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AstennuAustralian musician, guitarist
Date of Birth: .
Country:  Australia |
Content:
- Astennu: An Australian Black and Death Metal Musician
- Going Solo: Carpe Tenebrum
- Dimmu Borgir and The Kovenant
- Carpe Tenebrum and Spiritual Black Dimensions
- Return to Australia: Production and Live Performances
Astennu: An Australian Black and Death Metal Musician
Early Years and Lord KaosAstennu, whose real name is not publicly known, is an Australian musician and guitarist best known for his work in black and death metal. He adopted the pseudonym Astennu from Egyptian mythology, referring to the celestial entity that assists Thoth in the afterlife. Astennu's musical journey began with the Sydney-based black metal band Lord Kaos, which released a demo tape titled "Path to My Funeral Light" and a full-length album titled "Thorns of Impurity" in 1995.
Going Solo: Carpe Tenebrum
Prior to the release of "Thorns of Impurity," Astennu relocated to Norway and reworked the material he had written for Lord Kaos. This led him to establish his own project, Carpe Tenebrum, which was primarily a solo endeavor. He recorded all instruments on Carpe Tenebrum's debut album, "Majestic Nothingness," which featured guest vocals from Nagash of Dimmu Borgir and The Kovenant. The album was released in 1997.
Dimmu Borgir and The Kovenant
Later in 1997, Astennu joined Dimmu Borgir as a guitarist, allowing frontman Shagrath to focus solely on vocals. He contributed to the band's compilation album "Godless Savage Garden" (1998) and also participated in the recording of The Kovenant's album "Nexus Polaris." Additionally, he provided guitar solos for Nocturnal Breed's album "Aggressor" and EP "Triumph of the Blasphemer."
Carpe Tenebrum and Spiritual Black Dimensions
Astennu's second album with Carpe Tenebrum, "Mirrored Hate Painting," again featuring Nagash on vocals, was released in 1999. On March 1 of the same year, Dimmu Borgir released "Spiritual Black Dimensions" with Astennu as a member. However, he was dismissed from Dimmu Borgir during the subsequent tour and returned to Australia at the end of 1999.
Return to Australia: Production and Live Performances
Upon his return to Australia, Astennu worked as a sound engineer for live performances and produced albums for various Australian metal bands. He recorded and released the third Carpe Tenebrum album, "Dreaded Chaotic Reign," in 2002, with himself handling the vocal duties. This album marked a shift towards a death metal sound.
In May 2003, Astennu returned to live performances with the Sydney band Infernal Method, for whom he had previously engineered sound. Later that year, he and Infernal Method's drummer joined the hardcore band Stronger Than Hate. However, both Infernal Method and Stronger Than Hate disbanded by the end of the year.
Since then, Astennu has not performed live but continues to work as a sound engineer. His unique guitar style and contributions to the black and death metal scenes continue to influence the genre.
