Hansi Kürsch
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| Hansi Kürsch | ||
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 Hansi Kürsch
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| Background information | ||
| Birth name | Hans Jürgen Kürsch | |
| Born | August 10, 1966 | |
| Origin | Lank-Latum, Germany | |
| Genre(s) | Power metal Heavy metal Speed metal |
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| Instrument(s) | Vocals Bass |
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| Years active | 1984 - present | |
| Label(s) | No Remorse Records Virgin Century Media Nuclear Blast Steamhammer |
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| Associated acts |
Blind Guardian Demons & Wizards |
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Hansi Kürsch (born August 10, 1966 in Lank-Latum, Germany) is the lead vocalist of Power metal band Blind Guardian. He was also the bassist in Blind Guardian until the 1998 album Nightfall in Middle-Earth. He is considered by many to be one of the best vocalists in heavy metal.[citation needed] His full name is Hans Jürgen Kürsch, Hansi being only the diminutive of Hans Jürgen.
One of the things that is perhaps most impressive about Kürsch's singing is his practice of layering his own voice innumerable times in complex, overlapping harmonies on his recordings, effectively creating the atmosphere of a huge choir. His vocal range is formidable - for example, the track "Chant" on the first Demons & Wizards album is comprised of vocals only, in the style of a traditional Gregorian Chant. Hansi's is the only voice on the song.
Over the years, Hansi has developed his harmonizing and layering techniques more and more, to the point that some fans of Blind Guardian admitted the vocals could be a bit overwhelming at times (particularly on the 2002 release A Night At The Opera, although that album featured several guest vocalists). However, Blind Guardian's newest release, A Twist In The Myth, has toned the complexity down a bit for the sake of making the songs more suitable for playing live (as stated by the band in the audio interview bonus track on the album).
He is married and has a son named Jonas.
Hansi has done guest vocals on the following albums, in the following songs (listed chronologically):
- Gamma Ray - Land of the Free - "Farewell" (1994)
- Grave Digger - Tunes of War (1996, backing vocals only)
- Nepal - Manifiesto - Besando La Tierra, Estadio Chico (1997)
- Iron Savior - Iron Savior (album) - "For The World" (1997)
- Edguy - Vain Glory Opera - Out of Control, Vain Glory Opera (1998)
- Grave Digger - Excalibur (1999, backing vocals only)
- Therion - Deggial - Flesh of the Gods (2000)
- Rage - Unity (2002, backing vocals only)
- Angra - Temple of Shadows - Winds of Destination (2004)
- The Arrow - Lady Nite - Never Say Never
- Ljósálfar - Ljósálfar - Forevermoor
- Aneurysm - TBA
Hansi has also recorded two albums for his side project with Jon Schaffer of Iced Earth, Demons & Wizards.
- Demons & Wizards - Demons & Wizards (2000)
- Demons & Wizards - Touched by the Crimson King(2005)
[edit] External links
- Interview with Hansi at Nocturnal Horde (July 16, 2005)
| Blind Guardian |
| Hansi Kürsch | André Olbrich | Marcus Siepen | Frederik Ehmke |
| Thomas "Thomen" Stauch | Markus Dörk | Christoph Theissen | Hans-Peter Frey |
| Discography |
|---|
| Demo albums as Lucifer's Heritage: Symphonies of Doom | Battalions of Fear |
| Studio albums: Battalions of Fear | Follow the Blind | Tales from the Twilight World | Somewhere Far Beyond | Imaginations from the Other Side | Nightfall in Middle-Earth | A Night at the Opera | A Twist in the Myth |
| Live albums: Tokyo Tales | Live |
| Compilations: The Forgotten Tales |
| Singles: "A Past and Future Secret" | "Bright Eyes" | "Mr. Sandman" | "Mirror Mirror" | "And Then There Was Silence" | "The Bard's Song (In the Forest)" | "Fly" | "Another Stranger Me" |
| Videography |
| Videos: Imaginations Through the Looking Glass |
