Covenant
Joakim Montelius, Eskil Simonsson, and Clas Nachmanson
Background information
Origin	Helsingborg, Sweden
Genre(s)	futurepop[1][2] Electronic body music,[1][2]
Years active	1986–present
Label(s)	21st Circuitry, Dependent, Memento Materia, Metropolis, Off-Beat, Sony Ka2, SubSpace
Website	http://www.covenant.se
Members
Joakim Montelius, Clas Nachmanson, Eskil Simonsson

Covenant is a band from Sweden that has created electronic body music (EBM)^[1][2] and futurepop^[1][2] since 1986. They have been releasing their music since the early 1990s. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 757 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (800 × 634 pixel, file size: 23 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg)Members of the band Covenant. ... The municipality of Helsingborg is a municipality in the county of Skåne (Scania) in southernmost Sweden. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Futurepop is a recently-emerging electronic dance music genre, an outgrowth of electronic body music incorporating influences from synthpop (such as song structure and vocal style) and uplifting trance (grandiose and arpeggiated synthesizer melodies). ... Electronic body music (acronymed and mainly known as EBM) is a music genre that combines elements of industrial music and electronic punk music. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... 21st Circuitry was a record label based in San Francisco, United States that was founded in early 1991 and released electronic body music, electro-industrial, industrial rock and similar styles of music. ... Dependent Records is a German independent record label that mainly focuses on electronic body music, electro-industrial and futurepop music. ... Memento Materia is a Swedish record label focusing on synth-, electro- and futurepop, although it also released some EBM in the 1990s. ... Metropolis Records is a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania based record label, distributor, and mail-order store specializing in the industrial, EBM, synthpop, futurepop, darkwave, and gothic musical genres. ... Sony Music Entertainment is a major global record label controlled by the Sony Corporation. ... Electronic body music (acronymed and mainly known as EBM) is a music genre that combines elements of industrial music and electronic punk music. ... Futurepop is a recently-emerging electronic dance music genre, an outgrowth of electronic body music incorporating influences from synthpop (such as song structure and vocal style) and uplifting trance (grandiose and arpeggiated synthesizer melodies). ... For the band, see 1990s (band). ...

History

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, electronic music and several of its subgenres became a preferred musical style among European underground culture. It gained favor initially within major cities and eventually trickled into the continent's more socially secluded regions. This new wave of music was discovered at different instances by a group of young friends living among the shadows of Helsingborg, a scenic municipality in southern Sweden. Eskil Simonsson, Joakim Montelius, and Clas Nachmanson, three teenagers with mutual, youthful curiosities for science, philosophy, and matters of existence, were enthralled by the unique presentation and the emotional content offered through the music, specifically by that of bands such as Kraftwerk, The Human League, and by EBM pioneers Front 242 and Nitzer Ebb. The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, inclusive. ... The 1980s refers to the years of and between 1980 and 1989. ... Electronic music is a term for music created using electronic devices. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... This article is 150 kilobytes or more in size. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The municipality of Helsingborg is a municipality in the county of Skåne (Scania) in southernmost Sweden. ... A municipality is an administrative entity composed of a clearly defined territory and its population and commonly referring to a city, town, or village, or a small grouping of them. ... Part of a scientific laboratory at the University of Cologne. ... This article is 58 kilobytes or more in size. ... There is no universally accepted theory of what the word existence means. ... Kraftwerk (pronounced [], German for power station) is a German musical group which has made significant contributions to the development of experimental and electronic music. ... The Human League are an English synthpop band formed in 1977, who, after several changes in line up, achieved great popularity in the 1980s and a limited comeback in the mid-1990s. ... Front 242 is a pioneering Belgian electronic music group that came into prominence during the 1980s. ... Nitzer Ebb (pronounced night-zer or nit-zer—the band themselves pronounce it either way) was an electronic body music group formed in 1982 by Essex schoolfriends Douglas McCarthy (vocals, synthesizer), Vaughan (Bon) Harris on synthesizers and drums, and David Gooday. ...

The friends carried this fascination with them to university life in Lund, a municipality lying approximately 50 kilometres (32 miles) southeast of Helsingborg. In between their academic endeavors and discussions of worldly affairs, they assembled a small recording studio in Nachmanson's bedroom and began to experiment with their own musical compositions. In 1989, the name "Covenant" was selected for the group—a name derived from the unspoken, spiritual bond the trio professes to share.   IPA: is a city in SkÃ¥ne in southern Sweden. ... km redirects here. ... A recording studio is a facility for sound recording. ...

