Arcturus

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Arcturus
Arcturus in 2005
Background information
Origin	Norway
Genres	Avant-garde metal, symphonic black metal, symphonic metal, progressive metal
Years active	1987–2007
Labels	Century Media, Music for Nations, Candlelight, The End, Jester, Season of Mist
Associated acts	Age of Silence, Borknagar, Code, Dimmu Borgir, The Kovenant, Mayhem, Scariot, Spiral Architect, Ulver, Ved Buens Ende
Website	www.arcturus.no
Members
Steinar Sverd Johnsen Jan Axel Blomberg Knut Magne Valle Hugh Mingay Simen Hestnæs Tore Moren
Former members
Kristoffer Rygg Carl August Tidemann Samoth Marius Vold Dag F. Gravem Øyvind Hægeland

Arcturus was a metal band formed in Norway in 1987 under the name Mortem.^{[citation needed]} In 1990, the band changed their name to Arcturus (meaning Bear Guardian), after the Behenian fixed star Arcturus.

The band released four official full-length albums. Arcturus has experimented throughout their career, extracting influences and incorporating elements from all over the musical spectrum including black metal and classical music, but the band was rooted as a metal outfit. On April 16, 2007, it was announced that the band would be breaking up, and more details were revealed in an official statement released on the band's website on April 17.^[1]

The official statement was written by all of the band members, confirming rumours that had been circulating after their Melbourne concert, the last one of the Australian tour, in which Simen "Vortex" Hestnæs, the band's vocalist, introduced the show to the audience with the words "Welcome to the last Arcturus show- ever." The statement went on to say that the split was a 'decision we made some time ago,' and that because of ongoing 'things' in their careers and lives, the members could no longer 'find the time to continue working with this band.' The statement closed with a tribute to the fans of the band, "We are humble and grateful to all the people that have supported and loved us over the years." ^[2]

There are rumours circulating the internet that Arcturus may reform with Garm as the vocalist. Hellhammer has recently confirmed that an Arcturus reunion is inevitable, and that Garm has shown interest in participating. [2] (page 11) Furthermore, ICS Vortex has mentioned he plans to resurrect "a band or three" in a blog he posted shortly after being removed from Dimmu Borgir. [3]

Line-up History

The original line-up was changed when bassist/vocalist Marius Vold (ex-Thorns), was taken out of the band. The band soon became labeled a black metal super group, consisting of Kristoffer "Garm" Rygg on vocals, Carl August Tidemann on guitar, Skoll on bass, and the two other original members, Hellhammer on drums, and Steinar Sverd Johnsen as main composer/keyboard player. In 1994 Samoth played guitars on the EP, Constellation, and released it on his record label, Nocturnal Art.

After three full-length albums Rygg decided to leave the band, and was replaced by Øyvind Hægeland from the band Spiral Architect. Øyvind performed live with the band, but on January 5 2005, it was announced that Øyvind had left the band due to his moving too far away to be involved in the band, resulting in him never recording anything with the band. He was replaced by Simen "ICS Vortex" Hestnæs, who had previously performed vocals on three Arcturus tracks ("Master of Disguise", "The Chaos Path", and "Painting My Horror") on La Masquerade Infernale. Upon Carl August Tidemann's leaving the band, Knut Magne Valle joined. In 2003 Tore Moren joined on second guitar for live performances and eventually found himself accepted as an official member of the band. Knut and Tore then shared lead duties on guitar, with Knut on 7 string guitar and Tore using a standard 6 string guitar.

Final Line-up

• Steinar Sverd Johnsen, keyboard, synthesizer (also played guitars when they were called Mortem) (1990 - 2007)
• Jan Axel "Hellhammer" Blomberg, drums (1990 - 2007)
• Knut Magne Valle, guitar (1995 - 2007)
• Hugh "Skoll" Mingay, bass (1995 - 2000, 2002 - 2007)
• Tore Moren, guitar (2003 - 2007)
• ICS Vortex (Simen Hestnæs), vocals (1997 'session', 2005 - 2007)

Former

• Kristoffer Rygg (Garm, Trickster G. Rex, Garm Wolf, Fiery G. Maelstrom) - Vocals (All official Arcturus releases before "Sideshow Symphonies" except My Angel)
• Carl August Tidemann - Guitars (Aspera Hiems Symfonia/La Masquerade Infernale (guest))
• Thomas Thormodsæter Haugen (Samoth) - Guitars (Constellation MCD/MLP)
• Marius Vold - Bass and Vocals (My Angel LP, All Mortem releases)
• Dag F. Gravem - Bass (On The Sham Mirrors on all tracks except track 6)
• Øyvind Hægeland - Vocals (live 2003-2005)

Discography

As Mortem

• Slow Death (1989), self-released – demo
• Slow Death (1990), Putrefaction Records – EP

As Arcturus

Full-Lengths

• Aspera Hiems Symfonia (1996), Ancient Lore/Misanthropy/Century Black
• La Masquerade Infernale (1997), Misanthropy/Music For Nations
• The Sham Mirrors (2002), Ad Astra Enterprises/The End Records
• Sideshow Symphonies (2005), Season of Mist

EPs

• My Angel (1991), Putrefaction Records
• Constellation MCD/MLP (1994), Nocturnal Art
• Constellation LP (1997), Nocturnal Art

Compilations

• Disguised Masters (1999), Jester Records
• Aspera Hiems Symfonia/Constellation/My Angel (2002), re-released by Candlelight Records

Demos

• Promo 90 (1990), self-released – demo

Misc.

• Reconstellation (1999) – bootleg recording
• Shipwrecked In Oslo (2006), Season of Mist – DVD

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Arcturus

• Official site (no longer online)
• Arcturus at MySpace
• Older Official Site with interviews, lyrics and reviews
• Arcturus at Allmusic