Theatres des Vampires

Theatres des Vampires

Theatres des Vampires is an Italian symphonic black/gothic metal band, most noted for the strong theme of vampirism within their lyrics.

History and Background

Theatres des Vampires was founded in 1994 from members who left the underground band Sepolcrum (now VII Arcano). The band's members expressed a fascination with vampires and anything connected to them, earning themselves and their music the title Vampiric Metal from their contemporaries. The band created a coherent image of vampirism in their stage performance, and within the lyrical themes and atmospheres of their music, which contributed heavily to the gaining of their fanbase.

During their career, the band was first primarily influenced by symphonic black metal, but later tended to include differing influences, including: classical music, opera and rock.

Throughout this stylistic deviation however, a few characteristics of the bands music have remained consistent; Melancholic atmospheres and lyrics, vocal stylings akin to gothic metal, and their Vampiric image.

The band has produced 10 albums in 10 years with the English label Plastic Head, and has gained more recognition within the metal scenes in Europe, South America and Russia, partially due to the bands participation in some festivals from around the world. These include: Vampyria III in London in 1999, Gods of Metal in Italy in 2000, Wave-Gotik-Treffen in Leipzig in 2003 and in 2006, Gotham in London in 2004, Female Voices Festival in Wieze, Belgium in 2006.

In 2003 the band toured with Christian Death around Europe, and recorded an album with Valor of Christian Death and Gian Pyres of Cradle of Filth as special guests.

The band's shows have always seen a reasonable level of attendance, and have become more dramatic over the bands career, incorporating fireworks and "out of line" appearances by Scarlet.

The band often faces problems with the local laws in the countries where they play. In 2003 in Italy, a bishop blessed and tried to exorcize the place where Theatres des Vampires played, and the news was published by Italian newspapers.

Since 2004 Sonya Scarlet has remained the solo vocalist and front of the band, replacing her previous role as backing vocals.

Scarlet often scars herself with razor blades, freely letting fans drink her blood, promising them the gift of immortality. In 2005 several English clubs forbade her performing the display of bloodletting, because it violates English laws against the incitement to commit suicide.

On 28 November 2005 Aural Music released the album Pleasure and Pain. Distributors all over Europe bought the album and it was published with permission throughout Europe, South America, USA, Russia, and Japan.

On 19 March 2007 they released their latest album Desire of Damnation. Desire of Damnation is a double Cd, with live songs from The Addiction tour 2006 and some new studio songs and remixes.

Guitarist Robert "Morgoth" left the band in 2006 and was replaced by Stephan Benfante.

The name "Theatres des Vampires" was inspired by a fictional location created by Gothic fantasy writer Anne Rice of the same name. Rice's Theatres des Vampires is a Parisian theatre in which vampires pretend to be mortal actors, their performances consisting of the feeding on mortals disguised as part of a play and staged in front of human audiences. The location is mentioned in several of Rice's books, including Interview With the Vampire and The Vampire Lestat.

Line-up

Current

• Fabian Varesi - keyboards/backing vocals since 1997
• Gabriel Valerio - drums/backing vocals since 1997
• Zimon Lijoi - bass/backing vocals since 1997
• Sonya Scarlet - vocals since 1999
• Stephan Benfante - guitar since 2006

Former members

• "Lord Vampyr" (Alessandro Nunziati) - vocals from 1996 to 2004 (Now in his own band Lord Vampyr's Shadowreign)
• "Justine" (Consuelo) - female vocals from 1999 The Vampire Chronicles to 2002 Suicide Vampire
• "Agaharet" (Enrico De Dominicis) - drums on the first album
• "Incubus" (Alessandro Pallotta) - guitars from 1999 to 2002
• "Strigoi" - guitars from 1999 to 2001
• "Mortifer" - guitars in 2001
• "Morgoth" (Robert Cufaro) - guitars from 2002 to 2006 and session keyboards on the first album

Guest Members

• Gian Pyres (John Piras) - guitar guest on Vampyrìsme
• Valor (Christian Death) - male voice on Vampyrìsme
• Flegias (Necrodeath) - male scream on Pleasure And Pain
• Dhilorz (Ancient) - male scream on Pleasure And Pain
• Nicholas (Ensoph) - male voice on Pleasure And Pain
• Giampaolo Caprino (Stormlord) - male clean voice on Pleasure And Pain

Discography

• Nosferatu, Eine Simphonie Des Grauens (Demo, 1994)
• Vampyrìsme, Nècrophilie, Nècrosadisme, Nècrophagie (1996)
• The Vampire Chronicles (1999)
• Bloody Lunatic Asylum (2001)
• Iubilaeum Anno Dracula 2001 (EP, 2001)
• Suicide Vampire (2002)
• The (Un)Official History 1993-2003 (Bootleg compilation, 2003)
• Vampyrìsme (new version of the 1996 album, from 2003)
• The Blackend Collection (boxed set, 2004)
• Nightbreed Of Macabria (2004)
• Pleasure And Pain (2005)
• The Addiction Tour (live DVD 2006)
• Desire Of Damnation (Double Cd 2007)
• Anima Noir (2008)

External links

• Official site
• Theatres des Vampires at MySpace
• Theatres des Vampires discography at MusicBrainz
• Theatres des Vampires at Encyclopaedia Metallum
• Theatres des Vampires at Vampire Freaks
• Theatres des Vampires at Last.fm