Volbeat (band)

Infobox musical artist
Name = Volbeat


Background = group_or_band
Origin = Copenhagen, Denmark
Genre = Heavy metal Groove metal Hard rock Punk rock
Years_active = 2001 – present
Label = Rebel Monster Mascot
URL = http://www.volbeat.dk
Current_members = Michael Poulsen Thomas Bredahl Anders Kjølholm Jon Larsen
Past_members = Franz "Hellboss" Gottschalk

Volbeat is a Danish heavy metal band, that he 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 February 19, 2007, and in the rest of Europe on February 26, 2007. In March 2007, it topped the Danish album chart as the best selling album, the first metal album ever to do so.

Biography

Volbeat was formed in 2001 after frontman Michael Poulsen split up his former band, Dominus. Volbeat plays a fusion of heavy metal and rockabilly.Fact|date=February 2007 They are inspired by the rock n' roll legends Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash.Fact|date=February 2007 No other Danish heavy rock band has been able to get to position 18 at the Danish Top 100 for CD sales in over 10 years.Fact|date=February 2007 This milestone was reached after their concert at the Roskilde Festival 2006.

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. [http://www.rockhard.de/index.php?smod=p209Wz1iMUIfo2qAo2D9pz9wn2uupzDhpzI2nJI3pl5xMKEunJkJnJI3Wzqlo3IjFHD9pzuspzI2nJI3WzAioaEyoaEWEQ00ZQV4AlMmqJAbp3ElnJ5aCKMioTWyLKDz]

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. [http://www.bt.dk/underholdning/artikel:aid=452218/]

In week 8 of 2007, the record "Rock The Rebel / Metal The Devil" debuted as #1 in the Danish Top 40 for CD-sales [http://www.hit-listen.dk/] and at the same time "The Strength / The Sound / The Songs" re-entered the chart at #21. Recently, the album achieved gold status for sales in Denmark.

Volbeat opened the Roskilde Festival in 2007. Volbeat also supported Metallica together with Mnemic at their concert on Denmark July 13 of that year.

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

Volbeat's album Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood (2008) topped the Finnish Album Chart straight after its publication.

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, 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"

Lyrics

Volbeat's lyrics usually revolve around love, failed love or the power of a twisted mind. They thereby distance themselves from stereotypical 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. In it, the band is seen with a classic microphone on top of a city roof.

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 runs 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"

Lineup

*Michael Poulsen - Vocals, guitar (ex-Dominus)
*Thomas Bredahl - Guitar (since December 2006, also in Danish punkrock band Gob Squad)
*Anders Kjølholm - Bass
*Jon Larsen - DrumsFormer members:

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

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. [http://www.steppeulv.dk/] .
*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. [http://www.dr.dk/P3/P3Guld/2007/nominerede/20061011094629.htm]

Discography

Demos

*"Volbeat", 2002
*"Beat the Meat", 2003

Albums

*"The Strength / The Sound / The Songs", 2005
*"Rock the Rebel / Metal the Devil", 2007
*"Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood", 2008

DVDs

*"Sold Out", 2008

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.

External links

* [http://www.volbeat.dk/ Official website]
* [http://www.myspace.com/volbeat Official My Space Site]
* [http://www.purevolume.com/volbeat More Volbeat mp3 streams]
* [http://www.volbeatforum.dk]