User:Endaimoniada/Dirge (band)

Dirge is a parisian band born in 1994. From the industrial metal genre that exploded in the first part of the 90's, the band slowly evolved towards a more atmospheric and progressive form of metal, related to the post metal scene (Neurosis, Isis, Cult Of Luna...).

History
Dirge was born near Paris, back in 1994. The basic nucleus was at the time formed by Marc T. (guitar / programming) and by Laurent P. (voice / programming). In the industrial metal genre of bands like Godflesh or Optimum Wound Profile, the music of the duet presents harsh guitar riffs, robotic rhythms, aggressive frequenced samples and pitched voices. Three demo-tapes are released during this first period. After this, Dirge takes a more alternative course, starting exploring post-metal, while holding on to their industrial sound.

After the leaving of Laurent P., bass player David K. and guitarist Franck T. join the band. This first change in the line-up coincides with a noisier and less electronic curve; around the torn-downed voice of Marc T., the music goes darker, tortured, dissonant. The first album Down, Last Level is released in 1998.

1999, Alain B. (drums) and Christophe "Zomb" D. (machines / percussions / voice) strengthen the band. Re-humanized with the use of a real drum, the music of Dirge becomes much more heavy and stifling, guitars becoming the center of gravity of the second album Blight And Vision Below A Faded Sun (released in 2000 on the own band’s label, Blight Records).

Replacing Franck T. and David K., gone to their own projects Dub Wiser and Wide Open Cage, Christian M. (bass) then guitarist Stéphane L. join Dirge in 2001. Three years later, the third record And Shall The Sky Descend is released and introduces a more hypnotic aspect of the band’s music. If heavy guitars stay in the center of the four long pieces that build ASTSD, the extremely slow-downed tempos, creeping samples, minimal parts, violin, didgeridoo and female vocals of Von Magnet’s Flore Magnet present the result of four years of musical evolution.

From 2004 to 2006, the band gives several concerts (with Unsane, Kill the Thrill, Cult Of Luna, Nasum or Zatokrev) then goes back to studio in Switzerland in November 2006 to record its fourth album Wings Of Lead Over Dormant Seas. Released one year later as a double CD set, it features Kill The Thrill’s singer Nicolas Dick on two tracks.

Discography

 * Down, Last Level (1998)
 * Blight And Vision Below A Faded Sun (2000)
 * And Shall The Sky Descend (2004)
 * Wings Of Lead Over Dormant Seas (2007)

Demo Tapes

 * Infected Brain Machine (1994)
 * Mind Time Control (1995)
 * Dead Network Access (1996)

Compilation appearances

 * Hard Core Is A State Of Mind, (1996)
 * Lágrimas De Miedo Nº3, (1996)
 * Lágrimas De Miedo N°14 - Pornography: Re-heat  (2008)
 * Falling Down Compilation (2008)