Biography
Galloping Coroners (Hungarian: Vágtázó Halottkémek, also known as VHK and Rasende Leichenbeschauer) was a Hungarian rock band active from 1975–2001, and briefly reformed in 2009 and 2013. The band established a unique “shaman punk” or “psychedelic hardcore” sound, and is regarded as one of the most important alternative bands of the 1980s from the Eastern European block. Permanent restrictions by Hungarian authorities made worldwide tours difficult for the band, but its ecstatic concerts garnered surprising success across Western Europe. Though relatively obscure and commercially limited outside of Eastern Europe, Maximumrocknroll described the band as "equal in spirit and grit to faves like Sonic Youth or Big Black but with an identity all its own”. VHK has been praised as a highly important band by Iggy Pop, Henry Rollins, Jello Biafra and Einstürzende Neubauten.
The band played repetitive, wild, yet melodic music, combining tribal shamanic music with rock guitars and drumming to form a uniquely pulsating and obsessive sound. Songs regularly feature ritualistic improvisation, and live shows were often accompanied by ecstatic on-stage actions. The New York Times described their music as “basic and elemental and filled with obsessive, galvanizing passion.”
The band’s musical philosophy was shaped and influenced by its frontman, Attila Grandpierre. Beginning in 2005, Grandpierre continued VHK’s concept with Vágtázó Csodaszarvas on solely acoustic instruments.
