Suidakra
Encyclopedia
SuidAkrA is a melodic death metal
band from Germany
with Celtic
folk
influences. During their fourteen-year career, they have performed over 200 live shows for several European and Russian tours, as well as a North American tour. They are known for their use of traditional instruments to augment their sound, such as the bagpipe, banjo
, and tin whistle
.
In 1997, the band released their first album, the self-published Lupine Essence. The album attracted the attention of German record company Last Episode. A deal was signed, and the band proceeded to record their second album Auld Lang Syne in 1998. Soon after the release bassist Nils Bross replaced Christoph Zacharowski.
Lays from Afar and The Arcanum were released in 1999 and 2000, respectively. At this point, the sound of the band had developed into melodic death metal reminiscent of many Gothenburg
area bands. Further lineup changes took place after the release of The Arcanum, as Daniela Voigt and Stefan Möller left the band and Marcel Schoenen retired his band position to concentrate on song writing.
In 2001, SuidAkrA signed a deal with Century Media Records
. Drummer Lars Wehner and guitarist Germano Sanna joined Antonik and Bross to record the follow-up to The Arcanum, titled Emprise to Avalon, released in 2002. This lineup didn't last long, as Bross left the band soon after recordings were complete. Marcus Riewaldt joined the band to take up the bass spot. A year later Marcel Schoenen returned to replace Sanna.
The new lineup meant a change in the creative responsibilities. For the band's sixth studio album, Signs for the Fallen, all members took part in writing material. While the lineup remained the same for the next album, the band had run into disagreement with their label and eventually split. They went on to finance the next album on their own, and later signed a new recording deal with Armageddon Music. Command to Charge was released in 2005.
Their eighth studio release, titled Caledonia
was released on 2006-11-17. The Scottish themed album included some fairly prominent use of highland bagpipes
, contributed by Axel Römer, who also appeared on some of the larger live performances.
From 5–12 August 2007 some old tracks were re-recorded for a Best Of compilation titled 13 Years of Celtic Wartunes. Others tracks were remastered. This was released on the 25th April 2008. together with a live DVD containing registrations of the Wacken
2007 performance as well as the acoustic show at the Kielowatt Festival in 2006. Release dates for other regions were 2008-04-28 (Europe) and 2008-06-10 (USA).
Shortly after their performance on Ultima Ratio 3 in November 2007 the band announced that Marcel Schoenen had left the band for the second time, to concentrate on his job. Consequently a new live guitar player was recruited in the form of Tim Siebrecht, ex-member of the disbanded formation Sleeping Gods.
The band returned to Gernhart recording studios in November 2008 to record their ninth studio album Crógacht
. The album featured greater Celtic influences, taking its name from the Gaelic word for bravery. It was released on February 20, 2009 in Germany, February 23 in the rest of Europe, and March 3 in the USA. Suidakra supported this album with a US and European tour throughout 2009.
In May 2009, Suidakra announced a Chinese tour, as well as informing fans that tour guitarist and backup vocalist, Sebastian Hintz, was promoted to full member.
On October 6, 2010, SuidAkrA announced that after a short tour and some festival appearances they would enter the studio to begin recording what will be their tenth studio album, Book of Dowth. On March 25, 2011, Suidakra released their 10th studio album, Book of Dowth.
Melodic death metal
Melodic death metal is a heavy metal music style that combines elements from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal with elements of death metal. The style was developed during the early and mid-1990s, primarily in England and Scandinavia...
band from Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
with Celtic
Celtic metal
Celtic metal is a subgenre of folk metal that developed in the 1990s in Ireland. As the name suggests, the genre is a fusion of heavy metal music and Celtic music. The early pioneers of the genre were the three Irish bands Cruachan, Primordial and Waylander...
folk
Folk metal
Folk metal is a sub-genre of heavy metal music that developed in Europe during the 1990s. As the name suggests, the genre is a fusion of heavy metal with traditional folk music...
influences. During their fourteen-year career, they have performed over 200 live shows for several European and Russian tours, as well as a North American tour. They are known for their use of traditional instruments to augment their sound, such as the bagpipe, banjo
Banjo
In the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
, and tin whistle
Tin whistle
The tin whistle, also called the penny whistle, English Flageolet, Scottish penny whistle, Tin Flageolet, Irish whistle and Clarke London Flageolet is a simple six-holed woodwind instrument. It is an end blown fipple flute, putting it in the same category as the recorder, American Indian flute, and...
