• Gothic Metal
• Gothic
• Dark Metal

A much vaunted, female fronted Dark Wave Gothic project TRISTANIA was created in Stavanger during late 1996 by keyboard player Einar Moen and guitarist Morten Veland, both previously with UZI SUICIDE, and drummer Kenneth Olsson, subsequently adding bassist Rune Østerhus along with guitarist and main composer Anders Høyvik Hidle. At this formative stage TRISTANIA were all in their teens, with Hidle the youngest at seventeen. TRISTANIA's inaugural demos would be crafted at Klepp Lydstudio in May 1997. Female singer Vibeke Stene was drafted initially on a session basis but her skills were proven during these recordings and as such she was asked to join the band. In this format TRISTANIA developed their trademark sound of employing three distinctly different lead vocalists.

The Austrian Napalm label picked the band up and issued the 'Tristania' EP as their debut in December 1997, actually a remixed version of the demo clad in new artwork. The Terje Refsnes produced ‘Widow’s Weeds’ full-length album emerged in March 1998, the band making a sizable impression, their song based approach striking a positive chord with the Rock media. ...