Draft:Custard (German Band)

Custard is a power metal band from Herne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

History
Custard was founded at the end of 1987 by Chris Klapper, Marc Weißgräber, Jens Schröder und Dirk Müller. It was originally formed as a side project under the name A.M.F. (short for Alcoholic Metal Front). Initially, the band's focus was mainly on "drunken revelry and partying," but this changed with the replacement of some of the musicians. The musical quality increased enormously as a result, so that the name Custard quickly became synonymous with good thrash metal on a local level. In the further development of the band, the stylistic direction changed drastically and they were labeled power metal by the press.

With demo tapes (for example Signa Inferre), in-house productions (including the God of Storm EP) and good live performances, the band convinced the underground press, and the leading magazines in the metal scene also reported on Custard's development.

Following a tour of Germany in support of Skyclad, the band recorded their first album Kingdoms of Your Life, which was released in 1998 via Point Music. The second album For My King was released two years later on B.O. Records, a sub-label of Last Episode. Custard switched to Mausoleum Records for the third album Wheels of Time in 2005. The album was promoted in Germany, particularly on Sabaton's Attero Dominatus tour.

The fourth album Forces Remain was also released in 2008 via Pure Steel Records, once again on a new label. The Austrian online magazine Stormbringer.at described the album as "material worth listening to [...] that should be a real find for fans of true, heavy and power metal." Four years later, Custard released their fifth album Infested By Anger for the first time on the same record label. In the Metal.de review, the quality level was described as "quite high."

A Realm of Tales presented itself as the logical successor in 2017. With a fairy tale concept, its atmospheric songs drew the listener into fantastic stories.

The 2021 output Imperium Rapax was dedicated to brutal stories surrounding the Roman Empire. Legionnaires and gladiators provided a martial theme, interspersed with melancholic aspects.

Albums

 * 1993: Signa Inferre (Demo)
 * 1996: God of Storm (EP, self-produced)
 * 1998: Kingdoms of Your Life (Album, Point Music)
 * 2000: For My King (Album, B.O. Records)
 * 2005: Wheels of Time (Album, Mausoleum Records)
 * 2008: Forces Remain (Album, Pure Steel Records)
 * 2012: Infested by Anger (Album, Pure Steel Records)
 * 2017: A Realm of Tales (Album, Pure Steel Records)
 * 2021: Imperium Rapax (Album, Pure Steel Records)

Samplers

 * 1995: Metal Gear Title: "God of Storm"
 * 1999: Premiere / Der Herne-Sampler Title : "Freedom for All"
 * 2000: Off Road Tracks Vol. 38 Title : "I know You"
 * 2000: A Tribute to the Scorpions Title : "Send me an Angel"
 * 2000: A Tribute to ABBA Title : "Super Trouper"
 * 2001: A Tribute to Accept Vol. 2 Title : "Aiming High"
 * 2007: A Tribute to Angel Witch Title : "Frontal Assault"
 * 2008: Tribute to Steel / A Tribute to Warlock Title : "Metal Tango"
 * 2009: ReUnation / A Tribute to Running Wild Title : "Under Jolly Roger"
 * 2010: The Crimson Covers / A Tribute to W.A.S.P. Title : "9.5 Nasty"