Refuge (band)

Rage
Rage - From Left to Right: Lucky, Peavy, Marcos
Background information
Also known as	Avenger
Origin	Herne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Genres	Heavy metal, speed metal, power metal, progressive metal, symphonic metal
Years active	1984–present
Labels	Noise, Nuclear Blast, SPV, GUN
Associated acts	Lingua Mortis Orchestra, Refuge, Blind Guardian, Stratovarius, Grave Digger, Savage Circus, Silent Force, Axxis, Sub7even, Axel Rudi Pell, Mind Odyssey, Tri State Corner, Sounchaser, Almanac
Website	www.rage-official.com
Members	Peavy Wagner Marcos Rodriguez Vassilios Maniatopoulos

Rage is a German heavy metal band, formed in 1984 by Peter "Peavy" Wagner. They were part of the German heavy/speed/power metal scene to emerge in the early to mid-1980s, along with bands such as Helloween, Running Wild, Blind Guardian and Grave Digger.

Rage was formed in 1984 under the name Avenger. After releasing their debut album Prayers of Steel and their Depraved to Black EP in 1985, the band changed their name to Rage because there was another band in England that also had the same name. Originally the new name was meant to be Furious Rage but it was eventually shortened to "Rage".

Thirteen musicians have been part of Rage over the years, with the most successful line-up being from the period now known as the Refuge Years; this line-up featured Manni Schmidt and Chris Efthimiadis. The second notable line-up was the one formed with Mike Terrana and Victor Smolski.

Through the years, Rage established themselves as a notably successful band and as pioneers of the Power Metal scene, including in their music elements of Progressive Metal and Classical Music. In 1996 Rage was the first metal band to write and record an album with a full symphonic orchestra: Lingua Mortis.

Rage has released 22 Albums (23 if counting the "Avenger era") over the past 30 years (in total more than 50 releases counting DVDs, EPs, Japan Editions, VHS (in the early years). A remarkable international success with more than five million records sold, Rage has had more than 40 music chart entries.

Rage story begins in 1984, in Herne, Germany when Peavy Wagner "Bass and Vocals" alone with Jörg Michael (drums) and the guitarist Jochen Schröder Avenger first got together. Following the arrival of their debut album recorded in 1984, Prayers of Steel and released by Wishbone Records, followed by an EP called Depraved to Black in August 1985. Avenger changed their name and became Rage and got a record deal at Noise releasing their first official LP Reign of Fear on May 12, 1986.