CONTENTS
04 W i n g e r 06 A s i a 07 L . R . S . 08 A l i e n 09 S o n a t a A r c t i c a 10 Va n i s h i n g P o i n t 12 R e v i e w s 15 S u n s t r i k e 16 E d g u y 17 T h r e e L i o n s 19 P r e t t y M a i d s 20 Sebastian Bach 21 Iron Savior
Melodic Rock Fanzine The official Frontiers Records magazine Year #10 - Nr. 2 / Issue #61 Editor-in-chief: Elio Bordi Concept, Graphics & Design: Elio Bordi Writers: Bruce E.J. Atkinson, Duncan Jamieson, Barry McMinn, Vitale Nocerino, Rob “Ezy” Bone, Primo Bonali. Headquarters and general contacts: Frontiers Records - Via Gonzaga 18 80125, Napoli - Italy Tel: +39.081.2399340/7753 Fax: +39.081.2399794 E-mail: elio@frontiers.it Website: www.frontiers.it Facebook: facebook.com/frontiersrecordsofficial Twitter: twitter.com/frontiersrec Editor and publisher: Frontiers Records s.r.l. Copyright©2014 Frontiers Records. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Printed in Italy.
band. winger album. better days comin’ Interview with:. kip winger interviewed by:. d.jamieson
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W I N G E R - Better Days Comin’ (Frontiers Records) 2009‘s “Karma” was warmly received by the melodic rock community and “Better Days Comin’” should mirror that reception. Sonically, it’s very similar to “Karma”; mixing the big hair, bare chested melodic rock of their heyday with the more demanding material of “IV” or Kip’s solo work. Kip tends to listen to and play a lot of classical music these days but he leaves his classical hat at the door as he’s firmly got his hard rock hat on here. It’s a tough sounding Winger with Kip singing as throatily as he ever has in places and Reb Beach shreds robustly in his inventive, technically proficient way. “Rat Race” is as hard, fast and heavy as you’re ever going to hear Winger. There are still sackfuls of melody here with “Midnight Driver of a Love Machine”, “Queen Babylon”, “So Long China” and the title track all worthy of a place amongst Winger’s best songs. The album might declare “Better Days Comin’” but for melodic rock fans those better days have just arrived. Duncan Jamieson (94/100)
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Question: This is a great Winger album which includes all sides of the Winger sound. Did you set out to make a diverse record? Answer: Ultimately yes, We felt like we no longer have anything to prove so lets do a bit of everything we are known for. Q: Is there a particular meaning behind the album title? A: First we wrote the song, and after most of the tunes we’re done someone suggested that it as the title of the record. It seemed to stick. Q: Did you have a specific musical direction you wanted to go in for this album? A: We listened to all the Winger records and came up with 11 songs that encompassed everything the band is about. It’s very diverse and has a bit of everything the band is best at. Q: You and Reb Beach’s song writing is as good, if not better than ever. How do you two compose together? A: We sit down with a drum beat and knock out riffs until we feel we have something really solid. Then we build on that. It's been the same since 1988. Lyrics always come last. Q: To my ears, this is one of the best album of 2014: great production, great lyrics and a torrent of creativity. What’s the secret behind your inspiration? A: Marijuana! Hahaha… No, well. I know exactly what I like. And Reb and I have a great chemistry, we never have to “try” to hard to make things inspired and natural. Q: You and John Roth also worked together on this one. What songs did he help write? A: “So Long China”, “Storm In Me”, “Be Who You are Now”. John did a great job, we mirrored the process that Reb and I take. Only we already had a riff to start with. Be Who you Are Now was Started from Scratch. John Also
played the solo on Another Beautiful day and Storm in me. Q: Donnie Purnell of Kix fame helps out with lyrics on the likes of the cracking “Midnight Driver Of A Love Machine” and “Queen Babylon” ? Why do you like to include an outside lyricist? A: If I don't' get an inspiration immediately, I pass it on to Donnie. He's a fantastic Lyricist. He did a great job on all of the songs he worked on. Q: The songs you write are generally more serious in tone like “Tin Soldier” and “Storm In Me”. Can you explain the ideas behind them? A: “Tin Soldier”, is referring to PTSD. So many soldiers around the world suffer from PTSD and aren't properly cared for. This song is in support of them. “Storm In Me” is about a split personality who can't stop hunting the very people he loves. Q: Do you feel that your albums are first of all about the music, or is it also a method of communicating a message? A: We don’t try to push a message. We just stick to what we do best. People who know the band know that we take a lot of care in producing a winger record. It’s important to us that people get something they will feel inspired by. Q: How has being in Winger mean to you? A: Well, I’m grateful to play with the other guys , they’re such great musicians. It’s a lot of fun to be in this band. I think we’ve been very misunderstood. Q: Back in the early days did you ever image that you would have such an impact on the melodic music world, still be talked 25 years later? A: I had no idea. But I did know that music is my whole existence and I would never stop composing. Q: When Winger hit it big in the 80s, what was the most rock ‘n’ roll thing you
did? A: Haha, nothing... Sorry to disappoint you... Those questions are for Nikki Six. My life’s mission is studying music. Q: When did you realise the bubble had burst, in terms of commercial success, for Winger and melodic rock music? A: When I saw my name on Stuarts T-Shirt in Beavis And Butthead. Hard times. But all through that time I spent all my time studying music and came out the other end with much more knowledge. I'm glad I had a chance to do that which would have been difficult had I continued to tour through that time. Everything happens for a reason. Q: You’re a classical composer as well these days. How different is the classical music world to the rock world? A: Very different, although Music is music. Once I win over an orchestra, everything is fine. The writing process is much different. Short form verse long form. One must learn how to stretch an idea over 20 minutes instead of 4 minutes. Then understand all the instruments capabilities and what it means to play those instruments. It's a lot of work, I don't recommend it, unless you'll die if you don't learn it. Q: Do you have any plans to record another solo album at any point? A: Yes, just trying to find the time. I have a lot of ideas ready to work on. It's also a different process then the band, The solo records have to be conceive ahead of time. I use many ideas that have formed over a long period of time rather that instantly writing Ideas the way Reb and I do. I will start a solo record in a few months. Q: With Karma you had a great success and most chart entries. What's your biggest goal this time? A: To tour for the whole year of 2014 and see as many people as possible. MRF | 5
band. ASIA album. Gravitas Interview with. j. wetton interviewed by:. barry mcminn
Question: Sam Coulson has replaced Steve Howe. How did he become the newest member of the band and what does he bring to the band as a young guitarist? Answer: He was highly recommended by Paul Gilbert, of Mr. Big. He brings a youthful approach, lots of technique, big power chords, phenomenal soloing, a vibrato that can kill, and a willingness to be a part of the structure (both musical and social) of the band. Q: How long have you been working on the new album and did Sam have any input into the new songs? A: The album was written and produced by myself and Geoff Downes. We knew what we wanted, and Sam was the guy to deliver, he was eager to participate. As far as GD and I are concerned, the song is the most important item in consideration, all else is secondary. That has been our philosophy since 1981. Q: The album had a working title Focus on:
of Valkyrie. Why was this changed to Gravitas? A: Valkyrie was the first title I had for this album, so it was a very important foundation. It was the first concrete song, and the rest was built on this. ‘Gravitas’ was the next title on the agenda, then ‘Heaven Help Me Now’. Valkyrie remained the title until about 6 months ago, when at a band meeting doubt was cast on the title ‘Valkyrie’ for being too feminine. I don’t think so, but I do not wish others to be uncomfortable with my concepts, so I offered up ‘Gravitas’ as an alternative. This was met with universal approval, so Gravitas became the new title. Valkyrie will always represent, for me, the ‘aria’ of this opus, as it is the original encapsulation of all that this new chapter of ASIA represents. Q: Did you approach this album any differently than previous Asia albums? A: Preparation was similar preliminary writing in Dorset and Wales,
then recording of “maps”, before taking to main studio to prepare Masters. Radically different approach to production, as this record is produced by us with no outside producer involved, so it is more direct, and from demo to Master, choice of song, lyric and performance of vocal all done without outside producer. Q: The new album flows between the Progressive, Classic and Melodic Rock elements and all points in-between. Was this a conscious decision or did it just evolve that way? A: We knew we could have a harder edge on this album, not just from guitar, but from drums, vocals, keys, etc. The rest is just the way we write, and perform, each album takes on its own personality as the recording progresses, and the album takes shape. As far as the sound of the record goes, I must give credit to John Mitchell, who mixed the album, and Rob Aubrey, who recorded my vocals.