.
Biography
Suidakra was formed in 1994 by guitarist Arkadius Antonik and drummer Stefan Möller under the name Gloryfication. The band recorded two demos with varying lineups, until finally solidifying its line-up with keyboardist Daniela Voigt, guitarist Marcel Schoenen and bassist Christoph Zacharowski. Later in the same year the band's name was changed to Suidakra (Arkadius spelled backwards).In 1997, the band released their first album, the self-published Lupine Essence. The album attracted the attention of German record company Last Episode. A deal was signed, and the band proceeded to record their second album Auld Lang Syne in 1998. Soon after the release bassist Nils Bross replaced Christoph Zacharowski.
Lays from Afar and The Arcanum were released in 1999 and 2000, respectively. At this point, the sound of the band had developed into melodic death metal reminiscent of many Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
area bands. Further lineup changes took place after the release of The Arcanum, as Daniela Voigt and Stefan Möller left the band and Marcel Schoenen retired his band position to concentrate on song writing.
In 2001, SuidAkrA signed a deal with Century Media Records
Century Media Records
Century Media Records is an Independent record label with offices in the United States, Germany, Australia, France, Italy, Sweden, Finland, and the United Kingdom.- Background :...
. Drummer Lars Wehner and guitarist Germano Sanna joined Antonik and Bross to record the follow-up to The Arcanum, titled Emprise to Avalon, released in 2002. This lineup didn't last long, as Bross left the band soon after recordings were complete. Marcus Riewaldt joined the band to take up the bass spot. A year later Marcel Schoenen returned to replace Sanna.
The new lineup meant a change in the creative responsibilities. For the band's sixth studio album, Signs for the Fallen, all members took part in writing material. While the lineup remained the same for the next album, the band had run into disagreement with their label and eventually split. They went on to finance the next album on their own, and later signed a new recording deal with Armageddon Music. Command to Charge was released in 2005.
Their eighth studio release, titled Caledonia
Caledonia (album)
Caledonia is the eighth studio album by the German melodic death metal band SuidAkrA. The lyrical themes of Caledonia are the mystical side of the tribe of the Picts, their war against the attacking Roman Empire and the co-incidence of these two completely different worlds.Caledonia was recorded...
was released on 2006-11-17. The Scottish themed album included some fairly prominent use of highland bagpipes
Bagpipes
Bagpipes are a class of musical instrument, aerophones, using enclosed reeds fed from a constant reservoir of air in the form of a bag. Though the Scottish Great Highland Bagpipe and Irish uilleann pipes have the greatest international visibility, bagpipes of many different types come from...
, contributed by Axel Römer, who also appeared on some of the larger live performances.
From 5–12 August 2007 some old tracks were re-recorded for a Best Of compilation titled 13 Years of Celtic Wartunes. Others tracks were remastered. This was released on the 25th April 2008. together with a live DVD containing registrations of the Wacken
Wacken Open Air
Wacken Open Air is a summer open air heavy metal music festival. It takes place annually in the small town of Wacken in Schleswig-Holstein, northern Germany...
2007 performance as well as the acoustic show at the Kielowatt Festival in 2006. Release dates for other regions were 2008-04-28 (Europe) and 2008-06-10 (USA).
Shortly after their performance on Ultima Ratio 3 in November 2007 the band announced that Marcel Schoenen had left the band for the second time, to concentrate on his job. Consequently a new live guitar player was recruited in the form of Tim Siebrecht, ex-member of the disbanded formation Sleeping Gods.
The band returned to Gernhart recording studios in November 2008 to record their ninth studio album Crógacht
Crógacht
Crógacht is the ninth studio album by the German melodic death metal band Suidakra. This album features a greater Celtic sound and theme than earlier works...
