Happy Birthday

 Happy Birthday Herman Rarebell

Herman Rarebell (born 18 November 1949 as Hermann Josef Erbel) is a German musician, best known as the drummer for the band Scorpions from 1977 to 1995, during which time he played on eight studio albums. Aside from playing drums, Rarebell wrote or co-wrote several songs for the group such as "Another Piece of Meat", "Falling in Love" and "Passion Rules the Game". He composed the lyrics for some of the band's most well known songs such as "Rock You Like a Hurricane", "Make It Real", "Dynamite", "Blackout", "Arizona", "Bad Boys Running Wild", "Don't Stop at the Top", and "Tease Me Please Me".

Herman Rarebell received his education in the subjects drums and piano at the Musikhochschule Saarbrücken. Rarebell played drums from 1965 with the band The Mastermen, from 1968 with The Fuggs Blues and RS Rindfleisch, with whom he released one single and performed in the clubs of the US military throughout Germany. In 1972-73 he played on three albums by the Krautrock band Missus Beastly, with a line-up consisting of three RS Rindfleisch members with a new singer and two additional musicians. The following year he joined the band Onyx after the name change to Vineyard. During his time in Scorpions, Rarebell released two solo albums Nip in the Bud (1981) and Herman Ze German (1986).

Happy Birthday

 Happy Birthday Shagrath

Stian Tomt Thoresen (born 18 November 1976), known professionally as Shagrath, is a Norwegian musician best known as the vocalist, founding member and multi-instrumentalist of the band Dimmu Borgir.

Stian Thoresen was born on 18 November 1976 in Jessheim. He is a founding member, with Silenoz and Tjodalv, of Dimmu Borgir. When the band formed in 1993, Shagrath played drums, but switched to vocals before the release of the album Stormblåst in 1996. He has also played keyboards, guitar, and bass guitar. Shagrath played guitar in Fimbulwinter until the band split up in 1992. Fimbulwinter released one album, Servants of Sorcery, through Hot Records (Shagrath's record label) in 1994. Shagrath is the rhythm guitarist/songwriter and founding member of the hard rock band Chrome Division, which formed in 2004.

In late 2009, Shagrath and King ov Hell formed the black metal supergroup Ov Hell. In February 2010 the band released an album entitled The Underworld Regime. Shagrath has also played guest keyboards in the black metal band Ragnarok, and had a solo project named Starkness

Shagrath has said this about his stage name: "Shagrath is an demon name orc demon from the book Lord of the Rings. I chose the name thirteen years ago, so it's kinda crappy that Lord of the Rings has become so big now. Fortunately it [the name] didn't get that much attention in the movie, so it turned out all OK." The Tolkien character Shagrat is however not a demon, but the orc commander over Cirith Ungol

Oz

 Today in 2011 Oz released the album Burning Leather

Nakkila,Finland (early), Sweden (now) Heavy Metal

Status:Active

Years active: 1977-1991, 2010-present

The band Oz made a major splash with their 1983 album Fire In The Brain, a great NWOBHM-flavored energetic metal affair that won over critics and fans alike. The subsequent albums, however, failed to elicit the same response, and the band faded from worldwide view. By the time of their last album, Roll The Dice, the band had become half-Swedish with considerable lineup changes, and (based on some reports) a change in style as well. Apparently the band has reformed as of February 2010.

AFM Records

Jay C. Blade Bass, Vocals (backing)

Mark Ruffneck Drums

Costello Hautamäki Guitars (lead)

Markku Petander Guitars (rhythm)

Ape De Martini Vocals

1. Dominator 03:06

2. Searchlights 03:11

3. Let Sleeping Dogs Lie 04:20

4. Fire in the Brain 02:56

5. Seasons in the Darkness 05:33

6. Turn the Cross Upside Down 04:36

7. Burning Leather 04:30

8. Gambler 03:15

9. Enter Stadium 04:15

10. Total Metal 02:54

11. Third Warning 04:27

43:03

Tracks 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 & 11 are re-recordings.

