Evil Masquerade is a Scandinavian band formed in 2003. Their wide range of musical influences make them difficult to categorize. Evil Masquerade themselves claim to be playing 'Devilish Rock'n'Roll'. But since that is a self-invented genre they are usually filed under heavy metal by the music industry.

History

Evil Masquerade was founded 2003 in

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...

by Swedish guitarist

Henrik Flyman Henrik Flyman (born on September 6 in Sundsvall, Sweden) is a composer, guitarist and producer. He is active in the bands Lacrimosa, Evil Masquerade and his own solo career. Biography Henrik Flyman is best known as a touring and recording music ...

(

Lacrimosa The ''Lacrimosa'' (Latin for " weeping/tearful"), also a name that derives from ''Our Lady of Sorrows'', a title given to The Virgin Mary, is part of the Dies Irae sequence in the Roman Catholic Requiem Mass. Its text comes from the Latin 18th an ...

, ex-

Wuthering Heights ''Wuthering Heights'' is an 1847 novel by Emily Brontë, initially published under her pen name Ellis Bell. It concerns two families of the landed gentry living on the West Yorkshire moorland, moors, the Earnshaws and the Lintons, and their tur ...

, ex-

Moahni Moahna Moahni Moahna is a Swedish band that was created in the early 1990s by guitarist Henrik Flyman (Evil Masquerade, Lacrimosa, Wuthering Heights, ZooL) and guitarist Tommy Rehn. They wrote and performed their own brand of hard rock/heavy metal that w ...

, ex-

ZooL ''Zool: Ninja of the Nth Dimension'' is a platform game written for the Amiga by Gremlin Graphics and published in 1992. It was marketed as a rival to Sega's '' Sonic the Hedgehog''. ''Zool'' was ported to other platforms and followed by '' ...

). Together with drummer Dennis Buhl (ex-

Hatesphere Hatesphere is a Danish thrash metal band from Aarhus, formed in 2000 by guitarist Peter "Pepe" Hansen. As of 2016, the band consists of vocalist Esben "Esse" Elnegaard Kjaer Hansen, guitarists Peter "Pepe" Lyse Hansen, and Kasper Kirkegaard, ba ...

), bass player Kasper Gram and vocalist

Henrik Brockmann Henrik Brockmann (born Henrik Aalborg Brockmann; 24 November 1967) is a Danish heavy metal singer. He started singing at the age of 13 in local school bands. He released his first album 1992 with the Danish band Royal Hunt and was replaced 1994 ...

(ex-

Royal Hunt Royal Hunt is a Danish progressive metal band. The band was founded in 1989 by keyboardist André Andersen in order to combine basic values of classic rock with progressive, current musical elements. The name originated from a painting seen i ...

) they set off to record the band's debut album that was released early 2004 under the name '' Welcome to the Show''. It almost immediately received worldwide recognition and made the charts in Japan at # 8. One year later it was followed up with their second album ''

Theatrical Madness ''Theatrical Madness'' is the second full-length album by the Danish band Evil Masquerade. Track listing #When Satan Calls - 3:53 #Theatrical Madness - 5:11 #Bozo the Clown - 4:38 #Now When Our Stars Are Fading - 6:32 #A Great Day To Die - 4:21 ...

''. A couple of line up changes took place and new singer Apollo Papathanasio (

Spiritual Beggars Spiritual Beggars is a stoner metal band from Halmstad, Sweden, formed by Michael Amott, who is known from Arch Enemy, Carcass and Carnage. The band is heavily influenced by 1970s hard rock and incorporates elements of psychedelia into its ...

, ex-

Firewind Firewind is a Greek power metal band formed in Thessaloniki in 1998. The group is currently signed to Century Media Records and was originally a small project created by guitarist Gus G. to showcase his demo, ''Nocturnal Symphony'', in 1998. ...

, ex-

Time Requiem Time Requiem is a Swedish neoclassical power metal band created by Richard Andersson in 2001.Time Requiem
" Encyclop ...

) and bass player Thor Jeppesen entered the studio with Flyman and Buhl to record the album ''Third Act''. This album took the band to a new level of fame when it was re-released in 2007 in the US, one year after the original release in Europe and Asia. The fourth studio album ''Fade To Black'' saw yet another change in the line-up with only Henrik Flyman and Apollo Papathanasio remaining from the previous album. New members were drummer Daniel Flores (

The Murder of My Sweet The Murder of My Sweet is a Swedish metal band, based in Stockholm and founded in 2007. Band history The Murder of My Sweet was founded in Stockholm in 2007 by drummer and producer Daniel Flores. It consists of Angelica Rylin (vocals), Patrik ...

