The band comes into being in 1996, formed by brothers Jan and Jerzy Rajkow-Krzywicki. Initially it is called Leon and operates under this name from 1996 to 2000. During those four years Leon records few demos, including “Silva” which turns the underground’s attention to the band. This material elicits very controversial reactions among the audience. Truly loved or deeply hated, it waits a year till its successor is born.

Year 2000 brings major changes to the band’s activity. The most profound one is undoubtedly the change of the name from Leon to April Ethereal at the turn of June and July. “Advent” - the first material under this name is released 15 October 2000. It is another big step in the band’s history in every respect. The music gains new dimension thanks to better sound, precision and original ideas. As far as the lyrics is concerned, “Advent” is also a concept album. For the first time in the band’s history, the material is recorded totally in English.

11 January 2001 Adrian Pełka (voc) joins the band, replacing Jan on vocals. It enables the band starting concert activity. In March 2001 the band signs a deal with the English label Conquer Records for releasing “Advent” on CD and MC. In April 2001 the band goes to a small tour to Belgium, England and Poland. From May 2001 to August 2001 the band supports Christian Death in Poland and Behemoth in London and also takes part in the first open air metal festival in Poland - Dying Art OAF. April Ethereal joins Nile and Behemoth as support-act on their tour in Great Britain (November/December 2001) and becomes the first polish metal band to receive the honour of giving an interview on BBC Radio.

In February 2002 Marcin Bugowski (drums) and Marek Gajewski (bass) join the band. The band begins writing and rehearsing new material for the second record “Al Azif”. Unfortunately, a week before the recording session, Marcin Bugowski informs the members that he is going to leave the band due to the lack of time, after the work on “Al Azif” will be completed. Still as a five member band, April Ethereal enters the Cracow Green Studio on 29 June 2002 and records “Al Azif” under the supervision of Marcin Prusiewicz. The recording lasts for 18 days. Due to the indisposition of Marek Gajewski, all bass parts on “Al Azif” are recorded by Jan. In the last, instrumental track the bass parts are recorded by Marcin Prusiewicz. 20 July the band comes back to Warsaw leaving the material at Green Studio to Marcin Prusiewicz who then completes mixes and masters the material. In August 2002 the band is rehearsing again in panoply thanks to Jarek Stańczyk who becomes the new drummer. Also in August Marek Gajewski leaves the band. Andrzej from Warsaw’s Archeon replaces him during concerts as a guest. In November 2002 Artur Rydczak (bass) joins April Ethereal for good. In May 2003 Irina Pashik (vocals) joins the band.

In this line-up the band promotes the “Al Azif” material in various places all over the Poland together with other bands. The new material meets a warm reception, which is seen especially during concerts in Suwałki, Warsaw and other towns as well. In June 2003 April Ethereal supports the Polish part of The Gathering’s Souvenirs Tour 2003. The concerts and tour go by in great atmosphere. The tour also lets the band visit Rzeszów and Wrocław, the places the band has never visited before. Meanwhile, after a series of unsuccessful negotiations with few record labels, the band decides to release “Al Azif” and to take care of its promotion independently. May of 2004 brings major changes to the band. During composing the new material, the band has to part from Adrian due to personal and musical reasons. April Ethereal’s music undergoes further transformations proving the strength and determination of the present line-up. The band enters in july Złota Skała / Kokszoman Studios in Warsaw and finish in two days the recording of drum tracks for the new upcoming EP. In august all other instruments are recorded in April Ethereal’s home studio and the material goes to Green Studio Cracow where it will be mixed and mastered under the patient eye of Marcin Prusiewicz. In 2005 the work is done and the EP, extended with a variation of the instrumental track “Julty Afeternoon” originally recorded on “Al Azif” done by Marcin Prusiewicz, takes the name “2005 A.E.”. The cover art is done by Iskra and the layout is finished by Jan and Jerzy. The E.P. is promoted during various concerts in Poland (with such bands like Jesus Chrysler Suicide, The Calog), the band takes part in the competition of Big Star Festival and for the first time visits Torun and Poznan during the small Handicap Tour with pals from Atropos. Still writing new songs, the band prepares to hit the studio at the end of July to record a new full length album. The band is also looking for a label to release the new songs.

Source : https://web.archive.org/web/20070109033124/http://www.aehq.com/index.php/biography-en/