Squealer

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Squealer
General information
origin Schwalmstadt
Genre (s) Thrash metal , speed metal
founding 1984
Website www.squealer.de
Current occupation
singing
 Sebastian Werner (since 2014)
guitar
 Lars Döring (since 1989)
guitar
 Michael Schiel (since 1995)
bass
 Manuel Roth (since 2012)
Drums
 Martin Winter (1997–1999, since 2018)
former members
singing
 Andy 'Henner' Allendörfer (1984- † 2005)
singing
 Gus Chambers (2005-2007)
singing
 Norbert Vornam (2007-2014)
guitar
 Axel Fischer (1984–1994)
bass
 Bernd Adam (1984–1993)
bass
 Tobias 'Eggi' Exxel (1993–1999)
bass
 Michael Kaspar (2000–2012)
Drums
 Frank Wolf (1986–1995)
Drums
 Mike Terrana (2000–2002, no permanent band member, live and studio)
Drums
 Martin Buchwalter (2002-2008)

Squealer is a German metal band from Schwalmstadt , Hessen .

history

The band was founded in 1984 by singer Andy 'Henner' Allendörfer, guitarist Axel Fischer, and bassist Bernd Adam. A short time later, the drummer Frank Wolf joins them. Henner initially takes on the second guitar in addition to the vocals, but relinquishes this position to Lars Döring after the EP Human Traces . It didn't take long for the first record labels to show interest in the band. Instead of signing one of the offered contracts, however, Henner founded his own label with Axel Fischer called AFM Records in order to release the debut album Make Your Day .

Although the commercial success for the band is still limited at first, Squealers can successfully establish themselves in the underground scene with the album. The follow-up album was released in 1995 under the title Wrong Time, Wrong Place? . A short time later, Frank leaves Squealer and Mike Kramer takes his place on the drums. In the coming years AFM Records can establish itself more and more and sign more well-known national and international bands. As the label is taking up more and more of Henner's time, it will take four years for Squealer's third album The Prophecy to hit stores.

In the meantime, not for the last time, a lot has changed in terms of personnel in the Hessian camp. In addition to Henner and Lars, guitarist Michael Schiel, bassist Tobias 'Eggi' Exxel and drummer Martin Winter are now part of the party. Even the Edguy singer Tobias Sammet 's guest vocals on The Prophecy heard. Since the sound is much more bombastic than on the previous albums, the record is even licensed by Metal Blade Records for the American market. Without letting much time pass, the band followed up Made For Eternity as early as 2000 , with none other than drummer Mike Terrana tanning the skins. Even the Master Plan guitarist Roland Grapow contributes its part as a guest musician. Michael Kaspar is now on bass. In 2002, Under The Cross hit record number five. Shortly after the completion of the CD, Squealers received the offer to accompany Judas Priest as support on their European tour, which the band would of course gladly accept.

After Henner's illness-related break, work on the next album started in mid-2003, which should actually be released in late 2004 / early 2005, but then the band met with a bitter stroke of fate. In January 2005, Henner left the mirror-smooth road with his car and died at the age of 38. The band and the fans are in a state of shock and for a long time it is not clear whether Squealer will have a future without Henner.

Mike Terrana made contact with Gus Chambers , who is behind the microphone at Grip Inc., some time beforehand . When Grip Inc. split up in early 2005, Gus was looking for a new job. After just one rehearsal, it is clear that the chemistry is right and Gus Chambers is hired as the new singer. The vacant post of drummer will also be filled with Martin Buchwalter. After a memorial concert for Henner, which took place on January 7th, 2006 in his hometown Schwalmstadt , Squealer renamed himself in the new line-up to Squealer AD and made another attempt to gain a foothold in the metal scene. The joint album Confrontation Street is much more aggressive than its predecessors and clearly reflects the frustration and anger over the tragedy that happened.

Neither the collaboration with Gus nor the abbreviation AD lasted for a long time. Due to musical and personal differences there is another singer change. Gus has to go and Squealer finds a new man on the microphone in Norbert Vornam. The band is also shortening its name to Squealer and musically returning to its roots. Already in 2007 the new line-up performed at the Rockharz Open Air and the Summer Breeze and a year later Squealer returned with The Circle Shuts in their luggage. In 2009 they separated from drummer Martin and in the following years Eike Thomas, Maik Goß and Matthias Karle helped out as live drummers. With the exception of a few festival appearances, such as the Ragnarock Open Air 2010 or the Bullblast 2012, the Hessians remain relatively quiet during this time. From 2012 to 2014 Squealer will make further personnel changes. Bassist Manuel Roth and singer Sebastian Werner will be an integral part of the lineup, with which the band is again performing more and more live, including at the Metal Cruise 70,000 Tons Of Metal 2016 . With the now tried and tested new line-up, the band is pushing the songwriting for the new album Behind Closed Doors , which will be released in February 2018 on the Pride & Joy Music label. In order to make the "retreading" perfect, a top-class new team was also worked with in the band's environment. Ito Grabosch was hired for the recordings, while Roland Grapow (ex Helloween / Masterplan ) was responsible for the mix and Mika Jussila ( Finnvox Studios ) for the mastering. Also in February 2018, Martin Winter will return to the band as a permanent drummer, thus completing the new Squealer lineup.

style

In terms of style, squealers are most likely to be classified in Thrash and Speed ​​Metal , although the style of the individual albums differs slightly and influences from Power Metal and other genres also flow in.

Discography

Demos

  • 1986: Squeal for your life ( MC ; self-distribution)
  • 1987: Ready To Fight ( MC ; self-distribution)
  • 1988: One Beer Too Much (MC; self-distribution)

Studio albums

  • 1992: Make Your Day (CD; AFM Records )
  • 1995: Wrong Time, Wrong Place? (CD; AFM Records)
  • 1999: The Prophecy (CD; AFM Records) re-release via Metal Blade Records, 2000.
  • 2000: Made For Eternity (CD / MC; AFM Records)
  • 2002: Under The Cross (CD / MC; Painful Lust / AFM Records)
  • 2006: Confrontation Street (CD; AFM Records)
  • 2008: The Circle Shuts (CD; AFM Records)
  • 2018: Behind Closed Doors (CD; Pride & Joy Music)

Singles and EPs

  • 1990: Human Traces ( 12 " ; self-distribution)
  • 2002: In Zaire (CD; Painful Lust / AFM Records)
  • 2008: The Coursing (MP3; AFM Records)
  • 2017: Behind Closed Doors (MP3; Pride & Joy Music)
  • 2017: M: O: T: M (MP3; Pride & Joy Music)
  • 2018: Fate (MP3; Pride & Joy Music)

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Squealer - Heavy Metal since 1984. Retrieved January 30, 2018 (American English).
  2. ↑ Review "Wrong Time, Wrong Place?" on rockhard.de
  3. ↑ Review "Under The Cross" on rockhard.de
  4. ↑ Review "Under The Cross" on powermetal.de
  5. ↑ Review "The Circle Shuts" on laut.de.
  6. ↑ Review "The Circle Shuts" on metal.de
  7. ↑ Review "The Circle Shuts" on rockhard.de
  8. ↑ Squealer - Heavy Metal since 1984. Retrieved January 30, 2018 (American English).