Qntal is a German "electro-medieval" band founded in 1991 by Michael Popp and Ernst Horn. They later added vocalist Syrah (Sigrid Hausen) to complete the band.

Qntal
Qntal at the 2015 Wave-Gotik-Treffen
Qntal at the 2015 Wave-Gotik-Treffen
Background information
OriginGermany
GenresIndustrial music
Darkwave
Neofolk
Years active1991–present
LabelsGymnastic Records, Stars in the Dark, Noir Records, Drakkar Entertainment
Spinoff ofEstampie
MembersSigrid Hausen (Syrah)
Michael Popp
Sarah M. Newman (Mariko)
Leon Rodt
Markus Köstner
Past membersErnst Horn
Philipp Groth (Fil)
Websitewww.qntal.de

The band has roots in Estampie, an acoustic band based on "authentic" Early music, whereas Qntal is a dark electronic "crossover" project.[1] Michael Popp and Syrah are the principal members. Horn left the group in 1999, to concentrate on his other band, Deine Lakaien. He later formed Helium Vola in 2001. Philipp Groth (a.k.a. Fil) then joined Qntal. In 2008, singer and violist Sarah M. Newman (Mariko) left the New York–based band Unto Ashes to work with Qntal and Estampie in Germany.[2]

The band's lyrics are primarily drawn from historical sources. Throughout their first three albums, lyrics were primarily in Latin, medieval German, Galician-Portuguese and a few other European tongues. On Qntal IV, the band added a few songs in English to their body of work. Two tracks from this album, Cupido and Flamma, reached the 2005 DAC, peaking at № 1 and № 8 respectively.[3]

"Qntal" is an unknown word that appeared in one of Syrah's dreams. Pronounced by her as [kɑn-tʌl].

Qntal has headlined at significant goth and industrial music festivals such as Wave-Gotik-Treffen and M'era Luna. Qntal's debut U.S. concert took place in September 2004 at Dracula's Ball in Philadelphia. In 2007, 2008, and 2011 the band was featured in the Bad Faerie Ball at the Baltimore FaerieCon.

Discography

edit

Studio albums

edit
Year Title Label Peak positions
GER
[4]
1992 Qntal I Gymnastic Records
1995 Qntal II Gymnastic Records
2003 Qntal III: Tristan und Isolde Stars in the Dark / Noir Records
2005 Qntal IV: Ozymandias Drakkar Entertainment / Noir Records 71
2006 Qntal V: Silver Swan Noir Records 74
2008 Qntal VI: Translucida Drakkar Entertainment 77
2014 Qntal VII Drakkar Entertainment
2018 Qntal VIII: Nachtblume Drakkar Entertainment
2022 Qntal IX: Time Stands Still Drakkar Entertainment
Year Title Label
2003 Nihil Stars in the Dark / Vielklang Musikproduktion
2004 Illuminate Noir Records

Compilations

edit
  • 2008 – Purpurea: The Best Of, Drakkar Entertainment

Singles

edit
  • 2002 – O, Tristan
  • 2003 – Entre Moi
  • 2005 – Cupido
  • 2005 – Flamma
  • 2006 – Von den Elben
  • 2008 – Sumer
  • 2017 – Music on the Waters
  • 2018 – Die finstere Nacht
  • 2018 – Nachtblume
  • 2022 – Winterly Waves

Special releases

edit
  • 2006 – Qntal V: Silver Swan 2 CD; Noir Records Special Edition featuring artwork by Brian Froud

Compilation appearances

edit
  • 1993 – "Por Mau Tens" on German Mystic Sound Sampler Volume IV, Zillo
  • 1993 – "Ad Mortem Festinamus" on We Came To Dance - Indie Dancefloor Vol. III, Sub Terranean
  • 2005 – "Ecce Gratum (Club Mix)" on Asleep by Dawn Magazine Presents: DJ Ferrets Underground Mix #1, Asleep by Dawn Magazine
  • 2005 – "Entre Moi Et Mon Amin" on Sleepwatching, Vol. 1 DVD, Asleep by Dawn Magazine
  • 2006 – "Von Den Elben" music video on Asleep By Dawn - DJ Ferret's Underground Mix #2 CD/DVD, Asleep by Dawn Magazine

Members

edit

Current members

edit
  • Sigrid "Syrah" Hausen (since 1991) – Vocals
  • Michael Popp (since 1991) – Vocals, vielle, saz, shawm, oud, tar
  • Mariko (since 2010) – Violist, backing vocals
  • Markus Köstner (since 2005) – Live drummer

Former members

edit
  • Ernst Horn (1991–1999)
  • Philipp "Fil" Groth (2002–2014) – Keyboards, vocals, guitars, programming

References

edit
  1. ^ Becu, Didier (April 2012). "Interview: Qntal" (PDF). Peek-A-Boo Music Magazine (5). Ghent, BE: 16. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  2. ^ Kutzer, Christoph (2012). "Mariko—Folge deinem Traum". Zillo Medieval (in German) (2): 45.
  3. ^ "Deutsche Alternative Charts - Jahrescharts 2005 - Top100 Single Charts". Djcharts.de. Retrieved 2012-09-27.
  4. ^ "Qntal – Longplay-Chartverfolgung". musicline.de (in German). Phononet GmbH. Retrieved 14 January 2012.
edit