Tristania

Tristania
STYLE: , ORIGIN: NorwayFORMED: 1995LABEL: Napalm Records
  • MEMBERS:
  • Anders Høyvik Hidle
  • Einar Moen
  • Mariangela Demurtas
  • Gyri Smørdal Losnegaard
  • Ole Vistnes
  • Tarald Lie Jr
  • Kjetil Nordhus
BIOGRAPHY

Tristania is a band from Norway, formed in 1995 by Morten Veland, Einar Moen and Kenneth Ølsson. Tristania’s music is usually classified as Gothic metal with death/doom influences, due to its strong tie and legacy within the gothic metal history. Their songs largely deal with dark and sentimental topics, including depression, sadness, suicide, love, absence, and anger.

Background

In 1992, Morten Veland and Kenneth Ølsson formed Uzi Suicide. Since Veland was getting more interested in the UK gothic scene, his songwriting began to take a darker feel. Fragments of the band later became Tristania.

Founding and Widow’s Weeds, 1995-1998

Tristania was founded in Stavanger, Norway by Einar Moen (keyboards), Morten Veland (vocals/guitar), and Kenneth Ølsson (drums) in 1995. A few weeks later Anders Høyvik Hidle (guitars/vocals) and Rune Østerhus (bass) joined the band. Vibeke Stene was initially recruited as a guest singer for the demo recording in 1996, but she later joined as a regular member. According to Stene, she did not know she was in the band until she read an interview after Widow’s Weeds was released. In May 1997, the band entered the studio for the first time and recorded their demo in Klepp Lydstudio. During the summer of 1997 different labels showed interest in the demo. Tristania signed with Napalm Records and released the EP Tristania.

Tristania’s first full-length album, Widow’s Weeds, was recorded at the end of 1997 and released early 1998. Two guest performers who were involved in Widow’s Weeds would later get more prominent roles on Tristania’s albums; singer Østen Bergøy (who would later become a full band member) and violinist Pete Johansen. Tristania got to do their first shows outside of Norway as support act for Lacrimosa in Belgium and at the Mind over Matter festival in Austria in August 1998. Later the same year Tristania went on their first European tour, with Solefald and Haggard.

Beyond the Veil, 1999-2000

The band’s second full-length album Beyond the Veil was released in 1999. As on the debut album, Moen and Veland wrote the majority of the music, but Moen and Hidle emerged as a songwriting team. Tristania went on their first headlining tour with The Sins of Thy Beloved, Trail of Tears and Antichrisis as support acts. The band also toured with Tiamat and Anathema in 1999. The band continued touring extensively in 2000. In December 2000 Veland and the rest of the band agreed on going separate ways, due to musical and personal differences.

World of Glass, 2001-2002

World of Glass was released in September 2001, with guest contributions from Ronny Thorsen, Johansen, and Barkved. The album added classical and industrial elements to Tristania’s sound, and included the band’s only cover version: “The Modern End,” originally by Seigmen. Bergøy, now a permanent member of the band, also began to write lyrics on this album and became the band’s main lyricist. Kjetil Ingebrethsen joined the band prior to the World of Glass tour on extreme vocals. On that tour Tristania was supported by Rotting Christ, Vintersorg, and Madder Mortem. More touring of Europe and Latin America followed in 2002.

Break, 2003-2004

For over two years the band took a break from performing live to focus solely on songwriting from 2003 throughout 2004.

Ashes 2005-2006

Ashes was released on SPV/Steamhammer Records in February 2005 and featured a stripped-down sound that de-emphasized the classical and operatic elements of the previous albums. The band then toured Europe and Latin America (sometimes without Moen, who chose to remain at home and focus on songwriting) along with Nightwish, Gothminister, and Kreator. After the tours, Ingebrethsen decided to leave the band as he wanted to continue his musical career at a lower level. The band decided not to recruit a replacement, and Hidle took over the growling vocals.

Illumination 2007

Tristania’s fifth album, Illumination, was released in January 2007, with touring guitarist Svein Terje Solvang added as an official member. Vorph of Samael appeared as a guest singer and a string quartet appeared on several songs. Shortly after the release of the album, Vibeke Stene suddenly decided to quit her musical career in order to focus on family and her work as a teacher.  As a result, all planned touring activities were put on hold. In spring 2007, a few months after Stene left Tristania, the Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish were going to announce the name of their new female vocalist. Due to Stene’s recent departure from Tristania, it was widely discussed in the musical circles whether Vibeke would be inducted into Nightwish to replace Tarja Turunen. The rumor was quickly denied, however, when Stene said in an interview, “I am not the new singer in Nightwish.”

After holding auditions for a singer with a voice different than Stene’s, Tristania recruited singer Mariangela Demurtas from Sardinia, Italy, who officially joined the band in October 2007.

