Black Swords

Preamble

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Detailed biography

The year 1994

Seraing (Liège area, in Belgium), in June 1994, Black (Pierre W.), drummer and Rot (Philippe W.), guitar player have their first exprience in a band when they integrate the one of Éric D., signer guitar player, after this one part with the previous members of this band. This band never realy had a name, D.I.E., Maelstrom, Ragnarok, Blacksmith Of The Doom and Black Philosopher has been proposed between others as name for this band but none have ever been chosen.

In July, Laurent P. (who latter became Painkiller Records' boss, that's now part of Apollon Records) join this band as a bass player but he only took part to two rehearsal.

In December 1994, Rot have just found a bass player named David S. for this band when Éric D. that didn't realy like Rot's composition decided to follow alone his way, taking back his own compositions.

So, Black and Rot created Black Swords, accompanied by David. Black and Rot's textes have been the composition's bases for their music that evolve in a Down Tempo Metal more or less dissonant (at least at their beginning). Not having a signer anymore, Rot became signer by still being a guitar player.

The year 1995

At the beginning of the year, Black and Rot make few recording test with the song Eternal Peace (with a guitare instead of the bass).

In April, Back From The Front is recorded with another process that turns out to be better.

At the end of this month, Laurent E., guitar player, a Rot and almost David acquaintance join the band. Two week later, in May, David leave Black Swords.

In June, Black and Rot are invited by Psycho-Fred to take part to his programme broadcast on radio Amay. Besides the interview, they broadcast Eternal Peace and Back from the front on air. The only tape containing Back From The Front is forgoten and was never find again…

This same month, Laurent leave Black Swords to have more time for his studies.

At the begining of July, a bass player, Bertrand V. (from Orange Blood) integrates the band. Orange Blood had just split but two week later this band started again, so, he left Black Swords.

During that, the band move out to Grâce-Hollogne. From the end of July to August, Black record the drums for the first Black Swords demo. For From The Graves, Rot recorded the begining of the guitar that's played alone and Black continued on the drums, that's why the sound of the guitar is differant between the very beginning of the song and the following, moreover the finale has been played too fast by Black, so, it have been artificialy slowed down, thus, there's also a sound change in the drums' finale. For Art Of Living, it's the introduction that has been played too fast by Black and that has been slowed down also giving a sound change at the drums. Then, the band integrated back its first rehearsal local. There, Black records the bass introduction of Death Is The Normal State and from September to November Rot records the bass, the guitars as well as the vocals. Thus are recorded From The Graves, Eternal Peace, Death Is The Normal State, Art Of Living, Back From The Front, You Victim Of Society and Rotting Decadence. The result being far from what was expected, the demo has been entitled: démo ratée (Failed demo translated in english) and is not commercialized.

December 16th, 1995, Black Swords makes it's first gig at Comblain la Tour with Ragnarok (the one man band of Éric D., that since then adopted the pseudonym Aran). Black and Rot have known the existence of this gig only the day before and decided to take part to it the day of the gig. Ragnarok began the gig then Black Swords performed the following pieces: Art Of Living, an improvised drums solo partly accompanied by some improvisations at the guitar, an improvisation on Iron Man from Black Sabbath's main theme, another improvisation on Sear Me from My Dying Bride's main theme, a last improvisation on The Ar from Tiamat's main theme, You Victim Of Society and Death Is The Normal State, then, Aran, Black and Rot improvised on the americain anthem in the Jimmy Hendrix way, after that Ragnarok played back one of its song, finally, Black and Rot join Aran to perform on of his song (With the death).

Later, Anne-Christine Calgaro, bass player signer, join Black Swords. She first concentrate on bass.

The year 1996

In January, the band go back to the Grâce-Hollogne rehearsal local. A bit later, Aran join Black Swords as a guitar player.

In February, Rot being too directing with him, Aran leave the band, Anne-Christine do the same later in that month for few reasons, among others, the fact that she prefers playing Blues then Metal, the too great use of technologies (multi-effects, …), the fact that she was desappointed by the way things happend with Aran and almost for personnal reasons that led her to move away from Rot. She indeed never singed in Black Swords even though Rot asked to do that at least on Eternal Peace since she intagrated the band.

At the end of July or the beginning of August, Ralph Schidlo, guitar player (now in the band Burden of Flesh) is auditioned, being then more into Black/Death Metal, Black Swords' style don't fit to what he wants to do, thus, he won't be a member of the band.

