Luna Mortis
Encyclopedia
Luna Mortis was an American
heavy metal
band based in Madison
, Wisconsin
.
The band was formed in late 2001 in Monroe, Wisconsin
as The Ottoman Empire. In 2006, the band self-released their debut studio album
, Way of the Blade
. In June 2007, Luna Mortis played the first Flight of the Valkyries
female-fronted metal festival in St. Paul, MN under their original name, The Ottoman Empire.
In 2008, the band self-released an EP
, The Answer: Does Not Exist. That same year, the band changed their name to Luna Mortis and signed a recording contract with Century Media
. On February 10, 2009, the band released their debut for Century Media, The Absence
, which was recorded in 2008 at the Audio Hammer Studios and produced by Jason Suecof
.
In June 2009, the band returned to St. Paul (now as Luna Mortis) for the festival's third installment. Luna Mortis was dropped by Century Media Records in December 2009.
On February 15, 2010, Brian Koenig announced on Luna Mortis' MySpace page that the band had been dissolved and the members would be going their separate ways.
, power metal
, progressive metal
, and thrash metal
. The band's vocal style is characterized by Mary Zimmer's use of both clean vocals and growled vocals. Brian Koenig, the band's principal songwriter, states some of his influences were Dream Theater
, Joe Satriani
, Megadeth
, Metallica
, Yngwie Malmsteen, and classical music
. Mary Zimmer states some of her influences were At the Gates
and Carcass
.
* Way of the Blade and The Answer: Does Not Exist were released under the band's former name, The Ottoman Empire.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band based in Madison
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
.
The band was formed in late 2001 in Monroe, Wisconsin
Monroe, Wisconsin
Monroe, known as "the Swiss Cheese Capital of the USA", is a city in and the county seat of Green County, Wisconsin, United States. The population, was 10,843 at the 2000 census. The city is located partially within the Town of Monroe and partially in the Town of Clarno.-Geography:Monroe is located...
as The Ottoman Empire. In 2006, the band self-released their debut studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
, Way of the Blade
Way of the Blade
Way of the Blade is the first full length released by the band The Ottoman Empire. It was released on October 17, 2006.-Track listing:# "Anemic World" - 6:34# "Demon Twin" - 4:31# "Ottoman Empire" - 5:53# "Wrathshot" - 3:06# "One if by Sea" - 7:52...
. In June 2007, Luna Mortis played the first Flight of the Valkyries
Flight of the Valkyries
Flight of the Valkyries is an annual metal festival with editions held St. Paul, MN and recently Baltimore, MD. The music festival is dedicated to metal bands with female lead vocalists....
female-fronted metal festival in St. Paul, MN under their original name, The Ottoman Empire.
In 2008, the band self-released an EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, The Answer: Does Not Exist. That same year, the band changed their name to Luna Mortis and signed a recording contract with Century Media
Century Media Records
Century Media Records is an Independent record label with offices in the United States, Germany, Australia, France, Italy, Sweden, Finland, and the United Kingdom.- Background :...
. On February 10, 2009, the band released their debut for Century Media, The Absence
The Absence (album)
The Absence is the second studio album by the American metal band Luna Mortis. The album was released in 2009 by Century Media and is the first studio album that Luna Mortis released through that record label...
, which was recorded in 2008 at the Audio Hammer Studios and produced by Jason Suecof
Jason Suecof
-Career:Jason is best known for his production and song-writing with the band Trivium. He produces most of his albums at his own Orlando, Florida based studio, Audio Hammer...
.
In June 2009, the band returned to St. Paul (now as Luna Mortis) for the festival's third installment. Luna Mortis was dropped by Century Media Records in December 2009.
On February 15, 2010, Brian Koenig announced on Luna Mortis' MySpace page that the band had been dissolved and the members would be going their separate ways.
Musical style
Luna Mortis' musical style is often described as a mixture of different genres. Among the genres used to describe Luna Mortis are melodic death metalMelodic death metal
Melodic death metal is a heavy metal music style that combines elements from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal with elements of death metal. The style was developed during the early and mid-1990s, primarily in England and Scandinavia...
, power metal
Power metal
Power metal is a style of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional metal with speed metal, often within symphonic context. The term refers to two different but related styles: the first pioneered and largely practiced in North America with a harder sound similar to speed metal, and a...
, progressive metal
Progressive metal
Progressive metal is a subgenre of heavy metal originating in the United Kingdom and North America in the late 1980s...
, and thrash metal
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
. The band's vocal style is characterized by Mary Zimmer's use of both clean vocals and growled vocals. Brian Koenig, the band's principal songwriter, states some of his influences were Dream Theater
Dream Theater
Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung, and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of their studies to further concentrate on the band that would...
, Joe Satriani
Joe Satriani
Joseph "Joe" Satriani is an American instrumental rock guitarist and multi-instrumentalist, with multiple Grammy Award nominations...
, Megadeth
Megadeth
Megadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California which was formed in 1983 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist Greg Handevidt, following Mustaine's expulsion from Metallica. The band has since released 13 studio albums, three live albums, two...
, 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 ...
, Yngwie Malmsteen, and classical music
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
. Mary Zimmer states some of her influences were At the Gates
At the Gates
At the Gates is an extreme metal band from Gothenburg, Sweden, and a major progenitor of the Gothenburg death-metal sound. Their early albums lean towards a death metal sound, but later albums sound more like melodic death metal.Initially active from 1990 to 1996, the band reformed in 2007 for a...
and Carcass
Carcass (band)
Carcass are an extreme metal band from England, who formed in 1985 and disbanded in 1995. A reunion was enacted in 2008 without one of its original members, drummer Ken Owen, due to health reasons....
.
Final Lineup
- Mary Zimmer – Vocals
- Brian Koenig – GuitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
- Cory Scheider – Guitar
- Jacob Bare – BassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Erik Madsen – 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 ....
Discography
- Twice Demo (2002)*
- Curse of the Sun EPCurse of the Sun EPCurse of the Sun EP is the first EP released by the band The Ottoman Empire. It was self released in 2004.-Track listing:# "Bane" - 5:38# "Metamorphosis" - 6:05# "The Witching Hour" - 3:53# "Howl From Beyond" - 5:18# "New Master" - 3:14...
(2004)* - Way of the BladeWay of the BladeWay of the Blade is the first full length released by the band The Ottoman Empire. It was released on October 17, 2006.-Track listing:# "Anemic World" - 6:34# "Demon Twin" - 4:31# "Ottoman Empire" - 5:53# "Wrathshot" - 3:06# "One if by Sea" - 7:52...
(2006)* - The Answer: Does Not Exist EPThe Answer: Does Not Exist EPThe Answer: Does Not Exist EP is the second EP, by the band The Ottoman Empire. It was released in March 2008. This was the last album by The Ottoman Empire before they changed their name to Luna Mortis.-Track listing:# "Fountain of Youth" - 4:15...
(2008)* - The AbsenceThe Absence (album)The Absence is the second studio album by the American metal band Luna Mortis. The album was released in 2009 by Century Media and is the first studio album that Luna Mortis released through that record label...
(2009)