Volbeat
Danish rock band fusing rock and roll with heavy metal.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
Volbeat is a Danish rock band from Copenhagen, founded in 2001. Their sound blends rock and roll with heavy metal. The current members are vocalist and guitarist Michael Poulsen, drummer Jon Larsen, bassist Kaspar Boye Larsen, and guitarist Flemming C. Lund. They are on the Dutch label Mascot Records and have put out nine studio albums and one DVD.
Their first album, *The Strength/The Sound/The Songs*, came out in 2005. The follow-up, *Rock the Rebel/Metal the Devil* (2007), went platinum. *Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood* (2008) hit number one in Denmark. *Beyond Hell/Above Heaven* (2010) earned widespread critical praise and went triple platinum in Denmark and Austria, double platinum in Sweden, platinum in Canada, five-times gold in Germany, and gold in Finland and the United States. After that, they released five more albums: *Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies* (2013), *Seal the Deal & Let's Boogie* (2016), *Rewind, Replay, Rebound* (2019), *Servant of the Mind* (2021), and *God of Angels Trust* (2025).
The band started when Michael Poulsen, whose earlier death metal group Dominus had broken up in 2000, grew tired of that scene. In 2001, he formed Volbeat with friends and former Dominus members. The name comes from Dominus's third album, *Vol.Beat*. After selling 1,000 copies of their demo *Beat the Meat*, they signed with Rebel Monster Records, a Mascot sub-label.
Their debut album featured Poulsen, Larsen, guitarist Franz Gottschalk, and bassist Anders Kjølholm. It reached No. 18 in Denmark and won Best Album at the 2005 Danish Metal Musik Awards. German magazine *RockHard* gave it a perfect score. Their 2006 Roskilde Festival show earned a 6/6 from Danish paper *BT*.
*Rock the Rebel/Metal the Devil* debuted at No. 1 in Denmark in 2007. That year, they opened Roskilde Festival and supported Metallica in Denmark. In 2008, they supported Megadeth and hired guitarist Thomas Bredahl, who replaced Gottschalk after the second album. *Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood* topped Finland's album chart upon release. In 2009, they supported Nightwish in the U.S., played Pinkpop, and joined Metallica's North American tour. They also performed at Poland's Przystanek Woodstock.
In 2010, Volbeat played Download Festival and joined Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax, and Slayer at Sonisphere Switzerland. *Beyond Hell/Above Heaven* came out in September 2010, continuing t
- formed
- 2001
- origin
- Copenhagen, Denmark
- genre
- Rock and roll / heavy metal fusion
- label
- Mascot Records
- notable_albums
- The Strength/The Sound/The Songs (2005), Rock the Rebel/Metal the Devil (2007), Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood (2008), Beyond Hell/Above Heaven (2010)
Lore & Background
Volbeat was formed in 2001 after Michael Poulsen left the death metal band Dominus. The band name was derived from Dominus's third album, Vol.Beat. After selling 1,000 copies of their Beat the Meat demo, they signed with Rebel Monster Records, a sub-label of Mascot Records. Their debut album, The Strength/The Sound/The Songs (2005), reached No. 18 on the Danish charts and won Best Album at the Danish Metal Musik Awards. Their second album, Rock the Rebel/Metal the Devil (2007), debuted at No. 1 in Denmark and achieved platinum status. Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood (2008) topped the Danish album chart, and Beyond Hell/Above Heaven (2010) received widespread international critical acclaim, earning multi-platinum certifications in several countries.
The band has undergone several line-up changes. Original guitarist Franz Gottschalk was replaced by Thomas Bredahl after the second album. Bredahl left in 2011, and Hank Shermann filled in temporarily. In 2013, Rob Caggiano (formerly of Anthrax) joined as second guitarist. Bassist Anders Kjølholm left in 2015, replaced by Kaspar Boye Larsen in 2016. In 2023, Volbeat parted ways with Caggiano, and Flemming C. Lund took over lead guitar. The band has released five more albums since 2010: Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies (2013), Seal the Deal & Let's Boogie (2016), Rewind, Replay, Rebound (2019), Servant of the Mind (2021), and God of Angels Trust (2025).
Reader's Guide
Volbeat's significance lies in their distinctive fusion of rock and roll with heavy metal, which brought them international commercial success and critical acclaim. Their 2010 album Beyond Hell/Above Heaven achieved triple platinum in Denmark and Austria, double platinum in Sweden, platinum in Canada, 5× Gold in Germany, and gold in Finland and the United States. The band has earned nine No. 1 singles on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Airplay chart, tying for the 10th-most No. 1s in the chart's 40-year history. They have toured with major acts including Metallica, Megadeth, Nightwish, and Slipknot, and performed at festivals such as Roskilde, Download, Pinkpop, and Przystanek Woodstock. Their song "For Evigt" became a fan favorite for the Danish national handball teams starting at the 2019 World Men's Handball Championship. Volbeat's legacy is marked by consistent album releases and a dedicated global fanbase.
Did You Know?
- The band name 'Volbeat' was derived from Dominus's third album name, Vol.Beat (read as: Volume Beat).
- Their debut album The Strength/The Sound/The Songs received a 10/10 review from German magazine RockHard.
- Volbeat's song 'For Evigt' became a fan favorite for the Danish national handball teams starting at the 2019 World Men's Handball Championship.
- In 2022, drummer Jon Larsen tested positive for COVID-19, and Slayer's former drummer Jon Dette filled in temporarily.
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