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| Acerca do Gamma Ray |
In 1988, after spending four years with Helloween, guitarist and songwriter Kai Hansen decided to leave the band due to, as officially announced, the enormous touring activities of the band. Eventually, Hansen decided to form his own project, with long-time friend Ralf Scheepers (vocals), Uwe Wessel (bass) and Mathias Burchard (drums). In the beginning of the project Kai did not have the intention to form a new band but as the recordings with the studio-musicians went so well sourrounded by a relaxed atmosphere among the musicians it soon became obvious: Gamma Ray was born.
As plans for the band's fourth album came along, Hansen and Schlächter were annoyed by the fact that Scheepers lived such a far way away from Hamburg. This meant that they could only do band rehearsals and such on weekends, and this put a major stopper on things. Since Scheepers had auditioned for the job as vocalist for Judas Priest, and his chances at getting the spot were considered pretty good (in the end he was among the last three candidates), Hansen asked him if he really felt that staying with Gamma Ray was the right thing to do. The two decided that it would be for the best if Scheepers left the band, and so, with no hard feelings on either side, Scheepers (today Primal Fear) left Gamma Ray. Hansen then took on the guitar-vocals duties.
In May 1995 a masterpiece of melodic metal was released: The concept album Land of the Free as a mixture of the bombast of Heading for Tomorrow and the aggressiveness and heavyness of Walls of Jericho. On this album there was again a cooperation with vocalist Michael Kiske who did the vocals for one complete song called Time to break free and the chorus of the title track. Critics around the globe were extatic. Kai and Dirk entrench themselves in their studio again in August to record the EP "Silent Miracles", an EP of four wonderful ballads. Fans say that Kai did his best ever vocal effort on A While in Dreamland, a beautiful ballad with only piano and Kai’s voice. As the EP’s final mix couldn’t be done before the upcoming tour, the release of Silent Miracles was delayed to February 1996. As said, the band left for a long and excessive european tour (Men on a tour) in September turning the venues into party shacks. This was passed on in form of a live CD called Alive ‘95 released in May 1996.
The songwriting for the new album began in late 1996 with just Dirk and Kai in the band and it took them until February 1997 to find two new members: In the person of Daniel Zimmermann they found the best drummer they ever had. Henjo Richter was engaged as guitarist, a job he had already done very well on the spanish tour the year before. The ultimate Gamma Ray, and still current, line-up was formed.
In early 2004 the band started composing demo material for the new album and finally found itself back in the studio in September to start the recordings of 11 songs, that in contrast to the last two albums, show more complexity and bombast again.The work on Majestic finally was completed in May 2005 and released September, 23rd 2005. |
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Gamma Ray
Power/Speed Metal
Lyrical theme(s)Sci-Fi/fantasy, politics, religion
Origin Formed in Current label StatusGermany (Hamburg) 1989 Steamhammer/SPV Active
Current line-upKai Hansen - Vocals, guitar (1989-) (Helloween, Iron Savior)
Henjo Richter - Guitar, keyboards (1997-) (Avantasia)
Dirk Schlächter - Bass (1990-) (Guitar 90-97) (Angra (Guest))
Dan Zimmermann - Drums (1997-) (Freedom Call, Iron Savior, Lanzer)
Session Members:Alessio Gori - Keyboards (2007-) (Flashback of Anger)
Former/past member(s)
Vocals:Ralf Scheepers (Primal Fear, Tyran' Pace, F.B.I.) - (1989-1994, Roland Grapow)
Bass:Jörg 'Tauchtnix' Schrör (Megace, Xandril, Torment (Ger)) - (on tour 2000)
Jan Rubach (Anesthesia (Ger)) - (1992-1996)
Uwe Wessel (Gothic Fate, Axe La Chapelle, Paragon (Ger), Rad Kick) - (1989-1992)
Drums:Thomas Nack (Iron Savior, Anesthesia (Ger)) - (1992-1996)
Uli Kusch (Masterplan, Shock Machine, Sinner (Ger), Helloween, Holy Moses (Ger), Mekong Delta, Roland Grapow, Beautiful Sin, Axe La Chapelle, Ride The Sky) - (1990-1992)
Mathias Burchardt - (1989-1990)
Guests:Hansi Kürsch - Vocals (1995) (Blind Guardian, Demons & Wizards)
Michael Kiske - Vocals (1995) (Helloween)
Tommy Newton - Guitar (1990) (Ian Parry, Fargo, Victory (Ger))
Tammo Vollmers - Drums (1990) (PRKLZ)
Mischa Gerlach - Keyboards (1990)
Nils Neumann - Keyboards (Freedom Call, PowerWorld)
Additional notesGamma Ray was founded by Kai Hansen after suddenly leaving Helloween in the late '80s. Kai formed Gamma Ray along side Ralf Scheepers, a big Judas Priest fan from the band Tyran' Pace. The beginning of Gamma Ray was pretty much the continuation of classic Helloween material (Hansen was the founder of that band too). In 1994 Ralf left Gamma Ray as a result of living too far away [...]
DiscographyHeading for Tomorrow Single, 1989
Heaven Can Wait/Mr.Outlaw Single, 1989
Space Eater Single, 1989
Who Do You Think You Are? Single, 1990
Heading for Tomorrow Full-length, 1990
Heaven Can Wait EP, 1990
Heading for the East Video/VHS, 1990
The Spirit Single, 1991
Sigh No More Full-length, 1991
Power of Metal Split, 1993
Future Madhouse Single, 1993
Insanity and Genius Full-length, 1993
Lust for Live Video/VHS, 1993
Rebellion In Dreamland Single, 1995
Land of the Free Full-length, 1995
Silent Miracles EP, 1996
Alive '95 Live album, 1996
The Karaoke Album Best of/Compilation, 1997
Valley of the Kings Single, 1997
Somewhere Out in Space Full-length, 1997
It's a Sin Single, 1999
Powerplant Full-length, 1999
Blast from the Past Best of/Compilation, 2000
Heaven or Hell Single, 2001
No World Order Full-length, 2001
The Ultimate Collection Boxed set, 2002
Skeletons in the Closet Live album, 2003
Majestic Full-length, 2005
Land of the Free II Full-length, 2007
Hell Yeah! The Awesome Foursome DVD, 2008
Hell Yeah! The Awesome Foursome Live album, 2008
Hell Yeah! The Awesome Foursome Boxed set, 2008
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