Arcturus (group)

Biography

The group is formed in 1987 by Sverd, Hellhammer and Marius under the name of Mortem which will be changed into 1990 because of the change of orientation of the group, wishing to practice a completely different style. Arcturus had been born. A first non-labelée demonstration called My Angel is born and will be followed the year according to by the EP My Angel , distributed by Puetrefaction Records.

Arcturus is joined soon by Garm with the song and Samoth with the guitar whereas Marius leaves the group. This formation records Constellation , an mini-album without low. Samoth having bailed out two years of prison, Arcturus must recruit two novel members: they will be Skoll (low) and Carl August Tidemann (guitar). Together they record in 1996 the first album of the group, Aspera Hiems Symfonia . Arcturus was then in contract with the Norwegian label Ancient Lore, while Century Media distributed the album to the USA the following year. A concert was played at the time of the exit of the album, extremely rare fact for the group for a long time. The Carl guitarist left the group shortly after and was replaced by Knut Magne Valle and his style very psychedelic.

The group started to work of tears off foot on the next album which was to be called initially " The Satanist". Simen Hestnæs was invited to carry out the principal line of song on a title and to assist Garm on two others while a string quartet accompanied the group, just as a flutist, a cornetist and Carl August Tidemann, of return for two additional solos. The album, published by Misanthropy and Music for Nations, was finally called " Masquerade Infernale". All criticisms were inclined in front of this metal avant-gardist and Arcturus gained in reputation.

The following album was not really one: it consisted of 6 remixs of pieces drawn from " Masquerade Infernale" , of a new piece and a re-recording of Of Nordavind, appeared on the first album. Several Norwegian artists collaborated in this effort.

Many months passed and of the rumors on the end of the group ran but in 2002, Arcturus left a new album very dynamic avant-gardist called " The Sham Mirrors" and produced by their own label, AD Astra Enterprises. Once again, the album accepted the approval of all criticisms. It would be nevertheless the last album with Garm with the song; it was initially replaced by Øyvind Hægeland (Spiral Architect) but, because of problems of distance, it is finally Simen Hestnæs which joined the rows of Arcturus.

Thus in 2005, the group returns with a new album, " Sideshow Symphonies" , whose progressive keys divided the fans but were appreciated overall. Separated from Garm which refused to play into live, the group undertook a European turn and carried out a DVD at the time of the Solstice Sonic Festival, named " Shipwrecked in Oslo". Another album is awaited for the end 2006, but in the final analysis it will not leave: Simen announces at the time of the concert of Melbourne, on March 31st, 2007 that it is about the last scenic appearance of Arcturus, and it is on April 17th, 2007 that the group announces its separation on its official site, the members lack time to continue to work above…

Music

It is difficult to describe the music of Arcturus since it evolves/moves continuously in its search for originality and always pushes the limits of metal further, integrating several other kinds of which classical music. Moreover, the Sverd type-setter is an unconditional fan of Bach and is inspired largely by the traditional structures to work out the bases of the music of Arcturus. The keyboards thus have a major place in the process of composition. In addition to this approach, one finds all the same some constants at the Norwegian combo, in particular a tone théatrâl in the singing exercises and a carnavalesque rate/rhythm in the melodies which is moulted sometimes in the expression of the madness, but always with buffoonery. The first album supported the esoteric atmospheres, " Masquerade Infernale" the advent of the théatrâl spirit and importance of vocal marked, then " The Sham Mirrors" continued on this line before " Sideshow Symphonies" sticks to a lunar environment and contrasts between darkness and light. Into live, the musicians appeared disguised as pirates of space and accompanied by two dancers, a setting in original scene not having failed to distinguish this group still a little more.

Formation

Simen Hestnæs alias ICS Vortex (Song)
Knut Magne Valle (Guitar)
Torus Moren (Guitar)
Hugh Steven James Mingay (low)
Steinar Sverd Johnsen (keyboard)
Jan Axel Blomberg (Hellhammer) (battery)

Ex-members

Øyvind Hægeland (Spiral Architect) - song
Kristoffer Rygg alias Garm (Ulver, Head Control System) - song
Carl August Tidemann (Winds, Tritonus) - guitar
Dag F. Gravem - low

Guests

Masquerade Infernal

Simen Hestnæs - Song on The Chaos Path , Master off Disguise and Painting my Horror
Carl August Tidemann - additional Solos on AD will astra and Of Nails and Sinners
Idun Felberg - Horn on AD Astra
Erik Olivier Lancelot alias AiwarikiaR - Flute on AD Astra
Vegard Johnsen - Violin
Dorthe Dreier - Viola
Hans Groh - Violoncello
Svein Haugen - Double bass

The Sham Mirrors

Ihsahn (Emperor) - song on Radical Cut
Mathias Eick - trumpet player on AD Absurdum , Collapse Generation and Radical Cut
Hugh Steven James Mingay - low on Radical Cut

Sideshow Symphonies

Silje Wergeland (Octavia Sperati) - Song on Shipwrecked Frontier Pioneer and Evacuation Codes Deciphered

Discography

My Angel (1990)
My Angel (1991)
Constellation (1993)
Reconstellation (1994)
Aspera Hiems Symfonia (03.06. 1996)
Masquerade Infernal (27.10. 1997)
Disguised Masters (05.07. 1999)
Aspera Hiems Symfonia/Constellation/My Angel (2002)
The Sham Mirrors (22.04. 2002)
Sideshow Symphonies (19.09. 2005)

Videotex

Shipwrecked in Oslo DVD (2006)

External bonds

Official site

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