Richard Henshall
Encyclopedia
Richard "Hen" Henshall is a British Progressive metal
multi-instrumentalist
. He is best known for being the guitarist and keyboardist for the bands To-Mera
and Haken
. He has released one album, Earthbound
, with To-Mera and two, Aquarius
and Visions
, with Haken.
To-Mera formed in 2005 between a few friends, Julie Kiss (vocals), Thomas MacLean
(guitar), Lee Barrett (bass), Akos Pirisi (drums), Hugo Sheppard (keyboard). They released a demo, which caught the attention of Candlelight Records
. The band's musical style was drastically different from conventional Progressive metal
; the band drew upon a plethora of influences such as Jazz
, Progressive rock
, and others. In 2006, Candlelight released Transcendental
. The radical new style opened up slots to open for groups such as Dream Theater
, Fates Warning
, and Emperor
. In 2008, To-Mera released their next album, Delusions
, in 2008. In 2009, they parted with Candlelight. Hugo Sheppard left after this, and they recruited Henshall for the post. They then self released the Earthbound
EP.
Haken was formed by school friends Ross Jennings (vocals), Matthew Marshall (guitar), and Henshall at first in 2004. The members parted ways for a while to study at university, reuniting in 2007. They current members found Peter Jones on keyboards and Raymond Hearne on drums. Jones left soon after, and was replaced by Diego Tejieda. Charlie Griffiths was found on guitar, and Henshall brought in To-Mera bandmate Tom Maclean on bass. They released two demos in 2007 and 2008, which received excellent reviews. Their music caught the attention of Sensory Records, and the first album, Aquarius
, was released in 2010.
, Alan Holdsworth, Shawn Lane
, John Petrucci
, Wes Montgomery
, Chet Atkins
, Jerry Reed
, Yes
, Pain of Salvation
, Jethro Tull
, Johan Sebastian Bach, Debussy, Rachmaninov, Chopin, Gomez
, Muse
, Pink Floyd
, Mozart, Aphex Twin
, Magnum
, Earth Wind and Fire, Jordan Rudess
, Prince
, Michael Jackson
, Queen
, Beatles, Ocean Colour Scene
, Al di Meola
, John Williams
, Danny Elfman
Ray Charles
, Pharcyde, De la Soul
, Jeff Beck
, Epmd
, James Brown
, Symphony X
, Adagio
, Devin Townsend
, Knuckledust
, Stampin
, ELP
, Bjork
, Sigur Ros
, Bob Dylan
, Opeth
, Curtis Mayfield
, RATM
, Sikth
, Hatebreed
, and Mike Oldfield
, among others.
Progressive metal
Progressive metal is a subgenre of heavy metal originating in the United Kingdom and North America in the late 1980s...
multi-instrumentalist
Multi-instrumentalist
A multi-instrumentalist is a musician who plays a number of different instruments.The Bachelor of Music degree usually requires a second instrument to be learned , but people who double on another instrument are not usually seen as multi-instrumentalists.-Classical music:Music written for Symphony...
. He is best known for being the guitarist and keyboardist for the bands To-Mera
To-Mera
To-Mera are a progressive metal band from South Oxfordshire in the UK. The band plays a technical style of metal characterized by long songs, multiple time changes and jazz interludes.-Current members:*Julie Kiss - Vocals*Thomas MacLean - Guitar...
and Haken
Haken (Band)
Haken is a London-based Progressive rock/Progressive metal band formed in 2007. At the moment they have two released albums, Aquarius, released in 2010, and Visions, released October 24 2011.-Biography:...
. He has released one album, Earthbound
Earthbound (To-Mera EP)
Earthbound is an EP by UK progressive metal band To-Mera. It is the first release without former bass player and founding member Lee Barrett...
, with To-Mera and two, Aquarius
Aquarius (Haken album)
-Main Band:*Ross Jennings - Vocals*Richard "Hen" Henshall - Guitar and Keyboards*Charlie Griffiths - Guitar*Thomas MacLean - Bass Guitar*Ray Hearne - Drums, Tuba, Djembe*Diego Tejeida - Keyboards-Guest Musicians:*Craig Beattie - Trombone...
and Visions
Visions (Haken album)
Visions is the second studio album of English progressive metal band Haken. The album is set to be released exclusively for attendees of ProgPower USA on September 17, 2011, with an official release date set for October 24, 2011.- Track listing :...
, with Haken.
