Slechtvalk
Encyclopedia
Slechtvalk is an extreme metal
band from The Netherlands, formed in 1999. Previously signed to Fear Dark Record and currently to Whirlwind Records, the group has released four albums, a split-CD with Kekal
, a single and a DVD. The second album, The War That Plagues the Lands
, reached #2 at Lowland's Top 50 Metal Charts, and was name one of HM Magazine
's "100 Best Christian metal
albums of all time." The third album, At the Dawn of War
, coincided with the release of a live-DVD, Upon the Fields of Battle, and a maxisingle for "Thunder of War." The band's fourth album A Forlorn Throne
was released on July 16, 2010.
Slechtvalk began as a solo project in 1997 by singer/guitarist Shamgar, formerly of Ascension and Mordax. The project was first Dommer (1999–2000), before Shamgar finally settled on Slechtvalk. The debut album, Falconry
, was released in 2000 by the now-defunct Dutch label Fear Dark which had bands such as Eluveitie
, Royal Anguish, Taketh and Kekal
on its roster.
Falconry was received positively, and Dutch metal magazines such as Aardschok interviewed Shamgar. As a result of this exposure, Shamgar was in the position to form a band, and was joined by soprano singer Fionnghuala, folk singer and rhythm guitarist Ohtar (also with Dutch folk metal
band Heidevolk
), bassist Nath, drummer Grimbold, keyboardist Sorgier, and dancer Meallá.
. As a teaser they first released a split CD with Kekal
from Indonesia (also signed on Fear Dark); both bands recorded four songs and a cover (Slechtvalk covered Antestor's
"Kongsblod", from The Return of the Black Death
). The War That Plagues the Lands was well received, with HM Magazine
listing the album as number 60 on its "100 Best Christian metal
albums of all time."
, with a more symphonic
sound and a lot of elements from folk metal
. The band also incorporated more war and fantasy themes to their live shows and began dressing in medieval warrior costumes. That same year Slechtvalk released a live-DVD, Upon the Fields of Battle, filmed at the club Hedon Zwolle; a music video for "Thunder of War" (also released as a maxi single) received some airplay at local music channels. The band toured several European countries with Frosthardr
.
During early 2006 the band was joined by Grimbold's brother Seraph as a guitarist, as Ohtar was not able to continue playing the guitars due to a chronic wrist injury. In July 2006, the Fionnghuala left the group to focus on her classical music career. Slechtvalk began writing new material and announced that the music would take a more technical and brutal approach.
In February 2007, the bassist Nath was removed from the line-up: Ohtar, who was able to play again, picked up on bass. In late 2007 keyboard-player Hydrith announced his departure to focus more on his family. Since then, Slechtvalk performed without keyboards (playing their more extreme songs) or with session-musicians.
. It was mixed and mastered by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street, and the cover artwork as well as a new logo was designed by Raymond Swanland.
s such as Elements of Rock in Switzerland
, Bobfest in Sweden
, Nordic Fest in Norway
, and Interregnum Fest in Germany
.
Extreme metal
Extreme metal is a loosely defined umbrella term for a number of related heavy metal music subgenres that have developed since the early 1980s. The term usually refers to a more abrasive, harsher, underground, non-commercialized style or sound nearly always associated with genres like black metal,...
band from The Netherlands, formed in 1999. Previously signed to Fear Dark Record and currently to Whirlwind Records, the group has released four albums, a split-CD with Kekal
Kekal
Kekal is a heavy metal band formed in 1995 in Jakarta, Indonesia. According to Allmusic, Kekal was one of the first heavy metal bands from Indonesia to make international inroads, and according to Keith Kahn Harris was one of the few extreme metal bands from Southeast Asia to ever make more than a...
, a single and a DVD. The second album, The War That Plagues the Lands
The War That Plagues the Lands
The War that Plagues the Lands is the second full-length album by Slechtvalk. The album reached a number 2 position in the Lowlands Top 50, the most known metal-chart from the Netherlands. The cover art was done by Kris Wervimp who is known for his works with bands like Marduk and Immortal...
, reached #2 at Lowland's Top 50 Metal Charts, and was name one of HM Magazine
HM Magazine
HM: The Hard Music Magazine is an American bimonthly publication focusing on both Christianity and hard rock. Articles include news, album and festival reviews, posters, artists to watch, indie artist reviews, devotionals and interviews with Christian artists...
's "100 Best Christian metal
Christian metal
Christian metal, also known as white metal, is a form of heavy metal music usually defined by its message in a song's lyrics as well as the band's dedication to Christianity...
albums of all time." The third album, At the Dawn of War
At the Dawn of War
At the Dawn of War is the third full-length album by Slechtvalk released in February 2005.-Recording history:At the Dawn of War was recorded, mixed and mastered at the Mailmen Studio, Utrecht, Holland, during...
