Gorefest

Gorefest was a Dutch band formed in Goes, Netherlands (Zeeland province) in 1989 as a death metal outfit by Jan-Chris de Koeijer, Frank Harthoorn, Alex van Schaik and Marc Hoogendoorn. Within two months of existence these four death metal enthusiasts recorded a demo (Tangled in Gore). A Dutch independent label, Foundation 2000, signed them for one album, however, before recording they first released another demo Horrors in a Retarded Mind in 1990, which also received positive feedback. As a supporting act for Carcass they travelled through Belgium and the Netherlands impressing the metal-scene also on stage. Colin Richardson was the producer of 1991's album Mindloss. Prior to a tour with New Jersey band Revenant, guitarist Alex van Schaik was replaced by Boudewijn Bonebakker. Not satisfied with Foundation 2000, Gorefest signed a contract in 1992 with Nuclear Blast. Hoogendoorn was dismissed because of lack of interest and drummer Ed Warby (who came from melodic band called Elegy) took his place just two weeks before recording sessions of their second LP False which was again produced by Colin Richardson. The album sold relatively well in the Netherlands and Germany for a band of their genre. In the months to come they completed a European tour with Deicide and Atrocity, playing in Germany, Sweden, Spain, Czechoslovakia and England. In 1993 Gorefest played a show at the Dynamo Open Air at Eindhoven. A live album The Eindhoven Insanity was released shortly after. Also in 1993, they toured America as a supporting act for metal band Death. Erase was recorded in 1994 with producer Pete Coleman and revealed a more mature Gorefest with a different attitude towards traditional death metal. As a result, public opinion towards the band 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. For 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 a rockish Soul Survivor - a total departure from their roots even showing traces of pop - and a very similar Chapter 13 was released in 1998. By this time the band had abandoned their heavy image, and the graphics for these works were less extreme. Inexorably, fans turned their backs on them and the sales of the album was a relative fiasco, thus they split up in 1998. Gorefest reformed in 2004 and played various summer festivals in 2005. The band then unveiled a new album, La Muerte, another album followed in 2007, entitled Rise to Ruin. On the 15th of 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.