Formation of To-Mera
- Main Page To-MeraTo-MeraTo-Mera are a progressive metal band from South Oxfordshire in the UK. The band plays a technical style of metal characterized by long songs, multiple time changes and jazz interludes.-Current members:*Julie Kiss - Vocals*Thomas MacLean - Guitar...
To-Mera formed in 2005 between a few friends, Julie Kiss (vocals), Thomas MacLean
Thomas MacLean
Thomas MacLean is an English born guitarist and bassist. He is best known for being the guitarist in the progressive metal/jazz fusion band To-Mera, and also for being the bassist for the progressive metal band Haken....
(guitar), Lee Barrett (bass), Akos Pirisi (drums), Hugo Sheppard (keyboard). They released a demo, which caught the attention of Candlelight Records
Candlelight Records
Candlelight Records is an independent record label based in Europe founded by former Extreme Noise Terror bassist Lee Barrett, though it has had a division in the United States since January 2001. Candlelight Records specialises in black metal and death metal, having bands such as Emperor,...
. The band's musical style was drastically different from conventional Progressive metal
Progressive metal
Progressive metal is a subgenre of heavy metal originating in the United Kingdom and North America in the late 1980s...
; the band drew upon a plethora of influences such as Jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, Progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
, and others. In 2006, Candlelight released Transcendental
Transcendental (album)
Transcendental is the début album from UK progressive metal band To-Mera. Its style is characterised by female vocals; long, multi-sectioned songs; heavy riffs and jazzy sections...
. The radical new style opened up slots to open for groups such as Dream Theater
Dream Theater
Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung, and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of their studies to further concentrate on the band that would...
, Fates Warning
Fates Warning
Fates Warning is an American progressive metal band, formed in 1982 by vocalist John Arch, guitarists Jim Matheos and Victor Arduini, bassist Joe DiBiase, and drummer Steve Zimmerman in Hartford, Connecticut. Fates Warning has experienced numerous line-up changes...
, and Emperor
Emperor (band)
Emperor was a Norwegian black metal band formed in 1991. They dissolved in 2001, but reunited in 2006 and again in 2007 for a few festival dates and brief US tours. The group was founded by Samoth and Ihsahn .-Biography:...
. In 2008, To-Mera released their next album, Delusions
Delusions (album)
Delusions is the second album from UK progressive metal band To-Mera. Its style is similar to their debut Transcendental, with a lot of the same aspects as that album....
, in 2008. In 2009, they parted with Candlelight. Hugo Sheppard left after this, and they recruited Henshall for the post. They then self released the Earthbound
Earthbound (To-Mera EP)
Earthbound is an EP by UK progressive metal band To-Mera. It is the first release without former bass player and founding member Lee Barrett...
EP.
Formation of Haken
- Main page HakenHaken (Band)Haken is a London-based Progressive rock/Progressive metal band formed in 2007. At the moment they have two released albums, Aquarius, released in 2010, and Visions, released October 24 2011.-Biography:...
Haken was formed by school friends Ross Jennings (vocals), Matthew Marshall (guitar), and Henshall at first in 2004. The members parted ways for a while to study at university, reuniting in 2007. They current members found Peter Jones on keyboards and Raymond Hearne on drums. Jones left soon after, and was replaced by Diego Tejieda. Charlie Griffiths was found on guitar, and Henshall brought in To-Mera bandmate Tom Maclean on bass. They released two demos in 2007 and 2008, which received excellent reviews. Their music caught the attention of Sensory Records, and the first album, Aquarius
Aquarius (Haken album)
-Main Band:*Ross Jennings - Vocals*Richard "Hen" Henshall - Guitar and Keyboards*Charlie Griffiths - Guitar*Thomas MacLean - Bass Guitar*Ray Hearne - Drums, Tuba, Djembe*Diego Tejeida - Keyboards-Guest Musicians:*Craig Beattie - Trombone...
, was released in 2010.
Influences
Henshall has named many influences, such as Jazz and conventional Progressive rock, as well as many notable acts, such as Dream TheaterDream Theater
Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung, and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of their studies to further concentrate on the band that would...
, Alan Holdsworth, Shawn Lane
Shawn Lane
Shawn Lane was an American musician. Although piano was his first instrument, he quickly became a noted player in underground guitar circles and joined Black Oak Arkansas when he was just fourteen years old....
, John Petrucci
John Petrucci
John Peter Petrucci is an American guitarist and songwriter best known as a founding member of the progressive metal band Dream Theater. Along with his former bandmate Mike Portnoy, he has produced all Dream Theater albums since their 1999 release, Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory...
