CONTENTS 04_Sunstorm 06_Ted Poley 07_Jorn 08_First Signal 09_Wickman Road 10_Inner Wish / Universal Mind Pr. 11_Fury / Paradox 12_Reviews 14_Midnight Eternal 15_Wolf Hoffmann 16_Sunstrike 17_Withem 18_Dan Reed Network 20_Phantom 5 22_Vega Melodic Rock Fanzine The official Frontiers Music s.r.l. magazine Year #12 - Nr. 3 / Issue #74 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/frontiersmusicsrl Twitter: twitter.com/FrontiersMusic1 Editor and publisher: Frontiers Records s.r.l. Copyright©2016 Frontiers Records. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Printed in Italy.
Band: Sunstorm
Interview with: Joe Lynn Turner
Interview by: Duncan Jamieson
Question: It’s good to have you back with the fourth Sunstorm disc. When you did the first Sunstorm record, did you think it would lead to further disc? Answer: It was always intended to be a trilogy (3 albums). So, doing this fourth was not planned initially. But, the songs were so strong and I liked the fact that in this CD I would have complete control over the songs that would end up on the album. In the past, I did not choose all of them. Additionally, Alessandro was willing to work with me and take direction and ideas from me. Q: The new album has a rockier edge than the previous records. Why is that? A: After the release of the RATED X album, I wanted to go back to the more melodic material of SUNSTORM, but I also wanted to do a Sunstorm with a harder edge...not so much "80s glass" as I like to call it. I think it is the best of the series! Harder... stronger... and heavier than before without losing the integrity of the melodic sound that the project is about...I call it Melodic Metal! Q: Which songs did you have most fun singing this time round? A: All of them were great and special in their own way. The title track has a very prolific political and social message, one that I strongly bonded with. That made it easier for me to sing with more passion. But as always, I want to know what the fans think. What are their favorite tracks and why? Q: Who decides who writes the songs and which ones make the album? A: Frontiers has major input into this and so did Alessandro. But understand that this time I was sent skeletons of the songs. I was able to add my own input...changing some lines and melodies. I do not ask for credit for doing this, in fact, I do it with
almost every song that someone else writes. As I said earlier, this time I also had complete control over which songs made it to the final CD. Q: Alessandro Del Vecchio has been instrumental in the making of this record, playing on it and writing some of the music. How do find collaborating with him? A: Outstanding! It was great to work with him and he really listened to my vision and made it come to life. The songs are crafted well, the messages are profound, the performances outstanding. Alessandro Del Vecchio and everyone involved can be very proud of this effort. Q: It’s not easy to sing as well do for as many years. How do look after your voice? A: Sleep is very important which is why I try not to do too many interviews before a show. I also maintain a healthy lifestyle...eat healthy and work out at the gym, even when I am traveling. When your body is physically fit it helps maintain a good vocal sound. Singing is very physical, especially rock singing. Q: Ritchie Blackmore was complementary about you recently. That must’ve felt good. A: Thanks, I was very pleased to hear that Ritchie spoke out publically about the fact that he thought I should have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I also posted a message back to him thanking him. He has often said “Slaves and Masters” is one of his favorite Deep Purple records. Q: Were you disappointed you didn’t get the call for the upcoming Rainbow shows? A: I would be lying if I did not say, yes, I was disappointed. There was some discussion over a year... I was talking to his manager and there was interest, but, he ended up working with a singer and some others that were not part of the Rainbow legacy. I wanted an authentic lineup for
Rainbow. I was talking to [bassist] Bob Daisley, [drummer Bobby] Rondinelli, [bassist] Roger Glover, [keyboardist] Don Airey… There's a whole bunch of guys out there that were really willing to sort of get involved with this… open up their schedules and get involved. And, apparently, Ritchie didn't wanna do that. It's regrettable because we did have some major promotion companies interested in booking a show that would have included former members of Rainbow. Q: Rated X looked like it was going to more of a band situation than a project. Will there be any more music as Rated X? A: We were hoping it would be more of a band situation. That was our intent so you are correct about that. However, it ended up being a learning experience in that we realized that we are all very much in-demand musicians. We make a living making music and are very fortunate to be able to do that. However, that means we cannot depend on one band or project to earn a living. All of us kept getting offers for various shows and other situations and we had to take those offers when they came in. We could not postpone those offers to wait to see if Rated X could get show booking offers. As for making another Rated X CD, I always say “never say never.” Q: What’s coming up for now you Joe? You’re not a guy to stand still for long. A: Trying to play as many shows as I can! There are other things in the discussion stages that I cannot reveal right now but if everything comes to fruition it will be great. I have some shows coming up in the USA, Bulgaria, Finland, Sweden, Norway, a big festival in the UK and then some dates in Spain. Lots more being talked about but once we confirm them we will post on my website, Facebook, etc. MRF | 5
Artist: Ted Poley
Questions: I understand there is a bit of a story behind this record, would you care to share? Answer: Well, I don’t know if there as any specific story, but the concept of the title refers to me being able to still release out kind of music long after its natural “fade”. It’s no longer the most popular style of music. Q: Is this the first time that you have worked with Alessandro Del Vecchio? A: In the studio yes, but we have played together live before this so we were already friends. He is a great person, very talented and no ego whatsoever. Very down to earth and he laughs at my jokes so I love him. Q: I also understand that a couple of members of “Vega” were collaborating with you in the song-writing department… A: Yes they wrote most of the songs, which Ale and I re arranged and produced into what you hear on the final album. I love their songs and when I add my flavor to them I really love the 6 | MRF
Interview with: Ted Poley
sound. It’s upbeat and catchy. Q: I must say that hearing “Beyond The Fade” it really sounds like you and the others have been playing for a long time… Everything is so tight! A: Thank you! It’s only a solo album in name, it’s very much a band effort with great performances by the band, my players, Ale, Anna, Mario are all amazing musicians and they very much influenced the final sound of the album. I wanted the cd to be more than just about myself... I wanted guitar players so be able to enjoy the leads, bass players to say “wow this is great playing”, drummers to find a cool fill here and there and, of course, Ale layers the icing on the cake with his keyboards. Tons of great musicianship went into this recording . Q: And of course, you sound like you are having fun... The harmonies are spot on, and the overall sound is so fresh… A: Thank you! It was a lot of fun, singing with Ale is amazing, you can
Interview by: Bruce Atkinson
hear the blend,it’s very cool. Q: So can we say that this release will be considered to be your third solo release, or are you thinking of transforming this into a full fledged band project? A: It’s My 3rd Official Solo Release, but As far as I can figure out this is actually my 22nd full length album (not counting guest appearances on other artists stuff). Q: Of course, I must ask… What about live dates, anything planned and if so, under what billing? A: I tour all year both in D2 and as a solo artist. I have dates booked though 2017 already so I am very enthusiastic about flying around the planet singing some new stuff and also the Danger Danger favorites. A: Thanks again, Ted for this interview… All the best with “Beyond The Fade” and it is great to hear you once again… A: Thank you and thank everyone who read this far! I appreciate all of your continued support! Please support your local “No Kill” Animal Shelter!
