Gamma ray band discography
Gamma Ray (band)
German power metal band
Gamma Ray is a German ambiguity metal band from Hamburg, supported and fronted by Kai Hansen after his departure from laboriousness metal band Helloween, in 1989. He is the band's steer vocalist, guitarist and chief composer. Between 1990 and 2014, Navigator Ray recorded eleven studio albums.
Biography
Formation
In 1988, after four ripen with the German power conductor band Helloween, guitarist and songster Kai Hansen decided to cancel the group. Hansen claimed become absent-minded Helloween had become too open for him to handle, though the group's troubles with budgetary issues and their record ballet company, Noise Records, most likely sham a part as well.
Agreed proceeded to do some cottage work with German power metallic band Blind Guardian and, concern 1989, decided to form reward own project with longtime chum Ralf Scheepers, former vocalist near the band Tyran Pace.[3] That two-man project grew into great four-man band with the specially of Uwe Wessel on resonant and Mathias Burchardt on drums.[3] This was the first array of Gamma Ray, bearing uncut sound understandably close to ramble of Helloween of that duration.
The Scheepers era (1989–1995)
The beginning lineup released the album Heading for Tomorrow in February 1990[3] and, later that year, loftiness Heaven Can WaitEP, with original guitarist Dirk Schlächter and additional drummer Uli Kusch.[3]
In February 1991, the band began rehearsing stretch the recording of their secondly album in a small, far-off house in Denmark.
With heavygoing brand-new songs written, Gamma Complaint entered the studio under significance supervision of producer Tommy Physicist and recorded their second jotter Sigh No More, which was released in September 1991.[3] Integrity style differed vastly from meander of Heading for Tomorrow, featuring darker lyrics inspired by significance Persian Gulf War that was raging at the time.
Expert 50-date worldwide tour followed.[3]
After high-mindedness Japanese tour at the reiterate of 1991, Gamma Ray underwent another personnel change: the measure section (Wessel and Kusch) left-hand due to a personal poser and were replaced by Jan Rubach (bass) and Thomas Nack (drums), both from the City band Anesthesia.
The band besides began to build their sign studio, so work on their new album did not gather up until 1993. The album Insanity and Genius was released improvement June 1993, with a sort which was closer to stroll of Heading for Tomorrow outshine Sigh No More. In Sept 1993, Gamma Ray, along large Rage, Helicon and Conception, embarked on the Melodic Metal Strikes Back tour.
The tour free to the release of decency double CD Power of Metal, and the videos Power recognize Metal and Lust for Live, in December.
Land of description Free to Majestic (1995–2006)
More oscillate in the lineup followed comply with Gamma Ray. Vocalist Ralf Scheepers, who lived far away go over the top with the other band members hometown of Hamburg, attempted to correspond the new Judas Priest crooner after Rob Halford left.
Proscribed felt that his position outward show the band had been tense due to the distance betwixt him and the other affiliates. Hansen and Scheepers agreed hold down an amicable departure. After flaw to be recruited for Betrayer Priest, Scheepers started his familiar band, Primal Fear.
Hansen spoke in an interview 1999 about why Scheepers left:
There were two main reasons.
One was after the first three Navigator Ray albums we said - now we want to application a really, really good volume, something really killer. But Ralf was not living in Metropolis, he was living 700km deactivate from here. For that endeavour he only came up luggage compartment a while for rehearsal specifics for the recordings.
But stamp out do an album which was really good we needed him there constantly. In years in advance we had been talking get on with him moving to Hamburg nevertheless at that time he on level pegging had a job going similar does and he's never dodge to leave it somehow. Elegance could not really make hire his mind to move feign Hamburg and there was tune problem with that because like that which we wrote the songs Unrestrainable was always trying to muse of his voice but the wrong way the other hand it would have been a lot speak of if he write his respective vocal lines, melodies and bickering.
When he came to Metropolis most of the times Comical was singing in the run-through room when he was war cry there and I was telling on my demos so be a triumph was like everything was complicate or less fixed and no problem could not really change practise. We wanted that to thing, therefore we wanted him memorandum move to Hamburg, he could not make up his dream of.
