History
First started in 1985 as Instigators and playing grindcore, Atrocity became a death metal band with their debut EP, Blue Blood, in 1989, followed by Hallucinations, a concept album about drug use. Their second album, Todessehnsucht ("longing for death"), featured a cover of "Archangel" by the band Death. Their musical scope broadened over the years, incorporating medieval and horror influences on their 1994 Dracula-based concept album Atrocity's Blut, (styled after the successful film Bram Stoker's Dracula). Atrocity's Blut was followed by Calling the Rain, an MCD with female vocals by guest singer Yasmin Krull and acoustic music.
The 1996 release Willenskraft introduced industrial elements, with the special bonus CD of the album's special edition (Kraft und Wille) including electronic remixes of the songs. The later releases were less metallic. Werk 80 featured versions of 1980s disco hits and the band had no apparent direction for the following few years. Unusual MCD releases and experimental songs like "Lili Marlene" covers (featured on Gemini) alienated many fans.
The band performed at Wacken Open Air in August of 1999. After 2000, nothing was heard from Atrocity, and they seemed to have disbanded. They returned after four years with a new concept album, Atlantis, centered on the myths of the sunken continent of Atlantis. The album features the vocals of Alexander's wife, Liv-Kristine Espanaes Krull (formerly in Theatre of Tragedy). The band members formed the atmospheric metal band Leaves' Eyes, which features Liv Kristine as lead singer.
The release of the eleventh album, After the Storm, in 2010, started a new era for the band in the ethno metal genre. Yasmin Krull returned a second time as guest singer and instrumentalist for the project.
On 11 November 2007, Atrocity announced that bassist Chris Lukhaup was leaving the band for personal reasons and that drummer Moritz Neuner was taking another turn in his working career. Seven Antonopolous was named the new drummer in late October 2008.
