#alex holzwarth

[tarjaturunenfansource]

RAW TOUR BAND LINEUP

We are pleased to announce the band that will join Tarja during the February leg of the Raw Tour 2023:

Doug Wimbish, bass

Max Lilja, cello

Christian Kretschmar, keyboards

Alex Scholpp, guitar

Alex Holzwarth, drums

[karlrodrique]

Turilli / Lione Rhapsody: I Am. From the album Zero Gravity (Rebirth and Evolution). The album was released on July 5, 2019 via Nuclear Blast.

Awesome!

01. Phoenix Rising 6:15 02. D.N.A. (Demon and Angel) featuring Elize Ryd 4:19 03. Zero Gravity 5:53 04. Fast Radio Burst 5:07 05. Decoding the Multiverse 6:19 06. Origins 2:27 07. Multidimensional 4:42 08. Amata Immortale 5:04 09. I Am featuring Mark Basile 7:15 10. Arcanum (Da Vinci's Enigma) 6:25

Band members:

Luca Turilli - lead, rhythm guitar, keyboards (2018–present)

Fabio Lione - lead vocals (2018–present)

Dominique Leurquin - rhythm guitar, lead guitar (2018–present)

Patrice Guers - bass (2018–present)

Alex Holzwarth - drums (2018–present)

Guest musicians: Elize Ryd (Amaranthe) - vocals on "D.N.A. (Demon and Angel)" Mark Basile (DGM) - vocals on "I Am"

Production: Stefan Heilemann - cover art Simone Mularoni - recording, mixing, mastering

[psi-groovin]

Support Turilli/Lione Rhapsody!!

One of my first major obsessions when I was about 12-15 years old was an Italian power metal band called Rhapsody of Fire. My brother gave my sister one of their CDs when I was around 10 and we’d listen to it all the time and draw and stuff. I think in like… 2004/5 my sister bought a pre-order of their new album (The Dark Secret) and it came with a shirt and we were STOKED. Also around this time youtube was becoming a thing so we’d find their music on there too.. stuff we hadn’t heard before and DAMN. It launched me straight into obsession. I’d try to get my Catholic middle school girl friends to listen to it with me but they were absolutely not interested and I was like “wtf why the hell not are you HEARING this?? Fuckin’ orchestras and choirs and killer guitar solos and singin’ about dragon slaying and demons from hell and epic battles holy SHITT.”

Anyways.. what I want to say is that these guys inspired the shit out of me and shaped what I like in music. Their music transported me to a fantasy land full of magic swords and dragons. They inspired me to write an epic that I’m still working on and like.. I cannot listen to Rhapsody of Fire without getting crazy inspired for that particular story anymore. They’re fuckn’ rad as hell. I mean.. they got Christopher Lee to be on one of their albums!!

They started to split around 2011 and I remember feeling crushed about it, and by 2016 the band had split up enough to where it was totally different than it had been. I’d still listen to their old albums but like… you get depressed when you’re like ‘damn, this is all there is’ you know? But guess the fuck what?? I just found out that most of THE ORIGINAL MEMBERS ARE GETTING BACK TOGETHER TO MAKE ANOTHER ALBUM. Past core members Luca Turilli, Fabio Lione, Patrice Guers, and Alex Holzwarth are sorta re-forming the band!

They’re raising money through indiegogo.

Here’s the link!

It feels like my little 14-year-old self has awoken within me and I feel a renewed sense of life. It’s like finding out a childhood-beloved movie is getting a sequel with the original director and cast like !!!! I can’t impart to you guys how ecstatic I am about the prospect of a new album.

So.. I’m sharing with you their crowd funding link in hopes that you’ll support them. If you like:

grand orchestras

powerful choirs

crazy guitar solos

incredible vocals

film score metal

epic storytelling in a high fantasy realm

saving the planet from evil

long-haired Italian men

...you’ll probably enjoy Rhapsody of Fire.

I’ll share with you some of my favorites:

Epicus Furor / Emerald Sword

Unholy Warcry (feat. Christopher Lee)

Magic of the Wizard’s Dream (feat. Christopher Lee)

The Mighty Ride of the Firelord

Sacred Power of Raging Winds (feat. Christopher Lee)

Guardiani del Destino

Support them! And check their music out! And if nothing else, help me spread the word so they can get some support!! Thank you!

