Nils K. Rue (1,802 views)

[Zedd Squared]

Nils Gunleik Kvåle Rue
Member Of: Sunset Strip (1993-1999), Silverspoon (1999-2000), Pagan's Mind (2000-present), Eidolon (2004-2007, 2015), X-World/5 (2005-?), Holter (2016-present), Toxic (?-?), Bremsespor (?-?)
Voice Type: Tenor
Vocal Range: B♭1-C6

High Notes:

C6 ("Argonaut", "Thousand Winters Old")
B5 ("Atomic Firelight", "Hallo Spaceboy" Full Circle 2014, "Osiris' Triumphant Return")
B♭5 ("Alien Kamikaze" Live Equation 2008, "Astral Flight", "Enigmatic Mission" Live Equation 2008, "The Final Countdown" Molde Fjordstuer 2017, "Hallo Spaceboy", "Man Machine", "Order of the White Light", "Red Sharks" ProgPower USA X 2009, "Through Osiris' Eyes" Live Equation 2008)
A5 ("2 Minutes to Midnight" St. Paul, MN 2008, "Aegean Shores" Full Circle 2014, "Alien March", "Arcturus #9", "Charge to War", "The Human Compulsion", "Intermission" Full Circle 2014, "Jump" Selbu, Norway 2014, "Masque of the Red Death" ProgPower USA X 2009, "A New Beginning" 2004 Re-Recording, "New Eden", "The Oath", "Order of the White Light", "Painted Skies", "Run to the Hills" Selbu, Norway 2014, "Supremacy, Our Kind" Progpower USA VIII 2007, "Walk Away in Silence", "Welcome Home" Progpower USA VIII 2007)
G♯5 ("At the Graves", "Awakened", "Cyberchrist", "From Yesterday" The Voice – Norges beste stemme 2013, "God's Equation", "Man Machine", "Masque of the Red Death" ProgPower USA X 2009, "Mean Mistress", "...Of Epic Questions" Full Circle 2014, "Restless Heart", "Taken", "United Alliance" Live Equation 2008)
G5 ("Alien Kamikaze", "Astral Flight", "At the Graves", "Atomic Firelight", "The Bargain of Lost Souls", "Celestial Calling", "A Cryptic Message", "Dreamscape Lucidity", "Enigmatic Mission", "Entrance to Infinity", "The Eternal Call", "Follow Your Way", "From Yesterday" The Voice – Norges beste stemme 2013, "I Was Made for Lovin' You" Selbu, Norway 2014, "Into the Aftermath", "Lunar Voyage", "The Master's Voice", "New World Order" Full Circle 2014, "O Holy Night", "Osiris' Triumphant Return", "Restless Heart", "Run to the Hills" The Voice – Norges beste stemme 2013, "The Seven Sacred Promises" Full Circle 2014, "Spirit Sanctuary", "Stand Up", "State of Fear and Hate", "Supremacy, Our Kind" Progpower USA VIII 2007, "Through Osiris' Eyes" Live Equation 2008, "Time Divine")
F♯5 ("Aegean Shores", "Alien March", "At the Graves", "Crooked Cross", "Entrance to Infinity", "Evolution Exceed", "The Human Compulsion", "Intermission", "Keeping the Flame Alive", "Leave This World Behind", "Lunar Voyage", "The Oath", "Queen of the Reich", "Revelation to the End", "Spirit Starcruiser", "Taken", "Through Osiris' Eyes" Live Equation 2008, "Time Divine", "Walk Away in Silence", "Welcome Home" Progpower USA VIII 2007)
