SYRIA

Electronica / Trip-hop / Psychedelic

Munich, Germany

About

SYRIA was formed in 1993, based around Christian Dörge. Inspired to begin with a dark, slow-down-goth-sound (in the early days...) with electro and ethno elements, SYRIA - in many different line-ups - released a succession of increasingly popular albums, mini-albums and singles through the years. Subsequently (since 2005) teaming with Zasu and Stina Suntland, who also formed their own band THE ATOMIC NURSES, the group returned with trip-hop, surreal chansons and experimental electro-pop things, which initially yielded the albums 'The Return Of Saturn' (2006), 'The Kafka Syndrome' (2007) and 'The Grotesque' (2008, this one as part of the 4-CD-Box 'Not A Nice Party. A Collection')) - like all SYRIA records produced, arranged and mixed by Christian Dörge himself - , indicating to all concerned that SYRIA finally has found its groove - both musically and lyrically.
Describing the years 2005 - 2009 as the most extraordinary trip of SYRIAs existence, the band was inspired to collect a ride down the memory lane, mainly to see these gifts remain in action, meaning: On March 20th 2009, Black October-Records will release the 44-track double-album 'The Learner's Dictionary Of Style - Best Of 2005 - 2009' with eight new un-released songs included, comprising the classical and the traditional SYRIA and watching out on some future sounds and topics. This album will be accompanied by the exclusive and all-new 8-track mini-album 'First Person Shooter'.
Now, tickets are open for the writing and recording of the 11th SYRIA studio-album - production already started in January 2009 as a daytrip to the Marlene-dressed-as-electric-widow themepark, showing up that in the end, the end is still not the end.

For informations about THE ATOMIC NURSES, please visit:
www.virb.com/theatomicnurses and www.myspace.com/theatomicnurses

For informations aboute CHRISTIAN DÖRGEs literature work and literature songs, please visit:
www.virb.com/christiandoerge and www.myspace.com/christiandoerge

For informations about CHRISTIAN DÖRGEs work as BORGIA DISCO, please visit:
www.virb.com/borgiadisco and www.myspace.com/borgiadisco2007

SYRIA on MySpace: www.myspace.com/syria2005

Please visit our shop at www.virb.com/manufaktur

Contact: 2000mascaraColours@web.de

TIMELINE:

1993
The Band, taking its name from a song included on their debut album 'Ozymandias Of Egypt', formed around Christian Dörge (vocals, piano, songwriting, production) and is signed to Hall Of Sermon.
Dec. With Ulrich Kaon (cello), Cat Nemeth (vocals), Andy Hägler (guitars), Patrick Sayer (keyboards) and Kevin Lancashire (keyboards) now rounding out the full band, the group enters a recording studio in Basel/Switzerland to begin work on a first album.

1994
May. The Band gigs for the first time in Basel, playing an 8 songs set. Kevin Lancashire leaves shortly after that gig to continue with his more studio-based project BLOCKHEAD.
June. Christian Dörge splits from Hall Of Sermon, following a recent dispute. He also drops Cat Nemeth and Ulrich Kaon; Nemeth will join BLOCKHEAD (the band will disappear after just one album for Hall Of Sermon), Kaon signs to Discordia for the release of his solo album 'Random Walk' (remaining his only post-SYRIA release).
Oct. Dörge launches his own independent label Black October-Records
Nov. Black October-Records signs as a sub-label to Derriére-Records/SPV.

1995
Jan. Derriére-Records releases the 3-track, anthemic MCD 'Giving Ground (1994)'.
Feb. The band - now comprising Christian Dörge, Andy Hägler and Patrick Sayer - finishes recordings for its second album.
March. Derriére-Records releases the band´s debut album 'Ozymandias Of Egypt' - some heavy goth, but also very experimental kind of record.
June. Second album 'Marrakesh Night Market' is released.
Aug. Christian Dörge records a solo album entitled 'Antiphon'.
Sept. The band - joined by Kathrin Schlender for some female vocals - begins recording material for a 3rd SYRIA album.
Nov. Christian Dörge, now augmented by new guitarist Matthias Weisheit, continues recordings in his own studio.