[nofatclips]

The Glory of Rome by Avantasia from the album The Metal Opera

[music-addiction-disorder]

The English North is everything you saw in Game of Thrones and more.  It is the true heart of England, the region where its soul resides, and Biff Byford has earned the right to be considered its true heavy metal bard. In his first ever solo Album, Biff takes on not just tales and stories from his heart and soul, but also investigates the Middle Ages and Medieval history amongst other subjects.

School of Hard Knocks was produced by Biff Byford, recorded by Jacky Lehmann at Brighton Electric Studios in Brighton (UK) and mixed at Queen Street Studios in Stockholm (Sweden) by Mats Valentin.  The album also features guest appearances by Phil Campbell (Motörhead/Phil Campbell & The Bastard Sons), Alex Holzwarth (Rhapsody of Fire, Turilli / Lione Rhapsody), Nick Barker (Voices), Dave Kemp (Wayward Sons) and Nibbs Carter (Saxon). On School of Hard Knocks, Byford worked with Fredrik Åkesson (Opeth) on guitars, Christian Lundqvist on drums and Gus Macricostas on bass (Biff himself played a spot of four string thunder too!).

- PlanetSaxon -

BIFF BYFORD (Saxon) School Of Hard Knocks (2019) Silver Lining Music England

- necro69mancer -

[d-razvan]

Timo Tolkki’s Avalon – The Land of New Hope – A Metal Opera După plecarea din Stratovarius, Timo Tolkki, unul dintre cei mai importanți chitariști și compozitori euro-power metal, a încercat, cale de vreo opt ani, să-și controleze tulburarea afectivă bipolară și să repete performanțele ce i-au dat dreptul la paternitatea copilului făcut după o seară-n trei cu Abba și Richard Wagner.

[gbhbl]

Single Slam - Tree of Life by Tragul

Single Slam – Tree of Life by Tragul

Symphonic power metal band, Tragul, have released a new single called Tree of Life. The band formed in 2016 have released three singles prior to this one.

Tragul feature a powerhouse of guest musicians joining founding member and keyboardist Adrian Benegas, also of Pergana. Diabulus in Musica’s Zuberoa Aznarez is on vocals while Flotsam and Jetsam’s Steve Conley is on guitars. Alex Holzwarth (ex…

[manofmuchmetal]

Serious Black - Magic - Album review

Serious Black – Magic – Album review

Artist: Serious Black

Album Title: Magic

Label: AFM Records

Date Of Release: 25 August 2017

What do you get if you put together vocalist Urban Breed (Pyramaze, Tad Morose, Bloodbound) , guitarists Bob Katsionis (Firewind) and Dominik Sebastian (Edenbridge), bassist Mario Lochert (ex-Visions Of Atlantis), keyboardist Jan Vacik (ex-Dreamscape) and drummer Alex Holzwarth (ex-Rhapsody of Fire)? The…

[rockaramarocks]

Serious Black: Burn! Witches Burn!

Serious Black, que conta com Urban Breed (vocal, ex-Tad Morose, Bloodbound), apresenta lyric video de “Burn! Witches Burn!”, faixa do novo álbum, “Magic”… - https://goo.gl/J3P2Jc

[nuclearblastuk]

