Posted on October 8, 2025
The Old Dead Tree
Gothic Metal/Progressive Metal - France
Spearheading the French dark prog metal scene for more than 20 years, THE OLD DEAD TREE have created a unique universe combining extreme music and dark rock-pop, sublimated by Manuel Munoz’s exceptional and versatile vocals.
Just as the band had released their first EP, The Blossom, in 1999, drummer Frédéric Guillemot took his own life. The shock profoundly scarred the other three members of the band, and formed the basis of the concept for their debut album, The Nameless Disease.
Following its release in 2003 on Season Of Mist, the immediate success of this seminal album led the band to hit the road with PARADISE LOST, OPETH and KATATONIA, introducing their music to metalheads across Europe.
Two critically acclaimed albums followed, The Perpetual Motion (2005) and The Water Fields (2007), making THE OLD DEAD TREE a pillar of the French metal scene and a reference point for progressive metal in Europe.
By the end of 2008, just as work had begun on a fourth album, the wear and tear of the necessary personal investment proved too much for some of the band to bear. THE OLD DEAD TREE officially split up in 2009.
Over the following years, the musicians moved apart geographically and became involved in other musical projects (PENUMBRA, ARKAN, OMMATIDIA, LUX INCERTA…), but their solid friendship never wavered.
In 2013, THE OLD DEAD TREE briefly reunited to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their album The Nameless Disease with a mini European tour that included stops at HELLFEST and MOTOCULTOR.
A few years later, following the Covid 19 crisis and the general questioning that it provoked, the members of the band started considering to reunite for good. After several months of doubt and discussion, the decision is finally taken to write and record a new song.
In the spring of 2023, the popularity of the new single Terrified and the band’s high-profile appearance at HELLFEST paved the way for THE OLD DEAD TREE‘s long-lasting comeback.
By the beginning of 2024, while composing its first album in 17 years, THE OLD DEAD TREE is offered the opportunity to record an EP at the world’s most prestigious music studio: the legendary Abbey Road Studios in London (THE BEATLES, PINK FLOYD, U2, RADIOHEAD…). Right after this unique experience, the band quickly dived back into the writing and recording processes for the album Second Thougts which was released by the end of 2024.
In the spring 2025, as THE OLD DEAD TREE toured France with KLONE and achieved the production of the 4 tracks recorded in Abbey Road Studios to give birth to the EP London Sessions.
Line-up:
- Manuel Munoz : Vocals
- Nicolas Chevrollier : Guitars & Backing Vocals
- Nicolas Cornolo : Guitars
- Gilles Moinet : Bass Guitar
- Raphael Antheaume : Drums
| Date | Venue | City | Country | Info | Ticket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 25th, 2025 | Trabendo | Paris | France | w/ Gorod, Klone | Buy Ticket |
| March 19th, 2026 | The Black Lab | Wasquehall | France | w/ High Parasite | Buy Ticket |
| March 21st, 2026 | Le Ferrailleur | Nantes | France | w/ High Parasite | Buy Ticket |
Posted on November 12, 2024
As the embers of yesterday cast long shadows, THE OLD DEAD TREE strides forward, bearing the torch of their latest creation, The Lightest Straw—a gritty tale of resilience and the weight of unexpected downfalls.
Posted on October 16, 2024
THE OLD DEAD TREE returns to confront our deepest fears with unparalleled sincerity and intensity.
Posted on September 18, 2024
Returning like a phoenix from the ashes, French dark progressive metal band THE OLD DEAD TREE unveil the harbinger of the upcoming album Second Thoughts — the soul-stirring single, Unpredictable. Unpredictable delves into the chaotic maelstrom of life’s twists and turns. Musically as hauntingly beautiful as it is merciless, a mirror reflecting the unpredictable nature of existence. The morning dawns, casting light on the twisted ruins we wake up to every day. But on Unpredictable, the light is more than just the break of day; it’s a call to arms. With lyrics bleeding raw emotion and riffs that cut through the white noise of apathy, THE OLD DEAD TREE summons us to embrace the chaos that life throws our way. “No one really knows what life will bring; it’s just unpredictable,” Manuel Munoz sings with an urgency that demands you to hear the ticking clock of existence. Carrying the band’s signature weight—the amalgamation of progressive extreme music and dark rock-pop—Unpredictable captures the essence of living on the edge. It’s a powerful reminder to seize the moment, to rise against the constraints of rationality and be prepared for the unplanned, the unexpected. The haunting vocals and relentless rhythms pull you under and lift you out, breaking through the frame of what was once seen as possible.
Posted on December 11, 2019
French dark metal outfit THE OLD DEAD TREE are now streaming their EP ‘The End’ in full. With this final chapter, the band is closing their career by paying one last tribute to their long-lost friend. The EP includes a bonus DVD containing an extensive documentary on the bands’ career.
