CENOTAPH was formed by vocalist Batu Cetin in the summer of 1994 with the aim of performing some piece of the most brutal and the sickest music that has ever been played in Turkey and the world so far. After various changes in the band’s line up, they released their first demo “Life Immortal” in 1995. Back then the line up consisted of Batu (vocals), Coskun (guitar), Bülent (bass) and Bülent G. (drummer, ex-Suicide). The band’s first demo received rather good responses from the local scene, and Cenotaph took part in quite a few shows and festivals in Ankara.
In 1996 drummer Bülent G. was replaced by Goremaster. This was the ideal line-up and didn’t change until 1999… With the new line-up CENOTAPH recorded their second demo «promo tape 96» in 1996. This 3 song professionally recorded demo was sent to many underground labels, fanzines, magazines. «promo tape 96» got great responses from both the press/record labels and fans…With this demo, the band’s technical style and brutal sound got steadier and tighter.
in the Summer of 1996, CENOTAPH entered YESILKART studios, Istanbul, to record their 8 songs debut album «Voluptuously Minced» , 8 songs of brutal and sick gore death/grind. With this recording they received offers from a few labels from outside Turkey but they preferred to go for HAMMER MUSIC. Finally «Voluptuously Minced» was released by Hammer music, got great interest as expected and has been distributed worldwide by many labels/distros . CENOTAPH has been featured in many magazines/fanzines and radio shows worldwide.“Voluptuously Minced” was distributed in CD format by various labels in approximately 25 countries, and reached a wide range of listeners in Turkey in tape/Cd format.
Cenotaph, in the meantime, was working on new songs and continued the shows. In 1998 the band recorded their second album “Puked Genital Purulency”, at STUDIO FORTE, Istanbul… «Puked Genital Purulency» was released by Hammer music in MC and CD format. This album also got very well responses from local extreme music fans as well as from fans abroad. After a few months of the album’s release, CENOTAPH managed to reach a big number of fans worldwide. Puked Genital Purulency took part in many compilation cd’s, tapes and zines. The album is still counted as one of the mile stones of deathgrind.
After the album had been released, bassist Bulent and guitarist Coskun left the band due to some personal reasons. During the time, Batu gathered the new members for Cenotaph and the band carried on with the works full throttle with two new guitarists: Basar Cetin and Cihan Akün.
With this new line-up Cenotaph met with their diehard fans again at Ankara’s Rockstation festival in 2002. After the fest, the band began to work on new songs for the upcoming album and between January-March 2003 Cenotaph completed the recordings of their 3rd album «Pseudo Verminal Cadaverium» at Zoo Sound Studios Ankara. Following the completion of the recording sessions, the mastering sessions were made at the famous Mega Wimp Sound Studios in Germany. The album was released worldwide in the summer of 2003 by the American label United Guttural Records. After the release, the band was on numerous local and foreign zines. The album’s release and distribution in Turkey was done by Batu Cetin’s own label Drain Productions.
For the promotion of the release, Cenotaph played numerous shows at big metal fests in Turkey. The band played Turkey’s extreme deathgrind also at Germany’s extreme metal fest “Fuck the Commerce” in May 2005 and was the headliner at Ukraine’s “Metal Heads Mission” festival in August 2005.Maryland Death fest USA 2006 ,Brutal Assault Fest Czech rep 2006 summer and Metal Heads Mission Fest 2007 in August 2007.
Ex-guitarist Coskun, who formerly left the band back in 1999, rejoined the band in 2005 as the bass player. Subsequently, Goremaster quit the band in 2005, so Cenotaph decided to continue the band with Semih -who previously was their session drummer for the shows abroad- as the new and fulltime drummer.
In 2006, due to high demands, the first two albums were gathered on one CD and re-released under the title of «Voluptuously Puked Genitals» by Burning Dogma Records from Texas, USA.
Cenotaph is done with their 4th album’s recordings and mastering sessions were made at the iguana studios Germany and 4th full lenght album‘Reincarnation in Gorextasy’ released summer 2007 worldwide by Unmatched Brutality Records(USA) and Turkish label Atlantis Music .
In 2006 autumn Drummer Semih Örnek (Barbar sem) quit the band for private reasons and new drummer Caglar Yürüt joined the band,Cenotaph played numerous gigs and made two times Turkey Tour with this line-up.
In 2008 Basar Cetin (Guitars) and Coskun Kaplan (Bass) left the band for some personal&educational reasons and new Bass player Deniz Can Kurt joined the band and with this new line up Cenotaph made total 10 days Russian Headliner Tour.
Cenotaph is perking up and improving its modern deathgrind sound every year with the shows worldwide and working on upcoming album.
For more detailed info, interviews, album critics, mp3’s, photos etc. visit
http://www.myspace.com/cenotaph
Band Members:
BATU CETIN-vokill
CIHAN AKÜN-guitar
DENIZ CAN KURT-bass
Title: Reincarnation In Gorextasy Year: 2007 Tracks: 8 Cover Art: Par Olofson Label: Unmatched Brutality Records (USA) in 2007 / Atlantis Music (TURKEY) in 2007 / Re-released by Coyote Records (Russia) in 2008
Title: Voluptuously Puked Genitals Year: 2006 Tracks: 14 Cover Art: Cenotaph Label: Burning Dogma Records (USA) in 2006
Title: Pseudo Verminal Cadaverium Year: 2003 Tracks: 9 tracks + Bonus CD-ROM part Cover Art: Toshi Egawa/Studio Sho Label: United Guttural Records(usa) - Crash Music(usa) in 2003,Drain Productions(Austria) in 2003, Re-issue&Re-pressed by Deathgasm Records(Usa) in 2006, Re-issue&Re-pressed by Atlantis Music (Turkey) in 2006
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