Artefact (band)
Encyclopedia
Artefact was a black metal
band from Nice, France
. According to the band itself, its name is taken from the medieval fantasy
universe, and evokes a magical item.
Its music, delving largely into influences such as Emperor
, Arcturus, Bathory
, Opeth
, Burzum
, Dimmu Borgir
, Metallica
, Iron Maiden
, Satyricon
, is a mixture between different genres: folk
or medieval tunes
, ethereal moods, powerful and massive heavy metal composition, as well as a touch of progressive music
in its arrangements. However different, all these elements succeed in blending together in carefully constructed, narrative and unity-seeking musical pieces.
2003: Artefact recorded its first album, Son of Solstice
, in Sikh singer Kallaghan’s studio, with singer Sly from Shimmer of Chaos. An opus quite favourably received at the time (see and). Then the band invited a new singer, Sebastien aka Runenlyd, who also currently sings and plays as a guitarist in Deviance.
. The band earned a third prize, which helped them compose and record a second opus, Magic Spellcraft
, which included new epics and strong aggressive pieces. Magic Spellcraft was produced by Rupture Music, and was released on April 18, 2006. The new opus was well-received and garnered positive reviews, for instance in "Metallian", and "Nightfall.fr". Two new members then joined the band: Fred (aka Sephiroth) on keyboards in 2006, as well as Jeremy (aka Olwe Telrunya) on guitar in 2007.
During the following months, Artefact recorded four songs, intended to be released as a maxi. One of these songs, Failure, was distributed online on their website. Artefact disbanded in 2010.
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
band from Nice, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. According to the band itself, its name is taken from the medieval fantasy
Medieval fantasy
Medieval fantasy is a subgenre of fantasy that encompasses medieval era high fantasy and sometimes simply represents fictitious versions of historic events. This subgenre is common among role-playing games, text-based roleplaying, and high-fantasy literature....
universe, and evokes a magical item.
Its music, delving largely into influences such as Emperor
Emperor (band)
Emperor was a Norwegian black metal band formed in 1991. They dissolved in 2001, but reunited in 2006 and again in 2007 for a few festival dates and brief US tours. The group was founded by Samoth and Ihsahn .-Biography:...
, Arcturus, Bathory
Bathory (band)
Bathory was a Swedish heavy metal band, formed by Quorthon in 1983. They are regarded as pioneers of both black metal and viking metal. Quorthon remained the main songwriter and member of Bathory for more than two decades. Bathory was permanently ended after Quorthon's death in 2004...
, Opeth
Opeth
Opeth is a Swedish heavy metal band from Stockholm, formed in 1990. Though the group has been through several personnel changes, singer, guitarist, and songwriter Mikael Åkerfeldt has remained Opeth's driving force throughout the years...
, Burzum
Burzum
Burzum is a musical project by Varg Vikernes . It began during 1991 in Bergen, Norway and quickly became prominent within the early Norwegian black metal scene...
, Dimmu Borgir
Dimmu Borgir
Dimmu Borgir is a Norwegian black metal band from Oslo, Norway, formed in 1993. Dimmu borgir means "dark cities" or "dark castles/fortresses" in Icelandic, Faroese and Old Norse. The name is derived from a volcanic formation in Iceland, Dimmuborgir...
, Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
, Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
, Satyricon
Satyricon (band)
Satyricon is a Norwegian black metal band, and the first one in the genre to join a multi-national record label .-Biography:Satyricon was formed in 1990 by Czral and Wargod. Ulver and Satyr soon joined them...
, is a mixture between different genres: folk
Folk metal
Folk metal is a sub-genre of heavy metal music that developed in Europe during the 1990s. As the name suggests, the genre is a fusion of heavy metal with traditional folk music...
or medieval tunes
Medieval music
Medieval music is Western music written during the Middle Ages. This era begins with the fall of the Roman Empire and ends sometime in the early fifteenth century...
, ethereal moods, powerful and massive heavy metal composition, as well as a touch of progressive music
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
in its arrangements. However different, all these elements succeed in blending together in carefully constructed, narrative and unity-seeking musical pieces.
Genesis of the project (2000–2003)
Artefact was created in year 2000, by guitarist Guillaume V. aka Aldebaran , and Pascal aka Alucard. Together, they composed and recorded a demo, Same, and determined the musical orientation of their project. Meeting with Ranko(drums), Alexis (bass), from Oktopod, and Camille (guitar) in 2002 allowed the group to prepare for a first album. By then Alucard was willing to leave, not having enough time. A line-up of four was thus established.2003: Artefact recorded its first album, Son of Solstice
Son of Solstice
Son of Solstice is the debut Artefact album, recorded at Kallaghan's studio in 2002. It was originally self-released in 2002 but was reissued in March 2004 by Rupture Music. In this album, Artefact displays a strong taste for long and rich compositions, with changing tempos and mystical moods,...
, in Sikh singer Kallaghan’s studio, with singer Sly from Shimmer of Chaos. An opus quite favourably received at the time (see and). Then the band invited a new singer, Sebastien aka Runenlyd, who also currently sings and plays as a guitarist in Deviance.
