In the summer of 1989 Christian Anderle and F.-J. Krebs had the idea to express their moods and emotions through dark music, so they founded a band. But they sealed the decision first to get a real line-up and to reach a higher level in playing. Ancient Ceremony (the bandname was CEREMONY in the early days and transformed into this nowadays form as another band released something under the origin named) became serious, when Dirk Wirz joined the band under the wintermoon of 1991. Also a session-drummer, Christoph Mertes (who later became a fix member when his band DEFORMED split up after six years in 1993), could be found. This was the initiation to compose own material seriously. Short before the recordings of the "Where Serpents reign" -studio-tape (February 1993) Frank Simon became bass-player, after there had been several line-up problems in this position. As inspiration Ancient Ceremony use darkness, Vamyrie beauty, melancholy, the satanic philosophy and dreams. The band's basic concept on the tape is mainly spread through some gloomy guitars and atmospheric keyboards (combined with technical drumming and brutal vocals). "Where Serpents reign" so far could be sold more than 400 times.
Several live performances followed. In February Anno 1994, the MCD "Cemetary Visions" was recorded, now with Stefan Muller (keyboard) as last fix member to complete. This recording represents in a bettered up way the intention and the style of Ancient Ceremony, namely to take the listener on a visionaire journey into spheres of dark and melancholic dreams. The first edition (500 copies), an own- release and distributed by the band itself, had been sold out after seven months. After that it has been repressed in bigger amount by ALISTER Records and is distributed worldwide.
Actually, Ancient Ceremony are busy composing new material. For the next release, the full-length-CD "Under Moonlight we Kiss" they intend to realize the concept of a "Dark Romantic Gothic Vampyre- Story" in some chapters. So watch out for their "Dark Vampyric Symphonies"!
- Journey through the Gates
- Where Serpents reign
- Kissing the Goat
- Consumed by Despair
- Poem of Blasphemy
- Moonlight Ceremonies
- Eternal Salvation
- Forsaken Gardens
- Cemetary Visions
- The God and the Idol
- Choir of Immortal Queens
- An Ode to the Moon
- Vocals: Christian Anderle
- Guitar : F.-J. Krebs
- Guitar : Dirk Wirz
- Bass : Frank Simon
- Drums: Christoph Mertes
- Keyboard: Stefan Muller
- Guitar : F.-J. Krebs
Releases
Where Serpents reign
Cemetary Visions
- Ancient Ceremony are
