She Bites – Joyride
product: She Bites – Joyride release date: 19.06.2020 format: CD territory: world SHE BITES came into being in 2019. A great blend of hook-driven AOR with lots of roaring and rocking guitars. Berlin-based singer and actress Melanie Stahlkopf, who has already performed all over Europe with several projects, and Lars König (g, LIONCAGE, ex SKYLINE) who also took over all the studio work, decided to start something new to explore new grounds. Joining König and Stahlkopf in SHE BITES are Carsten Kohl (d, THREE WISHES) and Arvid Lucas (b, LIONCAGE). Within only nine month, the album “Joyride“ was completed. A video for their first single – also called “Joyride“ – has been shot and will be released in advance on May 29th, 2020. The blistering song “Rock This Night“ features Olaf Senkbeil (v, DREAMTIDE, he worked with BLIND GUARDIAN and many others) as guest. Melanie and Olaf are a perfect match. SHE BITES is a perfect combination: Amazing harmony vocals, big drums and strong guitars with huge hook lines all over the place accompanied by a contemporary production. „Joyride“ offers the best of the 80’s in an exciting way, a fairy wheel ride on a summer’s day. For fans of ROXETTE, ROBIN BECK, FIONA and STARSHIP.
Sapphire Eyes – Magic Moments
product: Sapphire Eyes – Magic Moments release date: 15.05.2020 format: CD territory: world SAPPHIRE EYES started in 2011 when Niclas Olsson (ALYSON AVENUE, SECOND HEAT) decided to put together a record (”Sapphire Eyes”) alongside friends he had made in the music business. The first album was handled more as a project than as a band with various performers/singers. After the debut was released, thoughts started to brew about making SAPPHIRE EYES a band with regular members and in time for album number two, the critically acclaimed ”Breath Of Ages” was put together. The group is all Swedish but when Niclas searched for a vocalist, he approached to Finnish vocalist Kimmo Blom (URBAN TALE, LEVERAGE) and immediately, it felt like a perfect match! ”Breath Of Ages” was released in 2018 and grounded the Scandinavians as performers of classic Melodic Rock/AOR. Airy keyboards and great hooks & melodies oozed from the record and a few concerts really got the group together even tighter towards becoming an act on the music scene to really take note of. Now, SAPPHIRE EYES will release their third album called ”Magic Moments”. The band tries to reconnect to the simpler times full of passion and possibilities when growing up. Still, the melodies are foremost important and the emotions delivered are meant to make you feel like anything is possible in life! Line-up: Kimmo Blom – vocals (LEVERAGE, URBAN TALE); Niclas Olsson – keyboards (ALYSON AVENUE, SECOND HEAT); Emil Knabe – guitars (ACACIA); Patrik Svärd – guitars (CLOUDSCAPE); Christer Engholm – bass (ALYSON AVENUE, ACACIA); Fredrik Eriksson – drums (DAWN OF OBLIVION, ALYSON AVENUE)
Asgard – Ragnarøkkr
product: Asgard – Ragnarøkkr release date: 15.05.2020 format: CD territory: world ASGARD, the Trient based Italian Prog Metal band, was founded in 1986 and since then has released the five studio albums “Götterdämmerung” (1991), “Esoteric Poem” (1992), “Arkana” (1992), “Imago Mundi” (1993) and “Drachenblut” (2000). In their early years, the Prog group with folk influences was mainly active live and also took part in some contests (of which they have won three!). The Italians also recorded two demos and took part in various compilation albums which even included recordings in Ibiza with Nick Griffiths, a former sound engineer of Pink Floyd! Maybe because ASGARD come from the very North East of Italy, a region with historical and deep cultural connections to both Austria and Germany, the German label “Music Is Intelligence” signed the group in 1990 and put out their first four albums. In 1995, two of the band members moved to Germany and released the record “Drachenblut” with a new line-up in the year 2000. “Ragnarøkkr“ now is ASGARD’s 6th full-length release in total and was produced by Roland Grapow (ex Helloween, Masterplan). Join ASGARD’s world full of myths, shamans, rituals & atmosphere combined with progressive heavy metal & some medieval parts. Don’t expect the ordinary – this band’s sound is just breathtaking & unique!
Hartmann – 3
product: Hartmann – 3 release date: 17.04.2020 format: CD territory: world -JP Oliver Hartmann, known as singer/ guitarist/ sideman of metal mega seller Avantasia, projects as Rock Meets Classic, ex-At Vance singer and as front man of the successful German Pink Floyd tribute Echoes, is considered with his band HARTMANN since their debut ’Out in the cold’ (2005) as one of the best modern German Rock-/ Hard Rock acts. Since then the band has released eight successful albums, has toured with well known acts as Toto, Uriah Heep, The Hooters, House of Lords and will celebrate their 15th anniversary this year! Due to their anniversary, HARTMANN will release a brand new album named ’15 Pearls And Gems’ in April 2020, again co-produced by Sascha Paeth (Avantasia, Beyond The Black, Kamelot). On the same day, the sought after 2009 HARTMANN album “3” will be rereleased on CD. This record features Tobias Sammet (Avantasia) on the duet “Brothers”.
