Artillery Family Tree

This is a project aimed at making it easy to see who inspired the bands you love or even hate. For this I try not to use any influences that the band don’t claim themselves. There will be a focus on predecessors but successors will be added as they site the band. These trees become more and more interactive as new bands are added, allowing you to click any band that has a tree and jump to it.

We want our lists to be better. If you know something that belongs on this list, let us know. When in doubt we will leave it out, so we need reliable sources.

Artilley are Danish thrashers. Guitarist, Michael Stützer is the only remaining original member. His brother Morten Stützer played bass early on and later guitar until the time of his death in 2019. The first two albums are credited as written by the band. After that point music is credited to either Michael and or Morten with vocalists contributing to lyrics.

(influences from vocalist Michael Bastholm Dahl are noted as MBD so not to be confused with Michael Stützer)

Jimi Hendrix was a revolutionary guitarist and one of the most influential players. Michael named him as an influence.

Deep Purple are one of the most influential hard rock and early metal band. Michael said Ritchie Blackmore was a big influence on him early on and In Rock as a favorite album.

Jethro Tull were a progressive rock band known for their vocalists use of the flute. Michael named their use of scales as an influence and Aqualung as a favorite album.

Johnny Winter was an influential blues player. Michael named him as an influence.

Grand Funk Railroad were a early hard rock band. Michael named them as one of their early influences and E Pluribus Funk as a favorite album.

Slade were a popular glam rock band. Michael named them as an early influence.

Black Sabbath are the fathers of metal. Michael named them as one of their early influences and named Tony as one of his baggiest influences. Søren named them and Ozzy as an influence and said hearing Sabbath Bloody Sabbath changed everything for him and is his favorite album.

Uriah Heep are a progressive rock band and dabbled in metal in the early days. Michael named them as one of their early influences.

Judas Priest are known as the metal gods for good reason. Michael named them as an influence. Søren and MBD named Halford as an influence.

Motorhead hare hard rock / heavy metal legends. Søren named them as an influence.

Saxon are one of the earliest of the NWOBHM. Søren named them as an influence.

Accept are influential German metallers. Michael said they were a huge influence on them.

Iron Maiden has been one of the most influential metal bands. Michael named them as an influence. Søren and MBD named Bruce as an influence.

Mercyful Fate, and their technical style of traditional metal had a big impact on thrash and are fellow Danes. Michael said they where a later influence and had an impact on early Artillery.

Charged G.B.H or just GBH were a British punk bad that influenced many metal bands. Michael named them as an influence.

Metallica are the father of thrash. Michael named them as a later influence and Master of Puppets as a favorite album.

Exodus are among the earliest thrash bands. Michael named them as a later influence and Bonded by Blood as a favorite album.

Slayer were the most aggressive of the early thrash bands. Michael named them as an influence and Reign in Blood as a favorite album.

The legendary Ronnie James Dio is one of the most influential metal vocalists. Søren and MBD named him as an influence.

Savatage are one of the biggest of the bands considered part of “US power metal”. Michael named them as a later influence and Sirens as a favorite album.

Michael said in 1989 they spent some time listening to some music from Afghanistan. This is where any of their middle eastern influences come from.

Michael said they had some old school punk influences but only named GBH.

I wasn’t able to find the influences of Morten. Michael said they listened to the same stuff.

Flemming was the original vocalist on the first four albums. I’m unsure of his influences.

Jørgen Sandau was on rhythm guitar for the first two albums. I’m unsure of his influences.

Original drummer Carsten Nielsen was on five albums. I’m unsure of his influences.

Søren was the vocalist for two albums He is given co-writing credit on When Death Comes and for writing lyrics on the following album. He said Kiss was the first band he got into as a kid. Besides his earlier influences he named Russel Allen, Jorn Lande, Phil Anselmo, and Chuck Billy as newer singers he likes.

Current vocalist Michael Bastholm Dahl has been on the past three albums and will be on the 2021 release as well. He is credited for writing lyrics but no music. Some of his influences include: Bruce Dickinson, Rob Halford, and Ronnie James Dio. He also says he really likes Mike Patton.

Bassist Peter Thorslund, and drummers Per Moller Jensen and Josua Madsen are not credited with any writing.

Poltergeist drummer John Mathiassen has some co-writing credits on When Death Comes, although he is not on the album or was ever in Artillery

Bands influenced by Artillery!

As this project advances, bands will be added here…

One of the biggest bands of the new wave thrash.

Sources:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMXtO36k4pw
https://planetcaravan.wordpress.com/2016/03/20/artillery-interview-with-michael-stutzer/
https://callesrockcorner.dk/michael-sttzer-fra-artillery
https://www.metalcrypt.com/pages/interviews.php?intid=210
http://www.powerofmetal.dk/interviews14/artillery_interview2.html