Fear Is The Path To The Dark Side

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FEAR IS THE PATH TO THE DARK SIDE was a hardcore band that existed from 1998 til 2003. The band began to practise as a four piece with out a singer. It was Lars, Oliver, Steffen and Sebastian who got together in a basement to crank out some heavy ass and fast songs. Lars played the guitar in UNIVERSAL a.k.a. THE MENTAL TOILET at the time. Oliver, who has been active in DEAD BEAT before, shredded the guitar in DIAVOLO ROSSO together with Steffen. By the end of 1998 Bernd joined them for some brief rehearsing sessions and became a regular member, as his main focus STACK was on a short hiatus at the time.
The songs created were recorded in Darmstadt at the IRON BAR Studios and later released as a 7" vinyl record on Scorched Earth Policy, which was Bernd and Marc-Antonios record label colaboration. Compilation contributions followed.
The five piece began to tour and play out live intensively. Stages were shared with DROP DEAD, UNRUH, CREATION IS CRUCIFIXION, SEEIN..RED. By the beginning of the year 2001 Marc-Antonio, formely in MAN VS. HUMANITY and ABSIDIA joined the group on drums. The band focussed on writing songs in a heavier and slower direction as on their previous effort.
Playing shows was not the first priority at the time, although shows with FROM ASHES TO RISE and ORCHID and a few single weekend shows in south Germany were performed.
In summer 2002 the band has written more than a dozen of new songs to record them at CUSTOM STUDIOS (Ambrose, Creation Is Crucifixion, Prone). The songs were split up in a full length album entitled ONLY THE DEAD HAVE SEEN THE END OF WAR and a split album release called THIS MACHINE RUNS ON FEAR with their long time metal buddies FEAR MY THOUGHTS (now on Century Media).
Marc-Antonio had already decided to quit the band after the recordings. But a replacement was found soon after his mutual decision in Alexei, who has previously been in CATHARSIS. Due to Alexeis change of plan and fate, he moved back to the U.S.A. and continued playing drums in WALLS OF JERICHO and then in 3 INCHES OF BLOOD. After that the band broke up for good.
Steffen and Oliver rebanded DIAVOLO ROSSO. Steffen also formed GOLDEN GORILLA with former drummer Lars on guitar and some remaining DEAD BEAT guys. Bernd has given up singing and Marc-Antonio kept himself busy with ABSIDIA for while, who later developed into what later became THE CRIMSON DIVINE , where he stopped hitting the drums by 2004. He now lives in Florida. Bernd continued to run Scorched Earth Policy Records for a while until putting on hiatus in 2005.