Serious Black (GER)

[Horex]

Serious Black - As Daylight Breaks (Limited Edition Digipak) (2015)













Year : 2015
Style : Melodic Power Metal
Country : International
Audio : 320 kbps + all scans + Video
Size : 190 mb

Bio:

It all happened on a sunny 23rd of August in Spain, when Roland Grapow (ex- Helloween, Masterplan) and Mario Lochert (Emergency Gate, ex - Visions of Atlantis) had a conversation backstage over a cool beverage, talking music business – you know, what musicians usually do.For quite a while, Mario had had the idea of bringing together 6 musical masterminds to form a band floating around his head.After a few initial concerns about igniting various conflicts when getting together in that configuration, eventually Mario was able to convince Roland of his intentions.Back in Munich, Mario immediately contacted his friend of many years, Thomen Stauch (ex- Blind Guardian, Savage Circus), telling him about his idea. Thomen was sold and joined the bunch right away.After that, Jan Vacik (ex- Dreamscape) and Dominik Sebastian (Edenbridge) were quick to agree to a collaboration, too. With that, a new band was born, consisting of five highly motivated musicians!Initially, it turned out to be quite a task to bring these full-time musical workaholics together in one studio at the same time. However, against all odds, they got together on short notice in January 2014.Needless to say, when they arrived at the “Dreamsound Studios” Munich, none of the blokes had any idea yet where exactly their musical venture would take them.After a long night, accompanied with numerous anecdotes from the world of music and a solid amount of beers (which, of course, were just “meant to keep the vocal cords smooth”), the band started the songwriting phase!Everyone was on the same wavelength, as if they had been working together in this configuration for decades.The fact that they were able to collectively write songs, without any pressures and in an awesome environment, gave wings to these 5 maniacal musicians and got their juices flowing to create something outstanding.Everyone was literally bubbling with ideas and as soon as 7 days later, they had written eight roughly structured songs, building a foundation for a powerful and melodic Power Metal record!Yet what good can awesome songs do without a voice to carry them? After a few considerations as to a fitting singer for the band, the newly formed group contacted the US-based Swedish expat “Urban Breed” (ex-Tad Morose, ex- Bloodbound, Trail of Murder). After exchanging just a few emails and samples, the answer was loud and clear: “Ok, I’m in, if you really want it! After a short wait, he submitted his first song ideas which fit in with the existing songs seamlessly.These 6 musical warriors are currently working on their first album, which is planned to be released in early 2015, as the band intends to showcase their talent in the very same year on various tours and festivals – LIVE.

Album:

A new band - 6 members, 6 friends - all with huge experience and knowledge from many years in the business and being part of the most successful melodic metal bands: this is SERIOUS BLACK! The line-up consists of Roland Grapow (Masterplan, ex-Helloween), Thomen Stauch (ex-Blind Guardian), Mario Lochert (ex-Visions Of Atlantis), Dominik Sebastian (Edenbridge), Jan Vacik (ex-Dreamscape) and (last but not least) the golden voice of Urban Breed (ex-Tad Morose). SERIOUS BLACK is different to many of the so-called “allstar” bands, because in fact, they are a real band. A band that crafted their incredible debut album “As Daylight Breaks” together, with every member involved into songwriting and recordings, a band that can’t wait to enter the stages. “As Daylight Breaks” is a real teamwork effort, a melodic metal jewel displaying conviction, amazing musicianship and outstanding songwriting. Fans who embrace classic melodic metal in the vein of Avantasia or Masterplan have found a new favorite band now: SERIOUS BLACK! On European tour with HammerFall in January/February 2015!

Line Up:

Urban Breed - Vocals (Project Arcadia, Trail of Murder, Serious Black, ex-Bloodbound, ex-Pyramaze, ex-Tad Morose, ex-Dark Empire)
Roland Grapow - Guitars (Masterplan, Roland Grapow, Serious Black, ex-Helloween, ex-Rampage)
Dominik Sebastian - Guitars (Edenbridge, Shadows' Grey, Thirdmoon, Serious Black, ex-Scargod, ex-In Slumber (live), ex-Olemus (live), ex-Astaroth (live), ex-Mortus, ex-Patunum (live), ex-Nana D. (live), ex-Out of Cage (live), ex-Swanpoem (live))
Mario Lochert - Bass (Emergency Gate, Serious Black, ex-Visions of Atlantis)
Jan Vacik - Keyboards (D-Vision, Serious Black, ex-D-Lusion, ex-Dreamscape, ex-Persiflage, ex-Schnupn)
Thomen Stauch - Drums (Savage Circus, ex-Coldseed, Serious Black, ex-Blind Guardian, ex-Heavenward, ex-Iron Savior, ex-Stormrider, ex-Lucifer's Heritage, ex-Stranded Guns)

Tracklist:

01. I Seek No Other Life
02. High And Low
03. Sealing My Fate
04. Temple of the Sun
05. Akhenaton
06. My Mystic Mind
07. Trail of Murder
08. As Daylight Breaks
09. Someone Else s Life (Digipak Bonus Track)
10. Setting Fire to the Earth
11. Older And Wiser
12. Listen to the Storm
13. Fly On (Digipak Bonus Track)
14. No Son of Mine (Digipak Bonus Track)

+ Video - "High And Low" (Official Video)



Download links for all albums only on our blog here: http://goodmetalandhar.do.am/

[Horex]

Serious Black - As Daylight Breaks (Japan Edition) (2015)













Year : 2015 (Japan Edition)
Style : Melodic Power Metal
Country : International
Audio : 320 kbps + all scans
Size : 190 mb

Bio:

