Frontiers Records - Sep. 8, 2010

[heavyharmonies]

VEGA

 

Frontiers Records is pleased to announce the signing of VEGA, a very exciting new Melodic Rock band from the UK, featuring former KICK vocalist Nick Workman and the successful and respected songwriting partnership of Tom and James Martin (House of Lords, Ted Poley of Danger Danger, Khymera, Sunstorm to name but a few), together with drummer Dan Chantrey.

 

VEGA are set to bring back the reputation of British Melodic Rock music with a strongly original sound approach that while obviously influenced by the genre’s greatest names (from Bon Jovi, to Def Leppard and Journey) adds a strong personal element that will definitely bring the band to the attention of a very wide audience.

 

The band’s debut album “Kiss Of Life” has been recorded under the direction of producer John Greatwood (engineer for Tom Lord-Alge of QUEEN fame), with the band selecting a total of 12 songs out of a total of 25 written for the purpose. Dennis Ward (Pink Cream 69) stepped up to the plate to put the final touches to the album, mastering it in his studio in Germany. The band has also recently finished the shooting of the first video for the album title track, which will be launched as first single in the fall.

 

Singer Nick Workman commented: “We are pleased and excited to be signed to Frontiers Records. We are very proud of this album and believe that it brings new vibe to the rock scene whilst maintaining the roots of all of the bands that have inspired us over the years!”

 

Frontiers plans to release the debut album “Kiss of Life” later this year with more details to follow later. VEGA will be out on the road in the new year taking their music to the Rock fans live on stage!

 

Weblink: http://www.myspace.com/vegaofficial

 

 

 

RALF SCHEEPERS / PRIMAL FEAR

 

Swedish guitarist Magnus Karlsson (PRIMAL FEAR, STARBREAKER, LAST TRIBE) has finished laying down his parts for the forthcoming solo album from Ralf Scheepers of German power metallers PRIMAL FEAR. According to a posting on the PRIMAL FEAR web site, "Magnus delivered his guitar parts on some songs of the album and did a killer job as always. Just some more lead guitars are missing by some other great players and we're ready to mix the album after the forthcoming [PRIMAL FEAR] European tour!"

 

As previously reported, powerhouse American vocalist Tim "Ripper" Owens (HAIL!, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, BEYOND FEAR, JUDAS PRIEST, ICED EARTH) will make a guest appearance on Scheepers' forthcoming CD. Owens will be heard dueting with Scheepers in the track "Remission Of Sin". Other guest musicians expected to appear on the album include Swedish multi-instrumentalist Snowy Shaw (DIMMU BORGIR, THERION, DREAM EVIL, KING DIAMOND, MERCYFUL FATE) on drums, Sander Gommans (AFTER FOREVER, HDK) on guitar and PRIMAL FEAR's Mat Sinner playing bass on the entire LP and producing. A photo shoot with Alex Kuehr for the CD's cover took place in early July in Germany.

 

In a recent interview with the "Metalzone" radio show (web site) with Kostas Purevil Kyriakakis and Helena Mihailidou, Scheepers revealed that his upcoming solo album will include a remake of his song "Saints Of Rock" from Scheepers' pre-PRIMAL FEAR band TYRAN PACE and a cover version of "Before The Dawn' from JUDAS PRIEST. "'Saints Of Rock' is gonna be, of course, a little bit more modern than it was [when the original version was recorded] in 1986," he explained. "I mean, right now we have much more possibilities to make songs sound a little bit more modern, starting with the drum sound and the bass sounds — having a much more distorted sound." He added, "I think 'Before The Dawn' pretty much is a [straight] cover — [there's] just a little more orchestral things going on, I have more strings in the song compared to the JUDAS PRIEST [original]. Back then there wasn't much strings going on. I think they even have a piano [in the original version], which I don't have. I have strings and I have this atmosphere stuff going on. Vocal-wise, I just added a harmony at the last bridge before last chorus, I added a harmony which is not on the original, but that's the basic difference."

 

In a June 2010 interview with Metal Assault, Scheepers stated about the musical direction of his forthcoming solo CD, "It's more diverse [than PRIMAL FEAR], you can say." He added, "In the beginning I had those ballads that we couldn't use for PRIMAL FEAR because they might be too mellow, but now we've started to write together on it. Basically, it's my ideas on it, but I have a great team, with Mat and Magnus and some other members — Sander [Gommans], the ex-AFTER FOREVER guitarist, helped me a lot. It's a good variety — from the hardest to the softest tones."

 

PRIMAL FEAR recently released a new live DVD, "16.6 - All Over The World" (recorded in various locations between September and November 2009), and a live CD, aptly titled "Live In The USA".

 

The brand new Primal Fear European tour is about to kick off:

 

18.09.2010 POL - Warsaw - Progresja

19.09.2010 CZ - Pardubice - Zluty Pes Pardubice

21.09.2010 D - Aschaffenburg - Colossaal

22.09.2010 D - Munich - Backstage

23.09.2010 D - Cologne - Underground

25.09.2010 IT - Bari Modugno - Demode

26.09.2010 IT - Rome - Black Out

28.09.2010 AUT - Woergl - Komma

29.09.2010 D - Nuernberg - Hirsch

30.09.2010 D - Osnabrueck - Lagerhalle

01.10.2010 D - Burglengenfeld - VA Zentrum

02.10.2010 D - Bad Arolsen - Outback

04.10.2010 SWE - Vaesteras - Sigurdsgatan2

05.10.2010 SWE - Stockholm - Gotokolare

06.10.2010 SWE - Gothenburg - Sticky Fingers

08.10.2010 FIN - Tampere - Sputnik

09.10.2010 FIN - Helsinki - Dantes Highlight

11.10.2009 D - Hamburg - New Headbangers Ballroom

12.10.2010 FRA - Paris - La Scene Bastille

13.10.2010 FRA - Lyon - Marche Gare

14.10.2010 FRA - Mulhouse - Noumatrouf

15.10.2010 D - Speyer - Halle 101

04.12.2010 BEL - Kuuren – Hippodrom

 

 

 

KISKE - SOMERVILLE

 

Underdawg Promotion has arranged the following Club Parties in Germany to celebrate the release of the highly anticipated KISKE – SOMERVILLE album.

 

23.9 Ochsenfurt @ Postkeller

23.9 Ludenscheid @ Alte Druckerei

24.9 Uster (CH) @ Rock City

24.9 Ludwigsburg @ Rock Fabirk (Michael Kiske and Amanda Somerville will make a special personal appearance in this party!)

25.9 Darmstadt @ Steinbruch Theater

 

During the parties the album and videoclips will be played in full and some free copies of the album will be raffled.

 

 

 

MIND KEY

 

MIND KEY have recently announced the addition of the new drummer Mirkko De Maio to the line-up. The band issued the following statement: “We are very pleased with Mirkko. We think he’s 100% the right man for us. His musical background, his experience (although he's really young) and his incredible energy and taste in playing make him the perfect fit for MK”. Mind Key looks forward to present the new guy on stage and to continue the evolving musical path started with the recent release of the band’s second album “Pulse for a Graveheart”. You can have an introduction to Mirkko at www.mirkkodemaio.com

 

In the meantime, Mind Key have redesigned their with a new layout and a RSS Feed feature to follow every news about the band. Check it out at www.mindkey.it

 

Last but not least, the band started the songwriting for the third album which the guys hope to release by the end of 2011.

[Geoff]

I've heard the Kiske-Somerville disc and I must say I'd be lying if I said I was impressed. It's not terrible or anything drastic like that, but it's also very unspectacular, imo. Pass for me.