Scarcely another band among the German-speaking Alternative \u002F(Dark)Wave-scene has polarized media and audience within the last fifteen years as much as ILLUMINATE. Either praised up to the skies or torn apart as Schlager“ (a German derogatory term for bad pop songs) – be that as it may, for the last decade, Johannes Berthold and his band have left their mark on the Dark scene...ILLUMINATE manage to combine classical elements, dance rhythms, electronic sound collages, romantic piano parts and heavy guitars without being unfaithful to their typical, unmistakable sound.After fifteen years of band history, 10 studio albums with roundabout 200.000 sold records, world-wide life-performances, and having an enormous fan-base, ILLUMINATE are one of the most successful acts of the Alternative \u002F Dark Wave-segment.2004, ILLUMINATE released their ninth studio album AugenBlicke“ which took up the topics and musical motives from the successful trilogy of the bands first years. AugenBlicke“ was the most grown-up and most personal album of these charismatic musicians so far.2006, ILLUMINATE released their tenth studio album (a double one) Zwei Seelen- by then, the roughest and most mature work of the band.That album sold significantly more units than its predecessor AugenBlicke, a feat not many bands and artists manage to accomplish nowadays - and a total contrast to the general trend in the current music business.Two years after this success album, ILLUMINATE return with a new masterpiece. Zeit der Wlfe“ is a concept album dealing with fairy tales and symbolism - definitely one of the more melancholy and reflective outputs of this band. Unique Rock moments, piano ballads, extensive sound collages and an unusual orchestration will make the heart of each ILLUMINATE fan beat faster. But even the more sceptical audience can't deny Zeit der Wlfe a fresh and unconventional flair... Magical!Their twelfth album Splitter is about 60 minutes long, containing 13 songs: the first ILLUMINATE song ever (Ahasverus, in the original 1993 recording version), new versions of old classics and even early tracks so far unreleased, rare sampler contributions, exclusive remixes and three brand-new songs.Of course, you'll also get some eye candy on Splitter: exclusive photo material covering 16 years of ILLUMINATE band history, personal remarks and anecdotes regarding every single track - the 20-page booklet of this strictly limited release (only 1.999 copies will be manufactured) is a gem for the real ILLUMINATE fan.On Splitter, ILLUMINATE prove impressively that they have some irons in the fire yet - they are still capable of leaving their mark on the dark scene with their very own style.