Apoptygma Berzerk – Nothing Foreboded This Text (Book)

By: Nina Mende

Apoptygma Berzerk (commonly abbreviated to APB or Apop) is a Norwegian musical group. They have achieved success with a brand of synthpop, and ballads backed with electronic rhythms, commonly known within the scene and referring to themselves as “futurepop”. Apop has won awards and top-10 spots in Germany and Scandinavia. Apoptygma Berzerk has toured Europe, North America, Australia and Israel with bands such as VNV Nation, Beborn Beton and Icon of Coil.
The name “Apoptygma Berzerk” either has a secret meaning or does not mean anything. The name is reminiscent of the word apophthegm, which means a statement that speaks one’s mind – which would make the title mean a berserk manifesto. Frontman and founding member Stephan Groth claims that it was randomly picked out of a dictionary (apoptygma being derived from the Ancient Greek word ἀπόπτυγμα meaning “piece of drapery”). The band’s name is pronounced a-pop-tig-ma.
The band was formed by Groth and Jon Erik Martinsen in 1989. They recorded a few demos, including Victims of Mutilation. Jon Erik left the band shortly afterwards feeling uncomfortable with the direction of the band’s music.

This is not about any release by Apoptygma Berzerk but about a book that was written by the founder of the Russian APB fan club. It describes how Apoptygma Berzerk crossed his ways and how it slowly took over parts of it, ending up to have become a huge influence on Sergey’s life. The book describes how in the beginning it was hard to get APB music in Russia, how Sergey figured out a way to still get to the music. The book tells the story of how Apoptygma Berzerk first seemed strange to Sergey but still got him hooked from the very first second on. He kept trying to figure out what it was that fascinated him about the band and music he did not like at all in the beginning, how he slowly understood it and learned to love the band. To make it easier for other people and to share what he found and learned Sergey began to open groups in online forums to share his information about Apoptygme Berzerk until the idea of starting a fan club came across his mind. Sergey and a friend now began building a fan club, finding members and other fans in Russia, infected others with the awesome music of Apoptygme Berzerk and supported the band wherever he could as a representative in Russia. Ironically Sergey has never seen the band live though nor met them. This book is about the passionate support of somebody who has never given up and put his entire heart and soul into supporting a band he never got to know until now. The book is not available to bu but I am sure all fans have heard about it though. Make sure to check out the Russian fan club and make sure to drop Sergey a line not only with words of appreciation and thanks for his never ending support but also to encourage him to get the book out there and share it with the world.

Links:
Apoptygma Berzerk Russian Fanclub MySpace
Apoptygma Berzerk Russian Fanclub Official