Dark Fortress
Encyclopedia
Dark Fortress is a black metal
band from Landshut
, Germany
, formed in 1994. They have released six studio album
s, a split album
and a demo album.
Their first musical sign of life was the 1996 released demo "Rebirth Of The Dark Age". In 1997 the original line-up consisting of band founder Asvargr (guitar), vocalist Azathoth, Njord on bass, and drummer Charon established the band's first live line-up with the addition of a second guitarist named Crom and keyboardist Thamuz. Debuting live in February 1997 the young horde soon shared the stage with such underground figureheads as Lunar Aurora, Disaster and Nagelfar. Dark Fortress' first label release was the Split MCD with Barad Dür entitled "Towards Immortaliy" which featured two new tracks by the band and was released on Fog Of The Apocalypse Records. A third track was recorded during the same session and was used for the compilation CD "From The Mystic Forest - Part II". The band kept busy composing material for their first full-length album, but a studio date already scheduled for 1998 did not come into being. The recording did not take place until August 2000 when Dark Fortress entered Klangschmiede Studio E and with Markus Stock (of Empyrium fame) completed their album: "Tales From Eternal Dusk". Taking inspiration from renowned acts like Dissection, Unanimated, and Satyricon, the album received praise and offered a mixture of haunting guitar melodies, morbid and tormented snarling and diversified song structures.
On May 13, 2007, they fired their vocalist, Azathoth, due to various non-musical reasons.
Now "Séance" is the next step to establish Dark Fortress not only as one of Germany's most hopeful black metal acts. Once more assisted by the artwork of Travis Smith (Nevermore, Katatonia, Opeth etc.) the album evolves around the conceptual idea of the direct contrast between the current and the future, the fragility of human existence with its most striking weaknesses - ignorance, arrogance and false illusions - and the crass finality of death. The central motif lyrically of "Séance" dares to leave the stereotypical, cliché-ridden black metal paths and instead deals with the idea of paranormal beings, their individual experiences which are focused on during the course of the album. The musical side supports this conceptual idea with majestic, gloomy guitar melodies, twisted and morbid passages and grim vocals.
On January 29, 2010 Dark Fortress released an Official Music Video for the song 'Hirudineans'. This song is on their 2010 album 'Ylem'.
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
band from Landshut
Landshut
Landshut is a city in Bavaria in the south-east of Germany, belonging to both Eastern and Southern Bavaria. Situated on the banks of the River Isar, Landshut is the capital of Lower Bavaria, one of the seven administrative regions of the Free State of Bavaria. It is also the seat of the...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, formed in 1994. They have released six studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
s, a split album
Split album
A split album is a music album which includes tracks by two or more separate artists. There have been singles and EPs released in the same nature, which can be referred to as split singles and split EPs respectively...
and a demo album.
Early
Formed in 1994 Dark Fortress have established themselves with their intense live shows and the pitch black full-length pieces that meet the standard set by northern Europe's prolific scenes.Their first musical sign of life was the 1996 released demo "Rebirth Of The Dark Age". In 1997 the original line-up consisting of band founder Asvargr (guitar), vocalist Azathoth, Njord on bass, and drummer Charon established the band's first live line-up with the addition of a second guitarist named Crom and keyboardist Thamuz. Debuting live in February 1997 the young horde soon shared the stage with such underground figureheads as Lunar Aurora, Disaster and Nagelfar. Dark Fortress' first label release was the Split MCD with Barad Dür entitled "Towards Immortaliy" which featured two new tracks by the band and was released on Fog Of The Apocalypse Records. A third track was recorded during the same session and was used for the compilation CD "From The Mystic Forest - Part II". The band kept busy composing material for their first full-length album, but a studio date already scheduled for 1998 did not come into being. The recording did not take place until August 2000 when Dark Fortress entered Klangschmiede Studio E and with Markus Stock (of Empyrium fame) completed their album: "Tales From Eternal Dusk". Taking inspiration from renowned acts like Dissection, Unanimated, and Satyricon, the album received praise and offered a mixture of haunting guitar melodies, morbid and tormented snarling and diversified song structures.