The day has finally come! Today, Turilli / Lione RHAPSODY - the new group featuring original RHAPSODY members Luca Turilli and Fabio Lione, completed by former RHAPSODY members Dominique Leurquin, Patrice Guers and Alex Holzwarth - release their debut album Zero Gravity (Rebirth And Evolution) via Nuclear Blast (King Records in Japan & Rest of Asia). To mark the occasion, the quintet has unveiled the official video for the record's title track, which was produced by Panda Productions (EPICA, EVIL INVADERS, ABORTED, DIABLO BLVD. etc.). Watch it now over on YouTube: https://youtu.be/1-DlF1H9Vro       Order Zero Gravity (Rebirth And Evolution) now: http://nblast.de/TLRhapsodyZeroGravity Listen to the band's new tracks in the NB New Releases Playlists: http://nblast.de/SpotifyNewReleases| http://nblast.de/AppleMusicNewReleases       Luca states, "Zero Gravity (Rebirth And Evolution) is surely a special album for all of us. It's original, various, modern, intense, symphonic and progressive, built around the vocal skills and unique talent of Fabio. In short, the perfect album of transition from the power/speed metal of the past to a new generation of modern symphonic metal offering us new exciting artistic stimulations, wider perspectives and future possibilities. After the farewell tour, we accepted to be part of this new adventure only if we could have realized a debut album like this, closer to the music we like to listen to nowadays. We refused any compromise or any easy commercial operation. Time is running fast and in this moment of our life, as we always did until now, we chose to create some new music respecting our heart and soul, as art should always rhyme with heart. Low tuned guitars and riffs à la RAMMSTEIN, vocal arrangements à la QUEEN, the progressive elegance of DREAM THEATER, the powerful yet ethereal and rarified atmospheres of bands like NIGHTWISH and WITHIN TEMPTATION, electronic music, ethnic instruments from different geographic areas of our wonderful planet…no artistic limits anymore. We trust in our beloved fans and their fundamental support for this being just the beginning!"       Fabio adds, "Zero Gravity (Rebirth And Evolution) is the album we always wanted to do and a new beginning for us, there's really a lot of stuff inside and surely something unique and original. Every song offers a different musical adventure, this record is fresh, various, modern, intense, symphonic and progressive. I'm sure most of the listeners will be surprised and will enjoy the variety and the different "colours" we can offer in the songs. Thanks to our fans we were able to have a great production and the perfect album to start our new path with this unique new band and sound!"       ICYMI: Check out the lyric video for the first single, 'Phoenix Rising', here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67XM8w3o5mg   Listen to new track 'D.N.A. (Demon And Angel)', which features guest vocals by AMARANTHE vocalist Elize Ryd: https://youtu.be/dMgdGkp51X4 Learn more about the band's image and music, here: https://youtube.com/watch?v=rui3QSj0GDw Learn more about the lyrical concept and artwork for the new album: https://youtu.be/odMRWxFy2Wk Learn more about the production and recording process for the new album: https://youtu.be/czpHv_pyH1M Learn more about touring experiences and future plans for the band: https://youtu.be/Htg4ULfWNY8       Zero Gravity (Rebirth And Evolution) track list: 01. Phoenix Rising 02. D.N.A. (Demon And Angel) [feat. Elize Ryd | AMARANTHE] 03. Zero Gravity 04. Fast Radio Burst 05. Decoding The Multiverse 06. Origins 07. Multidimensional 08. Amata Immortale 09. I Am [feat. Mark Basile | DGM] 10. Arcanum (Da Vinci's Enigma) Bonus Track (DIGI & 2LP only) 11. Oceano [feat. Sascha Paeth | AVANTASIA & Arne Wiegand | SANTIANO] Comprised of 10 tracks, the record was produced by Luca and Fabio themselves, whilst Simone Mularoni (Domination Studio, San Marino) took care of its recording, engineering, mixing and mastering. Guest appearances by Elize Ryd (AMARANTHE) and Mark Basile (DGM) among others round off Turilli / Lione RHAPSODY's first studio album. The contemporary cover artwork was designed by Stefan Heilemann (EPICA, PAIN, LINDEMANN etc.), who has previously worked on both Luca Turilli's RHAPSODY records.       Luca states, "Zero Gravity (Rebirth And Evolution) is much more than an album title. It is a real band mantra underlining the evolution of a great artistic collaboration, a modern-day approach and the intention to evolve the band's sound to a new frontier, conceptually, musically and lyrically. This debut album will definitely present the multiple faces of our new band modern ultra-heavy guitars, a vocal roller-coaster inspired by QUEEN's masterworks, dramatic arrangements, breathing soundscapes enriched by ethnic music elements from different continents and surely the most emotional and intense lyrics we ever had. The new artwork realized by Heile represents the synthesis of such evolution and the deep heartfelt message related with it!"       Adds Fabio, "Zero Gravity (Rebirth And Evolution) represents the perfect evolution of a musical vision we had, a great artistic collaboration to create a new fresh sound with amazing ideas, great production, hard work from great musicians and people involved and most importantly, a fantastic start for this new band. The new artwork realized by Heile represents the synthesis of such evolution in music and amazing work that underlines the musical adventure you will have and feel listening to the record."       In support of the album, the band set up a crowdfunding campaign to finance the recording process, through which they collected an overwhelming amount of €60,000 from their loyal and dedicated fanbase.           Turilli / Lione RHAPSODY live:             05.07. E Barcelona - Rock Fest       06.07. I Taneto di Gattatico - Circolo Arci Fuori Orario       09.07. H Dunaújváros - Rockmaraton       11.07. CZ Vizovice - Masters of Rock

