associated_acts label article_title past_members background genre origin name
anathema , cradle of filth peaceville records the blood divine
 benjamin william a. ` w.a.s. ' sarginson steve maloney paul allender ryan paul ryan darren `` daz '' white group_or_band doom metal symphonic black metal united kingdom the blood divine
the blood divine

the blood divine was a british gothic metal band , founded in the summer of 1995 by paul allender , brothers paul and benjamin ryan , after the three left cradle of filth during the recording of the `` v empire -lrb- or dark faerytales in phallustein -rrb- '' ep and ousted anathema singer darren white .
they recruited drummer william a. ` w.a.s. ' sarginson and bassist steve maloney and were quickly signed up by peaceville records .
their debut album `` awaken '' was recorded in early 1996 and released through peaceville records later that year .
at the end of 1996 they toured throughout europe with cathedral and label mates , my dying bride .
in the early summer of 1997 they recorded their second album , ` mystica ' , and guitarist paul allender left the band to spend more time with his family -lrb- however he eventually rejoined cradle of filth -rrb- .
mystica was released later that year , again through peaceville records .
the album had less of a goth sound and more of a classic rock influenced progressive sound .
the band continued and toured as a five piece , touring the uk with orange goblin supporting and then a short tour of holland at the beginning of 1998 .
the band were looking to develop their sound and keyboard player benjamin ryan was told to leave the band in april 1998 .
however , this dismayed paul ryan , and shortly afterwards the band split up .
in 2002 , peaceville released the blood divine compilation album `` rise pantheon dreams '' .
the tracklist included songs from both `` awaken '' and `` mystica '' , as well as two previously-unreleased tracks -lrb- `` revolt '' and `` forever belongs '' -rrb- , a live version of `` aureole '' , and a live cover of the osmonds ' `` crazy horses '' .
allender later rejoined cradle of filth .
sarginson briefly joined cradle of filth before the band settled in with swedish drummer adrian erlandsson , who was later replaced by martin Škaroupka .
in 2004 darren white formed a new band , serotonal .
