Kamelot is a shapeshifting, musically adept American, German, and Swedish hard rock unit that skillfully blends elements of classical and symphonic metal with gothic/doom metal and progressive rock. Founded by Florida-based multi-instrumentalist Thomas Youngblood, the band has endured numerous lineup changes since releasing their 1995 debut Eternity. From 1999's The Fourth Legacy to 2007's Ghost Opera, Kamelot established a core sound internationally recognized for juxtaposing metallic power and keen melodic sensibilities. 2015's Haven charted globally. The band returned from the pandemic with 2023's Awakening. Multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Thomas Youngblood and drummer Richard Warner formed Kamelot in Tampa, Florida in early 1991 with vocalist Mark Vanderbilt and bassist Sean Tibbetts. After writing and seemingly endless rehearsals, Kamelot issued its first demo late in the year and followed it with another in 1993 before signing to Noise Records. Keyboardist David Pavlicko joined the lineup as bassist Glenn Barry replaced Tibbetts for their debut full-length Eternity in 1995. The set was greeted by positive reviews in the U.S. Dominion followed a year later with the same lineup, but the band got to tour Europe and established a fan base there. The first major lineup changes occurred when Youngblood replaced Warner with Casey Grillo and vocalist Vanderbilt with singer/lyricist Roy S. Khan (ex- and future Conception) for 1998's Siége Perilous. This lineup provided the musical, dynamic, and sonic foundations for the rest of their catalog, though Pavlicko left after the tour. 1999's The Fourth Legacy saw the lineup as a trio, though Avantasia's Michael Rodenberg (aka Miro Rodenberg) guested on keyboards, provided orchestrations, and co-produced the set with Avantasia's guitarist Sascha Paeth. The personnel also included an operatic female chorus, a string quartet, and multiple drummers. The album's release was received with global enthusiasm; many critics felt the group had evolved into a mature, adventurous unit whose music equally balanced power, prog, and symphonic metal with exotic arrangements. 2001's Karma offered Kamelot as a replenished quartet with the addition of bassist Glenn Barry. Again co-produced by Rodenberg -- who also provided orchestrations -- and Paeth, the set's instrumentation offered strings and multiple choirs, hooky lyrical melodies, powerful dynamics, and dazzling musicianship. 2003's Epica was the band's final offering for Noise. A concept album based on Faust, its dynamic, theatrical narrative was performed with assistance of a symphony orchestra arranged by Rodenberg who again co-produced with Paeth; the latter also guested on guitar. Male and female choirs were prominent in the execution as were exotic instruments, from an upright bass to Fabricio Alejandra's bandoneón, Guitarist Luca Turilli also guested on the album. Epica won at least as many critical accolades as Karma and sold better. Critics remarked on the band's ability to render a progressive, power metal concept that avoided genre tropes and redundancies. Paired with their incendiary stage presence, Kamelot signed a deal with SPV-Steamhammer to record their seventh long-player, and second concept album, The Black Halo. With a bigger recording budget, Kamelot pulled out all the stops. Co-producers Paeth and Rodenberg added a massive symphony orchestra, the biggest choirs yet, assistance from jazz pianist Jens Johansson, and guest vocal soloists who included Dimmu Borgir's Shagrath and Epica's Simone Simons. With extremely tight arrangements, an imaginative sonic and textural palette, and a winning concept, Black Halo was Kamelot's finest work to date and guaranteed them higher profile gigs on both sides of the Atlantic. The 2006 live album One Cold Winters Night -- recorded in Oslo, Norway before an adoring crowd -- followed in 2006. Released in 2007, Ghost Opera showcased a new quintet roster with touring keyboardist Oliver Palotai added to the studio lineup. Simons and future Exit Eden lead vocalist Amanda Sommerville (also a vocal coach of considerable renown) were featured in the choir and as soloists. Produced by the team of Paeth and Rodenberg, the set was so well received it found its way into the U.S. Top 200. In December 2009, Youngblood announced that bassist Barry had left the band and was replaced by the touring bassist and returning member Sean Tibbetts. 