, coincided with the release of a live-DVD, Upon the Fields of Battle, and a maxisingle for "Thunder of War." The band's fourth album A Forlorn Throne
A Forlorn Throne
A Forlorn Throne is the fourth full-length album by Slechtvalk released in May 2010.-Recording:The band went to Sweden's Studio Mega in late 2009 with producer Johan "the ant" Örnborg to record A Forlorn Throne. It was mixed and mastered by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street, and the cover artwork...
was released on July 16, 2010.
Falconry
Falconry (album)
Falconry is the 2000 debut album by the Slechtvalk. This album was a sole effort of the musician Shamgar who played all the instruments and programmed the drums. The style is closer to more traditional, raw quality black metal with some symphonic elements, however, with inspirational lyrics...
, was released in 2000 by the now-defunct Dutch label Fear Dark which had bands such as Eluveitie
Eluveitie
Eluveitie is a folk metal band from Winterthur, Switzerland. The band formed in 2002 and their first EP, Vên came out in 2003. The band then released a full-length album, Spirit in June 2006. In November 2007, Eluveitie was signed by Nuclear Blast....
, Royal Anguish, Taketh and Kekal
Kekal
Kekal is a heavy metal band formed in 1995 in Jakarta, Indonesia. According to Allmusic, Kekal was one of the first heavy metal bands from Indonesia to make international inroads, and according to Keith Kahn Harris was one of the few extreme metal bands from Southeast Asia to ever make more than a...
on its roster.
Falconry was received positively, and Dutch metal magazines such as Aardschok interviewed Shamgar. As a result of this exposure, Shamgar was in the position to form a band, and was joined by soprano singer Fionnghuala, folk singer and rhythm guitarist Ohtar (also with Dutch folk metal
Folk metal
Folk metal is a sub-genre of heavy metal music that developed in Europe during the 1990s. As the name suggests, the genre is a fusion of heavy metal with traditional folk music...
band Heidevolk
Heidevolk
Heidevolk is a folk/viking metal band from the Netherlands. The lyrical themes of their music are inspired by nature, the history of Gelderland, and the history of Germanic mythology. All of their lyrics are in their native language, Dutch...
), bassist Nath, drummer Grimbold, keyboardist Sorgier, and dancer Meallá.
The War That Plagues the Lands
In 2002 Slechtvalk released their second full-length album, The War That Plagues the LandsThe War That Plagues the Lands
The War that Plagues the Lands is the second full-length album by Slechtvalk. The album reached a number 2 position in the Lowlands Top 50, the most known metal-chart from the Netherlands. The cover art was done by Kris Wervimp who is known for his works with bands like Marduk and Immortal...
. As a teaser they first released a split CD with Kekal
Kekal
Kekal is a heavy metal band formed in 1995 in Jakarta, Indonesia. According to Allmusic, Kekal was one of the first heavy metal bands from Indonesia to make international inroads, and according to Keith Kahn Harris was one of the few extreme metal bands from Southeast Asia to ever make more than a...
from Indonesia (also signed on Fear Dark); both bands recorded four songs and a cover (Slechtvalk covered Antestor's
Antestor
Antestor is an extreme metal band formed in 1990 in Jessheim, Norway. Credited for starting the whole northern European Christian extreme metal scene, Antestor is the only Christian band to have an album released by Cacophonous Records, which has also released records by bands such as Dimmu Borgir,...
"Kongsblod", from The Return of the Black Death
The Return of the Black Death
The Return of the Black Death is the second studio album by the Norwegian unblack metal band Antestor, released in 1998. It is the band's only release on the British Cacophonous Records label. This album's working title was Kongsblod....
). The War That Plagues the Lands was well received, with HM Magazine
HM Magazine
HM: The Hard Music Magazine is an American bimonthly publication focusing on both Christianity and hard rock. Articles include news, album and festival reviews, posters, artists to watch, indie artist reviews, devotionals and interviews with Christian artists...
listing the album as number 60 on its "100 Best Christian metal
Christian metal
Christian metal, also known as white metal, is a form of heavy metal music usually defined by its message in a song's lyrics as well as the band's dedication to Christianity...
albums of all time."
At the Dawn of War
In 2005, the band released their third album, At the Dawn of WarAt the Dawn of War
At the Dawn of War is the third full-length album by Slechtvalk released in February 2005.-Recording history:At the Dawn of War was recorded, mixed and mastered at the Mailmen Studio, Utrecht, Holland, during...
, with a more symphonic
Symphonic metal
Symphonic metal is a term used to describe heavy metal music that has symphonic elements; that is, elements that are either borrowed from classical music or, as with progressive rock music, create a style reminiscent of it, e.g...
sound and a lot of elements from folk metal
Folk metal
Folk metal is a sub-genre of heavy metal music that developed in Europe during the 1990s. As the name suggests, the genre is a fusion of heavy metal with traditional folk music...
