{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Short description|Danish power metal band}} {{primary sources|date=August 2010}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Pyramaze | image = | caption = | origin = Hjordkær, Denmark | genre = Power metal, progressive metal | years_active = 2001–present | label = AFM, Inner Wound, Nightmare, Massacre, Replica<br />Asia: Melodic Heaven, King | associated_acts = Anubis Gate, Avian, Iced Earth, Echoterra, Futures End, Teodor Tuff, Wuthering Heights | website = {{URL|pyramaze.com}} | current_members = Terje Harøy <br /> Morten Gade Sørensen <br /> Jonah Weingarten <br /> Jacob Hansen | past_members = Michael Kammeyer <br /> Niels Kvist <br /> Lance King <br /> Matt Barlow <br /> Urban Breed <br /> Toke Skjønnemand }}
'''Pyramaze''' is a Danish power metal band formed in 2001.
== History == Pyramaze was formed in 2001 by guitarist Michael Kammeyer. Next to join were fellow Danes drummer Morten Gade Sørensen (Wuthering Heights, Anubis Gate) and bassist Niels Kvist. American keyboardist Jonah Weingarten, who originally met Kammeyer over the Internet, joined next. The band then set out in search for a singer. After listening to many demos, the band selected American singer Lance King (formerly of Balance of Power) to be their lead vocalist.
The band's first live show took place on 23 April 2004 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They released their debut studio album, ''Melancholy Beast'', in May 2004 and followed with a tour over the summer of 2004. During this time, Danish guitarist Toke Skjønnemand joined the group. In February 2006, the band released their second album, ''Legend of the Bone Carver'', a concept album that was received very well by fans. On 15 September 2006, the band performed at the ProgPower USA VII festival in Atlanta. Shortly after that performance, on 10 November 2006, the band announced on its official website that Lance King was no longer Pyramaze's singer.<ref name="Official website">[http://pyramaze.com/archive.php Official website] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080715125346/http://www.pyramaze.com/archive.php |date=15 July 2008 }} accessed 15 July 2008</ref> On 14 April 2007, former Iced Earth vocalist Matt Barlow returned to the metal scene as Pyramaze's new singer.<ref name="Official website" /> On 11 December 2007, Jon Schaffer announced on his website that Barlow had rejoined Iced Earth. Barlow finished recording ''Immortal'' with Pyramaze before leaving to work solely with Iced Earth.<ref>[http://www.pyramaze.com/index1.php Official website] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080220061951/http://www.pyramaze.com/index1.php |date=20 February 2008 }} accessed 5 January 2008</ref>
On 13 March 2008, Pyramaze released demos of two songs from ''Immortal'', "Year of the Phoenix" and "Caramon's Poem". The album was officially released 30 May 2008.
On 11 July 2008, Pyramaze announced that former Tad Morose and Bloodbound singer Urban breed would be taking over the role of lead vocalist. His first activity with the band was performing on their Danish tour in November 2008 in support of Volbeat.
On 10 February 2011, it was announced that band founder, songwriter and guitarist Michael Kammeyer and bass guitarist Niels Kvist would be departing the band, citing family responsibilities. Shortly after, keyboardist Jonah Weingarten issued a letter stating that, despite losing their founder, leader, songwriter, guitarist and bass guitarist all in one day, Pyramaze would carry on. This was backed up by a statement Pyramaze released that the band's producer, Jacob Hansen, formerly of Invocator, Anubis Gate and Beyond Twilight, would be joining as guitarist, as well as continuing to mix the band's albums.
The band went on a short hiatus soon afterwards while still looking for a new lead vocalist. Then in 2015, the band finally recorded its next album ''Disciples of the Sun'' with their new vocalist, Terje Harøy. The album was released on 22 May 2015 in the United Kingdom on 25 May 2015 and in North America on 26 May 2015 on Inner Wound Recordings.
