Michael Schenker Group Immortal Tracks: 1. Drilled To Kill 2. Don´t Die On Me Now 3. Knight Of The Dead 4. After The Rain 5. Devil's Daughter 6. Sail The Darkness 7. The Queen Of Thorns And Roses 8. Come On Over 9. Sangria Morte 10. In Search Of The Peace Of Mind Line up: Michael Schenker - guitars Ronnie Romero - vocals (track 3, 6, 8, 10) Joe Lynn Turner - vocals (track 2, 9) Doogie White - vocals (track 10) Gary Barden - vocals (track 10) Robin McAuley - vocals (track 10) Michael Voss - vocals (track 4, 7) Ralf Scheepers - vocals (track 1, 5) Barry Sparks – bass Steve Mann - keyboards Derek Sherinian - keyboards Bodo Schopf - drums Simon Phillips - drums Brian Tichy - drums Record Label / Year of Release: Nuclear Blast 2021 Notes: MSG is a legendary name. After two phenomenal records under the guise of Michael Schenker Fest, a true guitar hero is returning to his roots. By forming Michael Schenker Group (MSG) back in 1979, Michael Schenker laid the foundations for one of hard rock's most glorious solo careers of all times. And while nobody expected anything less from a former guitarist for Scorpions and UFO, it's close to impossible mentioning everything Michael has built over the past 50 years, or the countless people he influenced or played with. This, truly, is the stuff that hard rocking myths are made of. Right in time for his 40th anniversary as a solo artist and his 50th birthday as a musician, he resurrects the immortal Michael Schenker Group. "Immortal" is also the name of his new album, recorded by likely the strongest line-up in his long history. Its a lightning bolt of an album that sounds fresh, bloodthirsty and agile. "Immortal" showcases the gargantuan vocal talents of Chilean hard rock prodigy Ronnie Romero (Rainbow), backed by singers Ralf Scheepers (Primal Fear), Joe Lynn Turner (ex-Deep Purple) as well as Schenker's brother in arms, Michael Voss (Mad Max) who again produced the record alongside Michael Schenker – flawlessly, punchy and at full steam as if their very lives depended on it. Next to Michael Schenker caressing his iconic black and white Dean Flying V, we hear bass player Barry Sparks (Dokken), keyboard player Steve Mann as well as the three drummers Bodo Schopf, Simon Phillips (ex-Toto) and Brian Tichy (ex-Whitesnake) pumping gallons of fresh blood through the tracks. And that's not all, keyboard wizard extraordinaire Derek Sherinian (Dream Theater, Black Country Communion) gives the listener a baptism of fire in the blistering, heavy hitting opener "Drilled to Kill", powered by Ralf Scheepers' unbelievable vocal tornado. Now, in 2020, he reaps what he sowed. Alongside many of his peers, friends and contemporaries, he is celebrating 50 years of hard rock – fittingly with an album that is something like a zeitgeisty reminiscence of everything he’s ever done. The massive midtempo smasher "Don't Die On Me Now" sees Joe Lynn Turner going all in, Ronnie Romero works his magic in "Knight Of The Dead" while Michael Voss cuts a grand figure before the microphone as well as behind the mixing desk on the furious second single "After The Rain". "In Search Of The Peace Of Mind" is a song Michael wrote when he was 15 years old. We re-recorded this song for my 50th anniversary as a celebration and it turned out to be an epic; with an extra extension at the end of the song, which turned out absolutely fantastic with Simon Phillips on drums, doing his usual amazing stuff." The result is a true highlight and features even more surprises. "Gary Barden sings the first verse, continued by Ronnie Romero — and in the end, we have Ronnie, Doogie White and Robin McAuley screaming their heads off, as a tribute to my 50th anniversary," Michael says. "Absolute amazing. Thanks to the guys for doing this!" The limited first edition of this upcoming MSG album will feature another unique extra. "We have the MICHAEL SCHENKER FEST 'Bang Your Head' Blu-ray, recorded during our headline show in Balingen, Germany two years ago: unfixed, raw, pure and great!" said Michael. |