Pyramaze
Encyclopedia
Pyramaze is a Danish
/American
progressive
power metal
band.
) and bassist Niels Kvist. American keyboardist Jonah Weingarten, who originally met Kammeyer over the Internet, joined next. The band then set out in search for a singer. After listening to many demos, the band selected American singer Lance King
(formerly of Balance of Power
) to be their lead vocalist.
The band's first live show took place on April 23, 2004, in Minneapolis, Minnesota
. They released their debut studio album
, Melancholy Beast
, in May 2004 and followed with a tour over the summer of 2004. During this time, Danish guitarist Toke Skjønnemand joined the group. In February 2006, the band released their second album, Legend of the Bone Carver
, a concept album
that was received very well by fans. On September 15, 2006, the band performed at the ProgPower
USA VII festival in Atlanta, Georgia
. Shortly after that performance, on November 10, 2006, it was announced on the band's official Web site that Lance King
was no longer Pyramaze's singer. On April 14, 2007, former Iced Earth
vocalist Matt Barlow
returned to the metal scene as Pyramaze's new singer. On December 11, 2007, Jon Schaffer
announced on his Web site that Barlow had re-joined Iced Earth. Barlow finished recording Immortal
with Pyramaze before leaving to work solely with Iced Earth.
On March 13, 2008, Pyramaze released demos of two songs from Immortal, "Year of the Phoenix" and "Caramon's Poem." The album was officially released May 30, 2008.
On July 11, 2008, Pyramaze announced that former Tad Morose
and Bloodbound
singer Urban Breed
would be taking over the role of lead vocalist. His first activity with the band was performing on their Danish tour in November 2008 in support of Volbeat. Work has begun on the next studio album, although no title has yet been announced as of October 17, 2011.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
/American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
progressive
Progressive metal
Progressive metal is a subgenre of heavy metal originating in the United Kingdom and North America in the late 1980s...
power metal
Power metal
Power metal is a style of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional metal with speed metal, often within symphonic context. The term refers to two different but related styles: the first pioneered and largely practiced in North America with a harder sound similar to speed metal, and a...
band.
Biography
Pyramaze was formed in 2001 by guitarist Michael Kammeyer. Next to join were fellow Danes drummer Morten Sørensen (Wuthering HeightsWuthering Heights (band)
Wuthering Heights is a Danish heavy metal band, with a somewhat eclectic musical style which falls in somewhere between progressive, folk, and power metal.- Biography :...
) and bassist Niels Kvist. American keyboardist Jonah Weingarten, who originally met Kammeyer over the Internet, joined next. The band then set out in search for a singer. After listening to many demos, the band selected American singer Lance King
Lance King
Lance King is an American heavy metal vocalist. Lance has sung for many metal bands in his career, including Defyance, The Kings Machine, Empire, Gemini, Decibel, Balance of Power, Pyramaze, Shining Star and Avian. He is known for singing in a traditional metal style with falsetto vocals in the...
(formerly of Balance of Power
Balance of Power (band)
Balance of Power are a British melodic progressive metal group, formed in 1995.-History:Balance of Power was formed in 1995 by keyboardist Ivan Gunn, along with a group of musicians from the London rock scene. One of their first line-ups featured drummer Lionel Hicks, bassist Chris Dale, vocalist...
) to be their lead vocalist.
The band's first live show took place on April 23, 2004, in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. They released their debut studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
, Melancholy Beast
Melancholy Beast
Melancholy Beast is the debut studio album by the Danish/American progressive power metal band Pyramaze, released by Nightmare Records/Massacre Records in May 2004.-Track listing:# "Sleepy Hollow" − 6:11# "Forsaken Kingdom" − 5:27...
, in May 2004 and followed with a tour over the summer of 2004. During this time, Danish guitarist Toke Skjønnemand joined the group. In February 2006, the band released their second album, Legend of the Bone Carver
Legend of the Bone Carver
-Story:The story is set in a time when the balance of good and evil has deteriorated and darkness rules the world. In this time, a wish went out for deliverance. Soon, a child "conceived by wishes" is born in the forest. Without parents, the child is raised by unnamed guardians of the forest and...
, a concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
that was received very well by fans. On September 15, 2006, the band performed at the ProgPower
ProgPower
ProgPower is the name of four progressive and power metal festivals:*ProgPower Europe , held in the Netherlands since 1999*ProgPower USA, held in the United States since 2001...
USA VII festival in Atlanta, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. Shortly after that performance, on November 10, 2006, it was announced on the band's official Web site that Lance King
Lance King
Lance King is an American heavy metal vocalist. Lance has sung for many metal bands in his career, including Defyance, The Kings Machine, Empire, Gemini, Decibel, Balance of Power, Pyramaze, Shining Star and Avian. He is known for singing in a traditional metal style with falsetto vocals in the...
was no longer Pyramaze's singer. On April 14, 2007, former Iced Earth
Iced Earth
Iced Earth is an American heavy metal band from Tampa, Florida. Originally formed under the name "Purgatory" in 1984, Iced Earth has released a total of ten studio albums, one live album, three EP's, two compilations and boxsets...
vocalist Matt Barlow
Matt Barlow
Matthew Barlow is an American heavy metal singer and police officer. He is the former lead singer for Iced Earth. He is Jon Schaffer's brother-in-law.-History:...
returned to the metal scene as Pyramaze's new singer. On December 11, 2007, Jon Schaffer
Jon Schaffer
Jon Ryan Schaffer is a heavy metal guitarist and songwriter. He is the founder of the heavy metal band Iced Earth. He was nominated for the title "Riff Lord" at the 2008 Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards.-Biography:...
announced on his Web site that Barlow had re-joined Iced Earth. Barlow finished recording Immortal
Immortal (Pyramaze album)
-Personnel:* Michael Kammeyer − Guitars* Morten Gade Sørensen − Drums* Jonah Weingarten − Keyboards* Niels Kvist − Bass* Toke Skjønnemand − Guitars* Matt Barlow − Vocals-External links:* *...
with Pyramaze before leaving to work solely with Iced Earth.