      26.09. FIN Helsinki - The Circus       27.09. S Stockholm - Fryshuset Klubben       28.09. RUS Moscow - Red

      01.10. J Tokyo - Tsutaya O-East *NEW*       02.10. J Tokyo - Tsutaya O-East *NEW*       03.10. J Nagoya - Bottom Line *NEW*       04.10. J Osaka - Umeda Club Quattro *NEW*

      10.10. AUS Sydney - Crowbar       11.10. AUS Brisbane - Crowbar       13.10. AUS Melbourne - Southern Gathering             More info:       tlrhapsody.com       facebook.com/tlrhapsody       nuclearblast.de/turilli-lione-rhapsody

[tarjaturunenfansource]

#Repost @tarjaofficial via Instagram

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Sofia, Bulgaria was incredible last night! You people really gave us love. Thank you! Tonight rocking in Bucharest. Who is coming?❤️ Alex Scholpp @christiankretschmar Alex Holzwarth Max Lilja ( The Official ) Doug Wimbish #bucharest #romania #rawtour #love #thebestband

[karlrodrique]

Album of the.. week.. month.. y..: The Eighth Mountain, the twelfth studio album by the Italian symphonic power metal band Rhapsody of Fire, released on 22 February 2019 via AFM Records.

The album is the first chapter for a new saga, written by Alex Staropoli and Roby De Micheli, entitled The Nephilim's Empire Saga. It is the first saga not written by Luca Turilli, who had left the band in 2011. It is also the first studio album to not feature original vocalist Fabio Lione, and longtime drummer Alex Holzwarth since their 1998 album Symphony of Enchanted Lands, who both had left the band in 2016. They were replaced by Giacomo Voli and Manu Lotter.

Amazing album!!

[nuclearblastusa]

Luca Turilli and Fabio Lione re-unite for TURILLI / LIONE RHAPSODY Original RHAPSODY members LUCA TURILLI and FABIO LIONE re-join forces to write and record a new album under Turilli / Lione RHAPSODY. It will be the first time that they will record new music together in over 8 years. The band will be completed by former RHAPSODY members Dominique Leurquin, Patrice Guers and Alex Holzwarth. The band is set to enter the studio this winter to record their debut album. To help finance the album they have launched a crowdfunding campaign, where you can pre-order the upcoming album and other perks at indiegogo.com/projects/turilli-lione-rhapsody. They expect to release their debut album next summer.   LUCA TURILLI comments: “After concluding the Farewell Tour and disbanding Luca Turilli's RHAPSODY, I never imagined continuing my activities within the metal genre. But now, thanks to a new artistic vision and our greatly inspiring mantra “Rebirth and Evolution”, I feel very excited for the unlimited artistic possibilities we could have while evolving our sound to new frontiers. We want to promote our fundamental spiritual message of light with the most emotional impact!”   FABIO LIONE adds: “We believe a lot in the new Turilli / Lione RHAPSODY band, the vision and in the possibility of making new music together presenting something really innovative, modern and fresh, also enriched by the no-compromise sound of the most modern productions. We also believe in the precious contribution of our fans to help us achieving this important goal and re-start an important new chapter of our music career facing a new album production. We count on you for all this to happen!”      @fabiolione #Rhapsody #RhapsodyOfFire #LucaTurilli #FabioLione #TurilliLioneRhapsody #DominiqueLeurquin #PatriceGuers #AlexHolzwarth https://www.instagram.com/p/BrB8iC7nWWP/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=vi4pjo0f346i

