Biography
Exumer originated in 1986 as a German thrash metal outfit whose members maintained close connections to Angel Dust through their shared affiliation with the Desaster label. Their approach drew primarily from Venom, Exodus, and Slayer, yielding a raw, vicious, and unsophisticated sound that delivered one of the most aggressive strains of the genre. This style received lasting documentation on the 1986 release Possessed by Fire and the 1987 follow-up Rising from the Sea, both widely regarded as peak examples of extreme German thrash. Despite sporadic recording and touring activity marked by multiple breakups and an extensive revolving lineup, vocalist Mem V. Stein and guitarist Ray Mensh remained the sole constants while overseeing the production of numerous albums and several demos across the years. Following their second album the group disbanded, only to reform briefly for a 2001 appearance at Wacken Open Air before again going dormant until 2008. Bassist T. Schiavo joined in 2009 to record the Waking the Fire demo, after which the band performed at Los Angeles’ Thrasho de Mayo Festival; drummer Matthias Kassner came aboard the next year. Twenty-five years into their existence Exumer secured a Metal Blade contract and issued the long-delayed third album Fire & Damnation in 2012, which featured guitarist H.K. (who died in 2014) and was produced by Waldemar Sorychta of Grip Inc.; the metal community responded with strong approval. Following subsequent tours and a period of inactivity, the band reconvened to deliver The Raging Tides in 2016 with guitarist Marc Bräutigam added to the lineup.
Mem von Stein, handling both vocals and bass, first crossed paths with guitarist Ray Mensh at a Slayer concert in Frankfurt, after which they recruited second guitarist Bernie and drummer Syke Bornetto to form the lineup that recorded the bruising 1986 debut Possessed by Fire—an underground staple that held its own against the more commercially prominent Teutonic thrash efforts of Kreator, Sodom, and Destruction. The band returned in diminished form for 1988’s Rising from the Sea, which lacked von Stein (temporarily replaced by Paul Arakari) and proved far less compelling, prompting a breakup soon afterward. The classic configuration resurfaced only for a one-off set at the 2001 Wacken Open Air Festival before vanishing once more. Von Stein and Mensh revived the project in 2009 with fresh personnel and issued the single “Walking the Fire” that year. A Metal Blade agreement followed, resulting in the third album Fire & Damnation in 2012, twenty-five years after their prior long-player. Energized and undiminished in intensity, they maintained an active touring schedule before unveiling the follow-up The Raging Tides in early 2016, which the metal press described as “violent, speed-obsessed Teutonic thrash.” After completing a world tour, numerous festival appearances, and assorted shows, the members paused briefly before reuniting with Sorychta to record 2019’s Hostile Defiance.
Mem von Stein, handling both vocals and bass, first crossed paths with guitarist Ray Mensh at a Slayer concert in Frankfurt, after which they recruited second guitarist Bernie and drummer Syke Bornetto to form the lineup that recorded the bruising 1986 debut Possessed by Fire—an underground staple that held its own against the more commercially prominent Teutonic thrash efforts of Kreator, Sodom, and Destruction. The band returned in diminished form for 1988’s Rising from the Sea, which lacked von Stein (temporarily replaced by Paul Arakari) and proved far less compelling, prompting a breakup soon afterward. The classic configuration resurfaced only for a one-off set at the 2001 Wacken Open Air Festival before vanishing once more. Von Stein and Mensh revived the project in 2009 with fresh personnel and issued the single “Walking the Fire” that year. A Metal Blade agreement followed, resulting in the third album Fire & Damnation in 2012, twenty-five years after their prior long-player. Energized and undiminished in intensity, they maintained an active touring schedule before unveiling the follow-up The Raging Tides in early 2016, which the metal press described as “violent, speed-obsessed Teutonic thrash.” After completing a world tour, numerous festival appearances, and assorted shows, the members paused briefly before reuniting with Sorychta to record 2019’s Hostile Defiance.
Albums
Singles
