A metalband from the province Zeeland (Zealand) which managed to get through to the mondial subtop of the metal scene and sings about social and critical themes, rather than about Satan, hell and damnation. Gorefest was born as a pure deathmetalband setup by De Koeyer, Harthoorn, guitarist Alex van Schaik and drummer Marc Hoogedoorn. Within two months they recorded a demo. A Dutch label, Foundation 2000, believed in them and contracted them. Before recording 'Mindloss' they first released another demo, which also was received very well by the metal-underground. They were invited to perform all over the world.
As a support band for Carcass they traveled through Belgium and Holland and impressed the metal-scene also on stage. With producer Colin Richardson they recorded their debut album Mindloss'. Critics are very positive with a few remarks from some music magazines. Before they toured with Revenant from New Jersey, guitarist Alex van Schaik was replaced by Bonebakker. Not contented about their label Gorefest switched in 1992 to the German-American label Nuclear Blast which welcomed Gorefest with open arms.
Drummer Hoogendoorn was fired because of lack of interest and had to make place for Warby who came from a more melodic band called Elegy'. His reputation as a super- drummer he fully proved on their next album False', also produced by Richardson. The album is a progress on all accounts: composition is better, technical, textual, and its productional aspects. It sold very well in Holland and Germany. During the European tour with Deicide and Atrocity, metalfans from Sweden to Spain and from Czechoslovakia to England were exposed to Gorefest.
In 1993 Gorefest played on THE metalfestival Dynamo Open Air in Holland. They were received very well and the cd "The Eindhoven Insanity" was recorded during this show. Also in 1993 they first toured America as a support act for Death.
'Erase' recorded with producer Pete Coleman reveals a more mature Gorefest. The band changed its style a bit by recording less fast and less extreme songs, even the grunt voice of Jan-Chris becomes understandable.
Some fans turn their back to the band but at the same time a whole new group of people begin to like Gorefest so it seems when they play at several festivals with a lot of different kinds of music.
The international sales of "Erase" continue in '94 and '95 and the band tours through Europe and they perform at a lot of different places, places they've never bin before.
On the EP "Fear" Gorefest shows that they continue the musical change they've started with "Erase". De Koeijer declared in some interviews that he even had thoughts about taking singing lessons.