Hartmann – 15 Pearls And Gems
product: Hartmann – 15 Pearls And Gems release date: 17.04.2020 format: CD & digital territory: world – JP Oliver Hartmann, known as singer/ guitarist/ sideman of metal mega seller Avantasia, projects as Rock Meets Classic, ex-At Vance singer and as front man of the successful German Pink Floyd tribute Echoes, is considered with his band HARTMANN since their debut ’Out in the cold’ (2005) as one of the best modern German Rock-/ Hard Rock acts. Since then the band has released eight successful albums, has toured with well known acts as Toto, Uriah Heep, The Hooters, House of Lords and will celebrate their 15th anniversary this year! Due to their anniversary, HARTMANN will release a brand new album named ’15 Pearls And Gems’ in April 2020, again co-produced by Sascha Paeth (Avantasia, Beyond The Black, Kamelot).This special release includes five new songs, five well chosen cover tracks and five live versions of HARTMANN songs that have been recorded on their concerts during the last years. ’15 Pearls & Gems’ contains the singles ’Walking on a thin line’ and the duet ’When the rain begins to fall’, a special cover version of the 80’s pop classic featuring Ina Morgan, member of Avantasia and one of Germany’s greatest female rock vocalists. The live recordings also include the outstanding duet ‘Brothers’ feat. Avantasia’s mastermind Tobias Sammet on vocals – originally recorded as studio version for the album ‘III’ (2009). After touring in Europe with the latest release ’Hands on the wheel’ in 2018/2019 and Oliver’s just finished world tour with AVANTASIA his band HARTMANN will be on the road again this autumn to celebrate their 15th anniversary with this new special digi-pak release ’15 Pearls And Gems’!
BENEATH MY SINS – I Decide
product: Beneath My Sins – I Decide release date: 20.03.2020 Format: CD & digital territory: world Beneath My Sins is a French Symphonic Metal band founded in December 2015 by guitarist Clement Botz and singer Emma Elvaston. Both are former members of the band Evolvent. In March 2017, Beneath My Sins released it’s first album „Valkyries of Modern Times“, promoted with shows in Belgium with the band Skeptical Minds and two European tours together with Russian Thrash metal band Pokerface. Quickly perceived as the emerging Symphonic Metal band of the French scene, Beneath My sins had the opportunity to tour with the famous Canadian band Kobra And The Lotus during their stay in France in June 2018 and with Imperial Age in 2019. In September 2018, the band got in contact with Fabio D’Amore, bassist from Serenity. After a few meetings and discussions they all agreed that he would provide his services as a producer to the band. Thanks to this collaboration, the French group was able to record under professional conditions and to work with famous names of the music business. Many talented guests such as Matteo Sisti (Eluveitie), Melissa Bonny (Ad Infinitum), Michele Guaitoli (Temperance and Visions Of Atlantis) and Fabio Lethien Polo (Elvenking) also joined the ship for one or more songs. In November 2019, Beneath My Sins signed a record deal with Pride & Joy Music for their new album « I Decide » which will be released on March 20th, 2020! In the process, the band also signed with the booking agency Alpha Omega management. The year 2020 will be a very promising year as the band has secured an UK tour in April – together with the mighty Serpentyne and Tezaura.
ANI LO. PROJEKT – A Time Called Forever
product: Ani Lo. Projekt – A Time Called Forever release date: 20.03.2020 format: CD & digital territory: world Ani Lo. Projekt came into being in 2010 when well-known Bulgarian singer Ani Lozanova and her long-term musical partner, drummer Konstantin Dinev (Kossy D.) started it. Their debut “Miracle“ saw the light of day with a different line-up in March 2011 which was accompanied by a brilliant gig at Rock Theater in Sofia. Many shows followed, for instance at a biker event with Ian Parry guesting who also participated on “Miracle“. 2012 a major line-up change took place when Ani Lo. moved to Germany and Kossy D. to the USA. The singer played some gigs with musicians based in Münster, Germany, for example opening the metal event „Das Schloss Rockt“ in June 2017. In 2018 work on the second album “A Time Called Forever“ began with Kossy producing and recording drums in his studio in San Diego, USA. He came over to Germany to record vocals at Bazement Studios of Markus Teske in the summer. 12 songs composed by Jens Faber (Dawn Of Destiny) who also played guitar, bass and keyboards as well as some growls and clean vocals were recorded in his studio in Bochum, Germany. Teske took over the mastering, again at Bazement studios. The work was done on December 2019. The new ALP album sees guest performances of vocalists Eric Dow (Hellsott, USA) on “My Misery“ and “Don’t Leave This World“, Michael Thionville (Voodoma, Germany) on “Fly With Me“ as well as Lachezar Stefanov, natural talent, husband of Ani and her biggest fan on “Bleed“. The artwork was created by Bulgarian artist Deliana Stoyanova. The band shot a video for the title track with Bremen-based Bulgarian Mitko Petrov to be released in February. Klub Trigon in Haltern am See, Germany served as location.
