REQUIEM AETERNAM

REQUIEM AETERNAM's Biography
Requiem Aeternam began its activities during September of 1995 in Montevideo (Uruguay) featuring its first single (“Emergent”) in a local compilation (Underscream). The line-up that recorded such a track consisted of Martín López (Amon Amarth; Opeth) on drums, Martín Méndez (Opeth) on bass, Pablo Magallanes on guitar and José Romero Sum (Inner Sanctum) handling guitar and vocal duties.
In 1996 the line-up turned into Fabián Redondo on drums, Marcelo Aguilar on bass and Romero Sum, recording "Eternally Dying" (EP), which was released the same year by Death Row.
At the end of ’97 the band entered the Studios Record in Montevideo to work on its first full-length release. The outcome was mixed in Santiago de Chile (Chile) by José Corral (Criminal; Inner Sanctum) and mastered at Digisound Mastering in Buenos Aires (Argentina) by David Santos (Riff; Hermética). "Eternally Dying" (LP) was released in July of 1998 by ICorp and distributed worldwide by Furias / Orion Music.
As part of the promotion, "Infamy" video clip was aired by MTV Latina and MTV Brazil as well as many other channels in Latin America. Afterward, the band shot another video: "Come Back". Finally, the promotional efforts were consummated with the "Eternally Tour" (1998-2000), which included several shows in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.
In April of 2002 Romero Sum published a book entitled "Forbidden Writings". This work deals primarily with philosophy and economics. It also features a poetic chapter, which includes the original Spanish version of the song that names Requiem Aeternam's debut album.
Later that year Romero Sum moved to New York (USA) in order to organize the production of the second album. While completing the latest material, the band drafted a new line-up with addition of Maciej Kupiszewski on bass and Alex Hernández (Immolation) on drums.
"Philosopher" (LP) was recorded and mixed between May and June of 2004 at Big Blue Meenie Studios in Jersey City (USA) by Joe Pedulla and Arun Venkatesh (Overkill; All Out War), and mastered the following July at Bionic Mastering in New York City by Tom Hutten (Iggy Pop; Foo Fighters; Cro-Mags). This album was finally released in December of 2004 by Trinity Records Hong Kong in Asia, Europe and North America; in March of 2005 by Raw Force Records in South America except Argentina and by Furias / Orion Music in Argentina. It was also distributed in exclusivity by The Art Records in Mexico.
Each "Philosopher" lyric is based on the work of a specific philosopher, including Gautama, Seneca, Rousseau, Heraclitus, Nietzsche, Kierkegaard and Lao Tzu. There is also one track based on Romero Sum's book "Forbidden Writings". Musically, Requiem Aeternam defines its deed as "Philosophical Metal", since it attempts to grasp different philosophical doctrines through sound and words: music and philosophy as one entity.
During 2005, as a way of promoting the second album, Requiem Aeternam was listed in the main metal festivals throughout the USA, including Milwaukee and Norwest Death Metal Fest among others and participated in several metal compilations in Europe and North America. It was a remarkable event to have played its first gig for "Philosopher" at CBGB (New York City) right before this legendary venue was shut down. Besides, it was completed the video clip of “Wisdom”, which was aired by several channels in North and Latin America.
Requiem Aeternam - Wisdom

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REQUIEM AETERNAM merchandise
PROMOTION 2008
"Philosopher (CD)" + "Eternally Dying (CD)"
"Forbidden Writings (book)" + "Philosopher t-shirt"
"Philosopher poster" + 10 "Philosopher sticker"
for only USD 39.00 including world-wide shipping !!!!!!!
[Note: the CDs, the book and the shirt are exchangeable, which means that whoever wants to have 1 CD and 1 book and 2 shirts for example, might have it as long as those items are in total 4, plus the poster and the stickers]
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“PHILOSOPHER” reviews by the American media

"This is a pretty maniacal album by 3 guys who are into a fair amount of progression in their sound. But the guitar work is pretty great on this. ...these guys would be really cool to see live." - AEA

"Thoughtful, intelligent, unique, and compelling, do yourself a favor and check out some Requiem Aeternam." - ANTIMUSIC

"The band is very original and captivating." - BALLBUSTER / METAL CORE

"This South American band has created a beautiful metal masterpiece with this album... Need a nice change to your metal collection? This will give a wonderful element to your music. This is definitely a recommended recording." - CRAVE

"Requiem Aeternam's 'Philosopher' is bound to be one of the surprise hits of the year. And definitely one of my favorites already." - CRITICAL METAL

"This is a rich album which will likely turn a lot of people off due to its cerebral qualities..." - DEADTIDE

"The reward is one of the most engaging albums you've heard since Still Life... Requiem Aeternam's delivery is perfectly implemented... Had I heard Philosopher earlier it would have easily flirted with my top albums of 2004, but as it stands, I still give it a hearty recommendation for one of the undiscovered gems of the past couple of years." - DIGITAL METAL

"The back cover of this album shows three very humble looking guys sitting on the steps of some old cathedral. They look pretty chilled out and non confrontational. It must be the look of satisfaction you get after recording a small masterpiece like this record right here! ...These guys must practice four times a week for hours to achieve the level of precision they display on this recording. The vocals are completely tortured and frantic. Fans of Discordance Axis and the like would find this album to be a great listen. There are a few parts where they wander into almost radio rock territory, which is so weird that it works very well. All around original and worth picking up..." - DISPOSABLE UNDERGROUND

"Technically blissful and strangely intriguing, guitar virtuoso fans and extreme metal followers alike will be able to appreciate the entire eight-track collection for its beautifully arranged cacophony as well as its shredding guitar tactics." - EAR CANDY

"New York's Requiem Aeternam, with its awesome line-up of former Immolation drummer Alex Hernandez, guitarist and vocalist Jose Romero and bassist Maciej Kupiszewski have written the most original record the heavy metal world has encountered yet." - EXPLICITLY INTENSE

"I could cop out and just leave off after describing this as eclectic melodic brutal technicality. It encompasses all of these adjectives (and one noun) in its sound and the resulting construction is an audio architectural marvel. Sudden but unjarring shifts between ...dark folk moments and heavy but precise black metal menace and the blend of intense melody and intense metalness all work together to produce one of the more creative and accessible pieces of metal around. The vocals, like the instrumentals, shift from startlingly well-sung passages and throat-ripping stylizations... Bright and creative." - FISHCOM COLLECTIVE

"This is one of those bands that has super talent and know how to push the mellowness boundaries." - HAMMERHEAD

"This is one of the greatest South American bands, ever. This concept album is extremely entertaining, diverse and sonically appealing. The vocals are strange and may take some time getting used to, but they add to the mystique and the overall feel of the album. Philosopher is dark and haunting with tons of time changes and intricate syncopation on every track. The drumming (Alex Hernandez – formerly of Immolation) is precise, unexpected and perfectly matched with the tone and sophisticated subject matter. The harmonizing of the guitar and bass create a magic unmatched - even in most Swedish melodic death masterpieces. 'Wisdom' is exact and technical, while still managing to be beautiful and haunting. Though hard to understand due to the Uruguayan accent, Philosopher also has some of the most enlightened lyrics ever conceived for extreme metal." - HARDER BEAT

"Requiem Aeternam go far beyond any other band in terms of open-mindedness that they just have to be recognized... Requiem Aeternam have crafted a masterpiece of music and lyrical creativity... Philosopher is a great album and highly recommended." - JACKAL BLASTER

"I'm not sure if I buy Romero's whole bag of bookish whatnot, the fact that the guy is a thinker comes out in the thoughtful compositions. This is definitely a good one." - LIVE 4 METAL

"...these guys are phenomenal musicians." - MAXIMUM METAL

"Requiem Aeternam's 'Philosopher' is a fantastic album, one I wish I had heard in time to include it on my top ten metal albums of 2004." - METAL COVEN

"All fans of death and black metal should appreciate Requiem Aeternam's latest opus." - METAL FANATIX

"...this band's growth is obvious..." - METAL MANIACS

"Have you listened to Requiem Aeternam yet? If not then you're missing an incredibly unique album... When speaking of originality. Philosopher has to be one of the most original sounding albums I have heard in quite some time... Extremely impressive!" - METAL REIGNS

"Minor gripes aside, Requiem Aeternam have put South America back on the metallic map and given me a reason to remain optimistic when considering the future of heavy metal. Considering that this is only their second full-length, I can't help but believe that the best is yet to come. Should this prophesy be fulfilled, these guys will surely become a household name in the near future." - METAL REVIEWS

"They were one of South America's most promising bands. Now here in America, we can also call them one of the most promising black metal bands here." - METAL WARRANTS

"...their talent and accomplishment shines." - MOURNING THE ANCIENT

"1995 marked the beginning of one of South America's most popular metal bands, Requiem Aeternam." - 1 HEAVY METAL

"South America has given us some pretty cool metal over the years, they likes of Sepultura, Sarcofago, and Criminal to name a few, but this new opus really takes the cake… This slab of musical experience has created something new, and while it might not be for everyone, it has struck a chord with me… This musicianship is outstanding… The depth here is astounding, the layers of sound and the use of multiple languages and narrative parts are sure to set this trio above the rest." - PEACE DOG MAN

"...this band pulls off maneuvers unheard of anywhere else in the history of metal. They are Dream Theater caliber in their technical ability, and just as intent on pushing the boundaries to new thresholds." - PIT

"Requiem Aeternam's sound is like no other's, mixing black metal and death metal riffs with Latin-driven rhythms and acoustic guitars." - PIVOTAL RAGE

"It's crafty, keeps me at a loss for words and definitely has the bill for originality and not your typical Metal band." - QUINTESSENCE METAL

"The bottom line is that the more time you spend with Requiem Aeternam's 'Philosopher' the more rewarded you are." - ROUGH EDGE

"Scratching my head, I don't even know where to begin. There is no way to do a song by song analysis without turning this review into a short story with an index, multiple chapters and footnotes. I would advise upon purchase that the listener grab his/her best pair of headphones and completely lose themselves in this monumental piece of music. Wait until later to break it down song by song, you're better off that way... I've never heard of this label, but I'd say it's safe to say they've got a winner here. Good job to all involved." - ROYAL CARNAGE

"Requiem Aeternam's latest release is a varied and impressive metal platter that is at times brutal as well as delicate… Each song has a decidedly different feel, which helps to take the listener on a journey that is never tiresome of clichéd." - SEA OF TRANQUILITY

"It's technical and intricate, powerful and heavy hitting, with some of the fastest drumming I've ever heard, and really chaotic chords. Requiem Aeternam have created a wonderful album that should have the Metal world scratching its head while banging it at the same time. I would recommend this to EVERYONE!" - SEAS OF EVIL

"Technically blissful and strangely intriguing, guitar virtuoso fans and extreme metal followers alike will be able to appreciate the entire eight-track collection for its beautifully-arranged cacophony, as well as for its shredding guitar tactics. Requiem Aeternam is already a huge outfit in their native country, and while they will probably be shunned by the mainstream, the thirsty underground metal scene should embrace this disc with open arms." - SKRATCH

"Gold stars all around." - SLEAZEGRINDER

"Uruguay's heaviest export Requiem Aeternam consist of some of metal’s most important members including members of Opeth, Amon Amarth, [Immolation] and Inner Sanctum. This concept album is certainly very unique in the metal arena with each track based on the work of a specific philosopher including Rousseau, Heraclitus, Tzu, Nietzsche, Seneca, Gautama, and Kierkegaard. Extreme metal is going to have to stop and catch its breath after Requiem Aeternam is done with it and after the success of their debut 'Eternally Dying' in '98 it should have already been prepared for such an onslaught." - SMOTHER

"This band is freakin weird. But also freakin good… Classifying this band would be a waste of time, all their songs are different, and even within the boundaries of 'songs' they twist and turn the music into a million different tempos/styles/molds." - STEREO KILLER

"The band is very interesting. You have the speed, the thrash, the extreme double bass with all this other intricacies added to the mix." - THE BALTIMORE BUZZ

"1995 marked the beginning of one of South America's most popular metal bands… Requiem Aeternam now relocated from South America to New York, where they commenced an invasion of the U.S. music scene." - THE GREAT NOTHING

"This is perhaps the best metal album I've heard in years. Requiem Aeternam are highly creative and Philosopher sounds awesome... I can't say enough about this band, which should be huge. Philosopher is one of the most rewarding listening experiences I've encountered." - TRASCENDING THE MUNDANE

"Give this band a listen!!!" - TREATS FROM THE UNDERGROUND

"'Philosopher' is a masterpiece of excellent, intelligent metal... This will be one of the best purchases you ever make." - UNCHAIN THE UNDERGROUND

“Spanglish Doom-ridden dialectical metal album.” - VILLAGE VOICE