Apollyon Sun was a Swiss

industrial metal Industrial metal is the fusion of heavy metal and industrial music, typically employing repeating metal guitar riffs, sampling, synthesizer or sequencer lines, and distorted vocals. Prominent industrial metal acts include Ministry, Nine ...

band formed by singer/guitarist

Tom Gabriel Fischer Thomas Gabriel Fischer (born 19 July 1963), also known by his stage names of Tom G. Warrior and Satanic Slaughter, is a Swiss metal musician. He led the groups Hellhammer and Celtic Frost, and today is the frontman of the band Triptykon. Caree ...

and guitarist Erol Unala in early 1995, after the termination of

Celtic Frost Celtic Frost () was a Swiss extreme metal band from Zürich. They are known for their strong influence on the development of extreme metalBukszpan, Daniel. ''The Encyclopedia of Heavy Metal''. Barnes & Noble Publishing, 2003. p.43 and avant-gard ...

, Fischer's prior group. The group was unofficially dissolved in 2001 when Fischer invited Erol Unala to contribute to the reformation of Celtic Frost. Their name is taken from the Celtic Frost demo "Under Apollyon's Sun".

History

The band were first discovered in 1997 by London-based Sanctuary Music Management, on the strength of their ''Industry Demonstration'' EP. Subsequently managed by Rod Smallwood and

Merck Mercuriadis Merck refers primarily to the German Merck family and three companies founded by the family, including: * the Merck Group, a German chemical, pharmaceutical and life sciences company founded in 1668 ** Merck Serono (known as EMD Serono in the Unite ...

, Apollyon Sun released a five-track debut mini-album - '' God Leaves (And Dies)'' on London's Mayan Records in summer of 1998 and then contributed "God Leaves" and "Relinquished Body" for the soundtrack of top-rated BBC TV show ''City Central''. Work on a full album, ''

Sub Sub is a common abbreviation of words beginning with the prefix "sub-". Sub or SUB may also refer to Places * Juanda International Airport, Surabaya, Indonesia, IATA code SUB Computing and technology * , an HTML tag for subscript * SUB designate ...

'', began at London's Trident Studios that same year, with producer Roli Mosimann (

Björk Björk Guðmundsdóttir ( , ; born 21 November 1965), known mononymously as Björk, is an Icelandic singer, songwriter, composer, record producer, and actress. Noted for her distinct three-octave vocal range and eccentric persona, she has de ...

Marilyn Manson Brian Hugh Warner (born January 5, 1969), known professionally as Marilyn Manson, is an American rock musician. He came to prominence as the lead singer of the band which shares his name, of which he remains the only constant member since it ...

Faith No More Faith No More is an American Rock music, rock band from San Francisco, California, formed in 1979. Before settling on the current name in July 1983, the band performed under the names Sharp Young Men and later Faith No Man. Bassist Billy Gould, k ...

). Further recording and mixing sessions took place at Manhattan's EastSide Sound, London's Nomis Studios, and at various studio locations in Switzerland. ''

'' features prominent final mixes by Mosimann, John Fryer ( HIM,

Nine Inch Nails Nine Inch Nails, commonly abbreviated as NIN and stylized as NIИ, is an American industrial rock band formed in Cleveland in 1988. Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Trent Reznor was the only permanent member of the ban ...

), and Apollyon Sun themselves. ''

'' was released globally through Mayan Records in late summer 2000, after two years of studio work. Fall 2000 saw the band's first international concerts, among them a very radical and uncompromising show attached to the UK's "Kerrang! Awards", in London. In 2001 and 2002, Apollyon Sun made further soundtrack contributions for the BBC, among them music for the high profile TV production ''Red Cap'' with Tamzin Outwaithe. Unala and Fischer also participated in former

Nirvana ( , , ; sa, निर्वाण} ''nirvāṇa'' ; Pali: ''nibbāna''; Prakrit: ''ṇivvāṇa''; literally, "blown out", as in an oil lamp Richard Gombrich, ''Theravada Buddhism: A Social History from Ancient Benāres to Modern Colombo. ...

drummer

Dave Grohl David Eric Grohl (born January 14, 1969) is an American musician. He is the founder of the rock band Foo Fighters, in which he is the lead singer, guitarist, and principal songwriter. Prior to forming Foo Fighters, he was the drummer of gru ...

's (

Foo Fighters Foo Fighters are an American Rock music, rock band formed in Seattle in 1994. Foo Fighters was initially formed as a one-man project by former Nirvana (band), Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl. Following the success of the Foo Fighters (album), epony ...

) ''

Probot Probot was a heavy metal side project of ex-Nirvana drummer and Foo Fighters rhythm guitarist and lead-singer Dave Grohl. Described by Grohl as "a death metal ''Supernatural''", the album mixes instrumentals recorded by Grohl himself with variou ...

'' album project. Co-written by Grohl, Fischer and Unala, the resulting song "Big Sky" features Fischer on vocals and Unala on guitars. Work on Apollyon Sun's third album, tentatively titled ''Flesh'', began as early as 2000, this time at the band's own newly expanded studio facilities in Switzerland as well as at Unala's and Fischer's home recording studios. The resurgence of Celtic Frost and the songwriting and recording work for Celtic Frost's first album in 13 years served to temporarily put Apollyon Sun on hiatus and interrupt work on ''Flesh'' -

had not only required Fischer's services again but also asked Unala to join the re-formed project as the band's guitarist and programmer. Apollyon Sun's activities has remained on hold since Fischer and Unala departed for Celtic Frost. Guitarist Unala has not continued any Apollyon Sun activities since leaving

in 2006. Fischer has since stated he has no intention of contributing to Apollyon Sun again.

Chronology

*1995 - formation of the AS project by Fischer and Unala, out of the remains of avant-garde metal pioneers

('' Vanity/Nemesis''). *1997 - release of AS five-track ''Industry Demonstration'' CD to overwhelming media and industry response, and discovery of the band by Rod Smallwood and Merck Mercuriadis (Pet Shop Boys, Crispian Mills, Iron Maiden). *1998 - international release of AS debut EP '' God Leaves (And Dies)'' on Sanctuary Records/Mayan Records. *1998/99 - recording sessions for ''

'' album in London, New York, and Switzerland. Produced by AS and Roli Mosimann (Björk, Marilyn Manson, Faith No More), mixed by Mosimann and John Fryer (Nine Inch Nails, HIM). Soundtrack work for BBC TV, London. *2000- worldwide release of first full AS album ''

'' on Sanctuary Records. *2000 - international concert debut in London, England. "I have never seen anything that compares to Apollyon Sun's show" (Valerie Potter, Metal Hammer UK, 2000). *2001 - invitation to contribute a song to the "Probot" project by Dave Grohl (Nirvana/Foo Fighters). *2001 - continued songwriting and recording sessions for third album ''Flesh''; further soundtrack work for BBC TV, London.

Discography

* 1997 - ''Industry Demonstration'' (demo) * 1998 - '' God Leaves (And Dies)'' (EP) * 2000 - ''

'' (album) * 2001 - ''Flesh'' (demo)

External links

Official website
{{Authority control Industrial metal musical groups Swiss heavy metal musical groups