ATONEMENT, a Melodic Black Metal band from the suburbs of Figueira da Foz - Portugal, started to build up its dream in August 1997 with only four elements - Mário Vilas (guitars), Rui Galo (vocals), Pedro Vilas (drums) and Gualdino Galo (guitars).
Later that same year a bass player (Nuno Fontes) and two keyboard players (Ana Penicheiro and Diana Gomes) joined the original group.
With only three months of existence the first concerts started to take place mostly live performances in private parties.
As time went on, ATONEMENT lost one of its members, Ana Penicheiro (keyboards). This shook the band's structure slightly but the problem was overcome and the group manage to row against the stream.
A year passed and ATONEMENT released its first Demo CD, entitled "The Rehearsals", with 6 tracks, recorded in the rehearsal room. They received good reaction from the audience as well as from radio stations and specialized magazines.
Afterwards there "rained" invitations to live performances, interviews and lots of letters from fans all over the country and Brazil.
When all seemed to go well, the "house of cards" started to collapse. Problems in the heart of the band forced ATONEMENT to stop his activity and cancel important gigs.
Drummer Pedro Vilas left the band and went looking for different experiences in the art of percussion by entering a theatrical company.
Keyboard player Diana Gomes also leaves the band to enter University. These two elements were never replaced because the lack of musicians in the band's residential area.
After ATONEMENT's extinction, the remaining elements went separate paths.
Vocalist Rui Galo and the guitar player Mário Vilas chose to stay away from the music scene.
Bass player Nuno Fontes continued his activity in a Portuguese covers band and the other guitar player Gualdino Galo joined a Heavy Metal band called "Magesty".
In the middle of the year 2000, Mário Vilas (guitar player) decides to create a new band, but without success. Leaving the guitar behind, he grabs the drums "tooth and nail" willing to continue his project.
He invites old ATONEMENT members: Rui Galo (vocals), Gualdino Galo (guitars) and Nuno Fontes (bass).
Two new guitar players, Jaime and Sandra took part in this project, but both stayed for a couple of days. Everything seemed to go wrong...
In October 2000, Pedro Vilas, the original drummer, came back with lots of new ideas and conviction. Later that same year, ATONEMENT raised from the ashes, decided to start a new life and to continue to make music for many, many years.
In 2003, ATONEMENT released the second Demo CD entitled "Beyond The Shrine Of Doom".
This Demo CD received good impressions.
The year 2004 was a good year for ATONEMENT with lot of gigs.
Now, 2005, they are preparing the third Demo CD..

Source : Metalhordes.com