Alex Holzwarth

Alex Holzwarth — born in Germany in 1968 — was Rhapsody of Fire's drummer between 2000 and 2016, a period covering the band's best-known phase. His training comes from a territory distinct from Italian power metal. He built his reputation in Sieges Even, the German progressive metal band known for rhythmic complexity and irregular metres — a school demanding structural reading before speed. That earlier repertoire explains what he brings to Rhapsody. The band's compositions are long, with orchestral sections, choirs and frequent changes of tempo, and the drums must signal those transitions without breaking the narrative continuity of the concept albums. At the same time, the genre demands double kick sustained at high speed across whole tracks — a combination of physical endurance and precision of reading. He recorded Power of the Dragonflame (2002), Symphony of Enchanted Lands II (2004), Triumph or Agony (2006), The Frozen Tears of Angels (2010) and From Chaos to Eternity (2011), among others, also crossing the band's rebuilding after Luca Turilli's departure.