Drastique

Lore & Background

Drastique began as Drastic, a one-man project of Chris Buchman in 1995. The first release was the demo Creator of Feelings in September 1995, issued in 200 copies with a black-and-white cover, later reissued in 1996 by Beyond Productions with a color cover. The demo featured Chiara Donaggio on female vocals and was produced by Marco Biolcati. In 1998, the debut album Thieves of Kisses was released on Beyond Productions, featuring Alessia De Boni and Chiara Donaggio on female vocals, recorded at Nadir Studios in Genoa and produced by Tommy Talamanca. The album is considered one of the first Italian avant-garde metal releases.

Reader's Guide

Drastique's significance lies in its early contribution to Italian avant-garde metal, with Thieves of Kisses recognized as one of the first such releases in the country. The band's evolution from a one-man project to a group with multiple vocalists, and its name change in 2003, reflect its adaptability. The album Pleasureligion (2003) featured lyrics in English, Polish, Latin, and Italian, with poetic and philosophical quotations, and was distributed internationally by labels including Adipocere, Relapse, and Century Media. The band's inclusion on tribute albums and compilations, such as Beyond the Realms of Death SS, further cemented its place in the underground metal scene. Drastique's legacy is tied to its early demos and albums that garnered critical attention from major metal publications.

Did You Know?

• The band's demo Creator of Feelings was noted by some metal magazines at the time of its release.
• Thieves of Kisses received positive attention from certain metal journalists in Italy.
• The band changed its name from Drastic to Drastique at some point after its early releases.