Profanatica

US Black Metal - United States

Profanatica Band

PROFANATICA are at the vanguard of the first wave of American black metal. Founded and led by infamous master of black perversion Paul Ledney (drums/vocals), they have purveyed primeval blasphemy for nigh on thirty-three years.

Ledney formed the band from the ashes of the first INCANTATION lineup when he split and took with him all of the members sans John McEntee. That early trio of ex-INCANTATION members reeled off three ground-breaking demos of some of the most extreme and blasphemic metal of its time in rapid succession. The band flyers that permeated the tape-trading circuit were no less shocking and featured the trio bloody and naked and in the throes of what was most certainly a primeval summoning of some kind. In short order, they had inked a deal with the fledgling Osmose Productions for what became one of that labels first releases (Osmose release #5); a legendary split with Colombia’s MASACRE.

Something so volatile could only last briefly, and after another brief recording session the band collapsed under the weight of its own extremity. but the recordings made in this two year window went on to see dozens of reissues in the coming decades, in a testament to how formidable and formative they are to the black metal scene worldwide.

After almost fifteen years spent with his equally polarizing solo project HAVOHEJ, Ledney reignited the flames of Profanatica in 2006. Reemerging with a new deal from Hells Headbangers, Ledney and his new band released ‘The Enemy of Virtue’, a collection of that vaunted early material, and a new full-length, ‘Profanatitas de Domonatia’. A triumphant return, ‘Profanatitas de Domonatia’ picked up right where these Kings of US Black Metal left off, delivering a savage stream of chainsaw guitars and relentless battery upon which they desecrated everything sacred.

This set-in motion another frenetic burst of work for Profanatica. The next decade saw them unleash four new full-length albums of blasphemous perversions, sacrilegious incantations, and furious black metal. In addition, the band issued six mini-albums and EP’s, a full DVD of early footage, and began touring internationally in Europe and in Central and South America. For the first time Profanatica were appearing near or at the top of the bill at festivals like MDF, Messe Des Mortes, Hells Headbash, Prague Death Mass (Czech Republic), Chaos Descends (Germany), Black Sun (Spain), Tyrant Fest (France), SWR Fest (Portugal) and many more.

In fall 2018, Profanatica joined forces with Season of Mist and undertook their biggest tour to date supporting WATAIN and ROTTING CHRIST across Europe. And a year later, the trio vomited forth a most vulgar strain of black metal ejaculate with their SoM debut album ‘Rotting Incarnation of God’.

The band embarked on an extensive twelve-country European headline tour in the album’s wake. Shortly after returning home that winter, the world ground to a halt in 2020. Save a live-streaming concert production for the legendary Rock al Parque in conjunction with BATUSHKA, little was heard from Profanatica.

That is until spring 2023, when Profanatica emerged from their den of iniquity on a European headline tour to promote a new album. ‘Crux Simplex’ is a ten-track offensive of sin and sacrilege, a nasty affront that bastardizes the first 10 stations of the cross. As per their legacy, Profanatica deals in bestial, first-wave black metal barbarity, and their eighth album unveils ungodly levels of bile and blasphemy.

Line-up:

  • Mayhemic Slaughter of the Heavens : drums, vocals
  • Destroyer of the Holy Hymen : guitars
  • The True Peversion of the Heavenly Father : bass
Date Venue City Country Info Ticket
June 29th, 2025 Sanctuary Detroit, MI United States w/ Knoll Buy Ticket
June 30th, 2025 No Class Cleveland, OH United States w/ Knoll Buy Ticket
July 1st, 2025 Sleeping Village Chicago, IL United States w/ Knoll Buy Ticket
July 2nd, 2025 Turf Club Saint Paul, MN United States w/ Knoll Buy Ticket
July 5th, 2025 El Corazon Seattle, WA United States w/ Knoll, Uniad Trauma Buy Ticket
July 6th, 2025 Dantes Portland, OR United States w/ Knoll, Uniad Trauma Buy Ticket
July 7th, 2025 Thee Stork Club Oakland, CA United States w/ Knoll, Uniad Trauma Buy Ticket
July 8th, 2025 Colonial Cafe Sacramento, CA United States w/ Knoll, Uniad Trauma Buy Ticket
July 9th, 2025 Regent Theatre Los Angeles, CA United States w/ Knoll, Uniad Trauma Buy Ticket
July 11th, 2025 The Usual Place Las Vegas, NV United States w/ Knoll, Uniad Trauma Buy Ticket
July 14th, 2025 Hi Dive Denver, CO United States w/ Knoll, Uniad Trauma Buy Ticket
July 15th, 2025 Reverb Lounge Lincoln, NE United States w/ Knoll Buy Ticket
July 17th, 2025 Rubber Gloves Denton, TX United States w/ Knoll, Uniad Trauma Buy Ticket
July 18th, 2025 Empire Garage Austin, TX United States w/ Knoll, Uniad Trauma Buy Ticket
July 19th, 2025 Black Magic Houston, TX United States w/ Knoll, Uniad Trauma Buy Ticket
July 20th, 2025 Santos New Orleans, LA United States w/ Knoll, Uniad Trauma Buy Ticket
July 21st, 2025 Handlebar Pensacola, FL United States w/ Knoll, Uniad Trauma Buy Ticket
July 22nd, 2025 Nice Guys Cape Coral, FL United States w/ Knoll, Uniad Trauma Buy Ticket
July 24th, 2025 Conduit Orlando, FL United States w/ Knoll, Uniad Trauma Buy Ticket
July 25th, 2025 529 Atlanta, GA United States w/ Knoll, Uniad Trauma Buy Ticket
July 29th, 2025 Metro Gallery Baltimore, MD United States w/ Knoll, Uniad Trauma Buy Ticket
July 30th, 2025 Underground Arts Philadelphia, PA United States w/ Knoll, Uniad Trauma Buy Ticket
July 31st, 2025 TV Eye Brooklyn, NY United States w/ Knoll, Uniad Trauma Buy Ticket
August 3rd, 2025 Genos Portland, ME United States w/ Knoll, Uniad Trauma Buy Ticket
Posted on April 22, 2024

Profanatica have been one of the nastiest bands in America since the early ’90s, back when they were playing the backroom of Chinese restaurants alongside Gorophobia, Immolation and Incantation.

Posted on December 18, 2023

Profanatica have spit on all things holy since the early ’90s, back when they were playing the backroom of Chinese restaurants alongside Gorophobia, Immolation and Incantation.

Posted on July 25, 2023

No one loves to watch God suffer quite like Profanatica. Since the late ’80s, Paul Ledney and his corpse-painted band of miscreants have amassed a long and infamous career as one of America’s truly definitive black metal bands. They’ve hurled profanties and even their own feces at our Lord and Savior, not to mention other, more nefarious bodily fluids.

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