Arcturus (band)

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Arcturus in 2005
Arcturus in 2005
Background information
Origin Norway Flag of Norway
Genre(s) Black metal
Symphonic metal
Avant-garde metal
Years active 1987 - present
Label(s) Putrefaction Records
Nocturnal Art
Ancient Lore
Century Black
Misanthropy
Music for Nations
Candlelight Records
The End Records
Jester Records
Season of Mist
Website http://www.arcturus.no/
Members
Steinar "Sverd" Johnsen
Jan Axel "Hellhammer" Blomberg
Knut Magne Valle
Hugh Mingay
Simen "Vortex" Hestnæs
Tore Moren
Former members
Kristoffer Rygg
Carl August Tidemann
Thomas Thormodsæter Haugen
Marius Vold
Dag F. Gravem
Øyvind Hægeland

Arcturus is an avant-garde metal band formed in Norway in 1987 under the name Mortem. In 1990, the band changed their name to Arcturus (meaning Bear Guardian), likely after the Behenian fixed star Arcturus.

The band has released four official full-length albums. Arcturus has experimented throughout their career, extracting influences and incorporating elements from all over the musical spectrum including black metal, classical music, pop, electronica, metal and trip-hop, but the band is rooted as a metal outfit.

Contents

[edit] Discography

[edit] As Mortem

  • Slow Death (Demo) - Self-Released (1987)
  • Slow Death EP - Putrefaction Records (1989)

[edit] As Arcturus

[edit] Full-Lengths

[edit] EPs

[edit] Compilations

[edit] Demos

  • Promo 90 (Demo) - Self-Released (1990)

[edit] Misc.

[edit] Members

The original line-up was changed when bassist/vocalist Marius Vold (ex-Thorns), was taken out of the band. The band soon became labeled a black metal super group, consisting of Kristoffer "Garm" Rygg (Ulver, Head Control System, ex-Borknagar) on vocals, Carl August Tidemann (Winds, Tritonus) on guitar, Skoll (Ulver, ex-Ved Buens Ende) on bass, and the two other original members, Hellhammer (Mayhem, ex-The Kovenant, Winds, Age Of Silence, Thorns) on drums, and Steinar Sverd Johnsen (ex-Covenant, ex-Satyricon, ex-Ulver) as main composer/keyboard player. In 1994 Samoth (Emperor, Zyklon) played guitars on the EP, Constellation, and released it on his record label, Nocturnal Art.

Rygg eventually left the band, and was replaced Øyvind Hægeland. Øyvind performed live with the band, but on January 5th 2005 it was announced that Øyvind had left the band due to his moving too far away to be involved in the band, resulting in him never recording anything with the band. He was replaced by Simen "ICS Vortex" Hestnæs, who had previously performed vocals on three Arcturus tracks ("Master of Disguise", "The Chaos Path", and "Painting My Horror") on La Masquerade Infernale. Upon Carl August Tidemann's leaving the band, Knut Magne Valle joined. In 2003 Tore Moren joined on second guitar for live performances and eventually found himself accepted as an official member of the band. Knut and Tore now share lead duties on guitar, with Knut on 7 string guitar and Tore using a standard 6 string guitar.

[edit] Current

ICS Vortex
ICS Vortex

As of 2006

[edit] Former

  • Kristoffer Rygg (Garm, Trickster G., Garm Wolf, Fiery G. Maelstrom) - Vocals (All official Arcturus releases before "Sideshow Symphonies" except My Angel)
  • Carl August Tidemann - Guitars (Aspera Hiems Symfonia/La Masquerade Infernale (guest))
  • Thomas Thormodsæter Haugen (Samoth) - Guitars (Constellation MCD/MLP)
  • Marius Vold - Bass and Vocals (My Angel LP, All Mortem releases)
  • Dag F. Gravem - Bass (On The Sham Mirrors on all tracks except track 6)
  • Øyvind Hægeland - Vocals (live 2003-2005)

[edit] External links

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