A S I A - Gravitas ( F r o n t i e r s R e c o r d s ) “Gravitas” is one of the Roman virtues along with pietas, dignitas and virtus and translated means weight, seriousness and dignity, also importance and connotes to certain substance or depth of personality and aptly is the title of the new Asia album, as this new album marks a new chapter in the Asia story as Steve Howe departure to concentrate on Yes and other projects, enter into the fold comes new guitarist Sam Coulsona originally from romsgrove UK. The album over 30 years in the business this the bands fourteenth studio album. Once again the stalwart members Wetton, Downes and Palmer, together with Coulsona, have put together an album worthy of the Asia name, as the quartet mix melody, pomp and circumstance in a rich Progressive bundle. The band once again mix things up on this album with pomp coming from the likes of “Valkyrie” and “Gravitas”, the melody from the likes of “The Closer I Get To You” and “Nyctophobia”. Whereas “Heaven Help Me Now” mixes a more classical feel to proceedings. The ballad “Joe Di Maggio’s Glove” leads into the closer “Till We Meet Again” with its folkish overtones. Like I said a mixed bag and I’m sure you will be surprised. Barry McMinn (90/100)
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artist. l.r.s. album. down to the core Interview with. t. la verdi interviewed by. v. nocerino
Question: Can you please let us know the origin of the band? Answer: The mastermind behind the entire idea for the band, was the amazing Serafino Perugino. One lazy, sunny day in California, I decided to open up my inbox for a change and there was an email from Frontiers Records asking me if I wanted to be involved in recording project. After saying no (politely) several times, the emails kept coming until I finally agreed. It was Serafino's vision and passion for the project that motivated me to finally crawl out of my cave. Q: Witch differences are there between this project and the other bands you, Josh and Michael played in the past? How your former experiences influenced the LRS music? A: I have been involved with so many different types of musical and creative partnerships in the last 100 years, so I am fortunate enough to have worked with some very talented people, unfortunately, Josh and Mike weren't on that list. I am kidding of course, it has been a very rewarding experience, Focus on:
it would be even more rewarding if Josh would give me back my wallet. Every time I open my head to sing I believe all of my influences come out whether I like it or not... Just to name a few... So you can try to match them with my performance on the record: Stephen Tyler, Robert Plant, Peter Gabriel, Sting, David Hinds. Q: What about the contribution in the songwriting process of the other members? A: The incredible Alessandro Del Vecchio wrote the majority of the record. With some songs coming from every member of the band as well as some outside writers. They all fell into the pot and we stirred it up and Alessandro sprinkled his magic dust over it. I believe the result is collaboration we all can be proud of. Q: You’ve been far form scene for a long time. What have you done in the meanwhile? Why didn’t you try to rise up your solo band along the years? A: I made a decision during the making of the second 21 Guns album that my A.D.D wasn't satis-
fied with just one genre of music. A major battle with stage fright didn't help either. Fame was never my pursuit. Silencing the voices in my head has always been my top priority. Writing music behind the scenes seemed like a wonderful way to get the demons out without having to be a Paparazzi Puppet. I am a creative being by nature, not by habit. Taking a walk to my mailbox to receive my royalty check was all the excitement I needed at the time. Then after a few years of watching others live my life, my fear of stage performing was slowly losing it's ability to destroy my desire to be on stage, so I invented ways to get my fix without the burden of fame. Q: How do you known Josh and Michael? What have they more than other musicians? A: Josh and Mike are two sweet, talented souls. I am fortunate to meet the and work with them. I really can't wait to get out on stage perform these songs live. As soon as we all get hip replacements of course.
L.R.S. - Down to the Core (Frontiers Records) Tommy La Verdi, Josh Ramos, Michael Shotton. With the help of Alessandro Del Vecchio as producer and songwriter. The result? Probably the best Melodic Rock/AOR album of this year! 12 incredible hits, graced by the huge talent of Tommy La Verdi, the singer who came to the attention of the fans on the fabulous 21 GUNS debut album “Salute” in 1992; his voice is “heaven on earth”, mellifluous, emotional, expressive and always inspired. I can’t really stop playing these songs, and the Cd is on my player since three weeks! Ramos gives the whole album his massive treat, and Del Vecchio adds his impressive touch on melodies and arrangements. My faves in the lot are “Never Surrender”, probably one of the best tune that Danger Danger never wrote, the opening-track “Our Love To Stay”, very Journey-esque, and the super-ballad “To Be Your Man”, that made me immediately think to the mighty Bad English. What are you waiting for? That’s a must-have Cd. Don’t you dare to miss it! Primo Bonali (95/100) MRF | 7
band. alien album. infinity Interview with. k. sandin interviewed by:. barry mcminn
Question: The new album Eternity sees all the original line-up return to the studio for quite some time, was this an emotional time for all concerned? Answer: It sure was. The album we did back then is a big part of our musical history and has sentimental value, to all of us. Who could’ve thought we would end up together again making an album, after all these years? Q: There have been a few incarnations of Alien over the years, but when did you all feel that this was the right time for all of you to get back together? A: I’ve not been too fond of the name having been used by some, without the others, to be honest. And I actually thought our chances of a reunion (of the original lineup) were blown, since Tony and Jim already labeled their “Dark Eyes” album an “Alien reunion”. Luckily it showed that our old fans were still waiting for this to happen. I’m so glad all five of us were up for meeting the others (in 2010) to play the old songs of the debut album. Focus on:
We just took it from there… Q: How long did it take to write the songs for the new album and were all parties involved in the songwriting process? A: We took our time writing during last spring, having Aug 1st set for the first recording session. All five of us arranged the songs together during production rehearsals. Vocal parts and harmonies were arranged later, during production. We produced ourselves this time. Q: The ambition for the new album was the make it feel like a natural follow up to the 1988 debut, do you think you succeeded? A: Absolutely. Think it has the same dynamics, song wise - an acoustic ballad, a power rock ballad, midtempo songs, up-tempo songs etc. etc. Surely you’ll recognize our signature sound as far as melodies and harmonies, don’t you think? Q: Did having Pam Barlow and Janet Morrison Minto involved in the songwriting help this process? A: Well, not really. To me, we had
reached that goal already when the music and vocal melodies were written (by us), even though Jim didn’t sing the final lyrics then. We didn’t have to try hard to sound like classic Alien, it’s just the way we write (when writing for Alien), the five of us together. That said, the beautiful lyrics by Pam & Janet go so well with the feel of our songs, really enhancing the vibe we were aiming at. Q: Apart from ‘I’m A Fighter’, were all the songs written especially for the new album or did you revisit some older material? A: Everything is written now, for this album, from scratch. Q: Where do you see Alien fitting in with today’s Melodic Rock scene, have you been following the scene over recent years? A: Sure, and I’m glad to see acts like Work Of Art coming out of Sweden. We follow our hearts and go with our own style… but as long as we present strong songs with a good production on this album, I hope we’ll be embraced by the Melodic Rock fans of today.
