Sieges Even were one of the most sophisticated and admired bands in all of progressive metal — a German group whose blend of technical brilliance, jazz sensibility and genuine musical intelligence set them apart from the pack. From their complex, fusion-tinged beginnings to the melodic, thoughtful prog of their later years, they always prized craft and subtlety over brute force. Though they never reached the mainstream, they remain a touchstone for connoisseurs of intelligent, intricate music.

The short version

Formed in Munich in the mid-1980s, Sieges Even played sophisticated, jazz-tinged German progressive metal — technical, intricate music that swung from complex, fusion-flavoured intensity to melodic, Rush-like elegance. Across seven studio albums from “Life Cycle” (1988) to “Paramount” (2007), built around the Holzwarth brothers and guitarist Markus Steffen, they earned a devoted following and a reputation as one of European prog metal’s finest. Theirs is some of the most refined music the genre has produced.

Munich: technical pioneers

Sieges Even came together in Munich in the mid-1980s, founded by guitarist Markus Steffen and bassist Oliver Holzwarth, soon joined by Oliver’s brother Alex on drums and singer Franz Herde. Taking their name from a phrase in Thomas Pynchon’s novel “Gravity’s Rainbow”, they built a reputation through a series of acclaimed demos before their 1988 debut “Life Cycle”. Densely technical and full of rapid time changes, it drew comparisons to the American pioneers Watchtower and marked them out at once as one of progressive metal’s most ambitious young bands.

Sophisticated and jazz-tinged

Sieges Even’s music was defined by its intelligence and finesse. Their early work was fiercely technical, fragmenting songs with complex, jazz-fusion-flavoured time changes, before they broadened into something more melodic, spacious and thoughtful — at times recalling Rush at their most refined. Underpinning it all was the extraordinary rhythm section of the Holzwarth brothers, all virtuosic precision and invention, and Markus Steffen’s clean, subtle, often non-distorted guitar, closer in spirit to Fates Warning’s Jim Matheos than to any metal shredder. Add the warm, emotive vocals of their later years, and theirs was progressive metal of rare sophistication.

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From Life Cycle to Paramount

Sieges Even’s seven albums fall into three distinct chapters. The technical, fusion-tinged “Life Cycle” (1988) and “Steps” (1990) established their early, Watchtower-like intensity, before the melodic, Rush-influenced “A Sense of Change” (1991) — widely regarded as a landmark — closed their first era. After a hiatus, the jazz- and funk-flavoured “Sophisticated” (1995) and “Uneven” (1997) followed, before the band split. Years later they returned, reinvigorated, with the acclaimed “The Art of Navigating by the Stars” (2005) and “Paramount” (2007), two of their most beloved records.

Album by album

Seven albums of sophisticated, jazz-tinged progressive metal. Tap any title for its guide.

The players

Sieges Even were built around a core of remarkable musicians. At their heart were the Holzwarth brothers — bassist Oliver and drummer Alex — whose virtuosic, inventive rhythm section anchored the band throughout, and who later became members of Rhapsody of Fire. Founder-guitarist Markus Steffen, with his clean, sophisticated style, played on most of their albums, while their celebrated comeback records were fronted by the Dutch singer Arno Menses, following earlier vocalists including Franz Herde. After the band’s split in 2008, Steffen and Menses went on to form Subsignal.

Where to start

Begin with “A Sense of Change” (1991), often considered Sieges Even’s defining early statement — melodic, thoughtful and beautifully played. From there, the acclaimed comeback album “The Art of Navigating by the Stars” (2005) shows their mature, sophisticated prog at its best, while “Paramount” (2007) is a touch more accessible. Three albums that capture one of prog metal’s most refined bands.

Why they still matter

Sieges Even matter as one of progressive metal’s true sophisticates — a band who proved the genre could be intricate without being merely heavy, technical without losing its soul, and who folded jazz, fusion and real subtlety into music of remarkable craft. Admired by musicians and connoisseurs across Europe and beyond, their finest albums remain benchmarks for intelligent, melodic prog metal. For anyone who wants their progressive music clever, refined and quietly brilliant, Sieges Even are essential listening.

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