Skepticism (band)
Encyclopedia
Skepticism is a funeral doom metal band from Finland
. Formed in 1991, they are regarded as one of the pioneers of the genre.
sound on their first 7", Skepticism soon began to evolve into a more distinctive style, a combination of slow doom metal
and death metal with prolific use of keyboards
, especially using an organ
sound. The keyboards intend to create a depressive sound, rather than the gothic
sound that many metal
bands using keyboards tend to focus on. This style was first heard on the Aeothe Kaear demo
(1994), which was still up-tempo compared to the material that was to follow. The debut full-length Stormcrowfleet
took that style a step further, consisting of six long and slow tracks with an average length of nearly ten minutes each.
After this, the band released its first 'pair', an EP
and album which are thematically connected: Ethere
(1997) and Lead and Aether
(1998). In 1999, Aes was released, a one-track EP lasting almost 28 minutes, and another departure into different stylistic territory from the band. A variety of musical themes are explored before the song turns back upon itself and returns to the opening theme.
The band's latest releases were contained in the second 'pair', The Process of Farmakon
(2002) and Farmakon
(2003). These releases involve another slight departure from earlier releases, by introducing more elements of dissonance
and experimentation
. Their 2008 release is called Alloy
.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. Formed in 1991, they are regarded as one of the pioneers of the genre.
Overview of studio work
Starting out with a death metalDeath metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
sound on their first 7", Skepticism soon began to evolve into a more distinctive style, a combination of slow 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...
and death metal with prolific use of keyboards
Electronic keyboard
An electronic keyboard is an electronic or digital keyboard instrument.The major components of a typical modern electronic keyboard are:...
, especially using an organ
Organ (music)
The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
sound. The keyboards intend to create a depressive sound, rather than the gothic
Gothic metal
Gothic metal or goth metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music that combines the aggression of doom metal with the dark melancholy of gothic rock. The music of gothic metal is diverse with bands known to adopt the gothic approach to different styles of heavy metal music...
sound that many 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...
bands using keyboards tend to focus on. This style was first heard on the Aeothe Kaear 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...
(1994), which was still up-tempo compared to the material that was to follow. The debut full-length Stormcrowfleet
Stormcrowfleet
Stormcrowfleet is the debut album by the Finnish funeral doom metal band Skepticism.-Track listing:# "Sign of a Storm" – 10:13# "Pouring" – 8:48# "By Silent Wings" – 7:06# "The Rising of the Flames" – 11:31# "The Gallant Crow" – 7:39...
took that style a step further, consisting of six long and slow tracks with an average length of nearly ten minutes each.
After this, the band released its first 'pair', 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...
and album which are thematically connected: Ethere
Ethere
Ethere is an EP by Skepticism. It was released in 1997 on Red Stream....
(1997) and Lead and Aether
Lead and Aether
Lead and Aether is the second album by the Finnish funeral doom metal band Skepticism. The second track "The March and the Stream" is dedicated to "Iia", 1976-1996.-Track listing:# "The Organium" – 6:41# "The March and the Stream" – 10:35...
(1998). In 1999, Aes was released, a one-track EP lasting almost 28 minutes, and another departure into different stylistic territory from the band. A variety of musical themes are explored before the song turns back upon itself and returns to the opening theme.
The band's latest releases were contained in the second 'pair', The Process of Farmakon
The Process of Farmakon
The Process of Farmakon is an EP by Skepticism, which consists of two tracks taken from the Farmakon album but in a different version. It was released in 2002 by Red Stream Inc.-Track listing:# "Backward Funeral and the Raven" – 7:49...
(2002) and Farmakon
Farmakon
Farmakon is the third album of the Finnish funeral doom metal band Skepticism."The Raven and the Backward Funeral" and "Farmakon Process" are alternate versions of tracks that appeared on the band's previous EP, The Process of Farmakon....
(2003). These releases involve another slight departure from earlier releases, by introducing more elements of dissonance
Consonance and dissonance
In music, a consonance is a harmony, chord, or interval considered stable, as opposed to a dissonance , which is considered to be unstable...
and experimentation
Experimental music
Experimental music refers, in the English-language literature, to a compositional tradition which arose in the mid-20th century, applied particularly in North America to music composed in such a way that its outcome is unforeseeable. Its most famous and influential exponent was John Cage...
. Their 2008 release is called Alloy
Alloy (album)
Alloy is the fourth studio album by the Finnish funeral doom band Skepticism.-History:The album was released through Red Stream Inc. on October 20, 2008. The album was released five years after Skepticism's previous effort, Farmakon. Following the albums' release, Skepticism went on the "Exorcising...
.
Line-up
The final line-up was reached in early 1993 and consists of a drummer, guitarist, organist and a vocalist. No changes in the line-up have taken place since then.- Matti - VocalsDeath growlA death growl, also known as death metal vocals, guttural vocals, death grunts, and harsh vocals among other names, is a vocalisation style usually employed by vocalists of the death metal and black metal music genre, but also used in a variety of heavy metal and hardcore punk subgenres.Death...
- Jani Kekarainen - GuitarsElectric 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...
- Pasi Pöyry - KeyboardElectronic keyboardAn electronic keyboard is an electronic or digital keyboard instrument.The major components of a typical modern electronic keyboard are:...
s - Lasse Pelkonen - DrumDrum 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 ....
s
Demos, singles & EPs
- Towards My End (7" Single, 1992)
- Aeothe Kaear (Demo, 1994)
- EthereEthereEthere is an EP by Skepticism. It was released in 1997 on Red Stream....
(EP, 1997, Red Stream) - Aes (EP, 1999, Red Stream)
- The Process of FarmakonThe Process of FarmakonThe Process of Farmakon is an EP by Skepticism, which consists of two tracks taken from the Farmakon album but in a different version. It was released in 2002 by Red Stream Inc.-Track listing:# "Backward Funeral and the Raven" – 7:49...
(EP, 2002, Red Stream)
Albums
- StormcrowfleetStormcrowfleetStormcrowfleet is the debut album by the Finnish funeral doom metal band Skepticism.-Track listing:# "Sign of a Storm" – 10:13# "Pouring" – 8:48# "By Silent Wings" – 7:06# "The Rising of the Flames" – 11:31# "The Gallant Crow" – 7:39...
(1995, Red Stream) - Lead and AetherLead and AetherLead and Aether is the second album by the Finnish funeral doom metal band Skepticism. The second track "The March and the Stream" is dedicated to "Iia", 1976-1996.-Track listing:# "The Organium" – 6:41# "The March and the Stream" – 10:35...
(1998, Red Stream) - FarmakonFarmakonFarmakon is the third album of the Finnish funeral doom metal band Skepticism."The Raven and the Backward Funeral" and "Farmakon Process" are alternate versions of tracks that appeared on the band's previous EP, The Process of Farmakon....
(2003, Red Stream) - AlloyAlloy (album)Alloy is the fourth studio album by the Finnish funeral doom band Skepticism.-History:The album was released through Red Stream Inc. on October 20, 2008. The album was released five years after Skepticism's previous effort, Farmakon. Following the albums' release, Skepticism went on the "Exorcising...
(2008, Red Stream)
External links
- Skepticism the official website of Skepticism since early 2008
- farmakon.com used to be the official website address of Skepticism between early 2003 and late 2005
- Skepticism on Myspace
- Interview with www.doom-metal.com, April 2003
- Red Stream - Skepticism's label
- Skepticism at Encyclopaedia MetallumEncyclopaedia MetallumEncyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives is a website which lists bands from various forms of heavy metal music...