On 8 September 2016, Pyramaze played a special show at ProgPower USA XVII, with the current lineup of the band being bolstered by guest performances of Matt Barlow and Lance King. Their follow-up to ''Disciples of the Sun'', titled ''Contingent'', was released on 28 April 2017 through Inner Wound Recordings.
== Band members == === Current members === <!-- arranged by earliest start date --> * Morten Gade Sørensen − drums (2001–present) * Jonah Weingarten − keyboards (2002–present) * Jacob Hansen − guitars, bass (2011–present) * Terje Harøy – vocals (2013-present)
=== Former members === <!-- arranged by last end date. --> * Lance King − vocals (2001–2006) * Matt Barlow – vocals (2007–2008) * Urban Breed – vocals (2008–2011) * Michael Kammeyer − guitar (2001–2011) * Niels Kvist − bass (2001–2011) * Toke Skjønnemand − lead guitar (2004–2022)
=== Timeline === {{#tag:timeline| ImageSize = width:900 height:auto barincrement:16 PlotArea = left:120 bottom:60 top:0 right:20 Alignbars = justify DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy Period = from:01/01/2001 till:{{#time: m/d/Y }} TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy Legend = orientation:horizontal position:bottom ScaleMajor = increment:2 start:2001 ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:2002
Colors = id:vocals value:red legend:Vocals id:guitars value:green legend:Guitars id:bass value:blue legend:Bass id:drums value:orange legend:Drums id:keys value:purple legend:Keyboards id:albums value:black legend:Studio_album
LineData = color:albums layer:back at:05/01/2004 at:02/20/2006 at:05/30/2008 at:05/22/2015 at:04/28/2017 at:11/13/2020 at:06/23/2023
BarData = bar:King text:"Lance King" bar:Barlow text:"Matt Barlow" bar:Breed text:"Urban Breed" bar:Harøy text:"Terje Harøy" bar:Kammeyer text:"Michael Kammeyer" bar:Skjønnemand text:"Toke Skjønnemand" bar:Hansen text:"Jacob Hansen" bar:Kvist text:"Niels Kvist" bar:Weingarten text:"Jonah Weingarten" bar:Sørensen text:"Morten Gade Sørensen"
PlotData= width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(11,-4) bar:King from:01/01/2001 till:12/31/2006 Color:vocals bar:Barlow from:01/01/2007 till:07/11/2008 Color:vocals bar:Breed from:07/11/2008 till:02/10/2011 Color:vocals bar:Harøy from:07/03/2013 till:end Color:vocals bar:Kammeyer from:01/01/2001 till:02/10/2011 Color:guitars bar:Skjønnemand from:06/21/2004 till:08/17/2022 Color:guitars bar:Hansen from:07/07/2011 till:end Color:guitars bar:Hansen from:07/07/2011 till:end Color:bass width:3 bar:Kvist from:01/01/2001 till:02/10/2011 Color:bass bar:Weingarten from:01/01/2002 till:end Color:keys bar:Sørensen from:01/01/2001 till:end Color:drums
}}
== Discography == * ''Melancholy Beast'' (2004) * ''Legend of the Bone Carver'' (2006) * ''Immortal'' (2008) * ''Disciples of the Sun'' (2015) * ''Contingent'' (2017) * ''Epitaph'' (2020) * ''Bloodlines'' (2023)
== See also == {{div-col|colwidth=20em}} * Lance King * Avian * Balance of Power * Bloodbound * Iced Earth * Tad Morose * Wuthering Heights * Beyond Twilight * Anubis Gate {{div-col-end}}
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * [http://www.lancekingvox.com/ Lance King homepage] * [http://www.pyramaze.com/ Pyramaze homepage] * [http://www.nightmarerecords.com/ Nightmare Records Inc.] * [http://nolifetilmetal.com/pyramaze.htm Pyramaze at nolifetilmetal.com]
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Category:Danish power metal musical groups Category:Danish progressive metal musical groups Category:Musical groups established in 2001