Toby consquently called up former MALZAN rhythm guitarist Benjamin Donath, who had left the band due to musical differences, and asked if he would be interested in taking over the part of bass player in this new group. Donath instantly agreed, and after one or two rehearsals, it was certain that this was going to be the band´s basic lineup. However, the quartet still did not have a name. Shortly before the first concert, Toby came up with the proposition to call the band THE NINTH GATE.
In November 2003, THE NINTH GATE played their first concert in Münster´s Luna Bar. Even though the band received nothing but positive feedback from their audience, they knew that there was still a piece missing in the puzzle, a piece that would soon have to be added to take their song writing and sound diversity to a new level. The band agreed that the engagement of a second guitarist would be the right measure in order to open new musical doors and add new melodies and harmonies to round up the metal riffs and to add an extra punch to the hardcore parts.
MALZAN had disbanded in the meantime, so their former bass player Stefan Keller was asked by Toby to play guitar in THE NINTH GATE. Stefan at that time played guitar in the progressive thrash metal band IKONOKL AST, but since he also had many hardcore riffs and song patterns and ideas in mind, he said yes, and thus the final lineup of THE NINTH GATE was completed.
The band continued to play concerts and write songs, and in February of 2004, they hit the DOCMA-KLANG STUDIO in Osnabrück to record a 7-track-plus-outro demo CD. The product the band came up with was considered a good effort by everyone who heard it, also because of the very fat overall sound that DOGMA-KLANG-STUDIO producer Matze had managed to create.
The demo´s opening track “Broken Spine” was even played in several clubs, for example Münster´s No.1 underground location, the “Sputnikhalle”, a fact which made the band extremely proud. On April 2, 2004, not even a year after the band´s actual foundation, something finally happened that the band would never even have dared to hope for: They were offered a record contract by METAL BLADE RECORDS. The band was very enthusiastic about this, but there was still something they had to do, and that was to change their name.
The band agreed that this had to be done mainly because everyone felt that the name simply was not that fitting to their music. So, after two weeks of intense research and “negotiation” among each other, the band finally found a name that they thought would fit their idea of metal best and that was also adequate considering the message that the band want to get across to their listeners. The new name was NEAERA.
This name comes from a famous prostitute of Greek antiquity. The records of a proesecution trial against her brought to light many aspects of the sex trade at the time.
Fast forward to 2009: the band has played thousands of shows in hundreds of countries with a slew of their peers, including a full European tour with As I Lay Dying and the supporting slot on the Heaven Shall Burn cd release tour. They’ve played all of the prominent European festivals: Wacken, Summer Breeze, With Full Force, etc. Armamentarium debuted at 65 on the charts in Germany and Neaera has since extended their deal with Metal Blade Records and are preparing to release their fourth album, Omnicide - Creation Unleashed.
In January 2009 the band entered Rape of Harmonies Studio to record Omnicide - Creation Unleashed, with producer Alexander Dietz at the helm. Mixing and mastering was handled by world-famous metal mastering wiz, Zeuss, who gives this aural behemoth his usual seal of excellence.
The spawn of the Neaera, ROH, Zeuss collaboration is a 10-track beast of a record that captures the essence of what the band is about: brutal mosh parts, aggressive blasts and fierce melodies make for an album that has ''pit havoc'' written all over it. Lyrically, Neaera stick to their guns, combining socially and politically relevant topics with self-reflective and more personal-based approaches.
Harbinger
Neaera Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I prematurely came of age
A childhood's remnants
For nightmares of abysmal suffering
I carried the burden
To the edges of my soul
To spread the tale for those
You thousands, you millions
Behold the sound of my voice
You children of children
Remember the sound of my voice
Harbinger of the past
Keeper of a better tomorrow?
My eyes have gazed into a vortex of brutality
From the undertow
I surfaced and was washed ashore
I am an orphan, yet a child to all my memories
I am alone
Yet there are so many more
Like me
One of millions
Descended into chaos
Victims of minds infected
With all consuming hate
The rain of all these tears
Has cleansed my mind of anger
It has erased the urge
To retaliate
The lyrics of Neaera's song Harbinger speak about the pain and suffering of the singer, who has had to bear the burden of premature maturity due to the experiences they have gone through. They describe how the singer has seen and experienced brutality and suffering that has left them alone and orphaned, but at the same time, they feel a strong sense of responsibility to share their story with others. They want to be a voice for those who are unable to speak up, a beacon of hope in a world consumed by hate and chaos. The singer believes that their experience can help others have a better tomorrow, and they urge people to remember their voice and the story they tell. The lyrics are emotional and powerful, conveying a sense of pain, resilience, and hope.
Line by Line Meaning
Inside this infant shell
In this helpless body
I prematurely came of age
I was forced to grow up too fast
A childhood's remnants
Only fragments of my childhood remain
For nightmares of abysmal suffering
Because of unimaginable pain and suffering
I carried the burden
I took on the weight of this pain
To the edges of my soul
It consumed every part of me
To spread the tale for those
To tell the story for others
Who are forced to scream without a mouth
Who are silenced and cannot speak out
You thousands, you millions
All of you people
Behold the sound of my voice
Listen to what I have to say
You children of children
Future generations
Remember the sound of my voice
Do not forget the message I am delivering
Harbinger of the past
A warning from history
Keeper of a better tomorrow?
The one who holds the promise of a better future
My eyes have gazed into a vortex of brutality
I have seen unspeakable violence
From the undertow
From the depths of despair
I surfaced and was washed ashore
I survived and am here now
I am an orphan, yet a child to all my memories
I am alone, but my memories keep me company
I am alone
I do not have anyone beside me
Yet there are so many more
There are countless others who are just like me
Like me
Similar to me in their experiences
One of millions
One of countless people who have suffered
Descended into chaos
Thrown into a world of disorder and destruction
Victims of minds infected
People harmed by those who promote hate
With all consuming hate
With a hatred that is all-encompassing
The rain of all these tears
The grief and sadness I have experienced
Has cleansed my mind of anger
Has washed away my urge to seek revenge
It has erased the urge
It removed my desire
To retaliate
To seek revenge or cause harm
Contributed by Hunter Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.