Artist: Jorn
Question: Jorn, may we start with what inspired you to record these classics? Answer: There are so many songs that I love, and would want to do but there just hasn’t been enough time to make it happen, since I’m usually too busy writing/recording my own music or been busy working on various other projects. With “Heavy Rock Radio” I finally found the time to do some of them, but there’s still a list of 25-30 songs or so that I would like to do that didn’t make it on this album. Since growing up in the 70’s and 80’s I’ve been carrying with me many songs that I feel could be done “Jorn style”. When I get such an idea for a song by another artist, it just kind of “pops up”, and I’ll know right away how to approach it. Of course, it takes a bit of time to get the arrangement sortet out, but as long as the ideas are good it will always trigger everyone involved and we’ll come up with some good creative solutions pretty fast. From the beginning I was not just into rock music, but also enjoyed other music genres, and the 60’s and 70’s was a golden era for high quality music regardless of music style. It was a time of true craftsmanship when music was create in a more genuine and creative way, and you couldn’t use technology as a substitute for the lack of talent that so many do today. It was also an era of more physical work and experience, which made it more natural and authentic when channeling the expressions through an instrument. Q: Further, you not only covered these outstanding pieces of music, your own interpretation is inspiring… and in some
Interview with: Jorn Lande
cases very far reaching… A: Thank you for saying that! All the artists and songs that capture my attention automatically become a part of me, if a song touches me and I can identify with the lyrics, feeling and expression, it’s already something personal. Q: I would imagine that taking on a song such as “Hotel California” and/or “Don’t Stop Believing” may have been a challenge. However, even in saying that, when one listens to either one, they sound like they are your own! Care to comment on your approach to these two? A: No different approach to the other songs on the album really, Journey and The Eagles where two of my favourite bands in the late 70’s early 80’s. The original Eagles recording of Hotel California is extremely good, but it didn’t scare me from giving it a go. Maybe it’s because the Eagles recording is so good that there are hardly any cover version out there. Recording a song like Hotel California is a bit like messing with religion, a lot of people will be pissed of if you fuck it up. The idea was to make it sound more “bombastic” and powerful by adding a heavy guitar structure. It killed some of the dynamics that the original has but at the same time it brought something new and fresh to the song, without changing it too much. “Don’t Stop Believing” has been rerecorded by so many so many times over the years that I thought it was good to skip the well known piano intro of the song and play it with a more stripped down “rock band approach”. It made it sound different, and
Interview by: Bruce Atkinson
even though many might say that the piano is an important signature of the song, the song itself is so strong and melodic that even if you make the arrangements “less commercial”, the song is still “carrying the torch”. Q: I realise that “Heavy Rock Radio” is a salute to your own rock heroes, which you have many, so does that mean we can expect some more of these musical journeys from you? A: As mentioned earlier, I had a list of 4050 songs but had to cut down to 12, so there are definitely some unfinished business there. Will continue with a new original Jorn album scheduled for a 2017 release, but maybe after that one in a couple of years or so, I will find the time to do another one. Q: Now, looking at your overall creative output, you seem to go and grow from strength to strength… Whether it is original music or interpreting other Artist’s work. Is their no rest for Jorn Landecreatively speaking? A: I will continue being creative with things and I have no plans to stop, but might slow down a bit with making albums so frequently in a few years. I’m thinking to play more live as I get older and also spend more time on the albums before releasing them. It’s healthy to be more selective with things when you’ve been around for as long as I have now, so at some point soon it will probably be a good move to take longer breaks between each album. This way I will also be sure that the quality I’m looking for is there. MRF | 7
Band: First Signal
Question: How did you hook up with Daniel Flores? Answer: I’ve known Daniel for 5 or 6 years when he did one of the songs for my solo record. It’s one of those records where not a lot of people get in the same room. Frontiers called me about the idea of another First Signal album with Daniel writing and producing it. Songs were pitched and I threw in which ones I liked. It was a pretty painless experience. Q: Do you approach the First Signal records differently from Harem Scarem? A: I don’t see them interfering. It’s great and it’s a different kind of style from Harem Scarem. The fan base are interested in this more aor, more melodic style that was on my solo record and these albums. Harem Scarem is more riff rock and we like to go off in different directions with the music. There’s less surprises with this kind of music. It keeps the Aor fans happy in a way that Harem Scarem can frustrate them. On these records, I have only one thing to worry about as it’s way more focussed and I only have to concentrate on the vocals. Harem Scarem is a lot of hard work, a very collaborative effort within the band but we aren’t not asking for other people’s opinions. I produce other bands who are new and exciting and you can always learn something. It keeps things fresh and not boring. Q: How do feel about this new record? A: It’s more of a retrospective thing. When we’re making the record there’s a lot of back and forth, via email. Everyone’s sort of on 8 | MRF
Interview with: Harry Hess
their own, doing what they do. When Daniel sent me his work to comment on I thought it sounded great and only had about three comments to make about the finished songs. I put my thumb print on it and then step back. Q: You made the original First Signal album when Harem Scarem called it day. Of course, happily Harem Scarem are very much alive again. A: Frontiers called me. We weren’ doing Harem Scarem anymore. Serafino said they had this project idea with Dennis and when I heard it I thought I could do a good job on it. It’s more Aor based so there’s not much of conflict. We’re not saturating the market. When you hear it next to the last Harem Scarem album it’s not the same. If it sounded exactly like Harem Scarem that would be boring for me. It stands on its own. Q: When can we expect a new Harem Scarem release? A: Stylistically, it’ll be a mash up. It’s going to be a bit different next time, we stretch it out. It might annoy some but it won’t be sons you grasp at the intro, we’ll run off at a tangent but it’s still about songs with real choruses but they might be dark, heavy, light or whatever. “We’ll be working face to face. I have a working studio and we will commit 100% to it. Stylistically, it’ll be a mash up. It’s going to be a bit different next time, we’ll stretch it out. It might annoy some but it won’t be songs you grasp at the intro, we’ll run off at a tangent but it’s still about songs with real choruses but they might be dark, heavy, light or
Interview by: Duncan Jamieson
whatever. Q: How is being in Harem Scarem different since reforming? A: We really needed that break. We’d been doing it for 20 years non-stop . The pace since we got back together hasn’t been as insane. We play some dates because we want to do it 100%. It’s not a treadmill now. We’d do it even if no one was listening now! With social media now you get immediate feedback now. A lot of people like what we do. The space between records coming back meant we had a lot of time to think about what we do. The rerecording of the Mood Swings album helped us re-join the dots. It helped us get back to that mind-set. Q: Can we expect to see another Harry Hess solo record? A: My solo work went on the backburner when we did the last Harem Scarem record. The band is my priority but I could do a solo record at any time. I even songs, bits and pieces. It would be written by me or with cowrites that I do on writing trips. That’s more straight ahead songs than Harem Scarem. Q: How has your own writing changed over the years? A: When I go back to the first album, I wrote those lyrics when I was 16 or 17 years old. I was new to song writing. When we did ‘Mood Swings’ we made something unique and I wanted different words from what you normally hear. I don’t get excited hearing the same lyrics from different bands but at the same time I don’t want it to get too exoteric.
Primo Bonali: Your debut album “After The Rain” is another example of how Sweden became the leading country for Melodic Rock / AOR music, nowadays. Do you think there's a particular reason behind it? Do you guys over there eat Toto/Survivor/Foreigner and milk for breakfast? Wickman Road: Thanks! Yeah, we wish there would be Toto and Survivor cereals to buy! It’s difficult to say why AOR music production still is so big in Sweden, maybe it’s the influences from groups like Europe, H.E.A.T and others still echoing in our music. We’re basically playing what we enjoy and it seems like that’s what it sounds like! PB: How and when the band was put together? WR: Well, Carl, Henrik and Robert have been playing together since they were really young. 2011 Eric joined the band as lead singer, after a lot of convincing from the guys. We struggled on for a few years and it started to sound really good but the missing part was a drummer with same ambitions as the rest of the band. 2014 was the game changing year when Simon joined the group and Wickman Road was officially born! A lot of new inspiration and motivation came along and since then we have had a great time together. PB: In your songs I can clearly listen to influences from classic bands like Toto and Foreigner; which have been your most important influences, musically talking? WR: Yes Toto and Foreigner have absolutely inspired our music, but also more synth driven music like Van Halen! Eddies guitar playing has also inspired a lot of solos as you can hear! Whitesnake is also a great inspiration along with other bands from the 80’s. But we like to create classic 80’s music with our own modern touch. PB: Where your monicker, Wickman Road, comes from? Any meaning behind it? And why a title like “After The Rain”? WR: The name Wickman Road comes from our childhood playground. It’s the name of an old forest road leading into the wilderness and it has always awakened our imagination and inspiration. We picked the name up after a troubling time within the old group, so we needed a fresh start, a new road for the band to follow. The name Wickman Road symbolizes the group finding the way back to the right path we once were on, which we did! The title After the Rain is a direct translated Swedish saying, meaning there is brighter times ahead, which is a great way of thinking, making us believe in the future! PB: How did you get in touch with AOR Heaven? WR: Our producer Ola af Trampe thought it would be a good idea to let them hear our music, and for us to get in touch with a great and suitable label. We sent some tracks and they liked what they heard and two weeks later we signed a record deal!
