DARKSEED

Darkseed is a German gothic metal band, formed in 1992. Darkseed, beginning as a death metal band, took a more unconventional song writing method that aimed more towards the gothic experimental route. They changed their music to gothic metal on their first studio album Midnight Solemnly Dance.

Early years, death metal era (1992-1994)
Beginning as a death metal band, Darkseed released two demo albums in 1992 and 1993, playing more gothic experimental routes, not wanting to take the traditional methods of generic death metal, followed by their EP, Romantic Tales, in 1994 which was re-issued in 1998.

Stylistic change, mainstream success, break up (1994-2006)
Serenades Records release Darkseed's first full-length studio album, Midnight Solemnly Dancethey in 1996, in which they changed into a gothic metal act. Nuclear Blast caught up with the band in their second release Spellcraft a year later, in which they continued playing gothic metal having influence from heavy metal music. The album was well received and a critical success. They had several line up changes after their underground success, which resulted in Darkseed's year long hiatus. During this period,a re-issued version Romantic Tales was released. Finally, after several line up changes, the band released their third album Give me the Light in 1999, followed by their next album Diving Into Darkness in 2000 which was well-received by the critics. Lead vocalist Stefan Hertrich left the band in 2003, only to return in 2004 to make "Ultimate Darkness", which was released in 2005. In 2006, he and Martin Motnik left the band again, thus effectively forcing the band to disband.