The Sins of Thy Beloved

The Sins Of Thy Beloved (or simply TSOTB) was a gothic metal and doom metal band from the town of Bryne, Rogaland, Norway.

It can be classified as belonging to the Symphonic Gothic/Doom Metal genre, because it was made up of violins, piano, highly distorted guitars, female voices and deep guttural and dense voices.

The band officially broke up in 2008, although this was only confirmed in 2013, when some of its founding members decided to start their own musical projects.

History

Its beginnings

The Sins of Thy Beloved was a gothic band formed in Bryne (Rogaland county) Norway in November 1996 by Stig Johansen, Glenn Morten Nordbø and Arild Christensen, although Anita Auglend, Ingfrid Stensland and Ola would join very shortly after. Aarrestad, following a musical wave that had become very popular among the country's metal youth.

Few know that in that early period the name of the band was Purgatory, because it was changed before the release of their demo in 1997, according to what they say because there were already many bands with that name and they didn't want to create confusion. After three months of playing, they recorded the demo, from which they extracted three songs that they published on an Italian label Nocturnal Music on the MCD "All Alone". It was after the release of this MCD that Anders entered the band. In 1998 he would record "Silent Pain", a demo that was presented to various labels, including Napalm Records, with whom they signed to produce their first LP "Lake Of Sorrow".

Your records

On Lake Of Sorrow released in 1998 as the band's first full length, it was at the same time the first appearance of Pete Johansen and his violin. With this album they achieved considerable success, immediately becoming one of the most renowned bands within the genre. After "Lake Of Sorrow" the logical changes took place in the band, establishing the style and adding (and removing) some elements.

The popularity they gained made them spend a good time touring different countries, often in the company of renowned bands like Tristania as well and gaining more and more followers, until the publication in the year 2000 of their second and up to now last full length, "Perpetual Desolation", also under the protective wing of Napalm Records.

This second album, with a very similar style to the previous one, although without relying so much on the violin, also struck a chord with the public, further consolidating the band. In addition, they show that they can diversify their melodies, so they look more mature.

In 2001, what would be his last published work came to light, a concert video in VHS format with a compilation of the best pieces from his two recorded albums, called "Perpetual Desolation Live&# 3. 4;.

Lineup Changes

Unfortunately in 2001 the vocalist Anita Auglend decided to leave the band due to personal problems, together with the keyboardist Anders Thue. She then joined the band as vocalist Hege Mary Aanby but after a few concerts in Mexico she withdrew from the band as she could not adapt to the band's style.

TSOTB went into hiatus between 2002 and 2003, and many assumed it really had disappeared altogether. Technically so it was, even its official page was taken off the air in 2003 to date, without updates and without giving any major signs of life.

In 2001, the main keyboardist Ingfrid Stensland decides to resign due to problems with the band, so the position is assumed by Maiken Olaisen until 2005, when they decide to reactivate the band with a concert tour. The next year. In 2006 they returned with a new vocalist Mona Wallin with the expectation of recording a new album, something that they could not specify and she left after only a few months of being included.

Separation

In April 2007 it is rumored that Anita Auglend, the best-known member of the band, was returning as the main vocalist according to unofficial statements, an aspect that was transcendental for the continuity and the long hiatus that the group took.

In an extract from an interview with her about it, she stated:

-"You have recently decided to join the band again, at a point where many people considered the band dead. Did the screams and requests of the fans provoke your return?"

-"They (the band) asked me if I was interested in singing again and I said yes"''.

According to their label Napalm Records, and their unofficial site[1], they were expected to record a new album in the near future, with a concert tour.

However, the singer's comeback was never possible due to irreconcilable differences. Meanwhile Pete Johansen was invited to play violin on several Tristania and Sirenia albums, as well as some of his live performances.

Despite years of speculation about a possible reunion, Johansen officially announced in 2013 that they had broken up in 2008. That same year, band members Anders Thue and Stig Johansen formed their own grouping Savn with singer by Midnattsol, Carmen Elise Espenæs.

Musical style

It was one of the most representative bands of the gothic genre to come out of Norway at the end of the 1990s, however, with an inexplicably fleeting pace, despite the success they achieved with their few recordings.

His style is dark, the themes are love, death, loneliness, pain and other sensations. Experimenting like no other band, they pulsate with unprecedented variation in their productions.

The compositions, in general terms, are long and complex, with a very marked support in the use of the violin and with a keyboard that provides a dark and dramatic atmosphere, particularly on their first album "Lake of Sorrow&# 3. 4;. It is particular that the keyboards of Anders Thue and Ingfrid Stensland take turns according to the need of the melody. Thue occasionally plays the piano on some songs.

The guitars have a distorted sound, while the drums are heard strong and worked.

The meter and speed is very similar between all of them, although there are many rhythm changes or even interspersed compositions, throughout each of the songs, especially in "Perpetual Desolation". The style is a type of doom/death metal mixed with the atmosphere and essence of Gothic Rock and Ethereal Wave, and even in some cases with their own musical influences. That is why their music is called Gothic Doom or simply Gothic Metal.

The two male voices are guttural and distorted, and intersperse each other in the verses, while the clean, ethereal, romantic and melodic female soprano voice intervenes when the piece warrants it, something very common in the Gothic Metal genre (more known as "Beauty and the Beast").

Members

Last Known Lineup

• Anita Auglend- Female voice
• Glenn Morten Nordbo - Guitar, Voices
• Arild Christensen - Guitar, Secondary Voices
• Ola Aarrrestad - Low
• Stig Johansen - Battery
• Maiken Olaisen - Keyboard

Previous members

• Mona Wallin - Voices
• Hege Mary Aanby - Voices
• Anders Thue - Keyboard
• Ingfrid Stensland - Keyboard
• Pete Johansen - Violin

Discography

Studio Albums

• Lake of Sorrow 1998
• Perpetual Desolation - 2000

Concerts

• Live - 2002

Videos

• Perpetual Desolation Live 2001

EP

• All Alone - 1998

Demos

• Demo '97 1997