we got a solid line up and turned this vision into a band, for real. So we kept most of the working force already being there, me, Mike, Henrik... and we added drummer Alex Landenburg who had done a few songs on the record, before. Q: The album ‘The Jaguar Priest’ is the bands debut release, so why has it taken over four years since your inception to release this album? A: Well, it was indeed 3...nearly 4 years to achieve this but the reasons were various. First of all, inspiration comes and it gives you something but that something takes time to be shaped and formed into what you want it to be. Both Mike and I, are kind of perfectionists so we have this problem of redoing something again and again. To tell
the truth, we learned a lot through this process, so I would say we relaxed a bit after all. Perfection is an illusion, it does not exist probably. Then, we had lots and lots of guests and most of them were very often busy touring or recording their own albums somewhere far away from home. So we had to respect that and wait till we would get their files. We wanted some very specific people for certain songs so we prefered to sacrific time than go for someone else. Then, also the album was ready for a while but we did many things in a slow pace. You know, when you do a project solely on your own sometimes daily life gets interfered. Also it took some time till the final team gets shaped. It is different when you in the end have a specific number of people and you know they are there, you can count on them to work equally as you do. We do not regret anything, though. It all happened at the right time, bringing the right people on our way. Q: Where did you draw your influences from for the album? A: My own life... Other people's lives. Alex, the drummer, is probably my best friend, so we talk for hours about anything and everything and he is really into conspiracy theories, so I got a lot of inspiration also from things he would discuss with me; aliens; this and that. The Mayan culture, of course, the basis of everything on this album. It was a guideline I received from Mike, as well, because Charlie Dominici had written the lyrics for the title song and already there was a tendency towards this topic so I simply took it and developed it further, to the point it got us somewhere altogether different as a story. In the song by Dominici, the priest is described rather vicous but in my twist of the story, the priest turns out to have so many more different sides. Turns out to be a figure with such depth that shapes the story itself, in the end.
ation of new music for a new album. When we settled with the new lineup we started working on this album and now we are back, good time! The two covers we made, you can say they worked as a “crash test” also for our new lineup. A test before we entered the studio and record the new album. To see the chemistry between us. And I think the result is pretty good, regarding that these were the first recordings of our new lineup. And of course it was a good chance to have a good time in the studio again, recording covers for two beloved songs! Q: So with this new record, are you starting
to explore a new musical plateau? Could you take us through how “InnerWish” prepare for a recording, and was it any different this time around? A: You can say so, yes. It might have the characteristics of INNERWISH, but it’s also like a mark of a new era for the band. We still are melodic, we still have the lyrical essence, but we became heavier and more modern in many parts, more than ever before. And I also think that the diversity in this album is way more than in any of the previous ones. The preparation, but the recording process also, had two major characteristics: passion for creativity and sleepless nights! The difference this time, was that this album is a team-effort, like none before in the band’s history so far. Q: Upon listening to “InnerWish”, the album… I hear a new found strength and may I say: confidence. Obviously you have pushed your own borders… any comments? A: You are correct! You can hear confidence, you can hear a new found strength, but you can also hear a lot of passion, a lot of optimism and a very strong belief in ourselves, but most of all, belief to the particular lineup and the way it works. I don’t know if we pushed our own borders. Everything came up so naturally that it seemed normal in the end. We were very tired with all the process of course, cause besides INNERWISH we all have our jobs, families etc, so many things to combine. But our need and will for this new album to come out as better as it could, surpassed everything in the end. Maybe we pushed our borders without knowing so...
Band: Universal Mind Proj. Interview with: Elina Interview by: B.Mcminn
Question: Let’s start with a little history lesson, how did UMP get started? Answer: It all started back in 2011 with Mike Alexander and Charlie Dominici writing ''The Jaguar Priest'' song, which also signified the later album's title. Fellow vocalist Henrik Bäth was also in the game back then as well as many of our other guests. 2012 found me coming in to do a single song as a guest myself. It was ''The Force of our Creation'' that we did and Mike asked me to continue with the project on more songs. So we started writing together. Was really great! We ended up forming the nucleus of the band. Years went by and the first album was ready, ''The Jaguar Priest''. Then, our label, Inner Wound Recordings, had the idea that it would be cool if
Band: InnerWish Interview with: F.Fragiskosa
Interview by: B.Atkinson
Question: If we can, let us go through the last couple of years, and the line-up changes you have faced… and your decision to explore music from “Black Sabbath” and from “Warlord”… Answer: Well, these years between our previous album, “No turning back” and the new one, “InnerWish”, were quite difficult for us. As a band, but as individuals also. We had to face some lineup changes. Me and George Eikosipentakis (vocals) are the two new members of INNERWISH. These changes though, was one of the reasons we had to postpone some stuff and most important of all the cre10 | MRF
Band: Fury
Question: Hello Robbie! It was great to finally meet you at the “Frontiers Rock Festival”. So let's start with this: how has been your experience at the Festival and which are the best memories of that event that you has kept with you? Answer: I had an amazing time at the Festival for many reasons. First, it was amazing to meet all the fans! What a beautiful bunch of people, I'll never forget them. They made me feel very special. Second, it was amazing to play with the actual Find Me band. What an amazing group of musicians. They're great people too. Third, it was amazing meeting all the Frontiers staff again! Lastly, what a great two day event to hear Paul Laine, Kip Winger and all the other great singers and bands. Great musicians, all of them! Q: It has just been released – for the first time – the official reissue on CD of your debut with FURY (originally out in 1985), a real jewel of Classic Melodic Rock. What do you recall of those times? How was the music-scene back then? And which had been your musical influences in writing and performing that album, together with
Interview with: Robbie LaBlanc
your brother Brian? A: Wow, the music scene back then was so different. I'm not saying better though. I feel it's so cool that bands can record in modern day without a mortgage attached. We were always saving money for studio time. The talent today is amazing as well, the kids are getting better quicker and at younger ages! I loved more Pop Music than Hard Rock/Metal, like Hall and Oates, Foreigner, and Toto. Grand Funk too. My bro and I could harmonize like the Everly Brothers, the Bee Gees, the Eagles. And we can still harmonize well! We love melodic songs. I hope the Fury album can still stand on its own! Q: Are you satisfied with the final result of the FURY CD-reissue and how was your feeling when you have received the final product? A: I loved the final product, both graphically and sonically. I was lucky that I transferred the tapes before the fire in Felix's house. My mom had all of the pictures and my sister in law Rosanne, helped me with the narrative. I remember feeling a bit annoyed at that time (1985) because Felix brought in some outside musicians. Now I wish they were
