Die Apokalyptischen Reiter
Die Apokalyptischen Reiter (German for "The Apocalyptic Riders") is a German heavy metal band formed in Weimar in 1995. The group is known for blending various metal subgenres with a wide range of musical influences.
In their early years, the band’s style combined death and thrash metal elements with melodic components, as evident on their releases up to and including the album "Allegro Barbaro" and select tracks on "All You Need Is Love." This phase was characterized by aggressive compositions, varied tempos, and harsh vocals.
As the band evolved, particularly from the album "All You Need Is Love" onward, their music became more structured and melodic, often incorporating clean vocals and traditional song structures such as verse-chorus arrangements with bridges and solos. This led to a more refined and accessible sound while still retaining heavy metal elements.
A significant stylistic shift occurred with the release of the album "Have a Nice Trip," which marked the beginning of the band's experimentation with a broader range of genres, including ambient and jazz. Their lyrics are written in both English and German, although their more recent albums, such as "Licht," feature lyrics exclusively in German.
Studio albums
Soft & Stronger (1997)
Allegro Barbaro (1999)
All You Need Is Love (2000)
Have a Nice Trip (2003)
Samurai (2004)
Riders on the Storm (2006)
Licht (2008)
Moral & Wahnsinn (2011)
Tief.Tiefer (2014)
Der Rote Reiter (2017)
The Divine Horsemen (2021)
Wilde Kinder (2022)
In their early years, the band’s style combined death and thrash metal elements with melodic components, as evident on their releases up to and including the album "Allegro Barbaro" and select tracks on "All You Need Is Love." This phase was characterized by aggressive compositions, varied tempos, and harsh vocals.
As the band evolved, particularly from the album "All You Need Is Love" onward, their music became more structured and melodic, often incorporating clean vocals and traditional song structures such as verse-chorus arrangements with bridges and solos. This led to a more refined and accessible sound while still retaining heavy metal elements.
A significant stylistic shift occurred with the release of the album "Have a Nice Trip," which marked the beginning of the band's experimentation with a broader range of genres, including ambient and jazz. Their lyrics are written in both English and German, although their more recent albums, such as "Licht," feature lyrics exclusively in German.
Studio albums
Soft & Stronger (1997)
Allegro Barbaro (1999)
All You Need Is Love (2000)
Have a Nice Trip (2003)
Samurai (2004)
Riders on the Storm (2006)
Licht (2008)
Moral & Wahnsinn (2011)
Tief.Tiefer (2014)
Der Rote Reiter (2017)
The Divine Horsemen (2021)
Wilde Kinder (2022)