A L I E N - Eternity ( A O R H e a v e n ) Hailed as Sweden’s best kept secret, Alien return with the original members for their much anticipated new album “Eternity”. Yes the band had a resurgence in 2005, but it wasn’t until 2010 that the embers started to produce the fire that would eventually lead to the band getting back together properly, and like a phoenix out of those ashes, they have produces a wonderful album of 12 outstanding melody rich tunes worth of the Alien name. There are 11 new songs and one oldie in “I’m a fighter”, as an homage to their co-work on the debut album, a regained contact with Pam and Janet led to them writing lyrics for this album as well. From the opener “In Love We Trust” right to the closer “In Truth”, the class of the band shines through with J. Jidhed sounding as superb as ever, along with the guitars of T. Borg and keyboards of J. Wandroph in perfect melodic harmony, while the drumming of T. Tarrach and the bass of K. Sandin are the perfect foundations for the album to build its splendour. This is AOR at its very best and once again the Swedes show the rest of the world how it’s done. It may have felt like an “Eternity” coming, but it was well worth the wait. Barry McMinn (95/100)
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Primo Bonali: Hello guys! How are you? As the biography coming with the promo says - with the brand new (and fantastic, to my ears) album "Pariah's Child""SONATA ARCTICA take a trip back to its own past, as far as the Artwork is concerned". I'd add that also musicallywise this is quite a return to your roots, but with a more epic and majestic-feel thrown into for good measure. What do you think about? Henrik Klingenberg: Yeah, I think that’s about right. We wanted to bring back some of the elements that were essential in the beginning, so in one way you could say that this is a ”return to the roots ” kinda
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thing, on the other hand we still have a lot of progressive elements so I think this album show all the sides off what Sonata Arctica has to offer. We’re very satisfied with the result. PB: Talking about the artwork, in fact the wolf and the snow have always been quite a trademark for you, especially in your first albums, and now here they are again. great choice!!! HK: We wanted the artwork to reflect the music on the album so of course we had to bring the wolf back. PB: Tony Kakko's voice is always so melodic and unique; how is he able to keep the voice to this high standard and even improve it, album after album? HK: Pure luck I guess… Seriously thought, we all put some effort in being good at what we do so hopefully that will show on the coming albums as well. PB: It's obvious that - from your debut album to the present days - you've changed your sound and
INDICA - Shine (Nuclear Blast)
moved into a slightly more complex and varied songwriting. Has it been a decision you made as a band or kind a natural evolution from a musician's point of view? HK: As musician interested in becoming better and also exploring different sides of the musical spectrum, I think it’s been a natural flow of things. Sometimes we’ve gone to far but I guess that’s just life so we’ll continue our journey and see what will happend next. PB: If I say that in songs like "Take One Breath" and "Larger Than Life" (what an awesome piece of art!) I can listen to a clear QUEEN-influence, do you take that as a compliment (hope so, as it's meant to be like that)? HK: Yes, we take it as a compliment, definately. Thanks ! PB: Have you plans for a full Tour in the next months? HK: At the moment we’re just starting our European Tour and for the next year or so we’ll be on the road. Earlier this year we played some 15th anniversary shows in Finland and South-America, mainly playing older stuff that we haven’t performed in a while. PB: Anything to add? HK: We’ll be in Italy on the 24.4. and I would very much like to see you all there. Other than that, thanks a lot for supporting our band and be sure that we do our very best to be worth it. Cheers & Thanks !
band. Vanishing point album. Distant is the sun Interview with. Silvio massaro interviewed by:. b. atkinson
Question: “Distant Is The Sun” marks your fifth album, and an apt title - since your last Recorded Work was in 2007. Why the long time in releases? Answer: A lot has happened since then battling through life’s ups and downs I guess made things extremely challenging for and my fellow band mates. When we came off touring with Sonata Arctica we hit a bit of a slow patch where a couple of members decide to pursue other musical tastes. Then trying to find their replacements wasn’t an easy task but we got there in the end. Q: You have stayed the course, true to your own vision…has this poised some challenges? A: Staying true to the Vanishing Point sound is always an easy thing to do. We have this saying or moto that we use every time we create music that is, if we were the listener, is this good enough that we could we bring ourselves to buy this music. This means no taking shortcuts in the writing process, it means creating music that we feel will last a lifetime, timeless! Focus on:
Q: Let’s go deeper in to the recording of “Distant Is The Sun”, when did you start to write for this project, and what did you do that was different from your other recordings? A: I think it was around the beginning of 2010 we began. The biggest difference with this recording was that its was written and mostly created solely by Chris my guitar player and long life friend. With the some of the other original members not in the band anymore it kind of gave us a free range of creating something we totally wanted. And that’s exactly what Chris has created here… I didn’t really contribute a great deal ,I mean sure that is my voice you hear but a lot of the lyrics Chris created also. We would get together and go over things together creating melodies and lyric refinements etc.. Also I’d say every Vanishing Point Album was written in a rehearsal room, where I guess this time around it was created in a home studio. That s probably all the differences I can think of. Q: Tell us the special circum-
stances surrounding “Circle Of Fire”… A: Tony Kakko was the special circumstance! No secret that the boys from Sonata are really good friends of ours and it was just a pleasure and honour to have Tony bless us all with his talent. Q: Overall, are you happy with the end result of “Distant Is The Sun”, and is this record something of a “comback” album? A: Yes you could say that , but in saying that we never really went anywhere. Just we into hibernation for a while but we are awake, very well rested and ready to smash the world all over with the sounds of VP for a long time to come. Q: No strangers to touring, what are your plans for 2014? Are you preparing to bring this fabulous record to the world’s stages? A: World stages are where we plan to be! We are just dying to get back out on the road to share this album in a live sense with you all. So please stay tune to any touring news that may come out in the future.
