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393:. In 1997 the original line-up, consisting of band founder Asvargr (guitar), vocalist Azathoth, Njord on bass, and drummer Charon established the band's first live line-up with the addition of a second guitarist named Crom and keyboardist Thamuz. Debuting live in February 1997 the band soon played dates alongside acts such as Lunar Aurora, Disaster and
509:, again accompanied by the artwork of Travis Smith. The album is a concept album about the direct contrast between the current and the future, the fragility of human existence with its most striking weaknesses – ignorance, arrogance and false illusions – and the crass finality of death. The central lyrical motif of
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Charon and Crom left due to conflicting musical interests, and these line-up changes further delayed live and studio activities. However they later signed to US label Red Stream for two albums and hired Seraph and V.Santura as the new drummer and guitarist. Recorded at famous
Grieghallen Studio in
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was delayed due to problems during the mixing/mastering process. It was not released until
February 2003 and showcased Dark Fortress' development into classic traditions of black metal as well as their continual progression as composers and musicians. With a stable line-up consisting of Azathoth
439:(vocals), Asvargr (guitar), Santura (guitar), Draug (bass), Paymon (keyboards) and Seraph (drums) more live shows and festival appearances followed, seeing Dark Fortress share stages with popular extreme metal acts like
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departs from typical black metal subjects and instead deals with the idea of paranormal beings. The musical side supports this conceptual idea with gloomy guitar melodies, twisted and morbid passages and grim vocals.
405:. The band continued composing material for their first full-length album, but recording was postponed from 1998 until August 2000, when Dark Fortress entered Klangschmiede Studio E and with Markus Stock (of
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was well received not only by the band's underground following but also mainstream metal press. Their new album contained melancholy melodies combined with suicidal themes. An interpretation of
495:'s "Endtime" was included on the limited CD Digipak, while a cover version of Emperor's "I Am The Black Wizards" was featured on the double-LP version (released by Imperium Records, 2005).
401:, which featured two new tracks by the band and was released on Fog of the Apocalypse Records. A third track was recorded during the same session and was used for the compilation CD
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After releasing two more albums, the band issued a statement on their official
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On 13 May 2007, they fired their vocalist, Azathoth, due to various non-musical reasons. His replacement was
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The hitherto musical peak of their career then hit the metal scene with the 2004 release of
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Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.
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397:. Dark Fortress' first label release was the split MCD with Barad Dür entitled
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for the song "Hirudineans". This song is on their 2010 album
889:"Dark Fortress - Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives"
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Parts of this article (those related to
History) need to be
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467:(Black Attakk). Accompanied by gloomy artwork by artist
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The band formed in 1994. In 1996 they released the demo
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517:On 29 January 2010, Dark Fortress released an
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627:V. Santura – guitar, bass, backing vocals
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206:Learn how and when to remove this message
152:Learn how and when to remove this message
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455:, as well as many underground acts.
364:formed in 1994. They released seven
90:adding citations to reliable sources
714:Paymon – keyboards, backing vocals
708:Thamuz – keyboards, backing vocals
639:Phenex – keyboards, backing vocals
1146:Musical groups established in 1994
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1141:German black metal musical groups
621:Asvargr – guitar, backing vocals
36:This article has multiple issues.
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403:From The Mystic Forest – Part II
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77:needs additional citations for
44:or discuss these issues on the
16:German melodic black metal band
1156:1994 establishments in Germany
915:"DARK FORTRESS Calls It Quits"
913:Bellino, Emily (22 May 2023).
684:Zoltan – bass, backing vocals
672:Crom – guitar, backing vocals
505:Their next album was entitled
1:
1151:Century Media Records artists
690:Draug – bass, backing vocals
678:Njord – bass, backing vocals
376:. The band broke up in 2023.
1120:Spectres from the Old World
1081:Profane Genocidal Creations
818:Spectres from the Old World
773:Profane Genocidal Creations
702:Seraph – drums, percussion
696:Charon – drums, percussion
436:Profane Genocidal Creations
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651:Hannes Grossmann – drums
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666:Azathoth – lead vocals
409:) completed their album
1074:Tales from Eternal Dusk
765:Tales from Eternal Dusk
746:Rebirth of the Dark Age
411:Tales From Eternal Dusk
391:Rebirth of the Dark Age
976:Encyclopaedia Metallum
893:www.metal-archives.com
244:Background information
985:Century Media Records
864:"Bio – DARK FORTRESS"
633:Morean – lead vocals
234:Dark Fortress at the
519:official music video
86:improve this article
755:Towards Immortality
399:Towards Immortality
358:melodic black metal
264:Melodic black metal
236:Wave-Gotik-Treffen
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616:Final Lineup
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469:Travis Smith
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459:2000–present
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343:darkfortress
295:Past members
271:Years active
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84:Please help
79:verification
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38:Please help
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1088:Stab Wounds
924:26 November
898:26 November
781:Stab Wounds
740:Discography
716:(1998–2014)
710:(1997–1998)
704:(2001–2022)
698:(1994–2001)
692:(2000–2018)
686:(1997–2000)
680:(1994–1997)
674:(1997–2001)
668:(1994–2007)
653:(2022–2023)
647:(2018–2023)
641:(2014–2023)
635:(2007–2023)
629:(2001–2023)
623:(1994–2023)
489:Stab Wounds
465:Stab Wounds
370:split album
189:August 2020
1135:Categories
1042:V. Santura
825:References
645:Ar – bass
374:demo album
360:band from
305:V. Santura
112:newspapers
41:improve it
545:V Santura
493:Katatonia
477:Nevermore
275:1994–2023
255:, Germany
142:June 2008
47:talk page
1037:Asvargyr
952:AllMusic
730:Timeline
481:Anathema
441:Behemoth
432:Immortal
422:Norway (
407:Empyrium
362:Landshut
315:Azathoth
303:Asvargyr
253:Landshut
1102:Eidolon
966:Discogs
797:Eidolon
557:Asvargr
532:Members
428:Emperor
417:Changes
395:Naglfar
380:History
338:Website
179:updated
126:scholar
1095:Séance
1057:Seraph
1052:Paymon
1032:Morean
873:17 May
848:17 May
820:(2020)
814:(2014)
808:(2010)
800:(2008)
792:(2006)
789:Séance
784:(2004)
776:(2003)
768:(2001)
760:(1997)
751:(1996)
721:
605:Morean
593:Seraph
581:Paymon
511:Séance
507:Séance
500:Morean
451:, and
424:Mayhem
372:and a
325:Thamuz
321:Charon
319:Zoltan
313:Paymon
309:Seraph
307:Phenex
300:Morean
280:Labels
260:Genres
249:Origin
128:
121:
114:
107:
99:
1047:Draug
758:split
569:Draug
485:Death
473:Opeth
317:Njord
311:Draug
133:JSTOR
119:books
1109:Ylem
926:2023
900:2023
875:2024
850:2024
805:Ylem
749:demo
523:Ylem
368:, a
345:.org
323:Crom
238:2016
105:news
983:at
950:at
88:by
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