, Mind's Eye, Tears of Anger,

) and bass player

Johan Niemann Johan Wilhelm Niemann (born 26 June 1977) is a Swedish musician best known as the current bassist of Evergrey and for co-founding the band Mind's Eye. He was also a member of Swedish heavy metal band Therion and Scandinavian metal band Evil Ma ...

( Therion,

Evergrey Evergrey is a Swedish progressive metal band from Gothenburg. History Evergrey was formed in 1995 in Gothenburg, Sweden as a progressive power metal band, in contrast to the melodic death metal that Gothenburg is known for. Since then, the ban ...

, Hubi Meisel, Demonoid, Mind's Eye). Flyman spent 2010 composing songs for the band's fifth album ''Pentagram'' that was released in May 2012. The recordings took place during 2011 and involved Flyman once again teaming up with the same members as on the band's third release: Papathanasio, Buhl and Jeppesen; together with the latest addition to the line-up, the band's first permanent keyboard player, Artur Meinild. In 2013 it was announced that Papathanasio was no longer in the band and that he had been replaced by Tobias Jansson from Sweden. Tobias' first and only recording with Evil Masquerade was their sixth studio album, ''

The Digital Crucifix Evil Masquerade is a Scandinavian band formed in 2003. Their wide range of musical influences make them difficult to categorize. Evil Masquerade themselves claim to be playing 'Devilish Rock'n'Roll'. But since that is a self-invented genre they ar ...

'', which was released worldwide on 22 April 2014 by Dark Minstrel Music. Evil Masquerade did not immediately introduce a new singer after parting ways with Jansson. Instead they chose to record their seventh studio album ''

The Outcast Hall of Fame ''The Outcast Hall Of Fame'' is the seventh full-length album by the Swedish/Danish band Evil Masquerade. Track listing All songs written by Henrik Flyman except '' Märk Hur Vår Skugga'' which was written by Carl Michael Bellman. Personnel ; ...

'' with 5 vocalists (

Mats Levén Mats Leven is a Swedish singer. Some of his most notable collaborations have been with guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen, symphonic metallers Therion and doom metallers Candlemass. In 2011, due to family issues on the part of Firewind's lead singer A ...

, Rick Altzi, Apollo Papathanasio, Nicklas Sonne and

). Included on the album is a revised version of the song

Märk hur vår skugga Märk hur vår skugga (Mark how our shadow) is one of the best-known of the 1790 ''Fredman's Epistles'', where it is No. 81. These were written and performed by Carl Michael Bellman, the dominant figure in the Swedish song tradition. Its subject ...

by the Swedish poet, songwriter, composer

Carl Michael Bellman Carl Michael Bellman (; 4 February 1740 – 11 February 1795) was a Swedish songwriter, composer, musician, poet and entertainer. He is a central figure in the Swedish song tradition and remains a powerful influence in Swedish music, as well ...

(4 February 1740 – 11 February 1795). The album was released worldwide by Dark Minstrel Music on 19 May 2016. Shortly after the release Sonne was announced as the band's live vocalist and one month later he became a permanent part of the lineup.

Awards

In 2009 Henrik Flyman and Evil Masquerade won the JPF Music Awards (USA) in the category Best Metal Song with "Bozo the Clown".

Charity

During 2011 Henrik Flyman got involved with "Metal for Cancer", a charity organization founded by Richard Ofsoski to raise funds for the Australian Cancer Research Foundation. Flyman wrote the song "Let's Unite in Rock" that was performed by various artists under the name The MFC Dragon Slayer All Star Project. This band included all members from Evil Masquerade (except for Dennis Buhl) as well as Richard Ofsoski,

( Therion,

Yngwie Malmsteen Yngwie Johan Malmsteen ( ; born Lars Johan Yngve Lannerbäck, 30 June 1963) is a Swedish guitarist. He first became known in the 1980s for his neoclassical playing style in heavy metal, and has released 22 studio albums in a career spanning ov ...

Peter Wildoer Karl Peter Wildoer is a Swedish musician who is the drummer for Darkane, Electrocution 250 and Grimmark. He has also drummed for the bands Armageddon, Majestic, Pestilence, Silver Seraph, Arch Enemy, Time Requiem, Soilwork, Gardens of Obscuri ...

