History & Biography After issuing two albums, Rise From The Ashes and Eternal Crusade, under the Phoenix Rizing monicker the band parted ways with its singer and guitarist. Recruiting new members the band also changed its monicker and became Highland Glory in the summer of 2001. From The Cradle To The Brave was harder than the line-up's past material. Borknagar's Asgeir Mickelson played one show with the band in 2003 as a substitute. The second album was recorded in the autumn of 2004 and issued in the September of 2005. The European version of the CD featured covers of Kiss and Iron Maiden. The band was also heard on a Running Wild covers' CD in 2005. A couple of members would also play in a Running Wild cover band.
Jan Thore Grefstad left in 2007. Trine Elise Johansen came in and stayed from 2008 to 2011. Jan Thore Grefstad returned in 2013. Larsen left in 2011. Morten Færøvig left in 2012. Jack Roger Olsen left in 2017. Three members formed Angel Heart in 2012. Halvor Gustafson was the new keyboard man beginning 2012. Per Olav Olsen was new on guitar. Jarle Byberg, who is a stool for hire, joined on drums. Bynerg left in 2016 and ex-drummer Stian Braathen stepped in to help. The band was nominally together, but was inactive following Olsen's departure.
Reviews HIGHLAND GLORY - FOREVER ENDEAVOUR - MASSACRE 
Lest anyone thinks Highland Glory is a thrash metal band because of the presence of, not one but, several Kreator demons on the cover let me assure you that the Norwegians are of the power metal variety. All the usual ingredients of the sub-genre are present here including fast parts, loads of melody, ballads and a singer who can scream to high heavens (or the highlands in this case) sometimes. On a song-by-song basis Spirit Of Salvation promptly confirms the vocal capabilities of singer Jon Thore Grefstad. Mindgame Masquerade has a little Gaelic melody in the woodwork and some Thin Lizzy sounding rhythms, Surreality has dual guitar solos, strong chords and drums and a melody very much like The Rhyme Of Ancient Mariner from Iron Maiden. The Sacrifice sacrifices the speed and is slow and has female backing vocals.
Highland Glory is kind of an OK band, rather above average and occasionally shows off capable singing (on the song Real Life, for instance) and powerful guitars. They would do better were they to concentrate on writing more memorable individual songs and skip all the cover versions next time. - Anna Tergel
Interviews
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