Rubicon 2008-2012

Østerhus and Solvang both quit the band in 2008. Ole Vistnes joined as the new bassist and Gyri Losnegaard later joined as second guitarist. The new line-up featuring Demurtas on vocals debuted on 29 February 2008 at a festival appearance in Kiev, Ukraine. The next member to depart was drummer Kenneth Olsson, who was replaced by Tarald Lie; while singer Østen Bergøy scaled back to part-time status with the band due to family commitments. Kjetil Nordhus was added to the lineup on clean vocals. The band’s sixth album, Rubicon, was released on 25 August 2010.

After the Out of the Dark Festival on 2 October 2011, the Hungarian Lambda Team released a freeware PC game about Tristania, named Tristania 3D.

On 15 December, the band confirmed a new full-length album on their website for late May 2013, which was going to be called Darkest White.

Darkest White 2013-present

Darkest White was recorded in January 2013. The album was critically well received, and often considered the “real come back” for the band after former vocalist Vibeke Stene left the band in 2007. Sputnikmusic stated that with Darkest White “they have actually outdone themselves,” while “being the same band who released Rubicon.” The album was praised for its “exploration of dark, desolate beauty” mood and “emotional thread”. Another aspect that was well received was the “flawlessly accomplished” three-vocalist style driven throughout the album with the harsh vocals from Anders H. Hidle, the clean vocals from the returning Kjetil Nordhus, and Mariangela Demurtas’ female vocals. The combination of this three vocalists was considered “intelligent” and “diligent.”

Music

Tristania stood apart from the other bands of the genre with their use of three distinct vocal styles in the “operatic soprano Vibeke Stene, clean-singing baritone Østen Bergøy, and harsh, black metal-style shrieker Morten Veland”.  Their second album Beyond the Veil in 1999 made use of a ten members choir and featured violin passages from Pete Johansen of The Sins of Thy Beloved, earning “rave reviews” across Europe. By then, the band had risen to “the top of the goth metal heap” with their “lush, symphonically enhanced” approach. They were “dealt a potentially crippling blow” when singer, guitarist and principal composer Veland left the group to form Sirenia. Tristania has continued to prosper with subsequent releases and has since been “regarded as one of the world’s premiere goth metal bands”.

VIDEOS
If you noticed we are missing a video from this artist (Official one) please let us know by sending e-mail to [email protected]
DISCOGRAPHY

Darkest White / 2013

Tristania -Darkest_White
  • Album Info
  • 2013
  • Napalm

1. Number
2. Darkest White
3. Himmelfall
4. Requiem
5. Diagnosis
6. Scarling
7. Night on Earth
8. Cathedral
9. Lavender
10. Cypher
11. Arteries

Darkest White is the seventh full-length album by the Norwegian gothic metal band Tristania. It is the second Tristania album to feature Mariangela Demurtas and Kjetil Nordhus on vocals.

Overview

The demo that gave birth to the final version of the songs in Darkest White were produced between June and September 2012. Soon after, the band readjusted the songs by themselves, in an improvised studio at Ole Vistnes’ apartment, between September and December 2012. On January 2013, the band entered the studio to make the definitive recordings of the album, finishing in less than a month, the band’s shortest recording period so far.

Early April, the band announced Darkest White official track list.

Critical reception

The album was critically well received, and often considered the “real come back” for the band after former vocalist Vibeke Stene departure, in 2007. Sputnikmusic stated that with Darkest White”they have actually outdone themselves”, while “being the same band who released Rubicon”. The album was praised for its “exploration of dark, desolate beauty” mood while called an “emotional thread”. Another aspect that was well received was the “flawlessly accomplished” three-vocalist style driven throughout the album with the harsh vocals from Anders H. Hidle, the clean vocalsfrom the returning Kjetil Nordhus and Mariangela Demurtas’ female vocals. The combination of this three vocalists was considered “intelligent” and “diligent”.

Rubicon / 2010

Tristania - Rubicon
  • Album Info
  • 2010
  • Napalm

1. Year of the Rat
2. Protection
3. Patriot Games
4. The Passing
5. Exile
6. Sirens
7. The Emerald Piper
8. Vulture
9. Amnesia
10. Magical Fix

Rubicon is the sixth full-length album by the Norwegian band Tristania. It is the first Tristania album to feature female Italian vocalist Mariangela Demurtas, who replaced former frontwoman Vibeke Stene.

Overview

The album displays a different lineup from the previous album. It is the first Tristania album to feature Mariangela Demurtas on female vocals, Kjetil Nordhus on clean vocals, Gyri Smørdal Losnegaard on guitars, Ole Vistnes on bass, and Tarald Lie Jr. on drums. It’s also the first album with harsh vocals that are performed entirely by guitarist Anders Høyvik Hidle. Pete Johansen made a guest appearance on violin after a nearly ten-year absence. Singer Østen Bergøy appeared as a session member, after scaling back to part-time membership in the band due to family commitments.

The first video of the album was for the song “Year of the Rat,” released on 12 August 2010.

