It all started back in 1994 when Ruud and Joris formed, together with Mario (vocals), the band Necropsy. When several months later no guitarist was found the band broke up. Joris started to play in the Death Metal band Devastator. Later on Wouter joined in and the line-up was completed: Peter (rythm guitar), Filip (drums), Wouter (lead guitar) and Joris (bass/vocals). We started making our own songs and in August 1995 we got our first gig in a local pub. When the gig was finished we kicked out Peter and started searching for another rythm guitarist. A few weeks later Jeroen joined the band. The band name was changed into SIGNS OF DARKNESS. But still the line-up problems were not over. Filip was removed and replaced by Ruud. We started rehearsing and planned a demo recording a few months later. The demo was entitled: "In Morpheus Arms" and contained 5 death/black metal tracks.

Musically and lyrically we changed during the following months. In that period Joris contacted Joachim and Kristof from Infernal Beauty. The demo "Odes to Our Brumal Kingdom" was recorded in september 1996. The keyboard parts on that tape were played by Kristof and Joachim did some guest screams on it. The reactions from individuals, zines and labels were very positive. And still the music evolved further more...

New songs saw the daylight in early 1997. Some titles: "December Bride - Part II", "Embraced by Dreams" and later on in August and October 1997 songs as "Stars in the Nocturnal Sky are like a Thousand Screams in the Ruined Rosegarden" and "The last Shiving Moon... Beyond the Autumn Leaves" were finished.

In 1998 plans were made to record a new tape. One session musician joined the band, his name was Kobe. He was a classical schooled pianist and he composed the intro for the song "The last shivering Moon... Beyond the Autumn Leaves". Sarah sung her parts on the song "Start in the Nocturnal Sky are like a Thousand Screams in the Ruined Rosegarden". So the 3-track tape was called "SOLEMN TEARS". It had a total playing time of 23 minutes and contained the 2 previously mentioned songs and "Embraced by Dreams".

With these 2 tapes SIGNS OF DARKNESS got the attention of a new Belgian record label called the LSP-company. Several months later they recorded there debutalbum. This album was entitled "Beyond the Autumn Leaves". But after this great start the recordlabel quitted and the search for a new label begun for the trio, hence, the female vocalist and the keyboardplayer left the band.

In november 2004 they released the second full lenght album "The 17th Floor" independently. Maybe at this moment you can call it post-black-metal because all of the new songs are crossing the border between the classial black-metal and an horizon that is not yet passed by several other bands. The lyrical concept is based on topics as: prostitution, portable communication and skyscrapers, it' somekind of rebellion against the human way of living these day's!!!

Great news, in february 2005 the band signed a two album deal with the great TRINITY RECORDS HK label, "The 17th Floor" will be released worldwide!!!

In July 2005 Signs of Darkness enlistens Bart "PUK" Straetemans as a fullmember on guitar.





Source : http://www.signsofdarkness.be/main.php