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Biography

Münster, Westphalia, summer of 2003: Tobias Buck, guitarist in the death/grind band MALZAN, forms a side project in order to pursue his interest in hardcore and Swedish death metal. The original line-up, consisting of Buck, Sebastian Heldt (d), Benny Hilleke (v), and Benjamin Donath (b), is quickly assembled, and, just before the debut show, THE NINTH GATE is chosen as the band's name. Soon after this show the band is joined by guitarist Stefan Keller, whose riff ideas further enrich the creative output of the young group.

New songs are written, and the existing ones are made to fit the band's new found twin guitar attack. Over two consecutive weekends in February 2004 the band lays down a demo at the Docma-Klang studio in Osnabrück with excellent results. The sound quality captured by producer Matze turns out to be rather exceptional for a demo CD.

The CD is immediately presented to fans and label people, gaining excellent feedback all around. The actual course of events, however, surpasses everybody's highest expectations.

2nd April 2004 - less then a year after the band's inception and only a few months into the band's existence in its present line-up - THE NINTH GATE are offered a recording contract by Metal Blade Records, literally making the five youngsters' dreams come true. Understanding that a new name is needed to replace the old moniker, which had been born more out of necessity than anything else, the quintet starts brainstorming, soon emerging with a name that represents the band's philosophy as a whole. The name is that of a character from Greek mythology, a woman who was sold into sexual slavery, being proscribed, oppressed and exploited all her life. Never entirely able to overcome her past, she was, however, "allowed" by her owners to buy her own freedom, a situation which is sadly still a widespread reality in present times. This woman was called NEAERA.

A contract is signed between Metal Blade Records and the newly named NEAERA, who enter Stage One Studio with veteran producer Andy Classen in November 2004 in order to record their debut album. "The Rising Tide Of Oblivion" is released on March 21, 2005, being met almost exclusively with positive reviews.

After the release of their debut CD, the band is confronted with a lot of interviews, booking inquiries and media interest for the first time, transforming the initially planned side project into the serious, up-and-coming German death metalcore act it is today. After a few weekend shows, the band is finally able to fulfill its second biggest aspiration besides a recording contract, their first big European tour supporting huge names in the scene. NEAERA play 24 shows as part of the Hell on Earth Tour, which also features HEAVEN SHALL BURN, AS I LAY DYING, EVERGREEN TERRACE, AGENTS OF MAN and END OF DAYS. The tour turns into the band's biggest success on a personal and musical level, becoming a major landmark in their career. Many weekend shows follow in countries like Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Holland, Denmark and Estonia. Another short tour with CALIBAN, FEAR MY THOUGHTS, DESTINY and NARZISS rounds up a fantastic year, in which NEAERA played a total of 60 to 70 shows.

Musically speaking, the band doesn't rest on their laurels either. A studio date for January 2006 at Denmark's Hansen studios with producer Jacob Hansen (FEAR MY THOUGHTS, MAROON, COMMUNIC, SOUL DEMISE) is already booked in June 2005. The songwriting process takes up the best part of the year, with Tobias Buck, Stefan Keller and Sebastian Heldt writing roughly one song a month. The studio sessions with Jacob Hansen turn out to be extremely gratifying, more than living up to the band's expectations.