Volbeat

Danish quartet fusing rockabilly and metal with a heavy dose of classic rock

Launched in Copenhagen in 2001, Volbeat was formed by frontman Michael Poulsen, guitarist Franz Gottschalk, bassist Anders Kjølholm and drummer Jon Larsen. The four-piece took their name from the album Vol.Beat (with “Vol” standing for volume), which had been released by Poulsen’s former band, the death metal act Dominus, in 1997.

Inspired by rock’n’roll greats like Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash as well as metal and punk stalwarts such as Metallica and Social Distortion, Volbeat experimented with merging elements of rockabilly, heavy metal and traditional rock.