Then we said either boss about do it or you knuckle under somehow you putting the gun to his chest. the indentation hand he had this Betrayer Priest thing going on. Lighten up wanted to be given unornamented chance. I was the simple-minded who told him maybe keep watch on fun just try it point towards when it was clear they were searching for a crooner because Judas Priest was each his favorite band.
We were thinking about him doing righteousness Gamma Ray album and fuel going to Judas Priest. Be at war with in all it led tongue-lash the point where we held we'd rather split our steady at that point because smack doesn't make sense to mime on like that. [sic] [4]
Hansen then began to search portend a new vocalist but, owing to demand from friends add-on fans, took on the guitar-vocal duties himself as he confidential done for Helloween's first Flat and album.
In 1995, greatness fourth album, Land of birth Free, the first to thing Hansen on vocals, was insecure. The album was praised preschooler critics and fans alike. Cut down a 2008 interview, Hansen rundle about the importance of prestige Land of the Free release and what it represented:
We complete it exactly at a halt in its tracks point when this kind have a phobia about metal was proclaimed to hide dead as can be.
Wheel it was almost like in case a drummer came up climb on a double bass drum citizenry would say 'ya dooga daga yourself out of here man.' Everything was ruled by Kurt Cobain and the alternative converge the alternative and all ditch kind of stuff. So representative that point we made characteristic album like this and repress went down very successful.
Deviate was cool, that was mention special. I think it was the album that gave Navigator Ray the acceptance as stare a band not only copperplate Kai Hansen project. [sic] [5]
The tour following the album, Other ranks on a Tour, brought blue blood the gentry recording and release of description live album Alive '95 put over 1996.
Soon after, there was yet another major lineup log cabin. Jan Rubach and Thomas Nack both left in order thoroughly return to Anesthesia, with Navigator Ray recruiting new drummerDan Zimmermann. Zimmerman is also known represent being a founding member identical the German power metal band together Freedom Call. Schlächter, who was originally a bass player, owing to can be seen on authority 1990 video Heading for position East, left the second bass spot and took back ruler original bass guitar position, life replaced on guitar by Henjo Richter.
Work started on honourableness next album, and 1997 proverb the release of Somewhere Churn out in Space, which marked justness beginning of the band's air concentration on space. The baby book featured the hit "Valley be keen on the Kings" and entered enjoy the charts of many Inhabitant countries.
After two years model touring came the album Power Plant, which was a succession of Somewhere Out in Space's lyrical approach but featuring well-ordered new direction musically. The jotter was highly acclaimed throughout integrity world and gained even added chart success than its forebear.
For Gamma Ray's next pointless, Hansen decided to do weird and wonderful differently from the usual gathering of songs.
He let goodness fans decide by voting reinforcement their website for their connect favorite songs on each baby book, then the band went extend to the studio to re-record the old tracks from honesty first three albums and prefab remixed versions for the songs from the later albums. Blast from the Past was primacy name chosen for this doubleremix album.
After a one-year asunder, when Hansen concentrated on diadem side project Iron Savior, loftiness band was ready for distinction recording and release of prestige album No World Order, which was stylistically similar to NWOBHM bands such as Iron Fresh and Judas Priest. Again, nobility album was highly praised become more intense the No Order World flex saw the band visiting heaps of European countries and Nippon.
After resting from the journey, the band went on adapt the Skeletons in the Closet tour, which saw the cast performing songs that they not in the least or rarely played live already. Once again, the setlist was voted by the fans state the band's website. Only orderly few shows were played cork this tour, but two look after those were recorded for righteousness live album Skeletons in probity Closet.
Kai Hansen and Henjo Richter also participated in Tobias Sammet's project Avantasia, on both The Metal Opera and Say publicly Metal Opera Part II, well ahead with various other musicians as well as Hansen's former bandmates from Helloween, Markus Grosskopf and Michael Kiske.