As Covenant, the three produced their first publicly-released track, "The Replicant", by invitation of Swedish record label Memento Materia. "The Replicant" was released on a compilation album in 1992, and the track thrilled label executives, prompting them to ask for a full album. In 1994, the group compiled enough songs to release the album, which became Dreams of a Cryotank. Dreams was well received by critics and fans alike, and with its success, the boyhood friends decided to take their musical efforts more seriously. They upgraded and added more equipment, relocated their studio, and committed to tour. This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Memento Materia is a Swedish record label focusing on synth-, electro- and futurepop, although it also released some EBM in the 1990s. ... A compilation album is an album (music or spoken-word) featuring tracks from one or multiple recording artists, often culled from a variety of sources (such as studio albums, live albums, singles, demos and outtakes. ... Covenants first full length album. ... A concert comprises a performance, usually involving some degree of formality, and particularly a performance featuring music. ...

In 1995, Covenant performed at a festival in Germany upon the request of Off-Beat Records. The band impressed Off-Beat's attending A&R representative, who signed them to a record deal the following day. Excited by the prospect of broader exposure, the crew eased further away from their educational pursuits and devoted themselves to completing a new album, 1996's Sequencer. In the music industry, artist and repertoire (A&R) refers to the division of a record label that is responsible for scouting and artist development. ... Sequencer, released in May 1996, is the second full-length album by the Swedish musical group Covenant. ...

"If Dreams of a Cryotank was impressive, then Sequencer is the band's definitive breakthrough".^[3] With Sequencer, the band sought to improve upon the weaknesses they found in Dreams by combining sequencing, diverse melodies, and commanding lyrics. It became an instant classic among many observers, some of whom boldly declared it "the best electro album of the decade".^[4] It would go on to be re-released a number of times throughout the world and remains a club favorite in many settings. In the field of electronic music, a sequencer was originally any device that recorded and played back a sequence of control information for an electronic musical instrument. ... Electronica is a term that covers a wide range of electronic or electronic-influenced music. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Later in the year, San Francisco-based record label 21st Circuitry agreed to distribute Covenant's albums in the United States, expanding the band's reach in the process. As results, the group created the Theremin EP in 1997 specifically for an American release and started to accept tour dates throughout the US and Canada. This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... 21st Circuitry was a record label based in San Francisco, United States that was founded in early 1991 and released electronic body music, electro-industrial, industrial rock and similar styles of music. ...

The trio's third full-length album, Europa, debuted in 1998. Europa carried Covenant's aggressive, often distorted brand of music into the beat-driven realm of synth pop, marking the beginning of a gradual evolution in the band's collective sound. Also in 1998, they sued a Norwegian black metal/Industrial Metal band (The Kovenant) for the rights to the name "Covenant", arguing that they had the name first. The Norweigan band changed their name, relenting and allowing both bands to go on with as few problems as necessary. If this is not what you are looking for see Europa Europa is Covenants third full length album. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Industrial metal is a musical genre which draws elements from industrial music and heavy metal music. ... The Kovenant is a Norwegian band which has evolved from symphonic black metal to industrial metal on more recent albums. ...

Covenant spent 1999 touring, changing record labels, and on the preparation of another album. Off-Beat Records went out of business, and Dependent Records was created by former Off Beat employees. Together with a few selected former Off-Beat acts, Covenant joined Dependent. In addition, Covenant was signed with SubSpace Communications in Sweden, effectively ending their tenure with Memento Materia. Meanwhile, 21st Circuitry Records ceased operations, leading the three to find a new home in America with Metropolis Records (Metropolis had bought the rights to the 21st Circuitry back catalogue). Shortly thereafter, the band's first three albums and the Theremin EP were re-issued in the US under the Metropolis label. Dependent Records is a German independent record label that mainly focuses on electronic body music, electro-industrial and futurepop music. ... Metropolis Records is a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania based record label, distributor, and mail-order store specializing in the industrial, EBM, synthpop, futurepop, darkwave, and gothic musical genres. ...

United States of Mind was released in 2000, and with it, Covenant's tendencies strayed further into synth pop. A stand-alone single called Der Leiermann, sung to the tune of the album track Like Tears in Rain, was a version of the German Art song of the same name, sung entirely in German (every other Covenant song has English lyrics). This song originally was a poem from Wilhelm Müller, which has been set to music by Franz Schubert as part of the poem cycle "Die Winterreise". United States of Mind is Covenants fourth full-length album, released in February, 2000. ... An art song is a vocal music composition, usually written for one singer and often with piano accompaniment. ...

