Kamelot

Kamelot
Kamelot live in Pratteln, 2009. L-R: Youngblood, Palotai, Märzke, Grillo, Khan, Tibbetts.
Background information
Origin	Tampa, Florida, United States
Genres	Power metal, progressive metal, symphonic metal
Years active	1991–present
Labels	Steamhammer, SPV
Associated acts	Epica, Conception, Sons of Seasons, Rhapsody of Fire, Fabio Lione
Website	kamelot.com
Members
Thomas Youngblood Sean Tibbetts Casey Grillo Oliver Palotai
Past members
Mark Vanderbilt Richard Warner David Pavlicko Glenn Barry Roy Khan

Kamelot is an American symphonic power metal ^[1] band from Tampa, Florida. The band was formed by Thomas Youngblood and Richard Warner in 1991. Norwegian vocalist Roy Khan joined for the album Siége Perilous, and shared song-writing duties with Youngblood until his departure in April 2011.

As of 2010, Kamelot has released nine studio albums (excluding two reissues), two live albums, one live DVD, and seven music videos. Their latest studio album is Poetry for the Poisoned, which was released in September 2010.^[2]

Biography

Early years

Kamelot was founded in Florida by Thomas Youngblood and Richard Warner in 1991.^[3] Three years later, the band signed a deal with Noise Records; the release of their debut album Eternity followed in 1995. The next album, Dominion, was released in 1997. Later that year, drummer and founder Richard Warner and lead vocalist Mark Vanderbilt were replaced by drummer Casey Grillo and vocalist Roy Khan (formerly of Conception).^[3] With these two new members, Kamelot released their third studio album, Siege Perilous, in 1998. The band undertook their first tour during the fall, playing shows across Europe. Following this, the band returned to Tampa to write music for a new album, titled The Fourth Legacy.

Live album, Karma, Epica and The Black Halo

The summer of 2000 brought the "New Allegiance Tour" through Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Greece and Spain during which the recordings for Kamelot's first live album The Expedition were made. A few months later, the band presented their fifth album Karma. Their sixth album, Epica, was released in 2003. To support the Epica album, the band went on tour through Europe (with At Vance as a supporting band) and Japan. Both "Epica" and the band's seventh effort, The Black Halo, which was released in 2005, are based on Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's version of the legend of Faust,^[4] a man who sells his soul to the devil. To support the new album, the band went on tour through Europe and Japan. During the first leg of the "Black Halo World Tour 2005", they played a headliner show with Epica and Kotipelto. In Japan the support was Silent Force. They also played on the Bang Your Head!!! Festival in Germany and the Graspop Metal Meeting in Belgium.

In 2005, they shot their first music videos for the songs "The Haunting (Somewhere in Time)" and "March of Mephisto" from the album The Black Halo. Both videos were shot by the prolific director Patric Ullaeus. On October 5, 2005, Kamelot added Oliver Palotai as the fifth official band member; Oliver handles both keyboards and (additional) guitars.

On the second leg of the "Black Halo World Tour", they visited North America (Canada and the United States), South America (Brazil), and Europe (Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden). On February 11, 2006, the band's live DVD, One Cold Winter's Night was shot by Patric Ullaeus at Rockefeller Music Hall in Oslo, Norway. It was released on November 17, 2006 in Germany, November 20 in other parts of Europe and November 21 in US/Canada via SPV Records.

Ghost Opera and Poetry for the Poisoned

In fall 2006, the band returned to Gate Studios in Wolfsburg, Germany to record the album, Ghost Opera, which was released on June 1, 2007 in Germany, June 4 in Europe and June 5 in the US. The album was recorded and mixed at Gate Studios and Pathway Studios in Wolfsburg with producers Sascha Paeth and Miro. Music videos have been made for the songs "Ghost Opera", "The Human Stain", "Rule the World" and "Love You to Death". A re-issue of Ghost Opera labeled Ghost Opera: the Second Coming was released shortly after its predecessor. It contains the entire original Ghost Opera album and a second CD with 10 live songs recorded during a concert in Belgrade, Serbia, with additional bonus tracks, "Season's End", "The Pendulous Fall", "Epilogue" and "Rule the World (Remixed)". In December 2009, Thomas Youngblood announced that bassist Glenn Barry had officially left the band and has since replaced by touring bassist and original Kamelot member Sean Tibbetts.^[5]

In January 2009, Kamelot started working on their ninth studio album in a cabin in Norway and it was stated that the band was exploring "new sounds" and that the topics on the new album will be diverse.^[6] During early 2010, Kamelot published the titles of three songs from the upcoming album on their official website: "The Great Pandemonium", "Hunter's Season" and "Thespian Drama". They also revealed that Simone Simons (who would provide vocals for the ballad “House on a Hill” and the album’s title track), and later Gus G, of the Greek power metal band Firewind, would be appearing as a guest musicians.^[6][7] On March 25, 2010, they began their "Pandemonium Over Europe" tour, which ended on April 26, 2010.

