Arcturus

1987, in Oslo, Norway, Steinar "Sverd" Johnsen, Jan Axel "Hellhammer" Blomberg (Mayhem , Thorns , Dimmu Borgir and so many others) and Marius Vold (Thorns ) created Mortem, a death band and recorded a demo on an obscure French label, Putrefaction Records. It was not until 1990 that the three competitors decided to change their surname at the same time as musical orientation, to become Arcturus , one of the most creative Black Metal bands on stage. It was at that time that My Angel appeared, their first EP. Marius left the band shortly afterwards and in 1993 the band included Ulver Kristoffer's singer "Garm" Rygg and guitarist Thomas "Samoth" Haugen. With this line-up, the band recorded a second EP, Constellation , published on Samoth's Nocturnal Art label that same year, still in an atmospheric vein. The guitarist, caught up in worries with Norwegian justice (church fires) , then very much taken by his parallel projects, especially Emperor , left the band in 1994.
The band's first album was released in 1996, and it is Aspera Hiems Symfonia, which brings together 4 new compositions and 4 Constellation tracks. The guitarist and bassist of Ulver, Knut Magne Valle and Hugh "Skoll" Mingay joined them later. In 1997, the fabulous La Masquerade Infernale broke the nail. For the occasion, the group uses a string quartet, cares for theatrical atmospheres, refers to literature, also uses the piano to create a magical atmosphere rarely heard on a black metal record. Arcturus stands out as a truly innovative and respected group, as confirmed by Disguised Masters , collections of remixes, experimental and quite strange in 1999. The band rotates and reaps the fruits of success with increasing popularity. But he continues to surround himself with mystery and rumors of split, and it is with relief that we learn the release of The Sham Mirrors in 2002, excellent musically though a little more modern, released on their own label Ad Astra. Garm unfortunately left the group in 2003 to devote himself better to Ulver, causing some concern.
Oyvind Haegeland ( Spiral Architect ) replaces him for very successful concerts or the direction of Arcturus is wonderful, but in turn he abandons the microphone. It is finally Simen "ICS Vortex" Hestnaes (Borknagar , ex-Dimmu Borgir ) who ensures the voices on Sideshow Symphony, new album in 2005, which many fans consider disappointing compared to the band's productions until then, even though it remains in the top of the current release basket. The band embarked on a European tour and made a DVD at the Solstice Sonic Festival, named Shipwrecked in Oslo, and then came the separation for Arcturus in 2007. After several rumours of reformation in the early 2010s Norwegians finally returned in 2012 with a performance at Hellfest , then in London at the end of 2013. It will take until 2015 for a new opus, the well-named Arcturia . The combo still counts Jan Axel "Hellhammer" Blomberg and Simen "ICS Vortex" Hestnæs.