A live album, Synergy, was released later in the year; it featured tracks from the band's first four albums played in concert. The group continued with 2002's Northern Light, which they portrayed as having a more somber, colder sound in comparison to their earlier offerings. In another transition between labels, the European release of Northern Light was handled by Sony Music's Ka2 division rather than Dependent or Subspace. A classical music concert in the Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne 2005 A concert is a live performance, usually of music, before an audience. ... This article needs cleanup. ... Sony Music Entertainment is a major global record label controlled by the Sony Corporation. ...

While they continue to produce music together, Montelius and Simonsson have since taken up residence in separate countries; Montelius resides in Barcelona, Spain, and Simonsson lives in Berlin, Germany. Nachmanson remains in Helsingborg. For other uses, see Barcelona (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Berlin (disambiguation). ...

Covenant released its sixth studio album, Skyshaper, in March 2006 to an overall positive reception. The band toured Europe prior to the album's release and now plans to tour the United States beginning in September 2006.^[5] A studio album is a collection of previously unreleased, studio-recorded tracks by a recording artist. ... Skyshaper is Covenants sixth studio album. ... March 2006 : ← - January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December- → Fijian Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase announces that the 2006 Fiji general elections will be held in the second week of May 2006 from the 6th to the 13th. ... September 2006 is the ninth month of 2006 and has begun on a Friday. ...

Audio samples

Image File history File links Covenant_20hz. ... Software development stages In computer programming, development stage terminology expresses how the development of a piece of software has progressed and how much further development it may require. ... It has been suggested that Multiplayer game be merged into this article or section. ... Project Gotham Racing 3 (PGR3 for short) is an arcade-style racing game that was released with the launch of the Xbox 360 on November 22, 2005 for the US market and December 2, 2005 in Europe, and was released on January 12, 2006 in Japan. ... Image File history File links Covenant_ctstp. ... Software development stages In computer programming, development stage terminology expresses how the development of a piece of software has progressed and how much further development it may require. ... Image File history File links Covenant_stalker. ... Software development stages In computer programming, development stage terminology expresses how the development of a piece of software has progressed and how much further development it may require. ... Image File history File links Covenant_theremin. ... Software development stages In computer programming, development stage terminology expresses how the development of a piece of software has progressed and how much further development it may require. ...

Personnel

• Eskil Simonsson – lead vocals, lead composition, engineering, lyrics, production, synths
• Joakim Montelius – lead lyrics, composition, production, synths, additional vocals
• Clas Nachmanson – engineering, production, synths, additional vocals

Ercole de Roberti: Concert, c. ... Musical composition is: a piece of music the structure of a musical piece the process of creating a new piece of music // A piece of music exists in the form of a written composition in musical notation or as a single acoustic event (a live performance or recorded track). ... Audio engineering is a part of audio science dealing with the recording and reproduction of sound through mechanical and electronic means. ... Lyrics are the words in songs. ... A synthesizer (or synthesiser) is an electronic musical instrument designed to produce electronically generated sound, using techniques such as additive, subtractive, FM, physical modelling synthesis, phase distortion, or Scanned synthesis. ...

Discography

Full-length albums

Eskil Simonsson performing in 2004.

• Dreams of a Cryotank (December 1994)
• Sequencer (May 1996; March 1997 - 2nd ed.; July 1999 - US version)

At least three versions of the album have differing track lists (see Sequencer).

• Europa (April 1998)
• United States of Mind (February 2000)
• Synergy (November 2000)

Live album.

• Northern Light (August 2002)
• Skyshaper (March 2006)

Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Covenants first full length album. ... Sequencer, released in May 1996, is the second full-length album by the Swedish musical group Covenant. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1999 is a common year starting on Friday Anno Domini (or the Current Era), and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... Sequencer, released in May 1996, is the second full-length album by the Swedish musical group Covenant. ... If this is not what you are looking for see Europa Europa is Covenants third full length album. ... United States of Mind is Covenants fourth full-length album, released in February, 2000. ... SYNERGY, released on February 27, 2002, is the fourth original album by by Japanese band M.O.V.E, and the theme for this CD was for the music to be of a trance style. ... This article needs cleanup. ... Skyshaper is Covenants sixth studio album. ...

