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Arcturus
1,978,597 plays (63,549 listeners)
black metal, avant-garde metal, progressive metal, avant-garde, metal… see all
Norway (1987 – 2007)
Arcturus were an avant-garde metal band from Norway. Their earlier works were black metal with symphonic overtones, but with recent releases, they have adopted a new ‘post-black’ style with mainly clean vocals.
Arcturus was formed in 1987 as death metal act Mortem. They released an EP and a demo under this name. In 1990, they changed their name to Arcturus, which is the name of a star and means “Guardian of Bears”.
In 1995, Arcturus released Aspera Hiems Symfonia (latin form of Harsh Winter Symphony), acclaimed like one of the most innovative black metal album ever. That line-up consisted of:
Garm - Vocals
Hellhammer - Drums
Sverd - Synths
August - Guitar
Skoll - Bass (not assigned on album credits)
Aspera Hiems Symfonia is a mix of early 90s norwegian black metal, classical melodies, waltz and refined touch of nordic coldness. The lyrics concentrate on the themes of winter and the darkness of night.
“All music & words on Aspera Hiems Symfonia emanated from our souls profoundly”. This phrase represents it perfectly.
In 1997 Arcturus released the much acclaimed “La Masquerade Infernale” album, which is still considered their masterpiece. The theatrical, almost carnivalesque, style built around Sverd’s keyboard was introduced by the large vocals range of Garm (and guest Simen Hestnæs) and this became their trademark.
After a remix album “Disguised Masters”, Arcturus offered their third major effort with “The Sham Mirrors”, whose keyboards’ dynamic melodies also received good reviews.
Arcturus was formed in 1987 as death metal act Mortem. They released an EP and a demo under this name. In 1990, they changed their name to Arcturus, which is the name of a star and means “Guardian of Bears”.
In 1995, Arcturus released Aspera Hiems Symfonia (latin form of Harsh Winter Symphony), acclaimed like one of the most innovative black metal album ever. That line-up consisted of:
Garm - Vocals
Hellhammer - Drums
Sverd - Synths
August - Guitar
Skoll - Bass (not assigned on album credits)
Aspera Hiems Symfonia is a mix of early 90s norwegian black metal, classical melodies, waltz and refined touch of nordic coldness. The lyrics concentrate on the themes of winter and the darkness of night.
“All music & words on Aspera Hiems Symfonia emanated from our souls profoundly”. This phrase represents it perfectly.
In 1997 Arcturus released the much acclaimed “La Masquerade Infernale” album, which is still considered their masterpiece. The theatrical, almost carnivalesque, style built around Sverd’s keyboard was introduced by the large vocals range of Garm (and guest Simen Hestnæs) and this became their trademark.
After a remix album “Disguised Masters”, Arcturus offered their third major effort with “The Sham Mirrors”, whose keyboards’ dynamic melodies also received good reviews.
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See moreVideos
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Play
Arcturus - Hibernation Sickness Complete
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Play
Arcturus - Ad Astra
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Play
Arcturus - Collapse Generation
Top Tracks
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Kinetic
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Nightmare Heaven
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Radical Cut
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Collapse Generation
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Ad Absurdum
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For to End Yet Again
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Hibernation Sickness Complete
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Shipwrecked Frontier Pioneer
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Star-Crossed
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Top Albums
Shoutbox
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InfernoNecrosis wrote:
Hey guys, a new alternative (metal, goth, rock, industrial, Jap. music) music site has been created. Please do visit it by clicking here, and if you like what you see, register at this link.
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supersexy_jesus wrote:
As has probably been mentioned 1000 times, Vortex's awesome vocals are being wasted at Dimmu Borgir.
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anamnezis wrote:
Awesome music \m/ szacuneczek!!!
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ftr89 wrote:
Morax :D
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ftr89 wrote:
Helhammer will quit DB: http://meinlcymbals.com/artists/artist/ARTIST/daray_brzozowski.html?cHash=18bd516b0f : ]
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orion_black wrote:
Si eres aficionado al Avant-garde Metal te invito a que te unas a un grupo en español enfocado a dicho subgenero. http://www.lastfm.es/group/Avant-garde+Metal+(Español) Saludos
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AA-d00d wrote:
LUV
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Ishora wrote:
Hellhammer and Vortex need to just go fuck themselves.
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GreyAutumn wrote:
And when they get back together they should make many more songs similar to fall of man and ad astra.
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supersexy_jesus wrote:
Get back together PLZ.
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AA-d00d wrote:
Vortex and Hellhamer should quit dimmu borgir and re-form Arcturus back
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Kytherae wrote:
Sideshow Symphonies is highly underestimated album. I just simply love it. Definetely one of the best albums I've ever found. ^^
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Xelias11 wrote:
Arcturus \m/
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Eitttlane wrote:
The sham mirrors is that best thing that human done!
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Sahrazad wrote:
fuckin brutal, epic...! *hails*
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BRB_RSI wrote:
Amazing.
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kucina wrote:
Ad Astra...:)
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nutslap wrote:
"Sideshow is such a brilliant album"
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terramorte wrote:
how i miss them ;_;
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JSonicC wrote:
Sideshow is such a brilliant album
Listeners
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Darokotia
Listening now
to Master of Disguise… -
Vanchmeister
Listening now
to Hibernation Sickness… -
_Ulver_
Top Listener
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tserath
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gizmo--
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Aphaedon
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Recent Activity
- arqricardo, GGustaVV, Storchi83 and 1 other person added Arcturus to their libraries. 56 minutes ago
- obskuric tagged Arcturus with ‘avant-garde metal’. yesterday morning
- InfernoNecrosis connected Arcturus to the group Sonic Nexus. yesterday morning
- AcidinmyShoe tagged Arcturus with ‘black metal’. yesterday morning
- Jeanyv added Arcturus to Jeanyv’s library. yesterday evening
- lygophile tagged Arcturus with ‘progressive black metal’ and ‘armospheric black metal’. yesterday afternoon
- tukan666 connected Arcturus to the group o Kurwa! Totalnie nas pojebało!. yesterday afternoon
- PolinPequeno, Sunn0BzH, bestiakurwa and 1 other person added Arcturus to their libraries. Wednesday afternoon
- obskuric tagged Arcturus with ‘progressive metal avant-garde metal’ and ‘progressive metal’. Tuesday evening
- AcidinmyShoe tagged Arcturus with ‘avant-garde metal’. Tuesday evening
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Groups (242)
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More Information
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