Tag: Kingdom Come
0 KINGDOM COME Reveal Artwork and Tracklisting for Outlier
Available May 7th in North America on Steamhammer/SPV
Fame and fortune have always played a minor role in KINGDOM COME mastermind Lenny Wolf’s longstanding career. In fact, his more than 30 years as an artist have been fueled first and foremost by musical challenges and the desire to keep evolving. His credo has always been: authenticity before commercial considerations. “Naturally, nobody is happier than I am when my music is loved by as many fans as possible,” he says, “but these kinds of aspects are irrelevant when it comes to creating a new album. The only thing that matters is testing myself as an artist and embarking on new paths.” To avoid any misunderstandings: the new KINGDOM COME album Outlier presents flawless rock music with a welcome tendency towards melancholia and a gift for anthems. But: With Outlier Lenny is starting a new chapter of his diverse creative career, expertly positioning his charismatic voice between traditional rock structures and modern sound elements, which add a third dimension to this album.
“I simply felt the need to delve deep inside of me and run riot in the infinite expanse of the audio cosmos. The result is a friction of mercilessly mechanical, heartless sound collages, combined with my typical melancholy-melodious style,” Wolf explains the album’s artfully interwoven experimental approach to his sound, which never detracts from the familiar atmospheric basic mood of his songs. “A whole number of souls happen to dwell in my breast, which is why experimentation and the development of my musical existence simply belong together.” Lenny purposely takes into account that this approach may also lead to friction and requires an open mind of its listeners: “It’s of secondary importance to me whether this is clever in business terms. To me, it’s all about creating optimum varieties of sound signals which go through the ear straight into the heart. Some call it a vocation. Hallelujah.”
A vocation which is reflected in ten haunting, stirring and diverse songs. Some numbers are welcome reminders of KINGDOM COME‘sglorious past, other songs document a future-oriented direction. “I could have written a track such as ‘Let The Silence Talk’ back in 1988 during our In Your Face period, whereas listening to ‘Rough Ride Rallye’ and ‘When Colors Break The Grey’ for the first time may have you think: Oops, what’s all this about,” Lenny confesses, knowing fully well that it’s precisely those opposite poles which make Outlier a very special album. Especially since “one song by itself cannot reflect the character of a whole album. To understand this record, you have to take time and become one with those compositions, some of which are extremely diverse.”
Outlier is well worth the effort, especially in view of the album’s deep lyrical content. As ever, Lenny’s lyrics are personal snapshots straight from his soul, touching on autobiographical subjects on ‘Don’t Want You To Wait’ and documenting – for example on ‘God Does Not Sing Our Song’ and ‘Skip The Cover And Feel’ – an attitude which is as fierce as ever and deeply rooted in Lenny Wolf. He has also consciously chosen the album title in line with this: “The term Outlier suits me to a tee. It symbolises my whole personality, the musical media I work with, the story of my life.”
Outlier was recorded at Wolf’s own Hamburg studio, the Two Square Noise Factory. With the exception of the solo guitar parts contributed by Eric Förster, all instruments were recorded by the KINGDOM COME boss himself. In addition, Wolf produced, engineered, mixed and mastered his new album. “Eighteen-months of struggle and madness lie behind me, a period which saw me go through the usual alternating bath of euphoria and doubt. As an artist, you can never be quite sure just what you’ve cooked up, but I happen to be an idealist and simply have to keep embarking on new adventurous journeys. The path of predictability has never satisfied me.”
Outlier is KINGDOM COME’s first studio album featuring completely new material since the arrival of their 2009 release, Magnified. The album is bound to provoke discussion, in every respect, which is precisely the intention Lenny has with his compositions: “I never write to please anybody, I simply stretch my means of expression as a musician as far as possible. Always in the hope that others will like the result.” That certainly is one thing that Lenny needn’t worry about!
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Outlier will be released worldwide through Steamhammer/SPV and will be available as CD and download in Germany on April 26th, in Europe on April 29th and in the US/Canada on May 7th!
Tracklisting:
- God Does Not Sing Our Song 04:05
- Running High Distortion 04:14
- Rough Ride Ralleye 04:35
- Let The Silence Talk 03:29
- Holy Curtain 03:59
- The Trap Is Alive 04:41
- Skip The Cover And Feel 03:37
- Don`t Want You To Wait 04:31
- Such A Shame 03:18
- When Colors Break The Grey 05:03
Watch out also for the new single “God Does Not Sing Our Song” which will be released digitally worldwide on April 5th!