2010's Poetry for the Poisoned offered a startling change of direction. Recorded in a cabin in Norway, the 14-song set abandoned power metal for gothic metal balanced with prog metal and electronica with uncharacteristically polished production from Paeth and Rodenberg. Simons sang lead on three tracks while Soilwork's Bjorn Strid and Savatage's Jon Oliva and Chanty "Fräulein" Wunder sang lead on one track each. Sommerville appeared on backing vocals and Firewind guitarist Gus G (Konstantinos Karamitroudis) guested. It was Khan's final outing with Kamelot. He fell seriously ill on the eve of their North American tour and was replaced by several singers including Simons, EdenEcho, and Tommy Karevik. After a long convalescence, Khan eventually returned to his first band, Conception. Kamelot's Poetry for the Poisoned entered the top 200 at number 74 and peaked at 60. Karevik was hired as Kamelot's permanent lead vocalist following the tour. His first studio outing with the band was 2012's Silverthorn. Their third concept offering, the album's central narrative centers on a little girl named Jolee during the 19th century. She dies in a tragic accident witnessed by her twin brothers. The story then relates how the girl's affluent family behaves in the aftermath. It charted in 14 countries including the U.S., where it peaked at 79 in the Top 200, and at number nine on the Hard Rock Albums list. Paeth and Rodenberg appeared as well as co-produced. with the latter delivering his trademark orchestrations supplied by a string quartet, choirs (including a children's choir), and a driving, symphonic power metal mix. They toured in 2013 and 2014 in Europe and North and South America. Palotai was replaced on tour by Epica keyboardist Coen Janssen. Kamelot signed with Napalm Records in 2014. Following an early 2015 North American tour, they released Haven in May. In addition to choirs, the Paeth/Rodenberg production credited both men as instrumental contributors; Palotai handled the lion's share of orchestrations. The set boasted two guest vocalists in Arch Enemy's Alissa White-Gluz and Phantasma's Charlotte Wessels, and traditional Celtic musician Troy Donockley on Uillean Pipes. A week after its release, the album topped the U.S. Hard Rock charts. 2017 concluded the Haven World Tour with shows in Russia, Greece, and Israel. In February 2018, Kamelot announced that longtime drummer Grillo would be leaving the band after three decades. He'd already been replaced on select tour dates by Alex Landenburg (Luca Turilli's Rhapsody). In April, they issued The Shadow Theory, their 12th studio album. Firewind drummer Johan Nunez served as replacement drummer. The Paeth/Rodenberg production included three choirs and guest vocalists Jennifer Harben (Beyond the Black) and Once Human's Lauren Hart. The set peaked at number two on the Hard Rock Albums chart and topped streaming metal lists. The band hit the road with Delain and Battle Beast, but after only two shows, Nunez had to be replaced due to an injury. Landenburg once more filled the chair for the remainder of the tour across North America, Europe, and Australia. He was announced as the band's permanent drummer in April 2019. They recorded the live album I Am the Empire: Live from the 013 in Tilburg, Netherlands in September with Wessels, Elize Ryd (Amaranthe, Raskasta Joulua), Alissa White-Gluz (Arch Enemy), the Burns to Embrace Children's Choir, string quartet Eklipse, and Paeth as guests. The DVD/Blu-ray for the live release was later announced in June 2020 and released in August. During the pandemic, Youngblood, Karevik, and Palotai wrote intently, sharing files over the internet. They composed a total of 25 songs that they whittled down before recording. The Awakening was scheduled for a March 2021 release but was delayed for a solid two years, appearing in March 2023 as the band toured Brazil. The 13-song set was produced solely by Paeth and featured classical cellist Tina Guo, Simons, and Ad Infinitum's Melissa Bonny as guests. ~ Thom Jurek & James Christopher Monger, Rovi

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Kamelot

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