Biography
Through the mid-'90s and onward into the following decade, Flowing Tears established a firm standing among listeners by issuing meticulously crafted albums steeped in metallic goth. The ensemble originated in Saarbrücken during 1994 under the full designation Flowing Tears & the Withered Flower. Italian indie label Seven Art Music soon expressed interest, resulting in the 1996 appearance of their first recording. That release, bearing the ironic title Swansong, showcased the initial roster of lead singer Manfred Bersin, multi-instrumentalist Benjamin Buss on guitar plus keyboard and programming, bassist Frederic Lesny, and drummer Christian Zimmer. Because the album met with muted enthusiasm, the members concluded that a different vocalist was required to achieve the intense dramatic edge they sought. Stefanie Duchêne joined as singer while Eric Hilt took over drums from Zimmer, and Bersin shifted to second guitar; together they prepared the Seven Arts follow-up. Issued in 1997, Joy Parade and its featured vocalist Duchêne proved far more successful than earlier efforts. Her brooding yet precisely phrased delivery, reminiscent of a heavily medicated alto Tori Amos, drew widespread attention from goth audiences and earned the band their initial European tour alongside Norway’s the 3rd and the Mortal. Performances supporting Joy Parade across Germany further elevated Flowing Tears to prominence within the continental darkwave underground.
Buoyed by this recognition and the favorable reception of Joy Parade, the group shortened its name by removing the final four words, mirroring the streamlining already under way in their expansive sound, and issued the self-released four-track EP Swallow in 1999. Retaining the same personnel, Swallow extended the approach that had worked on Joy Parade, centering Duchêne’s stylized, somewhat detached phrasing to sustain the music’s sweeping melancholy. Underground metal credibility arrived once Century Media signed the band shortly after Swallow’s release. Keyboardist Mike Volz entered the lineup in time to record Jade, the 2000 Century Media debut and third full-length album. Produced by Waldemar Sorychta, whose prior credits include guitar and production work with Dave Lombardo’s Grip Inc., Jade advanced the ensemble’s sonic and creative progression. Extensive European touring ensued alongside the Gathering, My Dying Bride, and Voivod. Following the conclusion of those dates and the start of preparations for the next recording, Bersin, Hilt, and Volz departed. Buss resumed keyboard and programming responsibilities, Frédéric Lesny returned on bass, and Stefan Gamballa assumed the drum chair. The arrival of fresh members infused renewed vitality that shaped 2002’s Serpentine into the band’s most refined statement. Once again produced by Sorychta for Century Media, Serpentine delivered weight and melodic cohesion uncommon even within the stylized darkwave domain. The group sustained its schedule of touring and recording well into the new millennium.
Buoyed by this recognition and the favorable reception of Joy Parade, the group shortened its name by removing the final four words, mirroring the streamlining already under way in their expansive sound, and issued the self-released four-track EP Swallow in 1999. Retaining the same personnel, Swallow extended the approach that had worked on Joy Parade, centering Duchêne’s stylized, somewhat detached phrasing to sustain the music’s sweeping melancholy. Underground metal credibility arrived once Century Media signed the band shortly after Swallow’s release. Keyboardist Mike Volz entered the lineup in time to record Jade, the 2000 Century Media debut and third full-length album. Produced by Waldemar Sorychta, whose prior credits include guitar and production work with Dave Lombardo’s Grip Inc., Jade advanced the ensemble’s sonic and creative progression. Extensive European touring ensued alongside the Gathering, My Dying Bride, and Voivod. Following the conclusion of those dates and the start of preparations for the next recording, Bersin, Hilt, and Volz departed. Buss resumed keyboard and programming responsibilities, Frédéric Lesny returned on bass, and Stefan Gamballa assumed the drum chair. The arrival of fresh members infused renewed vitality that shaped 2002’s Serpentine into the band’s most refined statement. Once again produced by Sorychta for Century Media, Serpentine delivered weight and melodic cohesion uncommon even within the stylized darkwave domain. The group sustained its schedule of touring and recording well into the new millennium.
Albums
