Samael (band)
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| Samael | |
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 Vorph on Hunter Fest 2007
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Sion, Switzerland |
| Genres | Industrial metal Black metal Symphonic metal Industrial black metal Electronic music |
| Years active | 1987 - Present |
| Labels | Osmose Productions Century Media Nuclear Blast Galactical Records |
| Associated acts | Alastis |
| Website | www.samael.info |
| Members | |
| Vorph (Vorphalack) Makro Mas (Masmiseim) Xy (Xytraguptor) |
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| Former members | |
| Rodolphe H Kaos Pat Charvet |
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Samael is a heavy metal band formed in 1987 in Sion, Switzerland.
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[edit] Biography
Although much of their music from the mid-1990s onwards has incorporated electronic sounds which would best define their genre as industrial metal, they are an early 2nd Wave black metal band and an innovator for post-black metal styles.
Samael released several demos, including an extremely rare demo titled Medieval Prophesy[1]. Their first demos presented a slow, doomy style of thrash metal with raw vocals, similar to that of Celtic Frost. Some of the songs would be included on Worship Him (1991) and Blood Ritual (1992). [2]
Around the time of Ceremony of Opposites (1994), the band started using industrial-styled song techniques, employed by the use of keyboards and (minimalist) acoustic percussion. By this time, they had also left French record label Osmose Productions and signed with Century Media Records.
Their album Passage (1996) saw them gather a larger audience, with the music video for the song "Jupiterian Vibe" getting airplay on MTV's Headbanger's Ball.
After the release of Eternal (1999), Samael would not renew their contract with Century Media. In 2004, Reign of Light was released through independent label Galactical Records.
In 2006, their album Era One was released on Century Media Records. It includes a bonus disc, "Lesson in Magic #1," which is entirely instrumental and done solely by keyboardist Xy. The album itself was recorded in 2001, and the bonus disc a year later. Both were rearranged and remixed in 2005.
In June 2007 they released the album Solar Soul, which summed up and combined many of the styles of their previous albums since Passage. [3] On March 6, 2009, Samael released Above, a full-length album described as a tribute to Samael's roots.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
- Worship Him (1991)
- Blood Ritual (1992)
- Ceremony of Opposites (1994)
- Passage (1996)
- Eternal (1999)
- Reign of Light (2004)
- Era One (2006)
- Solar Soul (2007)
- Above (2009)
[edit] Other releases
- Medieval Prophecy (7" EP 1988)
- 1987 - 1992 (Compilation, 1995)
- Rebellion (MCD, 1995)
- Exodus (MCD, 1998)
- Black Trip (DVD, 2003)
- Telepath (Single, 2004)
- On Earth (single, 2004)
- Aeonics — An Anthology (Compilation, 2007)
- Valkyries New Ride (Single, 2007)
- Illumination (Single, 2009)
- Xytras released a neo-classical remix of Passage and Exodus in 1998. It is distributed as a bonus disc on the special edition of Passage.
[edit] Line-up
- Michael "Vorph" Locher - Vocals, Guitar
- Alexandre "Xy" Locher - Live and Programmed Drums, Keyboards, Samples
- Christophe "Mas" Mermod - Bass (ex-Alastis)
- Makro - Guitar
Vorph and Xy are brothers.
[edit] Former members
- Rodolphe H. - Keyboards & Samples on Ceremony of Opposites and Rebellion.
- Kaos — Guitar on Passage, Exodus and Eternal
- Pat Charvet — Drums (1987-1988)
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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