Tracklisting:
1.God Does Not Sing Our Song(radio version)03:55
2.God Does Not Sing Our Song (album version) 04:05(taken from “Outlier”)
3.Should I 06:22(taken from “Rendered Waters”)
______________________________________
www.lennywolf.com
www.spv.de
3 SPV/STEAMHAMMER NEW RELEASES IN STORES TODAY
Today, sees a host of amazing rock and metal releases coming from SPV/Steamhammer. Six albums are available today, including: VICIOUS RUMORS, BRIAN ROBERTSON, KINGDOM COME, ASSASSIN,MY INNER BURNING and ENGRAINED. Info about each release can be found below:
VICIOUS RUMORS: “Razorback Killers”
It’s Geoff Thorpe’s story of power and pain. The quest to change people’s lives with the power of metal music and the fascination of his band in 2011. The guitarist and main songwriter of American power metal act VICIOUS RUMORS says: “The older we get the more wicked VICIOUS RUMORS sound. We’ve definitely not slowed down – quite the opposite – have even more drive. Our fans won’t see a single VICIOUS RUMORS show where we don’t go to our limits and beyond.” Anybody who has been to one of the group’s gigs during the past two years knows just what he means. Thorpe’s comment not only describes his band’s concerts, but also without reservation VICIOUS RUMORS’ latest album “Razorback Killers”. The album features ten breathtaking new songs which transport the traditional VICIOUS RUMORS sound perfectly into the present. To make a long story short: this band has never sounded more dynamic than on “Razorback Killers”.
For More Info Visit:
http://www.myspace.com/spvmusic
BRIAN ROBERTSON: “Diamonds and Dirt”
It’s not the first time in the history of rock music that coincidence led to the discovery of hidden treasures: a carrier bag full of music tapes (note: tapes!) turned out to be the basis for “Diamonds and Dirt”, the first solo release by Scottish guitarist/composer BRIAN ROBERTSON. “I thrust the bag into my friend Søren’s hand and said: ‘Why don’t you listen to these some time when you’re bored. They’re a number of my previously unreleased compositions.’” Søren Lindberg from Sweden happens to be one of former Thin Lizzy/Motörhead guitarist BRIAN ROBERTSON’S closest friends and frequently works as his driver when he has equipment which needs transporting. “He had plenty of time to listen to that pile of tapes in his truck on the way back to Scandinavia,” ROBERTSON remembers, “and he called me as soon as he reached Stockholm: ‘BRIAN, there’s some brilliant stuff on those tapes. We should make an album of them!’”
For More Info Visit
http://www.myspace.com/spvmusic
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Brian-Robertson/253521517392
KINGDOM COME: “Rendered Waters”
It is not the success of the early days which Lenny Wolf associates KINGDOM COME with, nor earlier hits from his long-standing career. What he really cares about is the present. Is this a contradiction in view of his new album “Rendered Waters”which features eight old and three newly recorded songs? Certainly not, all eleven tracks were cut at Lenny’s Two Square Noise Factory studio in Hamburg, Germany. In particular, the new recordings of old material show KINGDOM COME’S vision of living in the here and now. “I purposely chose tracks from the very early days to show how we play, hear and feel the songs nowadays,” says Wolf. “Listening habits have changed dramatically, especially among the younger audience, which made it exciting for me to breathe new life into numbers which have not been heard for a while.”
For More Info Visit
http://www.myspace.com/spvmusic
ASSASSIN: “Breaking the Silence”
GO! FIGHT! KILL! No sound truly defines Thrash Metal more than ASSASSIN. A hybrid of Speed Thrash Metal and Hardcore splashed with a sense of humor, it grabs you by the throat and kicks your ass. Although a band photo predates the official band formation, ASSASSIN was officially formed in 1984 with the original lineup of, Robert Gonnella(vocals), Dinko Vekic (lead guitar), Scholli (rhythm guitar), Lulle (bass) and Psycho (drums). In autumn 2010 the band signed again a record deal with the german label SPV/Steamhammer and recorded their new album with producer Harris Johns (Voivod, Kreator, Sodom). The new album “Breaking The Silence” will be released worldwide in March 2011 and ASSASSIN are back again kicking asses!!!
For More Info Visit
http://www.myspace.com/spvmusic
MY INNER BURNING: “11 Scars”
Listening to MY INNER BURNING’s powerful brand of metal, you can be certain that they have lots of triumphant victories ahead of them. MY INNER BURNING have the determination it takes, and they’re ready to present their second album, “Eleven Scars”, a surprisingly mature offering which highlights an impressive development compared to their already exciting 2009 debut. “Eleven Scars” sounds groovier and a little darker than their first self-titled release. Guitarist Torsten Sauerbrey explains the reasoning behind their darker sound “Probably the many concerts we’ve played since, and the stronger influence of our vocalist Becky, who penned the occasionally rather sinister lyrics.”
