Night In Gales

Night in Gales is one of the most important and influential German melodic death metal bands and has had a significant impact on the development of the genre since its formation in 1995 in Voerde, North Rhine-Westphalia. As one of the few German formations that successfully stood up to the Swedish Gothenburg sound, the band established itself as a pioneer of German extreme metal and as one of the most consistent bands, with four founding members still in the lineup.

The early days of Night in Gales were marked by visionary determination and underground authenticity. Founded in May 1995, their demo “Sylphlike” hit like a bomb and sold 7,000 copies, making it one of the most successful demos of all time – a record that still stands today.

Nuclear Blast Records recognized the band's potential and released their debut album “Towards The Twilight” in 1997, which positioned Night in Gales on par with established acts such as In Flames, Hypocrisy, and Children of Bodom. Prestigious tours with Death, Dismember, and Sinister, as well as appearances at Wacken Open Air and Summer Breeze, cemented their reputation as one of the most explosive live acts in the genre.

The follow-up album “Thunderbeast” (1998, Nuclear Blast) and especially “Nailwork” (2000, Nuclear Blast) showcased a band at the height of their artistic powers, blending progressive elements and a morbid atmosphere with classic melodic death metal to create a unique synthesis. International recognition followed through European tours with Old Man's Child and Krisiun, as well as a Japan tour with Defleshed and Dew-Scented.

The switch to Massacre Records in 2001 for “Necrodynamic” marked a stylistic shift towards a more varied, melodic approach, but led to label-related problems that resulted in a nearly ten-year hiatus. During this time, the members focused on other musical projects.

The spectacular comeback in 2011 with “Five Scars” (Lifeforce Records) impressively proved that Night in Gales had lost none of their punch. Produced by scene icon Dan Swanö, the album reached number 4 in the German Metal Hammer Soundchecks and led to triumphant performances at Summer Breeze, Rock Harz, and other festivals.

2016 marked the return of original singer Christian Müller, who led the band to new heights with “The Last Sunsets” (2018, Apostasy Records). The collaboration with Dan Swanö as producer and Romanian artist Costin Chioreanu for the artwork established a new era of artistic excellence. The success continued with “Dawnlight Garden” (2020), “The Black Stream” (2023), and the latest work “Shadowreaper” (2024) – all released via Apostasy Records and produced by Fredrik Nordström (Studio Fredman) and Dan Swanö, respectively.

With nine studio albums and an impressive output of three phenomenal albums between 2018 and 2024, Night in Gales proves that German bands can certainly set international standards in melodic death metal.

The current lineup consists of:

• Christian Müller · Vocals
• Frank Basten · Guitars
• Jens Basten · Guitars
• Tobias Bruchmann · Bass, Additional Vocals
• Adriano Ricci · Drums

Discography

Studio albums:

• Towards The Twilight (Nuclear Blast, 1997)
• Thunderbeast (Nuclear Blast, 1998)
• Nailwork (Nuclear Blast, 2000)
• Necrodynamic (Massacre Records, 2001)
• Five Scars (Lifeforce Records, 2011)
• The Last Sunsets (Apostasy Records, 2018)
• Dawnlight Garden (Apostasy Records, 2020)
• The Black Stream (Apostasy Records, 2023)
• Shadowreaper (Apostasy Records, 2024)

Important EPs:

• Sylphlike (Self-released, 1995)
• Ten Years Of Tragedy (Self-released, 2005)
• Ashes And Ends (Divebomb Records, 2015)

Chart positions Germany:

• Dawnlight Garden DE 64 July 31, 2020 (1 week)
• The Black Stream DE 77 October 6, 2023 (1 week)
• Shadowreaper DE 91 December 13, 2024 (1 week)