Mar de Grises
Encyclopedia
Mar de Grises is a Chile
an death/doom metal band created in 2000. A good translation of "Mar de Grises" would be "Sea of Grief", even when Grises is the plural form for grey, the color of sorrow in Spanish as it is blue in English.
Inspired in bands like My Dying Bride
, In the Woods...
, Emperor
, Poema Arcanus
, Anathema
, Samael
, Death
, Tiamat
, At The Gates
, and non-metal bands
Their compositions, while embracing canons from an evolutionary doom metal style, float around other genres such as progressive rock
, post-rock, ambient, electronic music
, death metal and others.
Their first demo
was recorded in 2002, and was convincing enough to get them a contract with Finnish label, Firebox Records
. This was quite rare at the time for a rock or metal band from South America
, as the band was barely even known in Chile itself.
With Firebox Records, Mar de Grises released their first LP titled "The Tatterdemalion Express" in January 2004, with sound engineers that had previously worked with bands like Six Magics
and Poema Arcanus. The album got a very good reception and was acclaimed by critics, earning titles like "Best Doom Album" and "Best New Band" from important magazines.
In 2005 Mar de Grises toured Europe
for the first time, performing in France
, the Netherlands
, Spain
, Belgium
and Italy
. The tour included festivals like Doom Shall Rise
and Belgian Doom Night.
In 2006, singer Marcelo Rodríguez left the band and was replaced by Juan Escobar.
In September 2007 Mar de Grises started to record their second album at the same studio where the first one was completed.
In 2008, Mar de Grises finished and released their second album, called "Draining the Waterheart", and started their second European Tour from 16 of April to 12 of May, performing 20 concerts in 10 countries (Portugal, Spain, France, Netherlands, Germany
, Czech Republic
, Slovakia
, Switzerland
, Belgium, Finland). During that tour, they traveled with bands like Saturnus
and Thurisaz, including a short tour in Finland (Helsinki
, Turku
and Seinajoki
) with Ablaze in Hatred. In Finland, Mar de Grises performed at the Firebox Metal Festival, sharing the stage with bands like Dark Tranquillity
, Impaled Nazarene
and Enslaved
.
In 2010, Mar de Grises signed a contract with global French label, Season of Mist
, moving away from Finland-based label, Firebox
.
In 2011, Streams Inwards was rated the Metal Storm
#1 doom metal album of 2010 by users.
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
an death/doom metal band created in 2000. A good translation of "Mar de Grises" would be "Sea of Grief", even when Grises is the plural form for grey, the color of sorrow in Spanish as it is blue in English.
History
Members of the band met while studying at university and formed a group just with the idea to spend some leisure time.Inspired in bands like My Dying Bride
My Dying Bride
My Dying Bride are an English doom metal band formed in 1990. To date, My Dying Bride have released eleven full-length studio albums, three EPs, one demo, one box set, four compilation albums, one live album, and one live CD/DVD release. The band released their tenth studio album, For Lies I Sire,...
, In the Woods...
In the Woods...
In the Woods... was a heavy metal band from Kristiansand, Norway. The band released a total of three studio albums, three singles, one compilation album and one live album throughout its existence. The band was formed by previous members of the similar-styled band Green Carnation and is now...
, Emperor
Emperor
An emperor is a monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife or a woman who rules in her own right...
, Poema Arcanus
Poema Arcanus
Poema Arcanus is a Chilean death/doom metal band that was formed in the early 1990s and has four full-length studio albums under their name. The band was originally named Garbage; they later changed their name to Garbage Breed and eventually settled on their current name of Poema Arcanus...
, Anathema
Anathema (band)
Anathema are an English band from Liverpool primarily known for their ever evolving sound. Beginning as pioneers of the death/doom metal sub-genre, their later albums have been associated with genres such as alternative rock, progressive rock, art rock, new prog, and post-rock.-History:Anathema...
, Samael
Samael
Samael is an important archangel in Talmudic and post-Talmudic lore, a figure who is accuser, seducer and destroyer, and has been regarded as both good and evil...
, Death
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
, Tiamat
Tiamat (band)
-Biography:Initially, the band played straightforward black metal under the name Treblinka. After having recorded the album Sumerian Cry in 1989, vocalist/guitarist Johan Edlund and bassist Jörgen Thullberg parted ways with the other two founding members, and subsequently changed the name to Tiamat...
, 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 non-metal bands
Their compositions, while embracing canons from an evolutionary doom metal style, float around other genres such as progressive rock
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...
, post-rock, ambient, electronic music
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
, death metal and others.
Their first demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
was recorded in 2002, and was convincing enough to get them a contract with Finnish label, Firebox Records
Firebox Records
Firebox Records is a Finnish record label based in Seinäjoki, Southern Ostrobothnia. The label is well known in the underground heavy metal scene. They specialize in doom metal....
