Spiritual Beggars
Encyclopedia
Spiritual Beggars is a hard rock
/stoner metal band from Halmstad
, Sweden
, formed by Michael Amott
, who is known from Arch Enemy, Carcass
and Carnage
.
, the band was started as a side project after Michael left the British
death metal
band Carcass
. Spiritual Beggars debuted with the self titled Spiritual Beggars in 1994, and have since released albums as Michael's schedule permits (who is also the founder and full time member of the melodic death metal
band Arch Enemy), including 1996's Another Way to Shine, 1998's Mantra III, 2000's Ad Astra, 2002's "On Fire" and 2005's Demons.
The second album "Another Way To Shine" (1996) was nominated for a Swedish Grammy.
The third album, "Mantra III" saw the band adding Per Wiberg on keyboards. A tour of Europe with Fu Manchu along with festival appearances saw the band expanding their fan base.
The fourth album, "Ad Astra", was released in 2000 to rave reviews and strong sales across Europe and in Japan. The band toured heavily on their "Chasing The Stars" tour that followed, supporting bands such as Iron Maiden, Monster Magnet, Queens Of The Stone Age, as well as playing festivals and their own headline tours in Europe and Japan.
2002 saw the release of the bands fifth studio recording, "On Fire". This album featured a new line-up following the departure of original singer Christian "Spice" Sjöstrand.
The replacement was Janne "JB" Christoffersson (vocals) whom had been recommended to Michael Amott by a mutual friend.
The "On Fire" album was musically and vocally more melodic and saw the band reaching deeper into the epic 70's hard rock style of song writing. A European tour was put together in 2003 under the "Monstergroove" banner which featured Spiritual Beggars, Clutch, Spiritu and Dozer. A successful tour of Japan was also done in 2003 (with Clutch as the opening act).
A new album called Demons was released in Japan in March 2005 and in Europe on June 20. Demons was released in two versions – a single CD version and a two-CD version, which includes live material recorded in Japan during 2003. The touring on this record was limited to a three date Japan tour with DIO and a headline performance in London, UK.
In early March 2010, it was announced that Spiritual Beggars had entered the studio to record their first studio album in five years. The album features new singer Apollo Papathanasio.
The new album, titled ,"Return To Zero" has been released in Europe on August 30, 2010 via InsideOut Music, in Japan on August 25, 2010 and in North America on October 12, 2010 through Trooper Entertainment Inc.
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
/stoner metal band from Halmstad
Halmstad
Halmstad is a port, university, industrial and recreational city at the mouth of Nissan in the province of Halland on the Swedish west coast. Halmstad is the seat of Halmstad Municipality and the capital of Halland County...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, formed by Michael Amott
Michael Amott
Michael Amott is a Swedish guitarist, songwriter, founding member of the bands Arch Enemy, Spiritual Beggars, and Carnage, as well as a member of the death metal band Carcass. He is the older brother of Christopher Amott...
, who is known from Arch Enemy, Carcass
Carcass (band)
Carcass are an extreme metal band from England, who formed in 1985 and disbanded in 1995. A reunion was enacted in 2008 without one of its original members, drummer Ken Owen, due to health reasons....
and Carnage
Carnage (band)
Carnage was a Swedish death metal band whose members later went on to found Dismember, Arch Enemy and the Grindcore band Carcass. The band was formed by Michael Amott and Johan Liiva in 1988. They released only one album before dissolving in 1991.-History:...
.
Biography
Spiritual Beggars was formed in 1993 by Michael AmottMichael Amott
Michael Amott is a Swedish guitarist, songwriter, founding member of the bands Arch Enemy, Spiritual Beggars, and Carnage, as well as a member of the death metal band Carcass. He is the older brother of Christopher Amott...
, the band was started as a side project after Michael left the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
death metal
Death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
band Carcass
Carcass (band)
Carcass are an extreme metal band from England, who formed in 1985 and disbanded in 1995. A reunion was enacted in 2008 without one of its original members, drummer Ken Owen, due to health reasons....