(

James LaBrie Kevin James LaBrie (born May 5, 1963) is a Canadian singer, best known as the lead singer of American progressive metal band Dream Theater, which he has been fronting since 1991. Early life Kevin James LaBrie was born in Penetanguishene, Ontar ...

Darkane Darkane is a Swedish metal band that originated in Helsingborg in 1998. Their music contains ample thrash elements interspersed with acoustic interludes and symphonic features, such as the in-studio use of synthesizers and occasionally full orc ...

, ex-

Time Requiem Time Requiem is a Swedish neoclassical power metal band created by Richard Andersson in 2001.Time Requiem
" Encyclop ...

Snowy Shaw Snowy Shaw (born Tommie Mike Christer Helgesson on 25 July 1968) is a Swedish heavy metal musician (primarily a drummer) based in the port city of Gothenburg in the west coast of Sweden. He has played with many heavy metal bands, like King Dia ...

( Therion,

Mercyful Fate Mercyful Fate is a Danish heavy metal band from Copenhagen, formed in 1981 by vocalist King Diamond and guitarist Hank Shermann. Influenced by progressive rock and hard rock, and with lyrics dealing with Satan and the occult, Mercyful Fate w ...

Dream Evil Dream Evil is a Swedish heavy metal band, assembled by producer Fredrik Nordström in 1999. History Producer Fredrik Nordström had the ambition of creating a power metal band of his own for a long time, but had difficulty finding anyone ...

Tony Kakko Toni Kristian "Tony" Kakko (born 16 May 1975) is a Finnish musician, composer and vocalist. He is known as the vocalist, primary songwriter, and creative lead of the band Sonata Arctica since 1996. Biography Kakko was born in Kemi, Finland and ...

(

Sonata Arctica Sonata Arctica is a Finnish power metal band from the town of Kemi, Finland. Created as a hard rock band named Tricky Beans, they later changed to Tricky Means and finally to Sonata Arctica, when they shifted to power metal. The current lineup ...

Glen Drover Glen Drover (born May 25, 1969) is a Canadian heavy metal guitarist from Ottawa, Ontario. He is best known as the former lead guitarist of Megadeth and King Diamond, along with his brother Shawn Drover who also performed with Megadeth. Histor ...

(

Megadeth Megadeth is an American thrash metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1983 by vocalist/guitarist Dave Mustaine. Known for their technically complex guitar work and musicianship, Megadeth is one of the "big four" of American thrash metal along wit ...

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 ...

) and Tony Mills (

TNT Trinitrotoluene (), more commonly known as TNT, more specifically 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, and by its preferred IUPAC name 2-methyl-1,3,5-trinitrobenzene, is a chemical compound with the formula C6H2(NO2)3CH3. TNT is occasionally used as a reagen ...

, Shy) just to name a few.

Members

- guitar (2003–present) *Nicklas Sonne - vocals (2016–present) *Thor Jeppesen - bass (2005–2008, 2010–present) *Artur Meinild - keyboard (2011–present)

Former members

* Apollo Papathanasio - vocals (2005–2013) *Daniel Flores - drums (2008–2010) *

- bass (2008–2010) *Tobias Jansson - vocals (2013–2014) *Kasper Gram - bass (2003–2005) *

- vocals (2003–2005) *Dennis Buhl - drums (2003–2008, 2010–2016)

Guests

Tony Carey Anthony Lawrence Carey (born October 16, 1953, Watsonville, California) is an American-born, European-based musician, composer, producer, and singer/songwriter. One of his earliest musical experiences was as a keyboardist for Rainbow. After his ...

- keyboard (2008) * David Rosenthal - keyboard (2006) *

Mats Olausson Mats Johan Olausson (17 April 1961 – 18 February 2015) was a Swedish keyboard player known from bands such as Yngwie Malmsteen, Ark, Evil Masquerade, Kamelot, Jean Beauvoir, John Norum John Norum (born 23 February 1964) is a Norwegian-Swedis ...

- keyboard (2004) *

Richard Andersson Richard Andersson (born 28 March 1972) is a Swedish musician and the founding father of several neoclassical metalbands in Sweden including Majestic and Time Requiem. Biography As a kid, Andersson taught himself how to play the keyboard. At ...

