ROGER STAFFELBACH – The Quest

Release date: May 12, 2023

Swiss guitar artist Roger Staffelbach (Artension) has been one of the respected exponents of neoclassical power guitar since the mid-1990s. Over the years, he has worked together with various greats of his guild, including vocalist John West (Artension, Royal Hunt), Keyboarder Vitalij Kuprij (Artension, TSO), bassist John Onder (Michael Schenker), guitarist Chris Caffery (Savatage, Trans-Siberian Orchestra) and drummers Mike Terrana (Rage, Tarja) and Dani Löble (Helloween) to name a few.

As with all his band releases since the strong 1996 Artension debut „Into the Eye of the Storm“, Roger is on par with his idols with his first instrumental album „The Quest“ (May 12, 2023) – from precise shred riffing and seamless melodic leads to soulful concert guitar passages. In doing so, he develops his very own stylistic touch.

„The Quest“ was created with the support of a top team, namely Ariel Perchuk on keyboard, Steve DiGiorgio (Testament, Artension, Sadus) on bass and drummer John Macaluso (Michael Romeo, Ark, TNT, Yngwie). Guitars were recorded with Roland Grapow (Masterplan ex-Helloween) the album was mixed and mastered by Simone Mularoni (Michael Romeo, Ancient Bards, Rhapsody, DGM, Labyrinth).

Offering eight classy, colorful original compositions as well as two vivid interpretations of great compositions (Antonio Vivaldi’s „Summer Presto“ from the „Four Seasons“ and the Aria from Johann Sebastian Bach’s Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D Major), „The Quest“ is a virtuously played, melodically stirring solo work for lovers of melodic and neo-classical electric guitar art.

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FIREWÖLFE – Debutalbum Reissue

FireWölfe are unquestionably retro – but of the finer variety. Their riff monsters, refined with pithy vocals and brilliant licks and leads, breathe powerful U.S. metal vibes that should appeal to friends of legends such as Savatage or Riot as well as lovers of Heir Apparent or Fifth Angel.

The self-titled debut album, self-released by the band in 2011 and licensed to Japan, is now being released as a reissue via Limb Music.

The re-release is upgraded by a complete remastering and the brand new cover artwork by Dusan Markovic. In addition, there are two new bonus tracks recorded by the current line-up.
Guest vocalists Jonathan K. from Q5 and Bobby „Leatherlungs“ Lucas (Attacker, Overlorde, Seven Witches, Exhibition) grace these additional recordings with their well-oiled throats. The new songs originate from the original writing sessions of the two band founders Paul Kleff and Nick Layton.
Gems like „Feel The Thunder“, „Air Attack“, „Unholy“, „Back From Hell“ or the vibrating instrumental „Ice Wizard“ remain strong testimonies of a wonderfully harmonious formation that does not miss any edges.

– Remastered reissue of the debut album from 2011
– Remastered by Bart Gabriel (Crystal Viper, Cirith Ungol, Savage Grace, Q5)
– Exclusive CD only bonus tracks featuring the guest singers Jonathan K. (Q5) and Bobby „Leatherlungs“ Lucas (Attacker, Overlorde, Seven Witches, Exhibition)
– Brand new cover artwork by Dusan Markovic (Jag Panzer, Sorcerer, Death Dealer, The Sound Of Thunder, Symphonity, Dragony)

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SYMPHONITY – Marco Polo: The Metal Soundtrack

This output is a genuine discovery trip for lovers of Epic Melodic Symphonic Power Metal. SYMPHONITY are among those experts who have succeeded in creating an arc of tension from catchy melodies and awesome vocals to powerful guitar thunderstorms. „Marco Polo: The Metal Soundtrack“ is full of anthems and stands its ground on the level of acts like Stratovarius, Rhapsody, Nightwish, Helloween, Blind Guardian or Sonata Arctica. The songs, all true gems, are made for collectors of dignified concept albums.

With this album, SYMPHONITY have created a monument to the most famous traveller in medieval world history – and the stations of his life’s journey from Venice to Peking and back. But especially musically, the band’s brilliantly produced third longplayer will be very well received for sure.
The dynamic range of the album leaves nothing to be desired: up-tempo numbers like „The Plague“ and „I Found My Way Back Home“ are ideal flares to brighten even the dullest day, „Mongols“ is a wide-ranging ten-and-a-half-minute drama, „Dreaming Of Home“ and „Prisoner“ are piano-led ballads for emotional depth.
The album gains additional moments through the successful fusion of exotic harmonies and scales from countries on Marco’s travel route such as Persia, Armenia, Mongolia and China.

– Special edition jewelcase CD in slipcase with poster & artwork sticker
– Exclusive bonus tracks only available on CD
– Mixed by Mikko Karmila and mastered by Mika Jussila in Helsinki’s legendary Finnvox Studios (Crystal Viper, Marta Gabriel, Rocka Rollas, Blazon Stone)
– Cover artwork by Dušan Marković (Dragony, FireWölfe, Death Dealer, Jag Panzer, Thor, The Sound Of Thunder)

Click here for audio samples, video links and more information on where to buy/stream the album.

