Amber Asylum is a highly-variable San Francisco-based music group that serves as a platform for composer, singer, and multi-instrumentalist Kris Force. Other members and performers have included Steve Von Till

Steve Von Till

Steve von Till is best known as singer and guitarist for the atmospheric metal band Neurosis, replacing Chad Salter in 1989. He is also in Tribes of Neurot and Culper Ring, and records solo work under both his given name and the moniker Harvestman...

 (Neurosis

Neurosis (band)

Neurosis is a post-metal band, based in Oakland, California. They formed in 1985 as a hardcore punk band, and their sound progressed towards a doom metal style that also included influences from dark ambient and industrial music as well as incorporating elements of folk music...

), Annabel Lee, Martha Burns, Charlotte Bolster, long-time collaborator Jackie Perez Gratz (Grayceon

Grayceon

Grayceon is a three-piece metal band from San Francisco. They were formed in 2005. They were licensed on the label Vendlus Records from 2005–2009 and are currently licensed on the label Profound Lore Records...

/Giant Squid

Giant Squid (band)

Giant Squid is a post-metal band from San Francisco, California, currently signed to Translation Loss and Vega Vinyl. They were previously signed to The End Records.-Early years :...

/Asunder), Erica Stoltz (Lost Goat), Wendy Farina, Lorraine Rath (The Gault), Sarah Schaffer (Weakling

Weakling

Weakling was a progressive/black metal band from San Francisco. The band never toured and released only one album, Dead As Dreams, recorded in 1998 and released on Tumult Records in 2000.-History:...

), John Cobbet (Hammers of Misfortune/Ludicra

Ludicra

Ludicra was a metal band from San Francisco. They originally formed in 1998 as a quartet and later expanded to five members. Ludicra's sound has been described as black metal or as avant-garde metal. Influences include bands such as Darkthrone, Gorgoroth, Dødheimsgard, and Bethlehem, and genres...

), Eric Wood (Man Is The Bastard

Man Is the Bastard

Man Is the Bastard were a pioneering hardcore punk band who contributed the name, and perhaps also the ethos, to the punk subgenre known as power violence...

, Bastard Noise

Bastard Noise

-History:The Bastard Noise was founded in 1991 by Henry Barnes, W. T. Nelson and Eric Wood, initially as a side project of powerviolence band Man Is The Bastard.-Project personnel and past contributors:...

), Leila Abdul Rauf (Saros

Saros (band)

Saros is a progressive death / doom metal band based out of San Francisco, California. The band was formed in 2004 and has released a demo and one full length . The album features the band's distinct epic song structure, melded to fast paced melodic riffing...

), Chiyo Nukaga (Noothgrush/Graves At Sea), Sigrid Sheie (Hammers of Misfortune

Hammers of Misfortune

Hammers of Misfortune is a progressive heavy metal band from San Francisco, California. The band's style has varied from album to album, at times incorporating different elements of folk metal, doom metal, NWOBHM, black metal, '70s rock, and thrash metal...

).

Amber Asylum's music is generally within the neoclassical

Neoclassical (Dark Wave)

Neoclassical Dark Wave refers to a music genre within the Dark Wave movement. It is characterized by the use of ethereal atmosphere and angelic female voices but also adds strong influences from classical music. Neoclassical Dark Wave is distinct from the academic art music form known as...

 or dark ambient

Dark ambient

Dark ambient is a subgenre of ambient music that features foreboding, ominous, or discordant overtones. Although it had its roots in the 1970s, Dark ambient emerged in the 1980s and 1990s with the introduction of newer, smaller, and more affordable Effects units, synthesizer and sampling technology...

 genres, and it tends towards the romantic

Neoromanticism (music)

Neoromanticism in music is a return to the emotional expression associated with nineteenth-century Romanticism. Since the mid-1970s the term has come to be identified with neoconservative postmodernism, especially in Germany, Austria, and the United States, with composers such as Wolfgang Rihm and...

, introspective, and brooding. Violin and cello are the dominant instruments.

Albums

• Frozen in Amber (1996, Elfenblut/Misanthropy) (reissued 2003, Neurot Recordings
  Neurot Recordings
  Neurot Recordings is an independent American record label founded by members of Neurosis and Tribes of Neurot. The label was founded to release the side projects of Neurosis and its members. It has since expanded to a fully functioning label, releasing music from artists...
  
  )
• The Natural Philosophy of Love (1997, Relapse Records
  Relapse Records
  Relapse Records is an independent record label based in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. It was founded by Matthew F. Jacobson in 1990.-History:The label was started by Matthew F. Jacobson in August, 1990 in his parents' basement in Aurora, Colorado...
  
  )
• Songs of Sex and Death (1999, Relapse Records
  Relapse Records
  Relapse Records is an independent record label based in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. It was founded by Matthew F. Jacobson in 1990.-History:The label was started by Matthew F. Jacobson in August, 1990 in his parents' basement in Aurora, Colorado...
  
  )
• The Supernatural Parlour Collection (2000, Relapse Records
  Relapse Records
  Relapse Records is an independent record label based in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. It was founded by Matthew F. Jacobson in 1990.-History:The label was started by Matthew F. Jacobson in August, 1990 in his parents' basement in Aurora, Colorado...
  
  )
• GardenOfLoveAutonomySuiteStillPoint 10" vinyl EP, (2005, Self Released)
• Garden of Love EP, (2006, Paradigms Recordings)
• Still Point (2007, Profound Lore Records)
• Bitter River (2009, Profound Lore Records)

External links

• Website
• [ Amber Asylum] at Allmusic