It all happened on a sunny 23rd of August in Spain, when Roland Grapow (ex- Helloween, Masterplan) and Mario Lochert (Emergency Gate, ex - Visions of Atlantis) had a conversation backstage over a cool beverage, talking music business – you know, what musicians usually do.For quite a while, Mario had had the idea of bringing together 6 musical masterminds to form a band floating around his head.After a few initial concerns about igniting various conflicts when getting together in that configuration, eventually Mario was able to convince Roland of his intentions.Back in Munich, Mario immediately contacted his friend of many years, Thomen Stauch (ex- Blind Guardian, Savage Circus), telling him about his idea. Thomen was sold and joined the bunch right away.After that, Jan Vacik (ex- Dreamscape) and Dominik Sebastian (Edenbridge) were quick to agree to a collaboration, too. With that, a new band was born, consisting of five highly motivated musicians!Initially, it turned out to be quite a task to bring these full-time musical workaholics together in one studio at the same time. However, against all odds, they got together on short notice in January 2014.Needless to say, when they arrived at the “Dreamsound Studios” Munich, none of the blokes had any idea yet where exactly their musical venture would take them.After a long night, accompanied with numerous anecdotes from the world of music and a solid amount of beers (which, of course, were just “meant to keep the vocal cords smooth”), the band started the songwriting phase!Everyone was on the same wavelength, as if they had been working together in this configuration for decades.The fact that they were able to collectively write songs, without any pressures and in an awesome environment, gave wings to these 5 maniacal musicians and got their juices flowing to create something outstanding.Everyone was literally bubbling with ideas and as soon as 7 days later, they had written eight roughly structured songs, building a foundation for a powerful and melodic Power Metal record!Yet what good can awesome songs do without a voice to carry them? After a few considerations as to a fitting singer for the band, the newly formed group contacted the US-based Swedish expat “Urban Breed” (ex-Tad Morose, ex- Bloodbound, Trail of Murder). After exchanging just a few emails and samples, the answer was loud and clear: “Ok, I’m in, if you really want it! After a short wait, he submitted his first song ideas which fit in with the existing songs seamlessly.These 6 musical warriors are currently working on their first album, which is planned to be released in early 2015, as the band intends to showcase their talent in the very same year on various tours and festivals – LIVE.

Album:

A new band - 6 members, 6 friends - all with huge experience and knowledge from many years in the business and being part of the most successful melodic metal bands: this is SERIOUS BLACK! The line-up consists of Roland Grapow (Masterplan, ex-Helloween), Thomen Stauch (ex-Blind Guardian), Mario Lochert (ex-Visions Of Atlantis), Dominik Sebastian (Edenbridge), Jan Vacik (ex-Dreamscape) and (last but not least) the golden voice of Urban Breed (ex-Tad Morose). SERIOUS BLACK is different to many of the so-called “allstar” bands, because in fact, they are a real band. A band that crafted their incredible debut album “As Daylight Breaks” together, with every member involved into songwriting and recordings, a band that can’t wait to enter the stages. “As Daylight Breaks” is a real teamwork effort, a melodic metal jewel displaying conviction, amazing musicianship and outstanding songwriting. Fans who embrace classic melodic metal in the vein of Avantasia or Masterplan have found a new favorite band now: SERIOUS BLACK! On European tour with HammerFall in January/February 2015!

Line Up:

Urban Breed - Vocals (Project Arcadia, Trail of Murder, Serious Black, ex-Bloodbound, ex-Pyramaze, ex-Tad Morose, ex-Dark Empire)
Roland Grapow - Guitars (Masterplan, Roland Grapow, Serious Black, ex-Helloween, ex-Rampage)
Dominik Sebastian - Guitars (Edenbridge, Shadows' Grey, Thirdmoon, Serious Black, ex-Scargod, ex-In Slumber (live), ex-Olemus (live), ex-Astaroth (live), ex-Mortus, ex-Patunum (live), ex-Nana D. (live), ex-Out of Cage (live), ex-Swanpoem (live))
Mario Lochert - Bass (Emergency Gate, Serious Black, ex-Visions of Atlantis)
Jan Vacik - Keyboards (D-Vision, Serious Black, ex-D-Lusion, ex-Dreamscape, ex-Persiflage, ex-Schnupn)
Thomen Stauch - Drums (Savage Circus, ex-Coldseed, Serious Black, ex-Blind Guardian, ex-Heavenward, ex-Iron Savior, ex-Stormrider, ex-Lucifer's Heritage, ex-Stranded Guns)

Tracklist:

01. I Seek No Other Life
02. High And Low
03. Sealing My Fate
04. Temple of the Sun
05. Akhenaton
06. My Mystic Mind
07. Trail of Murder
08. As Daylight Breaks
09. Someone Else s Life (Digipak Bonus Track)
10. Setting Fire to the Earth
11. Older And Wiser
12. Listen to the Storm
13. Fly On (Digipak Bonus Track)
14. No Son of Mine (Digipak Bonus Track)
15. I Show You My Heart (Japan Bonus Track)



Download links for all albums only on our blog here: http://goodmetalandhar.do.am/

[Horex]

Serious Black - Mirrorworld (Limited Edition Digipak) (2016)













Year : 2016
Style : Melodic Power Metal
Country : International
Audio : 320 kbps + all scans + Video
Size : 190 mb

Bio:

