Les Légions Noires

Possibly the circle was formed in the late 1980s, early 1990s, in response to the supposed Norwegian "Black Metal Inner Circle". According to a 2005 series in Terrorizer magazine on the history of black metal, "A bunch of corpsepainted characters, rumoured to be drawn from such acts as Mütiilation, Torgeist and Vlad Tepes named themselves the 'Black Legions' as a tribute to the so-called 'Black Mafia' Norwegian BM heroes Darkthrone and Burzum, who were supposedly ready to terrorize Christians a couple of years before."^[1] The first recordings of LLN members came about in the early 1990s, and their influence was acknowledged in the same issue of Terrorizer: "One should never count out France, primarily as the home of the inscrutably influential Black Legions of ridiculous rawness during the mid-90s."^[2]

Regarding their influences, Wlad Drakksteim of Vlad Tepes referred, in an interview with Petrified magazine, to Hellhammer and especially Bathory: "Every True Black Metal Horde should play in old Bathory style."^[3] When asked about the "Norwegian Black Metal Mafia", he said, "Norwegian mafia did lots of 'bad' things to this world. With Euronymous' death MAYHEM is definitely dead and it's better like that as it will help Black Metal to return to darkness. [Euronymous] must be in peace now so I don't complain [lament?] him. And about Varg Vikernes (BURZUM) I don't have any opinion. WE have OUR opinions and he certainly knows them so..."^[4]

In 1991, Meyhna'ch (real name William Roussel) founded the band Mütiilation in Montpellier.^[5] That autumn, Vordb Báthor Ecsed formed the ambient project Moëvöt in Bergerac.^[6] In 1992, Vordb and Meyhna'ch discovered each other and began corresponding. In early 1993, Vordb Báthor Ecsed founded the project Bèlkètre.^[7] Also that year, Vlad Tepes, a project by Wlad Drakksteim and Vorlok Drakksteim, emerged in Brest.

Meanwhile, black metal is gaining traction in the European metal scene (particularly in France). The murder of Euronymous by Varg Vikernes further fuels the hype around the style. Numerous death metal bands declare themselves black death metal and begin fusing the two genres, often with mediocre results. Vordb believes that this is threatening the very existence of black metal and decides to fight the trend. In summer 1993, Vordb and Meyhna'ch formed an occult musical alliance. The members decide to live in the forest, away from society, and devote their time to music. The movement is named Les Légions Noires.^{[citation needed]}

Vlad Tepes have been outspoken in the goals of their black metal: "We are Black Legions of Satan, we are the immortal warriors of Black imperial blood. We are here to pervert christian worms and they shall face the Black holocaust. It's near!"^[4]

• Mütiilation: Hail Satanas We Are the Black Legions (1994)
• Vlad Tepes: War Funeral March (1994)
• Vlad Tepes / Belketre: March to the Black Holocaust (1995)
• Mütiilation: Vampires of Black Imperial Blood (1995)
• Vlad Tepes / Torgeist: Black Legions Metal (1996)
• Belketre: Ambre Zuèrkl Vuordhrévarhtre (1996)
• Vlad Tepes: La Morte Lune (1997)