OUT JUNE 05, 2009

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LOU GRAMM BAND (The)

"The Lou Gramm Band"

Release date : 05/06/2009
Catalogue number : FR CD 414



01. Baptized By Fire 3:56
02. Made To Be Broken 3:32
03. Willing To Forgive 3:30
04. That's The Way Planned It 4:06
05. I Wanna Testify 3:26
06. So Great 4:03
07. Redeemer 4:17
08. Single Vision 4:01
09. Rattle Yer Bones 3:53
10. You Saved Me 4:46

Lou Gramm: vocals
Ben Gramm: drums
Richard Gramm: bass
Andy Knoll: keyboards
Don Mancuso: guitars

Powerhouse vocalist and songwriter Lou Gramm can be heard each and every day, all over the world, on radio, ipods, CD players, television commercials, music videos, and of course... ukeboxes. Gramm – the former lead vocalist and co-writer of the multi-platinum band Foreigner - has become the voice of a generation. Among the most distinctive and powerful voices to emerge from Rock and Top 40 radio, Lou Gramm is also a successful solo artist in his own right and remains one of the most recognizable performers in music today.
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Lou Gramm, the vocalist on 20 Top 40 singles, which continue to drive sales of nearly 80 million albums worldwide, exploded onto the international music scene with Foreigner on the chart topper, "Feels Like The First Time" in 1977. The numbers are impressive: eight Top 5 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and five Top 5 Albums on the Billboard Album chart in the U.S. alone plus a solid history of chart entries in several European territories and Japan ! Lou Gramm is in a class by himself.
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Now, nearly three decades after the debut of Foreigner and chart-topping success as a solo artist, Lou Gramm returns with The Lou Gramm Band, a powerful new CD featuring his own unique brand of Rock'n Roll. “The feeling is wonderful and liberating, to be able to once again record an album of songs that I really care about, with my brothers and my friends making up the band” says Lou. The Band is formed by Gramm’s brothers Ben and Richard on drums and bass respectively with Andy Knoll on keyboards and Don Mancuso on guitars.
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“I've always tried to be down to earth lyrically and write songs through experience and with emotion” continues Lou, “Musically, I am really fortunate enough to have creative and expressive musicians around me. When I hear a guitar or keyboard riff from my brother Richard, Don or Andy, a story begins to form lyrically and melodically and the band and I work these ideas. Sometimes very painstakingly, until we have the bare bones of something that we can be proud of ”.
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Whether they are rocking out on classics like "Hot Blooded" or "Jukebox Hero", rolling out a new extended groove on Gramm's massive solo hit, "Midnight Blue," or bringing to life "So Great" and "Baptized By Fire" from their new self titled CD, Lou and his band have been pleasing enthusiastic audiences with a show that captures the essence of Gramm's talent “We would love to tour Europe and the rest of the world playing both new songs and select songs from my thirty year career” concludes Lou, who in the meanwhile gives an appointment to his European fans on June 5th in all the finest record shops for the release of the LOU GRAMM BAND album !

PRAYING MANTIS

"Sanctuary"

Release date : 05/06/2009

Catalogue number : FR CD 416

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01. In Time 5:19
02. Restless Heart 5:05
03. Tears In The Rain 5:01
04. So High 4:45
05. Lonely Way Home 5:34
06. Touch The Rainbow 4:06
07. Threshold Of A Dream 4:13
08. Playing God 5:37
09. Highway 4:57
10. Sanctuary 6:25

Mike Freeland – Vocals
Andy Burgess – Guitars
Benjy Reid – Drums
Tino Troy – Guitars and Vocals
Chris Troy – Bass and Vocals

Praying Mantis started back in 1977 when Spanish-Greek brothers Tino and Chris Troy, founded the band and recorded a demo which received great acclaim in the british Heavy Metal scene. The famous DJ Neal Kay often played their songs and thanks to his support, three of the demo tracks were finally published in 1979 as a maxi-single entitled "The Soundhouse Tapes". Another demo song was later included in the "Metal For Muthas" compilation, the same one which launched Iron Maiden to the stardom!

