Ram-Zet
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| Ram-Zet | ||
|---|---|---|
 Left to right: Sfinx, Jon Daniel, Küth, Magnus Østvang, Sareeta, Zet
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| Background information | ||
| Origin |  Norway |
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| Genre(s) | Avant-garde metal | |
| Years active | 1998–present | |
| Label(s) | Spikefarm Records Tabu Records |
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| Website | ram-zet.com | |
| Members | ||
| Henning "Zet" Ramseth Miriam Elisabeth Renvåg (Sfinx) Ingvild Johannesen (Sareeta) Küth Lars Magnus Østvang |
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| Former members | ||
| Solem Jon Daniel |
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Ram-Zet is an avant-garde metal band formed in Norway in 1998. It began as a one-man project by singer and guitarist Zet, which later evolved into a full-grown band with the arrival of Küth (drums) and Solem (bass), leading to the release of Ram-Zet's debut album Pure Therapy in September 2000.
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[edit] Genre classification
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Ram-Zet's music includes very diverse elements ranging from black metal vocals to a classical female voice, and from industrial sounds and progressive structures to traditional instruments such as the flute and the violin, forming a style which some people—including band mastermind Zet—have called "schizo-metal". While Ram-Zet can be regarded as an avant-garde metal band, the range covered by this denomination is too large to clearly define Ram-Zet's aesthetics.
Ram-Zet's music is strongly linked to the schizophrenia theme, and many elements converge to underline it:
- The lyrics of Pure Therapy, Escape, and Intra all revolve around this mental disorder. Forming a story which runs through all three albums, they feature two main characters: a schizophrenic patient in a dubious mental institution (sung by Zet), and a nurse trying to help him evade (Sfinx's part). Muted in Pure Therapy, Spfinx's lines becomes more and more marked in Escape as the narration becomes a dialogue.
- The specific musical language elements converge to create some kind of insane atmosphere: a constant contrast between usual consonant harmonies (modal harmonies) and very weird and deranged dissonant parts (such as the use of unconventional sounds, dissonant and deranged sonorities); the use of unconventional harmonies such as the whole tone scale, polytonality, polymodality, etc.; the use of some original instrumental timbres and of an unconventional time signature.
- Contrast between narrative classic melodies and obsessive melodic motives (frequent use of obstinatos).
- Contrast between peaceful melodies and furious parts—an usual aspect in Goth, but the contrast is particularily reinforced here by the deranged fury of Zet and the unhealthy sonorities. Sfinx's voice, in turns angelic and commanding, responds to Zet's guttural vocals, and Pure Therapy, Escape, and Intra all have a section called "Peace?" halfway through the album, a peaceful spell soon to be broken by the returning distress.
- The song structure: just like the schizophrenic mind, the songs are shattered and fragmented. As a matter of fact, their structure is often reminiscent of some kind of patchwork made of very different and contrasted parts which all converge to finally drown the feeling of unity in the song.
[edit] The Fourth Album
On March 17, 2007, in the official Ram-Zet forum, Sfinx stated that Ram-Zet is working on new material and "will soon be playing the songs live." Later that month it was confirmed further on the official news section of the Ram-Zet website. The news stated that the band has been rehearsing six new songs and working on two more. It has been rumored that the album will be coming out sometime in late 2007.
[edit] Discography
- Pure Therapy CD (2000, Spikefarm/Century Media Records)
- Escape CD (2002, Spikefarm)
- Intra CD (2005, Tabu Records)
[edit] Members
[edit] Current members
- Henning "Zet" Ramseth - vocals, guitar
- Miriam Elisabeth Renvåg (Sfinx) - vocals, keyboards
- Ingvild Johannesen (Sareeta) - violin, backing vocals (Ásmegin, Solefald)
- Küth - drums (The Kovenant)
- Lars - bass
- Magnus Østvang - keyboards (left after Intra, but came back in 2006)
[edit] Former members
- Solem - bass (on Pure Therapy and Escape)
- Jon Daniel - bass (on Intra)
[edit] Related bands
- Küth is currently the session drummer for black metal/industrial metal band The Kovenant.
- Sareeta is currently the violinist for folk metal band Ásmegin.
- Sareeta played violin for avant-garde metal band Solefald on their albums Red for Fire and Black for Death.
