Origin:	Germany
Genres:	Gothic Metal, Black Metal

Asterius

The German band Asterius formed in the mid nineties, self-releasing their first album and then latching on to the Italian label Cruz Del Sur for their second effort, A Moment Of Singularity. They call their music "cosmic bizarre metal" (which actually isn't inaccurate), though it's probably a bit more telling to label them as gothic black metal, as they have clear elements of both genres (and even a few progressive touches) though they aren't firmly in either camp. The arrangements are dense and busy, sometimes in need of bit more direction, the kind of songs that probably take more than a few listens to really appreciate. There's room for improvement, but the potential is there, and the two releases thus far may well be of interest to those seeking something a bit different.