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The Breath of Life (band)

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  • Comment: Most of this article is a translation of the Wikipedia article "The Breath Of Life (groupe)" in french. If it's accepted an interlanguage link could be created
The Breath Of Life
File:TBOL log.jpeg
Background information
Origin Belgium
GenresDark wave, Ethereal Wave, Gothic rock
Years active1985–present
LabelsBig Bang / fr [Hall of Sermon] / Danse Macabre Records /
MembersIsabelle Dekeyser
Philippe Mauroy
Didier Czepczyk
Giovanni Bortolin
Marc Haerden
Websitewww.the-breath-of-life.com

The Breath of Life is a Dark wave, Ethereal Wave, Gothic rock band from Belgium. "I guess you can say that The Breath Of Life are an instution in the Belgian Goth scene. During decades they were, without any doubt, the sole Belgian band who was able to blend ethereal darkwave, gothrock and post-punk. Or perhaps it is better just to think of The Breath Of Life as they created a very personal sound" wrote Peek A Boo magazine in February 2015.[1]

History

The group was born in 1985 in Gembloux when Isabelle Dekeyser (vocals), Philippe Mauroy (guitar) and Benoît Sokay (bass) met up for the first time. In 1990, with the arrival of Giovanni Bortolin (keyboards & violin - ex Jo Lemaire + Flouze), the decision was made to use a Drum machine. With the addition of Patrick Hendrix as permanent manager, the group began to get foothold and refined its musical style. That same year, they won the fr [Verdur Rock][2] contest in Namur and self-produced a 10 tracks tape. In 1991 the band went on tour in Czechoslovakia and again the following year. Their first CD Live in Praha 92 highlights a recording of a concert in Prague.

File:TBOL3.jpg
La Locomotive-Paris-France-1998

This first production is followed the same year by the first studio album Painfull insanity recorded by Gilles Martin,[3] cult producer of Coldwave (Minimal Compact, Tuxedomoon, Anna Domino, Colin Newman, Malaria, The Names, ... and in other styles Deus , Miossec or Indochine). 1993 saw the release of Taste Of Sorrow which remains for many their iconic album.[4] Also produced by Martin it contains the title "Nasty Cloud" that became a classic gothic hit.[5] "The songs are endearing and energetic, with the bass well forward, nerve guitars, original use of the violin, electronic stormy moods and sometimes lyrical, sometimes angry voices" as describes in the book "Carnets Noirs" in the chapter on the Dark-Wave international scene.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name (see the help page). In 1995 the band released Lost Children which developed more delicate atmospheres in ethereal wave style. The Group signed with fr [Hall of Sermon] for the next album Sweet Party released in 1997. This marks a more pop and electronic turn. In 2000 Silver Drops was released with Martin behind the mixing desk again. The melancholic pop tinged with Trip hop orientation is confirmed. This album was the last one with Martin at production. Shortly after Mauroy left the band and Didier Czepczyk took over on guitars.[6]

Albums Everlasting Souls (2005) and Whispering Fields (2012)[7][8][9] marked a return to more gothic atmospheres, the abandonment of the drum machine and the arrival of drummer Marc Haerden.[10][11] The group is then signed by the label Danse Macabre.[12] Sokay, bassist since the beginning left in 2014. In January 2015 Philippe Mauroy rejoined the band after almost 15 years of absence and now shares the bass and guitar with Czepczyk.[1]

The Breath Of Life has among others played at the Dour Festival (B), Whitby Goth Weekend (GB), M'era Luna Festival (D), Zillo festival (D), Wave-Gotik-Treffen (D), Castle Party Festival (PL),Underworld Camden (GB) ... The group performed in Belgium, Czech Republic, Danemark, England, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Spain and Switzerland (see The Breath Of Life Past Gigs)

Discography

Live album

  • Live In Praha '92 CD (Azyl records/Magic Language records 1992)

Studio albums

  • Painful Insanity CD (Big Bang records/ Magic Language records 1992)
  • Taste Of Sorrow CD (Third fingers/Magic Language records/Hall of sermon 1994)
  • Lost Children CD (Magic Language records/Hall of sermon 1996)
  • Sweet Party CD (Magic Language records/Hall of sermon 1996)
  • Silver Drops CD (Magic Language records/Hall of sermon 2000)
  • Everlasting Souls CD (Magic Language records/dark wings/subzero/musicflash 2005)
  • Whispering Fields CD (Magic Language records/Danse macabre 2012)