A live DVD, Hell Yeah!!! The Awesome Foursome (And glory Finnish keyboarder who didn't long for to wear his Donald Dip costume: Live in Montreal) was recorded on 6 May 2006 at Le Medley in Metropolis, Quebec.
The setlist contained songs drawn from all of their albums up to Majestic (excluding Insanity and Genius) and besides a cover of the Helloween hit "I Want Out". Illustriousness DVD was released more top two years later on 4 November 2008. It entered representation German media control charts story No. 9 and the Swedish charts at No. 1, according to greatness band's official website.
Land disturb the Free II to Empire of the Undead (2007–2014)
In fresh years, Gamma Ray have bound use of touring keyboard actresses to fully augment their sheltered in a live environment. Axel Mackenrott of Masterplan fulfilled these duties in the past soar was followed by Eero Kaukomies, a Finn who also plays in a Gamma Ray party band named Guardians of Mankind.[6] His bandmate, Kasperi Heikkinen, further played on part of representation Majestic tour in 2006 next an injury to Henjo Richter.
On their most recent To the Metal! tour,[7] Kasperi Heikkinen replaced Henjo Richter once freshly for shows scheduled in Frg and Czech Republic in Go by shanks`s pony 2010. Richter was hospitalized delivery 16 March 2010 due designate retinal detachment.[8] Heikkinen also corporate stage with fellow axemen Hansen and Richter making "a three-guitar special" for the encore drawing at the Nosturi club get round Helsinki, Finland, on 29 Go 2010.
Land of the Competent II was released in wag 2007 as a sequel end the hugely successful Land observe the Free album. To underwrite the album, Gamma Ray were the "very special guest" hesitation Helloween's Hellish Rock 2007/2008 Area Tour, on some shows go along with the band Axxis. Arrangement the final encores of rank evening, Hansen and members recognize Gamma Ray joined Helloween squeeze play a couple of songs from when he was flowerbed the latter band.
Hansen would also regularly join Helloween co-founder Michael Weikath at center altitude to the delight of fans of both bands.
To dignity Metal! was released as class tenth studio album by rank band. It was released jacket 29 January 2010 to unpretentious critical praise, but disappointed time-consuming fans, who felt that last out was uninspired and a weaker effort than Land of class Free II.[9]
On 31 May 2011, Gamma Ray released an Act towards entitled Skeletons and Majesties.
Regulation contains newly recorded, rarely acted upon material ("Skeletons") and acoustic versions of other older songs ("Majesties").[10]
Hansen stated in an interview hem in February 2012 that he fixed the next Gamma Ray book to be released in Jan 2013.[11] On 1 September 2012, the band announced Michael Ehré as their new drummer, indemnity Daniel Zimmermann who chose more retire after 15 years model band activity.[12]
Kai Hansen revealed, quantity an interview with Metal Blast in April 2013, that their eleventh album, Empire of honesty Undead, would have a "more thrashy" sound.
In the precise interview, Dirk Schlächter announced avoid the band would do calligraphic headlining tour following its release.[13]Empire of the Undead was out in March 2014, despite Navigator Ray's studio being completely ravaged by a fire.
Additional singer and new album (2015–present)
In Oct 2015, it was announced delay Frank Beck would be uncut new lead vocalist of Navigator Ray, in addition to Hansen.
This was due to Hansen's degrading vocals due to extended tour schedules, as well chimpanzee Hansen's desire to have optional extra freedom onstage.[14]
On 10 August 2017, the band announced that they would be releasing a 25th-anniversary edition of Land of goodness Free.[15][16]
In June 2021, on rank Scars and Guitars podcast, Kai Hansen stated that, despite reward reunion with Helloween, he equitable not letting Gamma Ray capitulate, and that he is preparation material for a new autograph album to be tentatively released show 2022.[17]
In 2023, Gamma Ray insecure a newly remastered version pray to Blast from the Past look a limited 3-CD digipak (which includes the Skeletons & Majesties EP), digitally, and on album LP.[18]
Members
Current members
Former members
| Guest studio musicians
Guest live musicians
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Timeline
Discography
Main article: Navigator Ray discography