Asgard Niels was born as Asgard Holub on June 6, 1977 in Hamburg, Germany. He started playing drums at age fifteen. Besides drums, Asgard also plays other instruments including bass guitar and vocals.



Asgard Niels is mostly autodidact ("there was no money left for paying teachers"). He studied musicology for three years focused on aural training and musical structures in general. It enabled him to find his direction in music. He sang in a choir, played jazz in a big band and did a lot of cover stuff to learn from bands.



As important influences for his musical development, Asgard names Gorguts, and Negativa for creating a different view in death, Mike Patton (Faith No More, Fantomas Tomahawk, Peeping Tom) for being what he feels, Malevolent Creation making me love death metal, Immortal for the black metal influence, Napalm Death for first contact in intense music, Blonde Redhead for creating absolute independent quality of emotion, Dream Theater causing my interest in progressive structures, Melvins for the gift of writing effective new songs, and Cinerary for being absolutely antisocial in music. Asgard: "Really every kind of music which tries to find an effective way of emotional progress with the dominant emphasis on intense directness!"



Asgard delivered drums and vocals in death metal cover band Desolation from 1993 -1995. He played drums in lo-fi outfit Sushibar (1994-1997), grunge act Yellowstone (1994-1998), black/death metal band ugubrious ('96-'97) and thrash band Excavated (`97-`98). In 1999 he delivered vocals and played bass for thrashers Common Cry (1999), but returned to playing drums for new metal group Rising Down (1999-2000), later followed by guitar and backing vocals.



In 1998 Asgard joined death metallers Into Oblivion on drums and backing vocals, and stayed until 2001. That same year he switched to cover band Sad But True (on drums and backing vocals), followed by hybrid metal outfit Liquid God (drums only).



In 2002 Asgard started on bass in indie/doom formation Eisenvater, but later switched to drums. He stayed until 2005, moving to the brutal death metallers AKCB (Anal Klister Christ Bombardement), hailing from Uruguay. That same year saw him also play drums for Japanese heavy metal vocalist Saeko and German thrash legends Holy Moses. In 2006 Aggard played drums with black metallers Seelentanz.



He played bass with death/grind outfit Irate Architect from 2003-2008, and is currently composer for his death grind solo project Episit Baster, playing all instruments as well.



The drummer joined German thrashers Holy Moses in 2005, replacing previous skinsman Julien Schmidt. Asgard made his live debut with Holy Moses at Occultfest in The Netherlands on September 3, 2005. He parted ways with the band in late 2006.



Asgard shared stages together with Slayer, Sodom, Tiamat, Belphegor, Blood Duster, Black Market Fetus, Alienation Mental, Poppy Seed Grinder, Guerilla, Assassin, Infested, Sufferage, Gorezone, Poostew, Yacoepsae, Japanisch Kampfhörspiele, Obscenity, and Suffocate Bastard among others.



Gear

Equipment Asgard used for Holy Moses include Istanbul Cymbals and Vic Firth sticks Model CM Classic Metal exclusively. Privately he uses Tama Artstar `94 drums and prefers simple but effective pedals like Iron Cobra and trusts on Pearl and Mapex stands. Says Asgard: "I like a tom sound with dominating bass, long sustain and fine dynamics, natural bassdrum sound with high impact and a good controlable snaredrum in maple 14x5".



Crashes have to be a soft shining and slightly shimmering sound with short sustain and soft attack especially in bigger diameters!

I like it round and full!



Chinas: I always use one really deep and full china with a defined stickimpact together with a very high pitched loud cymbal for highlights! I also use some china splashes for tonal accents in drumfills!



Ride: a huge wallthickness causing high defined loud ping with an arched surface and a big seperated bell sound. I also sometimes use a sideride on my left, it has to be a bit softer and needs an integrated slightly quieter bell.



Icebells and cup chimes: I use as a case may be different icebells from 5" to 9" to add some tonal alternation in the musical context!



Hi Hat: Needs to be funky, defined, really controllable with a loud chick when played with pedal! I also use very thick hats with a huge bell to punch the groove! It really depends on the song or the band I`m playing with!



Thrash Hat: 13" Hi Hat top together with 15" China mounted on a x-hat stand, also 14" and 16" in use.



Splashes: like all different kinds from sonorous, tonal to trashy and biting!"