For More Info Visit
http://www.myspace.com/myinnerburning
http://www.myspace.com/spvnewmedia
ENGRAINED: “DEEP ROOTED”
Right after the release of their 5-track EP “Anger, Roots and Rock n Roll” ENGRAINED recorded their first full length album called “Deep Rooted”. The recording, mixing and mastering was done by Tommy Newton who is known for his excellent work with bands like Helloween, Guano Apes, Terry Hoax, UFO and many others. ENGRAINED have truly honed their sound on the new album with 13 ferocious, fluid, hard driving songs. Honest Rock n Roll with a good shot of Punk Rock.
For More Info Visit
0 AOL MUSIC HOSTING FULL ALBUM LISTENING PARTIES FOR BRIAN ROBERTSON AND KINGDOM COME
NEW ALBUMS AVAILABLE APRIL 5th VIA SPV/STEAMHAMMER
Tomorrow sees the release of two highly anticipated releases from SPV/Steamhammer. Legendary guitarist BRIAN ROBERTSON (Thin Lizzy, Motorhead) is releasing “Diamonds and Dirt” his first solo release to date. In addition, SPV is also releasing “Rendered Waters”, a from legendary power metallers KINGDOM COME. AOL Music is giving people their first opportunity to hear both of these releases now at http://music.aol.com/new-releases-full-cds
BRIAN ROBERTSON: “Diamonds and Dirt”
It’s not the first time in the history of rock music that coincidence led to the discovery of hidden treasures: a carrier bag full of music tapes (note: tapes!) turned out to be the basis for “Diamonds and Dirt”, the first solo release by Scottish guitarist/composer BRIAN ROBERTSON. “I thrust the bag into my friend Søren’s hand and said: ‘Why don’t you listen to these some time when you’re bored. They’re a number of my previously unreleased compositions.’” Søren Lindberg from Sweden happens to be one of former Thin Lizzy/Motörhead guitarist BRIAN ROBERTSON’S closest friends and frequently works as his driver when he has equipment which needs transporting. “He had plenty of time to listen to that pile of tapes in his truck on the way back to Scandinavia,” ROBERTSON remembers, “and he called me as soon as he reached Stockholm: ‘BRIAN, there’s some brilliant stuff on those tapes. We should make an album of them!’”
The result is a superb album at the interface of hard rock with definite blues elements and gritty mainstream, wonderfully melodic and full of excellent guitar arrangements. In terms of compositions, the album presents a number of outstanding Robertson numbers, such as the driving title track, the truly intense “Passion”, “Texas Wind” with its wonderfully atmospheric beginning, and the powerful “Devil In My Soul” with its awesome wah-wah guitar solo. The album is rounded off by tracks from Robertson’s extremely successful collaboration with Phil Lynott during their Thin Lizzy days in the years 1974 to 1978 and his fellow-countryman Frankie Miller, with whom he recorded “Dancing in the Rain” in 1986, among others.
For More Info Please Visit
http://www.myspace.com/spvmusic
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Brian-Robertson/253521517392
KINGDOM COME: “Rendered Waters”
It is not the success of the early days which Lenny Wolf associates KINGDOM COME with, nor earlier hits from his long-standing career. What he really cares about is the present. Is this a contradiction in view of his new album “Rendered Waters”which features eight old and three newly recorded songs? Certainly not, all eleven tracks were cut at Lenny’s Two Square Noise Factory studio in Hamburg, Germany. In particular, the new recordings of old material show KINGDOM COME’S vision of living in the here and now. “I purposely chose tracks from the very early days to show how we play, hear and feel the songs nowadays,” says Wolf. “Listening habits have changed dramatically, especially among the younger audience, which made it exciting for me to breathe new life into numbers which have not been heard for a while.”
For example “Should I”, this time is played more slowly lending it a heavier appeal. The drums are more open and the guitars, according to Lenny, feature a more tube-oriented sound and warmer, more driving tone: “Just to give it an overall 2011 vibe. Of course, you can only change songs to a certain extent if you don’t want to lose the character and central theme of the original version.” The same goes for “I’ve Been Trying”, “Pushing Hard” and “Living Out Of Touch”. None of them have been reinvented, but all three certainly have a noticeable new approach to them. On the other hand, Lenny changed the verse of “I’ve Been Trying” completely, giving it a different arrangement, just like he transported the song “Seventeen” into the year 2011. “Seventeen” has always been kind of a key song for KINGDOM COME, yet it has never received much attention since it has a very non-commercial approach and is either loved or hated, but with the new version it will hopefully get the recognition it deserves.”
For More Info Please Visit
1 Kingdom Come – Rendered Waters (2011)
If you were a fan of hard rock in the late 80s, then you are most likely familiar with Kingdom Come. When their self titled debut was released in 1988, Kingdom Come was all over the radio. Unfortunately for the band, too many people thought that Led Zeppelin had reunited. It was a joke that still haunts the band to this day. It also takes away from the quality of their first two albums (Kingdom Come and In Your Face) which are two of the greatest hard rock albums released in the late 80s.