Wacken Battle and Magic Spellcraft (2004–2006)
During August 2004, Artefact was representative of France, and more particularly of south east France and County of Nizza (Nice), in the Wacken Battle, which contest occurs during the heavy metal Festival Wacken Open AirWacken Open Air
Wacken Open Air is a summer open air heavy metal music festival. It takes place annually in the small town of Wacken in Schleswig-Holstein, northern Germany...
. The band earned a third prize, which helped them compose and record a second opus, Magic Spellcraft
Magic Spellcraft
Magic Spellcraft is the second Artefact album, recorded at Finnvox studio in 2005. It was released by Rupture Music on May 18, 2006. In this second opus, created and recorded when coming back from Wacken Open Air Festival, where they won third prize during a Wacken Battle, Artefact shows a powerful...
, which included new epics and strong aggressive pieces. Magic Spellcraft was produced by Rupture Music, and was released on April 18, 2006. The new opus was well-received and garnered positive reviews, for instance in "Metallian", and "Nightfall.fr". Two new members then joined the band: Fred (aka Sephiroth) on keyboards in 2006, as well as Jeremy (aka Olwe Telrunya) on guitar in 2007.
Following the departure of Aldebaran (2008-2010)
In December 2008, the band announces publicly the departure of their founding member and main composer Aldebaran, who creates a new black metal band, Darkenhöld. From now on, composing is shared by all members of the band, with an emphasis for Olwe Telrunya and Sephiroth concerning arrangements.During the following months, Artefact recorded four songs, intended to be released as a maxi. One of these songs, Failure, was distributed online on their website. Artefact disbanded in 2010.
Studio albums
- Son of SolsticeSon of SolsticeSon of Solstice is the debut Artefact album, recorded at Kallaghan's studio in 2002. It was originally self-released in 2002 but was reissued in March 2004 by Rupture Music. In this album, Artefact displays a strong taste for long and rich compositions, with changing tempos and mystical moods,...
(Rupture Music, 2003) - Magic SpellcraftMagic SpellcraftMagic Spellcraft is the second Artefact album, recorded at Finnvox studio in 2005. It was released by Rupture Music on May 18, 2006. In this second opus, created and recorded when coming back from Wacken Open Air Festival, where they won third prize during a Wacken Battle, Artefact shows a powerful...
(Rupture Music, 2006) - Ruins (Rupture Music, 2008)
- FailureFailure (Artefact album)Failure is the fourth album by metal band Artefact. It was recorded in 2009, after the departure of its founding member Aldebaran. The album was never completed, only four tracks have been composed and recorded before the band split up in 2010...
(Self-produced, 2011)
Compilation album
- Black Storm (Mordrek, 2007)
- Old Crown, New Spawn (Aspherical Asphyxia, 2009)
Cover songs
- "Entertainment System" covers the music from the video games: Legend of ZeldaThe Legend of Zelda: A Link to the PastThe Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, known as in Japan, is an action-adventure video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System video game console, and the third installment in The Legend of Zelda series. It was first released in Japan in 1991, and was...
, Gargoyle's QuestGargoyle's Quest, is a platform/side scrolling adventure game with mild RPG elements from Capcom. It was released on May 2, 1990 in Japan and then in America and Canada in July. The main character Red Arremer made his debut in the arcade game series Ghosts'n Goblins...
and CastlevaniaCastlevania (video game)Castlevania, known as in Japan, is a console video game developed and published by Konami for the Family Computer Disk System in Japan in September 1986. A year later, in May 1987 it was ported to cartridge format and released in North America for the Nintendo Entertainment System followed by a...
- found on MySpace - "Radical Cut" (by ArcturusArcturus (band)Arcturus is an avant-garde metal band formed in Norway in 1987. They named it Arcturus , after the Behenian fixed star Arcturus.-Biography:The band has released four official full-length albums...
from The Sham MirrorsThe Sham MirrorsThe Sham Mirrors is the third full-length album by Norwegian avant-garde metal band Arcturus. It was released on April 9, 2002.The Sham Mirrors is a departure from the band's previous albums...
) – found on MySpace - "The Loss and Curse of Reverence" (by EmperorEmperor (band)Emperor was a Norwegian black metal band formed in 1991. They dissolved in 2001, but reunited in 2006 and again in 2007 for a few festival dates and brief US tours. The group was founded by Samoth and Ihsahn .-Biography:...
from Anthems to the Welkin at DuskAnthems to the Welkin at DuskAnthems to the Welkin at Dusk is the second full-length album by Norwegian symphonic black metal band Emperor. It was released in 1997 . The album was recorded in the Grieg Hall in Bergen, Norway...
) – found on MySpace
Band members
- Runenlyd – vocals
- Ranko – drums
- Alexis – bass
- Sephiroth – keyboards
- Olwe Telrunya – guitar
Former members
- Aldebaran – guitar
- Alucard – guitar
- Camille – guitar
- Julien – vocals
- Pierre – bass guitar