I wish I never had to write those words, but nothing is forever. These last few months, some disagreements started to grow within the band, regarding commitment and musical direction in the making of our fourth album. Those differences of opinions soon turned out to be a dead-end problem and led me to make the decision of ending the band’s activities.
In twelve years of existence, The Old Dead Tree had its share of line-up changes. Of course, each of them has been an improvement, but they were also painful losses. And I don’t want to face that kind of loss again.
Be that as it may, I am still extremely proud of the work we have achieved and I want to thank all the people without whom nothing would have been possible: past and present band members with whom I learnt so much and had amazing times, our wonderful crew, our label Season of Mist, our tour booker K Productions, and especially the fans who supported us and encouraged us to go forwards. I wish them all the best in their future endeavours.
This is now farewell.
Manuel Munoz
Since its creation in 1997 by Manuel Munoz (Vocals, Guitars) and Nicolas Chevrollier
(Guitars), THE OLD DEAD TREE always stood apart in the current European metal scene thanks
to its unique musical identity: a style which combines extreme metal & dark rock / pop with
exceptional vocals, gliding from one style to the next.
By 1999, this was already clearly evident, when Frédéric Guillemot (Drums) and Vincent
Danhier (Bass) decided to join and secure the line-up. The press and fans enthusiastically
praised and welcomed the band’s first release: a mini-CD, “The Blossom”.
This promising debut took a sudden tragic turn, when Frédéric Guillemot committed suicide
just a few months later. The band members were inspired to exorcise the dramatic loss of
their close friend by expressing the darkest feelings and frustration this trauma provoked
in a new concept album. The result was “The Nameless Disease”, produced by Andy Classen
(LEGION OF THE DAMNED, DEW SCENTED, DIE APOKALYPTISCHEN REITER, DISBELIEF, GRAVEWORM…) and
mastered by Goran Finberg (IN FLAMES, OPETH, DIMMU BORGIR…), an album which carried a
powerful, aggressive and modern sound. In 2002, the band signed a deal with Season of Mist
which finally gave Frédéric’s epic eulogy a proper release. THE OLD DEAD TREE performed
several shows and toured at various festivals for the record, with the likes of OPETH,
KATATONIA and PARADISE LOST.
Franck Métayer, at the drums since 1999, decided to leave in 2004 in order to devote
himself to his personal life. He was replaced by Foued Moukid whose debut performance with
the THE OLD DEAD TREE appeared on the 2005 album, “The Perpetual Motion”. The band played
at several high profile festivals over the summer of 2005 to promote the album’s release,
including at “Summer Darkness” (NL) and “Fury Fest” (FR) alongside SLAYER, ANTHRAX,
MEGADETH, LACUNA COIL, NEUROSIS and SOILWORK.
Sophomore album “The Perpetual Motion” was fully produced by Andy Classen at the Stage One
Studio (Germany) and the collaboration proved to be particularly successful. The album
received raving reviews late Summer 2005. Throughout the fall and winter of that year, THE
OLD DEAD TREE hit the road with Dutch gothic metallers EPICA for a full European tour, and
performed several shows as headliners in France and the Benelux.
On May 2006, guitarist and founding member Nicolas Chevrollier called its quits to focus on
his family, as he would soon become a father. The strong friendship binding the members of
the band made the decision particularly difficult. A replacement was found in Gilles Moinet
(main composer of doom metal act LUX INCERTA), a man with a deep sense of melody who
quickly found his place and brought new influences to THE OLD DEAD TREE.
After several more shows, the band members started working on their third album early 2007.
The recording sessions and the whole mixing and mastering process took place in June at the
Stage One Studio, once again with irreplaceable producer Andy Classen. The wait is now over
and THE OLD DEAD TREE have given birth to their new album “The Water Fields”. This title is
based upon an imaginary place where one finds refuge from pain and everyday doubts. “This
is a concept album about avoidance, kidding oneself, and the urge we have to hide from
reality and to remain passive when we are on tenterhooks...” says Manuel Munoz. “The band
went further again, reaching a new stage in terms of song writing and maturity. This album
is much heavier and darker, but also more diverse and full of sheer emotion! Even the
production of Andy Classen outdoes the job on our previous material…”
“Let’s dig deeper and deeper into the Water Fields…”
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DIVE
Recorded live @ Trabendo, Paris - 08.04.08
THE KNOCK OUT SONG
Recorded live @ Wilhelmshaven, Pumpwerk - 18.04.08
OUT OF BREATH - The Perpetual Motion - 2005
Directed by Julien Metternich
IT CAN'T BE ! - The Nameless Disease - 2003
Directed by Julien Metternich
Carrément choqué par la nouvelle qui vient de tomber....j'espère que vous nous reviendrez vite sous une autre forme. Vous avez tout notre soutien! Alex & Darknation
i just was thinking about you guys today and checked the page only to see this very sad news. THE WATER FIELDS was one of my very favorite records of the year it came out, and one of my favorite concept records ever. Here's to a good future for you all, though I am going to have to write more about you to be a pest and try and make you reunite! It was a pleasure interviewing you over a year ago. Cheers! Thank you! MORGAN Y EVANS Crushermagazine.com Amp/Hails and Horns
En un an, mes deux groupes préférés ont splitté, je suis donc navré d'apprendre cette nouvelle... Malgré tout, vous restez un groupe magnifique avec des morceaux inoubliables que je ne me lasse pas de réécouter sans cesse. J'attendais avec impatience le prochain opus mais je me retournerais vers les anciens pour me consoler...
Bravo à vous, je rêve du jour où je retomberais amoureux d'un groupe comme le vôtre... Bonne continuation à tous !
C'est une bien triste nouvelle... Vous et votre musique m'avez beaucoup apporté, et pour tout cela, je vous remercie infiniment.
Il n'est maintenant plus question de se retourner vers le passé, mais plutôt vers l'avenir. En vous souhaitant une bonne continuation à chacun de vous, à très bientôt.
Une grande partie des groupes pousse l' aventure toujours le plus loin possible pour des mauvaises raisons - quitte à tuer père et mère - par mégalomanie, comme piège à filles ou mecs, aspects pécuniers - frustations - j' en passe et des meilleures. Produisant à la longue des albums inégaux .
Ce n'est certes pas plaisant d' apprendre une nouvelle de ce type - mais votre décision est courageuse - mieux vaut une petite mort que gâcher une discographie - elle rend possible une renaissance artistique - ce que je souhaite vivement à chacun des musiciens de cet excellent groupe que vous avez formé pendant des années.
'The nameless disease' est un album rare qui aurait mérité plus d' exposition mais enfin c' est ainsi - il n' y avait rien de superflu, de moyen, de passable dans cet album - un essentiel chant taillé dans le diamant, âpre, mordant et douloureux comme l' absence définitive - et ne serait-ce que pour ce bijou qui a peuplé mes voyages en train et autres, chapeau bas ! Dans le souvenir demeurent des bribes, fragments et instantanés de lumière délestée des angoisses existentielles - et c' est çà qui compte ! - la beauté forgée au prix des fulgurances...
Merci beaucoup pour votre musique et discographie, The old dead tree. Et vive le futur !
Dure nouvelle pour une grande fan comme moi...cependant, parfois les chemins se rejoignent et parfois les opinions divergent...à mon plus grand désespoir...
![HynepsY [Nouvelles videos]](http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/82/s_68d3e7fff619ad927373ff9598d71070.jpg)
I am so sad!!!
