Apollyon Sun
Encyclopedia
Apollyon Sun was a Metal
band formed by singer/guitarist Tom Gabriel Fischer and guitarist Erol Unala in early 1995, after the termination of Celtic Frost
, Fischer's prior group. The group was unofficially dissolved in 2001 when Fischer invited Erol Unala to contribute to the reformation of Celtic Frost
. Their name is taken from the Celtic Frost
demo "Under Apollyon's Sun."
on London's Mayan Records in summer of 1998 and then contributed "God Leaves" and "Relinquished Body" for the soundtrack of top-rated BBC TV show "City Central".
Work on a full album, Sub
, began at London's Trident Studios that same year, with renown producer Roli Mosimann (Björk, Marilyn Manson, Faith No More). Further recording and mixing sessions took place at Manhattan's EastSide Sound, London's Nomis Studios, and at various studio locations in Switzerland. Sub
features prominent final mixes by Mosimann, John Fryer (HIM, Nine Inch Nails), and Apollyon Sun themselves. Sub
was released globally through Mayan Records in late summer 2000, after two years of studio work. Fall 2000 saw the band's first international concerts, among them a very radical and uncompromising show attached to the UK's "Kerrang! Awards", in London.
In 2001 and 2002, Apollyon Sun made further soundtrack contributions for the BBC, among them music for the high profile TV production "Red Cap" with Tamzin Outwaithe. Unala and Fischer also participated in former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl's (Foo Fighters) Probot
album project. Co-written by Grohl, Fischer and Unala, the resulting song "Big Sky" features Fischer on vocals and Unala on guitars.
Work on Apollyon Sun's third album, tentatively titled Flesh
, began as early as 2000, this time at the band's own newly expanded studio facilities in Switzerland as well as at Unala's and Fischer's home recording studios. The resurgence of Celtic Frost and the songwriting and recording work for Celtic Frost's first album in 13 years served to temporarily put Apollyon Sun on hiatus and interrupt work on Flesh
- Celtic Frost
had not only required Fischer's services again but also asked Unala to join the re-formed project as the band's guitarist and programmer.
Apollyon Sun's activities has remained on hold since Fischer and Unala departed for Celtic Frost
. Guitarist Unala has not continued any Apollyon Sun activities since leaving Celtic Frost
in 2006. Fischer has since stated he has no intention of contributing to Apollyon Sun again.
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band formed by singer/guitarist Tom Gabriel Fischer and guitarist Erol Unala in early 1995, after the termination of Celtic Frost
Celtic Frost
Celtic Frost was a metal band from Zürich, Switzerland. They are known for their heavy influence on the extreme metal genres. The group was first active from 1984 to 1993, and re-formed in 2001. Following Tom Gabriel Fischer's departure in 2008, Celtic Frost decided to break up again...
, Fischer's prior group. The group was unofficially dissolved in 2001 when Fischer invited Erol Unala to contribute to the reformation of Celtic Frost
Celtic Frost
Celtic Frost was a metal band from Zürich, Switzerland. They are known for their heavy influence on the extreme metal genres. The group was first active from 1984 to 1993, and re-formed in 2001. Following Tom Gabriel Fischer's departure in 2008, Celtic Frost decided to break up again...
. Their name is taken from the Celtic Frost
Celtic Frost
Celtic Frost was a metal band from Zürich, Switzerland. They are known for their heavy influence on the extreme metal genres. The group was first active from 1984 to 1993, and re-formed in 2001. Following Tom Gabriel Fischer's departure in 2008, Celtic Frost decided to break up again...
demo "Under Apollyon's Sun."
Biography
The band were first discovered in 1997 by London-based Sanctuary Music Management, on the strength of their Industry Demonstration EP. Subsequently managed by Rod Smallwood and Merck Mercuriadis, Apollyon Sun released a five-track debut mini-album - God Leaves (And Dies)God Leaves (And Dies)
God Leaves is the debut EP by Swiss Industrial metal band Apollyon Sun, released in 1997 on Mayan Records."God Leaves" and "The Cane" were taken from AS' 1997 Industry Demonstration and were remastered for this release. Written, arranged and produced by Apollyon Sun...
on London's Mayan Records in summer of 1998 and then contributed "God Leaves" and "Relinquished Body" for the soundtrack of top-rated BBC TV show "City Central".