, Wes Montgomery
Wes Montgomery
John Leslie "Wes" Montgomery was an American jazz guitarist. He is widely considered one of the major jazz guitarists, emerging after such seminal figures as Django Reinhardt and Charlie Christian and influencing countless others, including Pat Martino, George Benson, Russell Malone, Emily...
, Chet Atkins
Chet Atkins
Chester Burton Atkins , known as Chet Atkins, was an American guitarist and record producer who, along with Owen Bradley, created the smoother country music style known as the Nashville sound, which expanded country's appeal to adult pop music fans as well.Atkins's picking style, inspired by Merle...
, Jerry Reed
Jerry Reed
Jerry Reed Hubbard , known professionally as Jerry Reed, was an American country music singer, innovative guitarist, songwriter, and actor who appeared in more than a dozen films...
, Yes
Yes (band)
Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...
, Pain of Salvation
Pain of Salvation
Pain of Salvation is a Swedish progressive rock band featuring Daniel Gildenlöw, who is the lyricist, chief composer, guitarist, and lead vocalist. Their sound is characterised by powerful, accentuated guitar work, broad vocal range, abrupt switching between heavy and calm passages, intense...
, Jethro Tull
Jethro Tull (band)
Jethro Tull are a British rock group formed in 1967. Their music is characterised by the vocals, acoustic guitar, and flute playing of Ian Anderson, who has led the band since its founding, and the guitar work of Martin Barre, who has been with the band since 1969.Initially playing blues rock with...
, Johan Sebastian Bach, Debussy, Rachmaninov, Chopin, Gomez
Gomez (band)
Gomez are an English indie rock band from Southport, comprising Ian Ball , Paul "Blackie" Blackburn , Tom Gray , Ben Ottewell and Olly Peacock . The band is distinguished for having three singers and four songwriters, employing traditional and electronic instruments...
, Muse
Muse (band)
Muse are an English alternative rock band from Teignmouth, Devon, formed in 1994. The band consists of school friends Matthew Bellamy , Christopher Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard...
, Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
, Mozart, Aphex Twin
Aphex Twin
Richard David James , best known under the pseudonym Aphex Twin, is an Irish-born electronic musician and composer described as "the most inventive and influential figure in contemporary electronic music"...
, Magnum
Magnum (band)
Magnum are a British progressive rock band from Birmingham, England. Formed as a four piece by Tony Clarkin , Bob Catley , Kex Gorin and Bob Doyle in order to appear as the resident band at The Rum Runner night club Birmingham...
, Earth Wind and Fire, Jordan Rudess
Jordan Rudess
Jordan Rudess is an American keyboardist best known as a member of the progressive metal band Dream Theater and the progressive rock supergroup Liquid Tension Experiment.-Biography:...
, Prince
Prince (musician)
Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
, Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
, Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
, Beatles, Ocean Colour Scene
Ocean Colour Scene
Ocean Colour Scene are an English Britpop band formed in Moseley, Birmingham in 1989. They have had five Top 10 albums and six Top 10 singles to date.-Early days :...
, Al di Meola
Al Di Meola
Al Di Meola is an acclaimed American jazz fusion and Latin guitarist, composer, and record producer of Italian origin. With a musical career that has spanned more than three decades, he has become respected as one of the most influential guitarists in jazz to date...
, John Williams
John Williams
John Towner Williams is an American composer, conductor, and pianist. In a career spanning almost six decades, he has composed some of the most recognizable film scores in the history of motion pictures, including the Star Wars saga, Jaws, Superman, the Indiana Jones films, E.T...
, Danny Elfman
Danny Elfman
Daniel Robert "Danny" Elfman is an American composer, best known for scoring music for television and film. Up until 1995, he was the lead singer and songwriter in the rock band Oingo Boingo, a group he formed in 1976...
Ray Charles
Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...
, Pharcyde, De la Soul
De La Soul
De La Soul is an American hip hop trio formed in 1987 on Long Island, New York. The band is best known for their eclectic sampling, quirky lyrics, and their contributions to the evolution of the jazz rap and alternative hip hop subgenres...
, Jeff Beck
Jeff Beck
Geoffrey Arnold "Jeff" Beck is an English rock guitarist. He is one of three noted guitarists to have played with The Yardbirds...
