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Holy Moses is a German
thrash metal Thrash metal (or simply thrash) is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its overall aggression and often fast tempo.Kahn-Harris, Keith, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'', pp. 2–3, 9. Oxford: Berg, 2007, . ...
band active from 1980 to 1994 and again since 2000. They are well noted for being fronted by
Sabina Classen Sabina Classen ( Hirtz; born 27 December 1963) is a German thrash metal singer, best known as lead vocalist of Holy Moses and Temple of the Absurd. Biography In 1981, Classen joined Holy Moses, where her then-husband Andy Classen was playing ...
, who is the only constant member of Holy Moses, and for being one of the first German thrash metal bands. Holy Moses have released 12 studio albums to date.


History


Formative years (1980–1985)

Holy Moses were formed in
Aachen Aachen ( ; ; Aachen dialect: ''Oche'' ; French and traditional English: Aix-la-Chapelle; or ''Aquisgranum''; nl, Aken ; Polish: Akwizgran) is, with around 249,000 inhabitants, the 13th-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia, and the 28th- ...
,
North Rhine-Westphalia North Rhine-Westphalia (german: Nordrhein-Westfalen, ; li, Noordrien-Wesfale ; nds, Noordrhien-Westfalen; ksh, Noodrhing-Wäßßfaale), commonly shortened to NRW (), is a States of Germany, state (''Land'') in Western Germany. With more tha ...
, in 1980. The band's first line-up was formed by bassist Ramon Brüssler, drummer Peter Vonderstein and guitarist Jochen Fünders during high school, the latter of whom also handled the band's vocals. This line-up played its first live show only four days after its formation, and released a demo titled ''Black Metal Masters'' in the same year. Vonderstein and Fünders left the group in 1981, and were replaced by drummer Paul Linzenich, vocalist Iggy, and guitarist Andy Classen from the local group Desaster. In December 1981, Iggy left the group and was replaced by ex-Desaster bassist and girlfriend of Andy, Sabina Classen (née Hirtz). The band performed their first live show with the new stable line-up in November 1982 and released a string of demo tapes, including ''Walpurgis Night'' in 1985, and ''The Bitch'' in 1986, and also appeared on the split-album compilation ''Metallic Bunnys''.


Success (1986–1993)

In 1986, Holy Moses released their debut album ''Queen of Siam'' through independent label Aaarrg, with Herbert Dreger on drums (Linzenich left shortly before the recording to focus on his university studies). After the release of the record, Dreger was sacked for not showing up to a support show with
Agent Steel Agent Steel is an American speed metal band from Los Angeles, formed in 1984 by vocalist John Cyriis with drummer Chuck Profus. The band released two full-length albums and one EP before disbanding in 1988. They were most notable for Cyriis' hi ...
, and Brüssler (the only original member of Holy Moses remaining), left the band. Both members were replaced by nineteen-year-old Uli Kusch and Andre Chapelier respectively. The following year, Holy Moses released their sophomore effort ''Finished With the Dogs'', which was a much heavier and cleaner-sounding album than its predecessor. The album was a critical success around the world, earning the band a distribution deal through Warner Music Group (WEA) and tours of Europe with Angel Dust, Rage, Steeler, Paganini, D.R.I. and Holy Terror, finishing with a headlining show in Hamburg. In 1988, Sabina Classen became the host of a German heavy metal TV show called ''Mosh'' alongside journalist Götz Kühnemund. Meanwhile, Holy Moses began work on their third studio album. Released in 1989, ''The New Machine of Liechtenstein'' became another successful record from the group, with the band playing heavier and more technical thrash metal than on the previous two albums. The band toured with
Sacred Reich Sacred Reich is an American thrash metal band based in Phoenix, Arizona, that was formed in 1985. The band split in 2000, but reunited in 2006. Sacred Reich has been credited, along with Testament, Destruction, Death Angel and Dark Angel, for ...
and Forbidden, and performed at the
Dynamo Open Air Dynamo Open Air is a festival in the Netherlands held (almost) every year between 1986 and 2005. It was reborn in 2008 as Dynamo Outdoor and in 2015 as Dynamo Metal Fest. History Originally held to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the Dynamo ...
Festival, with second guitarist Rainer Laws added to the line-up. Around this time, Holy Moses severed their ties with Warner Music Group, as a result of the record company's new staff trying to coerce the band into departing from their thrash metal influences and write more commercial music. In 1990, Laws quit Holy Moses due to illness and retired to focus his skills as a graphic artist, leaving the band as a four-piece. The band then recorded ''World Chaos'', released through West Virginia Records, an independent label owned by new band manager Uli Wiehagen. Kusch soon quit the band to join
Gamma Ray A gamma ray, also known as gamma radiation (symbol γ or \gamma), is a penetrating form of electromagnetic radiation arising from the radioactive decay of atomic nuclei. It consists of the shortest wavelength electromagnetic waves, typically ...
, to be replaced by Atomic Steif. In 1992 he left and was replaced by Sven "Meff" Hervig, who played all drums on ''Terminal Terror'' (1991) as a session drummer. Soon after the release of ''Reborn Dogs'', Sabina Classen left Holy Moses and the band subsequently dissolved. Classen went to form Temple of the Absurd with Warpath members Schrödey and Ozzy Frese, and drummer Mike Rech.


Hiatus (1994–2000)

Two years after the split of Holy Moses, Andy Classen released a new record under the Holy Moses moniker titled ''No Matter What's the Cause''. The line-up featured on the album included Classen on guitar and vocals, S.O.D.'s Dan Lilker on bass, and drummer Meff. The album was more hardcore/death metal influenced than the band's previous thrash-oriented efforts, and was not met with substantial success.


