Clan of Xymox

Clan of Xymox在阿姆斯特丹建隊，卻簽到了英國獨立唱片領(lǐng)旗人——4AD唱片公司，與Cocteau Twins,Dead Can Dance,Pixies和Throwing Muses等樂隊成了同行。1985年樂隊發(fā)行了自己的首張專輯，這張同名專輯錄制于愛丁堡著名的Palladium錄音棚，還有4AD掌帥Ivo出任合作制作人，這張專輯充滿著翻來覆去的電子節(jié)拍還有憂郁的嗓音。1987年Clan of Xymox的一首單曲收入了4AD的一張剪輯專輯“Lonely is An Eyesore”，這張專輯是4AD公司下眾多藝人才華多樣化的集中反映，專輯的第二首“Muscoviet Musquito”節(jié)奏顯得和其他單曲格格不入，這首單曲曲風(fēng)定位于Dif Juz和Dead Can Dance之間，同時也突顯了樂隊自信的一面。而樂隊1987年的專輯“Medusa”是一張相當(dāng)陰暗的作品，在現(xiàn)代流行音樂的活力和氛圍化的旋律中透出的是一股深深的寒意。此時Clan of Xymox不僅為眾多舞曲愛好者所癡迷，而且樂隊已成為了另類音樂藝術(shù)殿堂的一員。
 
1988年樂隊離開了4AD公司，在4AD公司老板Ivo鼓勵下，Clan of Xymox與Wing簽約——媒體巨子PolyGram的附屬公司。1989年發(fā)行“Twist of Shadows”時，樂隊把自己的名字縮為Xymox，這也是樂隊在Wing旗下出的第一張唱片。這是張敢于嘗試的專輯，同時也說明了與大公司簽約不等于會自然而然地遏止在音樂上的進取創(chuàng)新。樂隊以Xymox之名隨后發(fā)表了三張12英寸的CD，分別是“Obsession”，“Imagination”和“Blind Hearts”，這幾張出色的唱片——特別是最后一張，再次肯定了樂隊那介于舞曲和另類風(fēng)格的音樂那多變的感染力。而在歐洲已風(fēng)靡多年的Xymox也開始漸漸在美國走俏，“Twist of Shadows”在美國的銷量已超過30萬張。
 
樂隊在1991年全球范圍內(nèi)發(fā)行了“Phoenix”，這是樂隊最后一張由PolyGram發(fā)行的專輯，而專輯本身也倍受贊譽，但在美國沒有前一張成績出色——雖然樂隊在美國有著一批忠實的歌迷。同時樂隊在全球巡演場場爆滿，在另類學(xué)院搖滾甚至在主流的Billboard上都赫赫有名。
 
Clan of Xymox has been in the unfortunate position of always being compared to other bands since their inception. Whether its the Cure or Joy Division, Clan of Xymox has never been able to shake off the similarities to their influences. Nevertheless, the group has produced an impressive body of work that consistently absorbed new sounds while remaining faithful to the 80s goth rock menu.
 
Clan of Xymox was formed in Nijmegen, Netherlands, in 1983 by Ronny Moorings (vocals, guitar) and Anka Wolbert (bass, vocals). A year later, Moorings and Wolbert moved to Amsterdam, releasing the LP Subsequent Pleasures as Xymox. (The album was limited to 500 copies.) Xymox then became the opening act for Dead Can Dance in England. The bands presence on Dead Can Dances U.K. tour caught the interest of 4AD Records, and the label eventually signed them. A year later, Xymox lengthened their name to Clan of Xymox and recorded a self-titled album in 1985, followed by Medusa the next year. In 1987, the group shortened their appellation to Xymox once again, contributing another version of Muscoviet Mosquito, originally on Subsequent Pleasures, to the 4AD compilation Lonely Is an Eyesore. After the release of the single Blind Hearts, Xymox left 4AD and joined Polygram/Wing.
 
In 1989, Xymox released Twist of Shadows, their most commercially successful LP, selling 300,000 copies. The infectious and uncharacteristically upbeat Phoenix of My Heart landed on the modern rock charts in 1991. However, the full-length Phoenix didnt do as well as Twist of Shadows. Wolbert departed from the band that year, replaced by bassist Mojca Zugna. In 1992, Xymox left Polygram/Wing for ZOK Records. Xymox record two albums for ZOK Records — 1992s Metamorphosis and 1993s Headclouds — before switching to Tess Records in 1997 for the album Hidden Faces. Moreover, Moorings called the group Clan of Xymox once again.
 
In 1999, they signed with the Metropolis label and released Creatures, which was followed a year later by the two-CD Live. The 2001 album Notes from the Underground was reinterpreted on the double remix CD Remixes from the Underground, which landed in 2002. Farewell from 2003 was a themed album with bittersweet goodbyes to lovers and friends the main topics. The 2004 collection The Best of Clan of Xymox found latter-day highlights next to re-recordings of the bands early material. Two years later, the album Breaking Point was announced by the single Weak in My Knees.