Celestia (band)

Celestia was a black metal band from Avignon, France, formed in 1995 by Noktu. Noktu was the only consistent member of the band. Celestia disbanded in 2015.

Celestia remained in the demo stage until around 1999 when they released the EP "A Cave Full of Bats" through Drakkar Productions with a line-up consisting of Noktu (vocals, bass) and Fureïss/Franck (guitar). A few more demos, singles, split albums and a live album were done before they finally released their first full-length album "Apparitia - Sumptuous Spectre" (2002) through Full Moon Productions with the drummer Astreyla added to the line-up. The two main members of Celestia were Noktu and Fureïss. Fureïss was the only guitarist for Celestia from 1998 to 2005, i.e. from the promo tape « A Dying Out Ecstasy » (1998) until the second mix of the 2002 album « Apparitia Sumptuous Spectre » in 2005 and he composed half the songs (the other half by Noktu) and arranged and recorded all the tracks on Celestia during this time.

The current line-up is Noktu (vocals, guitar, bass) and Ghaast (guitar). With the drummer Astreyla, who left the band, they recorded Celestia's second album "Frigidiis Apotheosia : Abstinencia Genesiis" released in 2008 through Apparitia records and generally keeping the same minimalistic black metal sound. Malefic (Xasthur), a guest on the album, also added some keyboards to the music. Nowadays, various session drummers and guitarists are brought in for rehearsals, recordings and live shows. Noktu also owns a record label called Drakkar Productions, on which he released some of The Black Legions (a group of French underground black metal bands) albums.

Noktu also played in the band Mortifera, doing guitar, bass and vocals, while Neige (Alcest) handled the drums, half of the vocals and composed tracks such as "Ciel Brouillé" and "Le Revenant". Mortifera has almost the same sound as Celestia. As well, Noktu has played in Genocide Kommando and Gestapo 666.

Discography

Demos

• "Evanescence" demo (1997)
• "A Dying Out Ecstasy" demo (1998)
• "Infected by Rats" demo (1999)
• "The Awakening of the Dormant Fiancée" demo (1999)
• "Pourriture et Vermine" demo (1999)
• "Dead Insecta Sequestration" demo (2001)
• "Delhÿs-cätess" demo (2007)

EPs

• "A Cave Full of Bats" EP (1999)
• "Spectra" 7" single (2000)
• "Evoking Grace and Splendour" 7" single (2002)

Albums

• "Apparitia - Sumptuous Spectre" (2002) Full Moon Productions
• "Frigidiis Apotheosia : Abstinencia Genesiis" (2008) Paragon Records
• "Archaenae Perfectii" (2010) Apparitia Recordings

Live Albums

• "Under the Reign of Terror and Tyranny" live album (1999)

Split albums and collaborations

• Split with Draugwath (1998)
• Split with Inferno (1999)
• "French-Southern Black Metal War" split with Evil (1999)
• "Darkness Enfold the Sky/Black Slaughterization" split with Goatfire (2001)

Best of/Compilations

• "A Cave Full of Bats" best of (2002)
• "Crucified Dead Flesh" (2003)
• "Dead Insecta Sequestraton" (2003)

References

• Hemery, Mikael (January 2007). "Celestia Interview". Celtmik Metal Zine. Archived from the original on 2007-08-18. Retrieved 2008-10-23. 
• Kalis, Quentin (2008-06-08). "Music Is Magic Not Maths". Chronicles of Chaos. Retrieved 2008-10-23. 
• Thrazar, Iormungand (2006-06-01). "Drakkar Productions Interview". Guts of Darkness (in French). Retrieved 2008-10-23. 
• "Celestia Interview". Metallian (in French). Meylan, France: Metallian Editions (47). March 2007. ISSN 1249-2396. 

External links

• Official Celestia website
• Celestia MySpace Homepage
• Celestia on Encyclopaedia Metallum