It all happened on a sunny 23rd of August in Spain, when Roland Grapow (ex- Helloween, Masterplan) and Mario Lochert (Emergency Gate, ex - Visions of Atlantis) had a conversation backstage over a cool beverage, talking music business – you know, what musicians usually do.For quite a while, Mario had had the idea of bringing together 6 musical masterminds to form a band floating around his head.After a few initial concerns about igniting various conflicts when getting together in that configuration, eventually Mario was able to convince Roland of his intentions.Back in Munich, Mario immediately contacted his friend of many years, Thomen Stauch (ex- Blind Guardian, Savage Circus), telling him about his idea. Thomen was sold and joined the bunch right away.After that, Jan Vacik (ex- Dreamscape) and Dominik Sebastian (Edenbridge) were quick to agree to a collaboration, too. With that, a new band was born, consisting of five highly motivated musicians!Initially, it turned out to be quite a task to bring these full-time musical workaholics together in one studio at the same time. However, against all odds, they got together on short notice in January 2014.Needless to say, when they arrived at the “Dreamsound Studios” Munich, none of the blokes had any idea yet where exactly their musical venture would take them.After a long night, accompanied with numerous anecdotes from the world of music and a solid amount of beers (which, of course, were just “meant to keep the vocal cords smooth”), the band started the songwriting phase!Everyone was on the same wavelength, as if they had been working together in this configuration for decades.The fact that they were able to collectively write songs, without any pressures and in an awesome environment, gave wings to these 5 maniacal musicians and got their juices flowing to create something outstanding.Everyone was literally bubbling with ideas and as soon as 7 days later, they had written eight roughly structured songs, building a foundation for a powerful and melodic Power Metal record!Yet what good can awesome songs do without a voice to carry them? After a few considerations as to a fitting singer for the band, the newly formed group contacted the US-based Swedish expat “Urban Breed” (ex-Tad Morose, ex- Bloodbound, Trail of Murder). After exchanging just a few emails and samples, the answer was loud and clear: “Ok, I’m in, if you really want it! After a short wait, he submitted his first song ideas which fit in with the existing songs seamlessly.These 6 musical warriors are currently working on their first album, which is planned to be released in early 2015, as the band intends to showcase their talent in the very same year on various tours and festivals – LIVE.

Album:

Serious Black was conceived in 2014 with the likes of Urban Breed (ex-Bloodbound, ex-Tad Morose, Project Arcadia and others), Mario Lockhert (ex-Visions of Atlantis) Thomem Stauch (Savage Circus, ex-Blind Guardian) and Roland Grapow (Masterplan, ex-Helloween) joining forces, to form what we often call a “supergroup”. Their debut album, ‘As Daylight Breaks’, was a very fun and accessible form of power metal and quickly stole the hearts of many euro-power fans, including myself. Being a sucker for Urban Breed–who I think is one of the best power metal vocalists of all time – I was very pleased to hear that this was not just a one-time wonder and Serious Black was in the process of releasing another album with less than a year of wait.There were considerable changes in the lineup, though, as Grapow and Stauch retired from the band, with heavy hitters Bob Katsionis (Constantine, Firewind and 500 other acts) and Alex Holzwarth (Rhapsody of Fire) filling the (big) shoes in the guitar and drumming departments, respectively. ‘Mirrorworld’ will be available on September 9th via AFM Records, continuing where ‘As Daylight Breaks’ left off musically.The experience begins with a short intro – commonly adopted in power metal bands – followed by the explosive “As Long as I’m Alive”, a song that you may be familiar with, having been released not so long ago as a single. The tune mainly follows the steps of “I Seek No Other Life” as a bombastic fast-paced opener with a catchy melody, which turns it into one of the best tracks of the album. “Castor Skies” slows down but keeps the energetic pace in a lead-driven tune and a melodic chorus. A good follow-up and extremely well executed, especially by Katsionis and Dominik Sebastian providing a good amount of virtuosity. Sadly, the ball drops a bit in “Heartbroken Soul” and “Dying Hearts”; the first one is a power-ballad, and after a few listens becomes sort of disposable, mainly because it breaks the atmosphere and feels like a mechanic song made for commercial purposes. The second one has a rather strange arrangement with Jan Vacik doing the vocal lines at a lower key to match the instruments. Both of them, though, are not weak enough to ruin the whole experience.And then, in another strange turnaround, comes “You’re Not Alone”. I warn you: keep clear of this song if you hate having a chorus stuck in your head like lice on a 5-year old child. Perfect-pace, the right amount of riffs, a very cool solo and an awesome groovy atmosphere fill the track, the best of the bunch by far, in my opinion. The title-track comes next and, along with “Dying Hearts”, is a song that contains a lot of elements from modern AOR bands like Nordic Union or Phantom 5, which I most definitely don’t like, but curiously enough bodes well for the tune. I’m not saying that “Mirrorworld” is an AOR song, but there are things like the distortion of the guitars and the groovy-like construction that add to the modernity of the sound and provide that type of similarity. “State of My Despair” and “The Unborn Never Die” are two quality tracks that close the album in a good fashion, but none of them brings anything spectacular to the table.Great execution, crystal clear production and talented musicians make Serious Black a reliable and fun band to listen. Urban Breed is something special and everything he puts his hands on is worth checking out, and this sort of modern approach to European power metal is luring more and more attention every day. Despite being a very accessible album, ‘Mirrorworld’ suit a specific niche of the heavy metal community. Those who twist their noses to modern types of production and songwriting will most likely steer away from this, while the power metal fan and the more casual listener will get a lot of spins out of it. Serious Black will most definitely not sweep you off your feet with deep, meaningful insights in the form of music, but rest assured that ‘Mirrorworld’ is guaranteed fun, as power metal should be.