There is a huge problem with Kingdom Come’s latest release, Rendered Waters, and it has nothing to do with the way the disc sounds. The music is quite incredible and long time fans will enjoy this album. However, the problem that stems from Rendered Waters is the band’s decision to re-record tracks from previous albums and then add in some new songs. If the band wanted to release a greatest hits album, then they should have done it the proper way, by releasing the original versions of these classic songs.
To me, this decision is just plain lazy. A greatest hits album by Kingdom Come would be a welcome treat. A new album by Kingdom Come would be a welcome treat (especially after hearing the new tracks on Rendered Waters). However, the decision to re-record songs and release them now shows a lackadaisical attitude toward the fans.
As for the songs themselves, they are terrific. While I still prefer the original versions of songs like “Pushing Hard” and “Seventeen” the re-worked versions have a nice ring to them. Lenny Wolf is no longer the screamer from the 80s; his voice has mellowed with time. This provides new insight to the songs and adds some harmony that was not present on the original versions. That’s not to say the new versions are better (or worse for that matter) they are just different takes on classic songs.
On “Pushing Hard” it’s all too evident that Wolf can no longer hit the high notes like he did during his heyday. That doesn’t mean the revamped version of this track sounds awful, because that is not true. However, if fans already own the earlier version, this reworked track does not add anything in the way of musical depth. The band would have been better served to just leave well enough alone.
The new tracks on the album are solid and only leaving you wanting more.”Blue Tree”s is classic rock done in the modern style that sounds amazing. From the opening drum beats to the intense guitar work of Eric Foerster, this is a great song that shows the direction Kingdom Come’s music is heading in. That direction is a welcome one. Wolf’s voice is strong on this track and makes it obvious that the man is still an exceptional singer.
“Is It Fair” starts with a cool riff from Foerster that bleeds into the entire track. Foerster and Wolf show they are a great guitar tandem on this cut. The solo is intense and overall, “Is It Fair” is an enjoyable song. While the basic back beat of the tune is simple in structure, the overall combination of the band’s ability to play great music with Wolf’s vocals sounding as sweet as ever, make this a solid new song.
“Don’t Remember” proves to be the shortest of all the songs on Rendered Waters, but that doesn’t make it the weakest. A slow, melodic, powerful ballad, “Don’t Remember” is another great new song added to Rendered Waters. Foerster’s solo is an amazing treat and really ties the entire song together while showing off his incredible guitar playing ability. “Don’t Remember” is a song that fans are bound to fall in love with.
Rendered Waters is like a visit with an old friend. The memories that you share are the same in theme, but the stories get a little longer and little more embellished, as is the case when any old friends get together. Hopefully for their next album, Kingdom Come will move forward and provide us with a full album of new material. That would be a true gift from an old friend.
Rating: 
Out of 10
Track Listing:
- Can’t Deny
- The Wind
- Blue Trees
- Should I
- I’ve Been Trying
- Pushing Hard
- Seventeen
- Is It Fair
- Living Out Of Touch
- Don’t Remember
- Break Down The Wall
Kingdom Come Is:
Lenny Wolf – Vocals/Guitar
Frank Binke – Bass
Eric Foerster – Guitar
Nader Rahy – Drums
5 Lenny Wolf – The Hard Rock Hideout Interview!
Lenny Wolf is a veteran and legend of Hard Rock and Heavy Metal. He also is a realist in 2011, one who understands where he has been and what he and his band Kingdom Come have accomplished since their platinum selling, 1988 debut/self titled album. Lenny is not naive about the current state of the record and touring industry either, his remarks are honest and no nonsense when it comes to the current status and future of Kingdom Come.
With “Rendered Waters”, (the thirteenth album overall from Kingdom Come), set for an April 1st, 2011 release in the U.S. on Steamhammer, Lenny’s thoughts are candidly delivered on this new collective of songs that are both “rendered” classics and new. Lenny accepts where he is now, with no regrets of his past. With plenty of good humor mixed into our discussion, Lenny’s outlook is positive, regardless of what changes have taken place within the world of Hard and Heavy Music in the past twenty-plus years.
Lenny Wolf reflects on those colorful and loud 80′s, when in 1988 Kingdom Come shared the stage at the Monsters of Rock with the likes of Metallica, Van Halen, Scorpions and Dokken. He reflects on the manager who made it all happen for his band, making Kingdom Come a household name during those late 80′s. Here is what Lenny Wolf had to say:
HRH: What was your mindset and goals going in to record “Rendered Waters”?
LENNY: There was no particular masterplan. It was just roll the tape, press the button or the mouse. I know what I want and don’t want to do. I knew I didn’t want to just re-record the songs. After twenty two years, I’m entitled to do this and make the songs have the feel of 2011. Things happen, my voice has changed over the years. I did not want to change the structure of the songs, I wanted you to know it’s “that song”. I wanted the guitarist to have a different vibe on these songs too, you know?
