Angel Dust (German band)

Angel Dust
Company type	Band
Industry	Music
Founded	January 1, 1984; 42 years ago, Dortmund, Germany
Founder	Frank Banx, Dirk Assmuth
Headquarters	Dortmund, Germany
Products	Heavy metal music (speed metal, thrash metal, power metal, progressive metal)
Website	www.angel-dust.de

Angel Dust (initially known as Angeldust) is a heavy metal group originating from Dortmund, Germany. Their early years, spanning 1984 to 1990, were characterized by speed and thrash metal influences, but after their 1998 comeback, they transitioned into a blend of power and progressive metal.

Early phase (1984–1990)

Established in Dortmund in 1984, Angel Dust derived their name from a track by the British black metal band Venom. Drawing inspiration from the new wave of British heavy metal and the thrash scene of the Bay Area, their initial sound emphasized speed and thrash metal elements. Their first album, Into the Dark Past, was released in 1986, followed by To Dust You Will Decay in 1988. Internal disputes led to the group’s dissolution in 1990.

Reformation period (1998–2011)

In 1998, founding members Frank Banx and drummer Dirk Assmuth revived Angel Dust with a refreshed lineup that included Steven Banx on keyboards. This phase saw the band evolve towards progressive metal, establishing a strong presence across Europe.

After producing several well-received albums throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s, changes within the lineup caused a slowdown in their output. Nevertheless, Angel Dust stayed active and entered the studio in March 2006 to work on a successor to Of Human Bondage.

The initial two albums have become sought-after collectibles; unofficial re-releases appeared in limited runs during 2002–2003 featuring bonus material but without official licensing or copyright details.

Second reformation (2016–present)

The band announced another reunion in September 2016. On 9 October 2017, they shared via their Facebook page that they were recording new material. Later, on 17 December 2018, it was revealed on Facebook that the upcoming album would be titled Ghosts, though no official release date was provided.

By 21 October 2020, Angel Dust confirmed that recording had commenced the previous day. Progress has been gradual; as of 25 December 2024, production remained incomplete with promises of further updates in January. However, no new information regarding Ghosts had surfaced by 8 June 2025.

Current lineup

Dirk Assmuth – drums (1984–1990, 1997–2011, 2016–present)
Marc Herrmann – bass (2020–present)
Bernd Aufermann – guitar (1997–2001, 2004–2011, 2016–present)
Dirk Thurisch – vocals (1997–2005, 2010–2011, 2016–present)
Boris Odenkirchen – keyboards (2016–present)

Former members

Frank Banx – bass (1984–1990, 1997–2003, 2016–2020; deceased 2022)
S.L. Coe – vocals (1988–1990)
Romme Keymer – guitar, vocals (1984–1987)
Andreas Lohrum – guitars (1984–1987)
Vinny Lynn – guitar (1988–1990)
Stefan K. Nauer – guitar (1988–1990)
Steven Banx – keyboards (1997–2011)
Ritchie Wilkison – guitar (2001–2003)
Carsten Kaiser – vocals (2005–2010)
Christian Pohlmann – bass (2004–2011)

Discography

Into the Dark Past (1986, Disaster)
To Dust You Will Decay (1988, Disaster)
Border of Reality (1998, Century Media)
Bleed (1999, Century Media)
Enlighten the Darkness (2000, Century Media)
Of Human Bondage (2001, Century Media)

External links