Estatic Fear is an Austrian symphonic metal band. Their songs include elements of several different genres, such as Classical, doom metal, Gothic metal, black metal, and folk music. Despite the band's licensed CDs availability exclusively from the CCP Records label in Austria and Akoi Music in South Korea, their music's spread over the Internet over the decades since Estatic Fear albums were released resulted in forming of an international fan community of over 7000 fans hailing from several dozen world countries, which is still active in 2019, twenty years after Estatic Fear's latest album release.
History
The band was founded in 1994 with the intent of combining both classical melodies, Doom metal and Gothic metal styles in an instrumental mixture of lute, flute, piano, synth violins, cello, and soprano vocals singing in English, Latin, and German. In 1995, Estatic Fear took part in the one-hour compilation "Exit", produced by Martin Auzinger and Peter Kern, together with bands Coffee & Cream, Mortus, Born In The Bottle, Bereavement, Nochtschicht, Herb, Dystrophy, Still No Name, and Out Of Cage. Later, in 1996, an agreement was signed with CCP Records, which led to the debut of their first album, Somnium Obmutum, a four track epic which consisted of two short instrumental compositions, and two relatively long songs. In this album, doom metal is combined with orchestral arrangements on piano and cello, and instruments such as the lute, flute, and acoustic guitar. The album was widely observed with interest from local media and underground metal fans alike. After nearly three years of inactivity, Matthias Kogler recorded the second albumA Sombre Dance in its entirety as a solo artist, since the remaining members had previously left the band. Guest musicians were featured on the album to assist with additional instruments. The tracks labeled "Chapter I" through "Chapter IX" are meant to be interpreted as if the album was played as a story or concept album, meant to be told consecutively as though each song was a different chapter. Although Estatic Fear have not achieved particular commercial success, they gathered a distinguished cult following after the release of A Sombre Dance. , Kogler had apparently written enough material for two new albums, but was uncertain when he would have time to record them. In 2017 Estatic Fear's extended band biography was published, based on an interview with Stauff, a founding member or Estatic Fear, Astaroth, and PULSE: http://www.doom-metal.com/interviews.php?entry=1482 In 2019, following the YouTube release of a live cover of the Somnium Obmutum epic from Estatic Fear's debut album by Shadow Suite, production of an international tribute to Estatic Fear was announced by the global fan community; it will include Estatic Fear songs covers by bands and one-man-band projects from around 15 world countries. No ETA is set for the tribute release, but according to the organizers by July 2019 it was approximately 50% complete..
Discography
Somnium Obmutum
A Sombre Dance
Estatic Fear is also featured on Austrian pagan metal band Hrossharsgrani's Schattenkrieger album - Songs: Sechster Schattenzyklus, Wenn Winters Sang und Klang Verstummt
Members
Current members
Matthias 'Calix Miseriea' Kogler - Guitars, Piano
Last known full line-up
Matthias 'Calix Miseriae' Kogler - Guitars, Piano
Milan 'Astaroth Magus' Pejak - Drums
Markus Miesbauer - Bass, Vocals
Jürgen 'Jay' Lalik - Vocals
Thomas Hirtenkauf - Vocals
Klaus Kogler - Lute
Bernhard Vath - Cello
Claudia Schöftner - Vocals
Franz Hageneder - Flute
Markus Schickerbauer - Drums
Former members
Milan 'Astaroth Magus' Pejak - Drums
Markus 'Beowulf' Miesbauer - Vocals, Bass
Herbert 'Stauff' aka 'Nemesis Styx' aka 'Pulse SETI' - Guitars