Line Up:

Mario Lochert - Bass (Emergency Gate, ex-Visions of Atlantis)
Dominik Sebastian - Guitars (Edenbridge, Shadows' Grey, Thirdmoon, ex-Scargod, ex-In Slumber (live), ex-Olemus (live), ex-Astaroth (live), ex-Mortus, ex-Patunum (live), ex-Nana D. (live), ex-Out of Cage (live), ex-Swanpoem (live))
Jan Vacik - Keyboards (ex-D-Lusion, D-Vision, ex-Dreamscape, ex-Persiflage, ex-Schnupn)
Urban breed - Vocals (Project Arcadia, ex-Bloodbound, ex-Pyramaze, ex-Tad Morose, ex-Trail of Murder, ex-Dark Empire)
Alex Holzwarth - Drums (Dol Ammad, Rhapsody of Fire, ex-Sieges Even, ex-Looking-Glass-Self, ex-Val'Paraiso, Brutal Godz, ex-Avantasia, ex-Luca Turilli's Rhapsody, ex-Paradox, ex-Pergana, ex-Blind Guardian (live))
Bob Katsionis - Guitars (Bob Katsionis, Constantine, Firewind, Ioannis Anastassakis, Outloud, Teo Ross, ex-Encomium, ex-Imaginery, ex-Retrospect, ex-Revolution Renaissance, ex-Zion, ex-Mirage, ex-Skyward, ex-Acid Death, ex-Casus Belli, ex-Karmic Link, ex-Nightfall, ex-Perpetual, ex-Deviser (live), ex-Septicflesh (live), ex-Star Queen, ex-Fatal Morgana, ex-Jade Lizard, ex-Lighthunters)

Tracklist:

01. Breaking The Surface 01:52
02. As Long As I'm Alive 04:00
03. Castor Skies 04:24
04. Heartbroken Soul 03:45
05. Dying Hearts 05:02
06. You're Not Alone 03:41
07. Mirrorworld 05:02
08. Emotional Blackmail (Bonus Track) 04:07
09. The Life That You Want (Bonus Track) 04:28
10. State Of My Despair 04:28
11. The Unborn Never Die 03:52
12. This Machine Is Broken 04:35 (Bonus Track)
13. Hello Moon 04:12 (Bonus Track)
14. Goodbye My Angel 04:33 (Bonus Track)
15. I Show You My Heart (Acoustic Version) 05:13 (Bonus Track)
16. Sealing My Fate (Acoustic Version) 03:18 (Bonus Track)

+ Video "Castor Skies" (Official Video)



Download links for all albums only on our blog here: http://goodmetalandhar.do.am/

[Horex]

Serious Black - Mirrorworld (Japan Edition) (2016)













Year : 2016 (Japan Edition)
Style : Melodic Power Metal
Country : International
Audio : 320 kbps + all scans + Video
Size : 190 mb

Bio:

It all happened on a sunny 23rd of August in Spain, when Roland Grapow (ex- Helloween, Masterplan) and Mario Lochert (Emergency Gate, ex - Visions of Atlantis) had a conversation backstage over a cool beverage, talking music business – you know, what musicians usually do.For quite a while, Mario had had the idea of bringing together 6 musical masterminds to form a band floating around his head.After a few initial concerns about igniting various conflicts when getting together in that configuration, eventually Mario was able to convince Roland of his intentions.Back in Munich, Mario immediately contacted his friend of many years, Thomen Stauch (ex- Blind Guardian, Savage Circus), telling him about his idea. Thomen was sold and joined the bunch right away.After that, Jan Vacik (ex- Dreamscape) and Dominik Sebastian (Edenbridge) were quick to agree to a collaboration, too. With that, a new band was born, consisting of five highly motivated musicians!Initially, it turned out to be quite a task to bring these full-time musical workaholics together in one studio at the same time. However, against all odds, they got together on short notice in January 2014.Needless to say, when they arrived at the “Dreamsound Studios” Munich, none of the blokes had any idea yet where exactly their musical venture would take them.After a long night, accompanied with numerous anecdotes from the world of music and a solid amount of beers (which, of course, were just “meant to keep the vocal cords smooth”), the band started the songwriting phase!Everyone was on the same wavelength, as if they had been working together in this configuration for decades.The fact that they were able to collectively write songs, without any pressures and in an awesome environment, gave wings to these 5 maniacal musicians and got their juices flowing to create something outstanding.Everyone was literally bubbling with ideas and as soon as 7 days later, they had written eight roughly structured songs, building a foundation for a powerful and melodic Power Metal record!Yet what good can awesome songs do without a voice to carry them? After a few considerations as to a fitting singer for the band, the newly formed group contacted the US-based Swedish expat “Urban Breed” (ex-Tad Morose, ex- Bloodbound, Trail of Murder). After exchanging just a few emails and samples, the answer was loud and clear: “Ok, I’m in, if you really want it! After a short wait, he submitted his first song ideas which fit in with the existing songs seamlessly.These 6 musical warriors are currently working on their first album, which is planned to be released in early 2015, as the band intends to showcase their talent in the very same year on various tours and festivals – LIVE.

Album:

