von Branden

A goth metal act born and based in Germany, Von Branden formed in 2004 and signed to the Greyfall label soon after. The group, which was founded by members Solarian von Branden and Vestriz von Mesopotamien, released its first demo, Behind the Rain, in 2004. Another demo, Ignoranzkult, saw the light of day in 2006. What helped keep Von Branden from getting lost in the shuffle of numerous metal bands of similar style was their love of music that was just outside the genre. The group went to great pains to incorporate elements of classical and jazz, as well as instruments such as piano, sax, and cello. This unique take on metal soon got the band noticed, and Von Branden -- now with Greyfall -- were able to release their first "official" full-length, Scherben, in 2007. ~ Chris True