Praying Mantis were therefore able to support the first Iron Maiden UK tour and later went on to record their debut album with Dave Potts (ex Ten Years After) on drums and Steve Carroll on guitars and vocals. "Time Tells No Lies" is still considered as one of the best expressions of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal phenomenon, even though it did not have much commercial fortune. The band decided then to add a new singer (ex Grand Prix and later Uriah Heep, Bernie Shaw) and a keyboard player in order to give more depth to their sound. With this line up, Praying Mantis recorded a single "Turn The Tables" and again appeared on the bill of the Reading Festival.

A new line-up change (ex Iron Maiden drummer Clive Burr entered the band) brought later also a name change: as STRATUS, the band toured the UK and released the album "Throwing Shapes" in 1985. In 1990 Praying Mantis finally reformed with a new line-up featuring two further ex-Iron Maiden cohorts: Paul Di'Anno (on vocals) and Dennis Stratton (on guitar), with Bruce Bisland on drums, thanks to the interest of some Japanese promoters releasing a live album ("Live At Last") in 1990 recorded during that tour. The success gained in the Eastern lands, convinced the band about the possibility of a permanent reunion and with a renewed line-up (the band featured in this time ex MSG singer Gary Barden, then Mark Thompson-Smith and later Tony O’Hora on vocals) they released six studio and one live album.

After the release in 2003 of “The Journey Goes On”, an album that featured different singers, most notably John Sloman (ex Lone Star) and Dougie White (Malmsteen, Rainbow) the band went into a sort of hiatus period, which was broken in the summer of 2007, when a new incarnation of the band - formed by the Troy brothers with Benjy Reid on drums, Andy Burgess on guitars and Mike Freeland on vocals - appeared at the Bang Your Head festival and later - in the summer 2008 - at the Headbanger’s Open Air Festival in Germany and at the Bloodstock Festival in the UK, while writing and recording the brand new stunning studio album.

Entitled “Sanctuary” the new Lp was recorded in Atlanta, USA under the direction of producer/engineer Andy Reilly (Asia, The Cult, Bruce Dickinson, FM etc). The music is again very personal with plenty of great melodies and songs. The mix of lead and harmony guitar breaks and solos with great vocals and keyboards is fantastic with an overall songwriting on the highest levels all over. What we have here is a band that contains some very fine and experienced musicians who have put together a collection of songs that create a really classic album. A truly welcomed return !

JORN

"Spirit Black"

Release date : 05/06/09
Catalogue number : FR CD 415

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01. Spirit Black 4:41
02. Below 4:35
03. Road Of The Cross 5:28
04. The Last Revolution 3:40
05. City In Between 5:49
06. Rock N Roll Angel 4:46
07. Burn Your Flame 2:42
08. World Gone Mad 4:20
09. I Walk Alone 4:28

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Considered by many fans and critics as one of the finest voices in Hard Rock to arrive on the scene at the end of the 20th century, JORN is now ready to unleash upon the world yet another studio album entitled “Spirit Black”, another slab of classic Hard Rock with 80’s Metal elements which will definitely please all those who loved his recent "Lonely Are The Brave", released in June 2008.

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A winning formula should not change, so Jorn has worked again with Tommy Hansen at Jailhouse Studios in Denmark ensuring the right edge to the rich guitar and vocal sound that is now trademark to all Jorn releases. “The fans can expect a solid and defined record that will shake the classic metal world and hammer the future Jorn legacy in stone” says Jorn. “Spirit Black sounds like a crossover between "The Duke" and "Lonely Are The Brave" and I feel that some of the songs have the potential to become essential Hard Rock classics that will stand the test of time”. Jorn Lande’s strong and diverse voice and solid songwriting skills have now become legendary in the Hard Rock world.