FIREWÖLFE – Conquer All Fear

In 2020 founding member/guitarist Nick Layton and bassist Bobby Ferkovich (Pamela Moore Band, Metal Church, Heir Apparent, Presto Ballet) sought to put a new powerful version of FIREWÖLFE together after singer David Fefolt left the band. By recruiting Seattle based guitar shredder Michael David (TKO), virtuoso drummer Marco Bicca (Pamela Moore Band, The Element, A Dying Planet) and Las Vegas based vocalist Freddy Krumins (James Byrd’s Atlantis Rising), the band was finally set.

„Conquer All Fear“ is a powerful, mighty heavy metal album with a high melodic density. Produced and mastered by Bart Gabriel (Crystal Viper, Jack Starr, Hexx among others) and mixed by Cederick Forsberg (Crystal Viper, Marta Gabriel, Rocka Rollas, Blazon Stone among others), the album comes across as a tour de force of US Metal. Heavy riffs, melodic choruses, a thundering rhythm unit, excellent double guitar attacks and finely structured solos characterize the tracks. With Freddy Krumins‘ voice, the new tracks seem elegantly rougher and take the new material to a new level. The core piece of the album is the „The Evil Eye Trilogy“. Versatility and heaviness go hand in hand. An album that blasts out of the speakers straight into your brain!

Cover artwork by Dusan Markovic (Dragony, Symphonity, Jag Panzer, Death Dealer).

Click HERE for song snippets, video links and more information on where to buy/stream the album.

WONDERS – The Fragments Of Wonder

„The Fragments Of Wonder“ moves in the musical sphere between Stratovarius and Beast In Black, spiced with a progressive touch. The production is powerful and guitar-heavy – an important feat because apart from catchy melodies and choruses, the guitar work is one of the outstanding trademarks and makes this album a real gem of the genre.

In 2020, the two EVEN FLOW musicians Pietro Paolo Lunesu and his brother Giorgio Lunesu (both from Sardinia) started a new cooperation with the Greek producer and keyboardist Bob Katsionis (ex Firewind).
After the trio had defined their musical goals, it was clear that more comrades would have to come on board the new band. What could be more obvious than to involve good friends like singer Marco Pastorino and bassist Luca Negro, both from TEMPERANCE.

Katsionis produced and mixed the album in his Sound Symmetry Studio in Athens. All musicians traveled from Sardinia to Greece especially for this purpose. „The Fragments Of Wonder“ tends musically into the Power Melodic Metal corner without leaving out style-defining progressive elements – a bit comparable to early Stratovarius.

Click HERE for song snippets, video links and more information on where to buy/stream the album.

SANDSTONE – Epsilon Sky

SANDSTONE is one of Ireland’s most persistent and most prolific metal bands and also played as the tour backing band of ex-Judas Priest fronter Tim ‚Ripper‘ Owens. They are now back with their fifth studio album „Epsilon Sky“. Darker, heavier, more sophisticated and detached from all current trends, they present an album that is completely oriented towards the preferences of the musicians involved.

The band, founded in 2003 by guitarist Stevie McLaughlin and singer Sean McBay, can look back on four weighty albums so far, with their second album „Purging The Past“ from 2009 even sparking the interest of Iron Maiden vocalist Bruce Dickinson and he considered this with the statement, „this is the most impressive album to come from Ireland in many years“.

The band describes „Epsilon Sky“ as an album for fans of deep, thoughtful songs in a compact‚ all killers no fillers‘ package, with the supporting elements of Metal, Hard Rock, and progressive tendencies unite perfectly.

„Epsilon Sky“ is a firework of strong songs that can’t really be assigned to one genre, thus appealing to different target groups.

Click HERE for song snippets, video links and more information on where to buy/stream the album.

DANIELE MAZZA – Immortals

Born in Cesena in 1987, Daniele Mazza is the founder, main songwriter and lyricist of the Symphonic Power Metal act Ancient Bards. With „Immortals“, he’ll appeal to a broad spectrum of classically oriented music fans – aficionados of film score giants such as Hans Zimmer („Pearl Harbor“, „Rain Man“) as well as friends of New York’s bombast rockers Trans-Siberian Orchestra („Beethoven’s Last Night“) or Sweden’s Stratocaster Paganini, Yngwie Malmsteen („Concerto Suite for Electric Guitar and Orchestra in E-flat Minor“).

The facets of the eleven equally soulful and powerfully staged tracks reflect Daniele’s original passion for highly emotional film music – very much in the spirit of his admired legends Thomas Bergersen and Nick Phoenix aka Two Steps From Hell and their work for numerous cinema blockbusters.

The solo voice of „Immortals“ (on the balladesque track „Time To Go“) was contributed by soprano Sara Squadrani (Ancient Bards). Aresea vocalist Chiara Di Mare can be heard providing background vocals to accompany the choir sequences. The lead guitars magically hovering above the deep sound carpet are provided by Ancient Bards guitarist Claudio Pitronik

Click HERE for song snippets, video links and more information on where to buy/stream the album.