Changes
Line-up changes (Charon and Crom left due to conflicting musical interests) delayed further live and studio activities. However they later signed to US label Red Stream for two albums and hired Seraph and V.Santura as the new drummer and guitarist. Recorded at famous Grieghallen Studio in Norway (Mayhem, Emperor, Immortal) "Profane Genocidal Creations" was an ambitious yet delayed album due to problems during the mixing/mastering process. It was not released until February 2003 and showcased Dark Fortress' development into classic traditions of black metal as well their continual progression as composers and musicians. With a stable line-up consisting of Azathoth (vocals), Asvargr (guitar), Santura (guitar), Draug (bass), Paymon (keyboards) and Seraph (drums) more live shows and even festival appearances ensued seeing Dark Fortress share stage with popular extreme metal acts like Behemoth, Impaled Nazarene, Pungent Stench, God Dethroned as well as many underground acts.2000 onwards
The hitherto musical peak of their career then hit the metal scene with the 2004 released "Stab Wounds" (Black Attakk). Crowned by a gloomy artwork by well-known artist Travis Smith (Opeth, Nevermore, Anathema, Death) "Stab Wounds" was well received not only by the band's underground following but also mainstream metal press, e.g. German Rock Hard praised it as "too good, too original and heavy to be ignored. Simply the best German black metal has to offer!". Their new album contained melancholy melodies which combined with suicidal themes. An interpretation of Katatonia's "Endtime" - a gem not so easy for such a band to cover - was included on the limited CD Digipak, while a cover version of Emperor's "I Am The Black Wizards" was featured on the double-LP version (released by Imperium Records, 2005).On May 13, 2007, they fired their vocalist, Azathoth, due to various non-musical reasons.
Now "Séance" is the next step to establish Dark Fortress not only as one of Germany's most hopeful black metal acts. Once more assisted by the artwork of Travis Smith (Nevermore, Katatonia, Opeth etc.) the album evolves around the conceptual idea of the direct contrast between the current and the future, the fragility of human existence with its most striking weaknesses - ignorance, arrogance and false illusions - and the crass finality of death. The central motif lyrically of "Séance" dares to leave the stereotypical, cliché-ridden black metal paths and instead deals with the idea of paranormal beings, their individual experiences which are focused on during the course of the album. The musical side supports this conceptual idea with majestic, gloomy guitar melodies, twisted and morbid passages and grim vocals.
On January 29, 2010 Dark Fortress released an Official Music Video for the song 'Hirudineans'. This song is on their 2010 album 'Ylem'.
Current members
- Morean – vocals
- Asvargr – guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- V. Santura – guitar
- Draug (formerly T. Killer) – bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Paymon – keyboardKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
- Seraph – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Former members
- Azathoth – vocals (1994–2007)
- Njord – bass guitar (1994–1997)
- Zoltan – bass guitar (1997–2000)
- Charon – drums (1994–2000)
- Crom – guitar, bass guitar (1997–2001)
- Thamuz – keyboard (1994–1997)
Discography
- Rebirth of the Dark Age demo (1996)
- Towards Immortality splitSplit albumA split album is a music album which includes tracks by two or more separate artists. There have been singles and EPs released in the same nature, which can be referred to as split singles and split EPs respectively...
(1997) - Tales From Eternal DuskTales From Eternal DuskTales From Eternal Dusk is the first full album of the German melodic black metal band Dark Fortress. This was the band's debut album and was released on October 1, 2001...
(2001) - Profane Genocidal CreationsProfane Genocidal CreationsProfane Genocidal Creations is the second full album of the German melodic black metal band Dark Fortress. It was released in February, 2003.-Track listing:# "Introduction" - 1:45# "Defiance of Death" - 8:36# "Passage to Extinction" - 9:11...
(2003) - Stab WoundsStab Wounds (album)Stab Wounds is an album by the German Melodic black metal band Dark Fortress which was released on June 11, 2004. The whole layout and cover art of the booklet has been designed by Travis Smith...
(2004) - SéanceSéance (album)Séance is an album by the German melodic black metal band Dark Fortress. Alex Krull mastered the album in the Mastersound Studios and the whole layout of the booklet has been designed by Travis Smith.-Track listing:...
(2006) - EidolonEidolon (album)-Notes:# Thomas Gabriel Fischer appears as a guest vocalist on the song Baphomet.# A video of the song Edge of Night was made and can be viewed at their MySpace page.-Personnel:Dark Fortress* Morean – vocals* V...
(2008) - YlemYlem (album)-Personnel:*Morean – vocals*V. Santura – lead guitar*Asvargr – guitar*Draug – bass guitar*Paymon – keyboard*Seraph – drums-External links:*...
(2010)
External links
- Official website
- Encyclopaedia Metallum
- Dark Fortress at Century Media RecordsCentury Media RecordsCentury Media Records is an Independent record label with offices in the United States, Germany, Australia, France, Italy, Sweden, Finland, and the United Kingdom.- Background :...
- Dark Fortress at Summer Breeze Open AirSummer Breeze Open AirSummer Breeze Open Air is a heavy metal music festival in Germany. It takes place annually in Dinkelsbühl, Bavaria. It was first held in 1997. The festival had been held in Abtsgmünd until 2006 when it was moved to its new location of Dinkelsbühl. The festival draws around 40,000 attendees annually...