lineup centered on guitarists Nox and Hámr, bassist Fred, and drummer Collin. Their early years were spent refining a sound that balanced aggression with melody, marked by driving rhythms and a distinctly modern emotional tone. Though they remained quiet in terms of studio output, Askelad developed a strong local presence through live performances and steady evolution.
2023 marked the band’s first official recordings. The single Askelad introduced their melodic black metal style with clarity: expressive guitar lines, dynamic drumming, and a vocal approach that conveyed both intensity and vulnerability. The same year, they released Live at CXN HXN HXP | Leipzig, capturing the raw energy of their stage presence and the chemistry of the lineup.
A major shift occurred with the arrival of vocalist Bláinn in 2023, whose presence brought a sharper emotional edge and a more defined identity to the band’s sound.
In 2024, Askelad released their debut full‑length Lichtung, a record that solidified their place within the German melodic black metal landscape. The album’s title—“clearing” or “glade”—reflects its thematic focus on emergence, vulnerability, and the fragile spaces carved out within chaos. Musically, Lichtung blends melancholic melodies with driving black metal aggression, weaving emotional turbulence into a cohesive, atmospheric whole.
The record showcases the band’s strengths:
Askelad stands out for its commitment to emotionally grounded, socially aware melodic black metal, shaped by the interplay of melody, tension, and introspection. Their sound is modern without abandoning the rawness of the genre, and their evolution from local act to a fully realized creative force reflects a band driven by sincerity rather than spectacle.
Askelad – Single, 2023
Live at CXN HXN HXP | Leipzig 23rd of July 2023 – Live album, 2023
Lichtung – Full‑length, 2024
| Current | |
| Fred | Bass |
| Collin | Drums |
| Nox | Guitars |
| Hámr | Guitars |
| See also:Â Vondannen | |
| Bláinn | Vocals (2023-present) |
| Past | |
| Pascal Kotsch | Unknown |
| Askelad | Single | 2023 | Â |
| Live at CXN HXN HXP | Leipzig 23rd of july 2023 | Live album | 2023 | Â |
| Lichtung | Full-length | 2024 |