On Tour

31.07.2024 Wacken Open Air Sold Out Wacken [DE] Tickets

Past Dates

17.08.2019 Summer Breeze Dinkelsbühl [DE]
04.07.2019 RockHarz Open Air Ballenstedt [DE]
26.04.2019 Hexentanz Losheim am See [DE]
31.01. - 04.02.2019 70000 Tons of Metal Fort Lauderdale [US]
21.10.2018 Rockfabrik Ludwigsburg [DE]
20.10.2018 Z7 Pratteln [CH]
19.10.2018 Le Petit Bain Paris [FR]
18.10.2018 Garage Saarbrucken [DE]
07.10.2018 Batschkapp Frankfurt am Main [DE]
06.10.2018 Technikum München [DE]
05.10.2018 Markthalle Hamburg [DE]
04.10.2018 Lido Club Berlin [DE]
23.09.2018 MusikZentrum Hannover [DE]
22.09.2018 Turbinenhalle Oberhausen [DE]
21.09.2018 Biebob Vosselaar [BE]
20.09.2018 Melkweg Amsterdam [NL]
18.08.2018 Metal on the Hill Graz [AT]
10. - 11.08.2018 Leyendas del Rock Villena [ES]
12.07.2018 Masters of Rock 2018 Vizovice [CZ]
16.06.2018 Metaltörn Rhein Special Köln [DE]
17.04.2016 Batschkapp ****** Frankfurt [DE]
16.04.2016 Markthalle ****** Hamburg [DE]
15.04.2016 Turbinenhalle ****** Oberhausen [DE]
10.04.2016 Lido ***** Berlin [DE]
09.04.2016 Musikzentrum ***** Hannover [DE]
03.04.2016 Im Wizemann * Stuttgart [DE]
02.04.2016 Backstage * München [DE]
01.04.2016 Z7 * Pratteln [CH]
31.03.2016 Szene **** Wien [AT]
27.03.2016 Le Petit Bain *** Paris [FR]
26.03.2016 Biebob *** Vosselaar [BE]
25.03.2016 O13 *** Tilburg [NL]
24.03.2016 O2 Academy Islington *** London [UK]
20.03.2016 Meet Factory ** Prag [CZ]
19.03.2016 Masters of Rock Cafe ** Zlin [CZ]
18.03.2016 Hellraiser * Leipzig [DE]
19.09.2015 Cidre & Dragon Merville [FR]
08.08.2015 Leyendas del Rock Villena [ES]
25.07.2015 Rockfestival Rengsdorf Rengsdorf [DE]
29.05.2015 Ostseefestival Schönberg [DE]
29.04.2015 A Capella Woche Hannover [DE]
26.04.2015 TBA Minsk [RU]
25.04.2015 TBA Moskau [RU]
24.04.2015 TBA St. Petersburg [RU]
14.12.2014 Batschkapp Frankfurt [DE]
13.12.2014 Zeche Bochum [DE]
12.12.2014 Markthalle Hamburg [DE]
13.04.2014 FZW [*] Dortmund [DE]
12.04.2014 -special show with very special guests- Düsseldorf [DE]
11.04.2014 Alte Spinnerei [*] Glauchau [DE]
10.04.2014 Lido [*] Berlin [DE]
05.04.2014 Live Music Hall [*] Köln [DE]
04.04.2014 Aladin [*] Bremen [DE]
03.04.2014 O13 [*] Tilburg [NL]
02.04.2014 Underworld [*] London [GB]
23.03.2014 Sumpfblume [*] Hameln [DE]
22.03.2014 Grünspan [*] Hamburg [DE]
21.03.2014 ColosSaal [*] Aschaffenburg [DE]
20.03.2014 Z7 Pratteln [CH]
09.03.2014 ROFA [*] Ludwigsburg [DE]
08.03.2014 Nova Chmelnice [*] Prague [CZ]
07.03.2014 Backstage [*] München [DE]
06.03.2014 Factory [*] Milano [IT]
23.02.2014 RoFa [*] Nürnberg [DE]
22.02.2014 Biebob Vosselaar [BE]
21.02.2014 La Laiterie [*] Strassbourg [FR]
15.02.2014 Zal Ozhidaniya St. Petersburg [RU]
14.02.2014 Klub Volta Moskau [RU]
27.09.2013 Festival Musical Sacra Paderborn [DE]
11. - 13.07.2013 RockHarz Ballenstedt [DE]
29.06.2013 Basinfire Fest Spalene Porici [CZ]
05. - 12.05.2013 Full Metal Cruise [DE]
26.04.2013 Hexentanz Festival 2013 Losheim am See [DE]
07.01.2012 ZAKK Düsseldorf [DE]
06.01.2012 Sumpfblume Hameln [DE]
05.01.2012 Rosenhof Osnabrück [DE]
04.01.2012 Rockfabrik Ludwigsburg [DE]
29.12.2011 Spectrum Club Augsburg [DE]
28.12.2011 Quasimodo Pirmasens [DE]
09.12.2011 Christmas Metal Meeting Geiselwind [DE]
15.10.2011 OUT OF THE DARK TOUR 2011 Dortmund [DE]
14.10.2011 OUT OF THE DARK TOUR 2011 Hamburg [DE]
13.10.2011 OUT OF THE DARK TOUR 2011 Neu-Isenburg [DE]
12.10.2011 OUT OF THE DARK TOUR 2011 Munich [DE]
11.10.2011 OUT OF THE DARK TOUR 2011 Cologne [DE]
