Hansi Kürsch

A signature of Kürsch's songwriting is his practice of overdubbing his own voice multiple times in complex, overlapping harmonies on his recordings, creating the atmosphere of a huge choir. The track "Chant" on the first Demons & Wizards album is vocal only, in the style of a traditional Gregorian chant; Kürsch's is the only voice on the song.

Kürsch's lyrics revolve around various themes prevalent in the power metal genre, including medieval fantasy, J. R. R. Tolkien, religious/mythological tales, and legends/stories, both his own and from the literary world. His lyrics in the first Demons & Wizards album tackle even various themes, whereas "Touched by the Crimson King" was based primarily off different fantasy novels.[2]

Kürsch had also recorded three albums for his side project with Jon Schaffer of Iced Earth, Demons & Wizards until his departure in 2021.

• Demons & Wizards – Demons & Wizards (2000)
• Demons & Wizards – Touched by the Crimson King (2005)
• Demons & Wizards – III (2020)

Although mostly known for being a clean singer nowadays, Kürsch's early technique made use of a harsher, "screaming" technique. He can be heard using similar, more aggressive, technique while singing guest vocals for Heaven Shall Burn's cover of "Valhalla".

Kürsch in 2007

Provided lead vocals, unless stated otherwise.

• Gamma Ray: Land of the Free – "Farewell" (1995)
• Grave Digger: Tunes of War – backing vocals on all tracks (1996)
• Nepal: Manifiesto – "Besando La Tierra", "Estadio Chico" (1997)
• Iron Savior: Iron Savior – "For the World" (1997)
• Edguy: Vain Glory Opera – "Out of Control", "Vain Glory Opera" (1998)
• Grave Digger: Excalibur – backing vocals on all tracks (1999)
• Therion: Deggial (2000) – "Flesh of the Gods" (2000)
• Rage: Unity – backing vocals on all tracks (2002)
• Angra: Temple of Shadows – "Winds of Destination" (2004)
• Nuclear Blast: Nuclear Blast All-Stars: Into the Light – "Slaves to the Desert" (2007)
• Ayreon: 01011001 – portrayed as Forever (represented by a Celtic cross symbol) in "Age of Shadows", "Beneath the Waves", "Newborn Race", "The Fifth Extinction", "Unnatural Selection", "River of Time", "The Sixth Extinction" (2008)
• Dreamtone & Iris Mavraki's Neverland: Reversing Time – "To Lose the Sun" (2008)
• Van Canto: Hero – "Take to the Sky" (2008)
• Aneurysm: Shades – "Reflection" (2008)
• The Arrow: Lady Nite – "Never Say Never" (2009)
• Rage: Strings to a Web Bonus DVD (Live at Wacken Open Air 2009) – "Set This World on Fire", All I Want", "Invisible Horizons" (2010)
• Solar Fragment: In Our Hands – Inside the Circle (2011)
• Grave Digger: The Ballad of Mary – Rebellion 2010 (2011, EP)
• Grave Digger: The Clans Are Still Marching (2011) – "Rebellion (The Clans Are Marching)" (2011, live album)
• Heaven Shall Burn: Veto – "Valhalla" (2013)
• Maegi: Skies Fall – "Those We've Left Behind" (2013)
• Iced Earth: Plagues of Babylon – "Among the Living Dead" (2014)
• The Unguided: Fragile Immortality – "Deathwalker" (2014)
• Doro: The 30th Anniversary Show in Duesseldorf – "Rock Till Death" (2014, live album)
• Disforia: The Age of Ether – "The Dying Firmament" (2014)
• Vexillum: Unum – "The Sentenced: Fire and Blood" (2015)
• In Extremo: Quid Pro Quo – "Roter Stern" (2016)
• Hansen & Friends: XXX-Three Decades in Metal – "Follow the Sun" (2016)
• The Dwarves OST: "Children of the Smith" (2016)
• Ayreon: The Source – portrayed The Astronomer in "The Day That the World Breaks Down", "Everybody Dies", "Star of Sirrah", "Run! Apocalypse! Run!", "Aquatic Race", "Into the Ocean", "Planet Y Is Alive!", "Journey to Forever", "The Human Compulsion" (2017)[3]
• Orphaned Land: Unsung Prophets & Dead Messiahs – "Like Orpheus" (2017)
• Judicator: The Last Emperor – "Spiritual Treason" (2018)
• Ayreon: Ayreon Universe – The Best of Ayreon Live – "River of Time", "Star of Sirrah", "Age of Shadows", "Everybody Dies", "The Eye of Ra" (2018, live album)
• ZiX: Rise from your Ashes your Grave – "Rise from your Ashes your Grave" (2018)
• Avantasia: Moonglow – "Book of Shallows", "The Raven Child" (2019)
• Hämatom: "I Want It All" (single, 2019)
• Diamond Kobra: The Arrival – narrator of Intro & Outro (2019)

• Interview with Hansi at Nocturnal Horde (16 July 2005)
• Blind Guardian website
• Demons & Wizards website