HRH: Are you pleased by the early positive response for your new album?
LENNY: I haven’t heard that much yet, I’m talking about the album in interviews right now. With any positive response, I’m thrilled by it!
HRH: What is the meaning behind the album title “Rendered Waters”?
LENNY: It’s a magic, little, God given secret. I can’t tell you man! I was sitting on the toilet and lightning hit my head! Just kidding! (laughs)
HRH: (laughs)
LENNY: You have to “render” a particular part of a video, it’s a technical process that needs to be done in order to make it work. Taking these old songs and rendering them is what happened. Taking “water” and combining it with “rendered” makes sense. It’s open to interpretations. It’s like Pink Floyd? What’s that? Not pointing too directly at something makes sense, otherwise it’s boring.
HRH: Is it fair of me to consider “Living Out Of Touch” as a song that is timeless?
LENNY: It’s great for me to hear that! That’s a radical compliment, thank you so much! We took the drums and changed it on a couple of verses. We skipped “Get It On” and told the label we’re not trying to cash in on these songs.
HRH: I think these songs sound much more mature now, than they did then.
LENNY: Really? That’s good to hear that, I want to know what you and other people think of the album.
HRH: Are there any music videos for “Rendered Waters” in the works?
LENNY: We spent millions back then on videos! MTV is only playing top ten and yo’ man crap. If we made a music video, it would never be played on MTV. Let’s just skip this process! Financially it doesn’t make sense, we’re not a top forty band right now. We’re not Metallica either. I have no regrets, who am I to complain? I’ll continue to make my music. Back in the day, making a video was the thing to do and times have changed. It makes more sense to save money for touring.
HRH: How will you decide which songs you’ll play live from “Rendered Waters”?
LENNY: All the songs from the catalog get considered. We will most likely add more songs live from “Rendered Waters”.
HRH: How important is it to evolve as a band when it comes to songwriting and sound?
LENNY: It’s always where can I start now? I never try to please the record labels. I always try to sound like myself. For the last two to three years now, I wanted these songs on “Rendered Waters” to see the light of day. Now, I’m trying to do what got me excited all along. The big guitar songs don’t excite me all that much anymore. I always say, you can’t polish a song like “Satisfaction” by The Rolling Stones! Now, it’s about slowing down some songs and changing some elements as you hear on the new album. I tried the best I can.
HRH: What was the funniest or craziest moment you can recall, from touring back in the 80′s?
LENNY: There’s too many stories with too many circumstances, I don’t want to point out just one. There were times when I thought, oh my God, what did I do? It’s too general to point out specifics, you know? It is what it is. Just to be able to experience touring the States back then was fun! Two months of rocking the States was a career highlight for us. I always think to myself, thank you God for letting us experience it!
HRH: As a guitarist yourself, do you ever ponder making a solo acoustic album?
LENNY: Honestly, I have not given it much thought. Back around ’97 or something, there was talk about releasing an album with versions of uncut songs.
HRH: Are there any tour plans or festivals in the works for 2011?
LENNY: We certainly do want to play live! I would love to play in the U.S.A., all in good time and it has to make sense. It’s not like the good old days though. It’s no secret we’re not a top ten band right now, just waiting for promoters to give us the green light and help us out financially. Our production and tour manager lives in Tennessee and is working with Ted Nugent and Accept, so we want to come to the States.
HRH: That’s cool that your manager has a connection to the U.S. like this.
LENNY: I’m emotionally attached to the U.S.A., my bother Michael Wolf lives in Seattle and works for Microsoft. Touring costs money. When we last toured Russia, it was a financial disaster. Just for planes and food it was fifty thousand dollars! It costs five thousand dollars for a working permit in the States. Even if I had my green card now, I’d still have to apply for a working permit.
HRH: There are a lot of costs that have to be considered, costs that people never realize are involved.
LENNY: I don’t want to bullshit anyone anymore. We could tour and only fifty people would show up! Music is my mission, my calling and I have to do it. I have no expectations and I try not to get disappointed. It is what it is. Seventies and eighties bands are playing small clubs nowadays. If it’s meant to be, it will happen.
HRH: Who has been there the most for you, over your long and successful career?
LENNY: I’ve had quite a few believers supporting me over the years. Marty Wolff, our former manager, I miss the most. He has a wonderful family, with his wife and two kids.
HRH: Are you related to Marty Wolff?
LENNY: No, he spells his last name with two f’s. Besides, he’s Jewish and I’m German! (laughs)
HRH: (laughs) That answers my question!
LENNY: I was and always have been a perfectionist and my english was very bad back in the 80′s, Marty was my diplomatic buffer zone. I never thought I’d be playing in Russia back in 1987 and we did thanks to Marty. He has since moved to Hawaii and is out of music. Now Marty is into photography.
