FREEDOM CALL
***New ‘Ages Of Light’ Best-Of 15th Anniversary Album released April 29th on Steamhammer / SPV***
Germany’s premier melodic rockers Freedom Call, the ‘happiest metal band in the world’, are set to mark their 15th anniversary with the release of ‘Ages Of Light’, a best-of double album, on SPV’s Steamhammer label on April 29th.
Ages Of Light combines not only the essence of the best songs from the seven Freedom Call studio recordings to date, but also marks a meeting of various former and current band members. Along with Chris Bay and guitarist Lars Rettkowitz, three different drummers can be heard on the bonus tracks: founder member Dan Zimmermann, his successors Klaus Sperling, and Ramy Ali, whom fans know from the most recent Freedom Call tour. The two bassists, Samy Saemann and original band member Ilker Ersin, and guitarist Cede Dupont, who was part of Freedom Call between 2001 and 2005, are also featured.
“It was great fun to work with old and new friends alike at the studio, turning previously typical Freedom Call numbers into unusual songs,” Chris Bay explains, stressing that the group will commence working on a new studio album after the tour in spring 2013:
“But first we want to celebrate our anniversary in style!”Freedom Call’s success story began back in 1998.
Having sold over 35,000 copies of their debut, Stairway To Fairyland, their tour with Saxon, Angra and Edguy turned into a triumphal march, culminating in memorable shows with Savatage and Skew Siskin in August 1999 as part of the Popkomm music fair in Cologne.
The band played almost fifty shows in 2000 and proved their worth at various festivals, like the Wacken Open Air 1999 and 2000. Their second release, Crystal Empire, even surpassed the debut’s success. The sales figures increased, and even before the album was available, Freedom Call were invited to the Metal Fest in Bologna, Italy, played the Metal Days in Switzerland and delivered an unforgettable performance at the Stratovarius/Rhapsody show in Bourges, France.
Following the release of Crystal Empire, Freedom Call embarked on a 63-day European tour with Hammerfall and Virgin Steele that took them through Scandinavia, Holland, Germany, Austria, Hungry, France and Spain, among other countries. June 2002 saw the arrival of the third Freedom Call recording, Eternity, followed by an extensive tour with Blind Guardian, during which their most recent release, Live Invasion, was recorded. At the same time, Freedom Call established themselves as a headlining act in their own right and were celebrated as the stars of the Wacken Road Show 2004 night after night.
The Circle Of Life saw the integration of more modern and unusual arrangements into the band’s sound, extending the musicians’ sonic range – an element which their following albums Dimensions (2007) and Legend Of The Shadowking (2010) also benefit from. Last year, Freedom Call presented Land Of The Crimson Dawn – one of the most dynamic productions since their 1999 debut.
Now they are about to document with Ages Of Light that this band will also be a force to be reckoned with in the next 15 years.
Line-Up:
ChrisBay Vocals & Guitars
Lars Rettkowitz Guitars, Backing Vocals
Ilker Ersin Bass, Backing Vocals
Ramy Ali Drums, Backing Vocals
Tracklisting:
CD 1 “Ages Of Light”
1. We Are One 04:57
2. Tears Falling 05:39
3. Freedom Call 05:33
4. Farewell 04:06
5. Metal Invasion (live) 07:10
6. Warriors 04:20
7. Land Of Light 03:54
8. Hunting High And Low 04:02
9. Mr. Evil 03:43
10. Far Away 03:19
11. Blackened Sun 04:39
12. Thunder God 03:31
13. Tears Of Babylon 03:38
14. A Perfect Day (live) 03:57
15. Hero On Video 03:42
16. Power & Glory 03:25
17. Rockstars 04:57
18. Back Into The Land Of Light 05:11
CD 2 “Masqueraded”
1. Rockin' Radio – Killerbilly Version 03:55
2. Metal Invasion - Metal Folk Version 04:13
3. Mr. Evil - MelodicReggae Version 04:10
4. Hero on Video - Speed Ska Version 03:48
5. Age of the Phoenix - Power Swing Version 04:25
6. Freedom Call - Camp fire Strumming Version 03:37
http://www.freedom-call.net/
No comments:
Post a Comment