VANISHING POINT - Distant Is the Sun (AFM Records) A group true to their name, “Vanishing Point” have just released their fifth effort! This Australian outfit haven’t released anything since 2007. Now, 2014 has changed all of that with “Distant Is The Sun”! Fourteen suburb slices of Melodic Metal-“Vanishing Point” have returned with a vengeance! A full-on Progressive musical expression, the group drives through the metal spectrum with such pieces as “King Of Empty Promises”, “When Truth Lies”, and the title track: “Distant Is The Sun”. Full of melody and muscle, this quintet are serious about what they create. A twin guitar attack elevate each performance to heights that match the hefty vocals of Silvio Massaro. A collection of harddriving numbers that constantly shows the strength and musical genius of each of the members. A combined set of talent that should set this “Distant Is The Sun” to a most rewarding climb back to the top! “Vanishing Point” are not vanishing anymore!! Bruce Atkinson (90/100)
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V.A. - Frontiers Rock Festival. The Compilation (Frontiers Records) This is and exclusive release for all the melodic rock lovers that will attend the Frontiers Rock Festival; a really amazing album, since is it full of unreleased material and songs from future releases. From upcoming releases: Andrenaline Rush “Change”, Moonland feat. Lenna Kuurmaa “Heaven Is To Be Close To You”, State of Salazar “All the Way”, Dalton “Hey You”, M.I.M. “On My Own” and Crazy Lixx “Sympathy”... Plus unreleased songs like Eclipse “Into the Fire”, W.E.T. “Victorius”, Issa “Invincible” (Acoustic) and highlits like Hardline “Fever Dreams”, L.R.S. “Livin’ 4 a Dream”, Three Lions “Trouble in a Red Dress” and more! Like I wrote before, this cd release will be available only at the official Frontiers Records stand at the Frontiers Rock Festival and the price is really interesting: 8 euros! Remember that this is a limited edition releases, just 500 copies... So, hurry-up! Vitale Nocerino SONATA ARCTICA - Pariah’s Child (Nuclear Blast) I love Sonata Arctica's first two albums, which I consider as two of the best examples in the whole history of the Power Symphonic Metal. That said, I don’t like the same way everything that the finnish band created after these masterpieces. With their previous “Stones Grow Her Name”, the band opted for a more melodic approach, still keeping some of their Metal elements; this new “Pariah’s Child” might be described as a return to their roots, but with some more elements thrown into to have a complete sound: the final result is definitely brilliant. And if I'm writing that on a couple of songs (“Take One Breath” and “Larger Than Life”) they made me think of Queen, you know what I mean when I say “brilliant”, right? Tony Kakko’s voice is – as usual – awesome, melodic, emotional and powerful, and the band is technically first class, with the songwriting touching the top of the genre. Power Metal fans will love it, but also everyone into Melodic Rock could go crazy for “Pariah’s Child”. Primo Bonali (90/100) IRON SAVIOR - Rise of the Hero (AFM Records) Piet Sielck is a Power-Metal guy. Piet Sielck is a riff-maker. Piet Sielck is a great producer. What should we expect, then, from IRON SAVIOR brand new album "Rise Of The Hero"? Well, it's pretty obvious: a solid "old-school" Power Metal album, driven by explosive guitar-parts and by a brilliant production. Often compared to their country-mates Helloween, Gamma Ray and Blind Guardian, Iron Savior never had - in their career - a really successful album (except, maybe for their self-titled 1997 debut), still their discography can be easily described as "solid", as the band never had any particular low-point. 12 songs, almost one hour of music, with a particular mention for "Last Hero", "Revenge Of The Bride" and "Burning Heart", enriched by some catchy Power Metal chorus and a great vocal performance. When you read the name of IRON SAVIOR on the cover of a Cd you basically know what to expect. And "Rise Of The Hero" is not an exception. German Metal always rules! Primo Bonali (83/100) SINBREED - Shadows (AFM Records) Sinbreed are the rising stars in the Power Metal genre. Hailing from Germany, they are set to make waves in the metal community with the follow up the their 2010 album “When Worlds Collide”. The album is pure axe-driven Power Metal, with the big riffs only equally matched by the mighty double-kick drums and the pounding bass lines, with the icing on the cake powerhouse vocals. The speed and heaviness of the band are brought to light on the likes of “Bleed” and the thunderous title track “Shadows”, while there is still a melodic tone running through tracks like “Call to Arms” and “Reborn”, that are still fast, but also catchy at the same time. There is a touch of old school Teutonic metal in places like on “Black Death” and “Standing Tall”, all leading to the ravaging riffs of closer “London Moon”. There is something about German Power Metal that makes it stand out from the crowd and there’s a new band are about the come out of the “Shadows” to join the ranks and take it to the next level and they are Sinbreed. Barry McMinn (85/100) TUOMAS HOLOPAINEN - The Life And Times Of Scrooge (Nuclear Blast) Bloody amazing!! But what would we expect from the mastermind of “Nightwish”? “The Life And Times Of Scrooge” is a stunning adaptation of novelist Don Rosa’s “The Life & Times Of Scrooge McDuck”. This novel has enthralled Toumas Holopainen for twenty some years! Inspired by the author’s detail and emotional renderings, Tuomas set about transforming this piece to music some fourteen years ago! As is his way, what we hear is a brilliant cinematic body of music that is atmospheric and uplifting… Lifting us to the highest levels of heavenly music. Tuomas creates an absolute stunning ten song suite, with full orchestra, voice choir combined with multiple textures performed by some of the finest musicians of Europe! His transformation of this story is epic in presentation and proportion. The use of unique instruments just adds to the colour and flavour of this interesting story. A musical journey that is deep, colourful, a virtual musical painting that simply draws us in. One that completely reveals the musical genius that this man is! Bruce Atkinson (90/100) BRAINSTORM - Firesoul (AFM Records) With over 25 years at the top of the Power Metal genre Germany’s Brainstorm are back with their trademark dark edged Metal with their new opus “Firesoul”. This new album takes up exactly where their 2011 album “On the Spur of the Moment” left off, with Andy Franck leading the charge from the front with his masterful metal vocal might, from the opening barrage of “Erased By the Dark” and the title track “Firesoul”, the latter with its screaming twin guitar riffs. The heat of the opener and riff building of the title track are united on the massive “Descendants of the Fire”, before things are brought down a touch with the more Melodic Metal fell of “Entering Solitude” and the impressive “Recall the Real”. “What Grows Inside” is pure Brainstorm, this is as dark as it is deep. A thunderous double bass drum drives this one, then its back to the more melodic metal side of things for “The Chosen”, before closing with the equally melodic “And I Wonder”. With albums like this it’s clear to see why Brainstorm are at the top of the Power Metal tree and long may it continue. Barry McMinn (90/100) 12 | MRF
