Empyrium

Empyrium started as German symphonic folk/doom metal and later neofolk band founded in 1994 by Markus Stock (mostly using the pseudonym Ulf T. Schwadorf) and Andreas Bach, but later many other participated. Their first two albums, "A Wintersunset" and "Songs of Moors and Misty Fields", following a demo entitled "...Der wie ein Blitz vom Himmel fiel...", can be considered doom metal (or, as some will argue, folk metal) with folk and symphonic influences. They combine harsh and operatic male vocals, with deep slow guitar parts and atmospheric sounds.

The following two albums, "Where at Night the Wood Grouse Plays" and "Weiland" are acoustic, display a constantly heavier neofolk influence. Instead of keyboards, the band switched to acoustic instruments such as acoustic guitars, violins, cellos and the flute. Operatic male vocals are still used, and in "Weiland" the band uses choir with occasional black metal rasps. Though the music still remains dark and melancholic, Empyrium's music has largely moved away from heavy metal. Many people consider these two albums to be the apex of Empyrium's skill and some accomplishment of the band's - or rather Schwadorf's goal.

The band draws inspiration from nature as some of the album titles reveal. Consequently, Empyrium are often referred to as a dark folk or apocalyptic folk band, expressing in their music (most conspicuously in the last two albums) sentiments akin to those expressed by some other 'legislators' of the genre, as Forseti, Orplid, and Ulver (Kveldssanger). Connoisseurs of dark folk will mention that many of Empyrium's compositions are true representatives of the genre, as, for instance, "Dying Brokenhearted", "The Shepherd and the Maiden Ghost" ("Where At Night..."), "Heimwärts", "Waldpoesie", "Die Schwäne im Schilf" ("Weiland"). Intricately woven and always impregnated with an exquisite wistfulness or profound, remorseful sadness ("Dying Brokenhearted"), these compositions may be regarded as a manifesto of the dark-folkloristic gloomy and pantheistic Weltanschauung. The lyrics are mostly in English, though in "Weiland" only German is performed. After their last album, "Weiland", the band decided to stop recording. As Schwadorf himself put it,

"Empyrium has explored nature-mystics since 1994, and after 8 years we feel to move on and made a glorious farewell to the concept with "Weiland"

[http://www.empyrium.de QUOTE]

Like the Norwegian black metal band Burzum, Empyrium also used Theodor Kittelsen's drawing on one of their album covers ("Where at Night the Wood Grouse Plays").

In August 2006 their label, Prophecy Productions, announced publicly for the first time that a new album was going to be released in late November the same year. Called "A Retrospective", it is a look back on the history of the band. Aside from ten remastered tracks from their previous albums, it contains a re-recorded version of "The Franconian Woods In Winter's Silence" from the album "A Wintersunset", as well as two new tracks in the neofolk style of late Empyrium ("Der Weiher" and "Am Wolkenstieg"). The sixty-page booklet provides an extensive account of the musical influences of the band, and how Empyrium has changed over the years.The album leaked onto the Internet in early November.

Discography

* "...Der wie ein Blitz vom Himmel fiel..." demo tape 1995
* "A Wintersunset..." CD/2LP 1996
* "Songs of Moors and Misty Fields" CD 1997
* "Where at Night the Wood Grouse Plays" CD/2LP 1999
* "Drei Auszüge aus Weiland" 7"EP 2002
* "Weiland" CD/3CD/2LP 2002
* "A Retrospective" CD 2006

Line-up

* Ulf Theodor Schwadorf (g, b, dr&p, v, etc.); Andreas Bach (k)
* Ulf Theodor Schwadorf (g, b, dr&p, v, etc.); Andreas Bach (k); Nadine Moelter (flute)
* Ulf Theodor Schwadorf (g, b, dr&p, v, etc.); Andreas Bach (k); Nadine Moelter (flute); Thomas Helm (bv)
* Ulf Theodor Schwadorf (g, b, dr&p, v, etc.); Thomas Helm (bv); guests ("Weiland")

See also

*Noekk - reunion band of Empyrium members
*Sun of the Sleepless
*Autumn Blaze
*The Vision Bleak
*Nachtmahr

External links

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* [http://www.avantgarde-metal.com/content/stories2.php?id=40 interview with Markus Stock 2007]