Gorefest

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gorefest is a Dutch band from Zeeland founded in 1989 as a death metal band by De Koeyer, Harthoorn, van Schaik and Hoogendoorn.

1 History
- 1.1 Rupture with the past
- 1.2 Their Comeback
2 Discography
3 Members
- 3.1 Former members
4 External links

[edit] History

Within two months of existence these four youngsters recorded a death metal demo featuring one of the most low-pitched and cavernous voice ever heard in death metal. A Dutch independent label, Foundation 2000 signed them for one album. Before recording Mindloss they first released another demo in 1990, which also received positive feedback. As a support band for Carcass they travelled through Belgium and the Netherlands impressing the metal-scene also on stage. Colin Richardson was the producer of 1991's album Mindloss.

Before they toured with Revenant from New Jersey, guitarist Alex van Schaik was replaced by Bonebakker. Not satisfied with Foundation 2000, Gorefest signed a contract in 1992 with Nuclear Blast. Hoogendoorn was dismissed because of lack of interest and drummer Ed Warby (who came from melodic band called Elegy) took his place just two weeks before recording sessions of False (also produced by Colin Richardson). The album was a step further in composition, technique, lyrical subjects and sold very well in the Netherlands and Germany. In the months to come they waged in European tour with Deicide and Atrocity, playing in Germany, Sweden, Spain, Czechoslovakia and England. In 1993 Gorefest played their most famous display at the Dynamo Open Air at Eindhoven and so The Eindhoven Insanity was released soon after, featuring this performance. Also in 1993 they first toured America as a support act for metal legend Death.

Erase was recorded in 1994 with producer Pete Coleman revealed a more mature Gorefest with a different attitude towards traditional death metal. Public opinion was divided about Gorefest but Erase showed to be a success and international sales went well through 1994 and 1995. The band reached a broader set of countries in the following tours.

[edit] Rupture with the past

In the Fear EP and Freedom single, Gorefest revealed new tracks showing that they wanted to drastically deepen the musical change they have slightly applied in Erase (De Koeijer declared in some interviews that he even had thoughts about taking singing lessons), which would be confirmed in 1996 with a rockish Soul Survivor - a total departure from their roots even showing traces of pop - and a very similar Chapter 13 in 1998.

They even abandoned their heavy image and the graphics in these works were completely poplike. Inexorably, fans turned their backs to them massively and the sells of the new Gorefest were a complete fiasco, thus they split up in 1999.

[edit] Their Comeback

In 2004 they reformed and played various summer-festivals in 2005 and they came with a new album La Muerte is to be released October 2005 through Nuclear Blast Records in Europe and in January 2006 in the rest of the world. With "La Muerte" Gorefest returns to their roots and the musical direction on this album is similar to "False". They produced the album all by themselves and the mixing is done by Tue Madsen from the Antfarm Studios.

March 2007 they will enter the studio again after a couple of cancelled tours, they are angry and eager to put some damage on disc. Again it will be in the Excess studios Rotterdam, producing by themselves with a little bit Tue Madsen, who will manage the mixing in the end.

[edit] Discography

1989 - Tangled in Gore Demotape
1990 - Horrors in a Retarded Mind Demotape
1991 - Mindloss - Foundation 2000
1992 - False - Nuclear Blast Records
1992 - Live Misery 7" Live EP - Cenotaph Records
1992 - Promotape 1992 - Nuclear Blast Records
1993 - The Eindhoven Insanity Live - Relapse Records/Nuclear Blast Records
1994 - Erase - Nuclear Blast Records
1994 - Fear EP - Nuclear Blast Records
1996 - Freedom CD/Single - Nuclear Blast Records
1996 - Soul Survivor - Relapse Records/Nuclear Blast Records
1998 - Chapter 13 - SRV/Nuclear Blast Records
2005 - La Muerte - Nuclear Blast Records
2007 - New Album through Nuclear Blast Records