Steffen Kummerer (born 1 June 1985) is a German guitarist and vocalist. He is the leader, main songwriter, vocalist, and guitarist of the

death metal Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. It typically employs heavily distorted and low-tuned guitars, played with techniques such as palm muting and tremolo picking; deep growling vocals; aggressive, powerful drumming, fe ...

band Obscura, as well as the

black metal Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, a shrieking vocal style, heavily distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, raw (lo-fi) recording, unconventional song structures, and an em ...

band Thulcandra. Since 2012, he has been a member of the official tribute band Death to All. Kummerer's Ran custom guitar shape have become a signature shape unique to him and his band Obscura.

Biography

Early life and education

Steffen Kummerer was born in

Chemnitz Chemnitz (; from 1953 to 1990: Karl-Marx-Stadt , ) is the third-largest city in the German state of Saxony after Leipzig and Dresden. It is the 28th largest city of Germany as well as the fourth largest city in the area of former East Germany ...

(Karl-Marx-Stadt then) on 1 June 1985. He started playing piano at the age of nine and received a scholarship for gifted musicians one year later. Kummerer studied singing solo, in a choir, and performing solo pieces and Piano four hands at the boarding school of world-known

Regensburger Domspatzen The Regensburger Domspatzen (literally: Regensburg Cathedral Sparrows) is the cathedral choir at the Regensburg Cathedral in Regensburg, Bavaria, Germany. The boys' choir dates back to 975, and consists of boys and young men only. They perform in ...

, the world's oldest choir in Regensburg. Under the guidance of

Georg Ratzinger Georg Ratzinger PA (15 January 19241 July 2020) was a German Catholic priest and musician, known for his work as the conductor of the Regensburger Domspatzen, the cathedral choir of Regensburg. He was the elder brother of the Pope Emeritus B ...

and Roland Büchner, Kummerer achieved a broad understanding of music theory and performing concerts. At the age of 16, he learned to play guitar and founded the death metal band Obscura in late 2002.

Career

In 2002, Kummerer begun to study electric guitar and founded the death metal band Obscura. The band released six full-length records with world-wide chart entries through American-based label

Relapse Records Relapse Records is an American independent record label based in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. It was founded by Matthew F. Jacobson in 1990. The label features many grindcore, death metal, metalcore and sludge metal artists. History The label w ...

, before the band signed to the world's biggest heavy metal label,

Nuclear Blast Records Nuclear Blast is a record label and mail order record distributor with subsidiaries in Germany, the United States and Brazil. The label was founded in 1987 by Markus Staiger in Germany. Originally releasing hardcore punk records, the label move ...

, in 2019. Respected by press and fans alike, Obscura became one of the most popular bands in their genre. In 2003, Kummerer created the black metal band Thulcandra which released four full-length albums through Austrian major label

Napalm Records Napalm Records is an Austrian independent record label focused on heavy metal and hard rock. Originally, Napalm focused on black metal bands, such as Abigor and Summoning, and folk metal bands, such as Falkenbach and Vintersorg. The label late ...

. Supporting their albums, the band performed multiple tours in Europe and reached a cult status in the genre

In 2012, Kummerer became a member of "Death to All", the official tribute act to American death metal pioneers

Death Death is the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain an organism. For organisms with a brain, death can also be defined as the irreversible cessation of functioning of the whole brain, including brainstem, and brain ...

, to replace their original singer and guitarist, Chuck Schuldiner. With "Death to All", Kummerer toured in Europe, Central and South America alongside former members

Steve DiGiorgio Steve Di Giorgio (born November 7, 1967) is an American bass guitarist. He is known for working with numerous heavy metal bands such as Sadus (of whom he was one of the co-founders), Death, Testament, Megadeth, Sebastian Bach, Iced Earth, Auto ...

( Testament, Sadus), Gene Hoglan ( Dark Angel, Strapping Young Lad, Devin Townsend,

Fear Factory Fear Factory is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1989. Throughout the band's career, they have released ten full-length albums and have evolved through a succession of sounds, all in their main style of industrial metal. ...

, Dethklok and Testament),

Paul Masvidal Paul Albert Masvidal (born January 20, 1971) is an American musician, best known as the guitarist, singer and a founding member of the progressive metal band Cynic. He has remained a continual member in Cynic for nearly three decades and has ...

( Cynic),

Sean Reinert Sean Reinert (May 27, 1971 – January 24, 2020) was an American musician. He was the drummer for the rock band Æon Spoke and the drummer and founding member of the progressive metal band Cynic until leaving the band in September 2015. Rei ...

( Cynic) and Bobby Koelble. In 2015, Kummerer received a Metal Hammer Award in

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitu ...

as representative to the late Chuck Schuldiner, who died in 2001. In 2017, a collaboration with Panzerballett under direction of Jan Zehrfeld featuring Mike Keneally (

Frank Zappa Frank Vincent Zappa (December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993) was an American musician, composer, and bandleader. His work is characterized by nonconformity, free-form improvisation, sound experiments, musical virtuosity and satire of ...

, Joe Satriani), Jen Majura ( Evanescence) and

Mattias IA Eklundh Mattias Bernt Johannes Eklundh (born 6 October 1969), also known as IA, is a Swedish guitarist and vocalist. He is known for his work with Freak Kitchen, Jonas Hellborg and Art Metal, and he has also produced several noted solo Freak Guitar a ...

was released. Kummerer produced various music videos "Anticosmic Overload", "Akroasis", "Ten Sepiroth", graphic concepts, books and stage productions for various artists. In 2018, he starred in several music productions, such as "Mortification of the Vulgar Sun", "Diluvium" and "Emergent Evolution".

