Dark at Dawn
| Dark at Dawn | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Genre (s) | Power metal |
| founding | 1993, 2012 |
| resolution | 2007 |
| Website | www.dark-at-dawn.de |
| Founding members | |
| Thorsten "Buddy" Kohlrausch | |
| Peter Arenz (until 1997) | |
guitar |
Oliver Schöning (until 1993) |
| Michael Lowin | |
| Thorsten Sauerbrey (drums & studio keyboard: until 1997 and 1998-2007, studio guitars: 2001, drums & studio keyboard: since 2012) | |
| Current occupation | |
singing |
Thorsten "Buddy" Kohlrausch |
guitar |
Matthias Majkowski (1997–2001, live guitar: 2002, guitar: since 2012) |
guitar |
Florian Schröder (live guitar: 1997–1998 & 2002, guitar: 1998–2001 and since 2012) |
bass |
Michael Lowin |
Drums, studio keyboard, studio guitar |
Thorsten Sauerbrey (drums & studio keyboard: until 1997 and 1998-2007, studio guitars: 2001, drums & studio keyboard: since 2012) |
| former members | |
guitar |
Christian Wille (1993–1994) |
guitar |
Jan Christian Baumgartner (1994–1997) |
Drums |
Michael Wolf (1997) |
| Live support and session musicians | |
singing |
Judith Stüber (additional studio vocals: 1999) |
singing |
Anissa Taggatz (additional studio vocals: 2003) |
guitar |
Kai Duda (live guitar: 1997) |
Dark at Dawn is a power metal band from the Harz region .
history
Dark at Dawn was founded in 1993 by Thorsten Kohlrausch (vocals), Oliver Schoening (guitar), Peter Arenz (guitar), Michael Lowin (bass) and Thorsten Sauerbrey (drums, keyboards, partly also studio guitar and production). Even before the recording of the first demo tape The Awakening in May 1993, guitarist Oliver Schoening left the band and was replaced by Christian Wille. Several local appearances are played with this line-up, but Wille can only be heard on the As-Daylight-Fades demo tape recorded in June 1994 . Shortly after the release, guitarist Jan Christian Baumgartner took over from Christian Wille.
In July 1995 the third demo Oceans of Time was recorded with five tracks. This demo also makes the band known in other parts of the republic. There were gigs in several federal states, Dark at Dawn played at the Wacken Open Air and as support for Saxon and Nina Hagen .
The Oceans of Time demo sold around 1200 times by 1996. In Rock Hard an interview and the band the Metal Live Contest appeared won the fanzine Evil Message . In the same year, however, guitarist Peter Arenz got out. In 1997 concerts were played again. Dark at Dawn received live reinforcement from guest guitarists Florian Schröder and Kai Duda. The band began planning their first long player, but it came as a surprise that drummer and founding member Thorsten Sauerbrey and Jan Christian Baumgartner left. The vacant guitar position was taken over by Matthias Majkowski and the new drummer was Michael Wolf. The band went into the studio and did some test recordings, but the line-up change made the conditions difficult. Dark at Dawn fell silent and Michael Wolf left the band that same year.
In 1998 drummer Thorsten Sauerbrey got back in and guitarist Florian Schröder became a full member of the band. The band recorded a promo CD that was sent to labels. It came to a contract with Iron Glory Records. After problems between management and label, Dark at Dawn went to the already booked studio at their own expense and separated from the management. The production took place in Spacelab Studio . On November 29, 1999, Baneful Skies was released. The group was supported on the album by guest singer Judith Stüber.
In 2001 the album Crimson Frost was released , produced by Andy Classen and distributed by Warner-Chappell Music . Since Dark at Dawn were not very satisfied with the promotion of their record company, they re-recorded a few old songs with some guest musicians in order to fulfill their contract and then to look for a new label; the two guitarists left the band that same year. Drummer Thorsten Sauerbrey now also played the guitars because the studio was already booked. First Beams of Light - Rediscovered Tracks was released in November 2002.
Dark at Dawn found a label with AFM Records as part of the release . The band now worked as a trio and released Of Decay and Desire a year later . Anissa Taggatz was represented this time as a guest singer. Ex-members Matthias Majkowski and Florian Schröder took over the guitars for concerts. After the self-titled fifth album was finished, the label took its time with the release until mid-2006.
In 2007 the group broke up after a farewell concert at the Rockharz Open Air .
In the summer of 2012 there were increasing signs that the band might get back together. On September 21, 2012, the reunion , which also included the guitarists Matthias Majkowski and Florian Schröder, who left in 2001, was finally officially confirmed in a press release. The EP Noneternal was released on October 2, 2012, and a new studio album will follow in 2013.
Discography
Demos
- 1993: The Awakening (self-distribution with an edition of 100 copies)
- 1994: As Daylight Fades (self-distribution with an edition of 400 copies)
- 1996: Oceans of Time (self-distribution with a circulation of more than 1200 copies)
EPs
- 2012: Noneternal
Albums
- 1999: Baneful Skies (Iron Glory Records / Zomba)
- 2001: Crimson Frost (Iron Glory Records / Zomba)
- 2002: First Beams of Light - Rediscovered Tracks (Iron Glory Records / Zomba)
- 2003: Of Decay and Desire (AFM-Records / Soulfood)
- 2006: Dark at Dawn (AFM-Records / Soulfood)