Maxi CD

  • Shining MCD (Third finger records/magic language records/Hall of sermon1995)

Compilations

  • Rock en stock cd (Wallonie Bruxelles musiques 1992) including "Walking Line" & "Time"
  • L'appel de la muse vol.3 cd (Alea jacta est 1993) including "Fat Brutus"
  • Touched by the hand of Goth cd (Subterranean 1995) including "Nasty Cloud"
  • Rock pop Bratislava cd (Gato loco 1995) including "Shining"
  • Zillo dark progressive soundsampler 1 cd (Zillo 1996) including "Idyll" remix version
  • Touched by the hand of Goth vol.2 cd (Subterranean 1996) including "The last four days"
  • Heavenly voices part 4 cd (Hyperium 1996) including "Kutna Hora"
  • Hex files vol. 1 cd (nova tek - credo 1996) including "Living in a dream"
  • Gothic compilation part 8 cd (Gothic magazine # 28 gothic records 1998) including "The wind"
  • Hex files vol. 3 cd (nova tek - credo 1998) including "Shining"
  • Sanctuary French club hits cd (Zoomshot 1999) including "Nasty cloud"
  • Angel's delight cd (Zoomshot 1999) including "Worries"
  • Ladies, queens and sluts cd (Hall of sermon 1999) including "Fly"
  • Elegy numéro 8 sampler cd (fr [Elegy] 2000) including "Silver sky"
  • Gothicworld sampler vol 1 cd (2000) including "Tower"
  • Castle party 2000 cd (Koch international 2000) including "Silver sky"
  • Eurorock sonic seducer festival 2000 cd (Oblivion 2000) including "Nasty cloud"
  • Dark feelings festival 2004 free sampler vol.1 cd (Dark feelings 2004) including "The last four days"
File:XM1.jpg
Black Easter Festival-Antwerp-Belgium-2015

The Band

  • From 1985 to 2000
    • Isabelle Dekeyser (Vocals), Philippe Mauroy (Guitar, programmations), Giovanni Bortolin (Keyboards & violin), Benoît Sokay (Bass)
  • From 2000 to 2014
    • Isabelle Dekeyser (Vocals), Didier Czepczyk (Guitar), Giovanni Bortolin (Keyboards & violin), Benoît Sokay (Bass), Marc Haerden (Drums)
  • From 2015
    • Isabelle Dekeyser (Vocals), Didier Czepczyk (Guitar/Bass), Philippe Mauroy (Guitar/Bass), Giovanni Bortolin (Keyboards & violin), Marc Haerden (Drums)

References

  1. ^ a b Guillemin, Wim (22 February 2015). "The Breath Of Life". Peekaboo. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  2. ^ Chevalier, Sylvie (18 June 1991). "Verdur Rock 91". Le Soir (in French). Rossel. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  3. ^ Dagnies, Guy; Dagnies, Bernard (31 December 1994). "Taste of sorrow". Musiczine Lavenir (in French). Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  4. ^ Twilight (1 July 2013). "Taste Of Sorrow". Guts Of Darkness (in French). Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  5. ^ Glenadel; Lorentz; Leguay; Steing; Tale (2004). Carnets Noirs [La scène internationale] (in French). K-inite. p. 170. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  6. ^ Goth, Danny (1 June 2003). "The Breath Of Life". Sonidobscuro (in Italian). Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  7. ^ Din, Elise (31 October 2012). "Whispering Fields". Side-Line. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  8. ^ BlackMarquis, Philippe (18 September 2012). "The Breath Of Life". Peekaboo. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  9. ^ Hennequin, Emmanuël (20 June 2012). "Un nouveau souffle". Obskur Magazine (in French). Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  10. ^ Van Isacker, Bernard (23 March 2007). "TBOL changes line up". Side-Line. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  11. ^ Tozzy, Frederico (27 July 2005). "Benvenuti nel mondo dei sogni". Kronic (in Italian). Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  12. ^ Van Isacker, Bernard (1 September 2005). "A new Breath". Side-Line. Retrieved 1 April 2015.

The Breath Of Life Official

Category:Musical groups established in 1985 Category:Belgian rock music groups Category:gothic rock groups Category:dark wave musical groups


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