The band began in late 1995, when drummer Matthias and guitarist Sathonys got together to assemble a black metal band. They put adverts at several music magazines in the hopes that they would find suitable musicians to play with them. In answer to the advertisement, they were joined by bassist Marko Thomas and keyboardist and vocalist Vlad Dracul. The last member of their initial formation was the second guitarist, Hyperion, who joined them by the end of that year. With this formation the band recorded the Carpe Noctem demo tape, which received fair reviews from the German specialized press. It also attracted the attention of one of Century Media's executivies, who began keeping track of the band.
Agathodaimon then proceeded to play minor gigs and support some European bands. Eventually, they received an offer from Century Media to fund the recording of their second demo. This demo was recorded in early 1997 and was named Near Dark. It attracted the interest of quite a few recording labels, and in the end the band opted to sign with Nuclear Blast.
After successfully composing the songs for their debut album Blacken the Angel, one of the members of Agathodaimon, Vlad, was forced to quit the band due to problems with immigration. Being a native from Romania, the local authorities from his country didn't allow him to go back to Germany. The situation involved the fact that he had left the country during Ceauşescu's reign. The band therefore was forced to make use of guest musicians to record their debut. Akaias (from Asaru) did the vocals and Marcel "Vampallens" (from Nocte Obducta) took the role of the keyboards. Vlad's participation on the album was restricted to the solo song Contemplation Song, which was sent to the band via air mail.
The CD caused some impact, and Agathodaimon proceeded to tour with bands such as Children of Bodom and Hypocrisy. At the height of the album's success they opened gigs for Dimmu Borgir, Lacrimosa and other bands.
In 1999, Vampallens decided to quit the band in order to dedicate himself fully to his main project Nocte Obducta. He was replaced by female keyboardist Christine S. To record their second album - Higher Art of Rebellion - the band travelled to Romania, in order to be able to play together with Vlad. The vocalist Akaias also participated in the recording of this album, which took place at Magic Sound in Bucharest. A european tour as headliner with Graveworm and Siebenbürgen followed.
After a short hiatus, the band recorded the album Chapter III in 2001 at the Kohlekeller Studio, Germany.
Some changes to the bands's structure followed, with Vlad definitely quitting the band, soon followed by Marko and Christine. Marko did leave because of health problems and quit making music, while Christine formed her own band Demonic Symphony, where she handles bass guitar and vocals. Marko and Christine were replaced by Darin Smith and Felix Ü. Walzer.
In 2004 the band released the album Serpent's Embrace, which again was recorded at Kohlekeller Studio with Kristian Kohlmannslehner as producer.
In early 2006 personal differences led to the split of Eddy and the rest of the band. A new bass player named Till (formerly active in Misanthropic (where Matthias also played drums for a while) joined the ranks, and the songwriting for the next album is currently taking place. Release is scheduled for spring 2007.
The band's name means "benevolent demon" in Greek.
On October 18th, 2014, the band (through Sathonys) issued a statement in their official Facebook account that Agathodaimon will going to split, after 19 years active.
Discography:
* Carpe Noctem - Demo I (1996)
* Near Dark - Demo II (1997)
* Blacken the Angel (1998)
* Bislang - EP (1999)
* Higher Art of Rebellion (1999)
* Chapter III (2001)
* Serpent's Embrace (2004)
* Phoenix (2009)
* In Darkness (2013)
Departure
Agathodaimon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Farewell beloved one
And I, unto may death, your way
Will shun.
I care not now where you may go
You can no more bereave me
Today the sweetest girl I know
[Chorus]
And the air still moves my curtain
As it used in times of yore
Moonlight down the lane uncertain
Only you come nevermore
Nor shall I as in former hours
Build Spanish castles high
With star-lit windows, and with towers of sky,
When, shivering with bitter cold
Through winter nights uncertain
I watched lest you perhaps unfold
Your curtain.
O what delight to stroll with you
Beneath that flowering trees
When poured its light their branches through,
The moon.
[Chorus]
That I might catch with rapturous thrill
The words that you let fall
And that today I barely still
Recall
How often did I secretly pray
Swift night her sails would furl
That we might thus forever stray
Fair girl
[Chorus]
The song "Departure" by Agathodaimon is a melancholic farewell to a loved one. The first stanza, "We part for ever from today, Farewell beloved one, And I, unto may death, your way, Will shun," reveals that the singer is leaving the one he loves and has made a decision to never return. The second stanza, "I care not now where you may go, You can no more bereave me, Today the sweetest girl I know, Does leave me," suggests that he is emotionally detached and no longer wishes to be with this woman. In the chorus, "And the air still moves my curtain, As it used in times of yore, Moonlight down the lane uncertain, Only you come nevermore," he describes how the memories of the past still linger and the pain of separation is still evident.
The third stanza, "Nor shall I as in former hours, Build Spanish castles high, With star-lit windows, and with towers of sky, When, shivering with bitter cold, Through winter nights uncertain, I watched lest you perhaps unfold, Your curtain," highlights the singer's deep disappointment that their dreams and aspirations will never become a reality. The final stanza, "That I might catch with rapturous thrill, The words that you let fall, And that today I barely still, Recall, How often did I secretly pray, Swift night her sails would furl, That we might thus forever stray, Fair girl," is a sad reminiscence of the cherished moments that they spent together but can never be relived.
Line by Line Meaning
We part for ever from today
We separate permanently from today
Farewell beloved one
Goodbye my dear
And I, unto may death, your way / Will shun.
I will avoid you until the end of my life
I care not now where you may go / You can no more bereave me
I am indifferent to your movements / You cannot cause me anymore pain
Today the sweetest girl I know / Does leave me.
Today, the girl I love the most is leaving me
And the air still moves my curtain / As it used in times of yore / Moonlight down the lane uncertain / Only you come nevermore
The wind still blows my curtain as before / The moon shines on the uncertain road / Only you will never come back
Nor shall I as in former hours / Build Spanish castles high / With star-lit windows, and with towers of sky, / When, shivering with bitter cold / Through winter nights uncertain / I watched lest you perhaps unfold / Your curtain.
I will no longer dream of grand things like building Spanish castles / With windows and towers that reach the sky / When I was shivering with cold and dread / Through uncertain winter nights / I was watching to make sure you did not appear
O what delight to stroll with you / Beneath that flowering trees / When poured its light their branches through, / The moon.
What a delight it was to walk with you / Under the flowering trees / When the moon cast light on their branches
That I might catch with rapturous thrill / The words that you let fall / And that today I barely still / Recall
I wanted to catch with excitement / The words you spoke / And today, I can only barely remember them
How often did I secretly pray / Swift night her sails would furl / That we might thus forever stray / Fair girl
How many times did I pray in secret / That the night would never end / So that we could wander forever / My beautiful girl
And the air still moves my curtain / As it used in times of yore / Moonlight down the lane uncertain / Only you come nevermore
The wind still blows my curtain as before / The moon shines on the uncertain road / Only you will never come back
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Peermusic Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Neal Joseph Schon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind