Starting in 1989, Sinister was a band arising in the middle of the
Death-Metal hype. Mike, André, Aad en Ron were joining forces and the
Sinister sound was born. After releasing
a demo, which sold about 1500 copies, a promo tape followed. Sending
out the promo to various labels resulted in signing up at Nuclear Blast
Records, Germany 1991. Their debut CD 'Cross the Styx' saw the light in
early 1992, and sold many copies worldwide. Many live shows all over
Europe followed. Touring with bands like Suffocation, Cannibal Corpse
and Deicide increased the number of people knowing Sinister.
In the years after that, Sinister succeeded in maintaining their
popularity by releasing their second and third album 'Diabolical
Summoning' (1993) and 'Hate' (1995) and doing many live shows all over
Europe and a very successful 55 show-tour through all the USA.
At the end of this period, Death-Metal got less popular, lots of
Death Metal fans switched over to Black Metal, Gothic and other
atmospherically music. Sinister never thought about playing other music
than their favorite; Death-Metal. Some years passed and the band
released their mini CD 'Bastard Saints' (1996), and played a few
live-shows. Several line-up changes followed, and led Sinister to write
their most aggressive brutal and intense album so far 'Aggressive
Measures' (1998).
These time their presence in Death Metal
paid off. Death Metal is back, where for Sinister it never left. The
response from fans and critics where good. Sinister sold lots of albums
and played lots of good shows, of which a short Usa tour and good
festivals like Wacken open air, Milwaukee Metal fest and Czech Dynamo
blessed their way. Yet the cooperation between Sinister and vocalist
Eric didn't work out very well, which lead to Eric's departure in August
1999. Sinister was searching for a new singer. After some serious
tryouts with different singers, Rachel came out best and the band
started concentrating on the next record. 'Creative Killings' was
released at Hammerheart Records, September 2001. Shortly, after the
release guitarist Bart decided to quit the band. A replacement was found
in Pascal. The album was promoted with shows in Russia, Belarus and a
26 show tour across the rest of Europe.
In 2002 Sinister
decided to join forces again with Nuclear Blast records. The result is
the release of their album 'Savage or Grace'.
The album was massively promoted through shows in Mexico, Columbia and a two week tour with Cannibal Corpse across Europe.
After a short split Sinister reformed in March/April 2005 due to
letters from the fans around the world. A slight position change though.
Former bassist Alex Paul moved to guitar, drummer Aad moved to vocals
and newcomer Paul on drums. After the recordings of ‘Afterburner’,
several promotional gigs, and after launching there DVD ‘Prophecies
Denied’, which was taken in Poland, Paul left the band in late 2007 to
pursue other interests.
A new record deal was signed with
Massacre Records for an album to be recorded in May 2008 titled "The
Silent Howling" with Edwin van den Eeden on drums.The ‘Legacy of Ashes’
album, recorded in 2010, would be the last with Edwin and Alex. After
some shows in South-Africa and Russia the band parted ways because of
different opinions in the band.
Aad didn’t hesitate and
immediately he called his mates from project band Absurd Universe; Toep,
Bastiaan, Mathijs and Dennis. Bastiaan, Aad and Toep knew each other
already from the band Supreme pain. With this band they recorded
‘Nemesis Enforcer’. Toep and Dennis knew each-other also from their
cooperation in former bands, like Putrefied. Bastiaan and Mathijs are
brothers … So, putting this band together again with these guys, was
just as logical as it could probably be.
In 2011 they started
with recordings of ‘The Carnage Ending’ in Soundlodge with Jorg Uken.
The band had to prove itself more than ever, after a serious lineup
change. But the reactions were amazingly good and positive. With this
record the band was back on track. Fans were even referring to Cross the
Styx and the beginning of Sinister. Also with bookings agency D19,
Sinister was able to play big shows and festivals like; 70.000 tons of
metal cruise, Hell fest, Extreme Hate Festival Brazil and Eindhoven
Metal Meeting.