09.10.2011 OUT OF THE DARK TOUR 2011 London [UK]
08.10.2011 OUT OF THE DARK TOUR 2011 Vosselaar [BE]
07.10.2011 OUT OF THE DARK TOUR 2011 Haarlem [NL]
06.10.2011 OUT OF THE DARK TOUR 2011 Paris [Fr]
05.10.2011 OUT OF THE DARK TOUR 2011 Pratteln [CH]
04.10.2011 OUT OF THE DARK TOUR 2011 Milan [IT]
02.10.2011 OUT OF THE DARK TOUR 2011 Budapest [HU]
01.10.2011 OUT OF THE DARK TOUR 2011 Prague [CZ]
30.09.2011 OUT OF THE DARK TOUR 2011 Karlsruhe [DE]
03.09.2011 Plock Cover Festiwal 2011 Plock [PL]
06.08.2011 Wacken Open Air Wacken [DE]
30.07.2011 Rengsdorfer Rock Rengsdorf [DE]
30.07.2011 Rengsdorfer Rock Rengsdorf [DE]
23.07.2011 Das Fest Karlsruhe [DE]
02.07.2011 Castle Rock Mülheim a.d. Ruhr [DE]
18.06.2011 Rock in Concert Lichtenfels [DE]
09.01.2011 RoFa Ludwigsburg [DE]
08.01.2011 Kulturhaus Stattbahnhof Schweinfurt [DE]
07.01.2011 Essigfabrik Köln [DE]
06.01.2011 Batschkapp Frankfurt [DE]
30.12.2010 Treibsand Lübeck [DE]
29.12.2010 Logo Hamburg [DE]
28.12.2010 Matrix Bochum [DE]
19.12.2010 Blind Guardian Support Bruchsal [DE]
18.12.2010 Heavy Xmas Festival Grafenhausen [DE]
17.12.2010 Dynamo Club Zürich [CH]
04.12.2010 Blind Guardian Support Bielefeld [DE]
03.12.2010 Hexentanz Festival Illingen [DE]
23.10.2010 Club Tochka Moskau [RU]
21.10.2010 Blind Guardian Support Osnabrück [DE]
20.10.2010 Blind Guardian Support Berlin [DE]
10.10.2010 Blind Guardian Support München [DE]
09.10.2010 Blind Guardian Support Duesseldorf [DE]
08.10.2010 Blind Guardian Support Bamberg [DE]
03.10.2010 Blind Guardian Support Langen [DE]
02.10.2010 Blind Guardian Support Trier [DE]
01.10.2010 Blind Guardian Support Ludwigsburg [DE]
27.08.2010 Rockfestival Lichteneck Lichteneck [DE]
21.08.2010 Summerbreeze Open Air Dinkelsbühl [DE]
06.08.2010 W.O.A. Wacken [DE]
29.07.2010 Blue Balls Festival Luzern [CH]
23.07.2010 Dong Open Air Neukirchen-Vluyn [DE]
09.07.2010 RockHarz Ballenstedt [DE]
27.06.2010 Gods of Metal Turin [IT]
04.06.2010 Rocknacht Eschershausen [DE]
15.05.2010 Rage Against Racism Duisburg [DE]
14.05.2010 Metalfest Germany Dessau [DE]
13.05.2010 Metalfest Switzerland Pratteln [CH]
12.05.2010 Metalfest Austria Mining am Inn [AT]
01.05.2010 Fiesta Pagana II Schmerikon [CH]
30.04.2010 Ragnarök Rieden [DE]
10.04.2010 Zeche Carl Essen [DE]
09.04.2010 Sumpfblume Hameln [DE]
08.04.2010 HDJ Mainz [DE]
06.04.2010 Tholi Rheine [DE]
05.04.2010 Alte Zuckerfabrik Rostock [DE]
04.04.2010 Logo Hamburg [DE]
03.04.2010 Rocktower Festival Lübeck [DE]
01.04.2010 Knaack Club Berlin [DE]
31.03.2010 Metropolis München [DE]
29.03.2010 Quasimodo Pirmasens [DE]
28.03.2010 Fabrik Bruchsal [DE]
27.03.2010 Jakobshof Aachen [DE]
26.03.2010 Stahlwerk Düsseldorf [DE]
25.10.2009 Fabrik Bruchsal []
24.10.2009 Quasimodo Pirmasens []
23.10.2009 Z7 Pratteln []
03.07.2009 Castle Rock Festival Mühlheim a. d. Ruhr [DE]
20.06.2009 Rock am Härtsfeldsee Dischingen [DE]
05.06.2009 Trierer Sommertreff Trier [DE]
09.05.2009 Pitcher Düsseldorf [DE]
09.04.2009 supporting 'Letzte Instanz' Hannover [DE]
08.04.2009 supporting 'Letzte Instanz' Berlin [DE]
07.04.2009 supporting 'Letzte Instanz' Frankfurt [DE]
06.04.2009 supporting 'Letzte Instanz' Bremen [DE]
05.04.2009 supporting 'Letzte Instanz' Hamburg [DE]
04.04.2009 supporting 'Letzte Instanz' Rostock [DE]
02.04.2009 supporting 'Letzte Instanz' Cologne [DE]
20.03.2009 Rockdomizil Amberg [DE]
14.03.2009 Mittelalter Festival Illingen/ Saar [DE]
07.03.2009 Treibsand Lübeck [DE]
21.02.2009 Rock City Uster [CH]