It was on June 21, 2010 that Kamelot revealed the title of their ninth studio album: Poetry for the Poisoned. It released by earMUSIC (international label of the entertainment group Edel) in Europe on September 10, 2010 and by the band’s own label KMG Recordings in North America on September 14, 2010. ^[8] A music video for "The Great Pandemonium" was directed by Owe Lingvall and was released on September 1, 2010.^[8][9] Poetry for the Poisoned debuted at number 74 in the Billboard 200 charts, selling 6,100 copies in its first week. (Source: Blabbermouth, Kamelot.com)

On September 6, the band announced that Roy Khan fell severely ill during rehearsals for the upcoming North American tour, just a few days before its scheduled start, and had returned to Norway. While it was initially reported that the band would continue the tour with Norwegian vocalist Michael Eriksen of Circus Maximus in Khan's place,^[10] the band later announced that they would postpone the tour until Khan recovered from his illness so he could join them on the tour, though they did perform one show with Eriksen at the ProgPower USA XI festival in Atlanta, GA on September 10, 2010.^[11] However on December 16, due to Khan’s lingering illness, it was announced that Fabio Lione of Rhapsody would replace Roy Khan for the remaining and rescheduled dates on the tour supporting "Poetry for the Poisoned".^[12]

Roy's departure and current activity

On April 15, 2011 the band released Poetry For The Poisoned & Live From Wacken - Limited Tour Edition, containing the audio from Roy Khan's last recorded show with the band. Roy Khan released a statement on April 21, 2011 and Kamelot released a statement on April 22, 2011 announcing that lead singer Roy Khan had left the band. According to founder Thomas Youngblood, the band is already searching for a new singer.^[13][14] They are planning on a new album after their current tour, and is scheduled for release either at the end of 2012 or the beginning of 2013.^[15]

Line-up

Current members

• Thomas Youngblood: guitars, backing vocals (1991−present)
• Casey Grillo: drums (1997−present)
• Oliver Palotai: keyboards (2005−present)
• Sean Tibbetts: bass (1991−1992, 2009−present)

Former members

• Roy Khan: vocals (1998−2011)

Roy Khan performed lead vocals and shared song-writing duties with Thomas Youngblood from Siége Perilous until after the release of Poetry for the Poisoned, when he departed in April 2011 for health and personal reasons.

• Glenn Barry: bass (1992−2009)

Glenn performed bass ^[16] from 1992 to 2009, participating on all albums with Thomas Youngblood until Ghost Opera. In December 2009 he left the band in order to fulfill familial commitments. He has since been replaced by Sean Tibbetts.^[17]

• David Pavlicko: keyboards (1991−1998)

David is an American keyboard player who appeared on the first three albums,^[18] leaving in 1998. He was not permanently replaced until 2005. David has not appeared with any other serious bands since he left Kamelot. David now resides in Riverview, Florida with his wife and three children. He occasionally plays piano for various churches and tries to help other beginner bands on the rise with recording.

• Mark Vanderbilt: vocals (1991−1997)

Mark was the original vocalist of Kamelot from their formation in 1991 until 1998 when he left and was replaced by Roy Khan, before the recording of Siége Perilous.^[19]

• Richard Warner: drums (1991−1997)

Richard co-founded Kamelot with Thomas Youngblood in 1991. He played drums and wrote most of the lyrics on their first two albums before departing in 1997 as he felt the band had grown too big for him to juggle with his personal life and full-time work.

Timeline

Guest musicians

• Miro − studio keyboards (1999–2007)
• Günter Werno − keyboards (on The Expedition)
• Luca Turilli − solo guitar on "Descent of the Archangel" (Epica)
• Simone Simons − guest vocals and video appearance on "The Haunting" (The Black Halo), guest vocals on "Blücher" and "Season's End" (Ghost Opera), guest vocals appearance on "House on a Hill" and (Poetry for the Poisoned), Pt. II - III"
• Shagrath − As Mephisto: vocals, video appearance on "March of Mephisto" (The Black Halo); vocals on "Memento Mori" (The Black Halo)
• Snowy Shaw − As Mephisto: vocals on "March of Mephisto" (One Cold Winter's Night)
• Jens Johansson − keyboard solos on "March of Mephisto" and "When the Lights are Down" (The Black Halo)
• Mari Youngblood − As Helena: vocals, appearance on (Epica), "Abandoned" and "Memento Mori" (The Black Halo), video appearance in "The Haunting" (The Black Halo) and various tracks of the One Cold Winter's Night concert of 2006.
• Elisabeth Kjærnes − video appearance on "March of Mephisto" (The Black Halo and One Cold Winter's Night) and "The Haunting" (The Black Halo), vocals in "Nights of Arabia" (The Fourth Legacy and One Cold Winter's Night)
• Matt Knowles (Royal Anguish) − As Mephisto when playing in Florida
• Sascha Paeth − guest appearance on One Cold Winter's Night as additional guitarist on "Moonlight", and Ghost Opera
• Amanda Somerville − guest vocalist for "Mourning Star", "Love You to Death" and Ghost Opera, Choir vocals on Poetry for the Poisoned, Pt. I - IV" and "The Zodiac".
• Jean-Edmond Torchevinasse - french art director support for the french (Poetry for the Poisoned) tour
• Anne-Catrin Märzke - live female and backing vocals
• Sean Tibbetts - live bass during the 2006–2009 tours
• Dirk Bruinenberg − guest drummer on "The Silent Goddess" and "Alexandria" (The Fourth Legacy)
• Björn "Speed" Strid - guest vocals screams and video appearance on "The Great Pandemonium" (Poetry for the Poisoned) with Amaranthe.
• Gus G guest guitarist solo on "Hunter's Season" in (Poetry for the Poisoned).
• Jon Oliva guest vocals on "The Zodiac" in (Poetry for the Poisoned).
• Chanty Wunder - Female vocals on "Where the Wild Roses Grow" in (Poetry for the Poisoned).
• Charlotte Wessels - live female vocals on Season's End.
• Elize Ryd - live female and backing vocals
• Fabio Lione - touring lead vocals on the tour to support "Poetry for the Poisoned".
• Tommy Karevik - guest lead vocals on 'Poetry for the Poisoned' tour.

