The German quintet Sacrificium (vocalist Claudio Enzler, guitar players Wolfgang Nillies and Matthias Brandt, bass player Thorsten Brandt, and drummer Mario Henning) exists for about two decades in mean time. The band recorded a couple of albums throughout the past years, and toured Europe alongside bands like Dismember, HateSphere, Unleashed, Fleshcrawl, Eluveitie etc.
Finland’s Purtenance were initially formed at the end of the eighties as Purtenance Avulsion. There wasn’t but one demo under that moniker. In 1991, the band changed its name into the current one, and they released the grandiose Crown Waits The Immortal EP, which was one of my favourite EP’s that very same year (back then, tapes and vinyl were ‘hot’, CD’s didn’t exist yet), followed in 1992 by the full length debut Member Of Immortal Damnation.
It might not be the most original moniker, but this time it’s a Belgian combo (from the French-speaking part of the country) that uses Possession as band name. Why not anyway… The band currently consists of former Dawn Of Crucifixion-members Viriakh (b, v) and Dveikus (g), drummer Pz.Kpfw, and new vocalist Mestema.
Transylvania, indeed, it’s the region most people might refer to one of my possible ancestors ( ???), Mr. Vladimir Tepes, prince of the Order of the Dragons. It’s also an area that houses many great acts that are truly inspired in one way or another (not just lyrically, yet also through blood and nationalism) by Uncle Vlad the Impaler [note: in fact, it was the princedom of Wallachia, but that’s another discussion…].
Netherbird were formed in 2004 by Nephente, Grim (who left in mean time) and Bizmark. Despite almost a decade of existence, the band didn’t really record that much material. With The Ferocious Tides Of Fate, Netherbird release their third full length album, which was recorded at the Scarecrow Studios, which are, just like the label the band is currently on, gathered within the Scarecrow Music Group.
L’Hiver En Deuil (means something like winter in bereavement) are a Belgian act with members from e.g. Marche Funèbre, Sarin and The Gates Of Argonath.
Vegard Sverre Tveitan, aka Ihsahn, is probably mostly known from legendary act Emperor. He is / was also active in splendid projects like Thou Shalt Suffer (damn, I do miss them in every aspect), God Of Atheists, Zyklon-B (another excellent combo, even though… Never mind…), Hardingrock or Xeresia (almost all of them bands or projects I am just crazy about); with his wife Heidi S.
For your pathetic information: I will not fuzz ‘bout this band’s moniker. If it is a problem for you, well, then just f*** off!
Italian act Ephel Duath, named after the Shadow Mountains from J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle Earth, are an eccentric, weird entity. Frontman Davide Tiso did work with several internationally well-appreciated musicians to create his former material (this time is not different, of course; see further), but still with his personal vision in mind.
I ended the review I did for January’s comeback-EP Inner Evil (it was the first thing this Finnish band did after an eighteen-year hiatus) with ‘awaiting the upcoming full length, I can’t stop craving for more…’. It was meant to be a compliment, for this band’s return was excellent! Check out the update on February 23rd on this wonderful site… One of the tracks from that two-tracker, by the way, has been re-recorded for this full length (God Is Delusion).
