Arcturus is a band formed in Norway in 1987 under the name Mortem. In 1990, the band changed their name to Arcturus, meaning Guardian of Bears (see also the entry on the star Arcturus). The original line-up was changed later that year and was once labeled a black metal super-group, consisting of Garm (Ulver) on vocals, Hellhammer (Mayhem) on drums, Steinar Sverd Johnsen on keyboards, Carl August Tidemann (Winds ) on guitar, and Skoll (Ulver) on bass; an earlier incarnation of the band featured Samoth (Emperor) on guitars.

The band has released three official albums thus far, all rooted in the avant-garde genre of music, very theatrical in their essence. Arcturus likes to experiment with music, extracting influences and incorporating elements from all over the spectrum of music (pop, electronica, metal, trip-hop), but the band is rooted as a rock/metal outfit. The first releases are more openly black metal while later releases have broken the boundries of genres and titling. Garm left the band in 2003 and was replaced by Øyvind Hægeland (Spiral Architect). In January of 2005 it was announced that Øyvind had left the band. He was replaced by Simen Hestnæs, who had previously performed vocals on three Arcturus tracks.

The album La Masquerade Infernale is widely considered as one of the masterpieces of modern metal music.

They are currently in studio recording their new album, which should come out in August 2005.

Official Arcturus releases

• My Angel LP - Putrefaction Records (1991)
• Constellation LP - Nocturnal Art (1994)
• Aspera Hiems Symfonia - Ancient Lore/Misanthropy (1995)
• Constellation LP - Nocturnal Art (1997)
• La Masquerade Infernale - Misanthropy/Music For Nations (1997)
• Disguised Masters - Jester Records (1999)
• The Sham Mirrors - Ad Astra Enterprises (2002)
• Aspera Hiems Symfonia/Constellation/My Angel re-release - Candlelight Records (2002)

Members

Current

As of 2005

• Steinar Sverd Johnsen - Keyboards
• Jan Axel Blomberg (Hellhammer) - Drums
• Knut M. Valle - Guitars
• Hugh Stephen James Mingay (Skoll) - Bass
• Simen Hestnæs (I.C.S Vortex) - Vocals

Former

• Kristoffer Rygg (Garm, Trickster G., Garm Wolf) - Vocals (All official releases, except My Angel)
• Carl August Tidemann - Guitars (Aspera Hiems Symfonia/La Masquerade Infernale)
• Thomas Thormodsæter Haugen (Samoth)- Guitars
• Marius Vold - Bass and Vocals (My Angel LP)
• Dag F. Gravem - Bass (On The Sham Mirrors)
• Øyvind Hægeland - Vocals

Related Bands

• Ulver
• Ved Buens Ende
• Winds
• Mayhem
• Spiral Architect
• Dimmu Borgir

External links

• Official site