bioartillery

 

Technical thrash metal pioneers Artillery from Denmark was formed by the Stützer brothers, Morten and Michael. Artillery started making demos as early as in 1982, after years of recording demotapes and perfecting their sound, Artillery signed up to the legendary NWOBHM label Neat Records, whom put out their debut record Fear of Tomorrow back in 1985, which was the really the first thrash metal album to by a Scandinavian band. In 1987 Artillery released Terror Squad, and in 1990 Artillery released their masterpiece By Inheritance, an album that was produced by Flemming Rasmussen (Metallica).

After that the band broke up but they returned in 1999 with B.A.C.K. before taking another long break. But Artillery returned once again in 2009 with When Death Comes, this time without the bands charismatic vocalist Flemming Rönsdorf. In later years, Artillery has been really active and releasing three more albums in My Blood (2010), Legions (2013) and Penalty By Perception (2016). This is the Artillery biography:

THE BEGINNING (1982-1985)

Artillery was formed in 1982 in Taastrup, 15 km west of the Copenhagen. The band was formed by Carsten Nielsen and Jørgen Sandau and they chose the name Artillery after the Tank song Heavy Artillery from the Filth Hounds of Hades album The first Artillery lineup were guitarists Jørgen Sandau and Michael Stützer, bassist Morten Stützer, drummer Carsten Nielsen and singer Per Onink. The group recorded their first demo in December of 1982. Then Per Onink left and he was replaced by singer Carsten Lohmann. This lineup recorded two demos in 1984, Shellshock and Deeds of Darkness. After that Carsten Lohmann left and in stepped Flemming Rönsdorf.

Artillery's first appearence came in early 1985 with the inclusion of the song "Hey Woman," on Volume One of the "Speed Metal Hell" compilation series which was released on New Renaissance Records. They also appeared on Satan's Revenge with the track Deeds of Darkness also a New Ren compilation. Later the same year, Artillery recorded another demo, Fear of Tomorrow which led to a contract with the legendary NWOBHM label Neat Records, where Artillery became label mates with Venom.

Fear of Tomorrow then became the name of the bands debut album, which was released on August the 9th of 1985. The album became the first thrash metal album to be released in Scandinavia. Sure there were extreme metal bands like their countrymen Mercyful Fate and Sweden's Bathory. But none of them played thrash. Speaking of Bathory, Quorthon contacted drummer Carsten Nielsen and wanted to recruit him to Bathory, but Nielsen declined the offer since he thought Artillery had more potential.

GAINING POPULARITY (1987-1989)

In 1987 Artillery released their second studio album titled Terror Squad. The somewhat strange cartoon-like artwork was made by guitarist Jørgen Sandau. By 1987 other Scandinavian thrash bands had shown up, but Artillery's technical thrash stood out above the pack.

In 88/89 Jørgen Sandau left the band and bassist Morten Stützer took over his position, lending the bass to recruit Peter Thorslund. In 1989 Artillery played in Soviet as one of the few bands invited to play inside the iron curtains of communism, the first gig was in Alma Ata close to the Chinese border, the second gig was in Tashkent (which inspired the song 07.00 in Tashkent from their By Inheritance album) but when the band came to Moscow their gigs were cancelled.

BY INHERITANCE (1990-1991)

In 1990 Artillery left Neat Records and signed up to Roadrunner Records. The band then went into the studio with none other than Metallica's producer Flemming Rasmussen. The work resultet in the bands third album, By Inheritance which was released in May of 1990 on both LP and CD. The album featured a cover of Nazareth's Razamanaz. Don't Believe / Khomaniac became the bands first single. By Inheritance is generally considered to be a masterpiece but instead of reaching the stars, Artillery disbanded in 1991 with some of the members pursuing musical projects of their own during the rest of the 1990s. The Stützer brothers Michael and Morten started a heavy metal band called Missing Link and they released two albums in the 90's.

Around this time german thrash legends Destruction were looking for a new vocalist when Schmier left, they contacted Flemming Rönsdorf and tried to recruit him, Flemming drove his car down to Germany and rehearsed with Destruction, whom desperately looked for a vocalist. They wanted to recruit Rönsdorf and he wanted to join but he needed money for his rent while being away on a three month long tour, but the label didn't want to pay up-front so Flemming decided to decline the offer to become Destruction's new vocalist.

COMEB.A.C.K. (1996-2001)

Following the 1998 release of an Artillery compilation CD, "Deadly Relics" by Mighty Music, featuring a mix of old demo recordings and two songs from the 1989 promotional tape, Artillery reformed without original drummer Carsten Nielsen. In stepped Peter Möller Nielsen from the recently disbanded Danish thrashers Invocator. The new lineup recorded the album B.A.C.K., which was released in 1999 by Die Hard Music.

In 2000 Artillery disbanded again.

THE SECOND COMEBACK (2007-2016)

In 2007, the band released a limited edition 4-CD boxset (limited to 2000 copies) entitled "Through the Years", which contains the band's four studio albums and all their demo material.

On November 6, 2007, Michael Stützer confirmed on the official Artillery website that the band had reunited. But without the bands longtime singer Flemming Rönsdorf. The band auditioned for new singers and they found Søren Adamsen known for his time in Power Metal band Crystal Eyes. worth noting is the return of the original drummer Carsten Nielsen, for the first time since 1991.

In 2008, the band released a DVD and a live album called One Foot in the Grave, The other in trash. After a world tour in 2008, Artillery recorded and released "When Death Comes" in June of 2009, through Metal Mind Productions. The same lineup (Sørensen, Stützer, Stützer, Nielsen and Thorslund.) then recorded the album My Blood and released it in 2011, also through Metal Mind Productions.

In 2012, we had some more lineup changes. Vocalist Søren Ademsen and drummer Carsten Nielsen left and in came vocalist Michael Bastholm Dahl and drummer Josua Madsen. Vocalist Michael Bastholm Dahl was recruited from a King Diamond / Mercyful Fate tribute band.  In 2013, Artillery signed a deal with Metal Blade records and the band released the album Legions. In 2016, Artillery released Penalty By Perception.



R.I.P. MORTEN STÜTZER (2017-2022)

In 2018 Artillery released The Face of Fear, which became the bands last album with guitarist and founding member Morten Stützer, due to him dying all the sudden on the 2nd of October 2019. Kræn Meier replaced Morten in the band and in 2021 Artillery released their first album without Morten Stützer, their tenth studio album entitled X.