Interview by: Primo Bonali
on more tracks! You live and you learn, right? Q: You've played at the “Frontiers Festival” a full electric set with FIND ME, and – the night before (on the VIP acoustic night) - you performed a BLANC FACES set. Both great performances! Do you plan a new Blanc Faces release sometimes, or will you concentrate only on FIND ME? Any other projects on the way? When can we expect some new material from you? A: I've been on my brother to write another BLANC FACES disc. He may come around, I hope he does. I enjoyed singing them at the acoustic night we played at. Phil and Mike were great as well! I hope to sing another FIND ME soon! I'm keeping my fingers crossed... Q: Anything to add for your fans in Europe? A: Just a huge hug and kiss from me to all of the fans. They made me feel very welcome and changed my life forever. I am blessed I can sing for someone at this point in my life. Thanks to all at Frontiers Records and to you, Primo, for keeping the music alive! God love you all! MRF | 11
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SUNSTORM “Edge of Tomorrow” (Frontiers Music s.r.l.) As long as Turner's at the mic it's always going to sound like Sunstorm even if stylistically the sound on the fourth Sunstorm album has moved slightly from the original aor template of the earlier records. This is a rockier affair, perhaps influenced by Turner's recent outing on the tougher Rated X album. Alex Del Vecchio takes over production and song writing duties from Dennis Ward. He brings with him guitarist Simone Mularoni who helps give the material a harder edge than previous efforts. Joe seems to be singing at a lower register at times than he might have in the past but 'Don't Walk Away From A Goodbye', the title track and 'Everything You've Got' capture Turner's swaggering vocal ability that still marks him out as one of the best in the business. With Vecchio handling most of the song writing (although the likes of Soren Kronqvist and Daniel Palmqvist are also involved) it means there isn't as much variety to the tunes as on the earlier discs. Nevertheless, if you're a fan of the previous Sunstorm records and Turner then you'll want to check out this rockier incarnation of the project. DJ (90/100)
IRON SAVIOR “Titancraft” (AFM Records) Formed in Hamburg in 1996, the German Power Metallers Iron Saviour are back with the their 9th studio release ‘Titancraft’. Led by the vocal might of Piet Sielck, the band return with another power driven metal assault. The album is full blown Teutonic metal at its most powerful, with more riffs and power driven rhythms than you can shake a stick at. The band hit the ground running after the intro with the title track and instantly we’re treat to those fiery licks of Joachim Kustner, as the band go all out and continue with their tale of the mythical civilization of Atlantis. It’s heads down metal all the way in true Iron Saviour style with the likes of ‘Gunsmoke’, ‘The Sun Won’t Rise In Hell’ and the massive ‘Strike Down The Tyranny’, with the only break in the chain being the superb Metal Ballad ‘I Surrender’. This is where Sielck shows off his mellower side, before rounding this off in style with ‘Rebellious’. Once again these German’s rise like the Second Order of Greek mythology and to rule once more. BM (90/100)
TED POLEY “Beyond the Fade” (Frontiers Music s.r.l.) “Lets Start Something”, the first track on Ted Poly’s latest release, is just what we need for the Summer of 2016! “Beyond The Fade”, Ted’s third solo album is nothing short of a scorcher and sets up an equally molten slice of Melodic Rock from one of the Masters of this enduring and soaring musical idiom! Teamed with song writers from “Vega”: Tom and James Martin, Ted has delivered a blazing collection of powered Melodic niceties that do nothing but please! Each chorus will live long after the song finishes. The dynamic, pulsating rhythms are thanks to Anna Portalupi on Bass and Alessandro Del Vecchio on Drums. Not only drums, Alessandro gives us those discerning keyboards as well, perfectly rendered and strengthening the power that is Ted’s singing! And those power cords? None other than the brilliant Mario Percudian on the six-stringed slinger! With this much combined Talent, it is no wonder that the lead vocalist of “Danger Danger” can take us all higher and way ‘Beyond The Fade’. It is certainly good to hear this fantastic singer once again, oh! make that very, very good! Yes-indeed! BA (90/100)
DORO “Strong & Proud...” (Nuclear Blast)
Such a great package, “Strong And Proud – 30 Years Of Rock And Metal” captures – on different formats: 2Blu-ray-Digi, 3DVD-Digi, CD and 2LP gatefold – three unforgettable nights (including “Wacken Open Air” set), during which German Metal Queen Doro Pesch celebrated his 30 years long career, inviting special guests like Phil Campbell, Biff Byford, Chris Caffery, Blaze Bayley, Hansi Kürsch, Udo Dirkschneider, Uli Jon Roth and Joakim Brodén. It contains 38 songs in total, including all DORO classics, many old Warlock hits and great cover-versions of songs such as “Fear Of The Dark” (with Blaze Bailey showing a great performance) and “Balls To The Wall” (with the one and only Udo). The filming and cutting is phenomenal, and the sound no less than crystal clear. Additionally, “Strong And Proud – 30 Years Of Rock And Metal” offers an unique musicmovie with a two-hour plus documentary, "Behind The Curtain, Inside The Heart Of Doro". It gives the spectator deep and detailed insights into the world of Doro. The packaging was drawn by Doro's favourite artist, Geoffrey Gillespie. A great product for all Doro fans and for anyone into great Hard Rock music and classy live performances. Recommended. PB (90/100)
JORN “Heavy Rock Radio” (Frontiers Music s.r.l.) “Heavy Rock Radio” is Jorn’s interpretation of some of the greatest songs from Artists that have had an impact upon the man himself. He has actually re-created some of these gems, but with respect and dignity. Each selection is sung and performed by him and his band mates with new light bathing upon them. Not to mention with enormous strength and renewed vitality! A collection of classic rock-bristling, shinning and yes, some even reaching a new found musical spirituality! How Jorn hears these songs serves us glimpses to the man’s musical mastermind. Yes these are songs written and performed by some of Rockdoms greats, yet they all have a new set of clothes on this unique Recorded Work! Just listen to “You’re The Voice”, “Killer Queen”, or “Don’t Stop Believing”, just to name a few. With Jorn’s version of “Stormbringer”, not only will it turn heads, but I bet that both Deep Purple and David Coverdale did not foresee the power hidden within! So there you go: “Heavy Rock Radio” is a definite ‘must have’! The defining Rock Album of 2016!! BA (92/100)
SUNSTRIKE “Ready II Strike” (AOR Heaven) This Swedish group unleash “Ready II Strike”, their second and it strikes straight to the musical heart! An album that is completely off the scales, every scale. Enormous energy, each selection dripping with melody! Every song bursting with power and harmony. Even with the ‘slower’ numbers, absolute power ballads that display that rich, deep and emotive swirl of music from these fine musicians, giving Christian Eriksson the opportunity to match perfectly as he lays down the vocals. The harmonies are just as large as the music! All of the band members, with the exception of the drummer build the choir of voices we hear! And just to make it that much better, two musical friends join in as well: Danne Andersson, and Annsofie Lindstrom. Eleven excellently performed monsters; “Ready II Strike” will no doubt garner critical acclaim for these six. A musical odyssey, one will such power—pure Melodic Power that simply rocks! Sonically brilliant in sound, massive in scope, explosive in performance, “Sunstrike’s” sophomore effort is destined to top the International Charts, and with ease!! BA (90/100)