HRH: What band was the most fun to tour with over your career?
LENNY: Honestly, I never had a bad experience. I could never say that this or that band was not an extraordinary pleasure. We would meet the bands at the venue and sound checks and then leave. The Monsters of Rock was a big ball for us! The decision by (manager) Marty Wolff, back in ’88, was to play Monsters of Rock in stadiums, in front of bigger crowds. We were asked to open for AC/DC in ’88, I did not want to open for them. It’s like opening for The Rolling Stones, people don’t want to see anything else but the headline band. I wanted to spare myself the embarrassment. The fans would want to hear “Get It On” and then that’s it!
HRH: Monsters of Rock had some legendary bands playing!
LENNY: Metallica and the Scorpions were great to hang out with at the hotel. Van Halen were very reserved and low key on a personal level. Don Dokken I am good friends with to this day. Bon Jovi, Black Sabbath and Tony Iommi were very nice. After Monsters of Rock, I said, never again would I perform on stage at two in the afternoon! Screaming my ass off right after breakfast is not fun. It is what it is.
3 KINGDOM COME TO RELEASE “RENDERED WATERS” APRIL 5, 2011 ON SPV/STEAMHAMMER
It is not the success of the early days which Lenny Wolf associates KINGDOM COME with, nor earlier hits from his long-standing career. What he really cares about is the present. Is this a contradiction in view of his new album Rendered Waters (out on April 5 in North America, March 25 in Germany and March 28 in Europe), which features eight old and three newly recorded songs? Certainly not, all eleven tracks were cut at Lenny’s Two Square Noise Factory studio in Hamburg, Germany. In particular, the new recordings of old material show KINGDOM COME’S vision of living in the here and now. “I purposely chose tracks from the very early days to show how we play, hear and feel the songs nowadays,” says Wolf. “Listening habits have changed dramatically, especially among the younger audience, which made it exciting for me to breathe new life into numbers which have not been heard for a while.”
For example “Should I”, this time is played more slowly lending it a heavier appeal. The drums are more open and the guitars, according to Lenny, feature a more tube-oriented sound and warmer, more driving tone: “Just to give it an overall 2011 vibe. Of course, you can only change songs to a certain extent if you don’t want to lose the character and central theme of the original version.” The same goes for “I’ve Been Trying”, “Pushing Hard” and “Living Out Of Touch”. None of them have been reinvented, but all three certainly have a noticeable new approach to them. On the other hand, Lenny changed the verse of “I’ve Been Trying” completely, giving it a different arrangement, just like he transported the song “Seventeen” into the year 2011. “Seventeen” has always been kind of a key song for KINGDOM COME, yet it has never received much attention since it has a very non-commercial approach and is either loved or hated, but with the new version it will hopefully get the recognition it deserves.”
LINE-UP:
Lenny Wolf – vocals
Eric Förster – guitars
Nada Rahy – drums
Frank Binke – bass
Tracklisting:
01. Can´t Deny (new recorded version)
02. The Wind (new recorded version)
03. Blue Trees (brand new song)
04. Should I (new recorded version)
05. I´ve Been Trying (new recorded version)
06. Pushing Hard (new recorded version)
07. Seventeen (new recorded version)
08. Is It Fair Enough (brand new song)
09. Living Out Of Touch (new recorded version)
10. Don`t Remember (brand new song)
11. Break Down The Wall (new recorded version)
For More Info Please Visit
2 New Kingdom Come Album “Rendered Waters” coming March 2011!!
It is not the success of the early days which Lenny Wolf associates Kingdom Come with, nor earlier hits from his long-standing career. What he really cares about is the present. Is this a contradiction in view of his new album Rendered Waters (out on 28 March 2011 in Europe, 25 March 2011 in Germany, and on 22 March 2011 in the US), which features eight old and three newly recorded songs? Certainly not. All eleven tracks were cut at Lenny’s Two Square Noise Factory studio in Hamburg, Germany. In particular, the new recordings of old material show Kingdom Come’s vision of living in the here and now. “I purposely chose tracks from the very early days to show how we play, hear and feel the songs nowadays,” says Wolf. “Listening habits have changed dramatically, especially among the younger audience, which made it exciting for me to breathe new life into numbers which have not been heard for a while.”
For example ‘Should I’, this time played more slowly giving it a heavier appeal. The drums are more open and the guitars, according to Lenny, feature a more tube-oriented sound and warmer, more driving tone: “Just to give it an overall 2011 vibe. Of course, you can only change songs to a certain extent if you don’t want to lose the character and central theme of the original version.” The same goes for ‘I’ve Been Trying’, ‘Pushing Hard’ and ‘Living Out Of Touch’. None of them has been reinvented, but all three certainly have a noticeably new approach to them. On the other hand, Lenny changed the verse of ‘I’ve Been Trying’ completely, giving it a different arrangement, just like he transported the song ‘Seventeen’ into the year 2011. “‘Seventeen’ has always been kind of a key song for Kingdom Come, yet it has never received much attention since it has a very non-commercial approach and is either loved or hated, but with the new version it will hopefully get the recognition it deserves.”
