Autumn biography
Dutch gothic metal band Autumn formed in the Autumn of 1995. Originally going by the name of as Stonehenge, the band was made up of three ex-Internal Putrefaction members: guitarist Bert Ferwerda, bassist Meindert Sterk and drummer Hilbrand van der Woude. Keyboard player Menno Terpstra soon joined, and the band adopted Autumn as their new moniker. Hilbrand then left and was replaced by Jan Grijpstra on drums, and in 1996, Welmoed Veersma joined as singer. Autumn released their first demo in 1997, titled 'Samhain'.
Veersma left the band in 1999, and was replaced by ex-Her Enchantment singer Nienke de Jong, whose distinctive voice would become a trademark of Autumn's music. Around the same time, Jeroen Bakker joined as a second guitarist. Autumn then made another demo, which got them signed to Samhain Records.
In July 2001, just prior to the recording of their debut album, guitarists Ferwerda and Bakker left the band. Jasper Koenders, also from Her Enchantment, joined as a replacement guitarist. With this lineup, the band record their first album, 'When Lust Evokes the Curse', released in 2002. That year, Jens van der Valk joined as a second guitarist, in time for the band's tour to support When Lust Evokes the Curse.
Autumn's second album, 'Summer's End', was released in 2004. The following year, guitarist Jasper Koenders left the band and was replaced by Mats van der Valk. The last remaining founding member of the band, bassist Meindert Sterk, left Autumn in October 2006, and was replaced by Jerome Vrielink.