BIOGRAPHY
Initially formed in 1989 by vocalist/lyricist Paul Kuhr, NOVEMBERS DOOM forged a sound to aptly suit the dark, moody brand of metal they were pursuing. An early deal to release a 7” record with Regress Records of Italy led to AvantGarde/Nuclear Blast records to take notice and sign the band for their debut cd “Amid It’s Hallowed Mirth” in early 1995. This first album saw the band already exploring and expanding, with the addition of female backing vocals and continuing it’s thick, eerie brand of metal. A compilation track for the “What’s For Dinner?” CD from Pavement Music soon followed in 1996, along with much regional touring. In 1997, they released the EP “For Every Leaf That Falls.” The mini album was received well, leading to favorable reviews and response worldwide. This lead to the release of their second full length album “Of Sculptured Ivy And Stone Flowers,” with Martyr Music Group, Inc. This new offering garnered the band more attention and scored them many favorable reviews in national publications like Metal Maniacs, Sounds Of Death, and Hit Parader, to name but a few.
In May of 2000, NOVEMBERS DOOM entered the recording studio once again, to record their third full-length cd, “The Knowing” with Studio One’s Chris Wisco. The CD was an extension of the previous material, only taking steps in new directions to enhance their already original sound. This CD was based around a conceptual story, and included artwork and design by renowned artist Travis Smith (Opeth, Anathema, Katatonia, etc.), with whom the band would continue to work with in the future. In July of 2000, NOVEMBERS DOOM officially became a member of Dark Symphonies Records who, realizing the bands potential, constructed a deal with Martyr Music Group to buy out their remaining contract, releasing “The Knowing” to the public on the Dark Symphonies imprint. “The Knowing” was also released outside of North America on the Pavement Records label. This CD by far received the most favorable reviews for the band up to that time, and at long last started to put NOVEMBERS DOOM up in the same league as many of their peers.
In October 2002, Novembers Doom entered the studio to begin work on their fourth full length opus entitled “To Welcome the Fade,” only this time they recruited the talents of the Grammy award winning producer, Neil Kernon. Kernon, best known for his work with acts like Hall and Oates, Kansas, Yes, Queensryche, Judas Priest, and more recently Nile, Nevermore and Cannibal Corpse, brought a new power and clarity to the sound of the band. This album was chosen as the “Number One metal album of 2002” in METAL MANIACS magazine by one of its head editors, and shortly thereafter was also a featured cover story on their January 2003 issue.
2004 became a year of many special events for Novembers Doom, which included doing a successful tour in North America with The Gathering, and eventually leading to their signing with the prestigious The End Records that summer. The band entered the studio in the fall to record their fifth and most ambitious album to date, “The Pale Haunt Departure.” This time around the band enlisted the help of the very respected producer / artist Dan Swano (Edge of Sanity / Bloodbath / Nightingale) for the mixing duties, and the mastering went to none other than legendary metal guitarist / producer James Murphy (Testament, Obituary, Disincarnate). Released in March 2005 worldwide via The End Records and Candlelight Records, “The Pale Haunt Departure” was a big success for the band, helped with the release of two music videos, the title track as well as the haunting ballad “Autumn Reflection”, which would eventually receive airplay in North America and abroad on various hard rock/metal cable programs. Live appearances at various music festivals such as South By Southwest, Heathen Crusade, and their first European tour also helped push the band and their new CD further into the public consciousness.
In 2006, Novembers Doom once again entered the studio to record the follow up to 2005’s “The Pale Haunt Departure.” The philosophy was simple... If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it. Sessions for “The Novella Reservoir” began with Chris Wisco once again engineering and co-producing, also taking up the recording of the Bass guitar. Mixed by the highly respected Dan Swano, and mastered again by legendary James Murphy, “The Novella Reservoir” was completed, becoming the bands greatest audible onslaught yet. The artistic talents of Travis Smith were also once again utilized. Taking their musical direction to the next logical step in their evolution, Novembers Doom has broken free from their past genre labels, to create a modern dark metal CD influenced heavily by their Chicago 90’s death metal roots. “The Novella Reservoir” was easily the bands most aggressive CD to date. More touring ensued, primarily overseas in western Europe, where the band’s following was quickly growing stronger. Another promotional music video for the single, “Rain”, was filmed and released, even receiving approval for eventual airing on MTV2’s “Headbanger’s Ball”.
2007 saw the band continuing to push themselves particularly on the European continent, culminating that November (fittingly so) with the filming of their first official DVD home video release “The Novella Vosselaar : Live In Belgium”. The DVD contained an entire concert filmed at the Biebob club in Belgium, along with their promotional videos, fan-made videos, and more. The band also performed their first entirely “unplugged” acoustic concert on this tour, which was very well received and lead to more such shows, with plans for another DVD release in the future based around an entirely acoustic concert.
2008/2009 saw NOVEMBERS DOOM performing for some of the biggest crowds of their career, with appearances at such prestigious European festivals as Graspop Music Meeting in Belgium, Brutal Assault Fest in Czech Republic, Madrid Is The Dark in Spain, and Caos Emergente in Portugal to name a few.
