Tempesta Noire was established in 1991 by Michael Kohl and Alexis v. Poser. In early 1992, they released their self-titled debut tape, which received favorable feedback, particularly from audiences in Italy and France. The tape was promoted through the free radio station “Dreieckland,” leading to a connection with Glasnost Records. Although a CD release was initially planned, the band opted for a more measured approach.
Subsequently, a second tape was recorded with assistance from Katja Speelmann, who contributed recorder parts. Tempesta Noire signed with Resurrection Music, but aside from a few test pressings, the tape was never officially released by the label. After a two-year delay, the band retracted the rights for the tape and signed with A&T Records, which established a dedicated sublabel, RosenFeuer Productions, for Tempesta Noire. In 1996, they finally released their second tape, ‘Birth after Death,’ accompanied by a booklet featuring exclusive artwork from artists Bernhard Kinzler, Silvia Reutter, and Michael Marrak. The release garnered numerous positive reviews.
The band's third and final tape, ‘Magicians of the West,’ was issued in 1997, further increasing their visibility in various national and international publications. This was followed by several contributions to compilation albums. In 1998, Tempesta Noire released their first of three 7” singles, ‘Eternally (Vanishing Awareness),’ which was recognized as one of the ten best darkwave songs by a South African online magazine. The second single in the trilogy, ‘The Outset for…’, came out in 1999, the same year they performed their only live concert to date. This concert featured Bernd Vayu Roesner, who became a permanent member, alongside guest musicians Bettina zur Rocklage and Oliver Theile, the latter of whom had also participated in the track ‘Time’ from the previous single.
Following the bankruptcy of A&T Records, Tempesta Noire transitioned to Triton, which aimed to distribute the remaining 7” singles and release the third installment of the trilogy. At the end of that year, Alexis v. Poser relocated to Manchester, England, leading to a year-long hiatus for the band. Upon Alexis’ return in 2001, they recorded and released the third and final 7”, ‘Wolves and Cathedrals.’ This track was a reimagined version of an early song, paired with their first cover, ‘A Ship is Burning,’ which was licensed directly from Tony Wakeford, who expressed his approval.
In celebration of their tenth anniversary, Tempesta Noire released a limited box set designed by Bernhard Kinzler. This set included all three 7” singles—each with a special inlay sleeve—a CD featuring the band’s favorite tracks from their tapes and unreleased songs, along with an art booklet containing collages by Bernd Vayu Roesner corresponding to each song on the singles.
The band then began preparing for their next project, a conceptual CD album for Triton Records with a central theme of ‘quest,’ where the artwork, title, and tracks were intended to reflect this motif. They collaborated with guest musicians Bettina zur Rocklage (Ferrum), Martina Braig (Woodlawn), and Oliver Theile (Access Denied, Ariane V) for this album. In 2002, they released ‘66° 33’ North,’ which received a positive reception from reviewers. They were recognized as the Best German Neofolk band by an online magazine, despite their intention of presenting a unique blend of neofolk, wave, electronics, and world music.
In response to various inquiries regarding their political views and attempts to associate them with right-wing ideologies in certain musical circles, it is essential for Tempesta Noire to clarify that they are not a political band. They have never been part of, do not currently belong to, and will not align themselves with any musical scene promoting fascist or right-wing ideologies. The band firmly rejects any attempts to connect them to specific groups or political contexts.