Iron Savior

 Today in 2011 iron Savior released the albumThe Landing

Hamburg,Germany Speed/Power Metal

Status:Active

Years active: 1996-present

Iron Savior is a band originally conceived by Piet Sielck, who played in early versions of Helloween and later worked as a sound engineer for Blind Guardian. Putting those connections to good use, Sielck drafted friends Kai Hansen and drummer Thomas Stauch (along with a couple of guest musicians) to complete the project's early formation. Though Hansen and Stauch are long gone, Sielck's mob have prospered over the years, now up to seven releases strong. Not surprisingly, the band plays speedy, early Helloween-styled melodic power metal, rarely straying outside the confines of the genre but nonetheless proving themselves one of the more popular bands of the German power metal scene. .

AFM Records

Piet Sielck Vocals, Guitars

Jan-Sören Eckert Bass, Vocals (backing)

Thomas Nack Drums, Percussion

Joachim "Piesel" Küstner Guitars, Vocals (backing)

1. Descending 01:05

2. The Savior 04:48

3. Starlight 04:51

4. March of Doom 04:43

5. Heavy Metal Never Dies 04:14

6. Moment in Time 05:07

7. Hall of the Heroes 05:39

8. R.U. Ready? 04:49

9. Faster than All 05:03

10. Before the Pain 04:34

11. No Guts, No Glory 04:31

49:24

Recorded, mixed and mastered at Powerhouse Studio, Hamburg in June - September 2011.

Drums recorded at Rekorder Studio, Hamburg in August 2011.

Eisregen

Today in 2011 Eisregen release the EP Madenreich

Thuringia,Germany Gothic/Black/Death Metal

Status:Active

Years active: 1995-present

German death metal band Eisregen is chiefly notable for singing in their native language rather than English and for being "indexed" by Die Bundesprüfstelle für Jugendgefährdende Medien (i.e., the Federal Department for Media Harmful to Young Persons). For example, the band's album Krebskolonie (1998) is prohibited from being played in public for audience members under the age of 18, a fate known as verbreitungsverbot, on account of its lyrics, which were deemed "grausamen, menschenverachtenden, frauenfeindlichen und verrohenden" (i.e., cruel, human-despising, misogynistic, and brutalizing). Other Eisregen albums, including Farbenfinsternis (2001) and Wundwasser (2004), were indexed as well -- actions that severely limited the band's commercial ability while at the same time engendering infamy. In fact, it was in the wake of Wundwasser's indexing that the band enjoyed its best chart debut to date, as Blutbahnen (2007) entered the German album chart at number 32.

Massacre Records

Yantit Drums, Synthesizer

Bursche Lenz Guitars, Bass

M. Roth Vocals

Franzi Piano

1. Madenreich 03:48

2. Madenreich (Edit) 03:48

3. Ich, Zombie 04:50

12:26

Dragonland

 Today in 2011 Dragonland released the album Under the Grey Banner

Gothenburg, Sweden Symphonic Power Metal

Status:Active

Years active: 1999-present

First off, the name -- could a band called Dragonland play anything other than Euro power metal? Of course not. Europe (specifically, in this case, Sweden) surely has no shortage of power metal bands, each one seemingly more accomplished than the next, and such is the case with Dragonland. Reviewed here is Astronomy, their 2006 album and fourth since forming in 1999. This is a classic example of a melodic, epic, grandiose power metal album -- neither the super-happy Germanic style, nor the overly symphonic style a la Rhapsody Of Fire, but somewhere in between. The vocals are typically clear and melodic, the production crisp and clean, the arrangements neat and tidy, as it seems is always the case with these kind of bands. On the plus side, there is a bit of variance between songs -- it's all power metal, to be sure, but at least every song doesn't sound like the next, with more traditional metal influences and even the occasional rough edge (harsh guest vocals on "Antimatter", for example). As is the case with many similar bands, Dragonland isn't going to win over non-believers, but their fan base is set and these guys know what to do to satisfy those fans. On that level, Astronomy delivers.