Work on a full album, Sub
Sub (album)
Sub is the debut album by Swiss Industrial metal band Apollyon Sun, released in 2000 on Mayan Records.Work on a full album, Sub began at London's Trident Studios in 1998, with renown producer Roli Mosimann...
, began at London's Trident Studios that same year, with renown producer Roli Mosimann (Björk, Marilyn Manson, Faith No More). Further recording and mixing sessions took place at Manhattan's EastSide Sound, London's Nomis Studios, and at various studio locations in Switzerland. Sub
Sub (album)
Sub is the debut album by Swiss Industrial metal band Apollyon Sun, released in 2000 on Mayan Records.Work on a full album, Sub began at London's Trident Studios in 1998, with renown producer Roli Mosimann...
features prominent final mixes by Mosimann, John Fryer (HIM, Nine Inch Nails), and Apollyon Sun themselves. Sub
Sub (album)
Sub is the debut album by Swiss Industrial metal band Apollyon Sun, released in 2000 on Mayan Records.Work on a full album, Sub began at London's Trident Studios in 1998, with renown producer Roli Mosimann...
was released globally through Mayan Records in late summer 2000, after two years of studio work. Fall 2000 saw the band's first international concerts, among them a very radical and uncompromising show attached to the UK's "Kerrang! Awards", in London.
In 2001 and 2002, Apollyon Sun made further soundtrack contributions for the BBC, among them music for the high profile TV production "Red Cap" with Tamzin Outwaithe. Unala and Fischer also participated in former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl's (Foo Fighters) Probot
Probot
Probot was a heavy metal side project of ex-Nirvana drummer and Foo Fighters rhythm guitarist and lead-singer Dave Grohl. An album was recorded out of the material and released in February 2004...
album project. Co-written by Grohl, Fischer and Unala, the resulting song "Big Sky" features Fischer on vocals and Unala on guitars.
Work on Apollyon Sun's third album, tentatively titled Flesh
Flesh (Apollyon Sun album)
Flesh is a self-released demo EP by Swiss Industrial metal band Apollyon Sun, released in 2002. This CD was manufactured in a limited quantity exclusively for the purpose of shopping the Apollyon Sun project to the recording industry and not released to the public. The Flesh demo only showcases...
, began as early as 2000, this time at the band's own newly expanded studio facilities in Switzerland as well as at Unala's and Fischer's home recording studios. The resurgence of Celtic Frost and the songwriting and recording work for Celtic Frost's first album in 13 years served to temporarily put Apollyon Sun on hiatus and interrupt work on Flesh
Flesh (Apollyon Sun album)
Flesh is a self-released demo EP by Swiss Industrial metal band Apollyon Sun, released in 2002. This CD was manufactured in a limited quantity exclusively for the purpose of shopping the Apollyon Sun project to the recording industry and not released to the public. The Flesh demo only showcases...
- Celtic Frost
Celtic Frost
Celtic Frost was a metal band from Zürich, Switzerland. They are known for their heavy influence on the extreme metal genres. The group was first active from 1984 to 1993, and re-formed in 2001. Following Tom Gabriel Fischer's departure in 2008, Celtic Frost decided to break up again...
had not only required Fischer's services again but also asked Unala to join the re-formed project as the band's guitarist and programmer.
Apollyon Sun's activities has remained on hold since Fischer and Unala departed for Celtic Frost
Celtic Frost
Celtic Frost was a metal band from Zürich, Switzerland. They are known for their heavy influence on the extreme metal genres. The group was first active from 1984 to 1993, and re-formed in 2001. Following Tom Gabriel Fischer's departure in 2008, Celtic Frost decided to break up again...
. Guitarist Unala has not continued any Apollyon Sun activities since leaving Celtic Frost
Celtic Frost
Celtic Frost was a metal band from Zürich, Switzerland. They are known for their heavy influence on the extreme metal genres. The group was first active from 1984 to 1993, and re-formed in 2001. Following Tom Gabriel Fischer's departure in 2008, Celtic Frost decided to break up again...
in 2006. Fischer has since stated he has no intention of contributing to Apollyon Sun again.
