In 1995 PETER (voc/guitar), EDGAR "ZIRGS" (bass) and IMANT (drums), (all formerly members of GRINDMASTER DEAD), named themselves SKYFORGER and begun the battle under the banner of Perkons (Thunder).
In February, two new members joined our lines: guitarist RIHARD (formerly a member of GUILLOTINE and SANCTIMONY) and GINTS LUNDBERG, who became the band"s sound engineer and helps us thence in all kind of ways.
All the summer and autumn, we worked on new material and took part in a lot of local gigs. At this time we finalized our concept of the band"s musical style-we call it PAGAN/FOLK METAL, but we do not want to be bound by the limits of one style of metal.
In March, the demo album "SEMIGALLS" WARCHANT" was recorded in studio PHOENIX in Riga. We published it in cassette format. The album tells of the brave Semigallians and the numerous battles that they fought against Christian invaders in the 12th - 13th centuries, and of the ancient Latvian pagan religion.
We sent this demo to several record companies, and, at the end of the year, we already had a contract with the Dutch MASCOT RECORDS for 3 albums. All through the year we took part in many local gigs.
January to April, we worked on new songs and, in May, the new album "KAUJA PIE SAULES"(BATTLE OF SUN) was finished, recorded in studio PHOENIX. The album elaborated upon the themes first presented in our demo tape.
In summer, IMANT left our band and his place by the drums was taken by KARLIS from SANCTIMONY. With KARLIS, we took part in the first BALTIC THUNDER TOUR across Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. After the tour a new drummer joined us - EDGAR "MAZAIS", he plays in HERESIARH, too. In October, our debut CD "KAUJA PIE SAULES" is released; in November, we played in the DEATH COMES festival in Vilnius (Lithuania) and also a lot of local gigs.
During the spring and summer, we were busy working on new songs. In April, at PHOENIX studio again, we began recording a new album and soon due to personal reasons, RIHARD left the band.
We continued as a trio and by January the work was done. The new album was titled "LATVIEU STRELNIEKI"/ "LATVIAN RIFLEMEN". The poetry is based upon stories from World War I.
In February, RIHARD returned. At that time, we got another new member -VALDIS "STRIA" BERZVADS, who helps us with management and in many other ways. Besides a lot of local gigs, in September, together with SANCTIMONY, we played in two gigs in Belarus (Minsk & Brest). In October, "LATVIAN RIFLEMEN" was released, and we took part in a support tour across Latvia with a Latvian death metal band BRUTE CHANT.
All spring, summer and autumn we actively wrote songs for a new, third album. - 2002
SKYFORGER left MASCOT RECORDS and worked on the new stuff for the third studio album "PERKONKALVE"/ "THUNDERFORGE". All recordings have been done in PHOENIX studio in Riga. A new album theme tells about ancient Latvian mythology and gods. The band"s new homepage www.skyforger.lv has been launched. In 2001 we got another member ANDY "HOPKINS", who helps us in many different ways. Also we have played a lot of gigs around Baltic countries, including first "Hard Rock Laager" open-air festival in Estonia. In October of 2002 we took part in CHRIST CRUSHING TOUR together with Grief Of Emerald (Sweden), Sear Bliss (Hungary), Bestial Mockery (Sweden) and Obtest (Lithuania). During this tour, we played shows in Germany, Holland, Slovenia and Finland and this our first European appearance turned out to be a success for band.
Through all these years, we have played not only metal; we have also practiced as a real folk band and have taken part in many folk concerts playing true ancient Latvian folksongs.
At this time our line up is:
PETER - vocals, guitars, folk instruments, warrior voices;
RIHARD - guitars, backing vocals, folk instruments, warrior voices;
EDGAR "ZIRGS"- bass, backing vocals, folk instruments, warrior voices;
EDGAR "MAZAIS"- drums, percussions
