4 different bands / acts share this name:

1) Birthmark is a rock band from Athens, Greece. Initially formed in 2001 under the name Cuore Nero.

2) Birthmark is Nate Kinsella of the Joan of Arc collective gone solo.

3) A hardcore act from Banská Bystrica (Slovakia).

4) An experimental band from Brighton, East Sussex, England

More about 1):

Birthmark were formed in 2001 in Athens, Greece and were originally named "Cuore Nero" and then "Anima", before finally adopting the name "Birthmark". After forming a solid sound the band went on to performing live gigs, playing with several bands and constantly rehearsing new material. Their sound is melodic but hard rocking and powerful at the same time. In 2005, after wining the first prize at a music contest they got an album deal with V2 records. Their album, "Product of black days", was recorded, mixed and produced by the band itself. It was released in 2007 by V2 records and was sold out getting positive feedback from both the critics and the audience.

By the name "Birthmark", the band wanted to express the way they felt about playing music. For them, it is something carved to the heart, a part of their existence, like a birthmark. Two and a half years after the release of their first album, Birthmark are preparing a new release ready to bring loads of innovative ideas shaped as a new dynamic quintet. Birthmark's sound is more explosive than ever and captures the feel of our era. Birthmark have performed live with Nina Nastasia, Iron Butterfly, Holly Golightly, Diorama and others, as well as many important greek bands. Their members are singer Adamantine Arvanitis, guitarist Argyris Tsoukalas, drummer Elias Goulas, guitarist Kostis Pirenis and bassist Jacob Siaparinas.

Pandoras Box Booking: http:///www.myspace.com/pandorasboxbooking

Art director: Crosti: http://www.myspace.com/crosti

2.)

Under the appellation Birthmark, Nate Kinsella has embraced restraint in spite of the compositional boundlessness typically borne by musical virtuosity. On his debut album The Layer, the inventive and often byzantine drum set/Wurlitzer style he developed over the past four years in the band Make Believe is all but absent, revealing a quiet and uncanny tension of minimalist focus. And while Kinsella performed all of the music on The Layer, recalling his multi-instrumental duties in the band Joan of Arc, the listener is more awestruck by the attention to integration and score than by a whirlwind of prowess.

The Layer represents an effort that began over eight years ago with the song "Flightless Bird," which was originally written for a friend's unfinished film project. Over time, the songs transitioned through amorphous forms until their ideal structures were achieved, further revealing The Layer to be a product of discreet process. In fact, two sharply contrasting songs on The Layer "A Solitary Angle on the Confinement of Doom" and "The Layer" started as the same tune, and the piano throughout was recorded in Minnesota over two consecutive Christmas vacations.

While the recording of the album spans four years and numerous locations, it is bound by an elegant and earthy lyrical form that is telling of Kinsella's ardent atheism and wonder at the natural world. The Layer further bears witness to his growth as a recording engineer, which ostensibly began with his former band decembers architects' only LP and progressed to collaborating on multiple recordings by Joan of Arc, Sharks and Seals, Owen, and most recently the soundtrack to Tim Kinsella's debut film, Orchard Vale.

As Birthmark, Nate Kinsella's The Layer is a remarkable album that rewards both the casual and attentive listener alike. The release of The Layer is set for December 2007 on 'record label' in the US, Coraille and Dunix in Europe, and Iscollagecollective in Japan. A European tour will follow in the winter.

(from label coraille.com)

http://www.myspace.com/birthmarkincomputer

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