Reformation (2000–present)

In 1999, during touring for the second Temple of the Absurd album, Sabina Classen collapsed on stage and was hospitalised. The singer fell into a serious illness and suffered a motorcycle crash in 2000. Following this, Temple of the Absurd disbanded and Sabina began to work with Andy again on what would eventually become new Holy Moses material. The band was reformed in early 2001 with Franky Brotz and Joern Schubert on guitar, Jochen Fünders on bass and Julien Schmidt on drums. The band performed several comeback shows throughout Europe and South Korea, and released an EP titled ''Master of Disaster'' through
Century Media A century is a period of 100 years. Centuries are numbered ordinally in English and many other languages. The word ''century'' comes from the Latin ''centum'', meaning ''one hundred''. ''Century'' is sometimes abbreviated as c. A centennial or ...
. Andy Classen stayed with the band as songwriter. In 2002, Holy Moses released ''Disorder of the Order'', their first album with the new line-up. Michael Hankel, guitarist of
Erosion Erosion is the action of surface processes (such as water flow or wind) that removes soil, rock, or dissolved material from one location on the Earth's crust, and then transports it to another location where it is deposited. Erosion is distin ...
and friend of Andy's, replaced Schubert soon after the album's release, and became a main songwriter of the band. The band performed at Wacken Open Air festival in 2004, and after fan demand for another Holy Moses album, the group released ''Strength Power Will Passion'' in May the following year. It is the first album without input from Andy Classen. After securing a deal through Wacken Records and a subsequent re-release of the band's material, Fünders and Schmidt left Holy Moses to be replaced by Thomas Neitsch and a returning Atomic Steif. Holy Moses released their tenth album ''Agony of Death'' in 2008 with all music written by new guitar player Oliver Jaath and Michael Hankel. They released their eleventh album ''Redefined Mayhem'' on 28 April 2014. The band has reportedly been working on new material for their twelfth studio album.


Members

Holy Moses Metal Frenzy 2018 31.jpg, Sabina Classen-Hirtz Holy Moses Metal Frenzy 2018 22.jpg, Peter Geltat Holy Moses Metal Frenzy 2018 05.jpg, Thomas Neitsch Holy Moses Metal Frenzy 2018 42.jpg, Gerd Lücking Current members *
Sabina Classen Sabina Classen ( Hirtz; born 27 December 1963) is a German thrash metal singer, best known as lead vocalist of Holy Moses and Temple of the Absurd. Biography In 1981, Classen joined Holy Moses, where her then-husband Andy Classen was playing ...
– lead vocals *Thomas Neitsch – bass, backing vocals *Gerd Lücking – drums *Peter Geltat – guitar, backing vocals


Discography


Demos and EP

*''Holy Moses'' (1981) *''Satan's Angel'' (1982) *''Call of the Demon'' (1983) *''Heavy Metal'' (1983) *''Death Bells'' (1984) *''Walpurgisnight'' (1985) *''The Bitch'' (1986) *''Master of Disaster'' (2001)


Albums

*'' Queen of Siam'' (1986) *''
Finished with the Dogs ''Finished with the Dogs'' is the second album by Holy Moses, released in 1987 on AAARRG Records. It was re-released on August 5, 2005 through Armageddon with 4 bonus live tracks. All music and lyrics are by Andy Classen and Sabina Classen. Tr ...
'' (1987) *''
The New Machine of Liechtenstein ''The New Machine of Liechtenstein'' is the third album by Holy Moses, released in 1989 on WEA. It was re-released on 5 August 2005 through Armageddon and then in 2007 by Locomotive with 2 bonus live tracks. All music composed and arranged by ...
'' (1989) *''World Chaos'' (1990) *''
Terminal Terror ''Terminal Terror'' is the fifth full-length album release by the German thrash metal band Holy Moses Holy Moses is a German thrash metal band active from 1980 to 1994 and again since 2000. They are well noted for being fronted by Sabina Cl ...
'' (1991) *''
Reborn Dogs ''Reborn Dogs'' is the sixth studio album by German thrash metal band Holy Moses, released in 1992. The album was re-issued on 1 March 2006. Track listing # "Clash My Soul" - 2:26 # "Decapitated Mind" - 3:31 # "Welcome to the Real World" - 3:32 ...
'' (1992) *''
No Matter What's the Cause No Matter What's the Cause is the seventh full-length studio album by the German thrash metal band Holy Moses. Track listing Credits * Andy Classen - Guitars, Vocals *Dan Lilker Daniel A. Lilker (born October 18, 1964) is an American semi- ...
'' (1994) *''Disorder of the Order'' (2002) *'' Strength Power Will Passion'' (2005) *''
Agony of Death ''Agony of Death'' is the tenth studio album by German thrash metal band Holy Moses. The album was released in three different dates of 2008, on 26 September in Germany, 29 September in Europe and 7 October in the United States through SPV/Ste ...
'' (2008) *''Redefined Mayhem'' (2014)


Compilations

*''Too Drunk to Fuck'' (1993) * ''30th Anniversary – In the Power of Now'' (2012) (2CD)


References


External links


Official Holy Moses website
*
Official Holy Moses network / fanclub
at
Century Media A century is a period of 100 years. Centuries are numbered ordinally in English and many other languages. The word ''century'' comes from the Latin ''centum'', meaning ''one hundred''. ''Century'' is sometimes abbreviated as c. A centennial or ...
{{Authority control 1980 establishments in Germany German thrash metal musical groups Musical groups established in 1980 Musical groups disestablished in 1994 Musical groups reestablished in 2000 Musical quartets