Spawned into being at the turn of the millennia, Vanguard started it's musical refinement to create a coallition of raw power, massive momentum and beauty. Their victory in a band contest at Germany's Wacken Open Air festival earned them the chance to forge Succumbra - the band's debute album. Recorded and mixed in Hamburg at Tornado studios, mastered at Alex Krull's Mastersound studio, and released in 2005, the first steps were taken to bring this force of nature into the world.

After their debut, the band reformed its rhythm section and played gigs at festivals like Tuska Open Air in Finland, Wacken Open Air in Germany and club gigs here and there including a couple of dominations in Russia.

Soon after their reformation and live work, Vanguard parted with their german record label Armageddon Music, after its split into two different record companies. The band entered D-Studios in Finland to start working on their second album in the summer of 2007. No compromises were made and the follow-up named Hydralchemy was perfected in a year. The finishing touches were added by Minerva Pappi at the legendary Finnvox Studios.

VANGUARD: Hydralchemy out in January!

Hydralchemy, the highly anticipated follow up to 2005's Succumbra by the Finnish gothic dark metallers Vanguard, will be released in Finland on January 14th, 2009. The limited digipak edition includes ten fresh Vanguard tracks, and an alluring cover of Type O Negative's Black No. 1. Full tracks Spellbroken and Scion have been added to the band's MySpace.

Vanguard gained fame by winning Wacken Open Air's band contest, which resulted in a recording contract and a number of high profile shows at Wacken, Tuska and around Russia.

The band, armed with a cello, enchanting female vocals and an aggressive masculine growl, will reactivate itself on stage as well. Vanguard has signed a booking contract with Sam Agency, which represents Poets of the Fall, Don Johnson Big Band, Hybrid Children and April among others.

Hydralchemy will be released in Finland by Shadow World Records and distributed by Supersounds Music. Release dates for the rest of the world will be published later.

Vanguard:
Hydralchemy

Hydrachemy was recorded and mixed during 2007 and 2008 at D-Studio, Klaukkala, Finland.

Engineered and produced by Tonmi Lillman.
Mixed by Tonmi Lillman and Jarno Hänninen.
Mastered at Finnvox Studios in May 2008 by Minerva Pappi.

All original music by VANGUARD, lyrics by J. Grym, except UNTOLD by Suvi G and J. Grym.
Black No. 1 music and lyrics by Peter Steele. Published by Universal/MGM Scandinavia AB.
Guitar solo in CHIMERA by Kristian Wahlström.

Graphic design, VANGUARD logo and layout by Suvi G.
Original artwork by Meri Karppanen, Terhi Ylimäinen and Suvi G.
Photography by Terhi Ylimäinen.
Art concept by Suvi G and J. Grym.