Equipment

Kummerer endorses ESP Guitars, ENGL amplification, Steinberg, Ernie Ball, Sennheiser, Richter Straps, Presonus, EMG Pickups, Jericho Gehäuse, Scott Dixon, Arobas software,

Celestion Celestion is a British designer and exporter of professional loudspeakers. History Origins What became Celestion was started in Hampton Wick (suburban London) in 1924. ''Cyril French'' and his three brothers had taken over a plating works ...

speakers & TC Electronic. Between 2003 and 2017, he has played RAN custom built guitars exclusively in both 6-string and 7-string versions with the iconic Obscura shape.

2003–2017 Ran Guitars

* RAN SK signature 6-string guitar (2003) with EMG 81 pickup * RAN SK signature 7-string guitar (2010) with EMG 707 pickup * RAN SK signature 7-string guitar (2011) with EMG 81-7 pickup

since 2017 ESP Guitars

* ESP Japan Custom SK 7-string guitar (2020) * ESP Japan Custom MII 7-string guitar (2017) * ESP Japan EII Horizon 7-string guitar (2017) *ESP Japan EII Arrow 7-string guitar (2017) * ESP Japan EII Flying-V 6-string guitar (2017) * ESP Japan EII Eclipse 6-string guitar (2013)

Discography

Obscura

*'' Illegimitation (Demo)'' - (2003) *'' Retribution'' - (2006) *''

Cosmogenesis Cosmogony is any model concerning the origin of the cosmos or the universe. Overview Scientific theories In astronomy, cosmogony refers to the study of the origin of particular astrophysical objects or systems, and is most commonly used i ...

'' - (2009) *''

Omnivium ''Omnivium'' is the third studio album released by German death metal band Obscura, and the second album of Obscura's four album concept. The album was recorded at Woodshed Studio in southern Germany with engineer Victor Bullok (also known as ...

- (2011) *'' Illegimitation (Compilation)'' - (2012) * '' Akróasis'' - (2016) * '' Diluvium'' - (2018) *''A Valediction'' - (2021)

Thulcandra

*''Perishness Around Us'' - (2004) *''Fallen Angel's Dominion'' - (2010) *''Under a Frozen Sun'' - (2011) *''Ascension Lost'' - (2015) *''A Dying Wish'' - (2021) *''The Great Shadow EP'' - (2021)

Guest/session appearances

*guest vocals on Persefone (Andorra) ''Metanoia'' - (2022) *guest vocals on Panzerballett (Germany) ''X-Mas Death Jazz'' - (2017) *guest solo on Stortregn (Switzerland) ''Singularity'' - (2016) *guest solo on Mynded (Germany) ''Nuclear Downfall'' - (2015) *guest solo on Wraithcult (Germany) ''Gestalt'' - (2013) *guest solo on Over Your Threshold (Germany) ''Facticity'' - (2012) *guest vocals on Pequod (Germany) ''Forgotten'' - (2011) *guest vocals on Hokum (Germany) ''The Creation of Pain'' (2011) *guest solo on Disdained (Serbia) ''The Last Opus EP'' - (2010)

Live/session appearances

*bass, Black Horizons (Germany) - (2003-2004) *guitar, Festering Saliva (Germany) - (2005-2006) *guitar, Helfahrt (Germany) - (2006-2007) *vocals & guitar,

(USA) - (2012 - present) *bass,

Secrets of the Moon Secrets of the Moon were a black metal band from Osnabrück, Germany, founded in 1995. Biography Secrets of the Moon were founded in 1995.Cosmogenesis Cosmogony is any model concerning the origin of the cosmos or the universe. Overview Scientific theories In astronomy, cosmogony refers to the study of the origin of particular astrophysical objects or systems, and is most commonly used i ...

'' - Official Tablature Book (2010) * ''

'' - Official Tablature Book (2012) * ''Guitar Anthology'' - Official Tablature Book (2015) * ''

'' - Best of 1987 - 1998, Official Tablature Book (2015) * '' Akróasis'' - Official Tablature Book (2016) * '' Diluvium'' - Official Tablature Book (2018) *''A Valediction'' - Official Tablature Book (2021)

Videography

* ''Anticosmic Overload'' - Official Music Video (2009) * '' Akróasis'' - Official Music Video (2015) * ''Ten Sepiroth'' - Official Music Video (2016) * '' Diluvium'' - Official Music Video (2018) * ''Mortification of the Vulgar Sun'' - Official Music Video (2018) * ''Emergent Evolution'' - Official Music Video (2019) * ''Solaris'' - Official Music Video (2021) * ''A Valediction'' - Official Music Video (2021) * ''Funeral Pyre'' - Official Music Video (2021) *''Nocturnal Heresy'' - Official Music Video (2021) * ''Devoured Usurper'' - Official Music Video (2021) * ''When Stars Collide'' - Official Music Video (2021) *''A Dying Wish'' - Official Music Video (2021) *''The Neuromancer'' - Official Music Video (2022) *''Heritage'' - Official Music Video (2022)

References

External links

"OBSCURA, STEFFEN KUMMERER EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW!"
''SkullsNBones'', 25 March 2011
Obscura frontman Steffen Kummerer talks Omnicium"
''Metal Underground'', Ty Arthur
"OBSCURA Interview with Steffen Kummerer"
''Xplosive Metal'', March 2011, Caroline Restiaux
Steffen Kummerer's (Obscura) Top 5 Swedish Death/Black Metal Albums
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kummerer, Steffen 21st-century guitarists 21st-century German male musicians 1985 births German guitarists German male guitarists Living people Obscura (band) members Rhythm guitarists Seven-string guitarists