F5 ("Alien Kamikaze", "All by Myself", "Argonaut", "Atomic Firelight", "Charge to War", "Cyberchrist", "Dimensions of Fire" Full Circle 2014, "Drums of Doom", "Evolution Exceed", "Ghost World", "God's Equation" Full Circle 2014, "Grapes of Baccus, Pt. 3", "Here I Go Again" Molde Fjordstuer 2017, "Man Machine", "The Master's Voice", "New World Order", "Order of the White Light", "The Parallel Otherworld", "Run to the Hills" The Voice – Norges beste stemme 2013, "The Seven Sacred Promises" Full Circle 2014, "Spirit Sanctuary", "Supremacy, Our Kind", "Twilight Arise" 2004 Re-Recording, "Welcome Home" Progpower USA VIII 2007)
E5 ("Aegean Shores" Full Circle 2014, "At the Graves", "Awakened", "The Bargain of Lost Souls", "Dreamscape Lucidity" Full Circle 2014, "Entrance: Stargate", "Entrance to Infinity", "The Eternal Call", "I Want Out" Selbu, Norway 2014, "Infinity Divine" 2004 Re-Recording, "Into the Infinite", "Light and Shadows", "O Holy Night", "The Oath", "...Of Epic Questions" Full Circle 2014, "Queen of the Reich", "Run to the Hills" The Voice – Norges beste stemme 2013, "Save Me, Pt. II", "The Seven Sacred Promises", "Stand Up", "Take on Me", "Under Fire", "Walk Away in Silence", "Without You", "World's on Fire")
E♭5 ("Argonaut", "Astral Flight", "Caught in a Dream", "Celestial Calling", "The Celestine Prophecy", "Collide & Spark", "Drums of Doom", "In Brilliant White Light", "Infinity Divine", "Let Go", "Light and Shadows", "Love Gun" A Tribute to DocRock 2021, "Man Machine", "Masque of the Red Death" ProgPower USA X 2009, "New Eden", "...Of Epic Questions", "Red Sharks" ProgPower USA X 2009, "Restless Heart", "Sea of Machines", "Set Me Free", "Shadowanderer (Ferdamannen)", "Shine Eternally", "Spirit Sanctuary", "Spirit Starcruiser", "The Star-Spangled Banner", "Strutter" A Tribute to DocRock 2021, "Thousand Winters Old")
D5 ("Aegean Shores", "Alien Kamikaze", "Angels' Serenity" 2004 Re-Recording, "Arcturus #9", "Argonaut", "Astral Projection", "Atomic Firelight", "The Bargain of Lost Souls", "Celestial Calling", "The Celestine Prophecy", "Charge to War", "A Cryptic Message", "Cyberchrist", "Dimensions of Fire" Full Circle 2014, "Dreamscape Lucidity", "Embracing Fear", "Entrance: Stargate", "Entrance to Infinity", "The Eternal Call", "Evolution Exceed", "Eyes of Fire", "Follow Your Way", "Hallo Spaceboy", "I Want Out" Selbu, Norway 2014, "Jump" Selbu, Norway 2014, "King's Quest", "Leave This World Behind", "Light and Shadows", "Live Your Life Like a Dream", "Lunar Voyage", "The Master's Voice", "Mean Mistress", "A New Beginning", "Nightfall", "Painted Skies", "The Parallel Otherworld", "The Prophecy of Pleiades", "Pull Me Under" Selbu, Norway 2014, "Queen of the Reich", "Restless Heart", "Resurrection (Back in Time)", "Revelation to the End", "The Seven Sacred Promises", "Shadowanderer (Ferdamannen)", "The Show Must Go On" Selbu, Norway 2014, "State of Fear and Hate", "Supremacy, Our Kind", "Thousand Winters Old", "Through Osiris' Eyes", "Time Divine", "Twilight Arise", "We Are the World")