Chronology
- 1995 - formation of the AS project by Fischer and Unala, out of the remains of avant-garde pioneers Celtic FrostCeltic FrostCeltic Frost was a metal band from Zürich, Switzerland. They are known for their heavy influence on the extreme metal genres. The group was first active from 1984 to 1993, and re-formed in 2001. Following Tom Gabriel Fischer's departure in 2008, Celtic Frost decided to break up again...
(Into the PandemoniumInto the PandemoniumInto the Pandemonium is the 1987 album by avant-garde metal band Celtic Frost. The album is more varied than many of Celtic Frost's past LPs, with unlikely covers , emotionally charged love songs, the album's recurring industrial-influenced rhythmic songs of demons and destruction and thrash metal...
). - 1997 - release of legendary AS five-track Industry Demonstration CD to overwhelming media and industry response, and discovery of the band by Rod Smallwood and Merck Mercuriadis (Pet Shop Boys, Crispian Mills, Iron Maiden).
- 1998 - international release of AS debut EP God Leaves (And Dies)God Leaves (And Dies)God Leaves is the debut EP by Swiss Industrial metal band Apollyon Sun, released in 1997 on Mayan Records."God Leaves" and "The Cane" were taken from AS' 1997 Industry Demonstration and were remastered for this release. Written, arranged and produced by Apollyon Sun...
on Sanctuary Records/Mayan Records. "Apollyon Sun are attracting a lot of attention and quite rightly so" (Phantasmagoria.com review, 2000). - 1998/99 - recording sessions for SubSub (album)Sub is the debut album by Swiss Industrial metal band Apollyon Sun, released in 2000 on Mayan Records.Work on a full album, Sub began at London's Trident Studios in 1998, with renown producer Roli Mosimann...
album in London, New York, and Switzerland. Produced by AS and Roli Mosimann (Björk, Marilyn Manson, Faith No More), mixed by Mosimann and John Fryer (Nine Inch Nails, HIM). Soundtrack work for BBC TV, London. - 2000- worldwide release of first full AS album SubSub (album)Sub is the debut album by Swiss Industrial metal band Apollyon Sun, released in 2000 on Mayan Records.Work on a full album, Sub began at London's Trident Studios in 1998, with renown producer Roli Mosimann...
on Sanctuary Records. "I have this album, be warned its tracks won't leave your head alone" (customer feedback, amazon.com). - 2000 - international concert debut in London, England. "I have never seen anything that compares to Apollyon Sun's show" (Valerie Potter, Metal Hammer UK, 2000).
- 2001 - invitation to contribute a song to the "Probot" project by Dave Grohl (Nirvana/Foo Fighters).
- 2001 - continued songwriting and recording sessions for third album FleshFlesh (Apollyon Sun album)Flesh is a self-released demo EP by Swiss Industrial metal band Apollyon Sun, released in 2002. This CD was manufactured in a limited quantity exclusively for the purpose of shopping the Apollyon Sun project to the recording industry and not released to the public. The Flesh demo only showcases...
; further soundtrack work for BBC TV, London.
Discography
- 1996 - In Memory of Celtic FrostIn Memory of Celtic FrostIn Memory of Celtic Frost is a Celtic Frost tribute album released in 1996. Notable for its inclusion of "Babylon Fell" by Apollyon Sun, which features former Celtic Frost vocalist/guitarist Tom Gabriel Fischer...
(Tribute Album) - 1997 - Industry Demonstration (Demo)
- 1998 - God Leaves (And Dies)God Leaves (And Dies)God Leaves is the debut EP by Swiss Industrial metal band Apollyon Sun, released in 1997 on Mayan Records."God Leaves" and "The Cane" were taken from AS' 1997 Industry Demonstration and were remastered for this release. Written, arranged and produced by Apollyon Sun...
(EP) - 2000 - SubSub (album)Sub is the debut album by Swiss Industrial metal band Apollyon Sun, released in 2000 on Mayan Records.Work on a full album, Sub began at London's Trident Studios in 1998, with renown producer Roli Mosimann...
(Album) - 2001 - FleshFlesh (Apollyon Sun album)Flesh is a self-released demo EP by Swiss Industrial metal band Apollyon Sun, released in 2002. This CD was manufactured in a limited quantity exclusively for the purpose of shopping the Apollyon Sun project to the recording industry and not released to the public. The Flesh demo only showcases...
(Demo)
External links
- apollyonsun.com Official Website
- Apollyon Sun @ BNR Metal Pages