. The band also incorporated more war and fantasy themes to their live shows and began dressing in medieval warrior costumes. That same year Slechtvalk released a live-DVD, Upon the Fields of Battle, filmed at the club Hedon Zwolle; a music video for "Thunder of War" (also released as a maxi single) received some airplay at local music channels. The band toured several European countries with Frosthardr
Frosthardr
Frosthardr is a Norwegian Christian unblack metal band, formed in 1997. The band plays a rawer type of black metal music with occasional punk influences and lyrics from Christian point of view...
.
During early 2006 the band was joined by Grimbold's brother Seraph as a guitarist, as Ohtar was not able to continue playing the guitars due to a chronic wrist injury. In July 2006, the Fionnghuala left the group to focus on her classical music career. Slechtvalk began writing new material and announced that the music would take a more technical and brutal approach.
In February 2007, the bassist Nath was removed from the line-up: Ohtar, who was able to play again, picked up on bass. In late 2007 keyboard-player Hydrith announced his departure to focus more on his family. Since then, Slechtvalk performed without keyboards (playing their more extreme songs) or with session-musicians.
A Forlorn Throne
On April 2009, the band signed with German-based Whirlwind Records. On October 2009 Whirlwind releases a compilation album titled An Era of Bloodshed of the band's past material with two unreleased promotional songs. Nath—now known as Premnath—recently re-joined the band as a keyboard-player. The band is currently preparing for a European tour to promote the up-coming album, and inviting fans to join them on SellaBand.com to help financially support the tour plans. The band went to Sweden's Studio Mega in late 2009 with producer Johan "the ant" Örnborg to record their fourth full-length album titled A Forlorn ThroneA Forlorn Throne
A Forlorn Throne is the fourth full-length album by Slechtvalk released in May 2010.-Recording:The band went to Sweden's Studio Mega in late 2009 with producer Johan "the ant" Örnborg to record A Forlorn Throne. It was mixed and mastered by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street, and the cover artwork...
. It was mixed and mastered by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street, and the cover artwork as well as a new logo was designed by Raymond Swanland.
Festivals
In addition to local shows in Holland, Slechtvalk has appeared at several heavy metal music festivalMusic festival
A music festival is a festival oriented towards music that is sometimes presented with a theme such as musical genre, nationality or locality of musicians, or holiday. They are commonly held outdoors, and are often inclusive of other attractions such as food and merchandise vending machines,...
s such as Elements of Rock in 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....
, Bobfest in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, Nordic Fest in Norway
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...
, and Interregnum Fest in 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...
.
Lineup
Current members
- Shamgar - lead vocals, rhythm guitar
- Seraph - lead guitar
- Ohtar - bass guitar, vocals
- Premnath - keyboards
- Grimbold - drums
Discography
- FalconryFalconry (album)Falconry is the 2000 debut album by the Slechtvalk. This album was a sole effort of the musician Shamgar who played all the instruments and programmed the drums. The style is closer to more traditional, raw quality black metal with some symphonic elements, however, with inspirational lyrics...
(2000) - The War That Plagues the LandsThe War That Plagues the LandsThe War that Plagues the Lands is the second full-length album by Slechtvalk. The album reached a number 2 position in the Lowlands Top 50, the most known metal-chart from the Netherlands. The cover art was done by Kris Wervimp who is known for his works with bands like Marduk and Immortal...
(2002) - At the Dawn of WarAt the Dawn of WarAt the Dawn of War is the third full-length album by Slechtvalk released in February 2005.-Recording history:At the Dawn of War was recorded, mixed and mastered at the Mailmen Studio, Utrecht, Holland, during...
(2005) - A Forlorn ThroneA Forlorn ThroneA Forlorn Throne is the fourth full-length album by Slechtvalk released in May 2010.-Recording:The band went to Sweden's Studio Mega in late 2009 with producer Johan "the ant" Örnborg to record A Forlorn Throne. It was mixed and mastered by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street, and the cover artwork...
(2010)
Other Releases
- Chaos & Warfare (Split-CD with KekalKekalKekal is a heavy metal band formed in 1995 in Jakarta, Indonesia. According to Allmusic, Kekal was one of the first heavy metal bands from Indonesia to make international inroads, and according to Keith Kahn Harris was one of the few extreme metal bands from Southeast Asia to ever make more than a...
) (2002 Fear Dark Records) - Upon the Fields of Battle (DVD) (2005 Fear Dark Records)
- Thunder Of War (CD-Single) (2005 Fear Dark Records)
- An Era of Bloodshed (Compilation album) (2009)