First started in 1985 as
Instigators and playing
grindcore, Atrocity arose as a
death metal band with their debut EP,
Blue Blood, in 1989, followed soon by
Hallucinations, a
concept album about drug use. Their second album,
Todessehnsucht ("longing for death"), ventured into death metal classics with 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 and 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) estranged many of their original metal fans. The band performed at
Wacken Open Air in August of 1999. After 2000, nothing had been heard from Atrocity, and they seemed to have disbanded. However, they returned after four years with a new concept album,
Atlantis, centered on the
myths of the sunken continent of
Atlantis. The album also features the vocals of Alexander's wife,
Liv-Kristine Espanaes Krull (formerly in
Theatre of Tragedy). The band members also 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 as the new drummer in late October 2008. ==Members==