product: Imperium – Never Surrender
release date: 19.05.2023
format: CD
territory: world
Imperium is the solo project of Finnish drummer & songwriter Mika Brushane.
Mika has been playing drums and percussion in various bands since 1981, has played all genres from jazz to metal and composed songs for different genres and this legacy of mixed genres can be heard in the IMPERIUM songs! The music is Melodic Rock/ AOR and it has a big dose of 80’s feelings and sounds in it.
The project started in 2012 when Mika composed a new song for the new STRIKE album “We’re back” and realized that there was more songs in him that needed to be released. He then wrote the first single called “Victory”. IMPERIUM during the following years have released three albums on AOR Heaven (Dreamhunter – 2016, Beyond The Stars – 2018 and Heaven Or Hell – 2020).
In this project Mika is responsible for the song-writing and playing all drums, keyboards, Vst-bass and singing all backing vocals. Mika is also the producer of Imperium.
All the lead vocals are sung and guitars are played by various very talented musicians from the rock/metal scene all over the world. Also the albums post production was handled by top pro’s. The album was mixed by Erkka Korhonen (Dark Sarah, Urban Tale, Northern Kings, Ari Koivunen, Raskasta Joulua Tour) and mastered by the legendary Mika Jussila (Nightwish, Children of bodom, Stratovarius, HIM etc.).
Line-up on “Never surrender”:
Mika Brushane (FIN) – Music, lyrics, drums, keyboards, vst-bass (Rogue Icons, STRIKE)
Robbie LaBlanc (USA) – Lead & backing vocal (T3nors, Find Me, Fury, Blanc Faces, East Temple Avenue)
Michael Bormann (GER) – Lead & backing vocals (Michael Bormann’s Jaded Heart, Silent Force, Jaded Heart, Bonfire, J.R.Blackmore, Zeno, Bloodbound, Redrum, Rain)
Stefano Lionetti (ITA) – Guitars (Lionville)
Mikey K Nilsson (SWE) – Guitars (Arkado, Sapphire Eyes, Alyson Avenue, Anette Olzon, Bai Bang, etc.)
Special guest
Joel Hoekstra (USA) – Lead guitar on “The one” (Whitesnake, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Cher, Night Ranger)
Track list:
1. The One, 2. Never Surrender, 3. Together Forever, 4. I Still Believe, 5. Never Say Never, 6. Break The Spell, 7. The Dream, 8. Out Of This World, 9. You Never Will Take Me Down, 10. Greatest Desire