C♯5 ("Alien March", "All by Myself", "Arcturus #9", "Astral Flight", "Astral Projection", "Awakened", "Bay of Dreams", "Caught in a Dream", "Collide & Spark", "A Cryptic Message", "Dreamscape Lucidity", "Drums of Doom", "Embracing Fear", "Enigmatic Mission", "...Of Epic Questions", "God's Equation", "Grapes of Baccus, Pt. 3", "Here I Go Again" Molde Fjordstuer 2017, "The Human Compulsion", "Infinity Divine", "Intermission", "Into the Infinite", "Keeping the Flame Alive", "Let Go", "Live Your Life Like a Dream" Full Circle 2014, "Masque of the Red Death" ProgPower USA X 2009, "Never Walk Alone", "Order of the White Light", "Osiris' Triumphant Return", "Painted Skies", "Rainbow in the Dark" Molde Fjordstuer 2017, "Red Sharks" ProgPower USA X 2009, "Resurrection (Back in Time)", "Revelation to the End", "Set Me Free", "The Seven Sacred Promises" Full Circle 2014, "Shine Eternally", "Sink or Swim", "Spirit Sanctuary", "Spirit Starcruiser", "State of Fear and Hate", "Strutter" A Tribute to DocRock 2021, "Supremacy, Our Kind", "Take on Me", "Taken", "Twilight Arise", "United Alliance", "Visualize", "Voyage of the Damned", "We Built This City" Molde Fjordstuer 2017, "Without You", "World's on Fire")
C5 ("2 Minutes to Midnight" St. Paul, MN 2009, "Aegean Shores", "Angels' Serenity", "Arcturus #9", "Argonaut", "Astral Flight", "At the Graves", "Backseat Rock 'n' Roll", "Bay of Dreams", "Caught in a Dream", "Celestial Calling", "The Celestine Prophecy", "Crooked Cross", "Cyberchrist", "Dawning of the Nemesis", "The Day That the World Breaks Down", "Dimensions of Fire", "The Dream Dissolves", "Embracing Fear (2004)", "Entrance: Stargate", "The Eternal Call", "Evolution Exceed", "Follow Your Way", "Fulltime Lover", "Ghost World", "God's Equation", "Infinity Divine", "Into the Aftermath", "Into the Infinite", "Jump" Selbu, Norway 2014, "King's Quest", "Lookin' for a Lover", "Man Machine", "Mean Mistress", "New Eden", "O Holy Night", "...Of Epic Questions", "Order of the White Light", "Osiris' Triumphant Return", "The Parallel Otherworld", "Pull Me Under" Selbu, Norway 2014, "Run to the Hills" The Voice – Norges beste stemme 2013, "Sea of Machines", "The Seven Sacred Promises", "Shine Eternally", "Stand Up", "The Star-Spangled Banner", "State of Fear and Hate", "Street Walkin' Sister", "Supremacy, Our Kind", "Taken", "Thousand Winters Old", "Under Fire", "Walk Away in Silence", "When Angels Unite")
