Haggard (band)

Haggard is a German symphonic metal band founded in 1989. The group combines classical music and early music with death doom metal.

History
Haggard was founded in 1989 and originally played death metal. 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.

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.

In 2004, they released their third album Eppur Si Muove 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. In 2021 the album was elected by Metal Hammer as the 23rd best symphonic metal album.

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 19 April 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.

Demos

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

Live

 * Awaking the Gods: Live in Mexico (2001)

DVDs and videos

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

Current members

 * Asis Nasseri – vocals, guitar (1991–present)
 * Giacomo Astorri – bass
 * Janika Groß – soprano
 * Frank Schumacher – tenor vocals
 * Claudio Quarta – guitar
 * Aline Deinert – violin
 * Ivica Kramheller – double bass
 * Lisa Hellmich – viola
 * Anne Eberlein – viola
 * Cosmin Nechita – violin
 * Johannes Schleiermacher – violoncello (cello)
 * Florinda Hoffmann – violoncello (cello)
 * Hans Wolf – piano, keyboards, organ, harpsichord
 * Ingrid Nietzer – piano, keyboards
 * Maurizio Guolo – drums, percussion (2012–present)
 * Stefana Sabau – oboe
 * Catalina Popa – flute
 * Veronika Kramheller - soprano
 * Michel Schumm - drums, percussion
 * Michel Stapf - violin

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
 * Ally Storch-Hukriede – violin

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.