14.02.2009 Dong Winter Party Essen [DE]
07.02.2009 Heavys Aalen [DE]
23.12.2008 Club Mascotte Zürich [CH]
28.11.2008 Stadthalle Nieheim [DE]
21.11.2008 Sumpfblume Hameln [DE]
14.11.2008 Diemelkult-Festival Marsberg [DE]
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VAN CANTO will release their new CD Hero on the 26th of September via GUN Records. This album is their masterpiece so far and definitely a highlight among this year’s heavy metal releases! The six musicians take their a-cappella metal to a new level. Hero was recorded in BLIND GUARDIAN's Twilight Hall Studios, the perfect place to create magic melodies and great heavy metal. It's no surprise that BLIND GUARDIAN's singer Hansi Kürsch himself participated as a guest vocalist on the speed metal anthem Take To The Sky, one of several gripping new compositions on the album. Further highlights are Speed Of Light, a complex, yet catchy tour de force in the typical VAN CANTO style, and Quest For Roar, a terrific midtempo track. The quality of the songwriting leaves nothing to be desired and the energy of the vocals is palpable in every single note, be it the lead voice or the elaborate backing chants that emulate intricate guitar riffs and solos. Several a cappella versions of timeless metal classics like Fear Of The Dark (IRON MAIDEN), The Bard’s Song (BLIND GUARDIAN) and Kings Of Metal (MANOWAR) complement the album. Renowned producer Charlie Bauerfeind (HELLOWEEN, HAMMERFALL) ensured that all songs sound as powerful as possible. Let the metal party begin! These days it's not easy for a band to be unique and to stand out from the crowd. VAN CANTO however do just that! The innovative concept of playing heavy metal exclusively with vocals and drums has gained them a dedicated and rapidly-growing following. The history of this German band has been eventful to say the least. Their self-produced debut A Storm To Come received euphoric praise at home and abroad. VAN CANTO played many concerts, including a number of shows with NIGHTWISH and the Wacken Open Air Festival. During a recent trip to South America, the band experienced their rise in popularity first-hand. The band became an even tighter unit when GUN Records signed them and released A Storm To Come in December 2007. Now, less than a year later, the storm is here: VAN CANTO have risen to the occasion, delivering Hero, a celebration of epic melodies, a collection of the finest heavy metal, in short: a must-have. VAN CANTO was founded by Stefan Stef Schmidt in early 2006. His aim was to introduce fresh ideas to the German metal scene. He wanted to play authentic heavy metal with melodies and power, but he decided to completely forego guitars, bass and keyboards. These instruments were to be emulated with vocal chords instead. Only a drummer was added to the cappella line-up to provide additional power. Stef recorded several self-penned songs and two cover versions together with some friends. Stef: I was lucky that everyone I asked agreed to participate. Little did we know how much we were going to like it ourselves. The project had turned into a full band by the time A Storm To Come was released in December 2006. Each member had previously gained experience in other bands: Stef, for example, had been the singer/guitarist of Jester's Funeral, lead vocalist Dennis "Sly" Schunke used to front Synasthasia and Inga Scharf was the female voice of Fading Starlight. But only the line-up of VAN CANTO had the right chemistry!

