Lemuria (Belgian band)
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Lemuria | |
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Origin | Antwerp, Belgium |
Genres | Symphonic Black Metal |
Years active | 1999–Present |
Labels | None |
Members | Wesley Beernaert Vincent Pichal Gael Sortino Bart De Prins Jeroen De Kooning |
Past members | Jens Depetter Pascal Nosenzo Kevin Proost Siegfried Mercelis Niklaas Reinhold Christophe Vandeghinste |
Website | lemuria.be |
Lemuria is a symphonic black metal band from Antwerp, Belgium formed in 1999. Lemuria has recently released "Chanson de la Croisade", a CD about the prosecution of the Cathars, members of a Christian religious movement that appeared in the Languedoc region of France and other parts of Europe in the 11th century and flourished in the 12th and 13th centuries.
History
Conceived in 1999, Lemuria recorded their first demo in April 2002 entitled "The Vault of the Witness".[1] After winning competitions and supporting major metal acts, Tales, Ale & Fire was forged during 2004. The independent production enhanced the unique sound of this concept album and Lemuria delivered something unprecedented and unheard of within the Belgian metal scene. Held in the same vein as Finntroll, Ensiferum, Thyrfing, Bal Sagoth and even Rhapsody, the album demonstrated the huge progress made by the band and was embraced by metal heads and fans of other genres alike.
This release brought fame and fans to the band whilst gigs across Flanders helped generate a substantial following, with Lemuria headlining many concerts and supporting more big names such as Korpiklaani. The album sold out quickly, outselling Aborted through Belgium’s leading underground distributor, and today is still highly sought-after.
The group was put on hold in August 2006 but exactly two years later Lemuria was reborn with two new guitarists and a fresh approach. New recordings were composed and orchestrated by the band and they then took on the production from recording, through mixing to mastering, such was their desire to deliver a positive new sound that still embraced their folk metal roots.
With this new incarnation, the sextet continued to write new music and started performing again in late 2008. A new concept album was in the works, Chanson de la Croisade. In 2012 Lemuria won the Graspop Metal Meeting Talent Quest competition, granting them the title of Graspop band of the year 2012.[2]
Discography
Albums
- Chanson de la Croisade (2010)
- Tales, Ale & Fire (2004)
Demos
- "The Vault of the Witness" (2002)