Born in January 1997 as a duet, Anthemon turns into a “real” band only after the release of a demo CD titled “Nocturnal Contemplations” in October 1998, created with the assistance of a female singer who is not part of the band. The good feedback of this first recording makes it possible for the band to get known into the French underground and to gather a full line-up.
In November 2000, “Talvi” (“Winter” in Finnish), a 7 titles MCD, which reveals wider influences than the previous release, comes to life. With this EP, the band earns a consequent reputation thanks to the good overall reception of both the press and the audience.
In 2001, Anthemon composes and prepares the recording of its first full-length album. “Arcanes” takes shape while the negotiations with some labels lead to the signature with Thundering Records. The album in released in February 2003.
“Arcanes” is the beginning of the collaboration of Anthemon with Ahti Kortelainen (Tico-Tico Studio, Finland), offering for the first time a production of international standard to the band.
With “Arcanes”, Anthemon is perceived as a skilled band, able to propose a personal music which draws the best of different musical styles to get a coherent and new mixture.
A few months later, Anthemon starts working on "Arcane"’s successor, an ambitious album which represents a more forward evolution of the band’s music.
During the rehearsals for the new songs, the band decides to give up the female vocals and chose to get a full time male singer instead, taking the risk to disorientate the fans.
“Dystopia” is released in November 2004. The album shows a huge leap forward for the band. By mixing their vast panel of influences through a more progressive, a darker, and an increasingly personal music, the members of the band won the bet to describe the terrible world created in the lyrics, where freedom of men is nothing but an illusion.
In early 2005, Anthemon starts the work on a new album, which is released on November of the same year. The successor of “Dystopia”, carrying the curious title of “Kadavreski” (contraction of “Cadavre Exquis”(exquisite corpse)), the band goes on with its search for symbiosis of multiple influences.
By proposing 4 titles, one of them lasting 23 minutes, divided into A Side and B side as some tribute to the progressive rock giants of the seventies, this new album shows Anthemon at its progressive peak. Very melodic and abundant in arrangements, “Kadavreski” is distinguished from its predecessors from his larger stylistic variety and an overall more violent and darker approach.
While being seriously crestfallen, Anthemon then opens up a new chapter of its career by working on a new album titled “Aloïs”. The record is a concept album on the life of a fictional genius scientist Aloïs Martel. Unfortunately, the departure of singer Loïc Malassagne and the impossibility to find a suitable replacement tolled the end of the band. Annoyed by the multiple difficulties and line-up changes, the members of Anthemon decide to put it to rest.
Demos recorded during the album's composition period are made available on Bandcamp in 2013.
Now first time ever full discography by Anthemon is released on streaming services in April 2023 by Finnish Inverse Records.