[fredymetalshow17]

26 de mayo de 2017. Se publica el álbum llamado "Legendary Years". Es un disco recopilatorio de la banda italiana de power metal sinfónico Rhapsody of Fire. Consiste en canciones regrabadas de The Emerald Sword Saga, una historia de cinco álbumes conceptuales que comenzó en su primer álbum Legendary Tales en 1997 y concluyó en Power of the Dragonflame en 2002. Es su primer trabajo con el cantante Giacomo Voli y el baterista Manu Lotter, reemplazando a los antiguos miembros Fabio Lione y Alex Holzwarth respectivamente. También marca el primer álbum de la banda (y el primer disco desde 1995) que no incluye a Lione, y el primero sin Holzwarth desde su Symphony of Enchanted Lands de 1998. https://www.instagram.com/p/CPWMJoZLLe7/?utm_medium=tumblr

[metalindex-hu]

Avantasia: The Metal Opera (2001)

Avantasia: The Metal Opera (2001) - https://metalindex.hu/2021/01/22/avantasia-the-metal-opera-2001/ -

Arjen Lucassen és az Ayreon albumai kapcsán már ejtettem szót a metal opera műfajáról, amelynek – még a 90-es évek végén – a hórihorgas holland volt az úttörője, az első hullámba pedig olyanok tartoztak még, mint a brazil Beto Vázquez, a bolgár Nikolo Kotzev és a német Tobias Sammet. Utóbbiak mind 2001-ben jelentették meg számos vendégmuzsikust és -énekest felvonultató projektjük első albumát. Sammet azt megelőzően az Edguy nevű heavy/power csapat énekeseként szerzett hírnevet magának, amellyel az ezredfordulót megelőzően négy nagylemezt is kiadott, köztük a remekül sikerült, ’98-as Vain Glory Opera-t.

A különbség közte és Lucassen között, hogy míg a holland gitáros/multiinstrumentalista az Ayreon indulásakor kilépett előző zenekarából, a Vengeance-ből, hogy maximálisan új projektjére (projektjeire) fókuszálhasson, Sammet a mai napig két végén égeti a gyertyát, azaz az Edguy is aktív, igaz, legutóbb 2014-ben jelentkeztek új anyaggal.

Az Avantasia hangszeres alapcsapatát az első album időszakában az énekes és a stúdióban billentyűs hangszereken játszó Tobias mellett Henjo Richter gitáros (Gamma Ray), Markus Grosskopf bőgős (Helloween) és Alex Holzwarth (akkor éppen Paradox, Rhapsody of Fire) dobos alkotta. Hozzájuk csatlakoztak egy vagy több dal erejéig Jens Ludwig (Edguy) és Timo Tolkki (Stratovarius) gitárosok, valamint olyan neves énekesek, mint Andre Matos (Angra), Sharon den Adel (Within Temptation), Kai Hansen (Gamma Ray), David DeFeis (Virgin Steele), Rob Rock (Axel Rudi Pell, M.A.R.S., Driver, Impellitteri stb.) és Oliver Hartmann (At Vance), illetve az Ernie művésznév mögött megbújó Michael Kiske (Helloween).

Impozáns névsor, ami önmagában mit sem érne fogós nóták nélkül. Márpedig ez Tobi egyik fő erőssége: ha a hangjával nem is vagyok túlzottan kibékülve, el kell ismernem, hogy a dalszerzéshez, a koncepció kitalálásához és a produkció levezényléséhez nagyon ért. Azt gondolom, Lucassen zeneileg valamennyire más vonalon mozog: anyagai progresszívebbek, pszichedelikusabbak, nem egyszer a 70-es évek Pink Floyd-ját idézik, sűrűn kapnak bennük helyet akusztikus részek és folkos elemek, míg az Avantasia muzsikája vérbő power metal.