Serious Black was conceived in 2014 with the likes of Urban Breed (ex-Bloodbound, ex-Tad Morose, Project Arcadia and others), Mario Lockhert (ex-Visions of Atlantis) Thomem Stauch (Savage Circus, ex-Blind Guardian) and Roland Grapow (Masterplan, ex-Helloween) joining forces, to form what we often call a “supergroup”. Their debut album, ‘As Daylight Breaks’, was a very fun and accessible form of power metal and quickly stole the hearts of many euro-power fans, including myself. Being a sucker for Urban Breed–who I think is one of the best power metal vocalists of all time – I was very pleased to hear that this was not just a one-time wonder and Serious Black was in the process of releasing another album with less than a year of wait.There were considerable changes in the lineup, though, as Grapow and Stauch retired from the band, with heavy hitters Bob Katsionis (Constantine, Firewind and 500 other acts) and Alex Holzwarth (Rhapsody of Fire) filling the (big) shoes in the guitar and drumming departments, respectively. ‘Mirrorworld’ will be available on September 9th via AFM Records, continuing where ‘As Daylight Breaks’ left off musically.The experience begins with a short intro – commonly adopted in power metal bands – followed by the explosive “As Long as I’m Alive”, a song that you may be familiar with, having been released not so long ago as a single. The tune mainly follows the steps of “I Seek No Other Life” as a bombastic fast-paced opener with a catchy melody, which turns it into one of the best tracks of the album. “Castor Skies” slows down but keeps the energetic pace in a lead-driven tune and a melodic chorus. A good follow-up and extremely well executed, especially by Katsionis and Dominik Sebastian providing a good amount of virtuosity. Sadly, the ball drops a bit in “Heartbroken Soul” and “Dying Hearts”; the first one is a power-ballad, and after a few listens becomes sort of disposable, mainly because it breaks the atmosphere and feels like a mechanic song made for commercial purposes. The second one has a rather strange arrangement with Jan Vacik doing the vocal lines at a lower key to match the instruments. Both of them, though, are not weak enough to ruin the whole experience.And then, in another strange turnaround, comes “You’re Not Alone”. I warn you: keep clear of this song if you hate having a chorus stuck in your head like lice on a 5-year old child. Perfect-pace, the right amount of riffs, a very cool solo and an awesome groovy atmosphere fill the track, the best of the bunch by far, in my opinion. The title-track comes next and, along with “Dying Hearts”, is a song that contains a lot of elements from modern AOR bands like Nordic Union or Phantom 5, which I most definitely don’t like, but curiously enough bodes well for the tune. I’m not saying that “Mirrorworld” is an AOR song, but there are things like the distortion of the guitars and the groovy-like construction that add to the modernity of the sound and provide that type of similarity. “State of My Despair” and “The Unborn Never Die” are two quality tracks that close the album in a good fashion, but none of them brings anything spectacular to the table.Great execution, crystal clear production and talented musicians make Serious Black a reliable and fun band to listen. Urban Breed is something special and everything he puts his hands on is worth checking out, and this sort of modern approach to European power metal is luring more and more attention every day. Despite being a very accessible album, ‘Mirrorworld’ suit a specific niche of the heavy metal community. Those who twist their noses to modern types of production and songwriting will most likely steer away from this, while the power metal fan and the more casual listener will get a lot of spins out of it. Serious Black will most definitely not sweep you off your feet with deep, meaningful insights in the form of music, but rest assured that ‘Mirrorworld’ is guaranteed fun, as power metal should be.

Line Up:

Mario Lochert - Bass (Emergency Gate, ex-Visions of Atlantis)
Dominik Sebastian - Guitars (Edenbridge, Shadows' Grey, Thirdmoon, ex-Scargod, ex-In Slumber (live), ex-Olemus (live), ex-Astaroth (live), ex-Mortus, ex-Patunum (live), ex-Nana D. (live), ex-Out of Cage (live), ex-Swanpoem (live))
Jan Vacik - Keyboards (ex-D-Lusion, D-Vision, ex-Dreamscape, ex-Persiflage, ex-Schnupn)
Urban breed - Vocals (Project Arcadia, ex-Bloodbound, ex-Pyramaze, ex-Tad Morose, ex-Trail of Murder, ex-Dark Empire)
Alex Holzwarth - Drums (Dol Ammad, Rhapsody of Fire, ex-Sieges Even, ex-Looking-Glass-Self, ex-Val'Paraiso, Brutal Godz, ex-Avantasia, ex-Luca Turilli's Rhapsody, ex-Paradox, ex-Pergana, ex-Blind Guardian (live))
Bob Katsionis - Guitars (Bob Katsionis, Constantine, Firewind, Ioannis Anastassakis, Outloud, Teo Ross, ex-Encomium, ex-Imaginery, ex-Retrospect, ex-Revolution Renaissance, ex-Zion, ex-Mirage, ex-Skyward, ex-Acid Death, ex-Casus Belli, ex-Karmic Link, ex-Nightfall, ex-Perpetual, ex-Deviser (live), ex-Septicflesh (live), ex-Star Queen, ex-Fatal Morgana, ex-Jade Lizard, ex-Lighthunters)

Tracklist:

01. Breaking The Surface
02. As Long As I'm Alive
03. Castor Skies
04. Heartbroken Soul
05. Dying Hearts
06. You're Not Alone
07. Mirrorworld
08. Emotional Blackmail (Bonus Track)
09. The Life That You Want (Bonus Track)
10. State Of My Despair
11. The Unborn Never Die
12. This Machine Is Broken (Bonus Track)
13. Hello Moon (Bonus Track)
14. Goodbye My Angel (Bonus Track)
15. Irreverence And Pride (Japan Bonus Track)

+ Video "Castor Skies" (Official Video)



Download links for all albums only on our blog here: http://goodmetalandhar.do.am/

[Horex]

Serious Black - Magic (2CD) (Japan Limited Edition) (2017)













Year : 2017
Style : Melodic Power Metal
Country : International
Audio : 320 kbps + all scans + Video
Size : 190 mb

Bio:

It all happened on a sunny 23rd of August in Spain, when Roland Grapow (ex- Helloween, Masterplan) and Mario Lochert (Emergency Gate, ex - Visions of Atlantis) had a conversation backstage over a cool beverage, talking music business – you know, what musicians usually do.For quite a while, Mario had had the idea of bringing together 6 musical masterminds to form a band floating around his head.After a few initial concerns about igniting various conflicts when getting together in that configuration, eventually Mario was able to convince Roland of his intentions.Back in Munich, Mario immediately contacted his friend of many years, Thomen Stauch (ex- Blind Guardian, Savage Circus), telling him about his idea. Thomen was sold and joined the bunch right away.After that, Jan Vacik (ex- Dreamscape) and Dominik Sebastian (Edenbridge) were quick to agree to a collaboration, too. With that, a new band was born, consisting of five highly motivated musicians!Initially, it turned out to be quite a task to bring these full-time musical workaholics together in one studio at the same time. However, against all odds, they got together on short notice in January 2014.Needless to say, when they arrived at the “Dreamsound Studios” Munich, none of the blokes had any idea yet where exactly their musical venture would take them.After a long night, accompanied with numerous anecdotes from the world of music and a solid amount of beers (which, of course, were just “meant to keep the vocal cords smooth”), the band started the songwriting phase!Everyone was on the same wavelength, as if they had been working together in this configuration for decades.The fact that they were able to collectively write songs, without any pressures and in an awesome environment, gave wings to these 5 maniacal musicians and got their juices flowing to create something outstanding.Everyone was literally bubbling with ideas and as soon as 7 days later, they had written eight roughly structured songs, building a foundation for a powerful and melodic Power Metal record!Yet what good can awesome songs do without a voice to carry them? After a few considerations as to a fitting singer for the band, the newly formed group contacted the US-based Swedish expat “Urban Breed” (ex-Tad Morose, ex- Bloodbound, Trail of Murder). After exchanging just a few emails and samples, the answer was loud and clear: “Ok, I’m in, if you really want it! After a short wait, he submitted his first song ideas which fit in with the existing songs seamlessly.These 6 musical warriors are currently working on their first album, which is planned to be released in early 2015, as the band intends to showcase their talent in the very same year on various tours and festivals – LIVE.

Album:

What melodic power metal band Serious Black has achieved in less than three years of band history and with only two albums under their belts, is extraordinary. The band, consisting of musicians from bands such as Firewind, Rhapsody, Tad Morose, Edenbridge, Visions Of Atlantis and Dreamscape, has positioned itself directly among the leading formations of their genre. Tours with HammerFall and Gamma Ray made the fanbase grow rapidly and with the first headlining tour in September 2016, SB impressively demonstrated that they are a real live force! Inspired by the consistently euphoric reactions of fans and the media alike, the band will already release its third studio album, titled "Magic", which will be available at the end of August. The album was mixed by Michael Streefkerk (Def Leppard) and mastered by Mikka Jussila (Finnvox Studios). SB's vision for “Magic” was to create a diverse, heavy, melodic album with more focus on organic feel and a more natural sound than many productions these days offer.“Magic” sees SB reach the peak of their creativity and takes the listener on a journey through a world of mystery. A 14-songs strong jewel case CD marks the “basic” album, while the 2CD digipak comes with a bonus CD (”Live In Atlanta”) and the ltd. “Witch Board” box set even includes an additional unplugged CD. Of course “Magic” is also available on (black and white) vinyl. After the launch of the album, SB will hit the road once again as headliner and this time supported by special guest and AFM labelmate Herman Frank.“'Magic' is our first attempt of a concept album”, the band states. The story was created by vocalist Urban Breed, who introduces the listener to Mr. Nightmist, a figure, through generations, shrouded in mystery and legend. The follow-up to the chartbreaking “Mirrorworld” (2016) and “As Daylight Breaks” albums will be released on August 25 and it’s safe to say that fans of high class melodic metal will be amazed by the magic SB come up with this time.

Line Up:

Mario Lochert Bass (2014-present) - See also: Emergency Gate, ex-Visions of Atlantis
Dominik Sebastian Guitars (2014-present) - See also: Edenbridge, Shadows' Grey, Thirdmoon, ex-Scargod, ex-In Slumber (live), ex-Olemus (live), ex-Astaroth (live), ex-Mortus, ex-Patunum (live), ex-Nana D. (live), ex-Out of Cage (live), ex-Swanpoem (live)
Jan Vacik Keyboards (2014-present) - See also: ex-D-Lusion, D-Vision, ex-Dreamscape, ex-Persiflage, ex-Schnupn
Urban breed Vocals (2014-present) - See also: Project Arcadia, ex-Bloodbound, ex-Pyramaze, ex-Tad Morose, ex-Trail of Murder, ex-Dark Empire
Alex Holzwarth Drums (2015-present) - See also: Abracadabra, Dol Ammad, ex-Sieges Even, ex-Looking-Glass-Self, ex-Val'Paraiso, Brutal Godz, ex-Avantasia, ex-Luca Turilli's Rhapsody, ex-Paradox, ex-Pergana, ex-Rhapsody of Fire, ex-Blind Guardian (live)
Bob Katsionis Guitars (2015-present) - See also: Bob Katsionis, Burnt City, Constantine, Firewind, Ioannis Anastassakis, Outloud, Teo Ross, ex-Encomium, ex-Imaginery, ex-Retrospect, ex-Revolution Renaissance, ex-Zion, ex-Mirage, ex-Skyward, ex-Acid Death, ex-Casus Belli, ex-Karmic Link, ex-Nightfall, ex-Perpetual, ex-Deviser (live), ex-Septicflesh (live), ex-Star Queen, ex-Fatal Morgana, ex-Jade Lizard, ex-Lighthunters

Tracklist:

CD1:

01. With A Tip Of The Hat
02. Binary Magic
03. Burn! Witches Burn!
04. Lone Gunman Rule
05. Now You’ll Never Know
06. I Can Do Magic
07. Serious Black Magic
08. Skeletons On Parade
09. Mr. Nightmist
10. The Witch Of Caldwell Town
11. True Love Is Blind
12. Just Kill Me
13. Newfound Freedom
14. One Final Song
15. Fire And Ice (Japan Bonus Track)

CD2 (Live in Atlanta Bonus CD):

