Solstice (British metal band)

Solstice is an English epic doom metal band from Dewsbury, founded by Rich Walker after the breakup of his previous hardcore punk / grindcore bands Sore Throat and Warfear.

Not to be confused with Solstice (British rock band) or Solstice (American band).

Solstice
OriginDewsbury, England[1]
GenresEpic doom metal[2]
Years active1990–present
Associated actsSore Throat, Isen Torr, Wartorn, Warfear, The Lamp of Thoth, Arcane Sun, Discontrol, My Dying Bride
MembersHagthorn
Richard M. Walker
James Ashbey
Andy Whittaker
Ian "Geezer" Buxton
Past membersPaul Bwitton
Rick Budby
Brendan Dawson
Morris Ingram
Simon Matravers
Chaz Netherwood
Tom Phillips
Gian Pyres
Gary Riley
Lennaert Roomer
Mark Stojsavljevic
Hamish Glencross
Shaun Taylor-Steels
Lenny Robinson
Paul Thomas Kearns

Rich Walker also used to run The Miskatonic Foundation, a record label dedicated to doom metal and traditional heavy metal. It has now since dissolved due to lack of time.

History

The band released their debut album Lamentations on England's Candlelight Records in 1994 and caught the attention of an underground scene that was at that point swept up with the still new second wave of black metal. Successive UK and European tours, with Count Raven and Anathema respectively, firmly cemented the band as something of a cult act across the continent.

1996 saw the release of the Halcyon EP on Black Tears, comfortably conveying the strength and progression of that line-up, while further embracing their English Heavy Metal roots but with an aesthetic that shows the band were not afraid to court a more sinister undercurrent. Shortly after, however, Solstice once again suffered line-up problems that essentially resulted in the band becoming largely dormant. In 1998, the band signed with Misanthropy Records, which helped with the release of New Dark Age, but the band was painfully laid to rest in 2002.

In 2007, Solstice was re-ignited. after a five-year hiatus, Walker commented that he was inspired to continue Solstice after enlisting the services of Andrew Whittaker from The Lamp Of Thoth.The recruitment of Paul Bwitton on vocals and Richard Horton on drums (both formerly of NWOBHM outfit Scarab) proved fruitless, but undeterred the band had Procession singer Felipe temporarily fill the vocalist position in order to honour live commitments.

Buoyed by this success, Solstice set about recruiting a full-time vocalist with whom they could move forward and so in the Summer of 2011 they welcomed Paul Thomas Kearns into the lineup. An Irishman living in Oslo, Kearns had appeared on one album with disbanded Irish Doom/Death Metal band Arcane Sun. The new line-up of Solstice made their live debut supporting Primordial in the latter's 20 years anniversary show at Dublin's Academy on 24 September 2011. Del Nichol replaced Richard Horton on drums later in 2011 and was also replaced nine months later by Deceptor's drummer James Ashbey.

Solstice ended their 12-year absence from the recording studio in early 2013 with the release of their Mini LP Death's Crown is Victory, issued on their own "White Horse" imprint. They promoted this release by touring across Europe.

In late 2019, Hel Thorne, alternately regarded as Hagthorn, was revealed as the new vocalist of Solstice, having replaced Paul Thomas Kearns.[3] To commemorate her joining the band, Solstice released a two-song EP called White Thane, which consisted of two songs from their 2018 album White Horse Hill reworked with Hagthorn on vocals.[4] Hagthorn's previous musical experience includes being the vocalist for Vermont-based doom metal band Chalice.[5]

Discography

Albums
  • Lamentations, 1994
  • New Dark Age, 1998
  • White Horse Hill, 2018

Mini albums

EPs
  • Halcyon, 1996[6]

Splits
  • Solstice/Twisted Tower Dire, 2001
  • Solstice/The Lord Weird Slough Feg, 2002

Demos
  • Lamentations, 1991
  • MCMXCII, 1992
  • As Empires Fall, 1993
  • Ragnarok, 1994
  • Drunken Dungeon Sessions, 1997
  • To Sol A Thane, 2016

Compilations
  • Only the Strong, 2008
  • Epicus Metalicus Maximus, 2010[7]

Band members

Timeline

References
  1. "Solstice". doom-metal.com. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  2. VIRTANEN, MIIKA. "SOLSTICE ANNOUNCE NEW VOCALIST". Zero Tolerance. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
  3. "Solstice Add New Vocalist; Demo Tracks Posted". The Obelisk. 4 December 2019. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
  4. "White Thane". Solstice Bandcamp.
  5. "Solstice - Welcome New Vocalist". Metalstorm.net. 7 December 2019. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  6. Solstice (2) discogs.com. Retrieved on 2011-01-02.
  7. Solstice bnrmetal.com. Retrieved on 2011-01-02.
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