In August, Black changes his pseudonym into B.Iron. A bit later, Rot do the same, his pseudonym becomes Gloom State Of Rotting Mind generaly shorten in Gloom.

During that month, they record the song Eternal Peace with a synthetiser on that B.Iron programmed the drums (concidering that with their material, they couldn't record the real drums suitably) and Gloom programmed the choir to then record the bass, the guitars and the vocals. This recording was a test to know how it sounds like with a synthetic drums (a rythm box).

Thanks to David S., a B.Iron and Gloom's friend (and not Black Swords' first bass player), the band is joined by a guitar player : Lio., that becomes Black Swords' bass player.

In September, the guitar player Benja., an acquaintance of Lio., integrates the band.

September 21st, 1996, Black Swords gives its second gig at the Salle Bonne Nouvelle (without Benja. that didn't already rehearse with the band), opening for the bands Psyko-map, BooZe and Heinz 57. After the beginning of Toccata and fugue in D minor, BWV 565 for organ from Johann Sebastian Bach linked on a guitar, drums and bass rythmic, Black Swords performed Eternal Peace (with some synthetiser during the chorus played by Gloom), Death Is The Normal State (with some synthetiser programmed by Gloom), Drums Thunder (a drums solo), a bass solo, Joyeux anniversaire Lio. (his birthday occured the day after, a cream tart had to be throw to his head but following a misunderstanding during the preparation of that surprise, there was no cream on the tart, thankfuly, David S. founded the whipped cream bomb and put it on Lio.'s head), Storm of Guitar (a guitar solo with some vocals), Art Of Living, Goodbye (a song only for the gigs that comes from the old Death Is The Normal State's finale) and Theory of Chaos with David S. at the tom floor (another piece only for gigs that principle is that each members of the band have no idea of what they will play), Death From A Close Point Of View (programmed on the synthetiser by B.Iron) ended the gig.

In December, Life From A Distant Point Of View and Death From A Close Point Of View (programmed by B.Iron on the synthetiser) are recorded at Aran's home to have the best sound possible.

The year 1997

In January and February 1997, Gloom records Art Of Living, Death Is The Normal State, Rotting Decadence, From The Graves, You Victim Of Society and Back From The Front in the same way then Eternal Peace (with each synthetic instrument programmed), then Homo Sapiens Sapiens Die (The Bells Of Armageddon) has been recorded (at Seraing although the rest has been recorded in Grâce-Hollogne). The result of this demo is satisfying but, the real drums not being recorded, this one is not commercialized. It's title is: ? (Preview Demo) (a demo with the drums is then forseen under the title: ?).

In April, not being enoughtly involved in Black Swords, Lio. is pleased by B.Iron and Gloom to do an effort. He then prefer to leave the band. Gloom leave his guitar beside for the bass in order to do the gigs.

In July, Black Swords should have record its demo with Aran's four track recorder but the recording is first delayed then canceled. B.Iron and Gloom decide then to buy their own recording material before recording their demo.

At the end of that month, the Black Swords members are interviewed by Jean-François L. for the 2nd number of the Metal Mania fanzine.

At the end of September, to announce the output of the 2nd number of that fanzine, Jean-François and Morbid Noise, the Metal Mania editors, as well as Gloom (that also participate a bit to that 2nd number), went to Équinoxe radio, in the Tohu-Bohu broadcast of Killer. The broadcast being centered on the fanzine, Killer just asked to Gloom a few questions about Black Swords and then broadcasted Rotting Decadence.

The day after, as he didn't read the fanzine until then, Gloom noticed by reading it that the interview's transcription has been atrociously scamped by Jean-François and Morbid Noise.

