Artist: PESTILENCE
Album: TESTIMONY OF THE ANCIENTS (CD)

Release date: 1991
Media type: CD

A popular Death Grindcore Metal outfit that has seen considerable album sales in Europe in spite of an ever fluctuating line-up. During the late eighties and early nineties the Enschede based PESTILENCE reigned as the leading Dutch Death Metal band, releasing a string of influential records. PESTILENCE was conceived in Spring 1986 and were originally a trio of guitarist Randy Meinhard, drummer Marco Foddis and vocalist / guitarist Patrick Mameli. As a three piece PESTILENCE released their first 1987 demo 'Dysentry'. The group later added vocalist/ bassist Martin Van Drunen, who assumed vocal duties from Mameli, and cut another demo entitled 'The Pennance'. The debut album, 1988's 'Malleus Malificarum', was produced by Kalle Trapp.

In January 1989 PESTILENCE underwent a major line-up reshuffle with Foddis and Meinhard quitting. Meinhard, replaced by former THERIAC man Patrick Uterwijk, joined SACROSANCT and later SUBMISSION. Van Drunen concentrated from this point purely on vocals and the band drafted in the aptly named Bass on bass guitar. The band executed dates in Holland throughout February 1990 with AUTOPSY and BOLT THROWER on the 'Bloodbrothers' tour.

In early 1993 the band recruited new bassist Jereon Thesseling. Vocalist Van Drunen quit following 'Consuming Impulse' to join ASPHYX, SUBMISSION and later BOLT THROWER. For 'Testimony Of The Ancients' PESTILENCE employed the services of Florida's CYNIC bassist Tony Choy and Dutchman Jeroen Thesseling joined PESTILENCE as a permanent bassist in late 1993. The same year saw the release of the band's last album 'Spheres'. Following European dates with CYNIC the band folded.

Martin Van Drunen resurfaced in mid 2002 debuting his new act DEATH BY DAWN on the European live circuit. Patrick Mameli made studio time in early 2004 to donate his services to the DEATH tribute album 'Within The Mind' assembled by JAMES MURPHY. Meantime, former PESTILENCE bassist Jeroen Paul Thesseling embarked upon an entitely different form of music by forming his own flamenco troupe.

Early 2005 found former PESTILENCE members Martin Van Drunen and Jeroen Paul Thesseling collaborating with KING LOCUST guitarist Niels Drieenhuizen in a new band entitled PROJEKT TABUN. The trio entered Studio Het Lab in Schaarsbergen to put down initial recordings. In 2006 Jeroen Paul Thesseling announced the formation of ENSEMBLE SALAZHAR.

In 2006 Jeroen Paul Thesseling announced the formation of ENSEMBLE SALAZHAR. That November Polish label Metal Mind Productions re-issued the compilation 'Mind Reflections' as a limited, hand numbered run of 2000 copies.

TRACKLIST:

1. The Secrecies Of Horror
2. Bitterness
3. Twisted Truth
4. Darkening
5. Lost Souls
6. Blood
7. Land Of Tears
8. Free Us From Temptation
9. Prophetic Revelations
10. Impure
11. Testimony
12. Souless
13. Presence Of The Dead
14. Mindwarp
15. Stigmatized
16. In Sorrow

LINE-UP:

Patrick Mameli (vocals / guitar)
Patrick Uterwyck (guitar)
Jeroen Paul Thesseling (bass)
Marco Foddis (drums)