The birth of SONIC REIGN takes place back in the winter of 1997. Right from the beginning Sebastian and Ben make up the line-up, joining forces to create one shared musical vision.
In the early days the band’s name is MEGIDDO. Under that banner the demo MC “a journey” is recorded and released in February 1999. Back then the style of music is still more in the melodic vein including the usage of keyboards. From today’s point of view everything seems quite unprofessional - recording-wise as well as musically and lyrically. Nonetheless, these early steps were important in many ways for the members themselves.
In late 99 the band name is changed to SONIC REIGN, thus paying tribute to the style of the new material written within that year. This material is very much stronger and darker compared to the songs on “a journey”. A style with the eager effort to create the spirit and atmosphere of the early 90’s Black Metal with new means. A style often referred to as “Modern Black Metal” by the band itself. Four new songs hailing that style find their way onto the follow-up release, the Mini-CD “the decline portrait” which is recorded in some friends’ studio during February 2002. This release impresses the label Supreme Chaos Records which offers the band a deal and re-releases “the decline portrait”, featuring an early pre-recorded version of the song “raw dark pure”, in 2004. The reviews for that MCD are excellent (Rock Hard magazine even talks of SONIC REIGN beating the then-recent SATYRICON release).
The band is not content with the work of Supreme Chaos Records and parts way with the label. While writing the material for the first full-length CD “raw dark pure” the idea grows of starting a label of their own to release that album. Already before the release the reactions on the songs featured on “raw dark pure” are very euphoric. The songs deliver an extremely dense and dark atmosphere and a very heavy sound is found in the band’s own Sonic Room Studio. The recordings for “raw dark pure” take over a year, until the members feel everything to be perfect. The mastering at Markus Stock’s Studio E in the summer of 2006 emphasizes the raw and powerful sound the band created and the album is released on the 21st of July. The press loves the release, high ratings everywhere and even “Demo of the Month” in Germany’s Metal Hammer.
The label work with the band’s own label Sovereignity Productions eats up much of the musicians’ time and no proper distributor can be found. Metal Blade Records contacts the band in September. They are blown away by the album and absolutely want to sign SONIC REIGN. A deal is found of which both sides will profit. “raw dark pure” will be re-released via Metal Blade Records in early 2007.