, Epmd
EPMD
EPMD is an American hip hop group from Brentwood, New York. The group's name is a concatenation of the members' name "E" and "PMD" or an acronym for "Erick and Parrish Making Dollars", referencing its members, emcees Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith...
, James Brown
James Brown
James Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...
, Symphony X
Symphony X
Symphony X is an American progressive metal band from Middletown, New Jersey.Founded in 1994 by guitarist Michael Romeo, their albums The Divine Wings of Tragedy and V: The New Mythology Suite have given the band considerable attention within the progressive metal community...
, Adagio
Adagio (band)
Adagio is a French progressive metal band formed in 2001 by guitarist Stephan Forté. Adagio's music is known by its technical precision and dark orchestration. Adagio keeps unqiue complex lead workings which are complimented with a powerful and driving rhythm section...
, Devin Townsend
Devin Townsend
Devin Garret Townsend is a Canadian musician and record producer. He was the founder, songwriter, vocalist, and guitarist in extreme metal band Strapping Young Lad from 1994 to 2007 and has had an extensive career as a solo artist....
, Knuckledust
Knuckledust
Knuckledust are a London-based hardcore band. The band was formed in 1996 when Nic, Ray and Wema contacted Pelbu to start a band. As the groups popularity grew, the band played with Agnostic Front, Warzone, Madball, The Misfits among others....
, Stampin
Stampin
Stampin is a name of a district located in Kuching city in the Malaysian state of Sarawak. Administratively, it is located in the Kuching South City Council area. Most of its area is made up of the B.D.C housings and other housing estates such as Hui Sing garden & Kampung Stutong and Stampin Baru....
, ELP
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Emerson, Lake & Palmer, also known as ELP, are an English progressive rock supergroup. They found success in the 1970s and sold over forty million albums and headlined large stadium concerts. The band consists of Keith Emerson , Greg Lake and Carl Palmer...
, Bjork
Björk
Björk Guðmundsdóttir , known as Björk , is an Icelandic singer-songwriter. Her eclectic musical style has achieved popular acknowledgement and popularity within many musical genres, such as rock, jazz, electronic dance music, classical and folk...
, Sigur Ros
Sigur Rós
Sigur Rós is an Icelandic post-rock band with classicaland minimalist elements. The band is known for its ethereal sound, and frontman Jónsi Birgisson's falsetto vocals and use of bowed guitar. In January 2010, the band announced that they will be on hiatus. Since then, it has since been announced...
, Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
, Opeth
Opeth
Opeth is a Swedish heavy metal band from Stockholm, formed in 1990. Though the group has been through several personnel changes, singer, guitarist, and songwriter Mikael Åkerfeldt has remained Opeth's driving force throughout the years...
, Curtis Mayfield
Curtis Mayfield
Curtis Lee Mayfield was an American soul, R&B, and funk singer, songwriter, and record producer.He is best known for his anthemic music with The Impressions during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's and for composing the soundtrack to the blaxploitation film Super Fly, Mayfield is highly...
, RATM
Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1991, the group's line-up consists of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist and backing vocalist Tim Commerford, guitarist Tom Morello and drummer Brad Wilk...
, Sikth
SikTh
Sikth were a progressive metal band from Watford, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom.-Early days:SikTh formed in late 1999, but consolidated their line-up in March 2001...
, Hatebreed
Hatebreed
- History :Hatebreed was formed in 1994 in Bridgeport, Waterbury and New Haven. They began by recording a three song demo and selling it to locals. Those three songs would eventually be released on a split seven inch with New York's Neglect in 1995...
, and Mike Oldfield
Mike Oldfield
Michael Gordon Oldfield is an English multi-instrumentalist musician and composer, working a style that blends progressive rock, folk, ethnic or world music, classical music, electronic music, New Age, and more recently, dance. His music is often elaborate and complex in nature...
, among others.
With Haken
- (2007) Demo
- (2008) Demo
- (2010) AquariusAquarius (Haken album)-Main Band:*Ross Jennings - Vocals*Richard "Hen" Henshall - Guitar and Keyboards*Charlie Griffiths - Guitar*Thomas MacLean - Bass Guitar*Ray Hearne - Drums, Tuba, Djembe*Diego Tejeida - Keyboards-Guest Musicians:*Craig Beattie - Trombone...
- (2011) VisionsVisions (Haken album)Visions is the second studio album of English progressive metal band Haken. The album is set to be released exclusively for attendees of ProgPower USA on September 17, 2011, with an official release date set for October 24, 2011.- Track listing :...