Roots of Mercyful Fate

Death Angel is a Filipino-American thrash metal band from Daly City, California, initially active from 1982 to 1991 and again since 2001. They have released nine studio albums, two demo tapes, one box set and three live albums. The band has gone through several lineup changes, leaving guitarist Rob Cavestany as the only constant member; he and vocalist Mark Osegueda are the only members who appear on all of their studio albums.

Bathory was a Swedish extreme metal band formed in Vällingby in March 1983. Frontman and sole songwriter Thomas "Quorthon" Forsberg was the sole constant member, and was at times responsible for all instruments.

Hellhammer was a Swiss extreme metal band from Nürensdorf, active from 1982 to 1984. Although the band's sound and style were heavily criticized and poorly reviewed during their active years, they have been widely praised in retrospect and are often regarded as a key influence on black metal. In June 1984, Hellhammer disbanded but two of its members soon formed the influential extreme metal band Celtic Frost.

Memento Mori was a Swedish band that is mainly doom metal but has some power metal influences. The band was founded by Messiah Marcolin, Snowy Shaw and Mike Wead in 1992 after Messiah left Candlemass and Wead took a break from his other band Hexenhaus. After two albums Messiah left the band because he was not credited as a songwriter; Snowy Shaw also quit the band to work with the reunited Mercyful Fate. The third album was sung by Kristian Andrén who used to sing for Swedish power doom metal band Tad Morose. Messiah returned for the fourth album, Songs for the Apocalypse Vol IV, without Snowy Shaw. Drum duties were taken over by fellow Swede and Memory Garden drummer Tom Bjorn. After that album, the band broke up. All albums were released by Black Mark.