1998 Richard created the band MAJESTIC. This neoclassical, progressive metal band has surprised the music scene like no other band in this genre. With brilliant arrangements and melodies based upon almost spectacular musicianship. MAJESTIC has released two albums (Abstract Symphony, 1999) and (Trinity Overture, 2000), both at Toshiba/EMI (Japan) and Massacre, NTS (Europe).
The band also went to Japan to meet the Japanese audience. MAJESTIC has toured with bands like Pretty Maids and Symphony X. Richard did also spend a couple of weeks with Yngwie Malmsteen in Miami. Due to the fact that Richard was busy with MAJESTIC he had to turn Yngwie down according to the job in Rising Force. But maybe in the future!
Last summer 2001 Richard felt that it was impossible to go on working with present business partners. Richard speaks:
Since my goal in life is to create music totally free from interruptions like business ship, record contracts etc. I now have decided to put Majestic on ice for a while. Further partnerships with present business partners were impossible. I am not feeling very sad about the situation, because creating the soul and spirit of Majestic has made me into the musician I am today. Luckily I already had in mind for a half a year or so, an idea about developing my music into something more aggressive and powerful but still with strong and beautiful melodies. The result of a couple of months composing became a mix of progressive neoclassical metal and melodic power metal. So! Now I have got the opportunity to work with professional people and also got the right timing to use this good material in a way that will blow the metal scene away for a day or two. This new band has nothing to do with Majestic and the Great Spirit of that band, which is important to mention. My new soul work and band is called Time Requiem, and will take this neoclassical- progressive- metal music into a new dimension both for me and hopefully for you as well. Fast, tight, melodic and very powerful. I will work with some of the great musicians from Majestic, but also with some new fresh blood in form of an extremely brilliant bass player named Dick Lövgren (In Flames, Arch Enemy). Wow! The man is really kicking some serious ass. Titel of the record will bebe "Time Requiem".
Newly arrived home from the successful tour with Symphony X Richard started composing the material for Time Requiem. He also started to think about potential band members. Since the great experience recording with Peter Wildoer, Apollo Papathanasio and Magnus Nord turned out very successful, Richard decided to go for these three great musicians again. The music though was too difficult for Martin Wezovski so Richard called the bass phenomenon Dick Lövgren. Dick accepted the offer to take place in Time Requiem and finally the lineup was completed.
At the time Richard was looking for something new and fresh. He was not that satisfied with the sound of the two previous Majestic recordings. Richard called up his old friend bass player Jonas Reingold (The Flower Kings, Midnight Sun) and discussed the possibilities of working together and do the recordings in his studio. The result of two months recordings in Reingold studios became something very spectacular. The sound was that tight and clean that the cd could be released just the way it was. 10 brilliant and aggressive songs were finally mixed in the famous "Studio Fredman" in Gothenburg, Sweden.