B4 ("2 Minutes to Midnight" St. Paul, MN 2009, "Alien March", "Angels' Serenity", "Astral Projection", "At the Graves", "Atomic Firelight", "Caught in a Dream", "Celestial Calling", "Collide & Spark", "Dimensions of Fire", "Dreamscape Lucidity", "Drums of Doom", "Embracing Fear", "Enigmatic Mission", "Entrance: Stargate", "Entrance to Infinity", "Evolution Exceed", "Eyes of Fire", "Follow Your Way", "God's Equation", "Grapes of Baccus, Pt. 3", "Half-The-Way-Man", "Hallo Spaceboy", "Helter fra Telemark", "I Was Made for Lovin' You" Selbu, Norway 2014, "I Wish You Were Here", "Intermission", "Keeping the Flame Alive", "Live Your Life Like a Dream", "Lookin' for a Lover", "A New Beginning", "New World Order", "...Of Epic Questions", "Painted Skies", "The Parallel Otherworld", "The Prophecy of Pleiades", "Pull Me Under" Selbu, Norway 2014, "Rainbow in the Dark" Molde Fjordstuer 2017, "Resurrection (Back in Time)", "Revelation to the End", "Sea of Machines", "Search for Life", "Set Me Free", "The Seven Sacred Promises", "Shadowanderer (Ferdamannen)", "The Show Must Go On" Selbu, Norway 2014, "Sink or Swim", "Street Walkin' Sister", "Taken", "Through Osiris' Eyes", "Time Divine", "Twilight Arise", "Under Fire", "United Alliance", "Visualize", "Walk Away in Silence", "We Built This City" Molde Fjordstuer 2017, "Without You", "World's on Fire")
B♭4 ("Aegean Shores", "Atomic Firelight", "Charge to War", "A Cryptic Message", "The Day That the World Breaks Down", "Destiny", "From Yesterday" The Voice – Norges beste stemme 2013, "Fulltime Lover", "Ghost World", "I'll Die for You", "I Want Out" Selbu, Norway 2014, "In Brilliant White Light", "Into the Aftermath", "Let Go", "Light and Shadows", "Love Gun" A Tribute to DocRock 2021, "Never Walk Alone", "A New Beginning", "New Eden", "Nightfall", "The Prophecy of Pleiades", "Restless Heart", "Set Me Free", "The Seven Sacred Promises", "Shadowanderer (Ferdamannen)", "Shine Eternally", "Sink or Swim", "Spirit Sanctuary", "Strutter" A Tribute to DocRock 2021, "Supremacy, Our Kind", "Thousand Winters Old", "Visualize", "Voyage of the Damned", "Welcome Home" Progpower USA VIII 2007)
A4 ("2 Minutes to Midnight" St. Paul, MN 2009, "Aegean Shores", "Alien Kamikaze", "Astral Projection", "Awakened", "Backseat Rock 'n' Roll", "Dancin' in the Rain", "Dawning of the Nemesis", "Enigmatic Mission", "Entrance to Infinity", "Eyes of Fire", "Fulltime Lover", "Half-The-Way-Man", "Helter fra Telemark", "Hey Brother", "I Wish You Were Here", "I'll Die for You", "Intermission", "Into the Infinite", "Jump" Selbu, Norway 2014, "Little Teaser", "Live Your Life Like a Dream", "Lunar Voyage", "The Master's Voice", "Mean Mistress", "Moonlight Pact", "Never Walk Alone", "A New Beginning", "New World Order", "Pull Me Under" Selbu, Norway 2014, "Resurrection (Back in Time)", "Save Me, Pt. II", "Sea of Machines", "Spirit Starcruiser", "Superstitious" Molde Fjordstuer 2017, "Take on Me", "Through Osiris' Eyes", "United Alliance", "When Angels Unite", "World's on Fire")

