* En anglais uniquement
Based in Newcastle, England, the progressive thrash metal band
Skyclad was founded in 1990 by vocalist
Martin Walkyier, who left his previous band,
Sabbat, after an argument with guitarist
Andy Sneap.
Walkyier added two former members of Pariah -- guitarist
Steve Ramsey and bassist
Graeme English -- as well as second guitarist
Dave Pugh and drummer
Keith Baxter. The band signed to Germany's Noise International label and recorded
Wayward Sons of Mother Earth for a 1991 release. After touring with
Overkill and adding violinist/keyboardist Fritha Jenkins,
Skyclad recorded
A Burnt Offering for the Bone Idol in 1992 and
Jonah's Ark the following year. Continuing their release of an album each year through the mid-'90s, the group issued
Prince of the Poverty Line in 1994, with Cath Howell replacing Jenkins.
Howell was in turn replaced by Georgina Biddle for 1995's
The Silent Whales of Lunar Sea, after which
Baxter and
Pugh left the group. Irrational Anthems and
Oui Avant-Garde a Chance followed in 1996, both with studio drummers, and both later reissued by Century Media; The Answer Machine continued the band's prolific recording schedule in 1997. Permanent replacements for
Pugh and
Baxter finally signed on in 1998 in the person of drummer Jay Graham and guitarist Keith Ridley, who debuted on 1999's
Vintage Whine. The punningly titled
Folkemon appeared in Europe in 2000 and the U.S. in early 2001, marking the band's first offering for
Nuclear Blast. It would also be the last
Skyclad outing for founder
Walkyier, who left the group shortly after its release. 2004's A Semblance of Normality saw the band going heavier and more experimental. It also featured appearances from fourteen members of the
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. The 2006 EP Jig-a-Jig preceded the release of the group's next full-length outing, 2009's aptly named
In the... All Together, which eschewed the guest-heavy roster of past offerings for a stripped-down, bandmembers only approach.
Forward Into the Past, the band's 13th studio long player, was issued in April 2017 via Listenable Records. ~ John Bush