Artist: ARCTURUS
Album: SIDESHOW SYMPHONIES (DIGI)

Year: 2005
Media type: CD

Although now widely recognised as a leading force of the genre the original incarnation of ARCTURUS was put together merely as a side project in 1989 by members of MORTEM. The 1991 single, 'My Angel', features MAYHEM's Hellhammer, keyboard player / guitarist Sverd and bassist Marius on vocals and bass. Shortly after, ARCTURUS were put on ice, as both Sverd and Hellhammer busied themselves with EMPEROR, but the band persevered and evolved to comprise of BORKNAGER and ULVER's Garm (naming himself after the Norse dog guardian of Hell. His real name is Kristoffer Rygg) on vocals, ULVER bassist Garm and Samoth from EMPEROR on guitar. The 'Constellation' album was a limited edition of 500 copies.

In 1994 Samoth was interned, found guilty of his part in the Norwegian church burning episode and was replaced by August from TRITONUS. ARCTURUS also added a second guitarist in the form of Skoll from ULVER and VED BUENS ENDE.

The 1997 album 'La Masquerade Infernale' saw VED BUENS ENDE and BORKNAGER man Simen Hestnaes contributing alongside Garm, as well as new face, Knut, on guitar.

Sverd helped assemble Black Metal 'Supergroup' COVENANT with Hellhammer and DIMMU BORGIR's Nagash for the 'Nexus Polaris' album but quit shortly after. Garm set up Jester Records and busies himself as a producer under the pseudonym Vargnatt Inc. Garm has also produced BORKNAGER under the title Fiery G. Maelstrom and ARCTURUS as G. Wolf.

As well as the ARCTURUS remix album 'Disguised Masters' (which includes contributions from WHEN's Lars Pedersen) 1999 found Garm also making his presence felt on ULVER's 'Themes From William Blakes's The Marriage Of Heaven And Hell'.

During 2000 Hestnaes joined DIMMU BORGIR as bassist. The same year found Sverd guesting on FLEURETY's 'Department Of Apocalyptic Affairs'.

The 1995 'Aspera Hiems Symfonia' album would bear witness to a lavish re-release through the British Candlelight label in 2002. Remixed by Garm the record added the complete tracklistings from the highly collectable 'Constellation' and 'My Angel' EPs.

Garm bowed out of ARCTURUS in early 2003, being replaced by SPIRAL ARCHITECT singer Oyvind H?geland. ARCTURUS got off to a difficult start in 2005 with the departure of Oystein H?geland in early January. He would be swiftly replaced by ex-band member and scene veteran, the DIMMU BORGIR, BORKNAGAR and LAMENTED SOULS credited Simen Hestnaes (a.k.a. ICS Vortex). The revised band, having to the the French Season of Mist label for a new album 'Sideshow Symphonies', unit re-debuted on 27th January at the London 'Inferno' festival. September shows in Europe and Scandinavia had ARCTURUS headlining a package comprising CONFESSOR, NATTEFROST, RED HARVEST and TSJUDER. European and Scandinavian touring commencing late September had the band in alliance with RED HARVEST and KILL THE THRILL for the 'Shipwrecked In Europe' dates.

TRACKLISTING:

1. Hibernation Sickness Complete
2. Shipwrecked Frontier Pioneer
3. Demonpainter
4. Nocturnal Vision Revisited
5. Evacuation Code Deciphered
6. Moonshine Delirium
7. White Noise monster
8. Relections
9. Hufsa

LINE-UP:

Oyvind H'geland (vocals)
Samoth (guitar)
Sverd (keyboards)
Hellhammer (drums)