The Sins of Thy Beloved
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1996 |
| Headquarters | Bryne , Norway |
| Products | Studio albums, live albums, video albums, EPs, demo albums |
The Sins of Thy Beloved was a Norwegian band specializing in death-doom and gothic metal, originating from Bryne, Norway, and established in 1996.
Biography
The group was created in November 1996 by Glenn Morten Nordbø, Arild Christensen, and Stig Johansen. Initially performing under the name Purgatory, they soon adopted their more recognized moniker. Shortly thereafter, Anita Auglend and Ola Aarrestad became members, enabling the band to produce their debut demo All Alone in early 1997.
Before the release of their second demo Silent Pain in January 1998, Anders Thue and Ingfrid Stensland joined the lineup. Violinist Pete Johansen contributed to this demo and officially became part of the band during the sessions for their first full-length album Lake of Sorrow later that year.
After touring across Europe, they released their sophomore album Perpetual Desolation in 2000. Following the subsequent tour, Auglend, Thue, and Stensland departed in 2001 due to exhaustion from touring commitments. A limited-run live CD and VHS from 2001 were issued but remain scarce.
The band ceased activity after these lineup changes. Meanwhile, Johansen pursued violin work with bands such as Tristania and Sirenia. Although there were rumors of Auglend rejoining in 2007, these were never substantiated; a 2013 interview with Johansen confirmed that the band had disbanded in 2002.
In 2013, Anders Thue and Stig Johansen collaborated with Midnattsol vocalist Carmen Elise Espenæs to form Savn. Later, in 2016, guitarist and vocalist Arild Christensen started the project Rainarea alongside Nelly Khosrovyan.
Style
The Sins of Thy Beloved are frequently likened to gothic metal acts such as Tristania and early Theatre of Tragedy, largely because of their characteristic fusion of female soprano vocals with male death grunt, exemplifying the "beauty and the beast" vocal approach typical of gothic metal. Their sound merges death-doom tempos with notable violin elements, particularly evident on Lake of Sorrow, aligning them with gothic doom metal conventions. Recordings from live performances reveal a style closer to traditional death metal, contrasting with their studio albums that emphasize intricate arrangements and sound effects.
Discography
- Studio albums
- Lake of Sorrow (1998)
- Perpetual Desolation (2000)
- Live albums
- Live (2002)
- Video albums
- Perpetual Desolation Live (2001)
- EPs
- All Alone (1997)
- Demo albums
- The Sins of Thy Beloved (1997)
Final known members
- Anita Auglend – vocals (1996–2001, 2007–2008)
- Glenn Morten Nordbø – guitars, harsh vocals (1996–2008)
- Arild Christensen – guitar, backing vocals (1996–2008)
- Ola Aarrestad – bass (1996–2008)
- Stig Johansen – drums (1996–2008)
- Maiken Olaisen – keyboards (2005–2008)
Previous members
- Anders Thue – keyboards (1997–2001), live keyboards (2005–2008)
- Ingfrid Stensland – keyboards, piano (1997–2001)
- Pete Johansen – violin (1998–2001)
- Hege-Marie Aanby – vocals (2001)
- Mona Wallin – vocals (2005)