VI.BE

Tannhauser Orchestra (formerly just Tannhauser) was founded in 2007 by main songwriter Erick de Deyn. Its current members are Erick, Geert Janssens and Loes Besieux.

In its early years, the band consisted of Erick, Ine Vlassaks, Joke Duponcheel and Karlien Vermeiren, among others such as Nils Verresen. Their initial releases, consisting mainly of pop songs with a shoegazey sound, were well received in the Benelux countries.

In 2012 all original members but Erick were replaced by multi-instrumentalist Geert Janssens and drum powerhouse Brecht Tijskens. The new line-up effected a dramatic change in the band’s sound, becoming heavier and more spacious with each subsequent release. Dark beauty ‘The House of Sleep’ was released in 2013, preceded by an EP containing the single ‘Slowburn’. Soon after, the band decided to emphasize the stylistic shift by renaming themselves Tannhauser Orchestra.

‘The House of Sleep’ was considered the first installment in Tannhauser Orchestra’s so-called ‘Venus Trilogy’ and second part ‘Her Mountain’ followed suit in 2014. The album garnered positive reviews in publications such as Gonzo (circus), Damusic and OOR. Meanwhile, due to Brecht leaving the band and the other members having become young fathers, Tannhauser Orchestra effectively stopped being a live band and concentrated exclusively on studio work.

‘Veneralia’ was released on October 13, 2015. Dark Entries‘ Danny Quetin wrote: “With Veneralia , Tannhauser Orchestra have made the ultimate record that perfectly summarizes their career”.

After a hiatus of four years, Tannhauser Orchestra released a new EP called ‘Songs of Travel and Other Universes’ in 2019. The Blog That Celebrates Itself interviewed the band for the occasion.

That same year, Tannhauser Orchestra started the recording sessions for their sixth studio album ‘The Fade’. Loes Besieux, who has provided artwork for the band’s releases since 2013, officially joined on vocals in 2020. ‘The Fade’ was released in April 2021.

In 2023 the band released their seventh studio album, Spring Rites. Bandcamp wrote "Bright, gorgeous, bashing songs from these Belgian shoegazers that never lose track of melody amidst the waves of distortion."