Corvus Corax

For the last hundred years or so, it has been pretty easy to explore and chart the ups and downs of popular music. In medieval times, however, it’s not so easy. Enter Corvus Corax. an (eventually) eight piece German outfit that played exclusively dark ages era ‘pop’ (For lack of a better word, the band was focusing less on the church music which dominated the era, and were more concerned with the music of the man of the, uh, fief, if you will.) with authentic instruments, and period costumes. Formed by Castus Rabensang, Win, and Meister Selbfried in 1989, Corvus Corax released its first album, Ante Casu Peccati that year, and followed that in 1991 with Congregatio. Inter Deum Et Diabolum Semper Musica Est (1993), Tritonus (1995) followed, but it was to be 1996’s EP release Tanzwut that was to have the most commercial impact, and the band took the main idea of the release (that of ‘metal music’ with bagpipes) and started a separate project named -- obviously -- Tanzwut. The band continued on through the nineties, releasing full-lengths on a regular basis, including compilations and live platters, but in 2005, Corvus Corax had a bit of a shake-up when founding member left the ranks of musician to focus on the business end of the band and its label, Pica Records. That year also marked the group’s first performances in America, as well as the beginning of Corvus Corax’s operatic exploration of the Carmina Burana. Entitled Cantus Buranus, this opera was performed that year, and released on CD and DVD in 2006. The band (settling on Ardor vom Venushugel, Castus Rabensang, Patrick der Kalauer, Harmann der Drescher, Hatz, Jordon Finus, Teufel, and Wim) released Kaltenberg Anno MMVII in 2007. ~ Chris True, All Music Guide