Eluveitie

Infobox musical artist
Name = Eluveitie

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Img_capt = Eluveitie at Cernunnos Fest
Img_size =
Landscape = Yes
Background = group_or_band
Alias =
Origin = Switzerland
Genre = Folk metal
Celtic metal
Melodic death metal
Years_active = 2002 - present
Label = Fear Dark
Nuclear Blast
Associated_acts =
URL =
Current_members = Merlin Sutter
Siméon Koch
Chrigel Glanzmann
Meri Tadic
Ivo Henzi
Anna Murphy
Päde Kistler
Kay Brem
Past_members =
Notable_instruments =

Eluveitie (pronounced "el-vey-ti" [ [http://www.metalist.co.il/InterviewPrivate.asp?id=291&lang=eng :: Metalist Magazine :: Interviews :: Eluveitie - הגל החדש של הפולק מטאל :: ] ] ) is a folk metal band from Switzerland. Their sound can be described as Celtic folk metal with melodic death metal influences. The band formed in 2002 and their first EP, "Vên" came out in 2003. The band has since then released a full length album, "Spirit". In November 2007, Eluveitie was signed by Nuclear Blast. [cite web
title = ELUVEITIE Signs With NUCLEAR BLAST RECORDS
publisher = Blabbermouth.net
date = 2007-11-14
url = http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=84800
accessdate = 2007-12-04] The first product of the collaboration, "Slania", was released in February 2008. The album peaked at number 35 in the Swiss charts and number 98 in the German charts. [cite web |title=Slania |url=http://swisscharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Eluveitie&titel=Slania&cat=a |publisher=Swisscharts.com |accessdate=2008-07-27] [cite web |title=NUCLEAR BLAST Rocks German Charts |date=2008-03-08 |publisher=Blabbermouth.net |url=http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/BLABBERMOUTH.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=92581 |accessdate=2008-07-27]

One of Eluveitie's two largest draws is their liberal, virtuosic use of traditional instruments amidst guitars and Chrigel's wide ranging, emotional screams. The other is their lyrics; instead of any of the languages currently spoken in their home country, the screams, clean vocals, and occasional spoken word parts are often in the extinct language Gaulish. "Eluveitie" is Etruscan for "the Helvetian", referring to an inscription dating to the earliest record of the Celtic Helvetii tribe from what is now Switzerland.

Biography

The band was founded in the winter of 2002 by Christian "Chrigel" Glanzmann as a studio project. October the following year saw the publication of the MCD "Vên" (Helvetian Gaulish for "wild joy"Fact|date=August 2008). After very good reviews from the scene and the media, the band decided to make Eluveitie a real band instead of a studio project.

Shortly afterwards, the group performed its first shows, one including the Swiss metal festival Elements of Rock, and Eluveitie signed a contract with the Dutch record label Fear Dark which re-issued "Vên" in 2004. Other live performances were played, such as on some events of "Fear Dark Festivals", and even as support for the established international pagan/folk metal acts such as Korpiklaani and Cruachan.

During the 15-year existence of the German-Icelandic band Falkenbach, a limited edition tribute album was published for them in 2006, which also included Eluveitie's cover song "Vanadis". Furthermore, it came at the beginning of this year to a change in the line-up. When Sarah Kiener was replaced by Anna Murphy to play hurdy gurdy, the band decided that they did not need Linda Suter to play fiddle anymore.

In the 2nd quarter of 2006, the album entitled "Spirit" was published on Fear Dark, and in September that same year Eluveitie toured Europe with the German band Odroerir. At the end of 2006, Eluveitie signed a new recording contract with the German label Twilight Records. In early 2007, they played at Ragnarök Festival.

In November 2007, Eluveitie signed a contract with label Nuclear Blast. The new studio album "Slania" (name of a women's tomb dead 2500 years ago which singer saw [ [http://www.metalist.co.il/InterviewPrivate.asp?id=291&lang=eng :: Metalist Magazine :: Interviews :: Eluveitie - הגל החדש של הפולק מטאל :: ] ] ) was released on February 15, 2008.

On June 4, 2008, brothers Rafi Kirder and Sevan Kirder (bassist and bagpipe player, respectively) announced on their MySpace pages that they will leave Eluveitie following their concert at the Metal Camp Open Air in Slovenia on July 8, 2008.

Eluveitie's next project, "Evocation", was announced in 2008 and should take the form of a two-disc concept acoustic album. Chrigel has stated that, despite it being acoustic, the album will feature many of the characteristics of previous Eluveitie work, such as growling vocals. The first part of the album, "Evocation I: The Arcane Dominion", is due for release in December of 2008. [ [http://www.metalist.co.il/InterviewPrivate.asp?id=291&lang=eng :: Metalist Magazine :: Interviews :: Eluveitie - הגל החדש של הפולק מטאל :: ] ]

[ [http://forum.eluveitie.ch/viewtopic.php?p=19668&sid=6b4bf4a697875e172a9cdf35d18ee807 Eluveitie Forum] ]

Members

*Merlin Sutter - drums
*Siméon Koch - Guitar
*Chrigel Glanzmann - vocals, Mandola, Whistles, Pipes, Gaita, Acoustic Guitar, Bodhran
*Meri Tadic - Violin, vocals
*Ivo Henzi - Guitar
*Anna Murphy - Hurdy Gurdy, vocals
*Kay Brem - Bass Guitar
*Pade Kistler - Bagpipe, Whistles

Former members

*Sevan Kirder - Bagpipe, Flute, Whistles; vocals
*Rafi Kirder - Bass Guitar, vocals
*Linda Suter - Fiddle
*Sarah Kiener - Hurdy Gurdy
*Dani Fürer - Guitar
*Dide Marfurt - Hurdy Gurdy
*Beni - drums
*Sevi Binder - vocals

Discography

*"Vên" - 2003 (re-released in 2004)
*"Spirit" - 2006
*"Slania" - 2008
*"Evocation I - The Arcane Dominion" - December 2008 (acoustic)
*"Evocation II - Visions (MCD)" - 2008 (acoustic)

References

External links

* [http://www.eluveitie.ch Eluveitie's Official Website]
* [http://www.seattleu.edu/ksub/Interviews%5CEluveitie%20Interview.mp3 May 2008 Interview with Chrigel Glanzmann]