🎃 Get ready, pumpkinheads! Helloween’s “40 YEARS ANNIVERSARY TOUR” kicks off October 2025 with special guests Beast In Black. Don’t miss this epic power metal extravaganza celebrating four decades of pumpkin madness! The upcoming tour will be bigger, better and more impressive than ever!
Oct. 17 🇱🇺 Luxembourg, Rockhal Oct. 18 🇳🇱 Tilburg, 013 Oct. 20 🇬🇧 London, Eventim Apollo Oct. 22 🇫🇷 Paris, Le Zénith Oct. 24 🇨🇿 Prague, O2 Arena Oct. 25 🇸🇰 Zvolen, Tiposbet Arena Oct. 26 🇭🇺 Budapest, Papp Laszlo Arena Oct. 28 🇵🇱 Katowice, Spodek Oct. 31 🇩🇪 Bochum, Ruhrcongress Nov. 01 🇩🇪 Hamburg, Barclays Arena Nov. 03 🇳🇴 Oslo, Sentrum Scene Nov. 04 🇳🇴 Oslo, Sentrum Scene Nov. 06 🇫🇮 Helsinki, Ice Hall Nov. 08 🇸🇪 Gothenburg, Partille Arena Nov. 13 🇵🇹 Lissabon, Campo Pequeno Nov. 15. 🇪🇸 Madrid, La Cubierta des Leganés Nov. 19 🇮🇹 Mailand, Forum Nov. 20 🇨🇭Zürich, The Hall Nov. 22 🇩🇪 Stuttgart, Schleyerhalle
Michael Kiske Returns To PLACE VENDOME With Another Melodic Rock Masterpiece: “Thunder In The Distance” – Due For Release In November, On Frontiers Records.
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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.
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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 !
Track Listing 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 to below:
UNISONIC – The self-titled debut studio album from UNISONIC — the band featuring former Helloween vocalist Michael Kiske and guitarist Kai Hansen (Gamma Ray, ex-Helloween) alongside guitarist Mandy Meyer (Asia, Gotthard and Krokus), bassist Dennis Ward and drummer Kosta Zafiriou (both of Germany’s Pink Cream 69) — will be released in North America on May 22, 2012 via Eagle Rock imprint Armoury Records.
Unisonicwas recorded at ICP Studios in Brussels, Belgium. The offering features 11 tracks, plus a bonus live version of Helloween classic “I Want Out” only available on the domestic edition, cover art by Martin Häusler (Meat Loaf, Gotthard, Helloween, Motörhead) and marks the first musical union between Kiske and Hansen in 23 years!
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Unisonic Track Listing:
1. Unisonic
2. Souls Alive
3. Never Too Late
4. I’ve Tried
5. Star Rider
6. Never Change Me
7. Renegade
8. My Sanctuary
9. King For A Day
10. We Rise
11. No One Ever Sees Me
12. I Want Out (Live)
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Check out the band’s video for album opener/anthem “Unisonic” at THIS LOCATION. The clip was directed by Häusler in Heidelberg, Germany.
UNISONIC released its debut EP, Ignition earlier this year. After the addition of Hansen to the group’s lineup in early 2011, UNISONICcontinued the songwriting process for its debut release, incorporating Kai’s talent for writing great anthemic Rock songs into its existing material. Hardly Keeper Of The Seven KeysPart 3, the UNISONICcollective effortlessly fuse the many sides of heavy music they know and love. The band’s music is versatile and takes a broad approach to Heavy Rock without sacrificing the power and strong, catchy melodies that characterized the band members’ previous projects.
UNISONIC:
Michael Kiske – Vocals
Kai Hansen – Guitar
Mandy Meyer – Guitar
Dennis Ward – Bass
Kosta Zafiriou – drums
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(Source: Earsplit PR)
* For more info on UNISONIC, click on the links below:
If you’re a band or musician and would like your music reviewed or be interviewed by Stone, please click the link under the “ALBUM REVIEWS ARCHIVES” section below!
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