Haggard (band)

Haggard (/ˈhæɡərd/) is a German symphonic metal musical group founded in 1989.[2] The group combines classical music and early music with death doom metal.

Haggard playing at Global East Rock Festival 2010
For the American country music artist, see Merle Haggard.
Haggard
Haggard at Global East Rock Festival 2010 in Kyiv, Ukraine.
Background information
OriginGermany
GenresSymphonic death metal, death-doom[1]
Years active1989–present[2]
Websitewww.haggard.de
MembersAsis Nasseri
Giacomo Astorri
Janika Groß
Martin Florestan
Fiffi Fuhrmann
Catalina Popa
Stefana Sabau
Aline Deinert
Cosmin Nechita
Anne Eberlein
Ivica Kramheller
Lisa Hellmich
Johannes Schleiermacher
Florinda Hoffmann
Claudio Quarta
Hans Wolf
Maurizio Guolo
Ingrid Nietzer
Past membersSusanne Ehlers
Linda Antonetti
Nicoló Bartoli
Steffi Hertz
Luz Marsen
Michael Stapf
Dorothea Zelinsky
Michael Schumm
Veronika Kramheller
Gaby Koss
Andi Nad
Manuela Kraller
Patricia Krug
Andreas Fuchs

Background

Haggard was founded in 1989 and originally played death metal.[1] They changed their musical style after their first demo tape, Introduction in 1992, becoming a band with symphonic melodies and classical instruments but folk themes. The album And Thou Shalt Trust... the Seer marked their breakthrough in 1997. After their second album Awaking the Centuries (the life of the prophet Nostradamus), they toured through Mexico twice. In 2004, they released their third album Eppur Si Muove which is about the life of Italian scholar Galileo Galilei, sentenced to house arrest for heresy by the Catholic Church for supporting Copernicus' claim that the Earth revolved around the sun.

Just before their album Awaking The Centuries was released, the group had its highest number of musicians at 21. All their songs are written by vocalist and guitarist Asis Nasseri.

Haggard playing at Global East Rock Festival 2010

The fourth album, Tales of Ithiria, was released in 2008 and is based on a fantasy story.

In 2010, the band had its first concert along with a symphonic orchestra. Haggard played together with the philharmonic orchestra of Plovdiv in the Bulgarian city of Plovdiv on April 19, 2010.

Although a new album with the title of Grimm was originally announced for the end of 2012, the album has since been postponed indefinitely.

Discography

Demos
  • Introduction (1992)
  • Progressive (1994)
  • Once... Upon a December's Dawn (1995)

Studio albums
Year Title Peak positions
GER[3] SWI[4]
1997 And Thou Shalt Trust... the Seer — —
2000 Awaking the Centuries 64 —
2004 Eppur Si Muove 47 —
2008 Tales of Ithiria 37 89
2013 And Thou Shalt Trust... the Seer (Remastered) — —

Live

DVDs and videos
  • In a Pale Moon's Shadow (1998)
  • Awaking the Gods: Live in Mexico (DVD/VHS) (2001)

Members

Current members

Past members
  • Florian Bartl – oboe, english horn
  • Judith Marschall – violin
  • Fiffi Fuhrmann – tenor vocals, bass
  • Dorothea Zelinsky – violin
  • Mark Pendry – clarinet
  • Sasema – vocals
  • Gaby Koss – soprano vocals
  • Robert von Greding – clarinet
  • Christoph von Zastrow – flute
  • Danny Klupp – guitar
  • Kathrin Pechlof – harp
  • Karin Bodemüller – vocals
  • Florian Schnellinger – percussion
  • Andi Nad – bass
  • Robin Fischer – bass
  • Andi Hemberger – vocals
  • Kathrin Hertz – cello
  • Andreas Peschke – flute
  • Manuela Kraller - soprano vocals
  • Susanne Ehlers - soprano vocals
  • Veronika Kramheller - soprano vocals
  • Jonathan Whynot - guitar
  • Michael Stapf - violin
  • Andreas Fuchs - horn - percussion
  • Linda Antonetti - oboe
  • Steffi Hertz - viola
  • Patrizia Krug - cello
  • Luz Marsen - drum
  • Michael Schumm - classical percussion - drum

In addition to the 16 band members, more than 10 guest artists and musicians were involved in the making of the album, Eppur Si Muove.

References
  1. True, Chris. "Haggard Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved 2011-04-04.
  2. "Haggard". Encyclopaedia Metallum. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  3. "Chartverfolgung / Haggard / Longplay". musicline.de (in German). PHONONET GmbH. Retrieved 2011-04-01.
  4. "Discographie Alben - Studio". hitparade.ch (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 2011-04-01.
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