Van Canto: The Pioneers of A Cappella Metal
Van Canto is a German a cappella metal band that redefines the genre by replacing all electric guitars and drums with human voices. Formed in 2006, the group has built a dedicated global following and achieved chart success in their home country with their unique vocal instrumentation.
Early career
Van Canto was founded in 2006 in Stuttgart, Germany, by vocalists Stefan Schmidt and Dennis Schunke. The concept was born from a desire to perform heavy metal music using only the human voice, with five vocalists handling guitar, bass, and keyboard lines and one dedicated drummer using a real drum kit. Their debut album, A Storm to Come, was released in 2006 on the German label Gun Records, immediately establishing their signature "hero metal a cappella" sound.
Breakthrough
The band's breakthrough arrived with their second album, Hero, released in 2008. This album featured their first major cover, a vocal rendition of Nightwish's Wishmaster, which gained significant traction in the metal community. Hero entered the German album charts, solidifying Van Canto's position as a serious and innovative act within the metal scene and leading to performances at major European festivals like Wacken Open Air.
Key tracks
Wishmaster — This cover from the Hero album was a viral hit that introduced their sound to a massive wave of new fans worldwide.
Fear of the Dark — Their Iron Maiden cover, released on 2010's Tribe of Force, showcased their ability to authentically replicate complex metal guitar harmonies with voices.
Badaboom — An original song from 2011's Break the Silence featuring a guest solo by former Helloween guitarist Roland Grapow, proving their compositional strength.
Last Night of the Kings — A fan-favorite original epic from the 2014 album Dawn of the Brave, demonstrating their evolving songwriting beyond covers.
Time and Time Again — A collaboration with Blind Guardian's Hansi Kürsch on the album Voices of Fire (2016), marking a high-profile partnership within the power metal genre.
Van Canto continued to release albums consistently, including Break the Silence (2011) and Trust in Rust (2022), and toured extensively across Europe and Japan. Their collaboration roster expanded to include artists like Chris Boltendahl of Grave Digger and members of Sonata Arctica and Epica, further cementing their credibility. The band's work is primarily associated with the label Napalm Records, which has released most of their catalog since 2010.
Fans of Van Canto's inventive approach to metal may also enjoy other German acts that blend power metal with unique concepts. Blind Guardian shares a similar epic, storytelling approach within the power metal genre. Equilibrium incorporates folk melodies and grand atmospheres into their metal foundation. Subway To Sally merges medieval instrumentation with hard rock and metal, creating another distinct German sound.
Van Canto's energetic and unmistakable music is a staple on many specialty metal and hard rock radio stations. Their tracks are frequently featured on online rock radio streams dedicated to power metal and innovative alternative rock formats, where their vocal prowess stands out. Independent music radio stations with a focus on European metal often include Van Canto in their rotations, celebrating their unique contribution to the genre.
The music of Van Canto can be heard on radio stations featured on our website. Listeners can discover or listen to this pioneering a cappella metal band through the various rock and metal radio stations available on onairium.com.