WITHEM “The Unforgiving Road” (Frontiers Music s.r.l.) “The Unforgiving Road” is this Norwegian group’s second release and their first for Frontiers Records. The symphonic yet piercing guitar is from Olyvind Voldmo Larsen. Those heavy percussive patterns are Frank Nordeng Roe working out behind the kit, and solidifying those complicated runs through the lower third is Miguel Pereira on Bass. Now lifting each musical exercise to the highest of order is Ole Aleksander Wagenius with his incredible vocal styling’s! “Withem” are very much a working band, tried and true road worthiness. These warriors have logged more miles on the circuits than those groups twice their age! And in the music it shows! Tight, smart musical excursions, that are energized and tempered to the highest degree. Each performance sounds like they are live on stage, with breathing dynamics, full bodied and bombastic! “The Unforgiving Road” is such a dynamic Recorded Work, that we have flourishes of brilliance, sonic oceans that have many undercurrents, constantly refreshing these stellar rivers of sound. Progressive Rock hasn’t sounded or soared like this for a very long time! BA (92/100)
RAGE “The Devil Strikes Again” (Nuclear Blast) When it comes to iconic German metal bands Peter ‘Peavy’ Wagner’s Rage are high on the list. Formed from the rampant Heavy Metal band Avenger back in the mid Eighties and now in their 32nd year, the band’s new line-up include guitarist Marcos Rodriguez, ex-drum tech and best friend of his predecessor Chris Efthimiadis, Vassilios “Lucky” Maniatopoulos on drums, along with mastermind, frontman and bass player Wagner at the helm. The band return with a bang with ‘The Devil Strikes Again’, their 22nd studio release, which finds these Teutonic metallers deliver a full on metal assault worthy of the Rage name. From the blistering ‘My Way’ which we first heard back in January on the EP of the same name, the massive ‘Sprits of the Night’, the old school Heavy Metal of ‘The Final Curtain’ and the breakneck speeder ‘The Dark Side of the Sun’, this is Rage at their most brutal. To sum up this album, it’s Metal, Hard and Loud! BM (85/100)
EDU FALASCHI “Moonlight” (Pride and Joy) Singer and songwriter for Almah and previously with Angra, Edu Falaschi releases his very first solo-album, “Moonlight”, on which he presents acoustic versions of the most significant songs of his 25 years-long career. The particular thing is that all the material has been re-arranged for an acoustic rendition, being Edu's voice here accompanied only by piano, acoustic guitar and orchestra; the result is an outstanding mixture of Acoustic, Jazz, Classic and Popular music, with Edu's vocals definitely shining thru' the 9 tracks of the Cd. Falaschi here performs together with several respected Brazilian musicians such as Tiago Mineiro on piano (who represents the Brazilian jazz and popular music scene), maestro and violinist Adriano Machado (string arrangements), creator and conductor of the Symphonic Orchestra Villa Lobos, João Frederico Sciotti on flutes and saxophone and Sandami on percussions. An unique and totally “different” album; something you could need to give you some rest after your most stressful days... PB (85/100)
PHANTOM 5 “S/T” (Frontiers Music s.r.l.) Michael Voss (Casanova, Bonfire, Mad Max) and Claus Lessmann (Bonfire) together with the talented musicians from the Germany, Robby Boebel (from Frontline), Axel Kruse (from Jaded Heart) and the exScorpions bassist Francis Buchholz: Phantom 5! Now with all the talent involved in this band, the album better live up to the sum of its parts I hear you say. Well with Lessman’s unmistakable vocals behind the band, this quintet have put together a great album. With the opener ‘All The Way’ laying down the gauntlet for the rest of the album to follow, the bar is set high and song after song the band show that they are a force to be reckoned with. Highlights for me personally would be ‘They Won’t Come Back’, a song about Rocks never to be forgotten heroes who left us all too soon. Then the excellent ‘Renegade’ and ‘Frontline’ to name but a few. Look out Avengers and The Justice League, there are a band of new superhero’s on the block, they are Phantom 5 and they pull no punches. BM (90/100)
DAN REED NETWORK “Fight Another Day” (Frontiers Music s.r.l.) In all the years I’ve been doing reviews, there probably hasn’t been a more anticipated album than the return of the Dan Reed Network. It’s been 25 years since their last album ‘The Heat’ and now Dan and the rest of the original line-up are back, bringing their funk and groove back to the scene, as they did all those years ago with their self-titled debut back in 1987. For those who were lucky enough to catch the band first time round, you’ll know exactly what I mean when is say the ‘Ritual’ has begun once more. ‘Fight Another Day’ is full of funk driven bass rock songs that just ooze class, right from the opener ‘Divided’ to closer ‘Stand Tall’, it’s all killer, no filler. Simply put it’s 13 tracks of pure earcandy. To pick a favourite is like picking your favourite child, but if I had to choose my favourite highlights then they would be the excellent ‘The Brave’, the mellower electro infused ‘Champion’, the down right funky ‘Give It Love’ and the excellent ‘Heaven’, but these are just a few of the many great tracks on what is a superb return. I don’t think there is such a thing as a perfect album but this is damn close. BM (99/100)
WOLF HOFFMANN “Headbangers' Symphony” (Nuclear Blast)
WICKMAN ROAD “After the Rain” (AOR Heaven)
The powerhouse guitarist steps out of metal legends Accept to show us his other side. Hoffmann released a record back in 1997 called 'Classical' that blended classical music with his signature metal sound to great effect. It's taken almost ten years but this record repeats this fusion of genres. Combining the two genres can often end up clunky but in the skilful playing hands of Hoffman it shows how much metal and classical music have in common. His riffs capture the booming bombast of classical music on Beethoven's 'Scherzo', Mussorgsy's 'Night On Bald Mountain' and 'Pathetique' is ripe for his speed metal approach. Bizet's 'Je Crois Entendre Encore', 'Adagio' and 'Madame Butterfly' show the more melodic side of Hoffman's playing; his lead guitar emoting as well as any string section could. The arrangements by Hoffmann and Italian arranger Melo Mafali fashion the pieces into a rock format well. He manages the perilously tricky feat of making classical music appealing to the ears of metal fans. Bands who play symphonic metal need to listen to this record to find out how to do it properly. DJ (90/100)
Wickman Road is the new amazing band coming from Sweden and playing that typical AOR/Melodic Rock that bands like Work Of Art, State Of Salazar and Wigelius (just to name three of them) proved to play at its best. Composed by two couple of brothers (Eric Ahlqvist on vocals and Carl Ahlqvist on keyboards, Henrik Åkesson on guitars and Robert Åkesson on Bass) plus Simon Rydén on drums, Wickman Road had been playing music together for years; written, arranged and played in a very mature way, the songs on this debut-album sound fresh and catchy, in the true spirit of Classic Melodic Rock. The keys-oriented “Breaking Free”, the heavenly ballad “I Believe In You” and the supreme AOR-hit"I Can't Wait Anymore" are my personal fave on this CD, although I have to admit I really like the whole album. Such a great debut for a very promising band! PB (90/100)
VEGA “Who We Are” (Frontiers Music s.r.l.) Album number four sees the band deliver their strongest album to date. The Martin brothers know how to pen maddeningly catchy choruses and there are plenty here that will have you humming for days. Some songs have a touch of don't-bore-usget-to -the-chorus about them but when the choruses blast out with their sweet confection of hooks and harmonies, you don't mind one bit. 'Explode' does just that and is the perfect lead track on the record, possibly the band's rockiest song to date. 'Every Little Monster', 'White Flag', 'Generation Now' and perhaps the best of the lot 'Saving Grace' are as good as anything the band have come up with previously. Nick Workman's vocals still add a different, nasally almost indie vibe at times. These vocals might be a sticking point for some but they help separate the band out from the more generic sounding aor bands. You can hear him shine on the almost Queen like ballad 'Nothing Is Forever' and guitarists Marcus Thurston and Tom Martin get to mix rock muscle with The Edge style rhythm to good effect. There are some tracks here that you anticipate will go down a storm live, the environment where this band excel. DJ (92/100)