- keyboard (2004–2007) *

André Andersen André Andersen (born 16 December 1961) is a Russian-born multi-instrumentalist and composer best known as the keyboardist and founder of the Denmark-based progressive metal band Royal Hunt. André started his "music life" at very young age and w ...

- keyboard (2004–2005) *

Yenz Leonhardt Jens Arnsted (born 4 July 1961), more commonly known as Yenz Leonhardt or Yenz Cheyenne, is a Danish heavy metal musician. He has performed as a vocalist, guitarist and bassist throughout his career, focusing on the latter in recent years. Bio ...

- backing vocals (2016) *

- vocals (2016) *Rick Altzi - vocals (2016)

Timeline members

ImageSize = width:800 height:auto barincrement:25 PlotArea = left:105 bottom:60 top:0 right:0 Alignbars = justify DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy Period = from:01/01/2003 till:01/24/2020 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy Legend = orientation:horizontal position:bottom ScaleMajor = increment:2 start:2003 ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:2003 Colors = id:Vocals value:red legend:Vocals id:Guitars value:green legend:Guitars id:Bass value:blue legend:Bass id:Keyboards value:purple legend:Keyboards id:Drums value:orange legend:Drums id:Lines value:black legend:Albums LineData = at:04/05/2004 color:black layer:back at:04/25/2005 color:black layer:back at:05/24/2006 color:black layer:back at:12/24/2008 color:black layer:back at:05/21/2012 color:black layer:back at:04/22/2014 color:black layer:back at:12/10/2014 color:black layer:back at:06/19/2016 color:black layer:back BarData = bar:Brockmann text:"Henrik Brockmann" bar:Papathanasio text:"Apollo Papathanasio" bar:Jansson text:"Tobias Jansson" bar:Sonne text:"Nicklas Sonne" bar:Flyman text:"Henrik Flyman" bar:Gram text:"Kasper Gram" bar:Jeppesen text:"Thor Jeppesen" bar:Niemann text:"Johan Niemann" bar:Buhl text:"Dennis Buhl" bar:Flores text:"Daniel Flores" bar:Meinild text:"Artur Meinild" PlotData= width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4) bar:Flyman from:01/01/2003 till:end color:Guitars bar:Sonne from:06/15/2016 till:end color:Vocals bar:Jeppesen from:01/01/2010 till:end color:Bass bar:Meinild from:05/03/2011 till:end color:Keyboards bar:Niemann from:01/06/2008 till:12/31/2009 color:Bass bar:Papathanasio from:05/01/2005 till:06/06/2013 color:Vocals bar:Jansson from:06/06/2013 till:08/31/2014 color:Vocals bar:Jeppesen from:05/01/2005 till:09/01/2007 color:Bass bar:Buhl from:06/06/2003 till:09/01/2007 color:Drums bar:Buhl from:01/01/2010 till:09/11/2016 color:Drums bar:Gram from:06/06/2003 till:05/01/2005 color:Bass bar:Gram from:09/01/2007 till:01/06/2008 color:Bass bar:Brockmann from:06/06/2003 till:05/01/2005 color:Vocals bar:Flores from:01/06/2008 till:12/31/2009 color:Drums

Discography

*'' Welcome to the Show'' (2004) *''

'' (2005) *''

Third Act Third Act is the third full-length album by the Swedish/Danish band Evil Masquerade. Track listing All songs written by Henrik Flyman. Black Ravens Cry was released as a single in 2012 by Dark Minstrel Music Personnel ;Evil Masquerade *Hen ...

'' (2006, 2007 USA) *''Fade to Black'' (2008 Japan, 2009) *''Black Ravens Cry'' - single (2012) *''A Silhouette'' - single (2012) *''Pentagram'' (2012) *''Like Voodoo'' - single (2014) *''The Digital Crucifix'' (2014) *''10 Years in the Dark'' - remastered compilation (2014) *''Märk Hur Vår Skugga'' - single (2016) *''

'' (2016)

Videos

*Black Ravens Cry (2007) *Desire and Pain (2009) *A Silhouette (2012) *Like Voodoo (2014) *Lost Inside A World Of Fear (2016) *Märk Hur Vår Skugga (2016)

References

External links

Evil Masquerade Official WebsiteHenrik Flyman Official WebsiteDark Minstrel Music

Henrik Flyman Official website/on-stageNightmare RecordsFrontiers Records
{{Authority control Musical groups established in 2003 Danish heavy metal musical groups Danish power metal musical groups Swedish power metal musical groups Musical quintets Frontiers Records artists