Artist Biography

The National Cemetery Orchestra is an instrumental thrash/death metal project from the swamps of eastern Virginia. In the spring of 2001, Karl Nix operating as The National Cemetery Orchestra and armed with a B. C. Rich Warlock released his debut album As Twilight Fades Into Night. Containing ten melodic thrash instrumentals such as Juggernaut, Deaths Tragic Embrace and Hence The Tears, it went on to receive good reviews as well as air play on some college radio stations. Moving in a darker direction, Karl Nix released Beyond The Shadows in 2002. With instrumentals like Red Skies, Time Bleeds Away and Pergamum a clear black metal influence could be heard amongst the thrashy riffs spewing out of the speakers.

Then in August of 2004, five months after kicking death in the teeth during a head-on collision, Karl Nix released Prince Of Rosh. Armed this time with a Gibson Les Paul Studio plugged into an Engl amplifier, Prince Of Rosh is an album heavily influenced by the classic metal of the 80’s such as Kill ‘Em All, Hell Awaits and Pleasure To Kill as well as the giants of the 70’s, Black Sabbath. Tracks like Destroyer Of Nations, In The Valley Of Hamon-Gog and Dark Clouds Above tell the story of mankind’s final days as they struggle against a malevolent spirit creature seeking to dominate or destroy them. Prince Of Rosh was also the first album to feature the artwork of Jason Powell. After relocating the studio from Maryland to Virginia, Karl Nix released his latest album, Monument in March 2007. With instrumental tracks such as The Colossal Void, March Of The Ob and Eternal, the album reflects a bleak nightmarish landscape, where all that remains of the human race is an ancient monument that stands silent, watching over the desolate earth.

Music Influences