1996
Jan. Derriére-Records releases 'Antiphon'.
March. Female vocalist Kira joins the band.
June. Derriére-Records releases the E.P.-CD 'Neverland Things' (closing Black October´s account with Derriére) as the group - temporarily comprising Christian Dörge, Kira, Andy Hägler, Matthias Weisheit, Kathrin Schlender and Patrick Sayer - embarks on a first major tour across Germany to promote the new material.
July. Black October-Records signs to Sounds Of Delight/SPV.
Aug. Christian Dörge parts ways with Matthias Weisheit.
Oct. Sounds Of Delight releases the E.P.-CD 'Voodoo Highway' (providing the fans with some rocking tunes).
Nov. Sounds Of Delight releases the album 'A Gift From Culture' including experiments with jazz and chanson.
Dec. With Kira and Andy Hägler remaining in the band, Dörge starts recording new material.

1997
Jan. Dörge and Matthias Weisheit reunite for writing and recording Kira´s solo album 'No Cabaret'. Some songs are roughly finished, but the album will never be completed.
Mai. Sounds Of Delight drops the band after listening to some new songs - the band's style with more jazz and chanson tunes won´t fit into the label´s gothic masterplan, it seems.

1999
Jan. Black October-Records signs to Hyperium/Rough Trade.
April. Hyperium releases the album 'Metroland I', a piano- and guitar-dominated record, giving the full scope to the vocals of Christian Dörge and Kira.
June. Black October-Records cancels the bands first scheduled European-Tour after some problems with female vocalist Kira.
Aug. The Band leaves Hyperium/Rough Trade.

2000
April. Black October-Records releases the album 'Metroland II' while Christian Dörge drops Kira.
July. Christian Dörge begins to work on new demos in a studio in Munich, Germany.

2001
Aug. Christian Dörge parts ways with Andy Hägler.
Nov. Black October-Records signs to Radio Etienne/Zero Deffects

2002
Jan. Dörge enters the Grammophon Suite in Munich, Germany, recording and producing the 6th SYRIA album.
Feb. The band - Christian Dörge (vocals, acoustic guitar) and Jana Sedakowa (piano) - plays three gigs in Germany.
Sept. Radio Etienne releases the MCD 'Never Again' and the double album 'Yesterdays With Logical Visitors - Best Of 1993 - 2000'. This features what Christian Dörge considers to be SYRIAs "definitive" songs of that period
Dec. The band - with temporarily line-up Christian Dörge (vocals, guitars), Miriam Gottlieb (vocals) and Tim Helbig (guitars) - tours Great Britain for the first time.

2003
April. Radio Etienne releases the pop-tuned MCD 'Meanwhile' (with remixes by MARY'S COMIC, KAON and TIMOTHY MOLDREY).
May. Radio Etienne releases the album 'Slow Night' (not a true band album with Dörge performing all vocals and instruments) as the group (once again Dörge and Jana Sedakowa) starts touring Europe. The 'Nightmoves' tour opens (and ends) in Halmstad/Sweden and includes performances in Germany, France, Great Britain, Austria and Switzerland.
'Slow Night' is a more personal album to Christian Dörge, possibly reflecting the times, or perhaps reflecting the loss of long-year band members. But it's also a change of direction, a more mature effort from the production to the self-reflecting lyrics - and also a transitional period.
Sept. Radio Etienne releases the MCD 'Driving Music'.
Oct. Still touring, Christian Dörge begins work on the solo album 'Moldavia'.
Dec. Following the massive touring, the band dissolves.

2004
Jan. Dörge guests on Jana Sedakowa´s album 'Every Day'.
Nov. Radio Etienne releases Dörge´s solo double album 'Moldavia' (including some 'Antiphon' re-recordings).

2005
March. Christian Dörge re-forms SYRIA with female-vocalists Zasu and Stina Suntland.
May. The band enters a studio in Linköping/Sweden and starts recording new songs and re-works of earlier material.

2006
Feb. Black October-Records releases the MCD 'The Mathematics Of Smoke'.
Aug. Black October-Records signs to distribution company Icare-Media Distribution.
Oct. Zasu and Stina Suntland - still joing SYRIA - start writing and producing material for their own band THE ATOMIC NURSES.
Nov. Touring and festival dates are being cancelled following some trouble with a record company that signed the band in the early 90s. The band continues recording.
Dec. Black October-Records releases the double album 'The Return Of Saturn' (CD 2 - entitled 'Subtitles' - contains re-recorded versions of early material and some cover-versions). The group is now more into trip-hop-style with very present vocals and wide electronic soundscapes.