OVERLAND - Epic (Escape Music) Steve Overland and Mike Slamer. There's not much more I can add really! Either name conjures up unnatural levels of excitement from AOR anoraks, but join them together and it's a virtual pleasure overload. Add in the additional personnel of Christian Wolff – guitars; the Unruly Child rhythm section (Larry Antonino – bass and Jay Schellen – drums) and how could they go wrong? Well, they couldn't and they don't. With the two Billy's on backing vocals (Greer and Trudel), you can bank on this album featuring all the same wall of sound elements that make all Mike Slamer productions essential. Mike joins in himself with additional guitars, bass, keyboards. Simply put, the guys live up to any possible hype and deliver a great album of pure AOR that showcases the best of all involved and shows there is still much to offer is the world of classic old school AOR. You'll need to be a member of the Steve Overland vocal fanclub of course – his tone isn't for everyone, but you can't argue with the man's talent or the superbly produced record before us. Seventh Key meets FM. Andrew McNeice - MelodicRock.com (94/100) HELSTAR - This Wicked Nest (AFM Records) Since Helstar’s reformation in 2006. We have been treated with some of their finest work in such classic albums as “Sins Of The Past”, “Glory Of Chaos”, and others. “This Wicked Nest” is the group’s latest. It continues in the tradition that was started by Helstar in the early eighties that of technical marvels of the Speed-Progressive Metal that they constantly laid down. This new release further pushes the skills of these heavy metal American kids. Masters of their style, the lads have mixed a little more melody in amongst the heaviness and thrash. Making “This Wicked Nest” their most aggressive yet! An album that promises to return the band to its roots of power metal while combining the thrash elements of “Glory Of Chaos”, “This Wicked Nest” will certainly prove to the world that there is much more left in these Texas metal legends! Helstar is rising and all should beware! Bruce Atkinson (85/100) TOTO – 35th Anniversary Tour. Live in Poland (Eagle / Edel) Filmed on June 25, 2013 in Lodz, Poland, this release captures the band in the middle of their European tour and features a greatest hits-like selection of songs including classics like “Rosanna,” “Africa,” “Hold the Line”, “Stop Loving You”, “Hydra”, “St George And The Dragon”, “I Won’t Hold You Back”, “Home Of The Brave” and more. I can report all the songs here since we are talking about one of the best act in the music scene... most of their songs are classic! The line-up in simply amazing and the performance is one of the best. The Poland show is available in multiple formats, including Blu-ray, DVD and CD. There is also the deluxe edition that includes all formats as well (video and audio) plus a 60-page booklet highlighting Toto’s European tour that saw the group play sold out shows in Belgium, Germany, France, Italy and 25 additional cities. Vitale Nocerino (90/100) WHITHIN TEMPTATION – Hydra (BMG) I adore this band's sound and style. And the vocals of Sharon den Adel are to die for. Following up on their breakthrough critically acclaimed and fan appreciated epic The Unforgiving was going to be no mean feat, especially for a band that has evolved from release to release. I don't think this is quite as strong as that last album – it really was wonderful – but the band has managed to capture the energy of that release and some of the commercial feel employed there, and still managed to move it forward a little here. Much has been said of the many collaborations used on Hydra. But for the most part they are relegated to the background and don't impact he individual songs too much. Essential of course! Power (melodic) metal fans and those that love symphonic hard rock won't find better than this. Maybe not quite as marvelous as The Unforgiving, but still a compelling album from a band at the top of their game. Andrew McNeice - MelodicRock.com (94/100) UNITED NATIONS – 2014 (Steelheart Memories) The history of United Nations dates back to the early Eighties in the UK. Influenced by Queen and Deep Purple, but with a strong love for the American sound, the band - during 1985 released the brilliant AOR-gem called “The First Move” - a full twelve months before FM’s “Indiscreet” changed the UK AOR blueprint! After that, the band wrote another bunch of great songs and recorded them as demos, but never had the chance to release them due to the label’s lack of support. The just-released “2014” is a collection featuring the best of these tracks (written in the 1985-1987 period), re-recorded during 2013, with Lee Small (Shy, Phenomena) enlisted behind the mic, due to original vocalist, McCafferty, being of the frame. The sound of "2014" is no less than spectacular and close to the classic AOR-Gods like FOREIGNER, TOTO and JOURNEY, as well as top-newcomers such as WORK OF ART and PRIDE OF LIONS. You've been warned! Rob "Ezy" Bone (90/100) JOHNNY LIMA – My Revolution (Indie) The always reliable and dependable Johnny Lima returns with a fan funded release that is currently available in limited numbers from Johnny's website and some retailers. The 15 track album is chock full of classic Lima driven melodic rock – hands in the air anthemic hard rock, mixed with a few high quality sentimental ballads for good measure. As usual Johnny mixes the best of classic 80s melodic rock with a slightly more contemporary sound, but perhaps not quite as modern as some tracks Johnny has delivered in the past. This, I think, is going to be the definitive Lima release folks. At 15 tracks and 57 minutes, it might feel as if the album was a couple of tracks too long, but not here. No fillers in sight and awesome energy here! Fans will want to get the limited edition before they run out. Andrew McNeice - MelodicRock.com (94/100) MRF | 13
band. sunstrike album. Rock your world interview with:. C. Hedgren interviewed by:. d.jamieson
Question: Can you tell us about the band and how you got together? Answer: SunStrike is a melodic rock band from the heart of Sweden. We all come from a small town so it wasn't hard finding the members for this band. In 2012 I got a call from Joachim and Johan (astral doors) and they asked if I wanted to record vocals on their new heavy metal album. We met up in the studio but just after a couple of hrs we felt that we wanted to do something else together and all of us love the 80:s so we decided to write and record a new album inspired by the 80:s. The name.. I've tried to come up with a remarkable story about how we became SunStrike... Well I failed haha we just thought it sounded good and no other band were named SunStrike. Q: How would you describe your sound? A: I think it's a great mixture of Focus on:
hard and soft at the same time... Guess you'll have to listen and find out yourself. Q: How did you record the songs? A: We did all the recordings in Joacim's studio. Q: What songs stand out for you on the record and why? A: I think the album turned out great. Personally I like “Scream & Shout”, “Roll the Dice” and “Into the Light”. I think that there isn't a bad track on the cd but those three I like the most. I think the album turned out great. Q: How do you think the public will receive the album? A: Yes, it's a great album for fans of melodic rock and even for those who like well-written music in general. We have a lot of reviews and most of them are very positive. No good melodic rock bands today, so when you find something that stands out and is good is that you get attention. I think we can find a market for this
band. Q: Can you please tell something about the opener "Power of the Dreams"? A: Well the song is about never letting your dreams go and if you fight for it dreams will come true. Q: What plans do you have to play live? A: No gigs are planned yet. But hopefully we can in a near future come and rock your hometown. Q: What do the other bands that you’re all in think of what you’re doing. A: We all got different projects so it is nothing odd with that. Q: Will you shoot a promotional video for the album? Which is the single of the record? A: Hopefully we will be able to shoot a video in a near future. Q: What’s next? A: My next project is to write and record a new album with "Theander" and Joachim and Johan are currently working on a new "Astral Doors" album.
