Beyond Dawn
Encyclopedia
Beyond Dawn is a Norwegian
avant-garde metal band
turned electropop composed of Espen Ingierd, Petter Haavik, Tore Gjedrem, and Einar Sjursø. They are described on their official website as "Norway's Best & Least Selling Act", which most likely insinuates Beyond Dawn's distinct artistic integrity being connected with their relative lack of commercial success. After two demo tapes in 1990 and 1991, the band were picked up by French label Adipocere Records, which made possible the band's first two commercial releases, 1993's Up Through the Linear Shades 7" and 1994's Longing For Scarlet Days EP. In 1995, Beyond Dawn released their critically acclaimed full length debut Pity Love on Candlelight Records
. Soon after, the band began work on an album intended to be a departure from the doom metal music they were becoming known for, but their record label was less than pleased with the band's drastic change in sound and they were soon in search of a new label. They eventually signed with Misanthropy Records
and released Revelry in 1998 to more critical praise. Beyond Dawn eventually resumed work on the would-be 1996 album and, after adding additional material and overdubs, released In Reverie
in 1999 on Eibon Records
, which would also be reissued in 2005 with two bonus tracks included. During the latter half of 1999, they released Electric Sulking Machine
on the Peaceville label, which soon became a favorite amongst fans and remains sought after due to its limited pressing.
During the span of their career, Beyond Dawn's sound has gradually evolved from the doom metal
present on their early releases to the minimalistic electropop present on the band's latest album, Frysh. In addition to this, the trombone
, which was a core part of Beyond Dawn's sound on nearly all of their 90s works, is not featured on their most recent output. Due to the limited commercial success of Frysh, the band went on hiatus in 2003 to focus on other projects. Some time later, several tracks from Frysh were remixed by various electronic and EBM
artists and released in the form of the double LP We're Down With Species of Any Kind in 2005. Currently, the band remains on an indefinite hiatus.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
avant-garde metal band
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
turned electropop composed of Espen Ingierd, Petter Haavik, Tore Gjedrem, and Einar Sjursø. They are described on their official website as "Norway's Best & Least Selling Act", which most likely insinuates Beyond Dawn's distinct artistic integrity being connected with their relative lack of commercial success. After two demo tapes in 1990 and 1991, the band were picked up by French label Adipocere Records, which made possible the band's first two commercial releases, 1993's Up Through the Linear Shades 7" and 1994's Longing For Scarlet Days EP. In 1995, Beyond Dawn released their critically acclaimed full length debut Pity Love on Candlelight Records
Candlelight Records
Candlelight Records is an independent record label based in Europe founded by former Extreme Noise Terror bassist Lee Barrett, though it has had a division in the United States since January 2001. Candlelight Records specialises in black metal and death metal, having bands such as Emperor,...
. Soon after, the band began work on an album intended to be a departure from the doom metal music they were becoming known for, but their record label was less than pleased with the band's drastic change in sound and they were soon in search of a new label. They eventually signed with Misanthropy Records
Misanthropy Records
Misanthropy Records was a British record label.It was founded in 1993 by Tiziana Stupia, originally solely to release an album by Burzum. The background to the founding of the company was that after Varg Vikernes was arrested in August 1993 for the murder of Mayhem guitarist Øystein Aarseth, no...
and released Revelry in 1998 to more critical praise. Beyond Dawn eventually resumed work on the would-be 1996 album and, after adding additional material and overdubs, released In Reverie
In Reverie
-Unreleased tracks:There are three unreleased tracks that were recorded at the same time, but not released on the standard edition of the album: "Don't Go Outside", "Coconut", and "Blossom." The unreleased songs, however, could be downloaded for free on the band's homepage requiring only a legal...
in 1999 on Eibon Records
Eibon Records
Eibon Records is an independent record label from Milan, Italy, founded in 1996. It is owned by Mauro Berchi and primarily focuses on very fringe underground music, noise/ambient and doom metal . It is also home to Berchi's own dark ambient group, Canaan...
, which would also be reissued in 2005 with two bonus tracks included. During the latter half of 1999, they released Electric Sulking Machine
Electric Sulking Machine
Electric Sulking Machine is an album by the Norwegian band Beyond Dawn. The album was recorded in Liverpool and released on Peaceville in 1999.-Track listing:#"Violence Heals" – 5:48#"Addictions Are Private" – 4:26...
on the Peaceville label, which soon became a favorite amongst fans and remains sought after due to its limited pressing.
During the span of their career, Beyond Dawn's sound has gradually evolved from the doom metal
Doom metal
Doom metal is an extreme form of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other metal genres...
present on their early releases to the minimalistic electropop present on the band's latest album, Frysh. In addition to this, the trombone
Trombone
The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
, which was a core part of Beyond Dawn's sound on nearly all of their 90s works, is not featured on their most recent output. Due to the limited commercial success of Frysh, the band went on hiatus in 2003 to focus on other projects. Some time later, several tracks from Frysh were remixed by various electronic and EBM
Electronic body music
Electronic body music or industrial dance is a music genre that combines elements of industrial music and electronic dance music...
artists and released in the form of the double LP We're Down With Species of Any Kind in 2005. Currently, the band remains on an indefinite hiatus.
Discography
- Tales from an Extinguished World (demo) (1990)
- Heaven's Dark Reflection (demo) (1991)
- Up Through the Linear Shades (7") (1993)
- Longing for Scarlet Days (1994)
- Pity Love (1995)
- Revelry (1998)
- In Reverie (1999)
- Electric Sulking MachineElectric Sulking MachineElectric Sulking Machine is an album by the Norwegian band Beyond Dawn. The album was recorded in Liverpool and released on Peaceville in 1999.-Track listing:#"Violence Heals" – 5:48#"Addictions Are Private" – 4:26...
(1999) - Far from Showbiz (single) (2003)
- Frysh (2003)
- We're Down with Species of Any Kind (2x LP) (2005)
Current line-up
- Tore Gjedrem : BassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Petter Haavik : GuitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- Espen Ingierd : GuitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
and vocals - Einar Sjursø (VirusVirusA virus is a small infectious agent that can replicate only inside the living cells of organisms. Viruses infect all types of organisms, from animals and plants to bacteria and archaea...
, Ved Buens EndeVed Buens EndeVed Buens Ende is a Norwegian heavy metal band. Their sound is diverse with quiet instrumental jazz influenced sections and aggressive black metal blast beats and vocals...
) : DrumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....