In 2003 Helsinki's HOLOCHAUST switched title to DARCANE, weighing in under their new banner with the March EP 'Survivors Of The Holochaust'. HOLOCHAUST were originally founded as the teenage Thrash act G.R.G. in the mid 80's as a trio incorporating Tommi Tiihonen on lead vocals and guitar, Jussi Petrelius on second guitar and Kimmo Tiihonen on the bass. A whole swathe of band members came and went as the band operated under various titles such as KILLERS in 1985, YAMMIES (after a chewing gum!) and in 1986 MONSTERS. With Petrrlius now on drums the band welcomed Toni Kummelus in as lead guitarist for the demo tape 'What's ... Up!!!, Dude'.

Petrelius bowed out to create FRAGILE and in 1993 HOLOCHAUST inducted Juha Niskanen on drums. Kummelus was next to leave, his place being taken by Marko Kautonen and then a further split occurred with Niskanen opting out. The new face behind the drum kit was Mikko Purontaus. Quite surreally, upon discovering BON JOVI was to play in Helsinki HOLOCHAUST cut a demo recording, featuring a version of the KISS classic 'God of Thunder', specifically in an attempt to gain the opening slot for this gig. They failed. Kimmo Tiihonen decided to leave shortly after but Jari Kosonen took on bass for gigs in the latter half of 1996. This latest recruit in turn was substituted by Antti Kinnunen.

Fate would then lend a twist of good fortune to HOLOCHAUST as huge exposure was generated during 1998 for the demo song 'Valley Of Misery'. This track circumvented the globe mistakenly attributed to METALLICA. Many fans of the San Francisco Thrash godfathers were convinced that the HOLOCHAUST track was a return to form for METALLICA as Tommy Tiihonen's voice had a degree of resemblance to James Hetfield's.

In 2000 Tommy Tihonen built a completely new version of HOLOCHAUST involving guitarist Risto 'Rizzto' Kivioja, bassist Jukka 'Hofu Black' Hoffrén and AURORA-K drummer Toni Toivila. The demo 'PanDEMOnium' saw issue in 2002.

Re-branded as DARCANE the band issued the March 2003 session 'Survivors Of The Holochaust' then a May 2004 demo 'Anamorphica'. Subsequently the group evolved further, becoming MIND-A-STRAY in 2005, issuing the demo 'Sign Of Victory' in March as their opener. By this stage the band involved vocalist / guitarist Tommi Tiihonen, guitarist Jere Lappalainen and bass player Jukka Hoffrén, the latter holding credits with BRIDE ADORNED, DIVERCIA and ADAMANTRA.