PARADOX “Pangea” (AFM Records) Seventh studio album for the german metallers and definitely a good way to celebrate the band’s 30th anniversary. Four years have passed since the release of "Tales Of The Weird” and the band is stronger than ever, with the longest album (60 min) in the whole band history and songs that will make you bang your head and scream out loud their lyrics! Coupled with a fantastic cover artwork (courtesy of Claudio Bergamin, who worked for Halford and King Diamond), “Pangea” sounds powerful and intense, with absolutely killer guitar-riffs, a solid drumming and Charly Steinhauer’s typical vocals. PARADOX definitely stick to their musical roots and who liked the band on their first two legendary albums will totally love this Cd. And – as a special anniversary surprise – PARADOX's mainman Charly Steinhauer re-united the original line-up from the historical debut-album "Product Of Imagination” (1987) for the backing vocals on “Pangea”; so, horns up and let's celebrate the past and present of a great Speed Metal band! PB (88/100)
FIRST SIGNAL “One Step Over the Line”(Frontiers Music s.r.l.) It's pure aor on the second disc from the Frontiers project which features Harry Hess from Harem Scarem. This time round Daniel Flores of Murder My Sweet and Find Me picks up the song writing and production baton from Dennis Ward who oversaw the debut. If you enjoyed the style of Flores' recent Find Me record with Robbie LeBlanc then this is its equally handsome twin. Musically it sticks to a more generic aor template than Harem Scarem but that doesn't make it any less enjoyable. Flores tunes have just the right combination of melody, parping keyboards and throwback emotive guitar, courtesy of new kid Michael Palace. Although Hess didn't contribute to the song writing his vocals are great, making everything sound impassioned rather than phoned in. It's consistent; you can drop the needle anywhere and hear made to measure aor but the standouts are 'Broken', a tune that has a more modern angsty chorus, 'Minute Of Your Time' that is humtastic and 'November Rain' which is a pot pourri of hooks that remind you of everything that was great about rock music in the 80s. This is music engineered for the summer sun. DJ (92/100)
FEATHERSTONE “Northern Rumble” (AOR Heaven)
GRAND MAGUS “Sword Songs” (Nuclear Blast)
After spells in Gypsy Rose, Don Patrol, Last Autumn’s Dream, White Wolf and Bangalore Choir, Rikard Quist decided it was time to put a band together of his own making. So together with friend and talented singer Lars Boden (Appearance), and with drummer Niklas Osterlund (Headplate), plus the addition of British lyricist Jon Wilde, who Rikard had collaborated previously, Featherstone was born. The ‘Northern Rumble’ is an apt title as the band set out to cause a stir in the world of Melodic Rock with this debut release. The band’s name might have feather in the title, but this feather belongs to an eagle, as it’s full of soaring melodies and talon sharp riffs. Right from the edgy opener ‘Need Myself The Most’ to the hard-hitting ‘Leave Me Be’ and ‘Look Into My Eyes’, the modern rocker Silhouettes On The Shade’, to mellower closer ‘Part Of Me’ and all parts in between. This album has enough variety to please even the most die-hard fans of the genre. This is a band on the cusp of greatness, so “are you ready to rumble”? BM (86/100)
"We are warriors, defenders of steel!“ sings Janne ”JB" Christoffersson on the second track, “Varangian”, of the brand new GRAND MAGUS album, “Sword Songs”. With such a clear and loud declaration, the Swedish band returns with another Heavy Metal masterpiece, “faster and more aggressive than the previous ”Triumph And Power" (in BJ's own words), 9 songs of passion, blood, sweat and tears, and “Viking Metal forged in iron” (as per track number three on the album). Epic Metal, Doom Metal, Traditional Heavy Metal... call it how you want, the result is exactly what you could expect from a band who breathes, drinks, eats and live pure Heavy Metal, carefully following the lesson that the Gods of the genre (Manowar, Judas Priest, Black Sabbath) delivered, years ago. Derivative? Yes. But played with honesty and a true spirit. Fists in the air, let's celebrate the Heavy Metal glory! PB (85/100)
Band: Midnight Eternal Interview with: Band Interview by: D. Jamieson
Question: How did you guys get together? Raine: The band started in 2014 when Boris Zaks asked Richard Fischer, Dan Prestup and Mike LePond to join him in recording a two-song demo.They reached out to me about a month later when all the instruments were recorded, and I was very happy to join. We recorded the two songs and released them, and got a great response. At that point it was obvious to us
all that we wanted to make this project a full-time band. We started booking some shows almost immediately, and Greg Manning came on board as the permanent bass player. Q: Your singer Raine Hilai has a very distinctive voice. She worked in musical theatre before the band. How did you find her and what is it about her voice that meant you knew she was the right fit for the band?
Dan: I had met Raine a few years back, and when I joined Midnight Eternal I immediately thought that she would be the perfect singer for this band. As you said, her voice is very distinctive and unique, and we really liked that. We also knew that it would help us stand out in the scene. Q: Most symphonic metal bands these days seem to come out of Europe. Do you think coming from New York gives your music a different vibe? Rich: To me, I don't think our music has a different vibe being from New York, it just makes us a rare commodity coming from this area. Q: You played a number of gigs before the album’s release. How have you been going down live? Dan: We've been getting some great responses! The audiences have been great, and we've gotten many new fans that way. Q: What’s the plan now the record is out? Rich: Now that the album is out we plan on playing shows and possibly getting on some national tours to help promote the album, because as you know, touring is one of the best ways to promote a band in the metal genre.
Artist: Wolf Hoffmann
Question: You really blend heavy metal and classical music extremely well. It must take a while to rearrange these pieces for heavy metal guitar. Answer: Thanks, and yes, it does take time and is not something I can knock out quickly. As a matter of fact, this album took years to complete! The main reason it took so long is that I was mostly busy with Accept and could only work in my “off-time”. So I re-visited this project many times over the years. But it’s a lot of fun and very rewarding when everything finally comes together. Q: The pieces you’ve chosen have big recognisable melodies. Is this what you like in classical music? A: Well, yes, I love these melodies , they are timeless! I mean, there is a reason why these melodies are so well known and recognisable. They have literally lasted for centuries and people have enjoyed them for generations. So there must be something special. Now I am interpreting them new in my own
Interview with: Wolf Hoffmann
personal style. With the tools I have, being a metal guitarist. Q: Beethoven’s ‘Scherzo’ shares the riff with Accept’s ‘Teutonic Terror’ song. Do you often get inspiration for riffs from classical music? A: Like I said, I have been working on this project for years, well before Accept got back together. I wrote the riff for this Beethoven piece - we just “borrowed” that riff back then for Teutonic Terror. So know fans can hear the original version. Q: At home, what classical composers to do tend to listen to? A: A lot of them but certainly not all. If you took the composers from this album you’ll have a pretty good representation of the style and composers I like. Q: What feedback do you get from Accept fans and classical music fans about this marriage of genres? A: I have met countless fans over the years telling me how much they enjoyed the first album Classical”, so I am hoping they’ll enjoys this one as well !