Discography

Studio albums

• Eternity (1995)
• Dominion (1997)
• Siége Perilous (1998)
• The Fourth Legacy (1999)
• Karma (2001)
• Epica (2003)
• The Black Halo (2005)
• Ghost Opera (2007)
• Poetry For The Poisoned (2010)

Reissues

• Ghost Opera - The Second Coming (2008)
• Poetry For The Poisoned & Live From Wacken - Limited Tour Edition (2011)

Live albums

• The Expedition (2000)
• One Cold Winter's Night (2006)

Live DVDs

• One Cold Winter's Night (2006)

Music videos

• The Haunting (Somewhere in Time) (featuring Simone Simons) (2005)
• March of Mephisto (featuring Shagrath) (2005)
• Ghost Opera (2007)
• The Human Stain (2007)
• Rule The World (2008)
• Love You To Death (2009)
• The Great Pandemonium (featuring Björn "Speed" Strid) (2010)^[6]

References

1. ^ "Kamelot - Ghost Opera Review". Heavymetal.about.com. 2010-06-14. http://heavymetal.about.com/od/cdreviews/fr/kamelotghost.htm. Retrieved 2011-07-01. 
2. ^ "Kamelot - Poetry For the Poisoned [Power Metal". Metal Kingdom. http://www.metalkingdom.net/album/29023_kamelot_poetry_for_the_poisoned. Retrieved 2011-07-01. 
3. ^ ^{a b} "Kamelot Bio". December 4, 2009. http://www.tartareandesire.com/bands/Kamelot/879/. Retrieved 19 March 2010. 
4. ^ "Kamelot Biography". http://www.kamelot.com/site/band/. Retrieved August 14, 2010. 
5. ^ "KAMELOT Announces New Bassist". December 1, 2009. http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=131253. Retrieved December 2, 2009. 
6. ^ ^{a b c} "Latest News". http://kamelot.com/2010news.html. 
7. ^ "Kamelot announces Gus G. as a guest musician". May 18, 2010. http://kamelot.com/2010news.html. Retrieved May 18, 2010. 
8. ^ ^{a b} "KAMELOT Signs With earMUSIC; New Album Details Revealed". June 21, 2010. http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=141876. Retrieved June 21, 2010. 
9. ^ "Village Road Film". June 6, 2010. http://www.villageroadfilm.com/. Retrieved June 9, 2010. 
10. ^ "Kamelot singer falls ill, North American Tour To Go On!". http://www.kamelot.com/site/news/kamelot-singer-falls-ill-north-american-tour-to-go-on. 
11. ^ "Kamelot Postpone Full North American Tour". http://www.kamelot.com/site/news/kamelot-postpone-full-north-american-tour. 
12. ^ "US Shows Announced! Singer Update…". Official Kamelot Website. http://www.kamelot.com/site/news/us-shows-announced-singer-update/. Retrieved 2 February 2010. 
13. ^ "Kamelot Statement". Official Kamelot Website. http://www.kamelot.com/site/news/kamelot-statement/. Retrieved 22 April 2011. 
14. ^ "So Long - Roy's Statement". Official Roy Kahn Myspace. http://www.myspace.com/roykhanofficial/blog/542719606. Retrieved 21 April 2011. 
15. ^ "Kamelot interview with Thomas Youngblood". Metal-Trails.com. http://www.metal-trails.com/interviews/kamelot/thomas-youngblood/2011-05-11.html. Retrieved 27 May 2011. 
16. ^ (30 April 2006) Kamelot, Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka), Retrieved October 28, 2010
17. ^ Kamelot, metal-archives.com, Retrieved October 28, 2010
18. ^ Huey, Steve. "Biography: Kamelot". AMG. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p276107. Retrieved 6 May 2010. 
19. ^ "Dette bør du få med deg på konsert-fronten" (in Norwegian). Byavisa. 25 May 2010. http://www.byavisa.no/byavisa/artikler.php?artid=4250&temaid=1. Retrieved 29 May 2010. 

External links

• Official website
• Kamelot on Myspace
• Kamelot's channel on YouTube
• Metal Israel Exclusive Interview: Glenn Barry of Kamelot Part 1 (October 2007)