Pictura Poesis

Pictura Poesis was founded in the south of the Netherlands at the closing of 2012. taking their inspiration from paintings and literature, the band succeeds in combining a broad spectrum of classical music with energetic death metal. Contrary to current trends Pictura Poesis maintains a true live performance by using 2 members on synthesizer and no backing track for the orchestral sections. The band has released 2 CDs and is currently in the studio for the recording of their 3rd.
In Death's Embrace, released May 2013, is the first demo released by the band. This release, containing three songs written in 2012, gives a good impression of the variety this band offers. The EP quickly caught the attention of the media, resulting in several bookings throughout the summer of 2013.
In august of 2014 Pictura Poesis released their second product titled "Demonic Delusion". This 5 track release was recorded at the Tombstone studio in Nieuwstadt. Several concerts were done in promotion of this CD including support shows for Ancient Rites (BE), Rotting Christ(GR), Herfst(BE) and Madgod(CZ). The band also headlined Frostfest 2015 and earned a second place in the BMM Festival contest.
Writing for a full-length began in 2015 with eyes fixed on a 2016 release. The band did several shows supporting among others: Dood (NL), Matricidium (BR) and Slechtvalk (NL). It was somewhere at the end of this path that vocalist Mike Vogels decided to part ways with the band due to creative differences. Writing and recording kept on going and the band started to search for a replacement.
Bas de Esch was hired to replace Mike in august of 2016. Bas will complete the full-length which is currently being recorded. The release will be pushed to early 2017 to give Bas some time to interpret the songs to his own natural voice..
The main inspiration for the lyrical aspect of the band comes forth from paintings and literature. In this, there is no differentiation made between old and new, popular and obscure culture, though the emphasis is slightly influenced by the personal preference and knowledge of the writers. In the lyrics, a subject connected with the said painting or poem is secluded and looked at critically, before writing the text, to ensure a critical note on both the subject itself and the broader perspectives they can be placed in by the general public.
As for the musical aspect of the songs, the general mood of the chosen subject is enhanced by the combination of every member’s own musical parties contributing to the whole to create a haunting, lingering sound. The emphasis between both the musical and the lyrical aspects, as well as the close connection that is sought between the musical world created by the band and the direct world it finds itself in, gives Pictura Poesis a new and critical edge, and has proven to be a unique aspect of the band.
Thus the band hopes to encourage their listeners both to broaden their horizons, and explore those aspects of society previously unknown to them, as well as hoping to spark a critical note in the conscious of the listeners, enabling them to look at modern society from a different, questioning perspective.

• Miseriae Mundi (2017)
• Nightmares (2018)