Watain is a Swedish black metal band, formed in 1998. The band's name is taken from an early recording by the American black metal group Von. The band have become famous for their Theistic Satanist views and for their live shows which involve pyrotechnics, candles, Satanic rituals, animal carcasses, and blood. At a now-notorious live performance in Brooklyn in 2014, they doused audience members in animal blood, allegedly causing some members of the audience to vomit. This was picked up and publicised by TMZ, generating controversy around the incident. To date they have released seven full-length albums, as well as three live albums and a number of demos and EPs. Their most recent album The Agony & Ecstasy of Watain was released on 29 April 2022 through Nuclear Blast. The band's core lineup has remained stable since their formation, consisting of Erik Danielsson, Pelle Forsberg, and Håkan Jonsson, though as of 2015 Jonsson no longer performs live, Emil Svensson (aka E. Forcas) of fellow Uppsala death metal band Degial was recruited as live drummer.

Latest Articles

Reviews / Live

Live Review: Watain, Nocturnal Graves, Sorathian Dawn

"Watain delivered a technically superb odyssey through their back catalogue."

Reviews / Album

Album Review: Watain - Trident Wolf Eclipse

"A superb 34 minutes of well-executed and unrelenting black metal mayhem."

Reviews / Live

Live Review: Behemoth, Watain, Bölzer

"Even if attending this show means a one-way ticket to hell, it's definitely worth it."

Reviews / Live

Live Review: Behemoth, Watain, Bölzer

"Behemoth have survived the decades for a reason: they've constantly delivered the goods both in the studio and live."

News / Music

Watain Named As Mayhem Anniversary Tour Support

Plus they'll play a headline show in Perth

Reviews / Album

Album Review: Watain - 'The Wild Hunt'

Modern black metal filled with experimentation