Artillery

Biography

Artillery are a Danish thrash metal band. They participated in the development of the genre, and were Danish thrash metal scene pioneers with their energetic, riff-centric and often fast-paced music. After releasing three full-length albums and touring throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, Artillery disbanded in 1991, reunited seven years later, disbanded again in 2000, and reformed again in 2007. They remain active.

History

Drummer Carsten Nielsen and guitarist Jørgen Sandau formed the band in June 1982 in Taastrup, Copenhagen suburb. For a while, Artillery rehearsed in the same room with and drew inspiration from Mercyful Fate and Metallica. The Stützer brothers formed their band as Devil's Symphony in 1980. Later on, they renamed to Artillery based on the track "Heavy Artillery" from Tank's album Filth Hounds of Hades. After trying several musicians, the line up became guitarists Jørgen Sandau and Michael Stützer, bassist Morten Stützer, drummer Carsten Nielsen, and singer Carsten Lohmann . The group recorded the demos "We Are the Dead×We Are the Dead20 December 1982 · EP · DemoSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Mind of No Return3:392Day of Doom4:273All for You3:364We Are the Dead5:06" in 1983, and "Shellshock×Shellshock19 August 1984 · EP · DemoSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Time Has Come6:072All for You4:323Bitch3:504Blessed Are the Strong4:36" and "Deeds of Darkness×Deeds of Darkness14 November 1984 · EP · DemoSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Deeds of Darkness6:542Too Late to Regret3:593Deserter5:354Hey Woman3:51" in 1984.
Artillery's first commercial debut came in early 1985 with the inclusion of the song "Hey Woman" on Volume One of the Speed Metal Hell compilation series which was released on New Renaissance Records. Later that year, Carsten Lohmann left and was replaced by Flemming Rönsdorf. Later the same year, Artillery recorded a fourth demo, "Fear of Tomorrow×Fear of TomorrowAugust 1985 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracksA1Time Has Come5:22A2The Almighty4:15A3Show Your Hate4:49A4King Thy Name Is Slayer3:40A5Out of the Sky3:38B1Into the Universe3:48B2The Eternal War5:27B3Fear of Tomorrow3:30B4Deeds of Darkness6:35", signed with Neat Records, and released their first album, also titled Fear of Tomorrow. In 1986, Carsten Nielsen was contacted by Quorthon of Bathory asking him if he was interested in drumming for Bathory. Nielsen turned down the offer since he thought Artillery would become a much bigger band than Bathory. Their second album, Terror Squad×Terror Squad1987 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracksA1The Challenge4:13A2In the Trash4:47A3Terror Squad5:47A4Let There Be Sin3:53B1Hunger and Greed5:04B2Therapy4:03B3At War With Science7:10B4Decapitation of Deviants4:37, was released in 1987.
Guitarist Jørgen Sandau Putza left the band in 1989. Bassist Morten Stützer took over his position, lending the bass to recruit Peter Thorslund. That same year Artillery traveled to Tashkent, Uzbekistan (at the time still part of the USSR), where they performed at a local music festival. Their third album, By Inheritance×By Inheritance18 June 1990 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks17:00 From Tashkent0:542Khomaniac6:423Beneath the Clay (R.I.P.)4:494By Inheritance5:435Bombfood5:436Don’t Believe4:417Life in Bondage5:268Equal at First4:249Razamanaz3:1410Back in the Trash6:01, was released in 1990 on both LP and CD by Roadrunner Records and included a song called "7:00 from Tashkent". Artillery disbanded in 1991, with some of the members pursuing musical projects of their own during the rest of the 1990s.
Following the 1998 release of an Artillery compilation CD Deadly Relics×Deadly Relics1998 · Album · CompilationSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Artilleristic Prelude MCMXCVIII0:532Khomaniac6:423Don't Believe4:314Out of the Sky3:415Fear of Tomorrow3:426Deeds of Darkness6:567Too Late to Regret3:598Deserter5:369Hey Woman3:5210Time Has Come6:0711All for You4:3312Bitch3:5013Blessed Are the Strong4:37 by Mighty Music, featuring a mix of old demo recordings and two songs from the 1989 promotional tape, the band reformed to record a fourth album, B.A.C.K, which was released in 1999 by Die Hard Music. Then, in 2000, Artillery decided to split up again.
In 2007, the band released a limited edition 4-CD boxset entitled Through the Years, which contains the band's four studio albums and all their demo material.