October 1st, 1997, Black Swords gives a gig headlining with Eidôlon (the second Gloom's band) opening at Le Couvent's café. After Life From A Distant Point Of View (recorded on tape, interupted too early by mistake) Black Swords performed Art Of Living, a bass solo (interupted by a cable that plug cuts itself right in the middle of the solo, B.Iron improvised a little solo while Gloom solved the problem thanks to ΚΦ, Eidôlon's bass player, to then take the solo back exactly where it has been interupted), Eternal Peace, Rotting Decadence, Death Is The Normal State (with the synthetiser programmed by Gloom), Drums Thunder, Storm of Guitar (a guitar solo with a few vocals and drums at the beginning), From The Graves, Can Something Stop…, Goodbye, there has been a break during that the piece A gloom way… (from Gloom, programmed on the synthetiser) has been passed on then Black Swords comes back with Ha !, then the same piece but doubled lastly, at Benja.'s request and while B.Iron began to put away its drums, an improvisation on Wild Thing from The Troggs' main theme, the end of Life From A Distant Point Of View and Death From A Close Point Of View (also on tape) ended the gig except if Happy birthday Lolo (a very special version of Happy birthday) is concidered as part of the gig, this song being interpreted for a friend few minutes later by Gloom at the guitar and the vocals (accompanied by the drums and the other instruments programmed by himself on the synthetiser).

Following that gig, Marek F., multi-instrumentist (now Mactabis' signer under the pseudonym Shadows ⅩⅢ) proposed to Black Swords to be their violon player, he assisted at a rehearsal and later worked once on Eternal Peace with Gloom. Later, B.Iron and Gloom decided only to use violin in studio, Marek then prefered to wait a recording to be foreseen concretly before composing for the band.

During that time, Gloom began to elaborate a concept with a great part of the lyrics written for Black Swords.

About two weeks after that gig ΚΦ accept to join the band (so, Gloom takes back his guitar).

At the end of October, Gloom do the transcription of the Black Swords interview in Metal Mania's 2nd number again, and replace it in the fanzine that were still in stock around mid-November. After that story, the Black Swords membres decided never to do anymore oral interview for the papers except if the transcription of the interview is done by a member of the band.

The year 1998

Since the 3rd Black Swords' gig, Benja. didn't came to rehearse. He announced his decision to leave the band at the end of January 1998, he would not have time anymore to be involved enough in the band because of his studies.

Around April or May, K.Dich (Alain W.) join Black Swords as live session keyboard player.

July 18th, 1998, Black Swords do a gig at the Carlo Levi with Épiphora, a band composed of B.Iron, Gloom, J (S. David, the one that played with them on their gig at the Salle Bonne Nouvelle) and ΚΦ, opening. The gig began with Life From A Distant Point Of View (still programmed on the synthetiser but this time mixed live by K.Dich) then Black Swords performed My pen is My Swords (that instroduction was programmed on the synthetiser by Gloom), The Useless Gift, Can Something Stop…, Eternal Peace, Drums Thunder, Gloomy Guitars (a guitar solo with few vocals), From The Graves, Art Of Living, Back From The Front then there has been a break during that Death From A Close Point Of View (still programmed on the synthetiser) was on, the gig starts again (after the band members humorously called back the audience) with: Dream your Mirage/Live your Reality (that first part, except the guitar performed by Gloom and the piano in the middle of he second part are programmed on the synthetiser by Gloom), Orion from Metallica, You Victim Of Society, Rotting Decadence and Goodbye. The Black Swords members received a thanks letter from the gig organisation at the Carlo Levi (the Section Rock).

In august, it's decided that Black Swords will become a studio band. ΚΦ propose to do a last gig, the other band members agree.

Beside that, B.Iron and Gloom begin the creation of Black Swords' website.

October 9th, 1998, Black Swords gives its last gig at À Bâton Rouge's café with a band formed of Gloom, B.Iron and ΚΦ opening (band that will later become one of Gloom's solo projects and will be named F.O.R:). Black Swords performed Life From A Distant Point Of View (with Gloom at the keyboard and B.Iron that mixed the drums programmed by himself and the piano volume on the synthetiser, alas the sono music was not stopped thus, during the ending fade, From Darkest Skies from My Dying Bride could be heard in the same time that Life From A Distant Point Of View), My pen is My Swords (that instroduction was still programmed on the synthetiser), The Useless Gift, Can Something Stop…, From The Graves, Drums Thunder, Storm of Guitars (a guitar solo), Eternal Peace, Orion from Metallica (that were interupted because of a problem at the drums, there has been an improvisation while the probleme was solved on the themes of: Blind from KoЯn's finale, Am I Evil from Diamond Head and few second of an undefined theme) then there has been break during that Death From A Close Point Of View (still programmed on the synthetiser) was on, the gig starts again with: Dream your Mirage/Live your Reality (that first part is programmed on the synthetiser by Gloom, except the guitar performed by this last one), You Victim Of Society, Rotting Decadence, Goodbye and after a short break : Art Of Living, The Difficultt of Life and its Art, Goodbye (the audience asking for another piece before the very last song of the very last Black Swords gig and B.Iron being too tired to perform Back From The Front) and lastly To Never (alas, after the introduction, K.Dich became out of line and the song had to be interupted to be taken back in rythm, in other respect, the finale was programmed at the synthetiser to prolong the emotion of this last gig while the band members were out of the scene) that closed the very last Black Swords gig.

