Emperor Magus Caligula
Encyclopedia
Emperor Magus Caligula is an extreme metal musician best known as the former vocalist, bassist and lyricist of Swedish black metal
band Dark Funeral
, performing for the band between 1995 and 2010. He has also been the vocalist of death metal
bands Demonoid
, replacing Christofer Johnsson
, and Sanctification. He was the original vocalist for Hypocrisy
and has featured in other extreme metal
bands including Dominion-Caligula (with former Dark Funeral secondary guitarist Dominion) and God Among Insects. He has also performed backing vocals for the Swedish
black metal
band Sportlov.
In July 2011, Witchery announced Caligula was joining the band, replacing Legion.
, and while he has on one hand distanced himself from National Socialist black metal
, as well as the Nazi
ideology and the "attitude at that time," he has also said that aspects of Nazi ideology were "not that wrong" and that the Nazi concentration camps were bad, but not "that horribly bad." Like many other black metal musicians, he has generally assumed an apolitical stance, although he expressed disdain for former Islamic terrorist leader Osama bin Laden
with his audience when playing live. He has also denounced Roman Catholic
priests due to widespread child molestation allegations.
He made an appearance in the Swedish zombie film Die Zombiejäger
, playing a humorous part of a necrophile. Dark Funeral also provided two song for the film, Godhate, which is played during the films opening credits and Thus I Have Spoken, which is played during a fightscene.
, further stating that "He deserves some credit. You’re not supposed to say that, but I don't care." Although he suggested the possibility that "the music triggered him somehow," he denied Dark Funeral's music being the direct cause of Orias' murder of Gazziero.
Caligula also recalled having met Orias at a Dark Funeral concert in 2003, where he burnt a cross on Orias' arm at his request with a Cuban cigar.
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
band Dark Funeral
Dark Funeral
Dark Funeral is a black metal band from Stockholm, Sweden, founded by guitarists Blackmoon and Lord Ahriman in 1993. They are one of the bands to have emerged in Sweden during the Second wave of black metal....
, performing for the band between 1995 and 2010. He has also been the vocalist of death metal
Death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
bands Demonoid
Demonoid (band)
Demonoid is a Swedish extreme metal band founded in 2003 that derives its influences from traditional death metal, thrash metal and black metal....
, replacing Christofer Johnsson
Christofer Johnsson
Christofer Johnsson is a Swedish musician. He is a founding member and the guitar player for Therion and used to be in Carbonized, Liers in Wait, Messiah and Demonoid. He is a member of the magical order Dragon Rouge and founder of the defunct Dark Age Music label...
, and Sanctification. He was the original vocalist for Hypocrisy
Hypocrisy (band)
Hypocrisy is a melodic death metal band from Sweden. It was formed in 1990 in Ludvika, Sweden by Peter Tägtgren.Musically, the band started off with a traditional death metal sound on their first albums, and soon drifted to become a melodic death metal band. The lyrics in their early stages -...
and has featured in other extreme metal
Extreme metal
Extreme metal is a loosely defined umbrella term for a number of related heavy metal music subgenres that have developed since the early 1980s. The term usually refers to a more abrasive, harsher, underground, non-commercialized style or sound nearly always associated with genres like black metal,...
bands including Dominion-Caligula (with former Dark Funeral secondary guitarist Dominion) and God Among Insects. He has also performed backing vocals for the Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
black metal
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
band Sportlov.
In July 2011, Witchery announced Caligula was joining the band, replacing Legion.
Beliefs
Caligula is a practitioner of LaVeyan SatanismLaVeyan Satanism
LaVeyan Satanism, often referred to simply as Satanism among most adherents, was founded in 1966 by Anton LaVey. Its teachings are based on individualism, self-control and "eye for an eye" morality. Drawing influences from the rituals and ceremonies of occultist Aleister Crowley and the...
, and while he has on one hand distanced himself from National Socialist black metal
National Socialist black metal
National Socialist black metal is black metal that promotes National Socialist beliefs through their lyrics and imagery. These beliefs often include: white supremacy, racial separatism, antisemitism, heterosexism, and Nazi interpretations of paganism or Satanism...