On March 13, 2008, Pyramaze released demos of two songs from Immortal, "Year of the Phoenix" and "Caramon's Poem." The album was officially released May 30, 2008.
On July 11, 2008, Pyramaze announced that former Tad Morose
Tad Morose
Tad Morose is a Swedish progressive / power metal band formed in 1991 and led by guitarist Christer 'Krunt' Andersson.-Biography:Their full-length debut was Leaving the Past Behind, a minor hit that established the band within the continental European heavy metal community. Sender of Thoughts was...
and Bloodbound
Bloodbound
Bloodbound is a Swedish heavy metal band formed in 2004. They released their first album, Nosferatu, in 2005 and their second, Book of the Dead, in May 2007. The brainchild of former Street Talk members Fredrik Bergh and Tomas Olsson, the band has also included Michael Bormann , Urban breed and...
singer Urban Breed
Urban breed
Urban Breed is the current vocalist for Pyramaze and the as-yet-unsigned Trail of Murder, and he is the former vocalist for Swedish heavy metal bands Bloodbound and Tad Morose....
would be taking over the role of lead vocalist. His first activity with the band was performing on their Danish tour in November 2008 in support of Volbeat. Work has begun on the next studio album, although no title has yet been announced as of October 17, 2011.
Current members
- Urban BreedUrban breedUrban Breed is the current vocalist for Pyramaze and the as-yet-unsigned Trail of Murder, and he is the former vocalist for Swedish heavy metal bands Bloodbound and Tad Morose....
− vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
(2008–present) - Morten Gade Sørensen − drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
(2001–present) - Jonah Weingarten − keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
(2001–present) - Toke Skjønnemand − guitar (2004–present)
Former members
- Lance KingLance KingLance King is an American heavy metal vocalist. Lance has sung for many metal bands in his career, including Defyance, The Kings Machine, Empire, Gemini, Decibel, Balance of Power, Pyramaze, Shining Star and Avian. He is known for singing in a traditional metal style with falsetto vocals in the...
− vocals (2001–2006) - Matt BarlowMatt BarlowMatthew Barlow is an American heavy metal singer and police officer. He is the former lead singer for Iced Earth. He is Jon Schaffer's brother-in-law.-History:...
– vocals (2007–2008) - Michael Kammeyer − guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
(2001–2010) - Niels Kvist − bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(2001–2010)
Discography
- Melancholy BeastMelancholy BeastMelancholy Beast is the debut studio album by the Danish/American progressive power metal band Pyramaze, released by Nightmare Records/Massacre Records in May 2004.-Track listing:# "Sleepy Hollow" − 6:11# "Forsaken Kingdom" − 5:27...
(2004) - Legend of the Bone CarverLegend of the Bone Carver-Story:The story is set in a time when the balance of good and evil has deteriorated and darkness rules the world. In this time, a wish went out for deliverance. Soon, a child "conceived by wishes" is born in the forest. Without parents, the child is raised by unnamed guardians of the forest and...
(2006) - ImmortalImmortal (Pyramaze album)-Personnel:* Michael Kammeyer − Guitars* Morten Gade Sørensen − Drums* Jonah Weingarten − Keyboards* Niels Kvist − Bass* Toke Skjønnemand − Guitars* Matt Barlow − Vocals-External links:* *...
(2008)
See also
- AvianAvian (band)Avian is a melodic power metal band founded in 2002 by guitarist Yan Leviathan. The band features singer Lance King. In 2005 they released their debut album From the Depths of Time, a concept album dealing with the end of days and a warning to mankind. Musically, Avian is influenced by bands...
- Balance of PowerBalance of Power (band)Balance of Power are a British melodic progressive metal group, formed in 1995.-History:Balance of Power was formed in 1995 by keyboardist Ivan Gunn, along with a group of musicians from the London rock scene. One of their first line-ups featured drummer Lionel Hicks, bassist Chris Dale, vocalist...
- BloodboundBloodboundBloodbound is a Swedish heavy metal band formed in 2004. They released their first album, Nosferatu, in 2005 and their second, Book of the Dead, in May 2007. The brainchild of former Street Talk members Fredrik Bergh and Tomas Olsson, the band has also included Michael Bormann , Urban breed and...
- Iced EarthIced EarthIced Earth is an American heavy metal band from Tampa, Florida. Originally formed under the name "Purgatory" in 1984, Iced Earth has released a total of ten studio albums, one live album, three EP's, two compilations and boxsets...
- Shining StarShining Star (band)Shining Star is a neoclassical progressive power metal band founded by Brazilian guitarist Fabio Rocha. Lyrically, the band often writes songs with underlying Christian themes.-History:...
- Tad MoroseTad MoroseTad Morose is a Swedish progressive / power metal band formed in 1991 and led by guitarist Christer 'Krunt' Andersson.-Biography:Their full-length debut was Leaving the Past Behind, a minor hit that established the band within the continental European heavy metal community. Sender of Thoughts was...
- Krucible
- Wuthering HeightsWuthering Heights (band)Wuthering Heights is a Danish heavy metal band, with a somewhat eclectic musical style which falls in somewhere between progressive, folk, and power metal.- Biography :...