SAXORIOR was founded in January 1994 by Matthias Eschrich
(vocals, guitars), Kai-Uwe Schneider (vocals, guitars),
Dirk David (drums) and Uwe Vogt (bass). The name stands for Saxon
Warrior.
In June 1994, Matthias and Kai-Uwe, former members of the
renowned East German band "Titan",
produced the
first demo tape, entitled The First Fight.
In the same year, Timo Pfeifer from Corpsess replaced Dirk David
on the drum chair.
Besides several regional live gigs SAXORIOR were special
guests on the metal broadcast "Six Pack",
hosted by Matthias Hopke, on "Radio Energy" in
November
1994.
In springtime 1995, the band started the studio-recordings for
their first full-length album
Return
From The Dark Side.
Due to technical and financial reasons the release date of the
record was delayed until November 1995,
when it was finally unleashed upon the metal community.
SAXORIOR
created their own particular style, in the vein of Death Metal – yet somehow
different.
The lyrical concept is based around antonymous topics like life
and death, the universe, creation and decline.
In December 1995, the CD was introduced on "Radio Energy".
After the new keyboard player Frank Nitzsche had joined the
line-up, several concerts e.g. with Eminenz,
Benediction and Iced Earth followed.
In August and September 1996, the songs for the MCD Beyond
Conceptions were recorded,
solely produced and
financed by the band. In October 1996,
the record
release party took place in Altenberg,
situated in the Ore
Mountains. Together with performances of Purgatory and Venena it received
excellent
acclaim.
The years 1997 and 1998 were reserved for concerts, for example
with Eisregen, Dunkelgrafen and Enslaved.
Furthermore, new song material was collected.
In November 1998, one of the new songs called "Burning Stone"
appeared on the compilation of the G.U.C. fanzine.
The year 1999 should by then be the most productive one,
which besides many live gigs climaxed in the performance at the
"Bischofswerda Open Air".
In springtime 1999, Kai-Uwe opened up his "Polygam" sound studio
in Pirna. In May/June 1999,
the album Portent Of Eternity was recorded there
and released on the underground label G.U.C.
in August of the same year.
On this record you can hear the typical SAXORIOR-style,
still topical today.
A quote from the review of the "Legacy" issue of March 1999:
"An
absolutely successful mixture of Black and Pagan Metal is offered here.
Aggressive high speed parts are interrupted by solemn instrumental passages with
slightly medieval charming sounds
and a keyboard underlining the songs in a
decent manner.
SAXORIOR achieved to create an album that causes such an epic, thrilling
atmosphere that you can even see the warriors
galloping onto the battle field in front of your mind’s eye, fighting the
glorious battle for honour and freedom."
The song "Hagen von Tronje" was presented on a compilation
of the "Ablaze" magazine,
bringing in a tremendous appreciation for the band.
In May 2000, Timo Pfeiffer was replaced on drums by Michael Mann
due to different musical perspectives.
In July, he gave his live debut in the Metal club "Heavy Duty"
in Dresden. Until the end of the year,
the live routine of the new line-up was strengthened through
several live gigs.
The first half of 2001, SAXORIOR dedicated themselves
almost exclusively to the song writing process
which led to the recordings for their third full-length album
Saxot in "Polygam" studio in June 2001.
This album contains a cover version for the first time,
"Tubular Bells" from Mike Oldfield.
Lyrically almost everything is concentrated around the epoch of
Saxon christianisation where Wittekind and
his opponent Karl the Great play an important role. (Both men
were prominent figures in German history.)
Moreover, a part of the Nibelungen saga was worked up in the song
"Siegfried",
for which the overture of the same titled opera by Richard Wagner
was newly arranged.
In spite of a longer stage abstinence, the release party in
September in the "Flat Black" club (Dresden),
with Eminenz and Minas Morgul, proved to be a successful event.
The following year was filled with concerts throughout the whole
of Germany, e.g. Berlin, Potsdam, Rostock,
Annaberg, Frankfurt/Oder, Sulzbach/Oberpfalz.
The highlight of 2002 was without a doubt the "Under The Black
Sun Festival" in Berlin together with acts like Root,
Lugubre, Taake and many more.
In January 2003, the vinyl album Von Rache und Schmerz
(Of Revenge and Pain) was recorded
at "Polygam" studio and released on the label Fog Of The
Apocalypse as a limited edition of 500 copies in May.
Peculiarities of this record are the AC/DC cover version of
"For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)",
with Gorgoroth of Baltak (Australia) on vocals, and live edits on
the B-side.