Another argument against suggestions that Lenny just wanted to warm up old material is that he purposely didn’t choose to re-record former hits like ‘Get It On’, ‘What Love Can Be’, ’Do you like it’ and ‘Twilight Cruiser’ which put Kingdom Come on the map on a global level. He even selected a song such as ‘Break Down The Wall’ from his pre-Kingdom Come days back in 1985 when he played with LA-based band Stone Fury, which just goes to show how timeless the material is. “It was very interesting to add new styles and to carry them into the year 2011. There are a number of songs from the Seventies. Their charm lives off the old recording technology which can’t be beaten these days and therefore should remain untouched, but re-recording Eighties songs isn’t such a sacrilege.”
Let’s not forget the three brand new songs, which feature that typical Kingdom Come structure of strong guitar hook lines and Wolf’s charismatic vocals. ‘Blue Trees’, ‘Is It Fair Enough’ and ‘Don’t Remember’ once again see Lenny prove his unwillingness to pander to expectations. Like it or not, he certainly follows his very own route. Although Lenny again recorded most of the instruments himself, Eric Förster, who contributed those ruthlessly driven guitar solos, and American-born Berlin resident Hanan Rubinstein, who mastered the CD, both certainly need to be mentioned for their great contribution.
To sum it up, here are a number of facts for history buffs: Kingdom Come were formed in 1987 in Los Angeles, USA. Besides Lenny, the only German in the group, there was also James Kottack, now playing drums with the Scorpions. The sensational debut Kingdom Come reached number 12 in the US charts, and its successor In Your Face made high chart positions all over the globe, too.
There is no end in sight. In Lenny’s words: “Kingdom Come is my calling. I either fall or rise with it. Apart from a few bad decisions, I’ve done alright. Thankful and still fully loaded, back to the future.”
For more detailed information about the Kingdom Come history, please visit www.lennywolf.com
TRACKS
01. Can’t Deny (newly recorded version)
02. The Wind (newly recorded version)
03. Blue Trees (brand new song)
04. Should I (newly recorded version)
05. I’ve Been Trying (newly recorded version)
06. Pushing Hard (newly recorded version)
07. Seventeen (newly recorded version)
08. Is It Fair Enough (brand new song)
09. Living Out Of Touch (newly recorded version)
10. Don’t Remember (brand new song)
11. Break Down The Wall (newly recorded version)
3 Kingdom Come – Magnified (2009)
I have been waiting forever for another good Kingdom Come album. Since 1989 to be exact. The last Kingdom Come album I enjoyed was In Your Face with the classic lineup of Wolf, James Kottak, Rick Steier, Danny Stag, and Johnny Frank. It seems like ever since that album, Lenny Wolf has turned Kingdom Come into his own personal solo project, desperately trying to distance the pseudo band’s sound from the Led Zeppelin like tunes of the band’s past.
When I saw the new Kingdom Come video “So Unreal” in December, I thought Lenny might be returning to the band to its roots. If this were truly the case, I would be completely overjoyed. Unfortunately, Magnified is more of the same from Lenny Wolf & friends.
The opening song, “Living Dynamite” left me scratching my head. This is a hard rock/alternative hybrid with odd effects thrown in. I wanted to like this song, but it just does not grow on me after repeat plays.
Luckily, “No Murderer I Kiss” is much better. This song has a cool riff that almost takes Kingdom Come into Black Sabbath territory. Not a bad song, but not what I expected either.
“24 Hours” is more of a modern rock effort, that is pretty hard to describe. This mid tempo number isn’t hard rock, and it isn’t pop. I could almost hear this song being played on a lite rock station. It isn’t a bad song, but it is a little on the boring side to me.
“So Unreal” is the closest thing to Kingdom Come’s original sound. I liked this song the first time I heard it. Unfortunately, this is the only song in this style on Magnified.
“Hey Mama” is another rocker that I could salvage off Magnified. This heavy tune has some definite replay value, and could find its way to radio in some markets.
Call me shallow if you will, but I thought the songs on this CD just didn’t rock very much, and were a little too overproduced. It is certainly an interesting listen, but overall, I just won’t get a lot of replay out of Magnified.
You can preview the songs from Magnified at this link. Tread at your own risk.