Az idén húszesztendős The Metal Opera „természetesen” koncept album, a történetben minden énekes egy-egy karaktert formál meg. A sztoriba nem mennék bele részletesebben, legyen elég annyi, hogy a főszereplő a Sammet által alakított Gabriel Laymann, aki a dominikánus rend mainzi apátságának novíciusa. 1602-ben járunk, és hősünk egy boszorkányüldözés kellős közepébe csöppen. Féltestvére, Anna (Sharon den Adel) is a vádlottak között van, őt magát pedig egy tiltott könyv olvasása miatt veszik őrizetbe.

A börtönben ismerkedik meg Lugaid Vandroiy-jal (Michael Kiske), aki druidának mondja magát, és egy másik dimenzióban létező világról, Avantasiáról mesél neki. A törpékkel, tündérekkel és varázslókkal benépesített fantáziabirodalom nagy veszélyben van, és Vandroiy Gabriel segítségét kéri. Sikerül megszökniük, és egy titkos barlangon keresztül átjutnak a másik világba. A történet innen két szálon fut, nemcsak az ő kalandjaikat, hanem a főhős által korábban kézbe vett, a birtokosát abszolút bölcsességgel felruházó „tiltott könyv” útját is nyomon követjük Rómába, a pápa udvarába. A két csapás a végén természetesen valamilyen módon összefut, Avantasia megmentésével a katolikus hatalmasságok nagyra törő tervei is dugába dőlnek.

A keménymag (balról jobbra): Grosskopf, Richter, Sammet és Holzwarth

A hangulatos intrót követően zseniálisan szól a pörgős Reach Out for the Light: a hangzás telt, sokrétegű, gyakorlatilag végig szintipászmák és vokálok színesítik, ám így is valamennyi alaphangszer jól hallható, plusz amikor eljön a rájuk mért idő, még inkább kiválnak a nyüzsgő forgatagból. Hasonlóan lendületes a Serpents in Paradise, a Farewell pedig ugyancsak kiemelkedő darab a maga nemében, egy kelta felhangokkal kísért ballada. Az énekesektől nem szólóprodukciókat hallunk, a dalok többségében Sammet hangja dominál, a vendégek vele énekelnek duettet vagy többszereplős „jeleneteket”.

A nagy ívű nóták lendületét több helyütt is rövid szimfonikus/instrumentális tételek szakítják meg, ami nem feltétlenül tesz rosszat az anyagnak; ezektől (is) lesz összefüggő egész a dalok sora. A The Glory of Rome is a mű egyik „húzóneve”: bár szinte percről percre változik benne a tempó, alapvetően ez a szám is a dinamikát képviseli a palettán, nem beszélve a bombasztikus refrénről, amely ismét csak az album legjobb pillanatai közé sorolható.

Számomra a Reach Out for the Light és a Farewell mellett a címadó nóta jelenti az anyag csúcsát. Úgy indul, mintha dobozból vagy zárt ajtó mögül szólna, s csak utána erősödik fel a zene, a refrén pedig… az irányzat szerelmesei elolvadnak a gyönyörűségtől, a keményebb muzsikák elkötelezettjei pedig garantáltan okádnak tőle.

„We are the power inside, we bring you fantasy. We are the kingdom of light and dreams, gnosis and life: Avantasia!”

Egy „kívülállónak” biztos, hogy ezzel csinálnék kedvet a lemezhez. Amivel viszont az én kedvemet lehet elvenni az anyagtól, az Tobi és Kai Hansen egyetlen szál zongora kíséretében előadott duettje, a szerencsére csupán két és fél perces Inside. A közösen énekelt refrén még rendben is lenne, de a verzék… Megrázkódtatásomat szerencsére hamar feledteti a pumpáló-bólogató tempójú és ismét csak pompás refrénnel megkoronázott Sign of the Cross. Érdekes, hogy bár az Edguy-os Ludwig szólózik benne, játéka sokkal inkább a Keeper of the Seven Keys-korszakos Helloween-t idézi.

Az album legterjedelmesebb tétele a csaknem tízperces The Tower. Komplexnek bátran nevezhető, de a „monumentális” jelzővel azért nem illetném: a társaság, érzésem szerint, itt egy kicsit eltévedt az erdőben, a refrén megint üt, de túl sok a fel-, le- és átvezető rész, az epikus történetmesélés, ami már-már nyomasztóan tarka összképet eredményez.