. The album featured greater Celtic influences, taking its name from the Gaelic word for bravery. It was released on February 20, 2009 in Germany, February 23 in the rest of Europe, and March 3 in the USA. Suidakra supported this album with a US and European tour throughout 2009.
In May 2009, Suidakra announced a Chinese tour, as well as informing fans that tour guitarist and backup vocalist, Sebastian Hintz, was promoted to full member.
On October 6, 2010, SuidAkrA announced that after a short tour and some festival appearances they would enter the studio to begin recording what will be their tenth studio album, Book of Dowth. On March 25, 2011, Suidakra released their 10th studio album, Book of Dowth.
Current members
- Arkadius Antonik - guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s, vocals - Marcus Riewaldt - bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Lars Wehner - drums
- Jussi - live guitar
Past members
- Stefan Möller - drums
- Daniela Voigt - 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...
, vocals - Christoph Zacharowski - bass
- F.T. - bass
- Nils Bross - bass
- Germano Sanna - guitar
- Marcel Schoenen - guitar, vocals
Albums
- Lupine EssenceLupine EssenceLupine Essence is the first studio album by the German melodic death metal band Suidakra.- Track listing :# Banshee - 4:39# Dragon Tribe - 4:19# Heresy - 3:49# Sheltering Dreams - 3:19# Havoc - 4:01# Warpipes Call Me - 4:16...
(1997) - Auld Lang SyneAuld Lang Syne (album)Auld Lang Syne is the second studio album by the German melodic death metal band Suidakra.- Track listing :# Auld Lang Syne - 1:38# Hall Of Tales - 5:26# A Menhirs Clay - 4:29# And Another Cist Looms - 5:20# An Dùdlachd - 2:28...
(1998) - Lays From AfarLays from AfarLays From Afar is the third studio album by the German melodic death metal band Suidakra.- Track listing :# A Darksome Path - 04:35# Chants of Lethe - 04:31# The Well of Might - 04:03# The Hidden Quest - 03:52# Morrigan - 03:49# Peregrin - 01:24...
(1999) - The ArcanumThe Arcanum (album)The Arkanum is the fourth studio album by the German melodic death metal band Suidakra.- Track listing :# Wartunes - 4:51# To Rest In Silence - 5:34# Dragonbreed - 3:59# Rise Of Taliesin - 4:50# Last Fortress - 4:06# Gates Of Nevermore - 4:16...
(2000) - Emprise to AvalonEmprise to AvalonEmprise to Avalon is the fifth studio album by the German melodic death metal band Suidakra.- Track listing :# "Darkane Times" – 5:47# "Dinas Emrys" – 1:54# "Pendragon's Fall" – 5:32# "The High King" – 4:00# "The Spoils of Annwn" – 1:48...
(2002) - Signs for the FallenSigns for the FallenSigns for the Fallen is the sixth studio album by the German melodic death metal band Suidakra.- Track listing :# "Revenant" – 5:05# "Crown the Lost" – 4:36# "Threnody" – 1:42# "Trails of Gore" – 4:35# "The Ember Deid" – 0:21...
(2003) - Command to ChargeCommand to ChargeCommand to Charge is the seventh studio album by the German melodic death metal band Suidakra.- Track listing :# "Decibel Dance" - 4:15# "C14_Measured By Infinity" - 5:17# "Haughs Of Cromdale" - 0:29# "The Alliance" - 4:15# "A Runic Rhyme" - 1:49...
(2005) - CaledoniaCaledonia (album)Caledonia is the eighth studio album by the German melodic death metal band SuidAkrA. The lyrical themes of Caledonia are the mystical side of the tribe of the Picts, their war against the attacking Roman Empire and the co-incidence of these two completely different worlds.Caledonia was recorded...
(2006) - CrógachtCrógachtCrógacht is the ninth studio album by the German melodic death metal band Suidakra. This album features a greater Celtic sound and theme than earlier works...
(2009) - Book of Dowth (2011)