1996
BEHIND THE SCENERY was founded in Göppingen/Southern Germany. The band rose out of the ashes of a Thrash Metal band that ceased to exist before having released any stuff. Vocalist Holger Speidel, drummer Uwe Kurz and bassist Andy Kurz founded a new band together with the guitarists Thomas Lindberg and Till van der List - BEHIND THE SCENERY was born! As we kicked the old songs out of the setlist the new material had nothing in common with the former style of the Thrash band…
1997
Though originally planned as a demo tape, we decided to record a CD with professional sound and artwork during its first studio sessions (summer 1997), as all members showed high sympathy to the songs. The debut album called "Nocturnal Beauty Of A Dying Land" was created in Nightmare Studios in Fautspach/Southern Germany, produced by Ecki Erlenbusch (Blackend, End Of Green, Mirror Of Deception) and distributed by ourselves. Critics in German underground zines like Lärmbelästigung, Eternity, Mystical Music, Deftone (R.I.P) and Metal Invader were positive, a fact that resulted in relatively good CD sales rates (for about 2000).
A lot of showcases all along Germany followed, together with underground heroes like Apophis, EverEve, My Deepest Inner, Mirror Of Deception or End Of Green. Meanwhile,we were busy with writing new songs. This creative period was interrupted by the split with bassist and founding member Andy Kurz who left us because of musical differences in autumn 1998. He was replaced by Guntram Berger, a talented bassist who introduced a new technical level, based on his classical musiceducation.
1999
The year 1999 brought an exciting change, finally the long expected record deal with Grind Syndicate Media Records (Disbelief, DewScented, Burden Of Grief etc.) could be signed. The yet existing album "Nocturnal Beauty ..." was re- released and we prepared the recording sessions for the second CD. Again, we decided to cooperate with Ecki Erlenbusch who had built up a more modern studio, whose possibilities remarkably improved the sound of the band. "...Of Honesty Forbidden" was recorded during August 1999 within two weeks and mixed in autumn 1999.
We entered a critical period with the loss of both guitarists at the end of 1999 who left the band because of moving away and studying in other regions. Nevertheless, the two new guitarists could be integrated well into the matured band family - Simon and Stefan. After a short time, former guitarist Thomas Lindberg decided to rejoin the band what resulted in an actual line-up with three guitarists. The Triple-Axe-Attack offered unexpected possibilities - the combination of two lead guitars and a rhythmn guitar not only on a record but also in concert! It only took some gigs to make the three guitarists a well-known highlight of every live show…
2000
Some problems (coverartwork, university studies) delayed the release of our second CD until june 2000, what made the album follow the debut after three long years. Again, critics were positve up to excellent, this time even in bigger magazines like Rock Hard, Legacy or Hammer though the progressive direction of the new material was criticized as too complex; an issue that will influence the future songwriting of the band surely.
At the moment, we are working on presenting our album live as much as possible to improve our status as one of the few Melodic Death Metal Bands in Germany.
