Gothic metal ensemble
Elis have earned a passionate international following for their music, which combines the aggressive guitars and explosive drums of
heavy metal with accents of
orchestral music,
folk music, and
electronica. Based in the Central European nation of Liechtenstein, the members of
Elis began their career in 2000 as
Erben der Schopfung under the direction of keyboard player
Oliver Falk, with
Sabine Duenser contributing striking lead vocals. The group gained significant press and radio attention for their debut single, "Elis," and their first full-length album, Twilight. While the German rock magazine
Orkus named
Erben der Schopfung the best new act of 2001 and they earned rave reviews from fans and the press for their appearance at Leipzig's
Wave Gotik Festival,
Falk and the rest of the band reached a creative impasse; he continued on with a new lineup as
Erben der Schopfung, while
Duenser, guitarists
Pete Streit and
Juergen Broger, bassist
Tom Saxer, and drummer
Franky Koller split off to form
Elis. The new group issued their first album in 2003, God's Silence, Devil's Temptation, which was released by noted metal imprint Napalm Records. After touring Europe, Belgium, and Switzerland in support of the album,
Elis returned to the studio in 2004 (
Rene Marxer having replaced
Koller on drums) with producer
Alexander Krull to begin work on their next project, Dark Clouds in a Perfect Sky. The album was released in 2005 and earned them continued acclaim in the gothic metal community, with extensive European touring following after new drummer
Max Naescher replaced
Marxer behind the kit. Elis next began work on their third album, a concept piece about two brothers called Griefshare, with
Krull once again producing and new guitarist
Chris Gruber filling in for
Broger, who left the band in 2005. Shortly before Griefshare was completed,
Sabine Duenser died of a cerebral hemorrhage on July 7, 2006; the band opted to retain her vocals as a tribute to their friend, and the album came out in Europe in the fall of 2006, with an American release scheduled for January 16, 2007. In late December 2006,
Elis announced that
Sandra Schleret, former vocalist with
Dreams of Sanity and
Siegfried, had been confirmed as the group's new lead singer. ~ Mark Deming, All Music Guide
Green links represent an available CD.
Red links represent a CD that is not currently available.
Catharsis