They are one of the oldest, and undoubtedly one of the most resilient Metal bands from Madeira island, Requiem Laus, a Latin name meaning praised rest in English.
Too well they haven't give up to that praised rest yet, knowing all the adversities that a Metal project can encounter in this small island in the middle of the Atlantic, as they are still producing nowadays.
Altough the name Requiem Laus only came in the mid 90's, the band as been around with their frontman Miguel Freitas since 1989, at the time known as Morbidatory. Later it changed just to Requiem, and then in 1994 to the present name.
With their first line-up: Miguel (vocals & guitars), Bruno Sousa (guitars), Tony Figueira (bass) and Marcelo Freitas (drums), they've released their first material in 1994, the demo "Life Fading Existence", while making some gigs around Portugal to promote their work.
In the years that followed, the band launched a few more demos, "Promo 94" still in 1994, "For the Ones Who Died" in 1996, and "Through Aeons" in 2000. But before this last one, in 1998, when Dani Pereira came in for guitars replacing Bruno Sousa, Ricardo Fernandes for bass and Jorge Castro, the author of the band's lyrics, was added to play keyboards, they re-released on CD, the demo "For the Ones Who Died".
In the beggining of the new millennium, the band stuggles with the loss of members, and Requiem Laus at this phase enters on a hiatus, returning in 2005, launching in the following year already a new demo: "Promo 2006", here with Jorge Abreu on drums.
Also in 2006, they take part in the IX edition of the Portuguese renowned SWR Barroselas Metal Fest, performing with bands like Bolt Thrower, God Dethroned, Hate and Carpathian Forest.
Finally, in 2007, they begin the recording and mixing of their first full-length album: "The Eternal Plague", at the Studio Underground in Sweden, after another change positions on the drums, featuring now Gabrielle on that spot. In that same year, Requiem Laus has the privilege to be one of the opening acts of an Akercocke show, along with Paranormal Waltz and Disaffected.
In 2008, the studio album "The Eternal Plague" is then released under the label of 666 Productions, and also the band is invited to perform at Grândola Metal Fest in Portugal, sharing the stage with Krisiun, Lay Down Rotten, Devildriver, and others...
Three years later, Requiem Laus presents us with their second full-length: "As Long as Darkness Bleeds", the first production recorded at Blackart Studios, and mixed/mastered at the Soundlodge Studio in Germany, by Jörg Uken. Already in the following year, the band launches an EP: "Impulse".
In the meantime, a four year gap happens until Requiem Laus' next release, but in the Summer of 2014, they had the opportunity to perform at Vagos Open Air, in northern Portugal, with other big names such as Gojira, Kreator, Paradise Lost and Behemoth.
Then in 2016, and keeping the same cooperation of recording at Blackart Studio and mixing/mastering at Soundlodge, another EP is released: "A Higher Claim", now with Jörg Uken also recording the drum parts in Germany, besides his mixing/mastering duties. Still in this year, the 1996 demo: "For the Ones Who Died", is re-edited with some bonus studio tracks, a live track and a Sepultura cover.
In 2017, Requiem Laus releases two more EP's: "The Last Winter" plus "Hate & Despair", and finally their most recent EP: "The Future", was launched earlier this year, in April.
For sure this won't be the last time we hear of Requiem Laus, as the band will keep fighting all the constraints that an islander death metal band like them has to endure, and we will continue listening to their fine work! The current line-up consists of Miguel Freitas (the only original member still on), Dani Pereira, Ricardo Fernandes, Pedro Pereira (on keyboards), and still Jörg Uken recording the drums in Germany.
Here's "Black Decay", one of my favourites from Requiem Laus, taken from the album: "The Eternal Plague":
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