The debut A Storm To Come contained surprisingly well-written songs and featured a professional production. VAN CANTO promoted the album with an excellent video clip for the song The Mission, which soon became a fan anthem. The video demonstrates the unity of the band and introduced them to a broad audience around the globe. At the same time, the album received praise from press and fans alike, steadily increasing the band's popularity. The next première followed in June 2007: VAN CANTO played their first live gig, unleashing the music's energy. It's definitely sport, remarks Stef. Eventually, the band delivered intense performances at events like Dong:Open:Air, RockHarz-OpenAir and RockAufDemBerg, perfecting its tight stage appearance. There is one thing that hasn't changed since the first concert: VAN CANTO's heroic a cappella metal elicits euphoric reactions from the audience wherever they play. Drummer Dennis Stillinger left the band in October 2007 due to time constraints. His successor is Bastian Emig, who had previously played with Stef in Jester's Funeral and fits perfectly into the band. In December that year, VAN CANTO were on the bill of the A Dark Winter's Night festivals in Germany and Austria, which were headlined by their idols NIGHTWISH. Needless to say, this was a great honour for VAN CANTO. And there was more good news: GUN Records signed VAN CANTO and released A Storm To Come in December 2007. This was just the beginning of a productive relationship. The recording sessions for the next album began in February 2008 at a very prestigious location: the Twilight Hall Studios of Germany fantasy metal kings BLIND GUARDIAN! It was the perfect place to capture the magic of VAN CANTO. Producer Charlie Bauerfeind (Blind Guardian, Helloween, Hammerfall) supervised the recordings, delivering a powerful production and challenging the singers to deliver their best performances up to now. After the recordings, VAN CANTO revisited their first album and made a video clip for their cover version of the classic Metallica song, Battery. The video was made released in May 2008 and received very positive feedback. VAN CANTO spent the summer playing numerous concerts in their native country and making their first trip to Brazil. There the band played its first concert on South American soil, appearing on various TV shows and giving countless interviews. Thrilled by the passionate reactions, VAN CANTO will continue to pay special attention to this part of the world. The new Album Hero (release date: 26th of September) is now ready to take the world by storm. VAN CANTO have managed to successfully re-invent themselves. The band sounds mature, yet hungry for an even bigger audience. "We have a bit of a debut-feeling once again, because everything is happening on a higher level with Charlie Bauerfeind and GUN," Stef says regarding the present situation. VAN CANTO's music is currently unrivalled in the stagnation-struck metal scene. Fans of the first album will love the awesome speed metal songs Speed Of Light and Take To The Sky. Those who appreciate melodic tunes will find it hard to resist catchy songs like Pathfinder and Quest For Roar. It's here that the progress in terms of atmospheric density becomes obvious. The dynamics of the bass vocals introduce a whole new layer to the music, whereas the lead vocals hit every note, every syllable and every hookline with breathtaking precision and passion! The quality of the songwriting is of the highest order. The abundance of awesome melodies – some of them prominent, some of them embedded in the mighty backing vocals – is almost frightening. The cover versions on the album demonstrate that VAN CANTO have remained metal fans themselves. Instead of choosing boring pop songs, the band has transformed several metal classics into a cappella hymns, and their range is impressive: The Bard's Song (Blind Guardian) celebrates the vocals and pays tribute to VAN CANTO's main influence. Kings Of Metal (Manowar), on the other hand, has the band rocking straight ahead. Wishmaster (Nightwish) pays homage to the next generation of metal heroines and heroes. Fear Of The Dark (Iron Maiden) features gloomy choirs that create an almost sacred atmosphere. Stef: It's amazing what you can do with this one. Hero offers a perfect blend of melodic, epic, and energetic elements. The music appeals to fans of Blind Guardian, Nightwish, Gamma Ray und Rhapsody On Fire alike. The cover songs show that metal is not dead and VAN CANTO's original compositions lead the listener straight into metal heaven, where choirs of angels and demons are singing and headbanging.

Line-up

  • Hagen Hirschmann - Clean male lead vocals
  • Inga Scharf - Clean female lead vocals
  • Ross Thompson - Higher guitar vocals
  • Stefan „Stef“ Schmidt - Lower- & solo guitar vocals
  • Ingo „Ike“ Sterzinger - Bass vocals
  • Jan Moritz - Bass vocals
  • Bastian Emig - Drums

Discography

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