Gamma Ray - New Album In January
Gamma Ray's upcoming album To The Metal will be released via earMUSIC on January, 29th 2010. EarMUSIC is a project of Edel.
The new Gamma Ray offering is thoroughbred and classy, fast-paced and deep, and holds a few surprises in store which distinguish the band from the mass of acts who try their hand at similar styles and sounds.
The line-up consisting of Kai Hansen (vocals/guitar), Dirk Schlächter (bass), Henjo Richter (guitar) and Daniel Zimmermann (drums) recorded a total of twelve new songs at their own studio in Hamburg in autumn 2009. Ten of them will feature on the regular album release, and two additional bonus tracks can be heard on different editions of the album, the band's stylistic range including a full-throttle number such as "Rise", the rhythmic and melodically diverse "Time To Live", and the multilayered anthem "All You Need To Know" (which has given rise to speculation about a spectacular guest singer), as well as the sensitive ballad "No Need To Cry", composer/lyricist Dirk Schlächter's attempt to come to terms with the untimely death of his father. Of course, there's also the awesome title track - first introduced at the Wacken 2009 open-air and a number of festivals in Scandinavia and considered absolutely indispensible by the fans, which Gamma Ray recorded as a classic Metal track in the midtempo range, making it a real anthem.
The atmospherically dense "Empathy" sees Gamma Ray prove their amazing musical potential again, which keeps manifesting itself in exceptional and eminently interesting compositions. This song includes all the features of a diverse, exciting and multi-faceted number, in other words: sweeping sounds, cool grooves, a progressive touch and then - almost as if from nowhere - a chorus which seriously bowls you over. Subsequently, the band soar up to an almost oriental-sounding solo part, changing key several times within the track.
The album will be available in four versions:
as a regular jewel case CD
as a limited edition featuring an additional DVD (including an exciting making-of)
as a red vinyl in gatefold packaging
as a collectors' edition featuring CD and 7" vinyl with 2 unreleased tracks, completely hand-signed
The elaborate cover was designed by Herve Monjeaud, so the visual side of the new album is perfectly covered. Gamma Ray will present all this and much more from 6th February 2010, precisely one week after the release of their latest album, as part of an extensive world tour. Freedom Call had just been confirmed as special guests of the "To The Metal" tour, with Secret Sphere as support act. More tour details here.
To The Metal tracklisting:
01. Rise
02. Deadlands
03. Mother Angel
04. No Need To Cry
05. Empathy
06. To The Metal
07. All You Need To Know
08. Time To Live
09. Shine Forever
10. Breaking Away
The new Gamma Ray offering is thoroughbred and classy, fast-paced and deep, and holds a few surprises in store which distinguish the band from the mass of acts who try their hand at similar styles and sounds.
The line-up consisting of Kai Hansen (vocals/guitar), Dirk Schlächter (bass), Henjo Richter (guitar) and Daniel Zimmermann (drums) recorded a total of twelve new songs at their own studio in Hamburg in autumn 2009. Ten of them will feature on the regular album release, and two additional bonus tracks can be heard on different editions of the album, the band's stylistic range including a full-throttle number such as "Rise", the rhythmic and melodically diverse "Time To Live", and the multilayered anthem "All You Need To Know" (which has given rise to speculation about a spectacular guest singer), as well as the sensitive ballad "No Need To Cry", composer/lyricist Dirk Schlächter's attempt to come to terms with the untimely death of his father. Of course, there's also the awesome title track - first introduced at the Wacken 2009 open-air and a number of festivals in Scandinavia and considered absolutely indispensible by the fans, which Gamma Ray recorded as a classic Metal track in the midtempo range, making it a real anthem.
The atmospherically dense "Empathy" sees Gamma Ray prove their amazing musical potential again, which keeps manifesting itself in exceptional and eminently interesting compositions. This song includes all the features of a diverse, exciting and multi-faceted number, in other words: sweeping sounds, cool grooves, a progressive touch and then - almost as if from nowhere - a chorus which seriously bowls you over. Subsequently, the band soar up to an almost oriental-sounding solo part, changing key several times within the track.
The album will be available in four versions:
The elaborate cover was designed by Herve Monjeaud, so the visual side of the new album is perfectly covered. Gamma Ray will present all this and much more from 6th February 2010, precisely one week after the release of their latest album, as part of an extensive world tour. Freedom Call had just been confirmed as special guests of the "To The Metal" tour, with Secret Sphere as support act. More tour details here.
To The Metal tracklisting:
01. Rise
02. Deadlands
03. Mother Angel
04. No Need To Cry
05. Empathy
06. To The Metal
07. All You Need To Know
08. Time To Live
09. Shine Forever
10. Breaking Away
| gammaray.org | |
| Band profile: | Gamma Ray |
Comments
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| Tornado Of Souls Posts: 63 |
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| fade Son of Sweden Staff Posts: 3771  |
Meh, Kai will always be my hero, but Gamma Ray is just boring these past few years....
---- The troubles of avoiding horseshit. My Music database: http://www.racksandtags.com/northernsky/
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| Angelic Storm Melodious Posts: 6675  |
I will take what was said in that press release with a pinch of salt seeing as it called the title track ''awesome'', when it is anything but! I am a massive Gamma Ray fan, but LOTF II was a dissappointment, aside from maybe 4 songs. (which was less than half the album!) I just hope ''To The Metal'' is one of the weaker tracks on the album, and not an indicator of it's overall quality...I will still give it a shot though, seeing as I love Kai Hansen and Gamma Ray! m/ I also think ''To The Metal'' is such a silly, cheesy title for the album. "Deadlands" would have been a far better title IMO! 