Besides gigs in Chemnitz, Würzburg and Neukirch/Sa., the second
half of the year was used for the recordings
of the new longplayer Neverending Battles again at "Polygam"
studio.
2004 started with a concert in the "Dresdner Scheune" with Dew
Scented and others.
A live clip for the song "Fire Of Retaliation" was
produced for the band's website using the recorded material
of that gig.
In March 2004, the new record Neverending Battles
was released on Battlegod Productions (Australia),
the band's new label.
This time the events in Saxony during the "30 Years War" form the
basis of the lyrics.
The album is complemented by the song "Dem Meister" ("To
The Master"), dedicated to Richard Wagner,
which features certain musical themes of his works.
In the following months also tracks from the new album were
presented live.
In the June /July issue of "Legacy" magazine SAXORIOR
received 14 out of 15 possible review credits.
Furthermore, the issue contains an interview with the band and a
song on the enclosed compilation CD.
This song, "Neverending
War",
was also self-produced as a promotional video clip and can be found
on their homepage, too.
In July, a line-up change took place. The founding member Uwe
Vogt left the band after ten years for private reasons.
During a concert in Berlin on the 24th of July, he
officially handed over the bass to his successor Florian Tilke,
who gave his live debut there.
With the
18 year-old "Tille", bringing in experienced musical skills due to a long
education,
a new
breeze blows through the band. In the following months Florian was able to proof
his
live suitability at concerts a. o. in Dresden (with Eminenz and
Aeveron) and Tharandt (with Belphegor).
The year 2005 was exclusively reserved for playing live. The
highlights of the year were:
the "Bands Battle" in Stavenhagen with Thyrfing, Raise Hell and
Centinex, the "Devil Days" in St. Leonhard (Austria) with Benediction,
Mystic Circle, God Dethroned…, the "Chronical Moshers Open Air"
in Reichenbach/Vogtland with Vader, Desaster and others,
as well as the benefit concert in favour of children suffering
from cancer.
At the end of the "SIM-EVIL" band contest SAXORIOR
finished on 7th position out of more than 100 bands,
and thus the track "Neverending War" was released on the
compilation of Rock Hard magazine.
With Twilight the label has finally organised an appropriate
distributional partner.
The recording process for the new record “Völkerschlacht”
(meaning battle of nations)
began in summer 2006 therefore the band had to delay all live
activities due to the writing of songs and
the production of those at “Polygam” sound studios.
After having finished his drum tracks Michael left the band by
mutual agreement for private reasons.
He was replaced by session drummer György in early 2007 (WARSPITE
and ARCHE:HAVOC)
who supported the band at live shows. Throughout 2007 numerous
live concerts followed; e.g.
at Sound Storm Festival and at a charity festival in favour of
children suffering from cancer.
Surprisingly, bassist Florian Tilke decided to leave the band for
private reasons in October 2007.
That’s why the recordings for “Völkerschlacht” lasted until late
autumn 2007.
In December 2007, “Völkerschlacht” was finally released and
received so many positive reviews that the digipak version was sold out in no
time.
Here a quote from Interregnum magazine:
“To excel oneself if you offer rather half-baked amateur material
as a basic, t
here is nothing to it! But to battle in front anyway and to top
it nonetheless is worthy to take a bow.
“Völkerschlacht” is an album full of hymns, acoustic battle
paintings, furious Pagan-Metal eruptions,
exhilarating guitar sophistication. The songs seem to flow over
you and to sweep you away in a giant maelstrom.
But you are still able to pick up all the entrancing subtleties
that make this record so unique...”
Since 2008 we were supported live by Andy from NOISEMASTER on the
drums and Tom from SCRAPY on the bass.
The first show with this particular line-up was played at
Interregnum Festival in Gnoien on 05.08.2008 and went pretty good.
So, since that day, the line-up is complete again and duly to the
band’s fifteen year anniversary strengthened with new “metallic” energy!
“... so the battle will go on...”
Releases:
1994
The First Fight (demo tape)
1995
Return From The Dark Side (CD)
1996
Beyond Conceptions (MCD)
1999
Portent Of Eternity (CD)
2000
Saxot (CD)
2002 Von Rache und Schmerz (Of Revenge And Pain) (LP)
2003
Neverending Battles (CD)
2007
Völkerschlacht (CD)
2009 Völkerschlacht (LP)
Websites:
www.saxorior.de
www.myspace.com/saxorior
Band
contact:
saxorior-contact@arcor.de
Mobile number: +49172/3570852 (Kai-Uwe)
translated by Thomas Berthel