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In a career spanning over 30 albums releases and as frontman for Millennium, Ark and Masterplan, Jorn was recently featured on spectacular projects such as Tobias Sammet’s “Avantasia”, along with stars like Alice Cooper and Eric Singer (KISS), Rudolph Schenker (Scorpions), Bob Catley (Magnum) and in Arjen Lucassen’s recent concept album “Ayreon”. “If you buy a Jorn album today, you know what you will get. True classic Hard Rock music” states the Norwegian Viking and you can definitely believe what he says!

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You are guaranteed to get your adrenaline going, with a riveting sound that has solid roots in classic hard rock/heavy metal music, such as Dio, Black Sabbath, Rainbow and Whitesnake. Jorn is getting ready to tour the world after the end of the summer 09 with his band formed by

Jorn Lande : vocals

Jgor Gianola : guitars

Tore Moren : guitars

Nic Angileri : bass

Willy Bendiksen : drums.

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OUT MAY 22, 2009

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SAINT DEAMON

"Pandeamonium"

Release date : 22/05/2009
Catalogue number : FR CD 413



01. DECEPTION (Reaper) 3:54
02. THE ONLY ONE SANE (Nevermore) 3:07
03. PANDEAMONIUM 4:03
04. EYES OF THE DEVIL (Pyramid) 3:12
05. A DAY TO COME (Lies) 4:34
06. WAY HOME (Clone) 2:53
07. FALLEN ANGEL (Hell Patrol) 4:03
08. THE DEAMON WITHIN (Captain Of Metal) 3:48
09. OCEANS OF GLORY 4:33
10. FEAR IN A FRAGILE MIND (United) 4:58

Toya Johansson: guitar
Jan Thore Grefstad: vocals
Ronny Milianowicz: drums
Nobby Noberg: bass

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The Swedish/Norwegian band Saint Deamon, debuted in early 2008 with a stunning album “In Shadows Lost From the Brave”, a record that garnered great acclaim from both critics and fans.

Named after a fictitious ghost rider called S. Deamon, and with a nod towards the contrast between the heavenly/diabolical feel of the name, the band was put together in 2006 by drummer Ronny Milianowicz (ex Dionysus and songwriter for Primal Fear, Cans and Place Vendome among others), together with bass player Nobby Noberg (also ex Dyonisus), guitar virtuoso Toya Johansson and the golden voice of the Norwegian Jan Thore Grefstad (ex Highland Glory).

Saint Deamon are now back, just over a year after the release of their debut album, with a strong head wind in their sails with the worthy follow up “Pandeamonium”. Produced by two of the worlds most famous Heavy Metal producers, Roy Z (Judas Priest, Halford, Helloween, Bruce Dickinson, who also co-wrote the album’s title track with the band) & Jens Bogren (Opeth, Paradise Lost, Amon Amarth), “Pandeamonium” shows a well oiled Metal machine that has no limits in terms of inspiration, musical direction and focus, dedicated members or professionalism.

Saint Deamon toured extensively in 2008 with gigs in Sweden, Norway, Austria, Italy, England and USA and they also played some of the world’s finest metal festivals like Prog Power US and Bloodstock UK and even managed to headline certain festivals, a first for a band with a debut release just available and the plan for 2009 is to continue to tour at the same break-neck pace.

The excellent album artwork was designed by Thomas Holmstrand (Dyonisus, Synergy etc). As founder and drummer Ronny Milianowicz enthuses: “I really believe that our fans can hear the true passion and brotherhood in the production of Pandeamonium”. So prepare to sail on, on the Metal seas, with SAINT DEAMON and their crew into the “Pandeamonium”!