01.Temple Of The Sun (Intro)
02. Akhenaton
03. Castor Skies
04. Older And Wiser
05. Trail Of Murder
06. As Long As I’m Alive
07. Sealing My Fate
08. I Seek No Other Life
09. Setting Fire To The Earth
10. High And Low
11. As Daylight Breaks (Outro)

+ Video "Serious Black Magic" (Official Video)



Download links for all albums only on our blog here: http://goodmetalandhar.do.am/

[Horex]

Serious Black - Suite 226 (2020)













Year : 2020
Style : Melodic Power Metal
Country : International
Audio : 320 kbps + all scans
Size : 190 mb

Bio:

It all happened on a sunny 23rd of August in Spain, when Roland Grapow (ex- Helloween, Masterplan) and Mario Lochert (Emergency Gate, ex - Visions of Atlantis) had a conversation backstage over a cool beverage, talking music business – you know, what musicians usually do.For quite a while, Mario had had the idea of bringing together 6 musical masterminds to form a band floating around his head.After a few initial concerns about igniting various conflicts when getting together in that configuration, eventually Mario was able to convince Roland of his intentions.Back in Munich, Mario immediately contacted his friend of many years, Thomen Stauch (ex- Blind Guardian, Savage Circus), telling him about his idea. Thomen was sold and joined the bunch right away.After that, Jan Vacik (ex- Dreamscape) and Dominik Sebastian (Edenbridge) were quick to agree to a collaboration, too. With that, a new band was born, consisting of five highly motivated musicians!Initially, it turned out to be quite a task to bring these full-time musical workaholics together in one studio at the same time. However, against all odds, they got together on short notice in January 2014.Needless to say, when they arrived at the “Dreamsound Studios” Munich, none of the blokes had any idea yet where exactly their musical venture would take them.After a long night, accompanied with numerous anecdotes from the world of music and a solid amount of beers (which, of course, were just “meant to keep the vocal cords smooth”), the band started the songwriting phase!Everyone was on the same wavelength, as if they had been working together in this configuration for decades.The fact that they were able to collectively write songs, without any pressures and in an awesome environment, gave wings to these 5 maniacal musicians and got their juices flowing to create something outstanding.Everyone was literally bubbling with ideas and as soon as 7 days later, they had written eight roughly structured songs, building a foundation for a powerful and melodic Power Metal record!Yet what good can awesome songs do without a voice to carry them? After a few considerations as to a fitting singer for the band, the newly formed group contacted the US-based Swedish expat “Urban Breed” (ex-Tad Morose, ex- Bloodbound, Trail of Murder). After exchanging just a few emails and samples, the answer was loud and clear: “Ok, I’m in, if you really want it! After a short wait, he submitted his first song ideas which fit in with the existing songs seamlessly.These 6 musical warriors are currently working on their first album, which is planned to be released in early 2015, as the band intends to showcase their talent in the very same year on various tours and festivals – LIVE.

Album:

For eighteen months it was really quiet about Serious Black, a comparatively long time for a band that, since its inception in 2015, let a maximum of one year pass until the release of a new album. After three successful predecessors and more than 120 shows worldwide, they used their well-deserved time-out to design new concepts and to work on fresh material. Bassist Mario proudly announces: "The waiting comes to an end, we are fresh and rested. Above all, we are hungry to return to the stage."In 2020 it's finally happening! The German-American band proudly presents its highly anticipated fourth studio album, "Suite 226". And that will stir the melodic power metal community's blood. "Suite 226" features more driving guitars, catchy hooks and finest riffing, as you know it from "As Daylight Breaks". Serious Black takes the listener on a musically journey into psychiatry, between heaven and hell. "Suite 226" is the perfect soundtrack for this trip to the place of damnation. Ruthless riffs meets catchy melodies, driven by a manic rhythm section, Urban Breed's top-rated unleashed vocals add the necessary amount of insanity. After listening to this dervish of an album, one may ask oneself what is actually fiction, what is reality. And who knows, after that you may also hear these soft voices in your head. Don't say nobody warned you!

Line Up:

Mario Lochert - Bass (2014-present) - See also: Emergency Gate, ex-Visions of Atlantis
Dominik Sebastian - Guitars (2014-present) - See also: A Ghost Named Alice, Edenbridge, Shadows' Grey, Thirdmoon, ex-Scargod, ex-In Slumber (live), ex-Olemus (live), ex-Astaroth (live), ex-Mortus, ex-Patunum (live), ex-Nana D. (live), ex-Out of Cage (live), ex-Swanpoem (live)
Urban breed - Vocals (2014-present) - See also: Project Arcadia, ex-Bloodbound, ex-Pyramaze, ex-Tad Morose, ex-Trail of Murder, ex-Dark Empire
Ramy Ali - Drums (2018-present) - See also: Iron Mask, Roger Staffelbach's Angel of Eden, Evidence One, ex-Getaway, Rik Priem's Prime, ex-Freedom Call, ex-Justice, ex-Kiske / Somerville, ex-Beautiful Beast, ex-Big Apple, ex-Frontline, ex-State of Rock

Tracklist:

01. Let It Go
02. When The Stars Right
03. Solitude Etude
04. Fate Of All Humanity
05. Castiel / 06. Heaven Shall Burn
07. Way Back Home
08. We Still Stand Tall
09. Come Home
10. Suite 226



Download links for all albums only on our blog here: http://goodmetalandhar.do.am/

[Horex]

Serious Black - Vengeance Is Mine (2022)













Year : 2022
Style : Melodic Power Metal
Country : International
Audio : 320 kbps + all scans
Size : 120 mb

Bio:

