Darxon

Darxon is a Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia Heavy Metal band manifested during 1983. The group signed with Wishbone Records for the 1984 debut album Killed in Action, recorded as a quartet comprising vocalist Massimo DeMatteis, guitarist Markus Szart, bassist Peter Schmidt and drummer Dominik Hulshorst. These sessions were produced by Ferdinand Kother at the Tonstudio Cooperative GmbH in Bochum. A four track EP, Tokyo, followed up in 1985 with a 7" vinyl single, Holding On, arriving in 1986.

For the 1987 No Thrills album, on new label Rockport Records, Darxon underwent a major line-up change. New members were guitarist Wolfgang Böhm and Michael Habestadt, bassist Thomas Smeczynski and drummer Ingo Pluss. Supporting this opus, Darxon supported Zed Yago on German dates in 1988. That year the band featured a completely new cast of musicians backing Böhm with singer Klaus Lemm, guitarist Jens Frank, former Holy Moses and Healer bassist Jochen Fünders and ex-Holy Moses and Healer drummer Herbert Dreger. This version of the band collapsed in 1989, after which Jochen Fünders joined Venice.

The band re-assembled once again for a third album after signing to Belgian label Mausoleum Records. Massimo DeMatteis would be joined by guitarists Frank Dielewski and Thomas Thanscheidt, bassist Ingo "Pink" Geiger and erstwhile Steeler drummer Jan Yildiral.

After Darxon, Yildiral would record with Shout^{[disambiguation needed ]} in 1992 before establishing his own successful global travel agency. Guitarist Wolfgang "Wolla" Böhm joined U.D.O.. When vocalist Udo Dirkschneider opted to put U.D.O. on ice for an Accept reformation, Böhm created Universe with Darxon colleague drummer Ingo Pluss. Jan Yildiral is still active on the live circuit as a member of Naked Sons.

Darxon was re-forged for live work by Jochen Fünders. The band now involved former guitarist Jens Frank, singer Conny Beck, of Belda Beast, Fyre, Riccochet, Second Sight and Steel Dawn, with Thilo Voiss, from Aardvarks and Riccochet, on drums.