Ex-BLUE QUEST guitar player IVAN VH and guitarist RUDI VAN DE SYPE founded NATIVE INSTINCT in 1999. The latter being one of the original members of CROSSFIRE, the legendary 80s band which also spawned PETER DE WINT (later of OSTROGOTH and AFFAIR fame).

Soon after, in September 2000, NATIVE INSTINCT released their first record, a six-track mini-album, on BUZZVILE RECORDS. It proves to be a very beneficial calling card since favourable reviews appear in most rock magazines in the Benelux, such as AARDSCHOK, SPIN CITY, HELL SPAWN and METAL HAMMER. Also in places as diverse and faraway as Brazil and Germany the debut record was approvingly received by the rock media.

After the customary line-up turbulences experienced by most newborn bands, NATIVE INSTINCT found stability with IVAN and RUDI being joined by FRANK DV on vocals, RONALD T on bass, and STEV DC on drums.

By now the musical style of NATIVE INSTINCT is quite broad, and they have been compared to bands as diverse as MACHINE HEAD, PANTERA and ARMORED SAINT.

The mini-album also proved to be an excellent trampoline towards an impressive number of concerts, festival appearances, as well as a string of opening-act-gigs for ex-IRON MAIDEN icon PAUL Di’ANNO, SKYCLAD, KILLER, and DORO. The demo also caught the attention of MAUSOLEUM RECORDS, who subsequently signed the band, and entrusted PETER DE WINT (yes, the same one) with the production of their debut album: FIRST BORN.

Overall FIRST BORN turned out to be a powerful true-power-metal album, varied, but nevertheless characterized by thrashy riffs.