Biography
Alex Holzwarth was born in Landshut, West Germany. He started playing drums at the age of ten. The first instrument that he bought was a Troyan Drum with Paiste hi-hats. His first drumming teacher was Seppl Niemeyer.
Landshut is a town in Bavaria in the south-east of Germany. Situated on the banks of the River Isar, Landshut is the capital of Lower Bavaria, one of the seven administrative regions of the Free State of Bavaria. It is also the seat of the surrounding district, and has a population of more than 70,000. Landshut is the largest city in Lower Bavaria, followed by Passau and Straubing, and Eastern Bavaria's second biggest city.
West Germany is the common English name for the Federal Republic of Germany in the period between its creation on 23 May 1949 and German reunification on 3 October 1990. During this Cold War era, NATO-aligned West Germany and Warsaw Pact-aligned East Germany were divided by the Inner German border. After 1961 West Berlin was physically separated from East Berlin as well as from East Germany by the Berlin Wall. This situation ended when East Germany was dissolved and split into five states, which then joined the ten states of the Federal Republic of Germany along with the reunified city-state of Berlin. With the reunification of West and East Germany, the Federal Republic of Germany, enlarged now to sixteen states, became known simply as "Germany". This period is referred to as the Bonn Republic by historians, alluding to the interwar Weimar Republic and the post-reunification Berlin Republic.
Paiste is a Swiss-based Estonian manufacturer and designer of cymbals. It is the world's third largest manufacturer of cymbals, gongs, and metal percussion. Paiste is an Estonian and Finnish word that means "shine". Their eponymous sunrise can be seen in the logos for their 2002 line and their Twenty line.
In 2000, he joined Italian symphonic/power metal band Rhapsody Of Fire (that time still known as Rhapsody) with the release of Dawn of Victory , succeeding Daniele Carbonera. After the departure of Luca Turilli he has taken part also in his new project Luca Turilli's Rhapsody and played on its first album Ascending to Infinity , but left them in 2012 to focus on Rhapsody of Fire. On 9 October 2016 he has announced his departure from the band "to pursue other projects to work on". From November 2016 to March 2018, he joined Turilli and his former bandmates for Rhapsody's 20th Anniversary Farewell Tour. In December 2018, he was announced as the drummer for Turilli and Lione's new band Turilli / Lione Rhapsody.
Symphonic metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music which combines the heavy drums and guitars of metal with different elements of orchestral classical music, such as symphonic instruments, choirs and sometimes a full orchestra. Keyboards reminiscent of power metal are also sometimes featured.
Power metal is a subgenre of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional heavy metal with speed metal, often within symphonic context. Generally, power metal is characterized by a faster, lighter, and more uplifting sound, in contrast with the heaviness and dissonance prevalent for example in extreme metal. Power metal bands usually have anthem-like songs with fantasy-based subject matter and strong choruses, thus creating a theatrical, dramatic and emotionally "powerful" sound. The term was first used in the middle of the 1980s and refers to two different but related styles: the first pioneered and largely practiced in North America with a harder sound similar to speed metal, and a later more widespread and popular style based in Europe, South America and Japan, with a lighter, more melodic sound and frequent use of keyboards.
Dawn of Victory is the third studio album released by Rhapsody in 2000. Like the previous albums, it centers on the story of Algalord and The Emerald Sword Saga. It was produced and engineered by Sascha Paeth and Miro. It is also the first album to feature drummer Alex Holzwarth.
In 2001, Alex was a session drummer for Tobias Sammet's symphonic/power metal opera Avantasia. The Metal Opera features many musicians from the power metal scene, but Holzwarth is credited for all drums in the first two Avantasia releases (with the exception of track 10 on The Metal Opera Part II ). He also served as session drummer for several songs on Avantasia albums The Wicked Symphony and Angel of Babylon (released in April 2010).
Tobias Sammet is a German musician, singer, songwriter and music producer best known for being the founder of the metal opera project Avantasia and singer and primary songwriter of the power metal band Edguy.
Avantasia is a German supergroup metal opera project created by Tobias Sammet, vocalist of the band Edguy. It has been characterized as a rock opera, as it features the contributions of various vocalists and musicians and it consists of concept albums. The name is a portmanteau of the words "avalon" and "fantasia" ("fantasy") and describes "a world beyond human imagination".
The Metal Opera is the first full-length album by Tobias Sammet's supergroup project, Avantasia. It is a concept album and a rock opera, and further information on the story can be found here. The album is followed by the sequel The Metal Opera Part II.
He played with his brother in many bands together, among them the German progressive metal band Sieges Even (until the band's separation in 2008), Paradox, but also Rhapsody Of Fire.
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central and Western Europe, lying between the Baltic and North Seas to the north, and the Alps to the south. It borders Denmark to the north, Poland and the Czech Republic to the east, Austria and Switzerland to the south, France to the southwest, and Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands to the west.
Progressive metal is a fusion genre melding heavy metal and progressive rock that combines the loud "aggression" and amplified guitar-driven sound of the former with the more experimental, cerebral or "pseudo-classical" compositions of the latter.
Sieges Even was a progressive metal band from Munich, Germany. The band was originally formed under the name Sodom in the early 1980s, released their first demo in 1983, and adopted the name Sieges Even in 1985.
Another notable features as a touring or session musician include Angra, Dol Ammad, Looking-Glass-Self, Hexfire and Pergana.
Angra is a Brazilian heavy metal band formed in 1991 that has gone through some line-up changes since its foundation. They have released eight regular studio albums, five EPs and three live CD/DVDs to date. Led by Rafael Bittencourt, the band has gained a degree of popularity in Japan and Europe.
