-Lux Occulta-

The black metal band Lux Occulta was formed in late 1994 by former Blaspherion guitarists Peter and G'Ames together with Jaro.Slav who used to be the vocalist of Haemorrhage, one of Poland's first black metal bands. A few weeks later they were joined by bassist Jackie and drummer Aemil. In February 1995 they did their first rehearsal. As they felt that there was something missing in their sound they asked keyboard player U.Reck to join them. In early March they wrote their first song simply titled "War". In July they recorded their first and only demo tape "The Forgotten Arts" during one week in the Manek Studio. A few weeks later they signed a deal with Polish underground label Pagan Records. In November they did their first live shows.

In January 1996 Pagan Records released an official cassette version of their demo tape and in March they entered the Manek Studio again to record their first full-length album "Forever Alone. Immortal.". After two weeks in the studio the album was finished. In June Aemil was kicked out as he was not really interested in music anymore. He was replaced one week later by the new drummer Kriss. In September Lux Occulta went to the Manek Studio again to record a cover version of "Czas Zemsty" ("Time Of Revenge") from Polish black metal legend Kat. The song was released a few months later on the Kat tribute album "Czarne Zastepy" by Pagan Records. In the end of September their debut album was also released. In December it was time to go back to the studio for three days to record a new version of "Love" from their demo tape, a new song called "When Horned Songs Awake" and a cover version of Danzig's classic "Heart Of The Devil". Lux Occulta was voted best newcomver in most of the Polish metal magazines and radio stations.

In June 1997 a mini tour took place in Germany together with Forsth and Shadows Toward My Sky. After the first show the promoter asked Lux Occulta to headline the set. In July they entered the Selani Studio (Vader, Behemoth, Yattering) to record their second full-length album "Dionysos" - a concept album dedicated to the Greek wine god. The album was released in November and in December it was voted as one of the best albums of 1997 in Polish metal media (in most of them it's second to Vader's "Black To The Blind") and Lux Occulta as one of the best bands in Poland.

In January 1998 G'Ames and Jackie were asked to leave the band. G'Ames got married and left the music business while Jackie joined the black metal act Holy Death a few months later. They were replaced by guitarist Vogg and bass player Martin, both from Decapitated. In March they did a small Polish tour with Damnation and Sacriversum. Another bigger tour was done in May and June together with Christ Agony and Hate. In August Lux Occulta co-headlined the biggest metal festival in Slovakia together with bands like Krabathor, Devilyn and Silent Stream Of Godless Elegy. In September they co-headlined the Novum Vox Mortis festival in Warsaw and Katowice with Dark Funeral and Hate. Pagan Records released the mini album "Maior Arcana (The Words That Turn Flesh Into Light)" which included three songs recorded in December of 1996, a re-mastered version of their demo tape and a cover of The Sisters Of Mercy classic "Burn". The mini album was limited to 1500 copies. In December it was time to once again enter the Selani Studio to record their new album "My Guardian Anger", produced by the band together with Andrzej Bomba and mastered in Studio 333 by Bartek Kuzniak. The title was chosen as it took six weeks in the studio to record it.

In August 1999 Kriss broke his arm so badly that it was uncertain whether he would be able to play the drums ever again. Kuba from Devilyn helped them out on their gig at the Thrash'em All Festival. After that the band decided to stop their live activities for the next few months. In December "My Guardian Anger" was voted album of the year and Jaro.Slav. is vocalist of the year according to the readers of Thrash'em All, one of the biggest magazines in Poland. While Kriss was doing better U. Reck broke his leg and the band had to cancel a Polish tour which had been scheduled for January 2000.

In March 2000 Lux Occulta did their first live shows in a long time, supporting Sweden's Gardenian on a small Polish tour. In May they played at Poland's biggest metal festival Metalmania together with bands like Tiamat, Opeth, My Dying Bride, Theatre Of Tragedy, Katatonia and Behemoth. In June they signed a two album deal with the Portuguese independent label Maquiavel Music Entertainment. Kriss underwent surgery in his arm and could soon play even better than before. In July the band co-headlined the Silesia Festival in the Czech Republich with bands like Haemorrhage, Altar, Dark Funeral and Behemoth and one week later they performed at Castle Party, the biggest gothic music festival in Eastern Europe, being the first extreme metal act in the history of the festival. In August they co-headlined the Thrash'em All Festival together with Vader and Behemoth.

While recording "The Mother And The Enemy" in 2001 drummer Kriss left the band. They tried to convince him to stay with them until the album was recorded but it didn't help. Instead they hired Gerard Niemczyk as a session drummer. In early January 2003 their label announced that Lux Occulta would be stopping all activities which was a lie since the band continued but parted with the label.