, as well as the Nazi
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
ideology and the "attitude at that time," he has also said that aspects of Nazi ideology were "not that wrong" and that the Nazi concentration camps were bad, but not "that horribly bad." Like many other black metal musicians, he has generally assumed an apolitical stance, although he expressed disdain for former Islamic terrorist leader Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden was the founder of the militant Islamist organization Al-Qaeda, the jihadist organization responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States and numerous other mass-casualty attacks against civilian and military targets...
with his audience when playing live. He has also denounced Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
priests due to widespread child molestation allegations.
He made an appearance in the Swedish zombie film Die Zombiejäger
Die Zombiejäger
Die Zombiejäger is a Swedish exploitation film from 2005. A prequel called Dragonetti - The Ruthless Contract Killer was released in 2010.-Cast:* Nick Holmquist - Dieter Höss* Martin Brisshäll - Heinrich Rummel* Christian van Caine - Ivo Reinharth...
, playing a humorous part of a necrophile. Dark Funeral also provided two song for the film, Godhate, which is played during the films opening credits and Thus I Have Spoken, which is played during a fightscene.
Gazziero murder controversy
Caligula was quoted as being "somewhat impressed" by the premeditated murder of Fr. Faustino Gazziero, a Catholic priest, by Dark Funeral fan Rodrigo Orias at the Metropolitan Cathedral in Santiago, ChileSantiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
, further stating that "He deserves some credit. You’re not supposed to say that, but I don't care." Although he suggested the possibility that "the music triggered him somehow," he denied Dark Funeral's music being the direct cause of Orias' murder of Gazziero.
Caligula also recalled having met Orias at a Dark Funeral concert in 2003, where he burnt a cross on Orias' arm at his request with a Cuban cigar.
Studio releases
- Angelus Exuro pro EternusAngelus Exuro pro EternusAngelus Exuro pro Eternus is the fifth studio album by Swedish black metal band Dark Funeral. The album was officially released on November 18, 2009 via Regain Records...
- 2009 - Attera Totus SanctusAttera Totus SanctusAttera Totus Sanctus is Dark Funeral's fourth full length studio album. It was released on October 24, 2005 in Europe through Regain Records, and on November 29, 2005 in the United States through Candlelight Records USA. The title was chosen to convey the band's vehement anti-Right-Hand Path stance...
- 2005 - Diabolis InteriumDiabolis InteriumDiabolis Interium is the third full-length album by Swedish black metal band Dark Funeral, released in 2001. It was recorded and mixed between January 21 and March 2, 2001 at the Abyss Studio and was the last album to be released via No Fashion Records...
- 2001 - Teach Children to Worship SatanTeach Children to Worship SatanTeach Children to Worship Satan is a cover album by Dark Funeral.Tracks two through five were recorded for various tribute albums. "An Apprentice of Satan" was recorded as a preview for their next studio album, then rerecorded for Diabolis Interium....
- 2000 - In The Sign... - 2000
- Vobiscum SatanasVobiscum SatanasVobiscum Satanas is Dark Funeral's second full-length album. This was the first album to feature longtime vocalist and lyricist Emperor Magus Caligula, and the only one to feature drummer Alzazmon , who would later be known for his work in Dissection and Gorgoroth.- Track listing :#Ravenna Strigoi...
- 1998
Video albums
- Attera Orbis Terrarum - Part II - 2008
- Attera Orbis Terrarum - Part I - 2007
Hypocrisy
- Osculum ObscenumOsculum ObscenumOsculum Obscenum is Hypocrisy's second album, released in 1993. The cover artwork was created by Wes Benscoter. Osculum Obscenum was re-released in 1996 as a digipak with bonus tracks and a photo of the band lineup from that year with Mikael Hedlund, Peter Tägtgren, and Lars Szöke.-Track listing:-...
(1993) - Pleasure of MolestationPleasure of MolestationPleasure of Molestation is an EP released in 1993 by Hypocrisy. All the tracks were later re-recorded for the Osculum Obscenum album, and are available as bonus tracks on the album's re-released digipak version.-Track listing:-Credits:Hypocrisy...
(1993) - PenetraliaPenetraliaPenetralia is the debut album of Hypocrisy released in 1992. The cover artwork is created by Dan Seagrave. The digipak reissue contains two bonus tracks; "Life of Filth" and "Lead by Satanism".-Track listing:...
(1992)