Requiem (Bathory album)

Requiem is the sixth studio album by Swedish extreme metal band Bathory. It was released in 1994 and marks a significant shift in Bathory's sound away from the Viking metal style that had characterized their previous few albums (Hammerheart, Twilight of the Gods) and back towards a more thrash metal-influenced sound reminiscent of their early black metal roots, though with a decidedly death metal edge.

The album title, Requiem, alludes to the musical composition for the dead and reflects a darker and more aggressive atmosphere than their Viking metal releases. Requiem saw Quorthon, the band's sole member, experimenting with simpler song structures and a rawer production style. This was a deliberate attempt to capture the energy and intensity of live performance.

While the album received mixed reviews upon its release, largely due to its departure from the band's established Viking metal sound, it has since been re-evaluated by some critics as a vital part of Bathory's discography and a notable influence on the burgeoning death/thrash subgenre. Requiem represents a transitional phase for Bathory, bridging the gap between their black metal origins and their later explorations into doom and experimental metal.