Cor Scorpii

Cor Scorpii ("Scorpion's Heart" in Latin) is a black metal band from Sogndal, Norway, founded in 2004 by Gaute Refsnes, the former keyboardist of Windir. Cor Scorpii is an alternative name of Antares, the 15th brightest star in the sky.[1] The name was chosen because the band members felt that it conveyed a mysterious and atmospheric feeling, corresponding to the musical and lyrical content.[2]

For a star, see Antares.
Cor Scorpii
OriginSogndal, Norway
GenresBlack metal
Years active2004–present
LabelsDescent Records
Dark Essence Records
MembersGaute Refsnes
Rune Sjøthun
Stian Bakketeig
Thomas S. Øvstedal
Inge Jonny Lomheim
Ole "Vargon" Nordsve
Websitehttp://www.corscorpii.net/

History

Cor Scorpii was formed in late 2004 after the death of Terje Bakken, the lead singer and founder of Windir. Following a farewell concert, the band was dissolved. At that point, Gaute Refsnes implemented the long-standing idea of creating his own band.[3] Two other former Windir members, Stian Bakketeig and Jørn Holen, joined the band. Holen, however had to leave in 2005 due to family reasons and his obligations to Vreid, another band created by the former Windir members.[4] The line-up was competed by Thomas S. Øvstedal, Rune Sjøthun, and Inge Jonny Lomheim, who have all been involved in the local metal scene for years.[5] The band's first demo, Attergangar, was released in 2005, receiving much praise from the musical critics and fans and winning the Demo of the Month award from the Metal Hammer Germany magazine.[3][4][5] Shortly after, the band signed a record deal with the Dutch label Descent Productions. A new drummer, Ole "Vargon" Nordsve, joined the band by the end of 2006. In July 2007, the band commenced to record its début full-length album, Monument, which was released on March 26, 2008 to positive reviews.[6]

In 2009, Cor Scorpii was signed by the Norwegian label Dark Essence Records, which re-released the band's début album, as well as the earlier demo.[7] The band's second album Ruin was released on June 15, 2018.[8]

Musical style

Compared to Vreid, the legacy of Windir in Cor Scorpii's music, which is melodic and sombre, is apparent, even though no band member was actually involved in songwriting for Windir.[5] There are notable differences as well, however. The folk influences, characteristic of Windir, were replaced with classical influences. Such classical composers as Sergei Prokofiev, Edvard Grieg, Sergei Rachmaninov, and Erik Satie are stated as sources of inspiration for the band.[3]

Live performance

Cor Scorpii's first concert took place in their hometown in October 2007 during the Støy Festival; the band continued to tour Norway the following year, participating in larger events, such as the Inferno Metal Festival.[9] In 2009, the band was able to perform outside their native country for the first time, playing in the Netherlands and then at the Ragnarök Festival in Germany.[10]

Members

Current
  • Thomas S. Øvstedal – vocals
  • Erlend Nybø – guitars
  • Rune Sjøthun – rhythm guitars
  • Inge Jonny Lomheim – bass
  • Gaute Refsnes – keyboards
  • Ole "Vargon" Nordsve – drums

Former
  • Jørn Holen – drums
  • Stian Bakketeig – guitars

Discography

Albums
  • Monument (2008)
  • Ruin (2018)

Demos
  • Attergangar (2005)

References
  1. "ANTARES". University of Wisconsin–Madison. Retrieved 2008-04-08.
  2. "Cor Scorpii Interview". corscorpii.mysites.nl. Retrieved 2008-04-09.
  3. "INTERVIEW: Cor Scorpii". metal1.info. 2006-04-02. Archived from the original on 2011-07-17. Retrieved 2008-04-11.
  4. "Bio". corscorpii.net. Archived from the original on 2008-03-12. Retrieved 2008-04-11.
  5. "Cor Scorpii Interview". lordsofmetal.nl. October 2006. Retrieved 2008-04-11.
  6. Blom, Hans Petter; Andersen, Morten (25 August 2019). "Lidenskap lar seg ikke sykemelde" (in Norwegian). NRK. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  7. "Cor Scorpii Signs To Dark Essence Records". metalunderground.com. 2009-08-20. Retrieved 2009-10-08.
  8. Selzer, Jonathan (13 June 2018). "Norwegian metallers Cor Scorpii stream their epic new album in full". Metal Hammer. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  9. "Live". corscorpii.net. Archived from the original on 2008-03-08. Retrieved 2008-04-12.
  10. "Ragnarök Festival - Lichtenfels 2009 (Day 2)". reflectionsofdarkness.com. 2009-08-20. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
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