Singles and EPs

• Figurehead (October 1995)
• Stalker (December 1996)
• Theremin EP (1997)
• Final Man (February 1998)
• Euro EP (October 1998)
• It's Alright (November 1999)

A single which was released on vinyl record and limited to 500 copies.

• Tour De Force (December 1999)
• Dead Stars (February 2000)
• Der Leiermann (February 2000)

Released simultaneously with the Dead Stars single in Germany.

• Travelogue (February 2000)

Included in the United States of Mind box set.

• Call The Ships To Port (August 2002)
• Bullet (January 2003)
• Ritual Noise (January 2006)
• Brave New World (September 2006)

An EP released by Covenant in 1997 °. Rereleased by Metropolis in July of 1999. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean [1]. // Coated in ice, power and telephone lines sag and often break, resulting in power outages. ... The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour as a 33 â…“ LP vinyl record A gramophone record (also phonograph record, or simply record) is an analogue sound recording medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed modulated spiral groove starting near the periphery and ending near the center of the disc. ...

Other releases

• United States of Mind Limited Box (February 2000)

A boxset which included United States of Mind and the Travelogue single.

• Synergy Limited Box (November 2000)

A boxset which included Synergy, a booklet with live pictures and lyrics for every released Covenant song, a band interview on VHS cassette tape, a "Bloody Mary" recipe, and seven live recorded tracks; limited to 4000 copies.

• Bullet DVD (January 2003)

A DVD featuring a music video for the song "Bullet" along with making of footage.

• Project Gotham Racing 3 Soundtrack (November 2005)

The band contributed the Skyshaper track "20 Hz" to a compilation which included other rock and electronic artists (listed here).

United States of Mind is Covenants fourth full-length album, released in February, 2000. ... 2000 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December This is a timeline for events in February, 2000. ... SYNERGY, released on February 27, 2002, is the fourth original album by by Japanese band M.O.V.E, and the theme for this CD was for the music to be of a trance style. ... 2000 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December This is a timeline for events in November, 2000. ... Bottom view of VHS cassette with magnetic tape exposed Top view of VHS cassette with front casing removed The Vertical Helical Scan, better known by its abbreviation VHS (and often confused to be Video Home System) is a recording and playing standard for analog video cassette recorders (VCRs), developed by... A Bloody Mary with lots of vegetable garnishes. ... DVD (commonly known as Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc) is an optical disc storage media format that can be used for data storage, including movies with high video and sound quality. ... A music video is a short film or video that accompanies a complete piece of music, most commonly a song. ... In cinema, a Making Of is a behind the scenes documentary film look of the production of the show. ... Project Gotham Racing 3 (PGR3 for short) is an arcade-style racing game that was released with the launch of the Xbox 360 on November 22, 2005 for the US market and December 2, 2005 in Europe, and was released on January 12, 2006 in Japan. ... Project Gotham Racing 3 (PGR3 for short) is an arcade-style racing game that was released with the launch of the Xbox 360 on November 22, 2005 for the US market and December 2, 2005 in Europe, and was released on January 12, 2006 in Japan. ...

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} (Swedish) synth.nu - Covenant. Retrieved on 2006 December 23.
2. ^ ^{a b c d} Covenant - Music at Last.fm. Retrieved on 2006 December 23.
3. ^ C O V E N A N T - official web site. Official website news feature, accessed 2005-08-16.
4. ^ Promomall SSC. Subspace Records biography, accessed 2005-08-16.
5. ^ C O V E N A N T - official web site. Official website news feature, accessed 2005-05-28.

For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... December 23 is the 357th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (358th in leap years). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... December 23 is the 357th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (358th in leap years). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... August 16 is the 228th day of the year (229th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... August 16 is the 228th day of the year (229th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... May 28 is the 148th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (149th in leap years). ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Covenant

• Official Covenant Site
• Covenant fanpage
• Official German Covenant Portal
• Official Covenant Forum (de/en)
• Covenant at Discogs
• Covenant at Last.fm
• Covenant at MusicBrainz
• Covenant at MySpace

Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... Wikimedia Commons logo by Reid Beels The Wikimedia Commons (also called Commons or Wikicommons) is a repository of free content images, sound and other multimedia files. ... Discogs, short for discographies, is a website and database of information about music recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and certain bootleg or off-label releases. ... Last. ... MusicBrainz (MusicBrainz. ... MySpace is a social networking website offering an interactive, user-submitted network of friends, personal profiles, blogs, groups, photos, music, and videos. ...

See also

• Schaffel music