AFM Records

Jesse Lindskog Guitars

Jonas Heidgert Vocals

Olof Mörck Guitars (lead), Violin

Elias Holmlid Keyboards

Anders Hammer Bass

Morten Løwe Sørensen Drums

Guest/Session

Anna Mariann Lundberg Vocals (additional)

Olof Mörck Keyboards (additional) (tracks 2, 7)

Fred Johanson Vocals (additional)

Jake E Vocals (additional)

Elize Ryd Vocals (additional)

Andreas Solveström Vocals (additional)

1. Ilmarion 03:18 instrumental

2. Shadow of the Mithril Mountains 05:44

3. The Tempest 04:13

4. A Thousand Towers White 04:07

5. Fire and Brimstone 04:31

6. The Black Mare 06:13

7. Lady of Goldenwood 04:16

8. Dûrnir's Forge 04:58

9. The Trials of Mount Farnor 05:26

10. Throne of Bones 01:47 Instrumental

11. Under the Grey Banner 08:04

12. Ivory Shores 03:18 Instrumental

55:55

The third and final part of the trilogy "Dragonland Chronicles".

Cast:

Jonas Heidgert as: Ilmarion the Islander

Anna Mariann Lundberg as: Duviel the Elf Queen

Fred Johansson as: The King of Westmar

Elize Ryd as: Sariel the Elf Princess

Andy Solveström as: Gargoth the Orcish Lord

Elias Holmlid as: Grimmdane Skullcleaver and Dwarven Council

Recording information:

Recorded from September 2009 to August 2011 at The Mithril Mountain Studios, Skullcleaver Studios and Hansen Studios, Ribe, Denmark.

Coronatus

 Today in 2011 Coronatus released the album Terra Incognita

Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg,Germany Gothic Metal

Status:Active

Years active: 1999-present

Coronatus is a German Symphonic metal band, formed in Ludwigsburg, Germany in 1999.

Coronatus is a German Symphonic metal band, formed in Ludwigsburg, Germany in 1999.

Fronted by two female singers with contrasting voices and styles, the band has released seven studio album since 2007.

Originally founded in 1999 by vocalist Georgios Grigoriadis and drummer Mats Kurth, Coronatus released its debut single Von Engeln nur in 2002. In 2004, Grigoriadis left, and was replaced by not one but two singers, Carmen R. Schäfer and Viola Schuch. The permanent line-up was expanded in 2006 with the addition of guitarist Stefan Häfele, bassist Wolle Nillies and keyboardist Fabian Merkt.

2007 saw the departure of Viola Schuch, who was replaced by Ada Flechtner.

Chriz diAnno (bass) has played with the band in 2003, 2005–2006, and then again since 2007. Ada Flechtner left the band to devote full attention to her studies, but joined the German symphonic metal band Voices of Destiny in 2013, after their lead vocalist Maike Holzmann departed. Mid 2010, Natalia Kempin joined the band on the vocals and Dirk Baur joined the Band on Bass Guitar. On February 2, 2011, Natalia Kempin announced at her Facebook, that she leaves the band, due to different opinions about the band's music.

Massacre Records

Psalm Keyboards

Mats Kurth Drums

Ada Flechtner Vocals (female), Choirs

Aria Keramati Noori Guitars

Dirk Baur Bass, Vocals (backing), Choirs

Mareike Makosch Vocals (female), Choirs

Guest/Session

Ally Storch-Hukriede Fiddle

Gaby Koss Vocals (soprano), Choirs

Petra Straussova Vocals, Choirs

Albrecht Lutz Tenor, Bass, Choirs

Teddy Möhrke Tenor, Choirs

1. Saint Slayer 04:12

2. Fernes Land 03:39

3. A Dead Man's Tale 04:45

4. Sie stehen am Weg 03:21

5. Vor der Schlacht 04:51

6. Hateful Affection 03:31

7. Part I - Der Kleriker 05:13

8. Part II - Das zweite Gesicht 04:24

9. Part III - In Signo Crucis 06:17

10. Der letzte Freund 05:24

11. Traumzeit 04:18

12. Terra Incognita 04:32

54:27

A video has been made for "Fernes Land".

Tracks 7-9 are the parts of In Signo Crucis Trilogy.

“Mein Herz” engineered and mixed by Dirk Baur and Selin Schönbeck

Bonus track on Japanese edition:

14. Kristallklares Wasser (Live)

Recording information:

Recorded and mixed at Klangschmeide Studio E, Mellrichstadt.

Produced, mixed and mastered at Tonstudio E