Demoniac - Biography
This band's profile is 'invisible', meaning that it's much less prominent on the site - either because it's incomplete, or maybe doesn't entirely fit MS format.
Biography
The group began playing black metal with Dawson and Totman adopting the stage names "Behemoth" and "Heimdall" as well as the genre's defining trappings and symbolism such as corpse paint. The following year the band was joined by The Magus on keyboards and drummer Mark Hamill from the avant-garde rock band Head Like a Hole. This line-up produced the band's first album Prepare for War, after which Magus left Demoniac.
Demoniac's next album was 1996's Stormblade that featured a slightly more melodic and catchier black metal style as well as controversial tracks like "Hatred is Purity" and "Niggerslut". During a 2008 interview with Kerrang, Totman was asked to explain what appeared to be a White Power slant to some of Demoniac's lyrics on songs such as these. Totman shrugged off the allegations stating that other members of the band were responsible for those songs but stated that whilst he did not agree with the ideas expressed in the lyrics he believed that - as long as the music is of a high standard - it is wrong to judge songs on their lyrical or political content and they could be enjoyed regardless. In any case, the later introduction of Herman Li, a non-caucasian, into the band would seem to indicate that the songs were intended to be tongue-in-cheek.
Following Stormblade the band signed to French label Osmose Productions and toured throughout western Europe on the World Domination Tour with Dark Tranquillity, Enslaved and several other bands. At this point Dawson and Totman decided to remain in England and Hamill departed the line-up.
During July 1998 Hong Kong-born guitarist Herman Li joined Demoniac and in October drummer Matej Satanc was recruited. The band began developing a high-speed melodic power metal style, dispensing with the black metal trappings and ideologies. In January 1999 Demoniac headed into the studio with Cradle of Filth producer Mags to record The Fire and the Wind. The original cover featured a black and white photograph of one of the band members drinking while having sex and was subsequently banned; the final release artwork was heavily censored, although depicted the same image.
While Dawson had played bass on all the band's recordings, the decision was made to then hire a bass player to allow him extra freedom during live performance. Diccon Harper, formerly of South African death metal band Voice of Destruction then joined Demoniac. Before the end of the year, however, Demoniac had come to an end. All members except Dawson formed DragonHeart, which later became known as DragonForce.
Dawson later appeared as a guest in the album Inhuman Rampage by DragonForce.
Demoniac's next album was 1996's Stormblade that featured a slightly more melodic and catchier black metal style as well as controversial tracks like "Hatred is Purity" and "Niggerslut". During a 2008 interview with Kerrang, Totman was asked to explain what appeared to be a White Power slant to some of Demoniac's lyrics on songs such as these. Totman shrugged off the allegations stating that other members of the band were responsible for those songs but stated that whilst he did not agree with the ideas expressed in the lyrics he believed that - as long as the music is of a high standard - it is wrong to judge songs on their lyrical or political content and they could be enjoyed regardless. In any case, the later introduction of Herman Li, a non-caucasian, into the band would seem to indicate that the songs were intended to be tongue-in-cheek.
Following Stormblade the band signed to French label Osmose Productions and toured throughout western Europe on the World Domination Tour with Dark Tranquillity, Enslaved and several other bands. At this point Dawson and Totman decided to remain in England and Hamill departed the line-up.
During July 1998 Hong Kong-born guitarist Herman Li joined Demoniac and in October drummer Matej Satanc was recruited. The band began developing a high-speed melodic power metal style, dispensing with the black metal trappings and ideologies. In January 1999 Demoniac headed into the studio with Cradle of Filth producer Mags to record The Fire and the Wind. The original cover featured a black and white photograph of one of the band members drinking while having sex and was subsequently banned; the final release artwork was heavily censored, although depicted the same image.
While Dawson had played bass on all the band's recordings, the decision was made to then hire a bass player to allow him extra freedom during live performance. Diccon Harper, formerly of South African death metal band Voice of Destruction then joined Demoniac. Before the end of the year, however, Demoniac had come to an end. All members except Dawson formed DragonHeart, which later became known as DragonForce.
Dawson later appeared as a guest in the album Inhuman Rampage by DragonForce.