Dol Ammad is a heavy metal band formed in 2000 by Greek keyboard player Thanasis Lightbridge. Dol Ammad is characterizeded with instrumentation which layers conventional metal instrumentation, synthesizers, and the vocal support of a fourteen-member four-part choir. Lightbridge describes his music as "electronica art metal" and cites electronic music pioneers Jean Michel Jarre and Vangelis as key influences. The band derives its name from a fuel refinery in the computer game Descent 3.
Power of the Dragonflame is the fifth studio album released by Rhapsody. It was released on 23 April 2002 by Limb Music. It is the last chapter in the Emerald Sword Saga.
Fabio Tordiglione, known professionally as Fabio Lione, is an Italian singer and lyricist who has worked with many bands in the power metal genre. He is the current lead vocalist of Angra. He was also notably the singer of Italian power metal band Rhapsody of Fire for 21 years, as well as the original singer of Labyrinth and Vision Divine.
Legendary Tales is the first studio album by the symphonic power metal band Rhapsody. It was released in 1997 on Limb Music. The album is the beginning of the Emerald Sword Saga.
"The Magic of the Wizard's Dream" is the third single recorded by Italian symphonic power metal band Rhapsody, released in 2005.
Live in Canada 2005: The Dark Secret, released in 2006, is the first live album by the symphonic power metal band Rhapsody. It was recorded on 14 June 2005 at the "Metropolis" in Montreal, Canada, during the first part of the Demons, Dragons and Warriors World Tour.
Triumph or Agony is the seventh album studio released by Rhapsody of Fire in Europe on 25 September 2006.
It is the first album that the band released after their name change.
Luca Turilli is an Italian musician and songwriter. He is one of the founders of the symphonic power metal band Rhapsody of Fire. He also worked on a trilogy of solo albums as Luca Turilli, and released one album under the name of Luca Turilli's Dreamquest, a project he worked on alongside Dominique Leurquin. In 2008, Luca began an online guitar course titled Luca Turilli's Neoclassical Revelation. The course takes its name from his neoclassical playing style.
Luca Turilli was the self-named German symphonic power metal musical project of Italian guitarist, keyboardist and songwriter Luca Turilli, from band Rhapsody of Fire, originally assembled in 1999.
Oliver Holzwarth is a German bass guitarist. Oliver is best known as the live/studio bass player for Blind Guardian between 1998 and 2012, and as an official member of Rhapsody of Fire from 2010 to 2014. His brother, drummer Alex Holzwarth, was also a member of Rhapsody of Fire. Moreover, he is a member of the side project Coldseed.
The Frozen Tears of Angels is the eighth album studio by the Italian symphonic power metal band Rhapsody of Fire. It was released on April 30, 2010 via Nuclear Blast. It is the first album to be released after a long hiatus, caused by a legal dispute with the band's previous label, Magic Circle Music. The concept album is the third chapter of The Dark Secret Saga, which began with Symphony of Enchanted Lands II: The Dark Secret.
Luca Turilli's Rhapsody was an Italian Symphonic power metal band created and led by Luca Turilli after his split from Rhapsody of Fire, also including German, French and Finnish members. The band members referred their style as "Cinematic metal" to underline Luca Turilli's passion for the world of cinema and the soundtracks, yet the main influence of his new artistic proposal.
Ascending to Infinity is the first studio album by Italian symphonic power metal band Luca Turilli's Rhapsody, created by Luca Turilli after his departure from Rhapsody of Fire. It was released in June 22, 2012 via Nuclear Blast
Dark Wings of Steel is the tenth full-length studio album by the Italian symphonic power metal band Rhapsody of Fire. It was released on December 12, 2013 in Europe and December 31, 2013 in the United States via AFM Records. Following the various line-up changes since the previous album From Chaos to Eternity in 2011, Dark Wings of Steel is the first album of the band to not feature guitarist and founding member Luca Turilli, the first with guitarist Roby De Micheli, and the only with bass guitarist Oliver Holzwarth.
Prometheus, Symphonia Ignis Divinus is the second and final studio album by Italian symphonic power metal band Luca Turilli's Rhapsody, created by Luca Turilli after his departure from Rhapsody of Fire. It was released on June 19, 2015 via Nuclear Blast.
Into the Legend is the eleventh studio album by the Italian symphonic power metal band Rhapsody of Fire. It was released on 15 January 2016 via AFM Records.
The 20th Anniversary Farewell Tour was a concert tour by former members of Rhapsody. It was announced on November 21, 2016 by ex-Rhapsody members Luca Turilli, Fabio Lione, Patrice Guers, Dominique Leurquin and Alex Holzwarth. It celebrated the 20th anniversary of Legendary Tales and had a number of their classic hits played at their shows, along with Symphony of Enchanted Lands in its entirety.
Legendary Years is a compilation album by Italian symphonic power metal band Rhapsody of Fire. It consists of re-recorded versions of songs from The Emerald Sword Saga, a five concept albums-long story started in their first album Legendary Tales in 1997 and concluded in Power of the Dragonflame in 2002.
Turilli / Lione Rhapsody is an Italian symphonic power metal band formed on December 5, 2018 by Luca Turilli and Fabio Lione, which also includes Alex Holzwarth, Patrice Guers, and Dominique Leurquin, which is the same lineup that performed on the 20th Anniversary Farewell Tour. On the same day that the band formed, the band started a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo to fund their debut studio album.
