A Spectre Is Haunting Europe

A Spectre Is Haunting Europe is a progressive deathrock band from Vancouver, British Columbia.

A Spectre Is Haunting Europe
A Spectre Is Haunting Europe, September 2004
Background information
Also known as	Decora
Origin	Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Genres	Deathrock
Years active	2002–present
Labels	Simulacre
Associated acts	aLUnARED, Dupobs
Website	www.aspectreishauntingeurope.com

History

A Spectre Is Haunting Europe was formed in 2002, during the height of Vancouver's post-punk revival, and was initially billed as Decora. The band's activity was intermittent for the first two years. The name refers to the first sentence of The Communist Manifesto (1848).

It was not until 2004 that the band found a niche with its brand of politicized post-punk and subsequently changed its name to A Spectre Is Haunting Europe. Their first album, Astonishing Tales of the Sea, was released that year. Through a succession of different drummers, the band stretched this material in a few different directions at once, culminating in a caustic 2004 appearance at the Drop Dead Festival in New York City. In early 2006, Phil Western joined the group as drummer.

With their 2006 album, Flames, the band broadened its appeal to include a more general indie rock audience. Its recordings have been reviewed in music media.[1]

In 2008, the band released its third album, Embers, as a creative commons free digital release.

Discography

Albums

• Astonishing Tales of the Sea (Simulacre) – 2004
• Flames (Simulacre) – 2006
• Embers (Simulacre) – 2008

Singles

• "Servers/Stop" (split 12" single with Entertainme.nt) (Simulacre/aDistant) – 2006

Compilations

• "New Dark Age 4" (Strobelight Records) – 2006
• "Smoke and Spotlight" (X-Pop Society) – 2006

References

1. Punk Planet #62 (July 2004, printed) Archived November 14, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
   - The Georgia Straight (The Georgia Straight)
   - Starvox (Astonishing Tales of the Sea reviewed by Mick Mercer)
   - Drop Dead Magazine, (January 2007, printed, "Servers/Stop" single reviewed by Seth Styles, reprint on Stickfigure Records site)
   - Midnight Calling Archived July 29, 2007, at the Wayback Machine (Flames reviewed by Aiden)
   - Nemesis To Go ("Servers/Stop" single reviewed by Uncle Nemesis)
   - The Mick (January 2007, printed, "Servers/Stop" single reviewed by Mick Mercer, reprinted on reviewer's Livejournal page)
   - Erbadellastrega (Flames reviewed)

External links

• A Spectre Is Haunting Europe official website
• A Spectre Is Haunting Europe profile on CBC Radio 3
• Simulacre Media record label
• Strobelight Records
• Scratch Distribution