Probably the most controversial Lithuanian Black Metal band, unlike countless rumours about its demise, is alive and well.
The band was formed in 1993 in a small province town of Lithuania - Anyka iai, and since the start their music was circling around the old way of Black Metal, with obvious Thrash and Heavy Metal influences. Devoted to the dark side, they have never stopped mocking the stupid dogmas and they have never moved away from praising darkness, destruction and war. From their first live appearances to the public Dissimulation have faced an enthused reaction towards that cold blasphemy. It has constantly been spewed forth with a dose of anger, supported by the memorable stage show full of spikes, leather and venomous mystique. If you see them live these days, you will not witness a difference.
The core of Dissimulation has always been Venomous (bass/vocals), and Stabmeldys (drums). Their guitarists have been coming and going, so stability was not the easiest thing to achieve at the early stage. However, in fall of 1996, with guitarist of those days }ilvinas, they have finally entered Tamsta Studios, acclaimed for memorization of the bigger part of Lithuanian Metal recordings back then. With a very small budget and total inexperience they still happened to record intro and five tunes of cold Black Metal music. From the very start using mother tongue, Dissimulation have managed to create their own specific sound with a raspy voice, raw guitar lines, fundamental drumming and really cold Black Metal atmosphere. Guys have also used keyboards on that recording (performed by }ilvinas), to reinforce the dark hellish feel, and frankly speaking, it was not the worst use of this instrument down there. Three-piece did not rehash the old cliches of Bathory, Hellhammer or Venom there, but rather created their own brand of sick hateful Black Metal, with true inspiration coming from the dusty past and mysterious landscapes of Lithuanian plains... Demo tape Juodo Mnulio Pasveikinta was released by Dangus Productions in 1997. It was not a long while after when Juodo Mnulio Pasveikinta has quickly gained obvious attention and eventual praising from local and foreign Black Metal fans.
After the demo was out, the main local festival stages were taken by storm, namely Death Comes, Black Metal, Baltic Thunder and others, let alone many smaller shows as well as first appearances in Latvia, Estonia and Belarus.
In a while Dissimulation have parted ways with }ilvinas, and quickly recruited a new talented guitar player Nekrofagas, who showed a much better feel to their music, and much more ideas than his predecessor has ever managed to bring along.
Ledo Takas has put an eye and ear on Dissimulation a long time ago, mostly due to those effective live performances, and due to the new tracks the raw rehearsal versions of which have certainly pushed to sign the band for the first label s vinyl release. 7 EP material was mostly old Dissimulation songs, written after the demo that had to wait a bit to be released. Recordings were made again in Tamsta Studio in Vilnius on September 3rd and 4th, 1999, and yet again suffered quite a ghastly production. This time round the band decided to quit with any and all keyboard additions to gain the pure Black Metal sound. 2nd February 2000 marked a five tracks (+intro) Miglose& EP release out. It was pressed on solid violet vinyl and limited to 666 hand-numbered copies. Together with a classic envelope cover it had an inlay card with lyrics. A tape edition of Miglose& has also been produced, and it had one bonus song Countess Bathory cover version. No doubt that Venom have never sounded so brutal and sick!
Another remarkable experience for the band in 2000 was a Finnish mini tour in September together with Nahash, where Dissimulation have certainly gained great response and quite some new fans.
After the release of Miglose& 7 EP guys have been moving on, despite certain troubles with rehearsal spots and limited financial abilities. Unholy triumvirate has yet stepped forward in all directions:
a) their compositional abilities have improved;
b) the band has finally matured for the first full-length album;
c) systematic progress forward has provided them a chance to record in a much more professional studio than before.
So, with a help of Ledo Takas Records, in March 2002 Dissimulation have recorded 11 tunes at Phoenix studio in Riga, Latvia, which comprise the debuting Maras album. Sound engineer of Skyforger Gints Lundbergs has made sure that recording would get a thick and sharp Black Metal sound, unlike any previous release of the band.
After the recording Maras was professionally mastered by sound engineering guru Vytautas Stankus at Ophis studio in Kaunas, Lithuania. By the way, there were some troubles with Dissimulation mastering (that basically has caused the delay in album s release), because initially Ledo Takas had agreed to make the mastering at a certain famous studio in Berlin, however the owner of which happened to occur a typical new kid of German nation that got afraid of a A.Hitler speech sample in one of the compositions, and rushed to declare he does not work with nazi bands. Ledo Takas Records and Dissimulation here and now state, that the band has nothing to do with neither fascistic nor nazi ideology, and let everybody interpret the aforementioned composition like his or her own mind suggests.
Almost permanent designer of Ledo Takas Roswaldas has made a stunning job with the booklet and digipak design, with unique ideas provided by the band members. It is not only very tasteful, artful or great, it is also a SHOCKING design. CD comes as 6 panels digipak with a ten pages insert. Maras CD is on sale from the day of the dead October 31st 2002. Ledo Takas will issue the vinyl LP as well as T-shirts of Maras in coming months too.
The band is also looking for gigs anywhere in the world, so any offers are always welcome. To book the band, or to arrange the interview, please contact Ledo Takas Records.
Official biography 2005