After touring the Balkans and many festival
shows in Italy and Germany, Sinister did not rest but started writing
songs for the monster album ‘The Post-Apocalyptic Servant’, a CD which
can be considered as the fastest and hardest work ever from Sinister. In
2014 recordings in Soundlodge were completed and Sinister started to
promote this CD with a tour in Australia and many club shows in Europe.
After launching the 7
”EP ‘The Unborn Dead’, containing two cover songs of Novembers Doom and
Grotesque in 2014, Sinister recorded a complete cover CD to celebrate
the existence of the band for 25 years, not counting the breakup for two
years. This CD was entitled ‘Dark Memorials’ and came out in 2015 and
got great responses!
Heading for a new CD in 2017, Mathijs was
forced to stop the band due to personal conditions and not much later
the same applies for Bastiaan. Luckily Alesa (Aad’s wife) was able to
help the band with their mini tour in Brazil and some other great
festivals in 2016 as Summer Dying Loud in Poland, gigs in Portugal and
Spain, and so on.
With Ricardo Falcon on guitar Sinister was
on full strength again, for the live and shows and to work on the new
songs for ‘Syncretism’, as Bastiaan stayed on the bands side to take
responsibility for the 2/3 of the guitar parts on ‘Syncretism’. In
November 2016 recordings were done at Soundlodge with
In 2017 Sinister played at some great festivals as
Netherlands Death Fest, In Flammen, Steelfest, Rockstad, Metal Days,
Obscene Extreme and many others! Meanwhile Ghislain van der Stel was
recruited on bass-guitar to join the squad!! Touring South America with
Pestilence, again the 70000 Tons of Metal and Maryland Deathfest were
just few highlights that followed.
Unfortunately Sinister and
Ricardo parted ways in 2018. Both parties had different opinions and
therefor it was better to split up. It was decided with full respect of
each other. The good part is that Sinister really quick came in contact
with Michal Grall. This great guy just played his first gig at Otero
Brutal Fest after just a few weeks of study and two rehearsals! Killer!!
Heading for some great summer festivals Sinister is already busy
writing new stuff for their new album to be released in 2019. Meanwhile a
7”split EP with Profanity will see daylight in 2018.
-Tracklist:
1. Sadistic Intent 04:11
2. Magnified Wrath 04:08
3. Diabolical Summoning 03:50
4. Sense of Demise 04:15
5. Leviathan 05:28
6. Desecrated Flesh 04:11
7. Tribes of the Moon 03:15
8. Mystical Illusions 03:56
9. Carnificina Scelesta 01:30
10. Perennial Mourning 02:58
11. Sacramental Carnage 03:00
12. Doomed 05:09
13. Spiritual Immolation 03:28
14. Cross the Styx 04:53
15. Compulsory Resignation 03:51
16. Corridors to the Abyss 02:08
17. Putrefying Remains 03:21
18. Epoch of Denial 03:45
19. Perpetual Damnation 04:13
20. Outro 00:52
-Line up:
• Cross The Styx:
- Mike van Mastrigt: vocals
- Aad Kloosterwaard: drums
- Andre Tolhuizen: guitars
- Ron van de Polder: guitars, bass.
• Diabolical Summoning:
- Mike van Mastrigt: vocals
- Aad Kloosterwaard: drums
- Andre Tolhuizen: guitars
- Bart van Wallenberg: bass.
Label: Nuclear Blast.
Tracks 1~8: Diabolical Summoning.
Recorded at TNT Studios, in Gelsenkirchen, Germany.
Produced by Colin Richardson and Sinister.
Tracks 9~20: Cross The Styx.
Recorded and mixed at Mainstreet Studio Fautspach Germany.
Mastered at T.T. Mastering Berlin Germany.
Produced by Falk Gruber, Mathias Röderer, Alexander Krull and Sinister.
DEATH METAL