Haggard in Istanbul

Haggard is a German symphonic metal ensemble founded in Munich in 1989 by guitarist, vocalist and composer Asis Nasseri. After beginning as a death metal band, the group developed an orchestral sound built around metal guitars, classical instruments and operatic voices. Its principal works include And Thou Shalt Trust... the Seer, Awaking the Centuries, Eppur Si Muove and Tales of Ithiria, drawing on subjects such as Nostradamus and Galileo Galilei. The 2001 concert released as Awaking the Gods: Live in Mexico documented the large ensemble in Mexico City during the cycle for Awaking the Centuries. Its stage lineup joined electric guitars and harsh vocals to violin, cello, keyboards and operatic singing, an arrangement the band also presented at Wacken Open Air in 2007.