. Spiritual Beggars debuted with the self titled Spiritual Beggars in 1994, and have since released albums as Michael's schedule permits (who is also the founder and full time member of the melodic death metal
Melodic death metal
Melodic death metal is a heavy metal music style that combines elements from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal with elements of death metal. The style was developed during the early and mid-1990s, primarily in England and Scandinavia...
band Arch Enemy), including 1996's Another Way to Shine, 1998's Mantra III, 2000's Ad Astra, 2002's "On Fire" and 2005's Demons.
The second album "Another Way To Shine" (1996) was nominated for a Swedish Grammy.
The third album, "Mantra III" saw the band adding Per Wiberg on keyboards. A tour of Europe with Fu Manchu along with festival appearances saw the band expanding their fan base.
The fourth album, "Ad Astra", was released in 2000 to rave reviews and strong sales across Europe and in Japan. The band toured heavily on their "Chasing The Stars" tour that followed, supporting bands such as Iron Maiden, Monster Magnet, Queens Of The Stone Age, as well as playing festivals and their own headline tours in Europe and Japan.
2002 saw the release of the bands fifth studio recording, "On Fire". This album featured a new line-up following the departure of original singer Christian "Spice" Sjöstrand.
The replacement was Janne "JB" Christoffersson (vocals) whom had been recommended to Michael Amott by a mutual friend.
The "On Fire" album was musically and vocally more melodic and saw the band reaching deeper into the epic 70's hard rock style of song writing. A European tour was put together in 2003 under the "Monstergroove" banner which featured Spiritual Beggars, Clutch, Spiritu and Dozer. A successful tour of Japan was also done in 2003 (with Clutch as the opening act).
A new album called Demons was released in Japan in March 2005 and in Europe on June 20. Demons was released in two versions – a single CD version and a two-CD version, which includes live material recorded in Japan during 2003. The touring on this record was limited to a three date Japan tour with DIO and a headline performance in London, UK.
In early March 2010, it was announced that Spiritual Beggars had entered the studio to record their first studio album in five years. The album features new singer Apollo Papathanasio.
The new album, titled ,"Return To Zero" has been released in Europe on August 30, 2010 via InsideOut Music, in Japan on August 25, 2010 and in North America on October 12, 2010 through Trooper Entertainment Inc.
Members
- Michael AmottMichael AmottMichael Amott is a Swedish guitarist, songwriter, founding member of the bands Arch Enemy, Spiritual Beggars, and Carnage, as well as a member of the death metal band Carcass. He is the older brother of Christopher Amott...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
(1992–present) - Apollo PapathanasioApollo PapathanasioApostolos "Apollo" Papathanasio is a Swede of Greek descent heavy metal vocalist, who is currently with the bands Firewind, Spiritual Beggars and Evil Masquerade. He has also sung for Meduza, Gardenian, and Richard Andersson's projects Majestic and Time Requiem.In 2007, Papathanasio had to opt...
– vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
(2010–present) - Sharlee D'AngeloSharlee D'AngeloSharlee D'Angelo is the bassist for Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy, as well as the Swedish hard rock band Spiritual Beggars.Sharlee has also been in various bands in the past, either as a studio session player or full member. Some of these include IllWill and Mercyful Fate as well as...
– bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(2005–present) - Per WibergPer WibergPer Jonas Wiberg is the former keyboardist of Swedish progressive death metal band Opeth, and a member of Michael Amott's stoner metal band Spiritual Beggars. Wiberg toured with Opeth from the 2003 Deliverance/Damnation tour onward, and joined Opeth officially in 2005. Wiberg provided backing...
– keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
(1998–present) - Ludwig Witt – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
(1993–present)
Former members
- Christian "Spice" Sjöstrand – vocals, bass (1992–2001)
- Roger NilssonRoger NilssonRoger Nilsson a Swedish bass-player best known for his work with The Quill, Spiritual Beggars, Arch Enemy and Firebird.-The Quill:* The Quill * Silver Haze * Evermore...
– bass (2002–2004) - Janne "JB" ChristofferssonJanne JB ChristofferssonJanne "JB" Christoffersson is a Swedish singer and guitarist. He was the singer for the stoner metal band Spiritual Beggars and plays guitar and sings for the heavy metal band Grand Magus.- References :...
– vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
(2002–2010)
Touring/Session members
- Stefan Isebring – percussion, hurdy gurdyHurdy gurdyThe hurdy gurdy or hurdy-gurdy is a stringed musical instrument that produces sound by a crank-turned rosined wheel rubbing against the strings. The wheel functions much like a violin bow, and single notes played on the instrument sound similar to a violin...
(1998, also appeared on Mantra III)
Albums
- Spiritual Beggars (1994, Wrong Again Records)
- Another Way to Shine (1996, Music for NationsMusic For NationsMusic For Nations was a British independent record label focusing mainly on rock and metal. They were a subsidiary of the larger label distributor Zomba Records who in turn is owned by BMG....
) - Mantra III (1998, Music for Nations)
- Ad Astra (2000, Music for Nations)
- On FireOn Fire (Spiritual Beggars)On Fire is an album by the Swedish stoner rock band Spiritual Beggars.It was released on November 2, 2002.-Track listing:*All Songs Written By Michael Amott, except where noted...
(2002, Music for Nations) - Demons (2005, SPV GmbHSPV GmbHSPV GmbH is an independent German record label.Founded on January 1, 1984, it has slowly grown to be one of the largest independent distributors and record labels worldwide....
/Inside Out Records) - Return to ZeroReturn to Zero (Spiritual Beggars album)Return To Zero is the 7th album by the Swedish stoner rock band Spiritual Beggars.It was released in Europe on August 30, 2010. It is their first album to feature Apollo Papathanasio of Firewind on vocals.-Track listing:...
(2010, InsideOut Music) - Return to Live: Loud Park 2010 (2011, Trooper Entertainment)
Singles/EPs
- "Violet Karma" 10" (Purple Vinyl) (1998, Froghouse Records)
- "It's Over" split 7" with Grand Magus (2001, Southern Lord RecordsSouthern Lord RecordsSouthern Lord is an American record label that was founded in 1998 by Greg Anderson, specializing in what could broadly be classified as experimental heavy metal, particularly the doom metal, stoner rock, and drone metal sub-genres. Some of the more notable artists on the label include Earth, Om,...
)
Live/Reissue
- Spiritual Beggars CD/LP (2002, Regain Records)
- Live Fire! DVD (2005, SPVSPV GmbHSPV GmbH is an independent German record label.Founded on January 1, 1984, it has slowly grown to be one of the largest independent distributors and record labels worldwide....
) - Another Way to Shine CD (2007, Metal Mind Productions)
- Mantra III CD (2007, Metal Mind Productions)
- Ad Astra CD (2007, Metal Mind Productions)
Compilation appearances
- "Magic Spell" on Stahlmaster: Volume One (1996, Cream/Rough Trade RecordsRough Trade RecordsRough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London. It was formed in 1978 by Geoff Travis who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove...
) - "Monster Astronauts" on Burn One Up (1997, Attic Records Limited/Roadrunner RecordsRoadrunner RecordsRoadrunner Records is an American record label that concentrates primarily on heavy metal bands. It is currently a subsidiary of Warner Music Group.-History:...
) - "Redwood Blues" on Stoned Revolution: The Ultimate Trip (1998, Drunken Maria Records/Rough Trade RecordsRough Trade RecordsRough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London. It was formed in 1978 by Geoff Travis who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove...
) - "Mr. White" on Bastards Will Pay: A Tribute to TroubleTrouble (band)Trouble is an American doom metal band noted as one of the pioneers of their genre, alongside bands such as Candlemass and Saint Vitus. The band created a distinct style taking influences of the British heavy metal bands Black Sabbath and Judas Priest, and psychedelic rock of the 1970s...
(1999, Freedoom Records)
External links
- Spiritual Beggars at PureVolumePureVolumePureVolume was the first independently run website of its type, allowing for the upload and stream of music files. It was created in 2003 by Jennifer Welch , in conjunction with the Unborn Media team; Brett Woitunski, Nate Hudson, and Mitchell Pavao; all from the University of...