S U N S T R I K E - Rock Your World (AOR Heaven) If you’re a fan of hook laden melodic rock, then you need to bask in the glow of Sunstrike. The Swedish six-piece fill their debut album with high energy, upfront rockers. Twin guitars make this on the rockier end of the genre while Christian Hedgren of The Theander Expression and Twilight Force keeps the vocals melodic and there are glorious Scandinavian choruses that will make you and everyone around you want to sing along to. Not everything is sizzling hot but its best tracks turn up the heat. Mastered by wunderkind Erik Mårtensson, songs such as the Europe like “Rock Your World”, the thrill seeking “Roll The Dice” and the frantic “Scream And Shout” will quicken the pulse of any hot blooded rocker. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys the likes of Treat, Oxygen or Talisman. Duncan Jamieson (88/100) MRF | 15
band. edguy album. space police... interview with:. t. exxel interviewed by:. d.jamieson
Question: You’ve gone for your heaviest sound to date on “Space Police: Defenders Of The Crown“. What prompted this move? Answer: I am very proud on this album, especially because it’s much heavier than the previous ones. Hellfire Club was the heaviest so far. Somehow these two albums are similar and somehow they aren’t. I don’t want to analyze that too deeply. Let the fans’ opinions judge. Simply have a look at our website, we’ve just released the first Lyric Video of the opening track “Sabre & Torch”, I simply love that track. On one hand it was my personal wish to take a heavier direction, which I mentioned during our very first meeting, when we startet to bring our thoughts and ideas together. On the other hand you can never generally plan or wish such things. It happens in a natural way, when the ideas and guitar riffs fit to a heavier sound. It worked out pretty fine and we had much fun although it was really hard work to make this album!!! I’m looking forward to play in Italy, but unfortunately we have to wait until September. Finally we will play in Rome again, last time in Rome Focus on:
was around 1999 and I really love this city! Of course we will be in Milan too, as we always do on a tour! Check the tour dates! Q: Why did you decide to call the record after two tracks “Space Police” and “Defenders Of The Crown“? A: Seriously, Space Police is about annoying rules everywhere and for everything you wanna do. Even nowadays in the Heavy Metal scene, we have the feeling that (at least) some people make up rules, how Heavy Metal has to be so that it may be considered as “Real” or “True” Metal and of course not to be “Happy” Metal like Edguy. We thought if we go and escape to space, there might be no rules, not even gravity, no boundaries, no nothing. But in our little story, suddenly the Space Police appears out of nowhere and says “Freeze”. Anyway we give a shit and we do what we like, may it be on earth or in space. The meaning of our second title was simply how to defend our crown of our kind of metal. It’s gonna be our anthem, I guess. I really love that fast forward doublebass track!!! In the end the message is simple: be yourself and do
it as YOU like, not as others expect you to do. Q: There’s a cover of Falco’s “Rock Me Amadeus” . How did you come to record this track? A: When we first had this idea, we really didn’t believe that this might work. It was an idea just for fun, and as you know some fun ideas might be the very best in the end! It is something very special, because noone else would dare to play this song as a Heavy Metal band. Falco is simply beyond any categorization and so it was a special challenge for us to play this song. Again, it’s surely a case for the space police, because it might be not common at all for a Metal band to work on such a track. Hope you’ll have fun with it! Tobi did a great job on singing this in german language. Ok not really German, but much more Austrian language, which is kind of foreign language for us as well, hahaha. No, just kidding. I am not in the position to make such a joke, because my Mom is actually from Bolzano, South Tirol. So, my family speaks so to say Tyrolean, not Austrian, not German, and of course I love this “foreign language” from my heart!
E D G U Y - Space Police: Defenders of the Crown (Nuclear Blast) This album has an admirable diversity that is often lacking in many metal releases. Tobias Sammet and the band have a go at everything they can think of here. There’s straight ahead power metal to kick things off on “Sabre and Torch” but then it gets ambitious. “Space Police” has a catchy keyboard hook and a hugely infectious chorus. Is it pop? Is it metal? Is it prog? It’s all of them. “Defenders of the Crown” heads down an epic power metal road before the glam, melodic rock of “ Love Tyger” makes you think of WigWam. “The Realms Of Baba Yaga” put its head down after all the previous posturing and gets heavy before a cover of Falco’s monster hit “Rock Me Amadeus” in its German form and the jokey “Do Me Like A Caveman” will send the po-faced power metal fan heading to the hills. Sandwiched between the overwrought “Shadow Eaters” and the 8 minute epic closer “The Eternal Wayfarer” is a gospel tinged pop rock power ballad “Alone In Myself”. Power metal with a 70s sense for risk taking, artistic ambition and nonsense; the album will alienate some but those who get it will love it. Duncan Jamieson (90/100)
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band. three lions album. three lions interview with:. n.bailey - v.burns g.morgan interviewed by:. d.jamieson
Question: How did you get together? NB: Vinny and I were put together, initially as a studio project by Alessandro (Del Vecchio) and Serafino (Perugino) but we got on so well and the music we were creating sounded so good that we recruited Greg and turned it into a band. Q: It’s a great melodic rock disc. What did you set out to do with the album? VB: Thank you very much! We set out with no agenda. We just wrote the music as it came out. If it sounded good to us then we went with it. We didn’t set out with any particular style constraints, we just wrote from the heart. Q: How do you write the songs? GM: Well, we started with a seed of an idea and waited to see what it grew into. Nigel usually starts with a hook or chorus and then we develop and expand the ideas from there. Vinny will have a melody and a full Focus on:
track idea and then Nigel writes the lyrics. We were lucky that we had written lots of material but that made it difficult to decide which tracks made the album. Q: What appeals to you about playing as a power trio? NB: It’s not about the trio, it’s about the people, Greg, Vinny and I hit it off straight away and it makes it easy to create good music when you are working with friends. Live, we use James Screaton as the keyboard player / second guitarist as it is impossible to recreate the songs as a three piece. We really want to get the sound as faithful to the album as we can without any technological enhancements. Q: You recorded the album at home in the UK and in Milan. What did you get up to in Milan? VB: We were incredibly well behaved, tonic water, early to bed and only ate salads, haha !! Q: You’ve collaborated with Alessandro Del Vecchio on a
couple of tracks how was it working with him? GM: It’s been fantastic! Ale is a super guy and an amazing producer. Nigel has worked with him before on his solo album that is out later this year. He makes everything easy and really helps to get the best out of us all. He has also been named as the producer of the year for 2013 on melodicrock.com. Q: What inspired “Trouble In A Red Dress”? NB: That was an idea I had, its about a girl who has a fling with a guy in a band but doesn’t want to let go. For her its more of a true love but that’s not going to happen. I have a great imagination! Q: You’re playing the Frontiers event in Milan. What other live gigs have you got lined up? VB: Nothing confirmed as yet, the album is out in a few weeks and we are talking to a few people but nothing concrete as yet, as soon as we have dates we will let you know!
