Members Jens and Emil joined the band Savage Circus in 2005, started by Thomen Stauch before leaving Blind Guardian.
Persuader was formed in August 1997 by friends Pekka Kiviaho and David (full name unknown).
[1] The band started working on their next studio album, and submitted a demo of their unsigned music to Noise Record's Young Metal Gods contest.
Jens also became involved with New Jersey–based Dark Empire, after being asked by Matt Moliti to contribute vocals to their 2006 debut Distant Tides.
In addition, band members have contributed to their side projects during this time including, in 2008, Dark Empire's Humanity Dethroned and, in 2009, Savage Circus's Of Doom and Death.
[8] The Fiction Maze was released late December in Japan and early January in North America and Europe.
In March 2022, the band released a statement indicating a temporary hiatus citing a lack of passion to record a follow-up to 2020's Necromancy, stating "We will surely all remain in the metal scene in one way or another".