On Thorns I Lay, a Greek death doom and gothic metal band, was founded in Athens in 1992. Initially known as Paralysis and later Phlebotomy, the group began their career playing brutal death metal. The band's debut album, Sounds of Beautiful Experience (1995), showcased an atmospheric and experimental death-doom style. Their second album, Orama (1997), further developed their sound with influences from doom-death and gothic metal, featuring contrasting vocals known as the "beauty and the beast" style. The band went on hiatus in 2006 but reunited in 2015, releasing several albums including Eternal Silence (2015) and Aegean Sorrow (2018). Throughout their career, On Thorns I Lay has performed with notable acts such as Dream Theater, In Flames, and Anathema.