T H R E E L I O N S - Three Lions (Frontiers Records) With that name it’s no surprise that Three Lions are an English rock band, and a very good one. A power trio made up of Vinny Burns and Greg Morgan of Ten and Dare fame plus their ace in the pack Nigel Bailey whose warm, bluesy and melodic vocals are a perfect fit for their AOR-hard rock hybrid. Like a mix of FM, Giant, Foreigner and Whitesnake the band deliver a well-rounded album that is one of the year’s highlights so far. There’s the melodic raunch of “Trouble In A Red Dress”, the driving-withthe -top down AOR of “Hold Me Down”, the Whitesnake bombast of “Holy Water” and Thin Lizzy swagger of “Hellfire Highway”. Throw in the Zep like epic “Kathmandu”, the Foreigner like ballad “Made For One Another” and Vinny Burn’s signature guitar sound on the Dare-like “The Winter Sun” and instrumental “The Sicilian’s Kiss” and you have a polished debut, with great performances and songs that should appeal to anyone who has a weakness for classic rock. Duncan Jamieson (94/100) MRF | 17
band. pretty mairds album. louder than ever interview with:. r. atkins interviewed by:. d. jamieson
Question: I would like to begin, Ronnie, with “Motherland”… To me this was a break-through album for the group. When creating this album, what specifics did you have in mind? Answer: I guess we just wanted to make a strong follow up to “Pandemonium” who to me was some kind of a second break through for the band or at least seriously did put us back on the heavy metal map, so to speak. But basically everytime we record a new album we just want to give it the best we’ve got! However I’ll agree to the fact that Motherland is most likely the best album we’ve done in many many years. Q: You also embarked upon what became a very successful tour with “Motherland”… Did the response to the record and the tour surprise you at all? A: Well yeah in a way, I guess, it did! Especially the fact that a lot of new fans have stepped on board, that’s great to see and tells me that we must have done something right in recent years! In fact for the last 4 years it seems that we’ve been on a roll in every sense! You know when the desire to play and the Focus on: PRETTY MAIDS
spark is there, it makes things a lot easier. Q: Within all of this activity, you and the group are celebrating a milestone in your career. Thirty years in creating great music! Now, the new release is just that - a celebration of Pretty Maids music… Please go through this new gem: “Louder Than Ever”! A: Well “Louder Than Ever” in my eyes are basicly a “In between” album before the next studio longplayer! But I think it was fun to take some of these relatively old songs and record them with the line up and producer we use today and then add some new songs to it! So even though it’s not a completely new album it still has that feel to it, I think. So with the DVD included I think our fans get a lot for their money spend! Q: When we talk about the cd, we hear some vintage Pretty Maids and then some brand new songs… With the older material, were these songs completely re-recorded? A: Yeah everything was re-recorded! We recorded all the basic tracks in the weeks leading up to the “Motherland” tour August last year! And the rest was recorded during fall/winter 2013 in - Louder Than Ever (Frontiers
between touring ! Q: “Louder Than Ever” starts off with “Deranged”, a brand new song… Now, this is a heavy piece to start off with! A: Well yeah it kind of has a quite heavy feel to it, but then again we gotta start of with something. Right, and that just felt right. You know we carefully tried to balance things out according the different keys the songs were played in and to mix old and new stuff together in what we thought was a right running order! Q: This album and DVD is a big thank from all in Pretty Maids… Plus an indication of things to come. Are you planning to go back into the studio or will you be touring some of 2014? A: We’re heading out for another European tour in late April! And we’ll do quite a lot of festivals during the summer too! After that I think we’ll stay of the road for a while since we’ve been touring quite a lot in recent years. So, we’ll put our efforts into writing and recording a strong follow up to “Motherland” next year! And that’ll probably hit the streets in the beginning of 2016, I’d estimate… Records)
It is time for a new chapter for these thirty-year veterans! “Louder Than Ever” marks that new chapter for Danish rockers Pretty Maids and brings a new sheen to some of the band’s staples, plus gives us a peek in to where they are heading. Opening with the brand new “Deranged”, this group still has a full tank of gas!! This new CD/DVD package has some re-worked gems, five brand new pieces and a retrospective of the group’s thirty year career, (on the DVD). If we thought that “Motherland” was the pinnacle of ‘Pretty Maids’, we must think again! New rockers like “My Soul to Take” and “A Heart Without a Home” will become timeless as Ronnie leads his mates into the next thirty years! With twelve tracks, all either re-worked or new; “Louder Than Ever” leaves no doubt that Pretty Maids will be rocking us for years to come! Bruce Atkinson (94/100) MRF | 19
band. sebastian bach album. give em hell interview with:. s. bach interviewed by:. d. jamieson
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SEBASTIAN BACH - Give ‘Em Hell (Frontiers Records) In 2011 he came back “Kicking and Screaming”, in 2014 he is about to “Give ‘Em Hell”!! Sebastian Bach has delivered an iconic performance in this, his latest! Everything on this album is a number 11+!! From the music performed, the song writing, and of course Mr. Bach’s voice! Teaming up with some top-notch and familiar players, Duff McKagan-Steve Stevens, John 5 and Devin Bronson, with the master stickman: Bobby Jarzombek. These five lay down some very molten music allowing Sebastian to exercise his unique vocal stylings right of the scale. Onslaught after onslaught, “Give ‘Em Hell” just pushes forward with every track! Hard rock at its finest!! Even on the quieter moments, Sebastian soars off the scales with his fiery and emotional delivery. The man even pays homage to fellow Canadians with his excellent rendition of April Wine’s “Rock N’ Roll Is a Vicious Game”. “Give ‘Em Hell” is an album that pushes the envelop, even beyond the extraordinary talents of this unique Rock Vocalist. Sebastian Bach has gone to levels he hasn’t reached before! “Give ‘Em Hell”, yes! And then some!! Bruce Atkinson (98/100)
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Question: Almost coming off the heels of “Kicking and Screaming”, you give us a brand new kick - ass record!! What have you done differently with “Give ‘Em Hell”? Answer: I have not done anything differently on any of my albums. Ever since the first Skid Row album I make albums that I dig myself. Usually when I dig them, other people do too. Q: For this recording, you have been successful in bringing in some varied musicians, was this to get a different feel for the songs, or were you reaching for something else? A: No. I was trying to meet a deadline. And I am glad I did. It made for a very energetic record. I called up my friends to collaborate on music with me. It just so happens that some of my friends are Duff McKagan, Steve Stevens and John 5. Q: I absolutely love your version of “Rock N’ Roll Is a Vicious Game”. How did this come about? A: I am always looking for a good slower song to sing. This is always been one of my favorite songs. It's a commentary on working with some younger musicians that don't understand that rock 'n roll is indeed a vicious game. Q: Which is your process when you write lyrics? A: You can only write what you feel, you know? One of my friends, John Rich from Big & Rich, told me, "Sebastian, don't ever be scared to write what you're feeling because there is always somebody who is feeling like you're feeling." And I thought that was really smart, and it's true. A lot of them have to do with breaking up with a loved one or losing love, and then songs deal with finding new love; a lot of the best songs in rock 'n' roll are about chicks, and I wanted to talk on this record about chicks. It’s like Eric Clapton doing "Layla" for George Harrison's ex-wife Pattie, who he couldn't have. That’s like his best song, you know, and you can only write what you feel. Thats all you can do. Q: Sebastian, you have a deep sense of family, which extends to the musicians you play with as well as celebrating the artistic work of your