RE-MACHINED – Wheels Of Time
product: Re-Machined – Wheels Of Time release date: 21.02.2020 territory: world format: CD & digital With their eponymous demo, Mainz band RE-MACHINED already raised the dust in the German underground in 2018. Their classic heavy rock with delicate guitar solos and catchy melodies seemed to strike a chord with fans. Numerous positive reviews in printed and online magazines quickly lead to gig requests and resulted in support shows for Manilla Road, Gun Barrel, Bonfire and Trance. Their debut album „Wheels Of Time“ takes up the golden thread of the demo, but considerably expands the self-set goals of the band cosmos. To be sure, there are still no ballads, no cover songs and obviously no keyboards; nevertheless, the album brims with variety. At the rock end of the hit spectrum, there are songs like „Brother Sun, Sister Moon“ or „In My Life“ that still breathe the spirit of the late 70s and that inevitably call to mind bands like Thin Lizzy or Demon. On the other side of the spectrum, there are fast, catchy metal songs like „Fear“, „Prisoner“ or „Go To Hell“ that still smell of the NWOBHM. Iron Maiden or Saxon leave their marks in these numbers without making them simple or even shameless copies of the originals. Plus, we mustn’t forget one band: Memories of the Solingen steel works Accept have always been the basis for a lot of Re-Machined songs and can be found here for example in the wrecking balls „Re-Machined“ and „Change Your Mind“. Renowned producer Markus Teske, who already enhanced silver discs by SAGA, U.D.O. or The New Roses, was entrusted with mixing „Wheels Of Time“. With „Wheels Of Time“, RE-MACHINED presents an impressive debut album with grade A heavy rock that skillfully manages the balancing act between the tried and trusted and the new and delivers timeless numbers with catchy choruses and delicate guitar solos en masse. It’s re-machined and not just vintage
SECRET RULE – Against
product: Secret Rule – Against release date: 21.02.2020 territory: world format: CD & digital SECRET RULE was formed at the beginning of 2014 with the intention to create a special sound with powerful rhythms and catchy melodies. During these six years, the group conquered its space in the metal scene. The band is fronted by the powerful and crystal clear vocals of Angela Di Vincenzo, masterminded by lead guitarist Andy Menario, with accurate bass playing of Michele Raspanti and the powerful drumming of Alex Beccati. Secret Rule on stage is a bomb of energy, a mix of heavy guitar riffs, with electronic elements and incredible keyboard lines. The band released four albums: “Transposed Emotions” (2015), “Machination” (2016), “The key to the world” (2017) and „The 7 Endless“ (2019), and built a solid fan base supported by their live activity and featured special guests like Aylin (Sirenia), Stefan Helleblad (Within Temptation), Henrik Klingenberg (Sonata Arctica), Timo Somers (Delain), Sander Zoer (Delain, Leah), Henning Basse (Mayan, Firewind). SECRET RULE played a lot of shows all over Europe, including headlining European tours, sharing the stage with great bands such as Delain, Beyond the Black, Xandria, Serenity, Kobra & the Lotus, Blaze Bayley, Visions of Atlantis and Cellar Darling and performing festivals including the Barcia Metal Fest, the Wings of BEA, the Metal Fest Event – Femme, the 9° Camorock, Festo Die Hydria. “Against” now is their fifth studio album which will be released on February 21st, 2020 on Pride & Joy Music. In April 2020, the Italian Heavy Metal band will support Brazilian Melodic Death Metal SEMBLANT on their European tour.
SHADOW BREAKER – s/t
product: Shadow Breaker – s/t release date: 24.01.2020 territory: world format: CD & digital Out of the shadows, SHADOW BREAKER is the new French sensation emerging from the European Hard Rock scene! French known musicians Chris Savourey (BORN AGAIN) on guitars and Franck Moondog (THE BYMZ) on vocals, who previously collaborated on two albums, are the front men of this new group and back with a straight Rock ‚N Roll attitude! SHADOW BREAKER is a Heavy Rock band, mostly influenced by 70’s and 80’s giants of the Hard Rock/Heavy Metal such as AC/DC, WHITESNAKE, THIN LIZZY, UFO, SCORPIONS, VAN HALEN, OZZY OSBOURNE, KISS, MOTLEY CRUE, LED ZEPPELIN, DEF LEPPARD, MSG, DOKKEN, RATT…Their first self-titled album is the result of the revamped appetite of the two old friends. Chris and Franck began their first collaboration in the 90’s with the album “Dreamland” back in 1998 under the SAVOUREY moniker. The French group opened for the Brazilian band ANGRA in Paris in 1997. In 2001, the two musicians founded a new band named NORTHWIND. The album “Seasons” hit the streets in 2002. NORTHWIND shared stages with bands like VANDEN PLAS, WITHIN TEMPTATION, BONFIRE, SHY and BRIGHTON ROCK just to name a few… Then, life separated the duet, but in 2019, Chris and Franck realized that time flies and that it felt right to re-ignite the machine… The SHADOW BREAKER train was on his way!