Thanatopsis- "A view Of Death"

Thanatopsis biography could be written in book form, but to keep it short...all five original members were in other bands before Thanatopsis. Dave, Tim, Mike and Mark were together in 1986 as the band Ripping Headaches. When they disbanded, Mark, Mike and Tim continued on with a new drummer and formed Naked Headbone. Dave and Tom formed the band Temrination. Both Termination and Naked Headbone were short-lived projects, and since both broke up around the same time in 1989, it only seemed natural for the five to join forces and make what at the time was undeniably Northwest Indiana's sickest band. 

After a few months of writing and rehearsing, Thanatopsis recorded their one and only demo at Planett Studios in Laporte, Indiana in December 1989. The four songs were recorded totally live with the exception of the vocals and solos. The band immediately began sending the demo out to record labels and fanzines upon it's completion. Only 100 offcial demos were made, and most of them were sent to 'zines and labels. The band played many shows in Northwest Indiana and Chicago with the likes of Macabre, Carnage (IL), Anacrusis, Shades of Grey, Lethal Injection, Neuro-Toxin and many others.

After the demo circulated the underground for a few months, Thanatopsis was contacted by Peaceville Records offshoot label Deaf Recordings, about a potential album deal. Negotiations between Jonny at Deaf and the band continued on for quite a long time, but sadly, no deal was reached. Shortly later, Tim and Mike both left the band, leaving only Dave, Tom and Mark. The three continued on for another year writing new material that never saw the recording studio. The three went thier seperate ways, with Dave and Tom joining Afterlife.

After 16 years, Tom, Dave and Mark joined forces once again to create Nocturnal Torment in 2008. Some of the material Nocturnal Torment has recorded was actually Thanatopsis material from 1991-92! They are still going strong after 2 years, but none of it would be possible without Thanatopsis.