Celestia (band)
Encyclopedia
Celestia is a black metal
band from Avignon
, France
, formed in 1995 by Noktu. Nowadays Noktu is the only remaining original member.
Celestia remained in the demo stage until around 1999 when they released the EP "A Cave Full of Bats" through Drakkar Productions
with a line-up consisting of Noktu (vocals, bass) and Fureïss/Franck (guitar). A few more demos, singles, split albums and a live album were done before they finally released their first full-length album "Apparitia - Sumptuous Spectre" (2002) through Full Moon Productions
with the drummer Astreyla added to the line-up. The two main members of Celestia were Noktu and Fureïss. Fureïss was the only guitarist for Celestia from 1998 to 2005, i.e. from the promo tape « A Dying Out Ecstasy » (1998) until the second mix of the 2002 album « Apparitia Sumptous Spectre » in 2005 and he composed half the songs (the other half by Noktu) and arranged and recorded all the tracks on Celestia during this time.
The current line-up is Noktu (vocals, guitar, bass) and Ghaast (guitar). With the drummer Astreyla, who left the band, they recorded Celestia's second album "Frigidiis Apotheosia : Abstinencia Genesiis" released in 2008 through Apparitia records and generally keeping the same minimalistic black metal sound. Malefic (Xasthur
), a guest on the album, also added some keyboards to the music. Nowadays, various session drummers and guitarists are brought in for rehearsals, recordings and live shows. Noktu also owns a record label called Drakkar Productions
, on which he released some of The Black Legions (a group of French underground black metal bands) albums.
Noktu also played in the band Mortifera, doing guitar, bass and vocals, while Neige (Alcest
) handled the drums, half of the vocals and composed tracks such as "Ciel Brouillé" and "Le Revenant". Mortifera has almost the same sound as Celestia. As well, Noktu has played in Genocide Kommando and Gestapo 666.
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
band from Avignon
Avignon
Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, formed in 1995 by Noktu. Nowadays Noktu is the only remaining original member.
Celestia remained in the demo stage until around 1999 when they released the EP "A Cave Full of Bats" through Drakkar Productions
Drakkar Productions
Drakkar Productions is a French record label that has released many recordings of black metal bands throughout the world, on CD, cassette and vinyl. They have usually limited the prints to 1000 copies or less, but some have been known to vary...
with a line-up consisting of Noktu (vocals, bass) and Fureïss/Franck (guitar). A few more demos, singles, split albums and a live album were done before they finally released their first full-length album "Apparitia - Sumptuous Spectre" (2002) through Full Moon Productions
Full Moon Productions
Full Moon Productions is a record company started in May 1991 by Jon "Thorns" Jamshid from Lakeland, Florida. After releasing the first issue of Petrified 'zine, Thorns decided to sign several black metal bands which included Burzum, Hades , Algaion, Nåstrond and Vlad Tepes...
with the drummer Astreyla added to the line-up. The two main members of Celestia were Noktu and Fureïss. Fureïss was the only guitarist for Celestia from 1998 to 2005, i.e. from the promo tape « A Dying Out Ecstasy » (1998) until the second mix of the 2002 album « Apparitia Sumptous Spectre » in 2005 and he composed half the songs (the other half by Noktu) and arranged and recorded all the tracks on Celestia during this time.
The current line-up is Noktu (vocals, guitar, bass) and Ghaast (guitar). With the drummer Astreyla, who left the band, they recorded Celestia's second album "Frigidiis Apotheosia : Abstinencia Genesiis" released in 2008 through Apparitia records and generally keeping the same minimalistic black metal sound. Malefic (Xasthur
Xasthur
Xasthur was a Californian one-man black metal band formed in 1995 by Scott Conner, who goes by the pseudonym "Malefic". Although similar in terms of low-fi production and the wearing of corpse paint, musically and lyrically Xasthur's focus is usually not on paganism, Satanism or anti-Christian...
), a guest on the album, also added some keyboards to the music. Nowadays, various session drummers and guitarists are brought in for rehearsals, recordings and live shows. Noktu also owns a record label called Drakkar Productions
Drakkar Productions
Drakkar Productions is a French record label that has released many recordings of black metal bands throughout the world, on CD, cassette and vinyl. They have usually limited the prints to 1000 copies or less, but some have been known to vary...
, on which he released some of The Black Legions (a group of French underground black metal bands) albums.
Noktu also played in the band Mortifera, doing guitar, bass and vocals, while Neige (Alcest
Alcest
Alcest is a musical project born in Bagnols-sur-Cèze, France. It began in 2000 with three members – Neige, Aegnor and Argoth. This band released a demo of black metal songs in 2001. Shortly after, Aegnor and Argoth left the band, leaving Neige as the sole member...
) handled the drums, half of the vocals and composed tracks such as "Ciel Brouillé" and "Le Revenant". Mortifera has almost the same sound as Celestia. As well, Noktu has played in Genocide Kommando and Gestapo 666.
Demos
- "Evanescence" demo (1997)
- "A Dying Out Ecstasy" demo (1998)
- "Infected by Rats" demo (1999)
- "The Awakening of the Dormant Fiancée" demo (1999)
- "Pourriture et Vermine" demo (1999)
- "Dead Insecta Sequestration" demo (2001)
- "Delhÿs-cätess" demo (2007)
EPs
- "A Cave Full of Bats" EP (1999)
- "Spectra" 7" single (2000)
- "Evoking Grace and Splendour" 7" single (2002)
Albums
- "Apparitia - Sumptuous Spectre" (2002) Full Moon ProductionsFull Moon ProductionsFull Moon Productions is a record company started in May 1991 by Jon "Thorns" Jamshid from Lakeland, Florida. After releasing the first issue of Petrified 'zine, Thorns decided to sign several black metal bands which included Burzum, Hades , Algaion, Nåstrond and Vlad Tepes...
- "Frigidiis Apotheosia : Abstinencia Genesiis" (2008) Paragon Records
- "Archaenae Perfectii" (2010) Apparitia Recordings
Split albums and collaborations
- Split with Draugwath (1998)
- Split with Inferno (1999)
- "French-Southern Black Metal War" split with Evil (1999)
- "Darkness Enfold the Sky/Black Slaughterization" split with Goatfire (2001)
Best of/Compilations
- "A Cave Full of Bats" best of (2002)
- "Crucified Dead Flesh" (2003)
- "Dead Insecta Sequestraton" (2003)
External links
- Official Celestia website
- Celestia MySpace Homepage
- Celestia on Encyclopaedia MetallumEncyclopaedia MetallumEncyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives is a website which lists bands from various forms of heavy metal music...