Naevus

Naevus
Naevus circa 2016.
Background information
Origin	Bietigheim-Bissingen, Germany Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Genres	Doom Metal, Death/Doom, Doom Rock
Years active	1991 - 1999, 2012 - Present
Labels	Rise Above Records, Game Two Records, Freedoom Records, Meta Matter Records
Associated acts	Sacred Steel, Mystic Prophecy, Voodooshock, Pull Dead, Rebirth, El Creepo, My Darkest Hate, Elephant Mountain, Charisma
Website	Naevus Facebook
Band Logo

Naevus are a doom metal/rock band established in various parts of Germany. Initially forming in 1991 as a death/doom trio the band would evolve into a mix of hard rock and doom metal inspired by the likes of Black Sabbath, Cathedral, Iron Man, Pentagram, Trouble and The Obsessed among others. After several demos the band would release a single album in 1998 before disbanding the next year.

Naevus would reform in 2012 and eventually release a second album four years later in Heavy Burden to positive reception, performing select shows and festivals through various parts of Germany.

History

Naevus formed in November 1991 initially as a three-piece death metal band, releasing their first demo Quixotic Dreams in 1993. However with their lineup changing the band would evolve into a doom metal quartet by 1994's A Sad Illusion. By 1995 the band would establish their lineup which currently stands to this day, releasing their third demo Autumn Sun in 1996. The band's sound evolved into something more of a groovier Doom Rock, citing an obsession with Black Sabbath. This third demo would gain the attention of Rise Above Records, who would sign then in 1998. Information on the band's early shows are sparse but it is known the band participated in a German doom festival on 3 May 1997 in Bietigheim alongside Jack Frost, Dawn of Winter, Dreaming, Subversion, Grief of God, Windfall and Mirror of Deception. Beyond that show the band largely played local venues and youth clubs.

Sun Meditation would be released via Rise Above on 16 March 1998. Another song would appear on Fourteen Inches of Fury via Game Two Records. However the band had an amicable split in May 1999 as the four members concentrated on family commitments and other bands. Staub and Grosshans would become founding member of the epic power metal band Sacred Steel. Groebel would become a founding member of Voodooshock in 1998 and they would last until roughly 2008.

Members of Naevus would be approached to reform for a show supporting Saint Vitus on 10 July 2012 at Rockfabrik in Ludwigsburg. The members had been jamming together again and agreed to do the show, reforming with the same lineup that performed on Sun Meditation. Upon performing the band decided to keep going, following with more shows including an appearance at Hammer of Doom Festival that year. Naevus would go relatively quiet though behind the scenes work would begin on a new album.

Initially attempting to re-sign with Rise Above (Though Rise Above would re-issue Sun Meditation on vinyl in 2017.) before ultimately signing with Meta Matter, Naevus would release their first album in nearly twenty years circa 19 August 2016. Heavy Burden would see positive reception from the likes of The Obelisk, Outlaws of the Sun, Musik Reviews and PowerMetal.de among others. Naevus would perform several shows in support of Heavy Burden including an appearance at the 20th anniversary of Doom in Bloom, the band's first show in Berlin since 1996, North of Mainstream, Doom Over Bielefeld and finishing off the year with a gig supporting Crowbar.

Naevus still remain active in the German doom scene with occasional shows, namely a return to Hammer of Doom Festival in 2017 and the 2019 (Also the final) edition of Seeds of Doom in Salzburg, Austria, their first known live appearance outside of Germany.

Discography

Studio Albums

• Sun Meditation (1998, Rise Above Records)
• Heavy Burden (2016, Meta Matter Records)

Other Releases

• Quixotic Dreams (Demo) (1993, Self-Released)
• A Sad Illusion (Demo) (1994, Self-Released)
• Autumn Sun (Demo) (1996, Self-Released)
• The Wizard's Universe (Demo) (1997, Self-Released)
• Fourteen Inches of Fury (Split with Revelation, Mood, Twisted Tower Dire) (1998, Game Two Records)
• Demos & Unreleased 1993-1999 (Compilation) (2009, Self-Released)
• Universal Overdrive / Lost Confidence (Single) (2012, Journey's End Records)

Members

Current Members

• Uwe Groebel - Guitar, Vocals (1991 - 1999, 2012 - Present)
• Sven Heimerdinger - Bass, Vocals (1995? - 1999, 2012 - Present)
• Oliver Grosshans - Guitar (1991 - 1999, 2012 - Present)
• Mathias Straub - Drums (1995? - 1999, 2012 - Present)

Former Members

• Tobi Bechler - Bass (Unknown Time Period)
• Sven Hartmann - Bass (Unknown Time Period)
• Markus Blind - Drums (Unknown Time Period)

External Links

• Naevus Bandcamp
• Naevus MySpace
• Naevus on Doom-Metal.com