PATHOSRAY

"Sunless Skies"

Release date : 22/05/2009
Catalog number : FR CD 412

01. CROWN OF THORNS 4:42
02. BEHIND THE SHADOWS 5:44
03. AURORA 4:52
04. QUANTIC ENIGMA 5:57
05. IN YOUR ARMS 4:48
06. SONS OF THE SUNLESS SKY 5:45
07. THE COLDEST LULLABY 4:25
08. PERPETUAL ECLIPSE 2:17
09. POLTERGEIST 8:34
10. FOR THE LAST TIME 4:01

Formed back in 2000, Pathosray are one of the best-kept secrets of the Italian metal scene. Originally going by the name N.D.E, the band, formed by drummer Ivan Moni Bidin, guitarist Luca Luison and vocalist Marco Sandron, soon established their own sound as a mixture of heavy metal, Progressive Metal and 70’s style Symphonic Prog-Rock.

In 2001 the band recorded its first demo, “Strange Kind Of Energies” – released in 2002 under the new band name Pathosray, which they promoted heavily through lots of concerts in their home country during the next few years.

By 2006 the band had established their line-up with bass player Fabio D’Amore and keyboardist Gianpaolo Rinaldi, and it was time for another demo – this time the very impressive “Deathless Crescendo” - which was well-received by the Italian media and of course more concerts followed around Italy.

In the fall of 2006 they started to record their first full-length album, simply titled “Pathosray”. The album was recorded at Angel's Wings studio by Nico Odorico and Mattia Sartori.

Once the album was completed, the band (now with new guitarist Alessio Velliscig) sent the disc to Danish based Intromental Management and once the awesome music on the album reached Denmark, a deal was soon in place.

“Pathosray”, the debut album, released on Sensory/Laser’s Edge in the USA and was a clever musical mixture of symphonic arrangements, technical parts and huge melodies. Musically it can be compared (but not completely fair towards Pathosray) with acts such as Dream Theater, Nevermore, Symphony X, Eldritch or Fates Warning.

The decision was made to have the album mixed at Jailhouse Studios in Denmark with world-renowned producer Tommy Hansen (a.o. Jorn, TNT, Beyond Twilight, Helloween, Pretty Maids). The great artwork was created by none other than Mattias Norén at ProgArt Media (known for Evergrey, Ayreon, Kamelot, Into Eternity and many more).

In support of the release, Pathosray played a few select shows around Italy and in September 2008 they went to America to perform for the first time in front of an enthusiastic ProgPower Festival crowd. 2 weeks later they played at ProgPower Europe in Holland receiving as good a response.

The rest of 2008 was spent on writing and recording the new album, “Sunless Skies”, which was recorded at Artesonika Studios in Italy, and mixed and mastered in Sweden by Johan Ornborg and Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios (Symphony X, Hammerfall, Opeth, Katatonia and more).

With new record deals in place – Frontiers Records worldwide and Soundholic Records for Japan – and an awesome new album to boot, PATHOSRAY is ready to climb the next step on the progressive metal ladder. Coinciding with the upcoming release on May 25 in Europe and June 9 in USA, PATHOSRAY has been confirmed to play ProgPower Scandinavia Festival (alongside Pretty Maids, Freak Kitchen, Mercenary and more) in Copenhagen, Denmark on September 25th 2009.

PRIMAL FEAR

"16.6 - Before The Devil Knows You're Dead"

Release date : 22/05/09

Catalogue number : FR CD 411

01. BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU'RE DEAD 0:49
02. RIDING THE EAGLE 4:59
03. SIX TIMES DEAD (16.6) 4:00
04. BLACK RAIN 6:07
05. UNDER THE RADAR 5:26
06. 5.0 / TORN 7:14
07. SOAR 4:17
08. KILLBOUND 4:13
09. NO SMOKE WITHOUT FIRE 4:52
10. NIGHT AFTER NIGHT 5:01
11. SMITH & WESSON 4:46
12. THE EXORCIST 4:47
13. HANDS OF TIME 4:22
14. CRY HAVOC 4:00
15. SCREAM 4:41

