Florian Magnus Maier (born 1973), also known as Morean, is a
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
classical composer,
guitarist,
producer and
vocalist
Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or withou ...
of the bands Alkaloid,
Dark Fortress
Dark Fortress is a German melodic black metal band from Landshut formed in 1994. They have released seven studio albums, a split album and a demo album.
History
Early history
The band formed in 1994. In 1996 they released the demo ''R ...
, and Noneuclid. Although born in Munich, he has resided in the Netherlands for over 20 years, his primary occupation being a composer and guitar player within both the contemporary classical and heavy metal communities. Although mostly recognized within the metal community for his vocalist duties with black metal band Dark Fortress, Maier is also a vocalist and guitarist for
progressive metal
Progressive metal (sometimes shortened to prog metal) is a broad fusion music genre melding heavy metal and progressive rock, combining the loud "aggression" and amplified guitar-driven sound of the former with the more experimental, cerebral ...
outfits Alkaloid and Noneuclid. Being a classical composer, Maier has also collaborated with
Devin Townsend
Devin Garrett Townsend (born May 5, 1972) is a Canadian singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. He founded extreme metal band Strapping Young Lad and was its primary songwriter, vocalist, and guitarist from 1994 to 2007. He has also ...
and
Paradise Lost on orchestrations.
In 2014, the
Dutch Public Broadcasting channel released a documentary about the life and work of Maier, highlighting his most famous classical piece, Schattenspiel.
After the departure of Erick Rutan from
Morbid Angel
Morbid Angel is an American death metal band based in Tampa, Florida, formed in 1983 by guitarist, primary composer and sole remaining original member Trey Azagthoth, vocalist and bassist Dallas Ward, and drummer Mike Browning. Widely considered ...
, Maier auditioned for the lead guitarist role, and was one of the 3 runners-up to take the position, eventually delegated to Destructhor of Zyklon.
Personal life
Maier was born in Munich, and cultivated an interest in extreme metal music since he was 13. His first band was a thrash metal group called Messenger, where he handled guitar and vocal duties. Having played for several years with his own thrash metal bands in his parents basement, at 17 he became obsessed with flamenco guitar styles and at 21 this prompted him to move to the Netherlands to study flamenco guitar with
Paco Peña
Paco Peña (born 1 June 1942) is a Spanish flamenco composer and guitarist. He is regarded as one of the world's foremost traditional flamenco players.
Biography
Born in Córdoba, Spain, as Francisco Peña Pérez, Paco Peña began learning to pl ...
, and eventually classical composition with Klaas de Vries at the conservatory of Rotterdam. He credits Klaas de Vries, with his development in music. He earned his
BA cum laude in composition in 2001, and has mainly worked as a composer and guitarist with orchestras and metal musicians.
Maier played
flamenco
Flamenco (), in its strictest sense, is an art form based on the various folkloric music traditions of southern Spain, developed within the gitano subculture of the region of Andalusia, and also having historical presence in Extremadura and ...
guitar for 12 years, however, he was diagnosed with
hypermobility in all of his joints, preventing him from using his thumb and consequentially, dropping flamenco altogether. Currently, he uses 7 and 8 string B.C Rich and Ibanez guitars within both his own ensemble orchestrations and heavy metal bands.
Maier is known within the metal community as Morean. He is married to Sanja Maier-Hasagic.
Music
Dark Fortress
Maier joined the
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
Black Metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, a shrieking vocal style, heavily distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, raw (lo-fi) recording, unconventional song structures, and an emp ...
band
Dark Fortress
Dark Fortress is a German melodic black metal band from Landshut formed in 1994. They have released seven studio albums, a split album and a demo album.
History
Early history
The band formed in 1994. In 1996 they released the demo ''R ...
in 2007, and has since released 4 full records with the band. Despite his primary occupation as a composer and guitarist, he handled vocal and lyrical duties exclusively for all their records hitherto, while occasionally playing guitars as well. In particular, Maier has been influential in utilizing lyrics and imagery based on philosophical and sometimes occultist viewpoints.
