Country of origin:
Norway
Location:
Notodden, Vestfold og Telemark
Status:
On hold
Formed in:
1996
Genre:
Melodic Black Metal
Themes:
Sorrow, Melancholy, Introspection, Divinity
Last label:
Candlelight Records
Years active:
1996-present
Source of Tide formed in Notodden in 1996 as a melodic black metal project built around sorrow, introspection, and a sense of spiritual gravity, blending traditional Norwegian darkness with a strong melodic and atmospheric core. The early lineup centered on guitarist and keyboardist Pendragon, whose compositional approach shaped the band’s identity from the beginning. Their debut Dawn of Tides (1997) introduced a sound marked by melancholic melodies, dramatic keyboard layers, and a reflective, almost devotional tone that set them apart from the harsher strands of the scene.
With the arrival of Lord PZ, Targenor, and Taranis in 1998, Source of Tide entered their most stable and recognizable phase. Ruins of Beauty (2000) expanded their emotional and melodic range, weaving sorrowful themes with a more assertive black‑metal edge, while Blueprints (2002) pushed further into introspective territory, emphasizing atmosphere, layered arrangements, and a sense of existential weight. Throughout these releases the band maintained a lyrical focus on melancholy, divinity, and inner struggle, expressed through a blend of aggression and mournful elegance.
Though placed on hold in later years, Source of Tide left behind a small but distinctive body of work defined by emotional depth, melodic clarity, and a contemplative approach to black metal that reflected the creative imprint of its core members.
| Last known | |
| Orbweaver | Drums |
| See also: Course of Fate, Fracture, Holter, ex-Blindfold, Baby Snakes, Dracula - Swing of Death, ex-Sonic Debris, ex-Spider | |
| Pendragon | Guitars (lead), Keyboards (1996-present) |
| See also: Borknagar, Fracture, Viper Solfa, Black Void, ex-Profane Burial, ex-Mortiis (live), ex-Byzantium, ex-Engrave, ex-Spider | |
| Targenor | Bass, Vocals (backing) (1998-present) |
| See also: Fracture, Kill All, Humbucker, Scum (Nor), ex-Disiplin | |
| Taranis | Guitars (rhythm) (1998-present) |
| See also: Thornbound | |
| Lord PZ | Vocals (1998-present) |
| See also: ex-Peccatum | |
| Past | |
| Geir Hovland | Bass (1996-1997) |
| See also: ex-Byzantium, ex-Engrave (Nor) | |
| Gøran Flåtin | Drums (1996) |
| Cosmocrator | Drums, Keyboards, Vocals (additional) (1996-?) |
| See also: Mindgrinder, The Wretched End, Scum, ex-Mental Garrotter, ex-Windir (live), ex-Zyklon (live), ex-Nebelhexë, ex-Notodden All Stars | |
| Atle Høidalen | Guitars (rhythm) (1996-1998) |
| See also: ex-Downfall | |
| Sven Tore Dammen | Vocals (1996-1997) |
| See also: ex-Byzantium, ex-Engrave (Nor) | |
| Dawn of Tides | Full-length | 1997 | |
| An Ode to the Art of Self-Destruction | Demo | 1998 | |
| Ruins of Beauty | Full-length | 2000 | |
| Blueprints | Full-length | 2002 | |
| Candlelight Collection Vol. 5 | Split | 2002 |