Ralf Scheepers – Vocals
Henny Wolter – Guitars
Magnus Karlsson – Guitar, Keyboards
Randy Black – Guitars
Mat Sinner – Bass & Vocals

If you’re talking about Europe’s top metal acts the discussion is heading straight towards Primal Fear. Former Gamma Ray vocalist Ralf Scheepers and bassist/vocalist Mat Sinner, two of the most respected German Metal musicians founded the band in late 1997. They recorded their first Primal Fear songs for JVC in Japan, together with drummer Klaus Sperling and guitarist Tom Naumann. They got signed immediately and Germany's best-kept secret soon became a target for many of the European record companies. The band finally signed to Nuclear Blast Records in early 1998.

The debut album, simply called Primal Fear was released in March 1998 and entered the German album charts at number 48, soon followed by similar chart success in Japan. The band recruited guitarist Stefan Leibing to their line up and started touring with Running Wild and Hammerfall. The second PF album Jaws Of Death entered the German Charts at number 49 in July 1999, followed by their first headlining World Tour. The tour was a huge success and included countries such as Brazil, Japan and of course Europe.

Primal Fear released another 3 very successful studio albums (“Nuclear Fire”, “Black Sun” and “Seven Seals”) that entered the Top 100 charts in many European countries. After some line-up changes (that brought in Canadian drummer Randy Black) and the release of a “Best of” album aptly entitled “Metal Is Forever”, Primal Fear waved goodbye to Nuclear Blast and signed a new recording contract with Frontiers Records.

The first album for the new label was released in September 2007 and named “New Religion” Starbreaker and Allan/Lande producer/guitarist Magnus Karlsson helped out with two stunning guitar solos, before Henny Wolter rejoined the band and played some more lead & rhythm guitars on the album. Epica's lead singer Simone Simons was invited to the studio to sing the first duet in Primal Fear recording history, the song Everytime It Rains. The album was mixed by Ronald Prent (Rammstein, Iron Maiden, Manowar).

After a three month co-headlining European Tour with Udo, a headlining Japanese tour and a co- headlining show at the Progpower Festival in Atlanta/US, the band embarked on their “10 Years Of Metal” 2008 anniversary tour including new guitarist Magnus Karlsson, who finally joined the band. After a massive summer Open Air schedule, the band started the pre-production at Karlsson’s Stuntguitar Music studio in Sweden. With 14 new songs written by the band, Primal Fear entered the House Of Music studios with engineer Dennis Ward, mixing engineer Achim Koehler and producer Mat Sinner.

The result of the new album is the most powerful, ambitious and interesting album in Primal Fear’s history. The vibe of songs like the opening track “Riding The Eagle”, “Killbound” or “Under The Radar” are reminiscent of the “Nuclear Fire” album. You will find all the trademarks of the Primal Fear sound and the total dedication to pure Metal. There is also a new approach mixed with PF riffs in tracks like “Six Times Dead (16.6)”, “Soar”, “Smith & Wesson” as well as the epic stories, consummate musicianship, courage and fantastic melodies in songs like “Black Rain”, “No Smoke Without Fire”, “Torn” and the stylistically new ballad “Hands Of Time” with the 4 guys all sharing the lead-vocals.

Once again Primal Fear display a very high standard of song writing, sound and the production. A video clip was shot for the albums title track “Six Times Dead (16.6)”. Karlsson & Wolter shine with a new dimension to the guitar work, and lead vocalist Ralf Scheepers reaches a new level to his vocal performances. Nothing can go wrong if you’re backed by one of the best rhythm sections in metal with Randy Black and Mat Sinner and you can hear the result on Primal Fear’s outstanding new message called “16.6”!

The Primal Fear 16.6 World Tour starts in August in South America, followed by a US tour that includes a visit to this years Progpower X festival and an extensive European Tour that kicks off on Sept. 24th. A tour through Japan & Asia is already be scheduled.

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