When speaking about the black metal scene and adoption of corsepaint for atmospheric purposes, Maier states:
As for the image: we like to think of ourselves as sophisticated and thinking individuals that live their beliefs in everything, not just on stage, and we would feel like a bunch of morons if we lowered ourselves to the level of idiocy of the usual black metal clichés. Contrary to other bands, we actually try to say something, even though we know some people only get happy if you mention Satan or bathe in your own (or someone else's) vomit. We are not schizophrenic in that sense; we don't pretend to be some random, under-researched lord of hell with a clown face on stage and go back to being a complaining, miserable cog in the machine who hates his life after the show.
Alkaloid
Progressive metal
Progressive metal (sometimes shortened to prog metal) is a broad fusion music genre melding heavy metal and progressive rock, combining the loud "aggression" and amplified guitar-driven sound of the former with the more experimental, cerebral ...
supergroup Alkaloid was formed in 2014, initially set up as a collaboration between
Hannes Grossmann
Hannes Grossmann (born 8 September 1982) is a German drummer who plays for the German progressive band Alkaloid. He was also the drummer during Necrophagist's ''Epitaph'' era and played with Obscura.
Biography
Early life
Hannes Grossmann was bo ...
,
Christian Münzner
Christian Münzner (born 21 August 1981) is a German guitarist who plays for the bands Obscura and Alkaloid. He is also known for playing for the technical death metal band Necrophagist from 2002 until 2006, appearing on their 2004 release ''Epi ...
, Danny Tunker and
Linus Klausenitzer
Linus Klausenitzer is a German bass player, best known for being a former bassist for the German progressive death metal band Obscura. He also plays bass in a German/Dutch progressive death metal band Noneuclid, as well as progressive death meta ...
. Grossmann invited Maier to join on guitar and vocalist duties. Maier said "it was just impossible to say no (and not join the band)". The band stated that their first record, 'The Malkuth Grimoire', did not receive support from any labels because it was too diverse and hence unmarketable.
Consequently, they crowdfunded the album, receiving more than $21,000 dollars in donations from fans across the world.
Grossmann stated that a central reason for his departure from
death metal band
Obscura was to collaborate with Maier. Concerning Maier's ability, Grossmann said "he is the best composer I have ever worked with". Speaking of Maier's abilities, guitarist
Christian Münzner
Christian Münzner (born 21 August 1981) is a German guitarist who plays for the bands Obscura and Alkaloid. He is also known for playing for the technical death metal band Necrophagist from 2002 until 2006, appearing on their 2004 release ''Epi ...
said that "The guy is probably the most amazing guitar player I ever met."
Documentary
In 2014, the
Netherlands Public Broadcasting
(; abbreviated to NPO ; literally "Dutch Public Broadcaster") or Dutch Foundation for Public Broadcasting () is a Dutch public broadcasting organisation that administers public broadcasting services in the Netherlands. The NPO is also the owner ...
network NPO released a 50-minute documentary about Maier's life and his composition of a double-guitar concerto, featuring
Izhar Elias, entitled "Schattenspiel" ("Shadowplay") for the Zaterdagmatinee, whose performance took place at the Royal Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.
In this documentary, Maier speaks about his childhood,
heavy metal during his formative years, familial support and transition to
flamenco
Flamenco (), in its strictest sense, is an art form based on the various folkloric music traditions of southern Spain, developed within the gitano subculture of the region of Andalusia, and also having historical presence in Extremadura and ...
and
classical style guitar playing and composition.
Hypermobility
Maier played flamenco guitar with
Paco Peña
Paco Peña (born 1 June 1942) is a Spanish flamenco composer and guitarist. He is regarded as one of the world's foremost traditional flamenco players.