One week later, K.Dich is integrated as permanent member.

A bit after, Black Swords membres decided to compose the music of all their pieces again to make them more complex.

Following that, Gloom was a lot involved in one of his other bands (Clouds of Sadness) that he integrated in November 1998. Thus, Black Swords rehearse rarely.

In December, Gloom begins to record Can Something Stop… in the same way then the seven main ? (Preview demo) songs (or almost, K.Dich recording part of the organ) but, missing time, Gloom didn't recorded the guitars and the vocals.

The year 1999

During the first half of the month of August, Black Swords website is put on the Internet.

In december, Gloom and Clouds of Sadness part. After that, he made a three month break during that he didn't made music.

The year 2000

In March 2000, Gloom decided to take back the song Rotting Decadence for him, so, it's no more a Black Swords song.

Later the same month, the Black Swords members decide that after their demo's recording, the band will become a project that will record an heptalogy (7 albums whose conceptualisation began in October 1997), with only B.Iron and Gloom as members.

About June or July, some events external to the band hindered Black Swords to rehearse. Not being hurried, the band prefer to wait to have enouth time for Black Swords before they rehearse again.

The year 2001

At the beginning of 2001, Gloom change a little bit his pseudonym that becomes: Gloom STate Of Rotting Mind.

At the end of April, Gloom decided to modify the title of Homo Sapiens Sapiens Die (the Bells of Armageddon) that becomes: Homo Sapiens Sapiens Die (the Bells of the End) considering the word Armageddon as too religious.

In November, Gloom changes his pseudonym once again indeed as he changed a lot, he considered that the Rotting of his pseudonym is no more actual at all, his pseudonym is now Gloom (state of mind), the word Gloom to be taken in the sense of its greek origine: Γλαυκος that's a bright tone of green, by the way, in certain context, his pseudonym vary to become Γλαυκος or one of its variants.

The year 2002

In August, following a Gloom ask, B.Iron find a new title for Back From The Front, this title is still a bit modified in October and becomes: go WARS.

The year 2003

At the beginning of February, Gloom proposes to B.Iron to change the name of Can Something Stop… in: Can Something Stop… …Our Useless Run, this last one (author of this song) accepts.

Few days later, the domain name black-swords.be is reserved for Black Swords website.

The year 2005

At the beginning of July, Gloom changes the title of You victim of society that becomes: Victim of society beside that Art of living, The Difficultt of Life and its Art and the 4 other songs that followed has been gathered and summarized in a song entitled The reasons of art (that's a sublimation to escape to life).

The band finally starts to rehearse again few days later, taking the time to do things the best possible.

The year 2006

In September, the concept is revised and some songs (like My pen is my sword that's renamed: Written with a sword) goes from the heptalogy to the demo. At the end of the month and following those changes, it's decided that the title of the Black Swords demo (that has changed its name a few time) should finally be: ?: Written with a sword: from the graves, the man in black in disgrace's death's praise to souls takers' preach as dying by lie's humanity's suicide's dream. Lastly, B.Iron and Gloom decide that after the recording of that demo, the name of the band will change to become Optimistic decay.

The year 2007

May 30th 2007, K.Dich deceases from the following of a Lungs' tumour recently dicovered (May 24th, he still rehearsed with Black Swords and the 29th, he went to a gig with B.Iron). Following his desease, the band stopped to rehearse so that the band members take the time to live their mourning (in addition, the rehearsals taking place to the residence K.Dich rented, the band have no more rehearsal local).

At the beginning of August, intagrating the band Mactabis that name is in latin, Gloom use for this band the pseudonym Mare, the translation from Γλαυκος in latin.

The year 2008

The mourning time passed, personnal problems between B.Iron and Gloom render impossible the band's recovery.

The year 2009

June 4th, 2009, Gloom decides to come to an end with Black Swords to go ahead and that's what he's done. At the end of that same year, more serene, he comes back to his decision, concidering the band as on hold.