Sopor Aeternus & the Ensemble of Shadows (Latin: sopor aeternus "eternal slumber"; often referred to or stylized as Sopor Aeternus or Sopor) is a darkwave musical project based in Frankfurt, founded in 1989 by a multidiciplinary artist who uses the pseudonym "Anna-Varney Cantodea". Anna-Varney's work is extremely personalized, melancholic and pessimistic, drawing on a number of different musical and visual styles, and has garnered a cult following.

The sound of Sopor Aeternus is rooted in renaissance and baroque music, maintaining frequent use of brass instruments, woodwinds, strings, pipe organs, bells, and guitars. While earlier works used drum machines, later albums feature live percussion. Cantodea's work has shown a progression towards livelier arrangements and more wall of sound production, compared to earlier works; more recent albums have also employed a slightly more mainstream sound, incorporating electronic and slight gothic rock sentiments. Though considered by genre a darkwave band, Cantodea has stated that she ignores this notion and simply creates "...-music for dead children [and otherwise wounded souls], that is all." On several occasions, Cantodea has re-recorded and recycled elements from previous songs; other times, motifs are used; the most notable example is "Birth - Fiendish Figuration", which has been re-recorded at least four times.

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