Astral Adventures

Darkseed was a German gothic metal band formed in 1992. Darkseed, beginning as a death metal band, took a more unconventional song writing method that aimed more towards the gothic experimental route. They changed their music to gothic metal on their first studio album ''Midnight Solemnly Dance''.

History

Early years, death metal era (1992-1994)

Beginning as a death metal band, Darkseed released two demo albums in 1992 and 1993, playing more gothic experimental routes, not wanting to take the traditional methods of generic death metal, followed by their EP, ''Romantic Tales'', in 1994 which was re-issued in 1998.

Stylistic change, mainstream success, break-up (1994-2006)

Serenades Records release Darkseed's first studio album, ''Midnight Solemnly Dance'' in 1996, in which they changed into a gothic metal act. Nuclear Blast caught up with the band in their second release ''Spellcraft'' a year later, in which they continued playing gothic metal having influence from heavy metal music. The album was well received and a critical success. They had several line-up changes after their underground success, which resulted in Darkseed's year-long hiatus. During this period,a re-issued version Romantic Tales was released. Finally, after several line-up changes, the band released their third album ''Give me Light'' in 1999, followed by their next album ''Diving into Darkness'' in 2000 which was well received by the critics. Lead vocalist Stefan Hertrich left the band in 2003, only to return in 2004 to make "Ultimate Darkness", which was released in 2005. In 2006, he and Martin Motnik left the band again, thus effectively forcing the band to disband.

Reunion

On 24 June 2008, on their official website, Darkseed announced that they would reunite to appear live at the Helion Festival on October 4, 2008. On 3 September 2008, the band announced that their old back vocalist and drummer, Harald Winkler, will rejoin the band as lead vocalist and so Darkseed will be reformed and reborn, with a new album, ''Poison Awaits'', scheduled to be released on 23 July 2010.

Second break-up (2015)

In February 2015, the band has announced on their official website that they decided to put the band "on hold" due to certain circumstances, and that one day they might come back again.

Musical style

Darkseed started as a death metal band. AllMusic defines them as "not wanting to take the traditional methods of generic death metal that everyone's heard a million times since Napalm Death's "Scum", Germany's Darkseed take a more unconventional song writing method that aims more towards the gothic experimental route". In their first studio album, they changed their music to gothic metal and became a part of German gothic metal movement. Later they changed their style into a more traditional heavy metal sound. They also have an influence from industrial metal music, as two of the members claim to be fans of Neue Deutsche Härte band Rammstein.

Members

Former members

*Stefan Hertrich – vocals, programming (1992–2003, 2004–2006)
*Harald Winkler – – drums (1992–1996), vocals (2008–2012)
*Mike Schmutzer – vocals (2012–2015)
*Andi Wecker (deceased) – guitars (1992–1998)
*Jacek Dworok – guitars (1992–1995)
*Thomas Herrmann – guitars (1995–2006, 2008–2015)
*Tom Gilcher – guitars (1999–2006, 2008–2015)
*Rico Galvagno – bass (1995–1999)
*Martin Motnik – bass (2003–2006)
*Michael Behnke – bass (2009–2015)
*Maurizio Guolo – drums (2004–2006, 2008–2015)
*Armin Dörfler – keyboards (2003–2006, 2008–2015)

Guest members

*Sasema – female vocals on ''Midnight Solemnly Dance'' and ''Astral Adventures''
*Willi Wurm – drums (1997–2000)
*Marcus B. – drums on ''Astral Adventures''
*Sandra Ott – flute on ''Midnight Solemnly Dance''
*Christian Decker – piano on ''Midnight Solemnly Dance''
*Raimund Repp – violin on ''Midnight Solemnly Dance''
*Catharina Boutai – female vocals on ''Spellcraft''
*Christina Mann – female vocals on ''Spellcraft''
*Gan Pierre Gelke – piano and Keyboard on ''Spellcraft''
*Doris Zwemuller – female vocals on ''Give Me Light''
*Gabriel Isuku – percussion on ''Give Me Light''

Timeline

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at:2010 color:Lines1 layer:back

BarData =
bar:Hertrich text:"Stefan Hertrich"
bar:Schmutzer text:"Mike Schmutzer"

bar:Wecker text:"Andi Wecker"
bar:Dworok text:"Jacek Dworok"
bar:Herrmann text:"Thomas Herrmann"
bar:Gilcher text:"Tom Gilcher"

bar:Galvagno text:"Rico Galvagno"
bar:Motnik text:"Martin Motnik"
bar:Behnke text:"Michael Behnke"

bar:Dorfler text:"Armin Dörfler"

bar:Winkler text:"Harald Winkler"
bar:Guolo text:"Maurizio Guolo"

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width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4)
bar:Hertrich from:1992 till:2003 color:vocals
bar:Hertrich from:2004 till:2006 color:vocals
bar:Winkler from:2008 till:2012 color:vocals
bar:Schmutzer from:2012 till:end color:vocals

bar:Herrmann from:1995 till:2006 color:guitar
bar:Herrmann from:2008 till:end color:guitar
bar:Wecker from:1992 till:1998 color:guitar
bar:Dworok from:1992 till:1995 color:guitar
bar:Gilcher from:1999 till:2006 color:guitar
bar:Gilcher from:2008 till:end color:guitar

bar:Galvagno from:1995 till:1999 color:bass
bar:Motnik from:2003 till:2006 color:bass
bar:Behnke from:2009 till:end color:bass

bar:Dorfler from:2003 till:2006 color:keys
bar:Dorfler from:2008 till:end color:keys

bar:Winkler from:1992 till:1996 color:drums
bar:Guolo from:2004 till:2006 color:drums
bar:Guolo from:2008 till:end color:drums

Discography

Demos

* ''Sharing the Grave'' (1992)
* ''Darksome Thoughts'' (1993)

EPs

* ''Romantic Tales'' (1994)

Studio albums

* ''Midnight Solemnly Dance'' (1996)
* ''Spellcraft'' (1997)
* ''Romantic Tales'' (re-issued 1998)
* ''Give Me Light'' (1999)
* ''Diving into Darkness'' (2000)
* ''Astral Adventures'' (2003)
* ''Ultimate Darkness'' (2005)
* ''Poison Awaits'' (2010)
* ''Astral Darkness Awaits'' (compilation) (2012)

References

External links

Darkseed's official website
*

{{DEFAULTSORT:Darkseed
German heavy metal musical groups
German gothic metal musical groups
German death metal musical groups
German doom metal musical groups