The Band
History
ZADOK was a heavy metal band from Cologne, Germany, active from 1991 to 2002. No label, no management — every record and every tour was made by the band itself, in the years before the internet made any of it easy.
And still the music travelled: to Russia, into the Greek metal press, to fans who wrote by hand from as far away as Colombia and the United States. This site collects that story. Welcome to the archive.
1990 – 91
ZADOK grew out of the band Crust, founded in 1990. The official founding of ZADOK took place on 21 September 1991 in Cologne. Founding members: Daniel Bauer (Vocals/Rhythm Guitar), Christian Tölg (Vocals/Bass), Joe Thar (Vocals/Lead Guitar) and Marcus Schulz (Drums).
1992 – 95
The first demo „Hymn“ was recorded in 1992. By 1994 the band had begun recording „The Sign“ at CTS Studios in Cologne — produced and mixed by Ralf Hahn. The first 500 copies of the CD sold within a month.
1996
ZADOK toured Russia together with the French band TOMBOYZ. The itinerary: Volgograd, Astrakhan and Kamishin. In Kamishin the band played to 8,000 enthusiastic fans. Marcus Schulz left the band; Karsten Drexler took over on drums.
1997 – 99
Recording began on the album „From Dusk till Dawn“, but it was never completed — the studio was shut down in a tax investigation and its owner was arrested. Jürgen Reinert, a professional drummer trained in the United States, joined the band. In 1998 ZADOK celebrated its seventh anniversary. In 1999 Daniel Bauer left; the trio regrouped.
2000 – 02
The trio completed „Princess of Mars“ — arguably the finest ZADOK release and one of the strongest independent heavy metal pressings by a German band. Lyrics by Kevin Wood, an American poet. On 8 May 2002, ZADOK gave its farewell concert as the support act for GUNBARREL — a band that had itself once opened for ZADOK.