Biography
Born in Córdoba, Spain, as Francisco Peña Pérez, Paco Peña began learning to pl ...
until 2006, at which he was diagnosed with hypermobility, and reverted to electric and acoustic guitars. He is unable to use his thumb for traditional flamenco picking, so incorporates flamenco influences in his electric guitar based music.
Discography
Classical
*Florian Magnus Maier - Afterglow (2000) - Composer
*Florian Magnus Maier - Transcarnation (2001) - Composer
*Florian Magnus Maier - Plutonic (2003) - Composer
*Florian Magnus Maier - Luciferase (2006) - Composer
Metal
*Noneuclid - The Crawling Chaos (2006) - Guitars
*
Dark Fortress
Dark Fortress is a German melodic black metal band from Landshut formed in 1994. They have released seven studio albums, a split album and a demo album.
History
Early history
The band formed in 1994. In 1996 they released the demo ''R ...
- Eidolon (2008) - Vocals
*
Dark Fortress
Dark Fortress is a German melodic black metal band from Landshut formed in 1994. They have released seven studio albums, a split album and a demo album.
History
Early history
The band formed in 1994. In 1996 they released the demo ''R ...
- Ylem (2010) - Vocals
*
Devin Townsend Project
Devin Garrett Townsend (born May 5, 1972) is a Canadian singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. He founded extreme metal band Strapping Young Lad and was its primary songwriter, vocalist, and guitarist from 1994 to 2007. He has also h ...
- Deconstruction (2011) - Orchestration
*
Obscura - Omnivium (2011) - Guest solo on 'Velocity'
*
Devin Townsend Project
Devin Garrett Townsend (born May 5, 1972) is a Canadian singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. He founded extreme metal band Strapping Young Lad and was its primary songwriter, vocalist, and guitarist from 1994 to 2007. He has also h ...
- Z² (2014) - Orchestration
*
Hannes Grossmann
Hannes Grossmann (born 8 September 1982) is a German drummer who plays for the German progressive band Alkaloid. He was also the drummer during Necrophagist's ''Epitaph'' era and played with Obscura.
Biography
Early life
Hannes Grossmann was bo ...
- The Radial Covenant (2014) - Vocals
*Noneuclid - Metatheosis (2014) - Vocals & Guitars
*
Dark Fortress
Dark Fortress is a German melodic black metal band from Landshut formed in 1994. They have released seven studio albums, a split album and a demo album.
History
Early history
The band formed in 1994. In 1996 they released the demo ''R ...
- Venereal Dawn (2014) - Vocals & acoustic guitars
*Alkaloid - The Malkuth Grimoire (2015) - Vocals & Guitars
*Hannes Grossmann II - The Crypts of Sleep (2016) - Vocals
*Alkaloid - Liquid Anatomy (2018) - Vocals & Guitars
*Hannes Grossmann - Apophenia (2019)
*
Dark Fortress
Dark Fortress is a German melodic black metal band from Landshut formed in 1994. They have released seven studio albums, a split album and a demo album.
History
Early history
The band formed in 1994. In 1996 they released the demo ''R ...
- Spectres from the Old World (2020) - Vocals
Awards
* Paul Jacobs Memorial Award (2001, 2002)
*
Matthijs Vermeulen
Matthijs Vermeulen (born Matheas Christianus Franciscus van der Meulen) (8 February 1888 – 26 July 1967), was a Dutch composer and music journalist.
Early life
Matthijs Vermeulen was born in Helmond. After primary school he initially wante ...
Prize (2002)
* Composition Prize of the
Codarts
Codarts University for the Arts ( nl, Codarts hogeschool voor de kunsten) is a Dutch vocational university in Rotterdam that teaches music, dance and circus. It was established in its present location in 2000.
History
Codarts can trace its origin ...
Rotterdam Conservatory (2001)
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Maier, Florian Magnus
1973 births
Living people
German male classical composers
German male guitarists
21st-century German male singers
Musicians from Munich
21st-century German guitarists