Melechesh

Melechesh is a black metal band founded in 1993 in Jerusalem, now based in the Netherlands. The band is often cited for its Oriental influences. The band was founded by Ashmedi in 1993, with the sole purpose of creating an original black metal incorporating Middle Eastern influences, mainly focused on Mesopotamian / Sumerian and occult themes. The name Melechesh is made up of two Hebrew words, (melech = king) and (esh = fire), a combination created by the band. The CH is pronounced like the Scottish ch, as in the word Loch. The most common and acceptable pronunciation should therefore be "MeleKesh". The band's first two releases, the 1995 demo As Jerusalem Burns... as well as the EP The Siege of Lachish, drew the attention of underground metal fans, as well as that of the local authorities.