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Who are Gregorians:
Gregorian is a German band, headed by Frank Peterson, performing Gregorian chant-inspired versions of modern pop and rock songs. Because it features both vocal harmony and instrumental accompaniment, the music cannot be considered true Gregorian chant.
Relation to Rammstein:
One of their albums includes a cover version of the Engel song originally performed by Rammstein.
Biography:
Originally, Gregorian was conceived as a more pop-oriented group in the vein of Enigma. Under this concept, they recorded the 1991 album Sadisfaction, with lead vocals provided by The Sisters of Oz: Susana Espelleta (Peterson’s wife at the time) and Birgit Freud. However, this was the only album in that style.
In 1998, Peterson and his team re-invented the project to perform popular songs in the Gregorian style. The criteria for song selection were strict; in order to be considered, a song needed to be translatable into the 7-tone scale. After the songs were chosen, twelve vocalists – previously acclaimed session singers – were hired to form a choir.
The concept proved to be successful, and the group proceeded to record several more Masters of Chant albums in the same style. Their 2004 album, The Dark Side, was a slight departure from the others, featuring a darker repertoire consistent with the title.
In 2005, The Masterpieces, a compilation album with a live DVD, was released.
A fifth Masters of Chant album was released on March 31, 2006.