Interview by: D. Jamieson
Can’t wait for them to hear it. Q: What about the other guys in Accept. What do they think? A: I can’t expect all of them to have the same passion and enthusiasm about Classical music as I have, I mean, first and foremost we are all rockers and metal guys, me included. But the combination of classical elements and metal works really well for Accept. Every night on stage the crowd loves singing along to “for Elise” in the Solo of “Metal Heart”… Q: Will you having a go at any of these songs live? A: I would surely love to perform this material live on stage, yes ! It remains to be seen when and where… But yes , I would love to! Q: Accept continue to go from strength to strength, their power undiminished. Is there any new music around the corner? A: YES !! We are working on new songs as we speak. A new album is in the works for 2017. MRF | 15
Band: SunStrike
Question: I would like to begin with your current label, AOR Heaven…they seem to be supporting you all the way, being that this is your second effort… Answer: Yes, we are very satisfied with the work they are doing for us. And of course it seems that they like what we are doing as well. We share the same love for this music and for me as a musician it has been perfect from the very beginning. I've had full freedom in creating my music so i'm as happy I can be. Q: With “Ready II Strike”, when did you start recording? A: Me and Johan started writing new material for SunStrike just a couple of month after our debut was released. And then we wrote on and of for about a year, until we had 12 new songs. We write and record everything in my own studio so the writing and recording are simultaneously, at least for the drums, guitar and bass. And for the vocals I do all the pre-production. So when Christian started tracking the vocals this autumn he had it all served on a plate. Fredrik did all his keyboard work this winter and the same goes for Mats. He did a couple of great guitar solos. Q: Did you bring some material from your debut sessions to these sessions? A: No, we used everything that we did 16 | MRF
Interview with: Joachim Nordlund
back then. I'm not that kind of songwriter that has a bunch of ideas laying around. I write a new song when I need/want a new song, that's how I work. I don't sit around and waiting for inspiration that I know some writers do. Maybe it sounds strange but it works fine for me. Some days I can write the basic idea of a new song in only 10 minutes. Like our giutar player Mats use to say, you're like a machine. Q: Would you take us through your creative process? And have you brought something different to this album? A: A new song can start off in so many different ways. Take ”A piece of a action” for an example. I came up with that vocal melody you hear in the refrain, but I didn't know what to do with it. I thought it had a cool attitude so I put som chords to it and bam! A new song was born. But most of the time it starts off with a guitar riff, and then me and Johan play around with it, throwing ideas at each other until we have a song finished. We have written so many songs together so the process is very easy. The new album follow in the same path as our debut, maybe that the sound is more raw. It's more guitar this time, but still a lot of keyboards. Just how I like it to be. Q: I understand that you choose to work with Erik Martensson again. He is such a masterful musician and also producer,
Interview by: D. Jamieson
please describe his relationship with the band… A: Yes, he's a very nice and easy going guy. The best you can get these days when it comes to produce and write melodic rock songs. I know he likes SunStrike a lot, especially Christians vocals, and who don't :-) He lives and have his studio only one hour drive from where I live so we visited him a couple of times during the mixing process, to see that he was behaving, hehe. He understand the concept of SunStrike and how we want it to sound so there was not much we had to change in his mix. Just a couple of levels here and there. Q: By the time this interview gets to press, the new album will have been released, so do you have any plans for touring? If so, where might we see you perform? A: That's the sad part of the story. We have no chance of touring or doing gigs as it is now. Christian is to much involved in Twilight Force now and he lays 100% of his time there now. So he has made it very clear for us that he don't have any time for touring with SunStrike in the near future. And to do it with another singer don't feel right as he is a big part of our sound. But we have got several good offers from festivals and stuff that we had to turn down.
Band: Withem
Question: I would like to start with a brief history of the group, when and how you met and when you decided that forming a band was what needed to be done… Answer: As many stories go it's a long one, but the short version goes something like this. The band had its inception in 2011 when Øyvind Voldmo Larsen and Kjetil Ronold, who had worked together on previous bands and projects, put together some material. Frank Nordeng Røe was recording for another band in Øyvinds' studio and got to hear some of the Withem material and loved it. Øyvind knew what a great drummer Frank was and they quickly asked him to join the band. Not long after this they contacted me to try out as a vocalist. Øyvind and Kjetil had heard me play for other bands during live sessions and on recordings and thought I might be a good match for the sound they were creating. Øyvind and I hit it off quite quickly and went to the studio and did a demo which was the first version of the song "Miracle", later included on the album "The Point of You" in 2013. The bass work on the album was done by the fantastic Andreas Blomqvist from "Seventh Wonder", but Miguel Pereira took over for him shortly before the album was released. Since this early start Withem has been working great together both on the road and until now when our new studio album "The Unforgiving Road" on Frontiers Records will be released this June 3rd. We are
Interview with: Ole Aleksander Wagenius
looking forward to bringing the new material to our audience at home and on the road. Q: I believe I’m talking with you, so a pointed question to you—your vocal style and range is remarkable. How long have you been singing, and I hope you take this as it is meant to be, a compliment, you are not the ‘typical’ Progressive Rock/Metal vocalist. You have a very emotive component lurking in your voice! A: Well, first of all, thank you very much for the compliment. Believe or not I actually started noticing that I had a good vocal range on the football field. For some reason the referee always heard my complaints louder than the rest of the players when we argued his judgements. Combining this with my love of music and my many hours on the guitar I got for Christmas when I was 13, I slowly started figuring out how to use my voice over most of my range. I did this trying to match the guitar chords while I was playing my favourite Metallica tracks at the time. At 17-18 I decided to quit football and focus all my energy on my singing. I got in contact with opera singer and vocal coach Anders Vangen who became my mentor and helped me develop my full range which I use today. He also taught me how to put my feelings into my singing which I think helps express not only the lyrics but also what's behind them. Also a lot of my earlier experience was from classical music.
Interview by: B. Atkinson
Since then I have played for several bands and projects, but I am currently focusing most of my energy into Withem. Q: May I ask, how did you get together with Frontiers? A: When our collaboration with Laser's Edge Records ended we were looking for a new label. Øyvind sent Frontiers a mail with some of our material. Happily they were very satisfied with what they heard and our negotiations started when we were completing the work on the "The Unforgiving Road" album. It took a while to get all the details finalized, but now that we have worked with them for a while we find ourselves very happy with the collaboration. Now, if I may, let us go back to the actual recording…what is “Withem’s approach? Do you create some of this music straight from the studio floor, or do you gather with material already prepared? A: It does depend a bit on the song, but usually we will exchange riffs and other parts we create. This is not done towards a specific song, but just exchanging ideas. Later Øyvind will structure these Ideas into a first sketch of a track. We think of this a bit as painting a picture. At this point we have a line drawing and we need to add colours, shading, dynamics and contrasts. Our way of doing this is adding chords, solos, keys, vocal lines and all the elements that are needed to create something real we can present to our audience. MRF | 17
Artist: Dan Reed Network
Question: The title ‘Fight Another Day’ is about surrounding yourself with positive people and give each other the strength to fight another day. Is this a goal you feel you’ve accomplished at this point in your life? Answer: This goal will always be an ongoing, shapeshifting process, but I can honestly say that I have never felt better about the working and personal relationships that I have the pleasure and honour to share with so many at this time in my life. The relationships with musicians and my friends in DRN, or the solo work I do, and the many good souls in my personal life, are filled with love, support, creativity, laughter, humility and forward thinking ideas. This is a blessing and it does indeed give us all the desire and passion to take on the battle another day! Q: Let’s talk about the cover of the album. What can you tell me about its development? A: The concept was something I brought up first with Melvin Brannon Jr., our bassist in DRN, while we were recording in Portland Oregon last November. We laughed about how great it would be to see a super hero on his last leg facing yet another battle… taking a deep breath and fighting on while severely 18 | MRF
Interview with: Dan Reed
handicapped from a very recent beating down. This idea was then conveyed to Graeme Bell, our graphic designer, who said he liked the idea and took it from there. We weren’t sure if we wanted it to be photo-realistic or cartoonish, so we ended up settling with something in the middle. It’s a landscape that Graeme masterfully built one element at a time, and we fine tuned it over the course of 6 weeks or so, sending versions back and forth and making notes. Q: How is working with Derek Shulman again after so many years? A: Derek and I reconnected back in 2007 when I was living in Jerusalem. He had a house there, still does I believe, and wrote me asking me what I was doing living in there. When I explained I was making a new album and recording with Israeli and Palestinian musicians he became interested in working together again. That rekindled relationship went on for a couple of years, but faded toward 2009 when I started working with our former Polygram UK product manager Toni Medcalf. When Derek heard that DRN was planning on making a new album he got back in touch and through the suggestion of Dee Bahl, a good friend and advisor, and manager of the great Biffy Clyro, to work with Derek again, here
Interview by: Barry McMinn
we are! It’s great going full circle with the man who gave us our first record deal and as an A&R man, Derek is second to none! Q: The new album is a classic Dan Reed Network with a modern twist, and some of the songs sound even very “contemporary”... A: Thank you, and honoured to read that you got what we were aiming for with this new album! To be honest I don’t know what to expect from the music business these days, but I do know when we perform live there are few bands of any age that have the fire we five have on stage, and the sheer visceral energy DRN conveys live. We are hard workers both in the studio and on stage, dedicated to composing songs of substance and we ready to rock the world anywhere, anytime… so if that all adds up to us finding a new level of success that we are certainly ready to take that on. Also we have a secret weapons in Dan Pred and Rob Daiker being that they are both very accomplished video directors, so that helps as well. Brion James has always been a powerhouse songwriter and producer, and Melvin Brannon Jr. is one of the best bassists in the world, both live and in recording… so overall I think DRN is primed and ready for 2016 and beyond.