2009 also saw the release of the band’s seventh full-length cd, “Into Night’s Requiem Infernal”, possibly their darkest and heaviest musical statement so far. This CD has netted the band some of their most favorable reviews to date, from such noteworthy magazines and sites as Terrorizer, Metal Hammer, Decibel, Revolver, Blabbermouth.Net, MetalSucks, and many more. The promotional video for “A Eulogy For the Living Lost” was filmed in December 2009, using the talents of Cage XXI, in Fort Myers, Florida, who previously filmed the video for “Autumn Reflection.”
2010 sees the band preparing for more touring in Europe beginning in February 2010, with plans to return to those shores in the Summertime to play on the Metal festival circuit again. Current plans are also in the works for more roadwork on the North American continent in 2010 as well. The band have also already begun the writing stage for their eighth release (tentatively to be released in 2011) as well as a remixed/remastered 10th anniversary special edition re-release of “The Knowing” CD, which has been out of print for several years yet has been in demand by many fans.
NOVEMBERS DOOM : TIMELINE
1989 - Novembers Doom is established
1990 - First demo is recorded
1991 - Metal Merchant Records release a 7” record
1992 - Regress Records of Italy signs band for a second 7” release
1993 - Avantgarde/Nuclear Blast Music inks deal for a full length release
1994 - Recording of first full length takes place
1995 - Official release of “Amid It’s Hallowed Mirth” on Avantgarde, being the first band from the United States to have a release on the label.
1996 - A follow up is written to “Amid it’s Hallowed Mirth, and never recorded. The band internally erupts.
1997 - Novembers Doom is reformed with drastic lineup changes, and records it’s classic and highly sought after, out-of-print EP “For Every Leaf That Falls”
1998 - A deal is reached with new, and upcoming label Martyr Music Group for future releases.
1999 - Novembers Doom’s second full length “Of Sculptured Ivy and Stone Flowers” is released on Martyr Music Group. Lead guitarist Larry Roberts joins the band shortly before the cd is released.
2000 - Concept CD, “The Knowing” is in the works, when label Dark Symphonies purchases and re-news the bands contract. “The Knowing” is recorded and released on Dark Symphonies.
2001 - Dark Symphonies re-releases “Amid It’s Hallowed Mirth.” Pre-production begins for new CD “To Welcome the Fade” with Grammy award winning producer, Neil Kernon. Recording begins in October of 2001, and is completed in early 2002.
2002 - “To Welcome the Fade” is released in July on Dark Symphonies.
2003 - Novembers Doom is featured in Metal Maniacs. “To Welcome the Fade is voted as the number one best album of 2002 by top editor. Guitarist Vito Marchese joins the band.
2004 - A short but successful East Coast and Canadian tour takes place with The Gathering and Agalloch. Novembers Doom signs a multi CD deal with one of the scenes most respected labels, The End Records. “To Welcome the Fade” is re-released through The End Records, with a bonus CD containing the out-of-print EP “For Every Leaf That Falls,” Live tracks, and a video from the tour. The fifth full length “The Pale Haunt Departure” is recorded. Mixing is handled by legendary metal musician & producer Dan Swano, and mastered by metal guitar legend, James Murphy.
2005 - March 8th brings the release of “The Pale Haunt Departure” on The End Records. Another first, a video is filmed for the title track “The Pale Haunt Departure.”
2006 - After several successful festival performances, “The Novella Reservoir is recorded with Chris Wisco, mixed with Dan Swano, and mastered with James Murphy. Artwork is handled by Travis Smith. Novembers Doom performs on European soil for the first time embarking on their first headlining tour.
2007 - February, ‘The Novella Reservoir’ is released.
2007 - November, Novembers Doom records first live DVD in Belgium.
2008 - June, Live DVD “The Novella Vosselaar, Live in Belgium” is released
2008 - June, Novembers Doom performs at Graspop Metal Meeting in Belgium, making this their first European festival appearance to over 5000 fans. Drummer Sasha Horn rejoins the band after a 9 year absence.
2009 - January, “Into Night’s Requiem Infernal” is recorded in Wisconsin at Belle City Sound, and once again mixed by Dan Swano in Sweden.
2009 - July, “Into Night’s Requiem Infernal” is released in the USA. The first weeks sales are the bands best selling week to date.
2009 - August, Novembers Doom returns to Czech Republic to perform at the open air festival known as Brutal Assault.
2009 - September, Novembers Doom headlines “Madrid is the Dark” festival in Madrid Spain. On the same trip, The Caos Emergente fest is played in Portugal, making this the first time ND plays in Spain and Portugal.
2009 - December, Cage XXI films the promotional video for “A Eulogy For the Living Lost.” Bassist Mike Feldman joins in the years 4th quarter.
2010- European tour during February 2010, with more Euro festival appearances scheduled for Summer 2010. North American dates being tentatively scheduled at this time. Writing for the eighth full-length cd release underway.
