The Kovenant

 Today in 1999 The Kovenant released there debut album Animatronic

Bergen,Norway Electronic/Industrial Metal
Status:Active
Years active: 1992-1999 (as Covenant), 1999-present
The Kovenant, the band known formerly as Covenant, has come a long way since their early days. As Covenant, this band released two albums, with the first (In Times Before The Night) a rather typical black metal affair, and the latter (Nexus Polaris) widely regarded as a classic in the black metal field, though by this time the band was broadening its style and was already uncomfortable being labelled as black metal. To avoid legal conflicts with a Swedish band also called Covenant, the band decided to switch names to The Kovenant, but the change did not end there. Stripped to a trio, all of which took new stage names, the band also made a stylistic change on the newer Animatronic album, taking a bit of the Nexus sound and combining it with a sort of spacey, industrial/techno blend. Comparisons to bands such as Marilyn Manson and Rammstein have been made (neither of which are completely valid, though one can find some traces of both on Animatronic) -- though the new album is somewhat more accessible than its predecessor, the shift isn't quite as drastic as others have claimed. Not surprisingly, the change in image and sound sharply divided fans, some of whom welcomed the new look and others who wanted more of the Nexus style.
Quiet for the next couple of years, The Kovenant decided on an interesting move, opting to add modern effects (in keeping with their current direction) to the In Times debut, essentially releasing an updated, enhanced version of the album. Finally, 2003 saw the release of their proper followup to Animatronic, in the form of S.E.T.I.. Their progression away from black metal is now complete, as the band is now firmly in the techno/electronic metal arena, somewhat like a cross between the recent albums of Atrocity and Theatre Of Tragedy. Again, anyone expecting their recent material to sound anything like Nexus Polaris might be disappointed, but their new direction is intriguing, and S.E.T.I. is an interesting album in a not so crowded field.
Nuclear Blast Records
Lex Icon Vocals, Bass
Psy Coma Guitars, Keyboards, Programming
von Blomberg Drums
Guest/Session
Eileen Küpper Vocals (soprano)
1. Mirrors Paradise 05:01
2. New World Order 04:30
3. Mannequin 05:00
4. Sindrom 05:30
5. Jihad 05:58
6. The Human Abstract 04:55
7. Prophecies of Fire 04:38
8. In the Name of the Future 04:56
9. Spaceman (Babylon Zoo cover) 05:23
10. The Birth of Tragedy 05:16
51:07
CD comes in a slipcase for its first edition. A silver sticker with black lettering
"... ex - Covenant (N) ..." and the rating of the album in three magazines
was on the slipcase.
The first catalog number is printed on the slipcase and jewelcase spines.
The second one is printed on the back cover (both slipcase and jewelcase) and the disc front.
This was the beginning of the group taking an electronica approach towards their metal music.
All music and lyrics by The Kovenant, except "Spaceman" by Babylon Zoo.
Japanese bonus track:
11. New World Order (Remix by Mat Sinner)
Issued as a limited edition Pic-LP (Nuclear Blast Picture Disc Series).
Recording information:
Recorded at Woodhouse Studios.