The Dunwich project was started in 1985 by Claudio Nigris, composer and keyboards player. Inspired by the tragic end of the town of Dunwich , the music tries to bring back those mystic and unique atmospheres through dark-metal sounds as well as classical instruments and on to ancient and uncommon ones.

From 1985 to 1992 the band creates five demo-tapes and two compilations: "the Dunwich Horror" (1987), "Horror at Red Hook" (1988), "Morbid dance tale of Yog-Sothoth" (1989), "On the way back" (1991), "Cleapsydhra" (1991), "Monitor collection", the L.P. compilation "Keep running" (1989), "Arezzo wave ‘91" and the C.D. compilation "Dream-Lifters" (1991).

Since the beginning the project took advantage of the friendly contributions of many talented musicians, and in this period of time Alessandro Vitanza (drums) has become a stable band element, until 1998. Also in this period took place many concerts and shows with a traditional/pagan theme and some clear references to the literary gothic of the 1900s. This has given the opportunity to be known through magazines, who took the time to review the demo-tapes and the concerts.

In 1991 Dunwich took part in the Arezzo Wave international festival, as a new promising band along with many other renowed artists, and gaining the opportunity for some television ecposure through the Videomusic network.

The encounter with Katya Sanna in 1992 led to the formation of Dunwich as a trio of artists - Katya being part of the project until 1999. In a very short period of time three demo-tapes had been produced: “La tavola di smeraldo” (1992), “Sul monte é il tuono” (1993), “Al di sopra del lago é il vento” (1993). In these three works the idea of a historic research on fables and legends was born, a research that through refined musical threads led to recreate a medieval-gothic context enriched by fantasy and myth, a context that never existed yet so close to our minds.

This was the startng point from which the trilogy was conceived, a project that through many mediums – literature, painting, photography, sculpture slowly took form. The basic Dunwich trio, stable from 1992 to 1999, was supported by 40 other guest musicians who contributed through their art and knowledge of over 35 musical instruments, ancient and modern. Celtic atmospheres, symphonic orchestration, and epic-gothic memories taken from the darkest heavy-metal.

This represents the true discographic debut for Dunwich. Starting with the CD/LP “ Sul Monte é il tuono ” (Black Widow, 1994), through “ Il chiarore sorge due volte ” (Pick Up, 1995) and ending with “ L'eterna eclissi di ghiaccio ” (“Eternal eclipse of frost”, Rising Sun, 1999).