1) Pestilence is a death m… Read Full Bio ↴There are multiple bands using this name.
1) Pestilence is a death metal band from Enschede, The Netherlands founded in 1986. Later they incorporated more jazz and fusion elements into their music. They released four albums before disbanding in order to pursue other musical directions in 1994. Pestilence reformed in 2008 and released their album 'Resurrection Macabre' a year later in March. In late April 2011, the band released 'Doctrine'.
Pestilence started in the Netherlands in mid 1986 as a thrash metal band. The lineup, consisting of Patrick Mameli (guitar, vocals), Randy Meinhard (guitar), and Marco Foddis (drums), recorded two demos before gaining the attention of Roadrunner Records. After the first demo, Martin van Drunen (bass, vocals) joined them. These two demos - Dysentery (1986) and The Penance (1987) - are raw, sounding mostly like a cross between Possessed and Schizophrenia-era Sepultura. After signing to Roadrunner Records, Pestilence released their debut album titled Malleus Maleficarum in 1988, further refining their approach to thrash metal. The new material was tighter and more focused than the demos. Shortly thereafter, guitarist Randy Meinhard left the band to pursue other musical goals in a new band named Sacrosanct.
Meanwhile, Pestilence recruited a new guitar player by the name of Patrick Uterwijk. In 1989, the band released their second album Consuming Impulse, which was a turn toward to death metal. From a musical standpoint, things became heavier and more haunting. Vocally, Martin van Drunen moved away from cleaner vocals in favour of a more acidic growl. With its release, Pestilence gained international attention, highly regarded worldwide by death metal fans. But before a follow-up album was released, the lineup changed once again; vocalist and bassist Martin van Drunen departed to front Asphyx.
Pestilence were faced again with the challenge of replacing a member, being without a vocalist and bassist. So while recording their third album Testimony Of The Ancients (1991), they enlisted bassist Tony Choy, who at the time was playing with the technical death metal band Cynic and Patrick Mameli took over the vocal duties. With this lineup, they released the album Testimony Of The Ancients. The new material was not as abrasive as the previous albums, but the band's musicianship has obviously grown and the album had the best production job of the band's catalogue.
However, Tony Choy was never a permanent member, and ended up going back to Florida to eventually play with Atheist. In the meantime, Pestilence enlisted the talents of Jeroen Paul Thesseling (Obscura).
Over the years, the Pestilence members were getting into other forms of music, primarily jazz fusion which, the band wanted to pair with metal. The band's fourth and final album, Spheres was released in 1993. With every album, Pestilence went through some kind of a change and Spheres was no exception. Pestilence mixed jazz fusion elements into their death metal style, and used guitar synths throughout the album.
Pestilence's popularity had risen with the release of each album, but unfortunately, so did tensions between the members. So after a short period of time, the band unanimously decided to split up, feeling they had reached their creative climax.
In 1994, Roadrunner released one last CD from Pestilence: a best-of titled Mind Reflections, containing tracks from all four albums, plus the rare song "Hatred Within" (originally released on the Teutonic Invasion Part II compilation) and six unreleased live tracks recorded in at the Dynamo Open Air Festival in 1992. In 1998, Displeased Records re-released the debut album Malleus Maleficarum (which was originally never officially released in Europe), and included both demo recordings from 1986 and 1987. In 2006, Metal War Productions, working with Martin van Drunen, released Chronicles of the Scourge, containing two concert recordings and one unreleased bonus track. The two concerts are Live "Kix Festival" - Veghel, Holland (June 24, 1989) and Live Bochum, Germany (November 18, 1988). A bonus "rehearsal disc" was released with the first 1000 copies.
The band reformed in 2008. The new line up: founder Patrick Mameli (vocals, guitar), well known Tony Choy (bass) and drummer Peter Wildoer (Darkane, Non-Human Level and others). Their fifth album 'Resurrection Macabre' was released on the 16th of March 2009.
In October 2009, Jeroen Paul Thesseling re-joined Pestilence after fifteen years of separation from the band, replacing Tony Choy's bass position. However, Thesseling has maintained that he will remain the bassist of Obscura as well.
2) Pestilence was a short lived Death-Thrash band from Las Vegas, Nevada. They released one demo in 1987 called Infected. The band later changed its name to The Horde of Torment.
3) "Diseased Dungeon Noise" https://pestilentsynth.bandcamp.com/
4) Australian grind/crust band, released a demo in 1988
5) An underground trans artist from Tucson, Arizona
Sinister
Pestilence Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The dark, the sinister
Creating fear in the hearts of the feeble
To tear your soul apart, apart
Molecular negativity frying your nerve cells
Where the sinister dwells
The ignorance is the feeder
Of the masses to remain
Molecular negativity frying your nerve cells
Where the sinister dwells sinister
Sinister
Cold as the eternal winter
These motherfuckers claim
Molecular negativity frying your nerve cells
Where the sinister dwells sinister
Sinister sinister
Sinister
In the song "Sinister" by Pestilence, the lyrics delve into the concept of darkness and malevolence. The opening lines, "The dark, the sinister, creating fear in the hearts of the feeble, to tear your soul apart," imply that there is a force or presence that invokes fear and intends to destroy one's inner being. This could be interpreted as a metaphorical representation of evil or negative influences in the world.
The next lines, "Molecular negativity frying your nerve cells, where the sinister dwells," suggest that this sinister force operates on a microscopic level, affecting individuals at the molecular level. It could be seen as a metaphor for the corrupting influence of negative thoughts and emotions, which can erode one's sanity and well-being.
The lyrics continue to explore the idea that ignorance serves as a fuel for this sinister force, keeping the masses trapped and unable to escape its clutches. The repetition of the phrase "Molecular negativity frying your nerve cells" further emphasizes the destructive nature of this darkness and its ability to torment individuals mentally and emotionally.
The closing lines, "Cold as the eternal winter, these motherfuckers claim, molecular negativity frying your nerve cells, where the sinister dwells sinister," reinforce the idea that this malevolent force is pervasive and enduring. It seems to be a critique of those who embrace or propagate negativity, suggesting that they are claiming power and control over others through their sinister actions.
Overall, "Sinister" by Pestilence delves into the concept of a dark and malevolent force that instills fear, erodes one's mental well-being, and thrives on ignorance and negativity.
Line by Line Meaning
The dark, the sinister
The ominous and malevolent nature
Creating fear in the hearts of the feeble
Instilling terror in those who are weak and easily influenced
To tear your soul apart, apart
To completely destroy and ravage your inner essence
Molecular negativity frying your nerve cells
Intense negative energy causing severe damage to your nervous system at a molecular level
Where the sinister dwells
The place where evil and wickedness resides
The ignorance is the feeder
Ignorance serves as the source or sustenance
Of the masses to remain
For the majority to stay ignorant and unaware
Cold as the eternal winter
As frigid and unyielding as an everlasting winter
These motherfuckers claim
These individuals assert or proclaim
Sinister sinister sinister
Evil, malevolent, and menacing
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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