Volbeat consolidated this early win with a semifinal appearance on the Danish talent show competition Live Contest. Reception was lukewarm to the initial release, but the group's second demo, Beat the Meat, was an instant success, getting airplay on European radio.

Poulsen felt it was time to start over, and his concept of giving straight-up heavy metal a more trad rock flourish (Poulsen was a big Elvis fan, if that is any indication) was at the heart of Volbeat.īringing together members Franz Gottschalk on guitar (he would be replaced by Thomas Bredahl in 2006), Jon Larsen on drums, and Anders Kjølholm on bass, vocalist and guitarist Poulsen was able to release the band's first demo, Volbeat, in 2002. Poulsen's earlier group, Dominus, was a giant in Danish metal, releasing four albums in ten years, and making a lasting impression on the scene.

Volbeat was founded by former Dominus leader Michael Poulsen in October of 2001, who became a dominant force not only in Danish metal but in Danish rock as a whole, charting albums and singles on a regular basis. They hit number two in Denmark with their seventh studio album, 2019's more mainstream Rewind, Replay, Rebound, before returning with 2021's Servant of the Mind, which signaled a return to their trademark heaviness. Their debut for Universal's Vertigo imprint, Beyond Hell/Above Heaven (2013), landed in the bottom half of the Top 200 with widespread popular and critical acclaim, while their second offering that year, Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies, peaked at nine 2016's Seal the Deal & Let's Boogie went all the way to number four. All of their studio albums have been certified gold in Denmark, with their second full-length outing, Rock the Rebel/Metal the Devil (2007) attaining platinum certification.

They put it all together in an incessantly entertaining loud-and-proud mix of great songwriting, incendiary performances, and accomplished musicianship. Inspired by legendary performing and recording artists including Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash, they also freely admit to admiring such bands as AC/DC, Social Distortion, and Metallica. Volbeat is a multi-platinum Danish rock band whose sound weds hard rock, classic metal, glam, punk, and rockabilly.

Pic of volbeat album