Quite a lot of bands have been utilizing the all-too-vague term of "Dark Metal" lately in self-description, but in fact only a few of them have as of yet cultivated the musical approach and attitude that it takes to actually deserve that categorization. Alastis from Switzerland are definitely well-integrated within that scene and their activities ever since the band's original formation back in 1987 have proved to be in constant evolution without ever changing the sombre musical path that guided their earliest efforts. After two demo tapes and a fertile buzz in the underground scene of the beginning of the '90s, Alastis signed to the cult Norwegian label Head Not Found to release their raw debut "The Just Law" in 1992. Following a small break caused by various line-up changes, the band moved onwards to Adipocere Records from France to release their second album "...And Death Smiled" which once again received great media response and was hailed by the underground scene for their individual style and uncompromising attitude.
A new chapter for Alastis began when Century Media Records was chosen as their new label to release "The Other Side" in 1996. The band had reached a solid following and songwriting maturity which they presented during several European tours together with bands such as Anathema and Theatre Of Tragedy. Alastis were often compared to bands like early Samael (and not only due to the fact that Samael's bass-player Masmiseim used to be a member of Alastis in the early days) as well as early Tiamat which brought them continuous interest from the upcoming Gothic Metal movement of the time. After the fourth full-length album "Revenge" (once again recorded at Woodhouse Studios with producer Waldemar Sorychta, as was the previous record), Alastis once again had to face line-up problems that left bandleader War D. as the only original founding member remaining in the band, searching for a brand new line-up to smoothly continue their tradition of dark musical visions, yet opening doors for a more modern feel in their compositions.
The year 2000 saw Alastis returning into the spotlight in a completely revamped five-piece line-up (featuring new additions Sebastian on drums and full time keyboard player Graven X) which kept demoing material songs until fully ready to enter Sound Suite Studios in France in Winter to record ten new tracks with producer Terje Refnes (Tristania, Theatre Of Tragedy, Morgul, etc.). "Unity" represents the strongest material to date created by Alastis, as their traditionally punchy midpaced guitar riffs, endlessly gloomy groove and extremely overall catchiness sounds fresher than ever before and manages to leave a very unique mark in today's extreme metal scene with an ancient yet never outdated vibe.
Alastis once again deliver purely striking harmonies, a majestic and thoroughly dense keyboard atmosphere as well as in-depth lyrical concepts based on the darker side of life that should easily manage to fascinate the linking audiences between the Death, Doom and Gothic Metal scenes while simultaneously serving as an antidote to the amount of bands who sadly lost their roots on the quest of experimenting with new styles. Glorious Dark Metal supremacy!
Source: http://www.alastis.ch