Low Notes:

E3 ("Aegean Shores", "Dancin' in the Rain", "Entrance to Infinity", "Grapes of Baccus, Pt. 3", "Hallo Spaceboy", "Helter fra Telemark", "I Was Made for Lovin' You" Selbu, Norway 2014, "Lookin' for a Lover", "New World Order", "Order of the White Light", "Search for Life", "Supremacy, Our Kind", "United Alliance", "Walk Away in Silence")
E♭3 ("All by Myself", "The Celestine Prophecy", "Destiny", "Drums of Doom", "Here I Go Again" Molde Fjordstuer 2017, "Man Machine", "Restless Heart", "Sink or Swim")
D3 ("Alien Kamikaze", "Celestial Calling", "Crooked Cross", "A Cryptic Message", "Cyberchrist", "Dimensions of Fire", "The Eternal Call", "Fulltime Lover", "Infinity Divine", "The Master's Voice", "Mean Mistress", "New World Order", "Search for Life", "Shadowanderer (Ferdamannen)", "Stand Up", "Taken", "Through Osiris' Eyes")
C♯3 ("Alien March", "Astral Projection" 2004 Re-Recording, "Awakened", "Caught in a Dream", "Drums of Doom", "Live Your Life Like a Dream" Full Circle 2014, "Painted Skies", "The Prophecy of Pleiades", "The Seven Sacred Promises", "Shine Eternally", "Supremacy, Our Kind", "World's on Fire")
C3 ("Alien Kamikaze" Live Equation 2008, "Alien March", "Angels' Serenity" 2004 Re-Recording, "Argonaut", "Atomic Firelight", "A Cryptic Message", "Cyberchrist", "Dawning of the Nemesis", "Fulltime Lover", "Hey Brother", "I Wish You Were Here", "Into the Aftermath", "Man Machine", "A New Beginning" 2004 Re-Recording, "New World Order" Full Circle 2014, "Nightfall", "O Holy Night", "The Seven Sacred Promises" Full Circle 2014, "Shadowanderer (Ferdamannen)", "Sink or Swim", "Spirit Sanctuary", "The Star-Spangled Banner", "State of Fear and Hate", "Supremacy, Our Kind" Progpower USA VIII 2007, "Thousand Winters Old", "Twilight Arise" 2004 Re-Recording, "When Angels Unite", "White Christmas")
B2 ("All by Myself", "Arcturus #9", "Astral Flight", "At the Graves", "Dreamscape Lucidity" Full Circle 2014, "Embracing Fear" 2004 Re-Recording, "Enigmatic Mission", "Entrance: Stargate", "Follow Your Way", "God's Equation", "Hallo Spaceboy", "...Of Epic Questions" Full Circle 2014, "Painted Skies", "The Parallel Otherworld", "The Prophecy of Pleiades", "Visualize", "Walk Away in Silence", "White Christmas", "World's on Fire")
B♭2 ("The Eternal Call", "Ghost World", "I'll Die for You", "Into the Aftermath", "New Eden", "New World Order" Full Circle 2014, "Nightfall", "Order of the White Light", "The Parallel Otherworld", "Restless Heart")
A2 ("All by Myself", "Astral Projection" 2004 Re-Recording, "At the Graves", "Caught in a Dream", "Celestial Calling", "Crooked Cross", "Cyberchrist", "Dawning of the Nemesis", "Dimensions of Fire", "Entrance: Stargate", "Evolution Exceed", "Grapes of Baccus, Pt. 3", "Hey Brother", "King's Quest", "Lookin' for a Lover", "Lunar Voyage", "Moonlight Pact", "Never Walk Alone", "Order of the White Light", "The Prophecy of Pleiades", "Shadowanderer (Ferdamannen)", "Stand Up", "Take on Me", "Through Osiris' Eyes" Full Circle 2014)
G♯2 ("Aegean Shores" Full Circle 2014, "Drums of Doom", "Embracing Fear (2004)", "God's Equation" Live Equation 2008, "In Brilliant White Light", "New Eden", "The Oath", "The Parallel Otherworld", "The Seven Sacred Promises")
G2 ("Alien March", "All by Myself", "Astral Flight", "The Bargain of Lost Souls", "Dimensions of Fire" Full Circle 2014, "Evolution Exceed", "In Brilliant White Light", "Lunar Voyage", "Thousand Winters Old", "When Angels Unite", "White Christmas")
F♯2 ("Keeping the Flame Alive", "The Seven Sacred Promises" Full Circle 2014, "Supremacy, Our Kind" Progpower USA VIII 2007, "Twilight Arise" 2004 Re-Recording)
F2 ("Argonaut", "Atomic Firelight", "New Eden", "New World Order", "State of Fear and Hate")
E2 ("Lunar Voyage", "Painted Skies")
E♭2 ("Man Machine", "State of Fear and Hate")
D2 ("Charge to War", "A Cryptic Message", "Ghost World", "King's Quest" 2004 Re-Recording, "Order of the White Light")
C2 ("Argonaut")
B♭1 ("Crooked Cross")

