Haggard, on the other hand, takes the position that a full time symphonic capability is the way to go. And, they like to throw in a Death Metal component just to make sure they cover all the bases. And they are very good at what they do.

Haggard originated in Munich, Germany, in 1991 as a Death Metal sound driven by guitarist / vocalist Asis Nasseri and drummer/percussionist Luz Marsen. Those early efforts evolved, over a period of time, as Nasseri’s interest in classical formats drove the band in those directions. By 1995, the sound had grown to include strings, horns and operatic vocals. A subsequent tour was sufficiently well received to entice the band to expand to a 16-person troupe, something the band called an ensemble. That sound included guitars, flutes, violins, cellos, keyboards, drums, percussions, oboes, clarinets, and vocalists covering the entire range from base to tenor and soprano, and including Nasseri’s fine death metal vocals. The band has, at times, numbered up to 21 full time musicians with numerous additional musicians playing a part time role.

The production under review here is a live performance in Mexico City in 2001 that saw the group perform on consecutive evenings to sold out crowds at the beautiful Teatro Ferrocarrilero, a former cinema transformed into a musical venue complete with red leather seats arranged in a semi circle around the stage. You can actually see this if you purchase the box set that comes with the musical CD and the DVD of the performance. This title followed several well-received productions including And Thou Shalt Trust . . . .the Seer from 1997 and Awaking the Centuries in 2000. So, most of the music comes from those works. Lyrically, Haggard has a range of interests and they are covered here. The focus on this work is on the life and times of the French doctor and prophet Michel de Notre Dame, better known as Nostradamus, along with stylistic references to the Russian classical composer Sergei Rachmaninov. There is also a significant interest in European history, especially the Middle Ages and this is reflected in the music as well. The musical tone ranges from the purely classical to the Gothic Death Metal and pretty much everything in between. And trust me, they have the people to pull it off.

The work starts out with a short classical piece with choirs and orchestration that sure sounds a bit Russian in tone. And, since it’s called Intro/ Rachmaninov Choir, I guess that description is accurate. Following this short, but intensely beautiful introduction, the band provides an introduction to spokesman Nasseri who is warmly received by those in attendance. It certainly seems that the listeners are familiar with the music as they applaud the titles that are introduced from this point forward.

The following title is Lost and it begins with a relatively heavy metal guitar. The guitar may introduce the work but it is soon joined by a variety of instruments that augment a male folk vocal. Strings join in shortly and introduce an operatic female vocal line. The song evolves into a medieval selection that concludes with a death metal vocal that closes the song.

This movement between various musical styles is the direction that drives most of the music; we get truly classical sounds, interspersed with the medieval and including death metal and the occasional minuet. There is often a strong metal component and this can be the predominant sound as in the case of Prophecy Fulfilled. And Nasseri does as strong a death metal vocal as anyone. The female vocals are equally strong and there are a number of vocalists providing this capability.

Lyrics are also of interest and they cover a lot of ground. Of course, some titles have no vocals. Menuett is one of these, a classical selection performed in the true medieval format. However, when utilized, the vocals do tell us something worth listening to. In a Pale Moons Shadow is one of these. It starts as a classical medieval sound, then moves to the death metal and back to the classical sound with choral components. Vocally we get:

The playoff between the choral work, the operatic vocals and the male death vocals, both in English, German and Latin with both classical and metal background sounds is just something you don’t see every day. And all of it is good.

Haggard has continued their direction with a number of subsequent releases that carry forward their brand of multidimensional music. This live performance, however, adds something no studio release can capture. The enthusiasm of the audience is contagious and adds an air of excitement that significantly advances the dynamic nature of the performance. It takes a lot of words to describe that music, but the bottom line is, it’s strong music, delivered by strong musicians with a little something for everyone. Worth the listen to say the least.

9.5 / 10