Wizard (band)

Wizard
Origin	Germany
Genres	Power metal Speed metal Heavy metal Viking metal
Years active	1989–present
Labels	Massacre Records (current) Limb Music B.O. records (bound by metal) Bow-records (first two albums)
Website	www.legion-of-doom.de

Wizard is a German power metal band, formed in 1989 by the drummer Sören "Snoppi" van Heek. The band was often called "Germany's answer to Manowar". Most of the band's lyrics are about battles, metal, war and steel. There are some exceptions, for example "Odin", which is a concept album about Norse mythology, "Goochan" which is a fantasy story about a witch (written by Volker Leson and author William B. Nuke), "Thor" which is also about Norse mythology and "... Of Wariwulfs and Bluotvarwes" which is about vampires and werewolves (written by Wizard and Andre Wiesler, German author).

Wizard played at Wacken Open Air 2002,Bang Your Head!!! 2002, Keep It True 2004, Dokk'em Open Air 2006, Magic Circle Festival 2009 and is in the 2012 line-up of Hammerfest IV.

In 2003 longtime guitarist Michael Maass quit the band because of health problems. Dano Boland became a new guitarist for the band in early 2004. In 2006 the band left the label Limb Music after three albums and joined the somewhat larger label Massacre Records, with a new album in mind to be released on January 27, 2007, titled Goochan. On May 18, 2007, Michael Maass returned to the band after a four-year break.

The band's 2009 album Thor received a positive review from The Pit reviewer Frank Heise, who praised "The Visitor" as the best track on it.

The band's 2011 album ...Of Wariwulfs and Bluotvarwes received a positive review from SLUG Magazine reviewer Dylan Chadwick noting that "well trodden, and admittedly formulaic, it's a resoundingly competent platter of steel-willed, fist pounding heavy metal that'll satisfy the most voracious headbanger's hunger."

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Wikipedia