Pavor
Encyclopedia
Pavor is a German
technical death metal
band, formed in 1987. The band has released two albums in a twenty-year career and have chosen to be independent all that time.
, Germany
, by guitarists Armin Rave and Holger Seebens. Efforts to increase professionality led to three changes in the early line-up, and quickly Michael Pelkowsky (drums
), Rainer Landfermann (bass
), and Claudius Schwartz (vocals
) were regular members.
The band's desire for high quality in all matters resulted in the delay of a first official release. Finally, during the winter of 1992/1993, 28 minutes of music were recorded and released some months later as an untitled tape EP, which was soon sold out and is no longer available today. After a year of composing and gigging, Pavor re-entered the studio during May/June/July 1994 to record their first full-length album, A Pale Debilitating Autumn
. Shortly after the album's release, guitarist Holger Seebens left the band, and Pavor continued as a four-piece.
During 1995 and 1996, Pavor promoted the album with interviews and shows, and started preparing for the next album. However, organizational problems resulting from the jobs of some members led to a partial withdrawal from public relations work and the public in general during the following years. The band made brief appearances in the media. In February 2000, German metal magazine RockHard
featured Pavor with an interview and the track "Perplexer: Perdition Projectile" on its annual "best unsigned acts" compilation "Unerhört!". In June 2000, Pavor won the underground-contest held by Heavy Oder Was?!-magazine, and played the renowned Bang Your Head Festival in Balingen
, Germany
, as a result.
In the year 2003, Pavor finished the recordings of their second album, Furioso
. Among the album's eight songs is a re-recorded version of the Pavor classic "Crucified Hopes," which was composed back in 1989. The lyrics of the track "Dilettante's Dilemma," a song written by Landfermann in 2000, suggest in a self-deprecating tone (the speaker almost mocks himself as a "dilettante" and an "ungifted man") the reason for the band's low output over the years and their quest for perfection. At the same time, the speaker confirms, or tries to convince himself of, the quality of the result: "Hundreds of thousands / Well-defined operands in an intricate equation / Perfect conciseness / A fulminant contrivance pushing brilliance to its apex." The dilemma, then, is the attempt at perfection in an imperfect world, imperfect first because of "ailing objectors," and second because of the inherent doubt of man ("ungifted man") in his own capability.
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...
technical death metal
Technical death metal
Technical death metal is a musical subgenre of death metal that focuses on complex rhythms, riffs and song structures. Technical experimentation in death metal began in the late '80s and early '90s by bands such as Death, Atheist and Cynic...
band, formed in 1987. The band has released two albums in a twenty-year career and have chosen to be independent all that time.
Biography
Pavor was founded in 1987 near BonnBonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
, 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...
, by guitarists Armin Rave and Holger Seebens. Efforts to increase professionality led to three changes in the early line-up, and quickly Michael Pelkowsky (drums
Drum kit
A 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 ....
), Rainer Landfermann (bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
), and Claudius Schwartz (vocals
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
) were regular members.
The band's desire for high quality in all matters resulted in the delay of a first official release. Finally, during the winter of 1992/1993, 28 minutes of music were recorded and released some months later as an untitled tape EP, which was soon sold out and is no longer available today. After a year of composing and gigging, Pavor re-entered the studio during May/June/July 1994 to record their first full-length album, A Pale Debilitating Autumn
A Pale Debilitating Autumn
A Pale Debilitating Autumn is the 1994 debut album by German technical death metal band Pavor.-Track listing:#"A Pale Debilitating Autumn" – 6:53#"Total Warrior" – 5:34#"Corpses" – 5:30#"Careworn" – 4:20#"Pavor" – 4:50...
. Shortly after the album's release, guitarist Holger Seebens left the band, and Pavor continued as a four-piece.
During 1995 and 1996, Pavor promoted the album with interviews and shows, and started preparing for the next album. However, organizational problems resulting from the jobs of some members led to a partial withdrawal from public relations work and the public in general during the following years. The band made brief appearances in the media. In February 2000, German metal magazine RockHard
Rock Hard (magazine)
Rock Hard is a heavy metal magazine originally released in Germany. It was founded in 1983 by Holger Stratmann and is dedicated to all styles of rock and heavy metal. The magazine has independent offspring with the same name in France, Greece, Italy and Spain....
featured Pavor with an interview and the track "Perplexer: Perdition Projectile" on its annual "best unsigned acts" compilation "Unerhört!". In June 2000, Pavor won the underground-contest held by Heavy Oder Was?!-magazine, and played the renowned Bang Your Head Festival in Balingen
Balingen
Balingen is a town in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, capital of the district of Zollernalbkreis. It is located nearby the Swabian Alb, approx. 35 km to the south of Tübingen, 35 km northeast of Villingen-Schwenningen, and 60 km southwest of Stuttgart.It is home to the Bizerba and Ideal...
, 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...
, as a result.
In the year 2003, Pavor finished the recordings of their second album, Furioso
Furioso (album)
Furioso is the second studio album by the German technical death metal band Pavor.-Track listing:# Inflictor Of Grimness - 9:31# Perplexer: Perdition Projectile - 5:52# Wroth Volcanic Vent - 5:32# Furioso - 6:22# A Schizoid Uglifier - 6:16...
. Among the album's eight songs is a re-recorded version of the Pavor classic "Crucified Hopes," which was composed back in 1989. The lyrics of the track "Dilettante's Dilemma," a song written by Landfermann in 2000, suggest in a self-deprecating tone (the speaker almost mocks himself as a "dilettante" and an "ungifted man") the reason for the band's low output over the years and their quest for perfection. At the same time, the speaker confirms, or tries to convince himself of, the quality of the result: "Hundreds of thousands / Well-defined operands in an intricate equation / Perfect conciseness / A fulminant contrivance pushing brilliance to its apex." The dilemma, then, is the attempt at perfection in an imperfect world, imperfect first because of "ailing objectors," and second because of the inherent doubt of man ("ungifted man") in his own capability.
Current members
- Rainer Landfermann - bass
- Michael Pelkowsky - drums
- Armin Rave - guitar
- Claudius Schwartz - vocals
Discography
- Catharsis (Demo, 1993)
- Pavor (Demo, 1993)
- A Pale Debilitating AutumnA Pale Debilitating AutumnA Pale Debilitating Autumn is the 1994 debut album by German technical death metal band Pavor.-Track listing:#"A Pale Debilitating Autumn" – 6:53#"Total Warrior" – 5:34#"Corpses" – 5:30#"Careworn" – 4:20#"Pavor" – 4:50...
(Album, 1994) - FuriosoFurioso (album)Furioso is the second studio album by the German technical death metal band Pavor.-Track listing:# Inflictor Of Grimness - 9:31# Perplexer: Perdition Projectile - 5:52# Wroth Volcanic Vent - 5:32# Furioso - 6:22# A Schizoid Uglifier - 6:16...
(Album, 2003)