Michael Kiske returns to PLACE VENDOME with another Melodic Rock masterpiece : "Thunder in the Distance" due for release in November on Frontiers
Frontiers Records is pleased to announce the release of the much anticipated third album from PLACE VENDOME entitled “Thunder in the Distance” on November 1st in Europe and November 5th in North America.
PLACE VENDOME is the Melodic Rock project featuring UNISONIC and former HELLOWEEN singer Michael Kiske on all lead vocals and production from Dennis Ward (PINK CREAM 69).
PLACE VENDOME started in 2004 when Kiske, following a self imposed exile from the rock and metal scene which lasted a few years after his departure from HELLOWEEN and solo career, accepted in 2004 to be part of a Melodic Rock oriented concept put together by Frontiers Records’ President Serafino Perugino.
The resulting PLACE VENDOME debut album brought Kiske back to a more straight ahead and Rock sound, still very accessible and melodic and far from the Heavy Metal stereotypes of blood, violence and hate which Kiske never had anything to do with. He collaborated for the first time with PINK CREAM 69’s Dennis Ward, Kosta Zafiriou and Uwe Reitenauer with Gunther Werno (VANDEN PLAS) on keyboards. In a quite ironic twist of fate Michael found himself to work with members of PINK CREAM 69, when the band’s original singer Andy Deris took his place in HELLOWEEN when he left.
The very favorable acceptance of the first PLACE VENDOME album planted the seeds for a second recording entitled “Streets of Fire”, which was produced during 2008. The concept was slightly changed, with some outside writers such as Robert Säll (Work of Art), Ronny Milianowicz (Saint Deamon) and Torsti Spoof (Leverage) handling the bulk of the songwriting, with Dennis Ward still handling the recording and production sessions.
Following his stint with the band UNISONIC, Kiske decided to go back once again to the PLACE VENDOME concept with more melodic rock oriented songs which - once again - have been selected by Frontiers Records President Serafino Perugino from outside writers including: Magnus Karlsson (Primal Fear), Timo Tolkki (ex-Stratovarius), Alessandro Del Vecchio (Hardline), Roberto Tiranti and Andrea Cantarelli (Labyrinth, A Perfect Day), Tommy Denander (Radioactive), Sören Kronqvist (Sunstorm, Issa), and Brett Jones.
“I am having a very open mind in terms of music anyway, and the Place Vendome vibe is a pretty different approach than Unisonic” says Kiske. “I like many tracks off the Place Vendome albums, but especially Guardian Angel, Streets Of Fire, I Will Be Waiting, Set Me Free from the previous albums or now Maybe Tomorrow. For me the vocals are the most important part of a song of course”.
Dennis Ward once again produced and mixed the whole affair with such musicians as Dirk Bruineberg (Consortium Project), Gunter Werno (Vandenplas) and Uwe Reitenauer (Pink Cream 69) completing the lineup. Another total masterpiece from Kiske and Place Vendome is about to hit the market. A true must for all Melodic Rock fans !
Tracklisting includes: Talk To Me; Power of Music; Broken Wings; Lost in Paradise; It Can’t Rain Forever; Fragile Ground; Hold Your Love; Never Too Late; Heaven Lost; My Heart is Dying; Breakout; Maybe Tomorrow; Thunder in the Distance.
Samples of some of the album songs can be listened following this link:
http://youtu.be/s-Bfyv6LXZc
PLACE VENDOME:
Michael Kiske – Lead Vocals
Dennis Ward – Bass, vocals, rhythm guitars
Dirk Bruineberg– Drums
Gunter Werno – Keyboards
Uwe Reitenauer – Lead guitars
Mixed and produced by Dennis Ward