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| Symmachus Posts: 2002 |
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| ImNotMetal Posts: 62  |
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| Crème fraiche Posts: 703  |
Written by Symmachus on 16.12.2009 at 03:08 It's power metal, what do you expect! Gamma Ray is one of the cheesiest metal bands out there, but I love cheese 
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| DoomGuard Posts: 368  |
Written by Crème fraiche on 16.12.2009 at 06:17 cheese is good
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| Angelic Storm Melodious Posts: 6675 |
Written by Crème fraiche on 16.12.2009 at 06:17 I'm not one of these people who thinks power metal, or Gamma Ray in general are ''cheesy''. I just think the title, as well as being silly, doesn't seem to sum up the album as a whole. I could understand calling the album that, if the album was full of mainly cheesy anthems about metal. But that doesn't seem to be the case, it appears to be just that one song. It sounds like a Dream Evil album title, and they ARE very cheesy indeed!  It's like if ''Powerplant'' had been called ''Heavy Metal Universe'' instead. That would not have been a fitting album title either. Even though the song itself is great. (Unlike "To The Metal"!) None of the other songs were cheesy, or about metal in the slightest, apart from maybe the ''It's A Sin'' cover. The other problem with calling the album that, is the title track will most likely become a concert staple, which would definitely be a bad thing if it turns out the rest of the album is better than that song.
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| Ellrohir Heaven Knight Posts: 8669  |
Gamma Ray are that what many people here call "cheesy"...but i see no problem with it 
---- My rest seems now calm and deep Finally I got my dead man sleep 
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| Angelic Storm Melodious Posts: 6675 |
Written by Ellrohir on 16.12.2009 at 10:11 Oh, I don't have a problem with people calling them ''cheesy''. I just dont think they are. Dream Evil, or Dragonforce, now they are what I would call cheesy! Gamma Ray, aside from the odd song here and there, I would not describe as that
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| Cesc Fabregas Posts: 10  |
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| Ellrohir Heaven Knight Posts: 8669 |
Well if i take Powerplant as my most favorite album by them, then i say - this is the very definition of what someone call "cheesy" flower European metal... but again - this is what i like to hear from time to time 
---- My rest seems now calm and deep Finally I got my dead man sleep
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| Lord_Regnier Posts: 1469  |
Written by Angelic Storm on 16.12.2009 at 01:00 The title track sucks balls. Probably the worst song I ever heard from Gamma Ray. Indeed, I hope it's not representative of the album because if it is, then the album will be a total failure. That's what I said on an other board: "Awesome title track"? "Absolutely indispensible"? "Classic Metal Track"? "Real Anthem"? Spare me the crap, please. It's a sucky, lame, boring as hell song. All they succeed to do when they praise an utterly mediocre song like that is to raise my suspicions to a higher level. The more I hear about the new album, the more I think Gamma Ray will join all the other old PM bands. (read start to suck) The title is really "To The Metal"? Talk of a stupid title indeed. Uninspired and Manowar-ish. The only song I heard (I think it was the title song) sucks, by the way. And I don't think the album will be good, honestly. It's only one song but, if it's a hint at the album, then expect some kind of mix between hard rock and Euroflowermetal but not Power/speed metal a bit rough on the edges. Anyway, my opinion is Gamma Ray are aging, so they're bound to turn into something softer, slower and more mainstream. That's what all PM bands do when they start to age.
---- "Why would we fear death, when life is so much more frightening?"
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| Angelic Storm Melodious Posts: 6675 |
Written by Lord_Regnier on 17.12.2009 at 14:01 I actually probably would agree with you. I can't think of a song Gamma Ray have ever done which is worse than "To The Metal". Perhaps the studio version will change my mind, but I highly doubt it. You're right, it's not an ''anthem'', or a "classic". They have recorded a great anthem to metal, with ''Heavy Metal Universe". And "To The Metal" is a very pale imitation of that song. The title is very uninspired, and Manowar-ish, or like Dream Evil. "Deadlands" would have been a far superior title. I can imagine an awesome cover featuring "Fangface" for that title! I am hoping that the title track is not an indictation of the album's overall quality, but I have to say, my expectations for this album are low. The first time I've ever felt this way before the release of a Gamma Ray album. I was disappointed with the last album, although it did contain a handful of gems. And unless the other songs on the new album are vastly superior to it's title track, then this will be Gamma Ray's 2nd below par album in a row. But, my expectations are low, so it will be hard for it to disappoint me. I'd love to be proved wrong though! We'll find out soon enough, I guess...
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| Ellrohir Heaven Knight Posts: 8669 |
Well the song version available on youtube sucks, but i wont be judging all things from it...i will wait and see
---- My rest seems now calm and deep Finally I got my dead man sleep
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| Angelic Storm Melodious Posts: 6675 |
Written by Irritable Ted on 18.12.2009 at 21:10 Even if the rest of the album contains classic Gamma Ray songs, I'll still think the title sucks. hehee. I will still buy it, but that's because I love Gamma Ray.  Hey, I'm not bashing Dream Evil, I like them! I'm just saying Gamma Ray aren't Dream Evil, or that type of band.
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