Biography

Closterkeller is one of Poland's oldest gothic rock bands, having formed in 1988. "Gothic" is really too narrow a description, though, as the band's darkly atmospheric sound touches on metal, pop, psychedelia, and electronic music. Though its lineups have varied over the years, Closterkeller's core is singer Anja Orthodox, one of the most controversial, charismatic figures in Polish music. Orthodox's voice is dramatic and versatile, with a range that's both emotional and technical. Highly prominent in Poland, Closterkeller remains somewhat unknown outside its homeland, probably because Orthodox sings in Polish. However, the band has recorded English versions of several of its albums. The band made its debut with 1990's Purple. Blue followed two years later, the first Closterkeller album available in Polish and English versions (Graphite and Nero are the others). The Agnieszka EP surfaced soon after, featuring a cover of the Cult's "Wild Flower." Closterkeller's lineup fluctuated over its next several albums, all named for colors: Violet (1993), Scarlet (1995), Cyan (1996), and Graphite (1999). Cyan featured the hit "Cisza W Jej Domu" and was one of the first Polish CDs to include multimedia extras. In 2000, the band issued Fin de Siecle, a semi-acoustic live record. In 2003 and 2004, Closterkeller headlined the Dark Stars festivals in Poland; the latter year featured tourmates Moonlight, Delight, Darzamat, Via Mistica, and Cemetery of Scream. In 2005, 2006, and 2007, the band embarked on tours in Poland dubbed Abracadabra Gothic. ~ Cosmo Lee, Rovi