Father… Please tell us how you did this with the new album? A: One of my dad's paintings is included in the packaging of the record. Q: As always, what we hear musically from you is a collection of very high energy pieces of Work! How do you keep this energy level up? A: Lots of coffee! Q: In the past couple of years, you have been hitting the stage quite a bit… Can we look forward to some more intensive touring? A: Yes I have about 50 or 60 shows coming up. All of the tour dates are at Sebastian Bach.com/tour Q: Who will make up the live band? A: Bobby Jarzombek will be on the drums, I am happy to say... Q: Getting back to “Give ‘Em Hell”, you have utilised Producer Bob Marlette’s skills once again. Obviously you work well together… Tell me, does he encourage you to push your talents — as I hear this on not only this record, but on “Kicking And Screaming” as well… A: Bob really knows how to capture my voice in the studio and even more importantly a Helsley figure out melody lines. I have such a big range in my voice that I sometimes appreciate his help figuring out where to put a song vocally. I love working with Bob Marlette and also Tom Baker who mastered the album... Q: Your music career has been very successful, Sebastian, and maybe this is an unfair question-however, what does Sebastian Bach see that he has not achieved in music? A: I am too busy right now to think of anything else that I need to do haha! Q: What did you learn during the Skid Row years? A: Um, I don’t have an answer for you. I don’t think I was so much into learning at that point. We were a bunch of crazy dudes having a great time. You’re asking me to think about 1986 and 1996, so I don’t have a good answer. I can’t think of something that I learned back then. One thing I learned recently is that when you shave your armpits, don’t put on deodorant
right away. That stings. I learned that the hard way. Q: What is your favourite band during this period? A: I like Black Veil Brides. I think they’re amazing. I just played with Five Finger Death Punch and they are insanely cool and heavy. I like Hatebreed. A Different King of Truth is an incredible CD that sounds like it could have come out between Van Halen II and Women and Children First. I go running to that, and that one song “She’s the Woman” is so cool to me that I just laugh. Q: Why did you made the choice of doing theatres? A: Singing. Before I was into rock ’n’ roll when I was little boy, I was the lead soprano in my church choir and I would put on a gown and rehearse Tuesdays and Thursdays when I was 8. I’ve always loved singing, and if you love singing, Broadway is the place for you. If you don’t love it, get the fuck off, Jeremy Piven. Q: Your favorite role? A: Jeckyll and Hyde, without a doubt. It was fun. Jesus Christ Superstar was not fun. They’re super mean to old JC in that play. They let him have it. If it was a good show, we’d all be crying afterward. But I just wanted to have fun. Jeckyll and Hyde was more fun. It was like a comic book. With Jesus Christ Superstar, you’d pull into town on a bus and see protestors that say Jesus is not a rock star. At one show, someone wanted to debate me on TV when I was in town. I said, “No. I’m not Jesus Christ. I’m just here playing this role. I’m not going to get into this religious discussion.” The director would say to me, “You’re Jesus.” I would say, “I’m not. I’m just this dude.” You show me a guy walking around thinking he’s Jesus Christ, and I’ll show you a real fucking asshole. One of the most classic reviews I’ve ever gotten in my life was in New Orleans. The first paragraph said, “Just the fact alone that Sebastian Bach is playing the role of Jesus could be the first true sign of the oncoming apocalypse.” That’s one for framing. The floods came shortly thereafter. I’m sorry. Q: Congratulations on this new album, hope to see you in your home country of Canada, giving us all hell!! A: Canada has nice jails. MRF | 21
Primo Bonali: Hello Piet, how are you? So, let us know what happened after the release of your previous opus, "The Landing", back in 2011. Pete Sielck: After The Landing we tried to bring Iron Savior also back on the road as best as possible. It worked out quite well though we will never earn a price for excessive touring, haha. However, we played a good number of fine selected shows across germany and europe. And by the end of 2012 it was definitely time to get back to songwriting for the new album. PB: Three long years and finally a new album, the brand new "Rise Of The Hero", another shining jewel to add to your discography; powerful, melodic and. in a word, a killer-album! How do you keep yourself always so inspired, after so many albums and so many years ? PS: Thank you! Well, I don't have a “pecial formula”... and even though it may seem that I am always inspired... There are times when inspiration is lacking. Writing the songs for the new album was really hard, because the mark – set by the Landing – was quite high. I did feel a lot of pressure on me to at least measure up with the previous album. So I have been exremely picky and critical with the material. The pressure in fact did block me completely for a couple of week, but with the rising pressure of the upcoming deadline I managed to put myself back together, haha. PB: What new elements (if any) do you think the new album add to your musical offer and what are the main differences with your previous releases? PS: Roth is pretty much the continuation of The Landing. So... the wheel of Heavy Metal wasn't reinvented by us once again. Its more a matter of the details. The production is based on what we have leaned from the Landing and turns out to be even more powerful but yet really natural. Also the songs are a bit better arranged, bringing out the punches even better. I think this is the best way to describe, what is happening: the older we get the better we do our metal, haha! PB: Does the final result reflect exactly what you had in mind before the recording of the album? PS: Yes, yes, and yes again! As mentioned earlier I lost track of the songs at one point and was about to kick a lot of stuff out, which now turns out to be some of the strongest parts. I just listened to the whole album yesterday still liking it a lot. The goal was, to reach the Landing... and for my taste ROTH turned out to be even better. I wasn't expecting this, so I am absolutely happy! PB: Do you think that - with this album- you'll be able to start a full European tour as headlineract? PS: We simply don't have the time to be on the road for several weeks. We are 'old bastards' and do have some responsibilities which we cannot just leave at home. But again we will do our best to bring IS on the road and party with our fans as best as possible !!