On 6 November 2007, Michael Stützer confirmed on the official Artillery website that they were once again active. However, longtime Artillery singer Flemming Rönsdorf did not participate. On 27 November the same year, it was confirmed that singer Søren Adamsen would be the new frontman. This line-up recorded two albums, When Death Comes×When Death Comes15 June 2009 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1When Death Comes5:542Upon My Cross I Crawl5:29310.000 Devils5:204Rise Above It All5:325Sandbox Philosophy4:446Delusions of Grandeur5:107Not a Nightmare5:308Damned Religion5:109Uniform5:0110The End5:22 in 2009 and My Blood×My Blood16 March 2011 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Mi Sangre (The Blood Song)7:332Monster4:573Dark Days5:124Death Is an Illusion5:165Ain't Giving In4:556Prelude to Madness1:067Thrasher3:378Warrior Blood5:109Concealed in the Dark4:5910End of Eternity5:4311The Great5:0412The Almighty 20113:45 in 2011.
On 12 April 2012, drummer Carsten Nielsen announced that he was leaving the band after a US/South America tour in May that year. He was replaced by Josua Madsen. On 26 September the same year, it was also announced that Søren Adamsen had left the band and was replaced by Michael Bastholm Dahl. The new Artillery lineup was working on a new album entitled Legions×Legions26 November 2013 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Chill My Bones (Burn My Flesh)6:062God Feather5:133Legions4:374Wardrum Heartbeat5:525Global Flatline6:576Dies Irae4:547Anno Requiem4:148Enslaved to the Nether5:279Doctor Evil5:5310Ethos of Wrath6:0511The Almighty (2013)3:4812Eternal War (2013)5:22, which they began recording in February 2013, and which was released on Metal Blade on 26 November 2013. On 7 October 2013, Metal Blade released the first video single from Legions in the form of the track "Chill My Bones (Burn My Flesh)". Legions was followed three years later by Penalty by Perception.
On 15 July 2018, Artillery announced on their Facebook page they were making a new album. This album, titled The Face of Fear×The Face of Fear16 November 2018 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1The Face of Fear3:582Crossroads to Conspiracy4:253New Rage4:014Sworn Utopia3:575Through the Ages of Atrocity5:006Thirst for the Worst4:187Pain4:128Under Water2:079Preaching to the Converted3:5810Mind of No Return (rerecorded)3:4611Doctor Evil5:50, was released on 16 November 2018.
Guitarist and founding member Morten Stützer died suddenly on 2 October 2019; the surviving members of Artillery immediately announced that they would continue performing in his honor and he was replaced by Kræn Meier. The band released their first song in two years, "The Last Journey×The Last Journey4 October 2020 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1The Last Journey4:502Trapped Under Ice4:11", digitally and on vinyl on 16 October 2020. The song serves as a tribute dedication to Morten Stützer and includes vocals from two of Artillery's former singers Flemming Rønsdorf and Søren Adamsen.
On 7 May 2021 Artillery released their tenth album, simply called X, produced in the Medley Studios in Copenhagen. The band toured worldwide in support of the album.
As of June 2022, Artillery has begun working on new music for their eleventh studio album.
On 8 March 2023, Artillery drummer Josua Madsen died after getting hit by a bus.
On 27 February 2026, Artillery released a new single called "Ghost In The Machine×Ghost in the Machine27 February 2026 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Ghost in the Machine4:48" four days prior to this release, the band announced an EP called "Made in Hell×Made in Hell3 April 2026 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Made in Hell4:46."

Musical style

According to Eduardio Rivadavia of AllMusic: "Their riff-centric, knotty attack and clean vocals make for a trademark sound that is often at odds with the evolving production standards in the genre, but they've stuck to their guns."

Band members

Current

Michael Stützer — lead guitar, backing vocals (1982–1987, 1988–1990, 1998–present)
Peter Thorslund — bass, backing vocals (1988–1989, 1989–1992, 1998–2000, 2007–present)
Frederik Kjelstrup Hansen — drums (2023–present)
Martin Steene — lead vocals (2023–present)
René Loua — rhythm guitar, backing vocals (2023–present)

Studio albums

Fear of Tomorrow (1985)
Terror Squad (1987)
By Inheritance (1990)
B.A.C.K. (1999)
When Death Comes (2009)
My Blood (2011)
Legions (2013)
Penalty by Perception (2016)
The Face of Fear (2018)
X (2021)

Compilation albums

Deadly Relics (1998)
In the Trash (2019)

Live albums & DVDs

One Foot in the Grave – The Other One in the Trash (2008)
Raw Live (At Copenhell) (2024)