. This was quite rare at the time for a rock or metal band from South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, as the band was barely even known in Chile itself.
With Firebox Records, Mar de Grises released their first LP titled "The Tatterdemalion Express" in January 2004, with sound engineers that had previously worked with bands like Six Magics
Six Magics
Six magics is a Chilean metal group formed initially by Pablo Stagnaro, Erick Avila, Nicholas Espinoza, J.Pizarro and Sergio Villarroel. At first, Erick composed music and edited while J. Pablo wrote the lyrics. Their songs were originally all in Spanish, but they hoped to later write in English...
and Poema Arcanus. The album got a very good reception and was acclaimed by critics, earning titles like "Best Doom Album" and "Best New Band" from important magazines.
In 2005 Mar de Grises toured Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
for the first time, performing in 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...
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. The tour included festivals like Doom Shall Rise
Doom Shall Rise
Doom Shall Rise is the world's biggest doom metal festival. It is held annually at the Chapel in Göppingen, Germany since 2003.-2003 lineup:*Dawn of Winter*Doomshine*Dreaming*Forsaken*Revelation*Reverend Bizarre*Semlah*Mirror of Deception*Subversion...
and Belgian Doom Night.
In 2006, singer Marcelo Rodríguez left the band and was replaced by Juan Escobar.
In September 2007 Mar de Grises started to record their second album at the same studio where the first one was completed.
In 2008, Mar de Grises finished and released their second album, called "Draining the Waterheart", and started their second European Tour from 16 of April to 12 of May, performing 20 concerts in 10 countries (Portugal, Spain, France, Netherlands, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
, Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, Belgium, Finland). During that tour, they traveled with bands like Saturnus
Saturnus (band)
Saturnus is a band from Denmark formed in 1991 playing melodic death/doom metal, with touches of gothic metal. They sing of sorrow, loss, and death.-Biography:...
and Thurisaz, including a short tour in Finland (Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, Turku
Turku
Turku is a city situated on the southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of the Aura River. It is located in the region of Finland Proper. It is believed that Turku came into existence during the end of the 13th century which makes it the oldest city in Finland...
and Seinajoki
Seinäjoki
Seinäjoki is a city located in Southern Ostrobothnia, Finland. Seinäjoki originated around the Östermyra bruk iron and gunpowder factories founded in 1798. Seinäjoki became a municipality in 1868, market town in 1931 and town in 1960...
) with Ablaze in Hatred. In Finland, Mar de Grises performed at the Firebox Metal Festival, sharing the stage with bands like Dark Tranquillity
Dark Tranquillity
Dark Tranquillity is a Swedish melodic death metal band from Gothenburg. They are one of the longest-standing bands from the original Gothenburg metal scene, and are one of the most integral pioneers of the melodic death metal genre of music....
, Impaled Nazarene
Impaled Nazarene
Impaled Nazarene is a Finnish black metal band that incorporates elements of grindcore in their sound and punk rock in their aesthetics. The band is currently signed to Osmose Productions of France....
and Enslaved
Enslaved (band)
Enslaved is a progressive black metal band formed in June 1991 in Sveio, Norway, and currently based out of Bergen, Norway.-History:Enslaved was formed in June 1991 by Ivar Bjørnson and Grutle Kjellson when they were 13 and 17 years old, respectively. The band name was inspired by an Immortal demo...
.
In 2010, Mar de Grises signed a contract with global French label, Season of Mist
Season of Mist
Season of Mist is a record label and record distributor with subsidiaries in France and the United States. The record label was founded in 1996 by Michael S. Berberian in Marseille, France. From the start releasing black metal, pagan metal and death metal records, the label moved on to releasing...
, moving away from Finland-based label, Firebox
Firebox Records
Firebox Records is a Finnish record label based in Seinäjoki, Southern Ostrobothnia. The label is well known in the underground heavy metal scene. They specialize in doom metal....
.
In 2011, Streams Inwards was rated the Metal Storm
Metal Storm (webzine)
Metal Storm is a webzine specializing in various forms of heavy metal music. It is based in Tallinn, Estonia but caters to an international audience, symbolically recognized by the acquisition of an EU domain in 2008...
#1 doom metal album of 2010 by users.
Musicians
- Rodrigo Morris - 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...
- Sergio Alvarez - 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...
(Mourner's Lament) - Rodrigo Galvez - BassBass (instrument)Bass describes musical instruments that produce tones in the low-pitched range. They belong to different families of instruments and can cover a wide range of musical roles...
(Mourner's Lament) - Alejandro Arce - Drums (Norphelida, Target, Kintral)
Former musicians
- Juan Escobar - Vocals and KeyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
- Marcelo R. - Vocals
- Herumor V - 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...
(AuraHiemis)
Records
- Demo 2002 (2002)
- The Tatterdemalion Express (2004)
- Draining the Waterheart (2008)
- First River Regards (2009)
- Streams Inwards (2010)