The band was formed in mid-1998 by Metatron and Jaldaboath (aka James Fogarty of Ewigkeit), the stated aim being to "create heavy guitar-based original Black Metal with Medieval/Eastern influences and a lyrical concept derived from Christ's mortality, Biblical Apocrypha, Fallen Angels and Death." Their demo releases The Bemoaning of Metatron and Metatron and the Red Gleaming Serpent gained them a good deal of critical attention in the underground metal press, even receiving mentions from such mainstream sources as Kerrang! magazine, and they soon signed to Supernal Music after the release of their widely acclaimed final demo The Watchers of Catal Huyuk. Their albums, particularly 2001's The Excommunication of Christ explore conceptual themes based around an anti-Christian interpretation of the Bible and Apocrypha. Despite a fluctuating line-up, the band continues to release well-received music. The band's most consistent feature is their use of often unusual guest musicians, including members of Hawkwind and a Rabbi.

The Excommunication of Christ 2001 The debut album featured A.C.Wild from Italian thrash legends Bulldozer re-working the narrative originally found on Bulldozers first album, The Day Of Wrath. It is an exorcism in Latin and sets the tone of the rest. Album. Huw Lloyd Langton plays lead guitar on the Hawkwind cover, Assault and Battery.

Jihad / Freezing Moon 2002 This was a split release with Mayhem, featuring 2 live Mayhem rehearsals from 1991 with Dead on Vocals. The Meads showcased a far more sample laden set of songs with a lyrical concept on middle eastern terrorism. The track, Grisly Din of Killing Steel, has the Twin Towers plane impact sounds over the narrative. This was the last release to feature Jaldaboath. The split was released in a limited 10” vinyl and regular cd with 2 bonus tracks.

Exhuming the Grave of Yeshua 2003. This album was the first to feature the new line up of J D Tait and Deaorth [Ragnarok] sharing the bass duties with Hawkwind’s Alan Davey. Huw Lloyd langton plays lead guitar and Vincent Crowley from Acheron does some narration, and Mirai from Sigh plays keyboards on some tracks. A Rabbi from Golders Green in London added some Hebrew verse on the track 80 grains of Sand. Paul Carter from Thus Defiled played keyboards on the Track Sons of Anak Rise.

The Mill Hill Sessions, was released in 2004 Two live sessions were recorded at the Mill Hill studios in North London in 2006. On 24.11.03 featuring various old tracks plus a cover of Sepultura’s ‘Refuse Resist. The second, 17.7.04, was a 25 minute work in progress jam featuring Hawkwind Huw Lloyd Langton on lead/ slide guitar. The My Beautiful Genocide track was aired here for the first time in its pre production format.

As of 2005's Damascus Steel, the band lyrically focused on humanity and the mindless destruction and killing in the name of God. Their motto, stated on their site in the "Biography" section, is "The Meads of Asphodel believe in all peoples' right to live in peace, free from the shackles of inflicted dogma and servitude".

In 2006, Welcome to Planet Genocide, was released. This is a short glance at human hatred, looking upon the theme of Genocide beyond the archetypal Hitler associated atrocities. Genocide is imbued in the human psyche, an instinctive inbred hatred born from jealousy, envy and odium that in itself is motivated by racial and political machinations. The two Discharge covers add to the black and white imagery of the artwork through the bands admiration for English Punk rock first aired on the third demo, The Watchers of Catal Huyuk, when the band covered the GBH classic, Give me Fire.

The band take their stage names from angels, djinn and other such figures, and are never photographed except in their dark ages battle garb. They freely admit to the use of undisclosed naturally-occurring mind-altering substances. Their name, an archaic way of saying "Meadows of Asphodel", refers to the belief that the plains of Hades are filled with the Asphodel flower.

The bands mind bending sonic Black Metal style is typically English in its eccentricity, now forged around the core elements of Metatron[vocals], J.D Tait [guitar], Urakbarameel [drums] and Alan Davey's [ex-Hawkwind] pounding bass chords. The outer elements of Mirai [Sigh], and numerous session musicians make up the bands unique sound. Refusing to follow trends and pay any attention to what others perceive of the music, striving onwards in their own blackened journey towards creating music for any one who cares to listen.

The Meads were nominated for a Metal Hammer Golden Gods award in the best underground category 2007, yet remain secure in the mists of their self imposed Black metal obscurity.