Az ezredfordulón megjelent single borítója

Nálam valahogy az anyag végére keveredett bónuszként a remek The Final Sacrifice, amely eredetileg az albumot beharangozó, 2000-es kislemezen (Avantasia) kapott helyet. Templomi orgonával indít, ám hamar agresszív hangnemre vált. Döngölő alap, harapós ének (Tobi mellett Dave DeFeis a mikrofonnál), kihívó riffelés, kórus által elővezetett refrén, Jens Ludwig tekergőző szólója – egyik kedvenc Avantasia-nótám ebből a korszakból, és hatásos lezárása az elmét és lelket egyaránt megmozgató produkciónak.

„Get ready for the brimstone – getting blisters on the eyes The power of the spirit was their final sacrifice”

Az anyag játékideje ezzel már túllép az egy órán, de változatosságának köszönhetően egyáltalán nem érzem hosszúnak vagy unalmasnak. Ami még érdekesség a helsinki Finnvox stúdióban rögzített lemezzel kapcsolatban, hogy a hangmérnöki teendők egy részét több neves muzsikus kolléga – köztük Dirk Schlächter (Gamma Ray), Sascha Paeth (korábban Heavens Gate, akkor éppen Luca Turilli, később viszont ő is az Avantasia alapcsapatának tagjává vált) és Gilby Clarke (ex-Guns N’ Roses és Slash’s Snakepit) – vállalta át a főállású potméter-guru Norman Meiritztől.

A Sammet-ék által előadott sztori ez alkalommal happy end-del végződött, ám Gabriel Laymann és Avantasia lakóinak megpróbáltatásai egy évvel később, a The Metal Opera II-ben tovább folytatódtak. Ahogy a csapat sikertörténete is, hiszen legutóbbi alkotásuk, a 2019-es Moonglow már a nyolcadik volt a sorban, és semmi jele, hogy abba akarnák hagyni a sztorizást. Ne is tegyék!

[thertrockshow]

On February 14th 2020, legendary Saxon frontman Biff Byford unveils new music video and single ‘Me And You’; watch/listen here “Happy Valentine’s Day” announces Biff, “I wrote this song for my wife and our 25th anniversary but I think it can be for anybody who’s in a relationship. We all have anniversaries and memories, not my usual style of song but it’s always good to throw in a curve ball!” Taken from Byford’s upcoming first solo album School Of Hard Knocks (set for release 21.02.20 via Silver Lining Music), ‘Me And You’ is also now available as a 7” single, to get your copy visit www.biffbyford.com With his roots firmly in The North of England, Biff has earned the right to be considered The Heavy Metal Bard Of The North and his debut album reflects the man and his personality, his loves and his musical versatility. School Of Hard Knocks fulfils Biff Byford’s long-standing wish to explore rock ‘n’ roll a little more. The album is a personal journey highlighting his life and his passionate interests, from the history of the Middle Ages to growing up in the industrial North. A classic, masterfully constructed old-school British hard rock album, School Of Hard Knocks embraces a variety of musical genres and includes the Yorkshire folk classic ‘Scarborough Fair’, famously covered by Simon and Garfunkel. Byford and Fredrik Åkesson’s arrangement breathes new life into the legendary song. Watch the previously released videos for ‘Welcome To The Show’ and ‘School Of Hard Knocks’ here. School Of Hard Knocks features Biff Byford on vocals (and a spot of four string thunder) along with Fredrik Åkesson (Opeth) on guitars, drummer Christian Lundqvist and bass player Gus Macricostas. The album also features guest appearances by Phil Campbell (Motörhead/Phil Campbell & The Bastard Sons), Alex Holzwarth (Rhapsody of Fire and Turilli / Lione Rhapsody), Nick Barker (Voices), Dave Kemp (Wayward Sons) and Nibbs Carter (Saxon). The album was produced by Biff Byford, recorded by Jacky Lehmann at Brighton Electric Studios in Brighton (UK) and mixed at Queen Street Studios in Stockholm (Sweden) by Mats Valentin. Byford recently announced his first ever solo tour dates. T https://www.instagram.com/p/B8lBQWdheZZ/?igshid=1f742a7tqe7fx