2007
April. Black October-Records releases the MCD 'K-Machines' (including some dancefloor elements and updates of 'Your Waterland').
May. Black October-Records releases the E.P.-CD 'The Darkworld Detectives' and the double album 'The Kafka Syndrome'; once again there´s a bonus-CD - entitled 'Subtitles II' - added to the album, containing re-recorded songs and cover versions. 'The Kafka Syndrome' and its related releases are effective modern psychedelic records with drum loops, samples, electric instruments, pianos, mellotron and backward guitars, resulting in material still very much experimental (but accessible, too) with electronica and psychedelic rock influences.
June. The band is still recording new material to be included on a future SYRIA collection entitled 'Not A Nice Party', compiling material from the early years (including demos, outtakes and hard-to-find-songs) and some new tracks.
June. Zasu und Stina start writing and recording material for a 2nd ATOMIC NURSES album.
July. Black October-Records re-releases the double album 'Yesterdays With Logical Visitors - Best Of 1993 - 2000' as a re-master with slightly changed layout. The band starts recording the final SYRIA studio album entitled 'The Grotesque' (designed to be part of the 4-CD-Box 'Not A Nice Party. A Collection.').
Aug. Following the crash-down of Icare-Media, Black October-Records launches its own distribution company; the back-catalogue and the upcoming releases are now available through Manufaktur-Distribution (www.virb.com/manufaktur).
Sept. Jana Sedakowa joins the band by playing the piano-parts for the title-cut of 'The Grotesque' and by co-writing music for the songs 'Watermark' and 'English Summer' (both originally written by Dörge and Sedakowa for the 'Night Moves'.Tour back in 2003).
Oct. Smart Bomb-Records releases the MCD 'Short Syntax' and the album 'Pyjamadrama' by THE ATOMIC NURSES.
Nov. Matthias Weisheit joins the band by writing and recording music for the song 'A. Lincoln, Simulacrum' and playing guitars on a re-make version of 'Sculptures, Fruits And Tea-Partys, Part 1'.
Nov. Christian Dörge is signed to Smart Bomb-Records with his solo project BORGIA DISCO.
Dec. The Band finishes recordings for 'The Grotedque'.
Dec. Syborgmusic releases the new IN MY ROSARY album '15' which includes the song 'There´s No Light' remixed by Christian Dörge and with Stina Suntland adding backing vocals (check out: www.inmyrosary.de).
Dec. Christian Dörge produces and mixes the song 'I Remember Nothing' (originally from JOY DIVISION) for THE ATOMIC NURSES.

2008
Febr. Black October-Records/Manufaktur-Distribution releases SYRIAs 4-CD-Box 'Not A Nice Party. A Collection.'
March. Smart Bomb-Records/Manufaktur-Distribution releases the 'Utopia' (MCD) and 'Travels In The Scriptorium' (Album-CD) by BORGIA DISCO.
April. Stina Suntland and Zasu are joining BORGIA DISCO for some additional vocals during the recording of the project´s 2nd album.
May. Christian Dörge is doing a remix-version of the song 'Ich Habe (Angst)' by MARY'S COMIC.
June. Christian Dörge, Zasu and Stina Suntland start recording new SYRIA material.
Sept. Smart Bomb-Records releases the MCD 'Suicide Girls' and the album 'The Unseen Ladies On Monitor 7' by THE ATOMIC NURSES.
Oct. Black October-Records releases the CHRISTIAN DÖRGE-albums 'Lycia. Redux', 'Antiphon 2.0' and 'Moldavia (re-worked & re-mastered)'.
Nov. The band finishes recordings of new material (to be included on 2009 releases).

Text(8)

• Follow SYRIA
• Following (185)
• Followers (181)
• Send a message

Stats

• Plays today
  0
• All-time plays
  1,262
• Profile views
  5,317

Members

• Christian Dörge - (vocals

• piano

• guitars

• synthesizers

• programming)

• Zasu - (vocals)

• Stina Suntland - (vovals).

Following(185)