Haggard (band)

Haggard
Haggard at Global East Rock Festival 2010 in Kyiv, Ukraine
Haggard at Global East Rock Festival 2010 in Kyiv, Ukraine
Background information
OriginGermany
GenresSymphonic metal, death metal (early)
Years active1989–present (on hold since 2017)
MembersFull list
Websitehaggard.de

Haggard (/ˈhæɡərd/) is a German symphonic metal band founded in 1989 that combines classical music and early music with metal.

History

Haggard started in 1989 as a death metal band. After their 1992 demo, Introduction, they switched to a style featuring symphonic melodies and classical instruments with folk themes. The 1997 album And Thou Shalt Trust... the Seer was their breakthrough. After their second, Nostradamus-based album, Awaking the Centuries, they toured through Mexico twice.

Before the release of Awaking the Centuries, the group had its highest number of musicians at 21. Singer and guitarist Asis Nasseri writes all their songs.

In 2004, they released their third album, Eppur Si Muove, about the life of Italian scholar Galileo Galilei, arrested for heresy for supporting Copernicus' claim that the Earth revolved around the Sun. Metal Hammer elected the album the 23rd best symphonic metal album in 2021.

Haggard in 2006

The fourth album, Tales of Ithiria, was released in 2008 and is based on a fantasy story.

Since 2008, Italian bassist Giacomo Astorri has collaborated with Haggard as a stable member. Besides Haggard, Astorri has played in various metal bands, including The Dogma, Infernal Angels (guitar), ZAP (bass), and Italian doom metal band Stryx. Astorri is a professional concert and event photographer.

In 2010, the band played its first concert with a symphonic orchestra. Haggard performed with the philharmonic orchestra of Plovdiv in Plovdiv on 19 April 2010.

They announced the album Grimm for the end of 2012 but postponed it indefinitely. The band has been inactive since, apart from occasional concerts.

Haggard at Summer Breeze Festival 2017

Members

Current members

Past members

  • Florian Bartl – oboe, English horn
  • Judith Marschall – violin
  • Fiffi Fuhrmann – tenor vocals, bass
  • Dorothea Zelinsky – violin
  • Mark Pendry – clarinet
  • Sasema – vocals
  • Gaby Koss – soprano vocals
  • Robert von Greding – clarinet
  • Christoph von Zastrow – flute
  • Danny Klupp – guitar
  • Kathrin Pechlof – harp
  • Karin Bodemüller – vocals
  • Florian Schnellinger – percussion
  • Andi Nad – bass
  • Robin Fischer – bass
  • Andi Hemberger – vocals
  • Kathrin Hertz – cello
  • Andreas Peschke – flute
  • Manuela Kraller – soprano vocals
  • Susanne Ehlers – soprano vocals
  • Veronika Kramheller – soprano vocals
  • Michael Stapf – violin
  • Andreas Fuchs – horn, percussion
  • Linda Antonetti – oboe
  • Steffi Hertz – viola
  • Patrizia Krug – cello
  • Luz Marsen – drum
  • Michael Schumm – classical percussion, drum
  • Ally Storch-Hukriede [de] – violin

In addition to the 16 band members, more than 10 guest artists and musicians were involved in the making of the album Eppur si muove.

Discography

Studio albums

Year Title Peak positions
GER SWI
1997 And Thou Shalt Trust... the Seer — —
2000 Awaking the Centuries 64 —
2004 Eppur si muove 47 —
2008 Tales of Ithiria 37 89

Demos

Live albums

DVDs and videos

References

  1. 1 2 True, Chris. "Haggard Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 4 April 2011.
  2. ↑ Grady, Spencer; Davies, Hywel; Gordon, Connie; Goodman, Eleanor; Brennan, Adam; Dome, Malcolm; Selzer, Jonathan; Chantlerpublished, Chris (17 November 2021). "The 25 best symphonic metal albums". louder. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  3. ↑ Stryx – Official Website at stryxband.com (Error: unknown archive URL) (archived (Date missing))
  4. ↑ Rockon.it – Giacomo Astorri at rockon.it (Error: unknown archive URL) (archived (Date missing))
  5. ↑ "Chartverfolgung / Haggard / Longplay". musicline.de (in German). PHONONET GmbH. Archived from the original on 12 October 2012. Retrieved 1 April 2011.
  6. ↑ "Discographie Alben - Studio". hitparade.ch (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 April 2011.