Illumination / 2007

Tristania - Illumination
  • Album Info
  • 2007
  • SPV/Steamhammer

1. Mercyside”
2. Sanguine Sky
3. Open Ground
4. The Ravens
5. Destination Departure
6. Down
7. Fate
8. Lotus
9. Sacrilege
11. Deadlands

Illumination is the fifth full-length album by the Norwegian band Tristania. It is the last album to feature Vibeke Stene on vocals, Rune Østerhus on bass, Svein Terje Solvang on guitar, and Kenneth Olsson on drums. This is also the final album to feature Østen Bergøy as an official member of the band, although he performed some vocal work on the band’s next studio album as a session member.

Ashes / 2005

Tristania - Ashes
  • Album Info
  • 2005
  • SPV/Steamhammer

1. Libre
2. Equilibrium
3. The Wretched
4. Cure
5. Circus
6. Shadowman
7. The Gate
8. Endogenisis
9. Bird

Ashes is the fourth full-length album by the Norwegian band Tristania. The album registers a change in the band’s musical style, leaving out the choirs and initiating a heavier sound, with a focus on darker lyrics and the pure vocals of Vibeke Stene. This album is the only one Kjetil Ingebrethsen performed harsh vocals on.

 

World of Glass / 2001

Tristania - World Of Glass
  • Album Info
  • 2001
  • Napalm Records

1. The Shining Path
2. Wormwood
3. Tender Trip on Earth
4. Lost
5. Deadlocked
6. Selling Out
7. Hatred Grows
8. World of Glass
9. Crushed Dreams

World of Glass is the third full-length album by Norwegian band Tristania. The album was released on 25 September 2001 by Napalm Records. As a result of Morten Veland leaving the band, the harsh vocals were sung by Ronny Thorsen, vocalist of Trail of Tears.

Beyond the Veil / 1999

Tristania - Beyond The Veil
  • Album Info
  • 1999
  • Napalm

1. Beyond the Veil
2. Aphelion
3. A Sequel of Decay
4. Opus Relinque
5. Lethean River
6. …Of Ruins and a Red Nightfall
7. Simbelmynë
8. Angina
9. Heretique
10. Dementia

Beyond the Veil is the second full-length album by the Norwegian band Tristania. It is the last album to feature the band’s former vocalist, guitarist and core songwriter, Morten Veland.

Background and Influence

Tristania stood apart from the other bands of the genre with their use of three distinct vocal styles in the “operatic soprano Vibeke Stene, clean-singing counter-tenor Østen Bergøy, and harsh, black metal-style shrieker Morten Veland”. Beyond the Veil made use of a ten-member choir and featured violin passages from Pete Johansen of The Sins of Thy Beloved, earning “rave reviews” across Europe. By then, the band had risen to “the top of the gothic metal heap” with their “lush, symphonically enhanced” approach.

The album features “tender ethereal female voices” and “the brutality and harshness”, making it a promoter on the gothic metal scene. They were “dealt a potentially crippling blow” when singer, guitarist and principal composer Veland left the group to form Sirenia. Tristania has continued to prosper with subsequent releases and has since been “regarded as one of the world’s premiere goth metal bands”. Review website sputnik music classified the album as a “classic” within the genre it helped to develop, stating that the album finds itself to be “dark, symphonic, gothic metal that reeks in anger and despair. One of the crowning jewels to be found in the gothic metal genre and particularly one album that shouldn’t be taken lightly.”

Technical content

As the technical content of the album, it features “excellent synthesizer passages and haunting violin runs.Aside from the [operatic, clean and harsh] vocals.” The album achieves to capture the “coldest emotion from the deepest, darkest corners of the earth with majestic piano leads and epic keyboard passages pulsating throughout the complex arrangements” purposed by keyboardist Einar Moen, as the drumming proceeds with considerable speed and, when necessary, slowing down.

Widow's Weeds / 1998

  • Album Info
  • 1998
  • Napalm

1. Preludium…
2. Evenfall
3. Pale Enchantress
4. December Elegy
5. Midwintertears
6. Angellore
7. My Lost Lenore
8. Wasteland’s Caress
9. …Postludium

 

Widow’s Weeds is the first full-length album by the Norwegian Gothic metal band Tristania. The album was recorded at the end of 1997 and released early 1998. Two guest performers who were involved in Widow’s Weeds would later get more prominent roles on Tristania’s albums; singer Østen Bergøy (who would later become a full band member) and violinist Pete Johansen.

REVIEWS AND INTERVIEWS
No news found for this band.

Is your pencil sharp? Do you like writing? Contact us and maybe you could become a part of Nordic Metal Team.
TOURDATES
Date Venue City Country Info Tickets
DISCLAIMER! None of the tourdates presented on this page belong to Nordic Metal. All the tourdates content belong to Bandsintown. We are using their data through a written consent between Nordic Metal and Bandsintown. Tourdates are shown as they are and Nordic Metal is not responsible for any false information.