Deinonychus | en

Deinonychus is a metal band from Brunssum, Netherlands. Started off playing black metal, over the years Deinonychus established themselves as a dark metal / doom metal band, filled with a melancholic and depressive sound. The lyrics mainly deal with pain, sorrow, stress, misery, and death.

Deinonychus started to get shape back in Autumn 1992 as a one-man outfit, created by the Dutch Marco Kehren, previously member of Malefic Oath.
A first demo titled "Promo 1993" was released in October 1993. It was followed by a second demo titled "A Blaze Over Darkland". In March 1994 the band got signed with Cacophonous records from UK, and recorded their first album "The Silence of December" in August 1994. Nevertheless, due several delays, the album got released in May 1995. This album showed a first progression into a mix of black / doom metal with extreme vocals.

After this, Deinonychus recorded a second album for Cacophonous Records in February 1996. This new release was called "The Weeping Of A Thousand Years" which had been released in July 1996. This album could be seen as a great and unique mix of black/death/gothic metal with a very emotional touch. Unfortunately, any promotion for this album failed to happen by Cacophonous Records, which resulted in a split between Deinonychus and the label in October 1996.

In March 1997 Deinonychus signed with young UK label Supernal Music. Their co-operation resulted in the release of the album "Ark of Thought" in November 1997. In the same year Deinonychus did their first and only live gig, at the Hippodrome in London UK for a sold-out audience, which happened to be a success for the band, and rose their profile. The show was filmed and released on VHS, titled "Live at the Hippodrome - London, UK". In the very same year the first demo was re-released on MCD under the title "After the Rain Falls... an Empty Sky Remains" by a Mexican label called Guttural Records.

In 1997 Marco Kehren also joined the German band Bethlehem as the main vocalist, replacing Rainer Landfermann. He performed on the album "Sardonischer Untergang im Zeichen irreligiöser Darbietung" (1998), and on the EPs "Reflektionen auf's Sterben" (1998) and "Profane Fetmilch Lenzt Elf Krank (1999).

In January 1999 Deinonychus signed a deal with Ars Metalli from Germany. Furtheron Deinonychus became a two-man outfit: William Sarginson (known for his works with Cradle of Filth and December Moon) joined Deinonychus as the permanent drummer. The fourth album, simply titled "Deinonychus", was recorded in August 1999, and released in May 2000 after a delay of six months. This album was the heaviest so far, and very doomy, gaining positive critics.

Shortly after the release of "Deinonychus", the band started to work on a new album titled "Mournument". Arkdae, from the French group Dark Sanctuary, joined as the permanent keyboardist. "Mournument" was recorded in Germany during the Summer/Autumn of 2000 and was due for release on Ars Metalli in June 2001. But once again things didn't work well. Deinonychus changed label again after Ars Metalli failed to release the album for more than 10 months, which followed in a termination of the contract between Deinonychus and the label during the spring 2002.

In April Deinonychus signed up with My Kingdom Music from Italy. "Mournument" was released on September 2002 and reached a great enthusiasm from the audience. "Mournument" was the fifth full-length album, and maybe the darkest release so far. It celebrated Deinonychus’ 10 years career with a monument of grief and melancholy. It includes a cover of Candlemass song “Ancient Dreams”, performed with the dramatic vocals of Marco Kehren, enriched by the presence of William Sarginson and Arkdae.

After one year spent to promote "Mournument", Marco Kehren flies to Rome to record a new album. At the Outer Sound Studio he spent a great time, joined by guest musicians Steve Wolz (Imperia), Giuseppe Orlando (Novembre) and Alessio Fagrelli. During the Summer of 2004 the work of mixing and mastering is ended, and the new album, titled “Insomnia”, is finally released in October. .