Tersivel
Argentine pagan metal band formed in 2004.
Tersivel, a pagan metal band, originated in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 2004. They are recognized, along with Skiltron and Tengwar, as pioneers of Argentine folk metal.
The group was founded by Lian Gerbino. After their first demo, *When She Sang...*, all members except Gerbino and Nicolás Nelson departed. (Nelson had joined in 2006.) Franco Robert (keyboards), Sefirot (drums), and Maxi Corbalán (bass) then joined. Nelson later switched to guitar, and Gerbino took over clean vocals. Following extensive gigging in the local underground, the EP *Far Away In The Distant Skies* was released in August 2010, generating international interest. Sefirot and Corbalán left around this time. Drummer Hernán Martiarena joined in January 2011.
Their debut full-length, *For One Pagan Brotherhood*, came out on February 26, 2011. It blends Italian, Sicilian, and Celtic music with extreme metal, using instruments like acoustic guitar, Irish bouzouki, and bodhran. Folk musician Xandru Reguera (of the band Na Fianna) appears on two tracks. Lian Gerbino wrote all lyrics, which focus on paganism, pre-Christian history, and fantasy. The band released their first music video, "As Brothers We Shall Fight," in late 2011, followed by a Latin American tour covering over thirteen cities. Camilo Torrado became the official bassist in January 2012, while Nelson and Martiarena left that year. In January 2013, a video for "Those Days Are Gone" was released, again featuring Xandru Reguera on bouzouki.
In 2014, drummer Andrés Gualco joined. The band released a video for "Argentoratum" on December 5, previewing their next album. Tersivel headlined the Huarpe Cuyum festival in San Juan, Argentina, in January 2015. Their second album, *Worship of the Gods*, arrived in October 2017. A single and video, "Satyrs Wine Part II," followed in December 2018. In 2020, the band returned with the single "Embers Beneath The Spirit," adopting a more organic, hard-to-categorize sound. The band describes their style as centered on vivid soundscapes where death/doom and post-metal converge, with pagan and philosophical lyrics.
The name "Tersivel" is a word for gathering, created by Lian Gerbino for an unpublished book about ancient times and paganism.
Current members are Lian Gerbino (vocals, guitars, bodhran), Franco Robert (keyboards), and Danny Ebenholtz (drums, since 2019).
Quick Facts
- Landscape
- Yes
- Origin
- Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Genre
- Pagan metal, Folk metal
- Years Active
- 2004–present
- Label
- Independent
- Current Members
- Lian Gerbino / Franco Robert / Danny Ebenholtz
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Tersivel was formed in 2004 by Lian Gerbino in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In 2006, Nicolás Nelson joined on growled vocals. After the release of their first demo titled *When She Sang...*, all members except Lian and Nicolás left the band. Franco Robert then joined on keyboards, Sefirot on drums, and Maxi Corbalán on bass guitar. Later, Nicolás picked up the guitar and Lian took charge of clean vocals.
In August 2010, after many gigs and touring in the underground Argentine scene, Tersivel released their second EP titled *Far Away In The Distant Skies*, creating big expectation outside their country. Drummer Sefirot and bass player Maxi Corbalán left the band. In January 2011, Hernán Martiarena joined on drums.
Reader's Guide
Tersivel holds significance as one of the first folk metal bands from Argentina, helping to establish the genre in the country alongside Skiltron and Tengwar. Their music blends extreme metal with Italian, Sicilian, and Celtic folk influences, using traditional instruments like the Irish bouzouki and bodhran. The band's lyrical focus on paganism and pre-Christian history, drawn from Lian Gerbino's unpublished book, gives their work a thematic consistency. Over nearly two decades, Tersivel has undergone numerous lineup changes, yet Lian Gerbino has remained the constant core member. Their 2011 album For One Pagan Brotherhood and the 2017 album Worship of the Gods represent key milestones, while later singles like 'Embers Beneath The Spirit' show a shift toward a more atmospheric death/doom and post-metal sound. The band's Latin American tour and headlining of the Huarpe Cuyum festival indicate their reach within the regional metal scene. Their legacy lies in being early adopters of folk metal in Argentina and in evolving their sound while maintaining pagan themes.
Did You Know?
- Tersivel is considered one of the first folk metal bands from Argentina, alongside Skiltron and Tengwar.
- The band's name 'Tersivel' is a word for gathering, created in the context of an unpublished book by Lian Gerbino.
- Their first full-length album For One Pagan Brotherhood features traditional folk instruments including Irish bouzouki and bodhran.
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