Elegy are a

Dutch Dutch or Nederlands commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands ** Dutch people as an ethnic group () ** Dutch nationality law, history and regulations of Dutch citizenship () ** Dutch language () * In specific terms, i ...

power metal Power metal is a subgenre of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional heavy metal with speed metal, often within a symphonic context. Generally, power metal is characterized by a faster, lighter, and more uplifting sound, in co ...

band, founded in 1986 in

Eindhoven Eindhoven ( ; ) is a city and List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality of the Netherlands, located in the southern Provinces of the Netherlands, province of North Brabant, of which it is the largest municipality, and is also locat ...

. Their music is characterized by the fusion of power and

progressive metal Progressive metal (often shortened to prog metal) is a broad fusion music genre melding heavy metal music, heavy metal and progressive rock, combining the loud "aggression" and amplified electric guitar, guitar-driven sound of the former with t ...

, which made them the pioneers of the 'progressive power metal' subgenre. The band was plagued by a continuing changing roster, which counts in the current line-up only one founding member. Elegy have currently suspended any recording or live activity......Sep 6 2024, Elegy played at ProgPower USA.

History

The band was formed in 1986 by guitarists Hank van de Laars and Arno van Brussel, who recruited the first stable line-up of Elegy with vocalist Chris Terheijden, bassist Martin Helmantel and Bert Burgers on drums. In 1986, the new band won a competition organized by the German magazine ''

Metal Hammer ''Metal Hammer'' is a heavy metal music magazine and website founded in 1983, published in the United Kingdom by Future, with other language editions published by different companies available in numerous other countries. ''Metal Hammer'' featu ...

'' and

Polydor Records Polydor Limited, also known as Polydor Records, is a British record label that operates as part of Universal Music Group. It has a close relationship with Universal's Interscope Geffen A&M Records label, which distributes Polydor's releases in ...

and recorded their first demo ''Metricide''. After recording their second demo, ''Better Than Bells'', the band had already become known enough to tour with

Angel Witch Angel Witch are a British heavy metal band which formed in London in 1976, recognised as one of the pioneering groups of the new wave of British heavy metal (NWOBHM). Originally established as Lucifer by guitarist and vocalist Kevin Heybour ...

Paul Di'Anno Paul Andrews (17 May 1958 – 21 October 2024), better known by his stage name Paul Di'Anno, was an English Heavy metal music, heavy metal singer who was the lead vocalist for Iron Maiden from 1978 to 1981. In his post-Maiden career, Di'Anno ...

’s Battlezone, Hellion and

King Diamond Kim Bendix Petersen (born 14 June 1956), better known by his stage name King Diamond, is a Danish rock musician. As a vocalist, he is known for his powerful and wide-ranging countertenor singing voice, in particular his far-reaching falsetto s ...

. The following year came the first changes in the band:

Ed Warby Edward R. Warby (born 7 March 1968) is a Dutch musician, best known as the drummer for death metal band Gorefest and progressive rock/metal project Ayreon. He also appeared in the band Agressor in 1982 and joined the Eindhoven-based metal band ...

and Eduard Hovinga joined the band on drums and vocals. This line-up recorded a third demo called ''Elegant Solution''. In 1992 they recorded their first album (''Labyrinth of Dreams'') and ensured a contract with the German label Shark Records. The album was a success in Japan where it reached number 42 in the album charts. Soon after the release of the album in 1993, Ed Warby left the band to join

Gorefest Gorefest was a Dutch death metal band from Goes, Zeeland. It was founded in 1989 by Jan-Chris de Koeijer, Frank Harthoorn, Alex van Schaik and Marc Hoogendoorn. Career Early works (1989-1994) Within two months of its formation, Gorefest r ...

and drummer Serge Meeuwsen was hired for a Japanese tour, along keyboard player Ton van de Stroom. Back from Japan, Meeuwsen, van de Stroom and founding member Arno van Brussel left Elegy, to be replaced by drummer

Dirk Bruinenberg Dirk Bruinenberg (born 21 August 1968) is a Dutch musician known as the former drummer of several European progressive metal and power metal bands, including: Elegy, Ian Parry's Consortium Project and Adagio. He is often recognized for his i ...

and guitarist Gilbert Pot. In the spring of 1994, Elegy released their second studio album, ''Supremacy'', which received little promotion by their record label and was supported only by a small tour with Annihilator,

Phantom Blue Phantom Blue was an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, formed in 1987. Phantom Blue were the first and only female artists to be signed to Mike Varney's Shrapnel Records, only three months after forming. History Formation and main ca ...

The Gathering The Gathering may refer to: Film and television * ''The Gathering'' (1977 film), an American television film directed by Randal Kleiser * The Gathering (1998 film), an American thriller film directed by Danny Carrales * ''The Gathering'' (2003 ...

and Gorefest. In the summer of 1995, the album ''Lost'' is presented to the public, with new keyboard player Gerrit Hager. But shortly before going on tour with

Yngwie Malmsteen Yngwie Johan Malmsteen (; born Lars Johan Yngve Lannerbäck, on 30 June 1963) is a Swedish-American guitarist. He first became known in the 1980s for his neoclassical metal, neoclassical playing style in heavy metal music, heavy metal, and has ...

, Hovinga, Pot and Hager left the band. At the same the German record company Modern Music, home of T&T and

Noise Records Noise Records is a German heavy metal record label founded in 1983 by German music industry personality Karl-Ulrich Walterbach as an expansion of his company Modern Music Records. It was sold to the Sanctuary Records Group in 2001 and ceased an ...