Nils K. Rue of Norwegian prog/power metal masters Pagan's Mind has the kind of voice that stops approaching alien invaders dead in their tracks. His dynamic instrument contains all the technical proficiency expected of the genre, while at the same time featuring a unique tonal quality and expression that sets him and his band apart. He's eccentric but not hammy, powerful but not overbearing, and versatile without becoming unfocused, all while contributing a seemingly endless sea of memorable hooks to the powerhouse music he accompanies. While his multi-faceted high range is certainly his strongest calling card (he transitions from a mountainous belt to a glass shattering head voice range with remarkable ease), one should not overlook his use of dynamics and tonal variation. Within the same span of notes he can be clean and assertive one moment and then bust out some crazy distortion the next, channeling the other-dimensional beings he's often singing about. And this applies not just to his highs but to his lows as well, which are equally varied on the clean to raspy scale. With the dream combination of power, consistency, and passion firmly intact, Nils K. Rue is easily one of metal's most underrated singers.

Note: "Embracing Fear" 2004 Re-recording and "Embracing Fear (2004)" are actually two different tracks. The former is a (mostly) loyal re-recording of the 2000 original while the latter is a more extensive reworking of the track.
..................................................................................
*Underlined notes are found in backing vocals or otherwise obscured in the song mix.
*Blue marks soft and/or disconnected sounding falsetto notes.
*Green marks harshly distorted notes.
*Boldface indicates notes that are notable examples of this singer's capabilities.
*Italics mark non-sung notes.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Questionable Notes}B5 ("Supremacy, Our Kind" Progpower USA VIII 2007 ^[4])
B♭5 ("Caught in a Dream" ^[1], "Little Teaser" ^[1])
A5 ("Backseat Rock 'n' Roll" ^[1], "Half-The-Way-Man" ^[1])
G♯5 ("Caught in a Dream" ^[1])
G5 ("Half-The-Way-Man" ^[1], "Dancin' in the Rain" ^[1])
F♯5 ("Backseat Rock 'n' Roll" ^[1], "Strutter" A Tribute to DocRock 2021 ^[1])
E5 ("We Built This City" Molde Fjordstuer 2017 ^[1])

C3 ("Half-The-Way-Man" ^[1])
B2 ("I Wish You Were Here" ^[1])
A2 ("Dancin' in the Rain" ^[1], "Mean Mistress" ^[3])
G♯2 ("Voyage of the Damned" ^[1])
G2 ("Hallo Spaceboy" Full Circle 2014 ^[1], "Into the Aftermath" ^[1])
F2 ("All by Myself" ^[1])
E2 ("Arcturus #9" ^[4])
E♭2 ("Hallo Spaceboy" Full Circle 2014 ^[3])
D2 ("The Prophecy of Pleiades" ^[4], "Shadowanderer (Ferdamannen)" ^[4] )
C♯2 ("God's Equation" Full Circle 2014 ^[3])
.......................................................
[1] marks yelps and short trills in high range or anacrusis and short dips in low range.
[2] marks notes of questionable identity that cannot be confirmed to be the singer in question.
[3] marks non-melodic notes that don't have a significant enough pitch to warrant inclusion.
[4] marks notes that possess uncertain pitch or have been pitch-shifted.
[5] marks notes that do not fit the previous criteria but are not of a substantial enough quality to warrant counting towards the singer's range.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Album Ranges}Sunset Strip

Strippin' Time (1993): A2-C3-D3-D5-A5* (couldn't find track 5)

Silverspoon

Sink or Swim (1999): B2-C♯5-E♭5* (couldn't find tracks 2, 6, 9, 10, or 11)

Pagan's Mind

Infinity Divine (2000): A2-E♭5
Celestial Entrance (2002): G2-G5
Infinity Divine (Re-Recording) (2004): D2-F♯2-C3-E5-A5
Enigmatic: Calling (2005): F2-A2-D3-G♯5
God's Equation (2007): E2-B♭5-B5
Live Equation (2009): G♯2-A2-B♭5
Heavenly Ecstasy (2011): G2-A5
Full Circle (2015): F♯2-G2-B5

Eidolon

The Parallel Otherworld (2006): D2-G2-A2-C6

X-World/5

New Universal Order (2008): B♭1-D2-A5-C6

Ayreon

The Source (2017): A3-C♯4-F♯5-A5

Holter

Vlad the Impaler (2018): B♭2-G♯5

[Zedd Squared]

This OP has now been completely renotewatched and updated!

Admittedly I do need to notewatch a few extra songs he did with Nergard in a live bootleg that's bouncing around on YT, but all the required material is all there now. It's pretty cool to see too because way back on TRP1 this was the 2nd thread I ever made, so it feels like a bit of a full circle moment (pun intended) to see it in this state now.

[senatorsenpai]

First time hearing of this guy. Really impressive vocalist and especially live! I think I need to give the Live Equation show a full listen. The linked C♯6 sounds like a C6 though?

[Zedd Squared]

Yeah it was originally listed as a C6 but it's phrased in kind of a weird way that it gave me a C#6 illusion apparently. Just checked again now and it seems pretty squarely on C6 so I've fixed that up, good catch!

And yeah he's a great live singer for sure, definitely an example where the OP would've been considerably smaller without checking those since he adds a decent amount of extra notes both high and low.

[Zedd Squared]

www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhHZ_lfZ988
Anyone have a guess on the pitch of the backing lows from 1:02-1:13 and 2:03-2:12? I really can't make them out well but they do seem significant, at least enough to add to the spoiler box.