It all happened on a sunny 23rd of August in Spain, when Roland Grapow (ex- Helloween, Masterplan) and Mario Lochert (Emergency Gate, ex - Visions of Atlantis) had a conversation backstage over a cool beverage, talking music business – you know, what musicians usually do.For quite a while, Mario had had the idea of bringing together 6 musical masterminds to form a band floating around his head.After a few initial concerns about igniting various conflicts when getting together in that configuration, eventually Mario was able to convince Roland of his intentions.Back in Munich, Mario immediately contacted his friend of many years, Thomen Stauch (ex- Blind Guardian, Savage Circus), telling him about his idea. Thomen was sold and joined the bunch right away.After that, Jan Vacik (ex- Dreamscape) and Dominik Sebastian (Edenbridge) were quick to agree to a collaboration, too. With that, a new band was born, consisting of five highly motivated musicians!Initially, it turned out to be quite a task to bring these full-time musical workaholics together in one studio at the same time. However, against all odds, they got together on short notice in January 2014.Needless to say, when they arrived at the “Dreamsound Studios” Munich, none of the blokes had any idea yet where exactly their musical venture would take them.After a long night, accompanied with numerous anecdotes from the world of music and a solid amount of beers (which, of course, were just “meant to keep the vocal cords smooth”), the band started the songwriting phase!Everyone was on the same wavelength, as if they had been working together in this configuration for decades.The fact that they were able to collectively write songs, without any pressures and in an awesome environment, gave wings to these 5 maniacal musicians and got their juices flowing to create something outstanding.Everyone was literally bubbling with ideas and as soon as 7 days later, they had written eight roughly structured songs, building a foundation for a powerful and melodic Power Metal record!Yet what good can awesome songs do without a voice to carry them? After a few considerations as to a fitting singer for the band, the newly formed group contacted the US-based Swedish expat “Urban Breed” (ex-Tad Morose, ex- Bloodbound, Trail of Murder). After exchanging just a few emails and samples, the answer was loud and clear: “Ok, I’m in, if you really want it! After a short wait, he submitted his first song ideas which fit in with the existing songs seamlessly.These 6 musical warriors are currently working on their first album, which is planned to be released in early 2015, as the band intends to showcase their talent in the very same year on various tours and festivals – LIVE.

Album:

One of the new songs on Serious Black’s upcoming studio album Vengeance Is Mine is called “Album Of Our Life” and hits the nail on the head in several aspects. On the one hand, the international power metal band surrounding bassist and founder Mario Lochert has succeeded in creating what is probably the most powerful and imaginative work of its career so far, with loads of great guitar riffs, grooving rhythms and anthemic melodies.On the other hand, the album’s lyrics venture into territories previously uncharted by the band. Lochert: “This time, I have allowed more insights into my emotions and private life than ever before, i.e. into how I think, how I feel, how I am, and how difficult it can be to keep a band going when you aren’t well yourself. The lyrics on ‘Vengeance Is Mine’ reflect the past four or five years. This, of course, had an impact on the songwriting, which has become even more intense and emotional.”In addition to the private insight of the band’s soul, another new aspect came into play: Nikola Mijić, a powerful vocalist from Serbia, has recently become the front man of the band. Mijić is the successor to Urban Breed, who separated from the band in spring 2021. "Nikola is a very talented and experienced singer," Lochert reports proudly.And so has at last come together what belongs together - in Serious Black: Nikola Mijić’s expressive timbre, the rapid riffs and hooks of the guitarists Dominik Sebastian and Bob Katsionis, the driving grooves of drummer Ramy Ali with bassist and producer Mario Lochert. Due to these elements and on top the collective diverse songwriting, ‘Vengeance Is Mine’ has turned into a prime example of a deeply melodic and at the same time powerfully dynamic power metal album.Vengenance Is Mine was produced and mixed by Lochert at his Serious Black Studio in Kirchseeon. The guitars were recorded by Dominik Sebastian at his own studio and all orchestral arrangements and keyboards were done by Bob Katsionis in Greece.Along with the CD, a limited box set will also be available. In addition to the CD digipak, it contains a microfiber towel (160x80cm), the bonus cover album CD Rock With Us Tonight, a sticker, an original signed autograph card and the certificate of authenticity.

Line Up:

Nikola Mijic - Vocals (Alogia, Dreyelands, Eden's Curse, Expedition Delta)
Mario Lochert - Bass (2014-present) - See also: Emergency Gate, ex-Visions of Atlantis
Dominik Sebastian - Guitars (2014-present) - See also: A Ghost Named Alice, Edenbridge, Shadows' Grey, Thirdmoon, ex-Scargod, ex-In Slumber (live), ex-Olemus (live), ex-Astaroth (live), ex-Mortus, ex-Patunum (live), ex-Nana D. (live), ex-Out of Cage (live), ex-Swanpoem (live)
Ramy Ali - Drums (2018-present) - See also: Iron Mask, Roger Staffelbach's Angel of Eden, Evidence One, ex-Getaway, Rik Priem's Prime, ex-Freedom Call, ex-Justice, ex-Kiske / Somerville, ex-Beautiful Beast, ex-Big Apple, ex-Frontline, ex-State of Rock

Tracklist:

01. Rock with Us Tonight (4:14)
02. Out of the Ashes (3:42)
03. Fallen Hero (3:19)
04. Senso Della Vita (4:35)
05. Ray of Light (4:49)
06. Soul Divider (3:44)
07. Tonight I'm Ready to Fight (4:51)
08. Just for You (4:11)
09. Soldiers of Eternal Light (4:07)
10. The Story (3:52)
11. Queen of Lies (3:55)
12. Album of Our Life (3:51)
13. Alea Iacta Est (3:11)



Download links for all albums only on our blog here: http://goodmetalandhar.do.am/