ANTAEUS

Exhumed to the world in early 1994, the side project of TRAGOS ADEIN, namely AntaeuS, took its early incarnation as a three pieces project, this including MkM on vokills, A. (bass player of BLUT AUS NORD, Black Metal band signed on VELVET MUSIC INTERNATIONAL) and Piat (Guitars).

Due to the priority of BLUT AUS NORD's first recording for the sus cited label, A. never really did any compositions. He left the band after a few rehearsals. An early recording done with a drum machine and Piat's vocals was spread in a few copies through various distributions. Since the recording was crap and really fucked up, only a minority of freaks did enjoy this messy tape. Only one track from this era remains part of nowadays playlist: "Whenever I'll Lay...".

As times passed by, the duo became a real band, this due to the incorporation of Storm on drums and BlackPriest on bass.

Another "official" reh' has then been spread (1995), the mayhemic sound coming out of it could have linked the band with the rather hated Black Legions (VLAD TEPES/ BELKETRE/ MUTIILATION) since the recording and the atmosphere were close to what raw sounding Black Metal should be.

With this tape, the band started to get interviews from various zines, mostly dedicated to the left hand path (the few to mention would be "Whereismyskin Zine" from Texas, "Stiff and Cold Zine" from Hungary, "Cranium 666 Mag" from Lithuania, "Demomaniac Zine" from France...).

Many line up changes occulted the year 1996, as well as some inner "wars" with other bands. It seemed that the Norge Inner Circle gave birth to pseudo-intellectual circles within every european countries, without any real charismatic leader like Euronymous... Since this pathetic attempt to create a new circle, it looks like the French scene got splitted into two well separated parts. AntaeuS chose to remain a witness of this degradation; having done the mistake to involve in the confrontation, they realized that there was no time to waste with such bands.

At the same time, AntaeuS had its first real demo out, called "Supremacist Dawn", which sold 350 copies, even if this is the worst recording ever from AntaeuS. Only a few distributors took the tape, since it was somehow boycotted by many (low fucks of all kind spitted on it and complained about how crap the recording was).

The line up was: MkM on vokills, Kheer on bass, Antaeus on guitars, Storm on drums.

Kheer then left the band before the gig at the Gibus Club with DESPOND/ APOCRYPHAL/ FLYSTRIKE. This venue must be one of the most cult within the Parisian underground since all major Black Metal and Death Metal gigs took place there. Set entered the band just a few weeks before the show as bass player. Even if the stage presence was rather short --around 20 minutes--, the band had the time to expose its brutality on stage. It can be noted that the keyboard parts were done by Lord Tenebro Maleficium (now evolving under the MANTAR monicker, on Haceldama Productions).

Being the target of some groups (labels and bands) created some tensions within the band, which led to the departure of former member Piat (aka Antaeus) just after the gig that the band played with IMPALED NAZARENE. Many rumors and shit went spread, but talking about this would give it too much importance.

Set became the new guitar player, a second guitar player Olivier ("Children Of The Grave Zine"s editor) entered the band, but he left shortly after the gig played with the English band THUS DEFILED, due to its repulsion to nowadays' scene. The new addition of Philippe on bass led the band to a higher state, which allowed the act to take part in the METAL 13 compilation CD with cult French acts like MASSACRA and AGGRESSOR and many other metal acts like DESPOND/ DAB and so on. The exposure given, even if the track isn't representative of AntaeuS (due to its crap recording once again), led to a new era for the band. At the same time, AntaeuS will have one track on the "Encyclopedia Pestilencia" triple compilation CD released through VELVET MUSIC INTERNATIONAL.

Source: http://cyfaws.free.fr/bio.html