, offered the band a lucrative contract. The following year, vocalist Ian Parry (ex-Hammerhead) joined the band and recorded the EP ''Primal Instinct'', which contains acoustic versions of old Elegy songs. The album '' State of Mind'' saw the light in May 1997 with good reviews and sales, both in Europe and Japan. Elegy went on a European tour with the Finnish band

Stratovarius Stratovarius is a Finnish power metal band. Formed in 1984, they have released sixteen studio albums, six DVDs and six live albums. The band's line-up has changed many times, with no founding member left since the departure of drummer Tuomo ...

to support the new album. Chris Allister joined on keyboards for the

concept album A concept album is an album whose tracks hold a larger purpose or meaning collectively than they do individually. This is typically achieved through a single central narrative or theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, or lyrical. Som ...

''Manifestation of Fear'', released in the summer of 1998. The band co-headlined a European tour with American

band

Kamelot Kamelot is an American power metal band from Tampa, Florida, formed by Thomas Youngblood in 1987. The Norwegian vocalist Roy Khan joined for the album '' Siége Perilous'', and shared songwriting credit with Youngblood until his departure in A ...

the same year. After the tour in 1999, Parry started his side-project Consortium with Bruinenberg on drums. At the end of the year founding member Henk van de Laars and Chris Allister left Elegy. French guitar virtuoso

Patrick Rondat Patrick Rondat (born 12 October 1960) is a French guitarist. He plays instrumental heavy metal associated with diverse influences such as new-age music, progressive metal, classical music and jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated ...

joined the band during the same year and recorded Elegy's eight album ''

Forbidden Fruit In Abrahamic religions, forbidden fruit is a name given to the fruit growing in the Garden of Eden that God commands mankind Taboo#In religion and mythology, not to eat. In the biblical story, Adam and Eve eat the fruit from the tree of the know ...

'', released on September 18, 2000 and well received by critics. ''Forbidden Fruit'' was the last album released for Modern Music, leaving the band without a recording contract for more than a year. Meanwhile, the band members worked on side-projects or as touring and session musicians Two years later Elegy released ''Principles of Pain'' with the Spanish label Locomotive Records. Since then the band have not published any more albums and is currently on hiatus. Ian Parry said in a 2012 interview that he would like to make one more Elegy album, if a record company would be prepared to invest in it. Guitar Player Henk van der Laars wrote an album full of songs but more effort is needed to get it ready. On Friday April 1st of 2023 news broke of the band's reunion, following relentless speculations. Reuniting in their strongest line-up, the band sees the return of their cherished founding member, guitarist Henk v/d Laars after decades of absence. Rumor has it the band reunited by popular demand and request of musicians globally. Helmantel joined ranks of Headless featuring Dario Parente and Walter Cianciusi and both guitarists are fans of Elegy's work. They sparked the flame, as did guitarist Bill Hudson ( I am Morbid, Doro,

Northtale NorthTale is an American power metal band formed in late 2017 and currently lined up by guitarist Bill Hudson, vocalist Guilherme Hirose, drummer Patrick Johansson, bassist Mikael Planefeldt and keyboardist Jimmy Pitts. The band teased their de ...

), mentioning recently Elegy as a huge inspiration. Upon news dropping, Helmantel and Parry are touring with Headless supporting

Geoff Tate Geoff Tate (born Jeffrey Wayne Tate, January 14, 1959; he later changed his first name to Geoffery or Geoffrey) (Pp. 11, 48). is an American singer and songwriter. He rose to fame with the progressive metal band Queensrÿche, who had commercial ...

on his 35th anniversary tour for 'Operation: Mindcrime', performing an inspired version of Elegy's praised classic "Visual Vortex".

Discography

Albums

* Demo 86 - (1986) Demo * Better Than Bells - (1987) Demo * Elegant Solution - (1988) Demo * Labyrinth Of Dreams - (1990) Demo * '' Labyrinth of Dreams'' (1992) * '' Supremacy'' (1994) * '' Lost'' (1995) * ''Primal Instinct'' (EP) (1996) * '' State of Mind'' (1997) * '' Manifestation of Fear'' (1998) * ''

'' (2000) * '' Principles of Pain'' (2002)

Band members

Current members

*Ian Parry -

vocals Singing is the art of creating music with the voice. It is the oldest form of musical expression, and the human voice can be considered the first musical instrument. The definition of singing varies across sources. Some sources define sing ...

(1995–present) *Henk van der Laars -

guitar The guitar is a stringed musical instrument that is usually fretted (with Fretless guitar, some exceptions) and typically has six or Twelve-string guitar, twelve strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming ...

s (1986-1999, 2023–present) *Gilbert Pot -

keyboard Keyboard may refer to: Text input * Keyboard, part of a typewriter * Computer keyboard ** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping ** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware Music * Mus ...

s (1993–1995, 2023–present) *Martin Helmantel -

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Wood * Bass or basswood, the wood of the tilia americana tree Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in th ...

(1987–present) *Dirk Bruinenberg -

drums The drum is a member of the percussion instrument, percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel–Sachs classification system, it is a membranophones, membranophone. Drums consist of at least one Acoustic membrane, membrane, c ...

(1993-2002, 2023–present)

Former members

*Arno Van Brussel - guitars (1986–1993) *Chris Terheijden - vocals (1986–1989) *Bert Burgers - drums (1986–1988) *

- drums (1988–1993) *Eduard Hovinga - vocals (1990–1995) *Serge Meeuwsen - drums (1993) * Ton van de Stroom - keyboards (1992–1993) *Gerrit Hager - keyboards (1995) *Chris Allister - keyboards (1998–1999) *

- guitars (1999–2002) *Bart Bisseling - drums (2002)

Timeline

References

External links

Encyclopaedia Metallum entryIan Parry/Elegy/Consortium Project website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Elegy Dutch power metal musical groups Dutch progressive metal musical groups Musical groups established in 1986 1986 establishments in the Netherlands Dutch musical quintets Locomotive Music artists