Band: Phantom 5
Interview with: Claus Lessmann
Interview by: Barry McMinn
Question: Probably the first question on everyone’s lips would be how did Phantom 5 come about? Answer: As far as I can remember, it was Serafino who came up with this idea. One of these days, I think it was in the end of 2014, he contacted Michael with his idea, if he could bring together some sort of a “german all star” melodic rock band. He already had the complete line up on his mind and so Michael started to give everybody a call and as you can see, everybody jumped on board and here we are... Phantom 5. Q: The band has been labelled as a “Supergroup”, but in today’s music climate I think a rock band is a rock band, no matter who’s involved (we won’t mention Axl!) What are your thoughts on these labels? A: I think that you are absolutely right... A band is a band. In the beginning we really all had some little problems with being labeled as a “supergroup” or “all star band”, because it is always difficult to handle these things, without having written or recorded a single note. But later in the writing process we just put all these labeling thoughts aside and only concentrated on what we can do best. And we said... Let the people decide if they like our stuff. We didn’t want to put too much pressure on us and Phantom 5. What we tried to do, was not the attempt to reinvent melodic hard rock, we only did what everybody in Phantom 5 is best in. Q: When putting a band like this together, did you already have in mind who to approach to see the vision become a reality? A: What we wanted to do was creating a fine little piece of melodic rock, created almost 30 years after the golden age of melodic rock back in the 80-ies. We knew that the fans of that kinda music are still alive and that they are out there... Waiting for something and that they did not change their musical taste into Lady Gaga stuff, Rap or
HipHop. So we just went for it. Q: Who is involved in the writing process? Is there one main writer or does every band member have some input? A: Well I think everybody has given some input to the songs, but mainly they were written by Robby, Michael and me. I also have to add that Robby Boebel is a fantastic and awesome riffmaster. He is so talented in writing really strong and powerful guitar riffs and it was very inspiring to work with him and Michael, who brought the best out of me. Q: Did you have a vision for the sound of the album, or did it just evolve along the way into the Hard Rock monster it is? A: In the case of Phantom 5 it was astonishing, that the vision came along so easily. Everything came so naturally, just like it was only waiting for us to be written and get recorded. The chemistry, especially between Michael and me, was just fantastic. What we really tried to achieve was mainly to capture the moment and ban it on tape... and the more we worked on the whole thing, the clearer the vision became. Q: Are there any songs on the album that you’re particulary proud of, if so which and why? (I particularly like ‘They Won’t Come Back’). A: It’s kinda hard to point out a particulary song, but you might be right in naming “They Won’t Come Back”. For us it is a little “THANK YOU“, adressed to these fantastic and unique artists, which are not among us anymore. They have given us so much of themselves and for that reason they will always be alive in our hearts and souls. Of course there are many of them we have not mentioned in this song, but I am sure they will know and understand. Q: When the world pushed Rock music to the sidelines in the 90’s, the German Rock and Metal scene continued to thrive. What is it about the
German scene that never seemed to die? A: Well, this might be true, when we especially are talking about this socalled Teutonic Metal. Rock music has become a very global thing nowadays. The history of german rockers isn’t actually that long. The rock scene was always dominated by american and british bands. Back in the 70-ies German Rock music was called „Kraut Rock“, maybe because the Germans were not able to do it better, but since the Scorpions appeared on Germany’s Rock scene at that time, everything changed and „Germans learned to rock“ and showed and prooved it to the world. The Scorpions did a lot for the credibility of german rock bands. Thanks to you guys! When the 90-ies came up with that Grunge thing, a lot of bands dissappeared or better say... had to dissappear, but the german rock fans kept their hunger for their music and their belief in their heroes, no matter what the industry tried to sell them. Maybe this might be a reason for it. But basicly I must say that rock fans are the same all over the world... They are true and stay with their heroes.... Thank you Rockers!!! Q: Do you see Phantom 5 taking to the road to promote the album? If yes, are there any shows in the pipeline? A: To be honest, there are no plans right now to go on the road, but let’s wait and see, what the future will bring. We are still a “Newcomer band” with a little musical background and experience... We are very suprised about the overwhelming positive reactions concerning our album. It is very exciting to watch what is going on with Phantom 5 and we really like the feeling that a lot of people seem to like the songs we wrote. We did not write the songs only for ourselves, but primarily for the people out there, who are into melodic rock... and to say it with the words of Serafino: “THE BEST IS YET TO COME!” MRF | 21
Band: Vega
Question: The new album sounds great with many touting it as you’re best yet. What do you think? Answer: We think its our best yet as well. With each album we don’t even book the studio until we have an albums worth of songs that we believe are the best yet. That is why we write so many songs. We have a high level of quality control and we are very harsh critics of our own work. Q: It’s the most diverse of your albums so far. Was that deliberate? A: It’s what comes naturally to us. We love rock music but we also love music in general. So when we hear a cool movie soundtrack that can also inspire us. We are still very much a band that will try to do things a little different but that is out of respect for a genre of music that was soooo good back in the 80’s and 90’s. There is now way anyone can replicate that, not even the bands that are from that era. So that’s why we try to add in different styles and flavours. We are not re-inventing the wheel though! Q: Why did you plump for “Who We Are” as the title? A: Album titles are nearly as hard to come up with as band names. But because we get a lot of comments about being “different” we just thought it was appropriate. But the album is also very much a commentary of 22 | MRF
Interview with: Nick Workman
the world as it is today and the world is what we make it. Everything that happens in life good or bad makes you who you are. Q: Harry Hess from Harem Scarem produced the record. How did that come about and what did he bring to the process? A: He mastered Stereo Messiah and then w hung out together in Milan last year. It was then that we just said ”You should do our next record” and he said he would love to. It was that simple. Q: Was working at Monnow Valley Studios in Wales, where so many legendary acts have recorded, inspiring? A: It was. We loved it there. We suffered alittle cabin fever at the end after 3 weeks of boing locked in but it was amazing. Queen, Black Sabbath, Stereophonics, Ozzy etc etc and now VEGA haha. But we were very focused when we were there. Harry worked with us on each song before we hit record. Just stood around the piano fine tuning the arrangements. Little things like that were all the difference. It’s not you and Every little monster both became better songs for that hour around the piano when it came to there turn. Q: The record’s got a cool caricature cover, that suggests you don’t take yourselves too seriously. A: Exactly. I think some people have the
Interview by: Duncan Jamieson
wrong idea about us but that’s fine. We also wanted a cover that would gain some attention. In this day and age people don’t even have the covers because they have it on digital download. So for all the people who hate it and feel the need to tell the world of social media about it, thank you. That is the main reason for doing it! Haha. Music is meant to be fun anyway, so sod it. It’s what’s on the cd that matters isn’t it? Q: You’re a great live band. The tour with Magnum should see you connecting with new fans. A: Thank you. Yeah we can’t wait to get out there with new music. The biggest problem now is how to choose 9 or 10 songs tp play out of the 4 albums!! I think we have a good mix of old and new though. But the geat thing about the Magnum shows is that for most of their audience we will be playing them 9 or 10 songs that are ALL new to them and that’s great. New blood! haha Q: Have any of you got any projects outside of Vega in the pipeline? A: No. We always said that VEGA is the only band we will be in. Maybe down the road we will, but we want to focus on VEGA. Does the rock world need another project? There are some bands out there that could do an all day festival on their own because they are in that many other bands...