Compos Mentis News

Studio blog

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 12:18:28 +0200 CEST

Back in the studio, yehaa! Revolution Music are hosting a blog where we will upload video, sound, pictures and text to keep you all updated with what's happening here in the CB-Studios while we're recording our third album.Check it out here: Check it out here.

Studio blog

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 12:12:30 +0200 CEST

Back in the studio, yehaa!
Revolution Music are hosting a blog where we will upload video, sound, pictures and text to keep you all updated with what's happening here in the CB-Studios while we're recording our third album.
Check it out here: <a href="http://www.revolution-music.dk/blog/composmentis/" target="_blank"></a>

Biography updated

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 23:07:27 +0100 CET

Band history

Compos Mentis started playing in January 1996 and since then we have been experimenting with various kinds of metal. We started out as a Metallica jam band with the line-up: Jesper on guitars and vocal, Ryan on guitars and Andreas on drums. Later Dan joined in on bass guitar.

After a year or so we began listening to bands like Cradle of Filth, Dimmu Borgir, Dark Tranquillity, In Flames, Withering Surface and Moonspell, and with these new influences the Compos Mentis sound turned towards melodic death/black.

In the early spring 1999, after having recorded "Vulturous" and found out that keyboards fit the music very well, we were blessed with yet another member in the band: Bo joined in on keyboards.

A few months later we were offered to participate on "Extremity Rising Vol. 4", a compilation disc from the Danish label Serious Entertainment (RIP). We recorded "Brave and Lonely" and "Extremity Rising Vol. 4" was released in the autumn of 1999.

From the 14th till the 16th April 2000 we recorded a new four track-demo. This time in Aabenraa-Studiet with Jacob Hansen as producer. The demo-cd was released in the fall of 2000 under the moniker "Quadrology of Sorrow". You can listen to two of the tracks in the Download section«

"Quadrology of Sorrow" was sent out to tons of labels, magazines, radio stations and concert arrangers. We received excellent reviews and a bunch of interviews were carried out as well (can be found elsewhere on the website). Furthermore three labels offered us a record contract and we decided to sign a two-album deal with Lost Disciple Records.

During a period of eight days in the beginning of September 2001 we entered the Aabenraa-studio once again with Jacob Hansen and recorded our first full length album, "Fragments of a Withered Dream", which was released through Lost Disciple Records on January 3rd 2003.

"Fragments...", too, received great reviews and it was rated as the second best Danish metal album in 2003 at Danish Metal Awards (DMeA) by the readers of Danish Metal.

In September we embarked on our first actual tour, a European tour with the Danish metallers Illdisposed. It was a great experience for us and a lot of new people became acquainted with Compos Mentis.

The first half of 2005 was spent playing concerts all over Denmark and in the fall we recorded our second full-length, to be entitled "Gehennesis", at ZigZound with Ziggy as producer (two tracks can be downloaded from elsewhere on this website). In the meantime we had ended the co-operation with Lost Disciple Records (USA) as LDR decided to operate only as a distribution company in the future and therefore "Gehennesis" was sent out to a bunch of labels following the recording session.
After having negotiated with some foreign labels, we decided to release the album via the Danish label Mighty Music. "Gehennesis" was released on the 26th of March 2007 in Denmark and on the 18th of June worldwide.

Before the release of the album, Ken Holst was recruited as a sixth member of the band as Jesper wanted to focus on his vocal duties, especially in the live situation. In addition to this Bo Damgaard had previously decided to leave the band after the release of the second album and a replacement was found in Rune Klausen in January 2007. As if this wasn't enough, Compos Mentis parted ways with the bassist through more than ten years, Dan Damgaard, in June and hired Claus Tørnes (also in Mare Crisium) instead.

Besides from a bunch of other concerts here and there, Compos Mentis embarked on a short, but very successful tour with the Danish / Italian band Chaoswave in September 2007.

The first half of 2008 is spent composing material for the third album, which will be recorded during the summer at CB-studios.

Previous members:

Bo Damgaard - Keyboard (1999-2006)
Dan Damgaard - Bass (1996-2007)

Concert cancellation

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 20:22:56 +0100 CET

Sadly, we have had to cancel our announced concert at Lades Kælder on the 10th of April.
The reason is that we are very busy writing the forthcoming album (to be recorded this summer) and as some of us have demanding examinations on the side, we have been forced to make this desicion.
Fear not, though, as we will most certainly return to the capital sometime in the fall!

In writing mode

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 16:02:57 +0100 CET

For the time being we are focusing on composing material for our upcoming album, which will be recorded during the summer. This is the reason that only one show has been booked for the spring - but if you show up there, you will get to hear a new song or two...

This spring Compos Mentis have gone under ground in order to focus on composing material for their third album, which will be recorded at CBstudios on various occasions during July and August.

Since the recording of Gehennesis, three menbers have joined forces with Compos Mentis, namely Ken (guitar), Rune (keyboard), and Claus (bass), and with these line up changes the band had a perfect chance to further develop the music of Compos Mentis. All members - new as old - are contributing to the making of the new album and the songs that have been written so far are faster and more riff orientated and the song structures are a bit more straightforward than previously. It still sounds like Compos Mentis, of course, but with a whole lot more to it!