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Revision as of 02:38, 21 March 2006 by Danteferno (talk | contribs) ((clean up))(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Tiamat is a band originally from Stockholm, Sweden, formed in 1988. Their music has been described variously as gothic metal, goth rock and symphonic metal, due to some variances in sound throughout their discography.
Biography
Initially, they had begun as straightforward death metal under the name Treblinka. The band split up in 1989, leaving vocalist/guitarist Johan Edlund, who would subsequently change the name to Tiamat.
After Sumerian Cry (which was the first Tiamat album, but written while under the name Treblinka), Edlund's leadership modified the sound with moody, atmospheric textures and vocals that would attribute them (along with Samael and Rotting Christ) as one of the starters of dark metal and symphonic black metal.
1994's critically acclaimed Wildhoney was seen by many as their crossover album, mixing harsh vocals, slow, intricate guitar riffs and celestial-sounding synthesizers which were quite different from other symphonic black metal bands active at that time. An almost continuous forty-minute piece of music, Wildhoney was considered to be a landmark release in the field of extreme metal, preceding many of the trends that would be repeated throughout the genre throughout the next decade.
Upon the release of A Deeper Kind of Slumber (1997), Edlund relocated from Sweden to Germany and declared himself the only permanent member of the band; all albums that would follow would cement the band into a more melodic goth rock sound, quite different than the extreme music they did in the years before, with recent albums showing a Sisters of Mercy influence.
The band is currently signed to Century Media Records.
Line-up
- Johan Edlund - Vocals, guitar, keyboards, theremin
- Thomas Petersson - Guitar
- Anders Iwers - Bass
- Lars Sköld - Drums
Discography
- Sumerian Cry (1990)
- The Astral Sleep (1991)
- Clouds (1992)
- The Sleeping Beauty (Live in Israel) (1993)
- Wildhoney (1994)
- A Deeper Kind of Slumber (1997)
- Skeleton Skeletron (1999)
- Judas Christ (2002)
- Prey (2003)