The Prophecy
Emerging from the ancient limestone depths of Malta in 1990, Lithomancy carved their name into the bedrock of the island's nascent extreme metal scene. As one of the pioneering death metal acts to emerge from the Maltese archipelago, the band channeled the island's millennia of history, its Neolithic temples, and its dark Mediterranean mysteries into crushing riffs and guttural proclamations.
The band name itself speaks to ancient divination practices using stones, an art form practiced across cultures for millennia. For Lithomancy, the stones were not tools of prophecy but instruments of sonic devastation, each riff hewn from the same limestone that built Malta's prehistoric temples.
Operating in an era before the internet connected underground scenes worldwide, Lithomancy existed in the raw, tape-trading underground. Their legacy lives on through the musicians who carried the torch forward, most notably through Victims of Creation, which would become one of Malta's most respected doom/death metal acts.
Band Info
The Cult
Michael Grech
The voice of Lithomancy, Michael Grech delivered the guttural proclamations and visceral screams that defined the band's death metal assault. His commanding vocal presence anchored the band's brutal sound.
Rex
Founding member and driving force behind both Lithomancy and its spiritual successor, Victims of Creation. Rex's deep, rumbling bass lines provided the low-end foundation for the band's crushing sound.
Dino Mifsud Lepre
A versatile musician who helped shape Lithomancy's crushing sound. Dino later transitioned to drums in Victims of Creation, proving his multi-instrumental prowess.
AJ Burd
Guitarist who contributed to Lithomancy's aggressive sonic assault. AJ later reunited with Rex and Dino in 2008 when Victims of Creation reformed, bringing the original chemistry back to life.
James Decelis
Bringing additional six-string firepower to Lithomancy's arsenal, James Decelis helped craft the band's crushing dual-guitar attack, layering heavy riffs that formed the backbone of their death metal sound.
Dave Alan Caruana
Adding dark atmospheric layers to Lithomancy's death metal onslaught, Dave Alan Caruana's synthesizer work brought an ominous, otherworldly dimension to the band's sound, enhancing the ancient and mystical themes.
Chronicle
Genesis
Lithomancy emerges from Malta's underground, becoming one of the island's first death metal bands. Michael Grech, Rex, Dino, AJ Burd, James Decelis, and Dave Alan Caruana unite to forge a sound as ancient and heavy as the Maltese temples, blending crushing death metal with atmospheric synthesizers.
Underground Operations
The band operates in Malta's tape-trading underground scene, performing live shows and contributing to the nascent metal community. Their raw, uncompromising sound helps establish Malta as a legitimate force in European extreme metal.
Evolution
Rex and Dino channel their experience into a new project: Victims of Creation. The seeds planted in Lithomancy begin to bloom into what would become one of Malta's most enduring metal acts.
Reunion of Spirits
AJ Burd rejoins Rex and Dino in the reformed Victims of Creation, reuniting the core Lithomancy lineup. The original chemistry proves as potent as ever.
Legacy Continues
Victims of Creation carries Lithomancy's spirit forward, performing at multiple Malta Doom Metal Festivals and signing with Cyclone Empire in 2011. The legacy endures.
The Legacy
Pioneers of Maltese Metal
Lithomancy stands as one of the founding pillars of Malta's extreme metal scene. In an era when the internet didn't exist to connect underground scenes, they forged connections through tape trading and raw determination.
Victims of Creation
The spiritual successor to Lithomancy, Victims of Creation has carried the torch since 1992. The band has performed at numerous editions of the Malta Doom Metal Festival and released albums on Cyclone Empire Records.
Underground Spirit
Like many bands of the early 90s underground, Lithomancy's recordings remain largely undocumented. Their legacy lives not in studio albums but in the musicians they spawned and the scene they helped create.