Volbeat (band)

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This article is about the Danish heavy metal band. For the Pokémon, see List of Pokémon (301-320)#Volbeat.
Volbeat
Origin Copenhagen, Denmark
Genre(s) Heavy metal
Hard rock
Metal 'n' Roll
Years active 2001 – present
Label(s) Rebel Monster
Mascot
Website http://www.volbeat.dk
Members
Michael Poulsen
Thomas Bredahl
Anders Kjølholm
Jon Larsen
Former members
Franz "Hellboss" Gottschalk

Volbeat is a Danish heavy metal band, founded in 2001. They released their first album, The Strength / The Sound / The Songs, in 2005 and the follow up Rock the Rebel / Metal the Devil was released in Denmark on the 19th of February 2007. In the beginning of March 2007 it topped the Danish album chart as the best selling album, the first metal album ever to do that in Denmark. It was released in the rest of Europe the 26th of February.

Contents

[edit] Biography

Volbeat was formed in 2001 after front man Michael Poulsen split up his former band, Dominus. They play a fusion of heavy metal and rockabilly.[citation needed] They are inspired by the rock n' roll legends Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash.[citation needed] No other Danish heavy rock band than Volbeat has been able to get to position 18 at the Danish Top 100 for CD sales in over 10 years.[citation needed] This happened right after their concert at the Roskilde Festival 2006. They have passed bands like Madonna, Pink Floyd, KoЯn, Eminem, Guns N' Roses, The Black Eyed Peas, Keane, Franz Ferdinand, Coldplay and Kashmir on the Top 100 list, just to name a few.

Critics have generally been positive towards The Strength / The Sound / The Songs. The German hard rock magazine RockHard gave it 10/10 in a review.[1]

Volbeat is also praised for its live performances. Their concert at Roskilde Festival 2006 received a 6/6 stars review in the Danish newspaper BT.[2]

In week 8 of 2007 the record Rock The Rebel / Metal The Devil debuted as #1 in the Danish Top 40 for CD-sales [3] and at the same time allowed for a reentry of The Strength / The Sound / The Songs at #21. Recently, the album achieved gold status for sales in Denmark.

Volbeat did the opening of the Roskilde Festival in 2007. Volbeat also supported Metallica together with Mnemic at their concert in Denmark 13th of july.

More recently, Volbeat was announced to do a seven-date European spring tour and to support legendary thrash metal act Megadeth in Finland and in their home town, Copenhagen. They have also already announced a few festival appearances for the summer 2008.

[edit] Influences

Volbeat has a large range of influences, which can be clearly heard in their music. On their official MySpace site (see "external-links" -section below) Volbeat lists their influences in their own recognizable way:

"Everything from Elvis Presley to Napalm Death .. hail: Johnny Cash, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Ramones, Social Distortion, Motörhead, Black Sabbath, Dio, Megadeth, Metallica, Manic Street Preachers, Iron Maiden and bla bla bla bla..."

[edit] Lyrics

Volbeat's lyrics usually revolve around love, failed love or the power of a twisted mind. They thereby distance themselves from usual heavy metal lyrics, although many of their most popular songs have very dark or sincere themes and plots.

Their first single was the cover version of Dusty Springfield's evergreen "I Only Want to Be with You". The song doesn't differ much from the original with regard to the lyrics, but the accompanying music video is quite typical of Volbeat. You clearly see the inspiration from the their 60's heroes symbolized by the classic microphone and the filming of the band on top of a city roof. The video, however, also contains various touches from the goth/metal culture with the acting nurses all somehow representing these genre through their appearance.

Another popular feature of the band's lyrics are the returning "series" of songs. This is best represented with the songs "Danny and Lucy" from The Strength/The Sound/The Songs followed by "Mr. & Mrs. Ness" on Rock the Rebel/Metal the Devil. The story is about the two desperate lovers, Danny and Lucy, who are killed in a car crash after Lucy run away from her family.

"Dear Mr. and Mrs. Ness, I'm so sorry to bring you this - We believe we found your girl in an old burning car way up the hill"

In the successor, "Mr. & Mrs. Ness", Lucy's mother commits suicide and the father is suspected for the murder:

"The old man is crying and he's lying - The blood on his hands' from his wife yeah"

[edit] Lineup

  • Michael Poulsen - Vocals, guitar (ex-Dominus)
  • Thomas Bredahl - Guitar (from December 2006, also known from the Danish punkrock band Gob Squad)
  • Anders Kjølholm - Bass
  • Jon Larsen - Drums

Former member:

  • Franz "Hellboss" Gottschalk - Guitar (until December 2006)
  • Teddy Vang - Guitars

[edit] Awards

  • The Strength / The Sound / The Songs won the award for the best debut album at the Danish Metal Music Awards 2005.
  • Volbeat won the award Steppeulven for hope of the year 2006.[4].
  • Volbeat won the award for the best live band at the Danish Metal Music Awards 2006 voted by fans.
  • Rock the Rebel / Metal the Devil won the award for best album at the Danish Metal Music Awards 2007.
  • Volbeat won the award for P3 listenerhit at the P3 Guld-show voted by listeners of P3.[5]

[edit] Discography

[edit] Demos

  • Volbeat, 2002
  • Beat the Meat, 2003

[edit] Albums

[edit] Trivia

Liverpool F.C. central defender and Danish Player of the Year 2007 Daniel Agger revealed himself to be a Volbeat fan as he selected their song The Garden's Tale as his choice for the LFC Athens 2007 Playlist in the build up of Liverpool's 2007 UEFA Champions League Final appearance.

[edit] External links

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