Formed in Cork City in August '99 By Michael O'Sullivan
(Miscreant), as Renewal. With Colin O'Brien on guitar and Pete Lawlor
(Abhor) on bass, though Denis Coveney (Flatline) did fill in for a
while after Pete had a near fatal motorbike accident. With Shane O
Brien on drums this line up then recorded various rehearsal demos (one
of which did manage to get bootlegged), and eventually in late 2000
went into the Studio to record "Old World Order", their debut album on
Acheron Records.
At this stage the band began changing direction to the more
familiar death metal sound that characterises their style today. Shane
decided to leave the band and a replacement was found in the person of
John Desmond (Junkyard, Pedestal). When it came to their attention
early in 2002 that other bands called "Renewal" existed, the band
decided to change their name to Carnún Rising. Their Iron Maiden
influenced pagan/melodic/brutal (depending on who you believe) death
metal still retains a highly thrashing element and the band's overtly
and unashamed Metal attitude comes across clearly in the live
situation. In 2003 the band released their first album under the name
Carnún Rising, "At the Dawn of a New Dark Age" on Acheron Records. The
album received great reviews from all quarters, including 9/10 from
Metal Observer. Tracks from the CD also appeared on the Thrash or be
Thrashed (an International Tribute to Thrash) compilation (Blackfish
Records), the Mother of Mercy compilation (Motherofmercy.com) and
Intoxicated Vol. II. Also in 2003 John left the band for personal
reasons, and there was a break in live shows while they found a new
drummer.
In January 2004 Cathal Murphy (Pagan Reign, Mael Mórdha, Karnayna)
took over behind the kit. In the same month, Carnún Rising headlined
the METAL am der RUHR festival in Mulheim, Germany, and a week later
supported Entombed at The Village in Dublin. They also played with
Abaddon Incarnate at the launch of their new album in Cork. In
September '04 Carnún Rising supported Desaster at the Star Club in
Mulheim. The track "Reign of Darkness" from "At the Dawn..." was
released on the Metalworks Magazine compilation.
In March 2005, the band recruited a third guitarist in the person
of Ian O'Sullivan (Hallowed, Miscreant) to cope with the demands of
their more complex new material.
Carnún Rising played a number of All-Ages shows in Cork in 2006,
including one with Dismember, and a sold out headline show at the
famous Half moon Club and finally finished off the year by headlining
the Acheron Winterfest. They are in the process of recording their next
album, BITURIGES, which will be preceded by the VERCINGETORIX ep.
