Gorefest was a Dutch

death metal Death metal is an extreme metal, extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. It typically employs heavily distorted and low-tuned guitars, played with techniques such as palm muting and tremolo picking; deep death growl, growling vocals; aggressive ...

band from

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Zeeland Zeeland (; ), historically known in English by the Endonym and exonym, exonym Zealand, is the westernmost and least populous province of the Netherlands. The province, located in the southwest of the country, borders North Brabant to the east ...

. It was founded in 1989 by Jan-Chris de Koeijer, Frank Harthoorn, Alex van Schaik and Marc Hoogendoorn.

Career

Early works (1989-1994)

Within two months of its formation, Gorefest recorded their first demo. A Dutch independent label, Foundation 2000, signed them for one album. Before recording ''Mindloss'', they released another demo in 1990, which received positive feedback. As a supporting act for

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they traveled through

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and the Netherlands impressing the metal-scene also on stage. Colin Richardson was the producer of 1991's album ''Mindloss''. Before they toured with

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from

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, guitarist Alex van Schaik was replaced by Boudewijn Vincent Bonebakker. Not satisfied with Foundation 2000, Gorefest signed a contract in 1992 with

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. Hoogendoorn quit because of incidents during the Mindloss-tour and drummer Ed Warby (who came from the power metal band Elegy) took his place two weeks before recording sessions of ''False'' which was also produced by Colin Richardson. The album sold relatively well in the Netherlands and Germany for a band of the genre. In the months to come, they completed a European tour with

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and Atrocity, playing in Germany, Sweden, Spain, Czech Republic, Slovakia and England. In 1993, Gorefest played a show at the Dynamo Open Air at Eindhoven. ''The Eindhoven Insanity'' was released soon thereafter, featuring this performance. Also in 1993, they toured North America as a supporting act for metal band

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. Their ''Insanity Tour'' closed with a show in

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. ''Erase'' was recorded in 1994, with producer Pete Coleman and revealed a different attitude towards traditional death metal. As a result, public opinion towards Gorefest was divided. ''Erase'', however, proved to be a success as international sales went well through 1994 and 1995. The band reached a broader set of countries in the following tours.

Change in style and subsequent split (1994-1998)

In the ''Fear'' EP and "Freedom" single, Gorefest revealed new tracks showing that they wanted to drastically expand upon the musical changes they had applied in ''Erase'' (De Koeijer declared in some interviews that he even had thoughts about taking singing lessons). This would be confirmed in 1996 with the

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-influenced album ''Soul Survivor'' – a total departure from their roots even showing traces of pop – and a very similar album ''Chapter 13'' in 1998. They abandoned their heavy image and the graphics for these works were less extreme. Many fans turned their backs on them and the sales of the album were relatively poor, thus they split up in 1998.

Return and final disbandment (2004-2009)

Gorefest reformed in 2004 and played various summer festivals in 2005. The band came out with a new album, ''La Muerte''. They produced the album themselves, with mixing handled by Tue Madsen at Antfarm Studios. In 2006, De Koeyer appeared at Epica's concert in

Paradiso (Amsterdam) Paradiso is a music venue and cultural center located in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Built in 1880 as a religious building for the Vrije Gemeente (Free Congregation), it was converted into youth entertainment venue in 1968. Until the 1990s, it was ...

as a guest grunter on the song "Consign to Oblivion" (A New Age Dawns #3). The next album, ''Rise to Ruin'', was released in August 2007. The American release was licensed to Candlelight Records. On 15 June 2009, the band announced that they were calling it quits again, stating that they felt they had gone as far with the band as they could.

Members

Final lineup * Jan Chris de Koeijer – vocals, bass (1989–1998, 2004–2009) * Frank Harthoorn – guitar (1989–1998, 2004–2009) * Boudewijn Bonebakker – guitar (1991–1998, 2004–2009) * Ed Warby – drums (1991–1998, 2004–2009) Previous members * Marc Hoogendoorn – drums (1989–1991) * Alex van Schaik – guitar (1989–1991) * René Merkelbach – keyboards (1996–1998)

Discography

Studio albums

* '' Mindloss'' (1991) * '' False'' (1992) * '' Erase'' (1994) * '' Soul Survivor'' (1996) * ''

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'' (1998) * '' La Muerte'' (2005) * '' Rise to Ruin'' (2007)

EPs and singles

*''Live Misery'' (1992) *''Fear'' (1994) *''Freedom'' (1996)

Compilations

*''To Hell and Back – A Goreography'' (2005) *''False/Erase'' (2005)

Live albums

*''The Eindhoven Insanity'' (1993)

References

External links

* {{Authority control Dutch death metal musical groups Dutch heavy metal musical groups Dutch musical quartets Musical groups established in 1989 Musical groups disestablished in 1998 Musical groups established in 2004 Musical groups disestablished in 2009 Musical groups from Zeeland Goes