Artist description Dark, Depressive, Soul-crushing Doom that haunts the inner soul.

Music Style Doom Metal

Musical Influences Disembowelment, Thergothon, Winter, Dead Can Dance, Portishead etc....

Similar Artists (old) My Dying Bride, (old) Paradise Lost, Disembowelment, Thergothon

Artist History Guitarist Nick Orlando and Bassist Rob Robichaud under the name Funereus formed Evoken in April of 1992. After a few lineup changes and a brief period of time under the name Asmodeus, the original lineup of Evoken was formed. One more lineup change occurred and as of April 1996 the current lineup was formed. It is: John Paradiso - Guitars/Vocals; Nick Orlando - Guitars; Steve Moran - Bass; Vince Verkay - Drums; and Dario Derna - Keyboards. Evoken's first MCD release titled "Shades of Night Descending" was originally self-released by the band in early 1995 and then re-released in 1996 by French label Adipocere Records with a new cover. That was followed by a promo demo '96 and another promo demo in '97. Evoken also did a track in '97 for an Iron Maiden tribute entitled "A Call to Irons" on Dwell Records. Evoken subsequently signed to Elegy Records in 1998, releasing the bands debut full length CD "Embrace the Emptiness".. Soon after, Evoken contributed to the Black Sabbath tribute "Hell Rules 2" on Dwell Records in early 1999. Since then, Evoken have inked a two album deal with Italian label Avantgarde Music. The new CD "Quietus" will also be released by Dwell Records in the U.S. Although often compared to Disembowelment, Thergothon, and Winter, Evoken have developed their own unique sound within the doom/death genre. Their new album "Quietus" creates an old, haunting atmosphere while still maintaining the dark, ominous, and heavy overtones of past releases. Evoken are intent on keeping the dark flame of the elder doom/death bands burning by making absolutely no compromises. Soon, Evoken are looking to play shows throughout the U.S and especially Europe. Looking to build upon the cult status success of "Embrace the Emptiness", Evoken promise that "Quietus", will haunt the inner soul with fear and agony and leave many to claw hopelessly at the ebony gates of oblivion.

Group Members John Paradsio- Guitars/vocalsNick Orlando-GuitarsSteve Moran-BassVince Verkay-DrumsDario Derna-Keyboards

Instruments Heavy Guitars, Crushing Bass, Pounding Drums, Atmospheric Keyboards and haunting cello

Press Reviews Evoken - _Embrace the Emptiness_ (Elegy, 1998)by: Alex Cantwell (8.5 out of 10)Evoken play doom of such crushing magnitude that it takes thelistener straight into the depths of sorrow, or something like that.I just can't review a doom album without sounding like an A&R guyfrom a label, I guess. Like all well composed doom metal CDs,_Embrace the Emptiness_ is grandiose, yet subtle; beautiful, butdark; it's also dreadfully heavy and clocks in at over 70 minuteswith just seven songs. Evoken also make use of keyboards quite a bit,creating sombre atmospheres and dark soundscapes as the backdrop tothese tales of sorrow and tragedy. The sound is huge, and the rhythmssometimes become bombasts; cannons of war. In the thirteen minutelong "Ascend Into the Maelstrom", there is even a guitar solo -- ararity in doom metal for sure. The vocals are primarily growled, butsometimes a monotone clean vocal style is used. The lyrics are poeticin form; each song being a different path toward sorrow and woe, and although written for fantasy, the emotions are real. The cover says alot about this CD. Lacking a flashy logo, it is simply a black and white photo of a figure draped in black shroud, knelt before atombstone in an ancient graveyard of burial mounds, uttering lastregrets and grieving.From Terrorizer Magazine #65If a horde of evil druids were to put the very tryptichs of the mighty Stonehenge onto castors, and then roll the whole monstrous mass through the side of your house, you'd still be some way off the effects that "Embrace the Emptiness" will have on your senses. Following one of the bleakest intros ever recorded, seven songs in seventy minutes unleash an aura of windswept, misanthropic coldness worthy of the best Black Metal. A truly barren, desolate slab of pure misery that makes PL's "Gothic" seem like a picnic in the park. One of the most diseased slicks of scare-off sludge this side of a Sevenchurch album - Die before you buy! 8.5 (D)

Location Lyndhurst, N.J - USA

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