Haggard

Haggard
Background information
Origin	Germany
Genres	Symphonic Metal Doom Metal Technical Death Metal (early)
Years active	1991 – present
Website	www.haggard.de
Members
Asis Nasseri Susanne Ehlers Veronika Kramheller Fiffi Fuhrmann Andreas Peschke Florian Bartl Ivica Percinlie Steffi Hertz Johannes Schleiermacher Claudio Quarta Hans Wolf Luz Marsen

Haggard is a German symphonic metal musical group founded in 1991. The group combines classical music and early music with doom metal.

Background

Haggard was founded in 1991 and originally played death metal. They changed their musical style after their first demo tape, Introduction in 1992, becoming a band with symphonic melodies and classical instruments but folk themes. The album And Thou Shalt Trust... the Seer marked their breakthrough in 1997. After their second album Awaking the Centuries (the life of the prophet Nostradamus), they toured through Mexico twice. In 2004, they released their third album Eppur Si Muove which is about the life of Italian scholar, Galileo Galilei, sentenced to house arrest for heresy by the Church for supporting Copernicus' claim that the Earth revolved around the sun.

Just before their album Awaking The Centuries was released, the group had its highest number of musicians at 21. All their songs are written by vocalist and guitarist, Asis Nasseri.

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

Discography

Demos

• Introduction (demo)|Introduction (1992)
• Progressive (album)|Progressive (1994)
• Once... Upon A December´s Dawn (1995)

Studio albums

• And Thou Shalt Trust... the Seer (1997)
• Awaking the Centuries (2000)
• Eppur Si Muove (2004)
• Tales of Ithiria (2008)

Live

• Awaking the Gods: Live In Mexico (2001)

DVDs and videos

• In A Pale Moon's Shadow) (1998)
• Awaking the Gods: Live In Mexico (DVD/VHS) (2001)

Members

Current members

• Asis Nasseri – vocals, guitar (1991-present)
• Susanne Ehlers – soprano vocals
• Veronika Kramheller – soprano vocals
• Manuela Kraller - soprano vocals
• Fiffi Fuhrmann – tenor vocals, bass
• Giacomo Astorri - bass
• Michael Stapf - violin
• Ivica Kramheller – double bass
• Andreas Fuchs – French horn, flute, percussion, drums
• Linda Antonetti - flute, oboe
• Steffi Hertz – viola
• Johannes Schleiermacher – cello
• Patrizia Krug - cello
• Claudio Quarta – guitar
• Hans Wolf – piano, keyboards
• Ingrid Nietzer - piano, keyboards
• Luz Marsen – drums, percussion (1991-present)
• Michael Schumm- percussion

Former members

• Florian Bartl – oboe, english horn
• Judith Marschall – violin
• Doro – violin
• Mark Pendry – clarinet
• Sasema – vocals
• Robert Müller – clarinet
• Christoph Zastrow – flute
• Danny Klupp – guitar
• Kathrin Pechlof – harp
• Karin Bodemüller – vocals
• Florian Schnellinger – percussion
• Andi Nad – bass
• Gaby Koss – vocals
• Robin Fischer – bass
• Andi Hemberger – vocals
• Kathrin Hertz – cello
• Andreas Peschke – flute

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.

External links

• Haggard - official website
• Haggard at MySpace
• Drakkar Entertainment - official website
• HAGGARD LIVE - pictures
• Haggard brief album review on Lebmetal.com