Solstice is an epic doom metal band from Dewsbury, England, founded by Rich Walker after the breaking up of his previous hardcore punk / grindcore bands Sore Throat and Warfear.
Rich Walker also used to run The Miskatonic Foundation, a record label dedicated to doom metal and traditional heavy metal. It has now since dissolved due to lack of time.
The band released their debut album Lamentations on England's Candlelight Records in 1994 and caught the attention of an underground scene that was at that point swept up with the still new second wave of black metal. Successive UK and European tours, with Count Raven and Anathema respectively, firmly cemented the band as something of a cult act across the continent.
1996 saw the release of the Halcyon EP on Black Tears, comfortably conveying the strength and progression of that line-up, while further embracing their English Heavy Metal roots but with an aesthetic that shows the band were not afraid to court a more sinister undercurrent.
Track list:
- The Ravenmaster 01:45
- To Ride with Tyr 07:09
- Graven Deep 06:57
- Halcyon 03:08
- Winter Moon Rapture 07:00
- Gloves of Metal (Manowar cover) 05:23
Total Time: 31:22
Tracks 1 (The Ravenmaster) & 4 (Halcyon) are said to be traditionals.
Released in 1996 by Godhead Records as a MCD (few copies made as Godhead went bankrupt).
Recording information:
Recorded Summer 1995 at Academy Studios, Yorkshire, England.
Engineered by Mags, produced by Solstice.
"Winter Moon Rapture" recorded Spring 1994 at Chiswick Reach Studios, England. Engineered by Nick, produced by Solstice.
