Over 50 rock and metal musicians, including members of Grim Reaper, Firewind, Aldaria, Cyhra and Masterplan, have joined forces to record an epic metal cover of ‘We Are The World’ while in quarantine. The project is the brainchild of Norwegian musician Marius Danielsen of the band Darkest Sins.
The original version of the star-studded charity single was recorded in 1984 by Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, and a supergroup of other stars to aid African relief. The song, which sold millions of copies and raised more than $75 million, celebrated its 35th anniversary in mid-March.
‘We Are the World’ reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent five weeks at the top of the chart.
Awarded numerous honors — including three Grammy Awards, one American Music Award and a People’s Choice Award — the song was promoted with a critically received music video, a VHS, a special edition magazine, a simulcast, and several books, posters, and shirts.
Following the devastation caused by earthquake in Haiti in 2010, a remake of the song by another all-star cast of singers was recorded on February 1, 2010. Titled ‘We Are The World 25 For Haiti’, it was released as a single on February 12, 2010, and proceeds from the record aided survivors in the impoverished country.
Danielsen‘s version of ‘We Are The World’ features the following musicians:
Vocals
- Marius Danielsen (Darkest Sins, Legend of Valley Doom)
- Anniken Rasmussen (Darkest Sins, Legend of Valley Doom)
- Jake E (Cyhra, ex-Amaranthe, Dreamland)
- David Åkesson (Qantice)
- David Smith (Gypsy’s Kiss)
- Ty Christian (Lords of the Trident)
- Peter Danielsen (Darkest Sins, Legend of Valley Doom, Eunemia)
- Simon Byron (Sunset, Bluestoch, ex-Crystal Empire)
- Ole Pedersen (Undertakers)
- Ferran Quiles (Theragon)
- Rick Altzi (Masterplan, At Vance)
- Steve Grimmett (Grim Reaper)
- Marco Pastorino (Temperance, ex-Secret Sphere)
- Herbie Langhans (Firewind, Avantasia ex-Seventh Avenue, ex-Sinbreed)
- Torstein Flakne (Stahe Dolls, The Kids)
- Kurt Raymond Vaagen (Left Over)
- Victoria Nedrelid
- Pål Martin Greiner Haaker
- Niklas Isfeldt (Dream Evil)
- Rob Stitch (Buffalo Fish)
- John Yelland (Judicator, Dire Peril)
- Fernando Svenøy Groba (Lusk)
- Martin Steene (Iron Fire)
- Jens Falestål
- Elisa C. Martin (Hamka, ex-Dark Moor, ex-Fairyland)
- Radina Dimcheva (Infloyd, Dreamwalkers Inc)
- Jorge Higginson Grgurić (Ancestral Dawn)
- Sigve Torland (The Sickening, Villrosa)
- Astrid Mjøen
- Frode Hovd (Aldaria)
- Jordi Mata Garcia
- Berit Helberg
- Augusto Cardozo
- Siegfried Samer (Dragony, ex-Visions of Atlantis)
- Nils K. Rue (Pagans Mind)
- Andre De La Tejera
- Gus Monsanto (Human Fortress, ex-Revolution Renaissance)
- Dennis Ward (Unisonic, Place Vendome, ex-Pink Cream 69)
- Bernt Fjellestad (Guardians of Time, Legend of Valley Doom)
- Thomas Masouras
- Anders Sköld (Veonity)
- Toby Hitchcock (Pride of Lions)
- Helen Galan Viberg
- Artemij Ryabovol
- Nina Osegueda (A Sound of Thunder)
- Tomi Fooler (Skeletoon)
- Christian Eriksson (Northtale, ex-Twilight Force)
- Bill Hudson (Northtale, Doro, ex-U.D.O, ex-Power Quest)
- Kjetil Aarseth (CEO at Tikkio, Norwegian ticket service)
- Jenny Aarseth
Guitars
Marius Danielsen
Piano and epic orchestrations
Peter Danielsen
Bass
Bjørn Helge Lervåg (Legend of Valley Doom, Horizon Project)
Drums
Ludvig Pedersen (Darkest Sins, Legend of Valley Doom)
