Guano Apes are a German alternative rock/nu metal band formed on 1994 in Gottingen by guitarist Henning Rümenapp, bassist Stefan Ude and drummer Dennis Poschwatta.
Lead vocalist Sandra Nasić joined the band later that year. The band is notable for their hit single "Open Your Eyes", which is considered by most fans as their signature song. After their successful debut album Proud Like a God in 1997, the band recorded another successful album, Don't Give Me Names in 2000, followed by their 2003 album Walking on a Thin Line.
After extensive touring, the band went on hiatus in 2005 and returned in 2009, followed by their album Bel Air in 2011.
Studio album discography:
- Proud Like a God (1997) - the debut album, includes "Open Your Eyes", "Rain" and "Lords of the Boards"
- Don't Give Me Names (2000) - their most successful album, mainly because of their cover of Alphaville's "Big in Japan".
- Walking On a Thin Line (2003)
- Bel Air (2011) - the first post-reunion album.
- Offline (2014)
There's also a bunch of compilations like:
- Live (2003) - live album
- Planet of the Apes (2004) - greatest hits album
- Lost (T)apes (2006) - compilation of demo tracks
Provides examples of:
- Album Title Drop:
- Proud Like a God in "Open Your Eyes"
- Don't Give Me Names in "Living in a Lie"
- Walking on a Thin Line in "Kiss the Dawn"
- Bel Air in "Oh, What a Night"
- Averted with Offline.
- Artifact Title: The name certainly was befitting of their abrasive nu metal sound. Today, after their shift into a more refined style? Not so much. See Gratuitous English below.
- Cover Version: "Big in Japan" by Alphaville
- Darker and Edgier: Walking On a Thin Line, due to shifting away from the band's Nu Metal roots with a more Alternative Metal sound.
- "Don't Turn Your Back On Me" qualifies as this due to its Goth Rock sound in addition to being a Surprisingly Gentle Song.
- Downer Ending: "Pretty in Scarlet"
- Genre Mashup: They're a nu metal-alternative-pop-rap-punk-grunge-hard rock band.
- Gratuitous English: Their name is supposed to mean that they're "batshit crazy".
- Important Haircut: Henning and Stefan sported buzz cuts sometime during the Bel Air era.
- Lighter and Softer: Bel Air, due to the band shedding their Nu Metal sound in favour of a more Alternative Rock sound.
- Long Runner Lineup: The band has the same lineup today as it did when formed over twenty years ago.
- Male Band, Female Singer: Sandra, the lead vocalist, is the sole woman in the band.
- Metal Scream: "Lords of the Boards"
- Nu Metal: Their first three albums were labeled as such, though the third album had more Alternative Metal and their fourth album had none of the sound in favour of an Alternative Rock sound as by the time they reformed, the genre's popularity had declined.
- Surprisingly Gentle Song: "Rain", "Don't You Turn Your Back on Me", "Living in a Lie", "Pretty in Scarlet", "Quietly" etc.
- Tomboy: Sandra was one during the band's nu metal era.
- Trrrilling Rrrs: Some parts of "We Use the Pain".