Rating: 
Out of 10
Track Listing:
01. Living Dynamite
02. No Murderer I Kiss
03. 24 Hours
04. So Unreal
05. When I Was
06. Over You
07. Sweet Killing
08. Unwritten Language
09. Hey Mama
10. The Machine Inside
11. Feeding The Flame
Kingdom Come is:
Lenny Wolf – Vocals
Hendrik Thiesbrummel – Drums & Percussion
Eric Foerster – Lead Guitar
Frank Binke – Bass
0 New Video – Kingdom Come – So Unreal
Check out Kingdom Come’s hot new video, “So Unreal” . This is from Kingdom Come’s 2009 CD, Magnified. Enjoy!!
0 New Kingdom Come Audio Samples Available!
New audio samples are available of the up and coming Kingdom Come CD, “Magnified”. Check them out at the Lenny Wolf myspace page.
1 An Update From Kingdom Come!
Kingdom Come has posted the following on their blog this evening:
Magnified!
.. Hello and happy new year to you all!
I can now announce the release of the new album “Magnified” for February 27th !!!
For all our non-European fans and friends; You will be able to order the new cd “Magnified” in your home country at the following distribution companies.
USA: 
IMPULSE
Century Media
Releapse
Hart Music
Disk Union
Bertus
JAPAN:
Hart Music
Disk Union
Bertus
That should keep costs down and make the delivery faster.
Also a new website face is in the works, so don’t be confused when you’ll see a new colour by the end of january!
Keep rockin’, yours Marko
0 Dokken returns to Rocklahoma
DOKKEN are confirmed to perform at Rocklahoma 2008 which is taking place July 10th – 13th in Pryor, Oklahoma – they will perform on the 10th.
Rocklahoma’s lineup on the Main Stage is now as follows:
Thursday, July 10th: (Pre Party for those who have bought three day tickets) BRET MICHAELS, SEBASTIAN BACH, DOKKEN, L.A. GUNS featuring Tracii Guns, ENUFF Z’ NUFF, VAIN, HOUSE OF LORDS and JET BOY.
Friday, July 11th: TRIUMPH, EXTREME, LITA FORD, NIGHT RANGER, LIVING COLOUR, KINGDOM COME, ARMORED SAINT, XYZ.
Saturday, July 12th: CINDERELLA, WARRANT, KIX, LYNCH MOB, TRIXTER, BLACK N BLUE, TORA TORA, EVERY MOTHER’S NIGHTMARE, PRETTY BOY FLOYD
Sunday, July 13tth: TESLA, BEAUTIFUL CREATURES, ZEBRA, AXE and three more acts tba.
Two side stages adjacent to the main stage feature over twenty-eight regional artists on each stage.
The Retrospect Records stage includes the following bands: JESTER, SIDEKIXX, PAIR-A-DICE, FRONT RUNNER, TOMMY HAD A VISION, VALOR, GYPSY BLUE, WHITEFOXX, BLUE TIGER, WILD AUGUST, MESSANG, PAUL SHORTINO, MARIAH, WARRYOR, BAD CANDY, LORRAINE, NASTY NASTY, REAL STEEL, CUTTLASS, VYPER, MASS, BAD CANDY, ONEY, STRIKEFORCE, HERAZZ, RECKLESS, HEARTLESS, RON KEEL, WARRYOR and ALIBI.
On the Tri-Label Group stage has: ASPHALT VALENTINE, AZRAEL’S BANE, BONESHAKER, COCKPIT, DANGEROUS INC., DEATHRIDERS (NEIL TURBIN), DIRTY PENNY, DRIVE A, EXIT 27, GODS OF KANSAS, GYPSY PISTOLEROS, KARNEVIL (DARIO LORINA), KRUCIBLE (featuring Lance King), LIPSTICK MAGAZINE, MINDFLOW, ODIN, ORDER OF NINE, POWND, SACRED DAWN, SEX DPT., SHADOWSIDE, SWEET F.A., THE JAKALS, TEXAS HIPPIE COALITION, WARMACHINE.
Courtesy of Bravewords.com
18 My Take on Rocklahoma 2008!
Is Rocklahoma 2008 a big music nostalgia fest? Absolutely! Would I want to attend? Yes, without question.
Many of the bands in this 4 day music extravaganza haven’t released any new tunes in years. Would I still want to see them perform? No question about it.
Here is the Thursday Lineup:
LA Guns featuring Tracii Guns
Enuff Z’Nuff
Vain
House of Lords
Jet Boy
Bret Michaels (headliner)
Enuff Z’Nuff
Vain
House of Lords
Jet Boy
Bret Michaels (headliner)
Looking at the list of acts above, this lineup may not excite a lot of people, but I would still like to see it. I love Tracii Guns, but I make no bones about it, that I prefer the Phil Lewis version of this band. I wouldn’t go out of my way to see their set.
Chip Z’Nuff mentioned in the Rocklahoma that a new Enuff Z’nuff album is on the way with Jake E. Lee on guitar. I am not sure if Jake E. Lee will be with them at Rocklahoma, but if so, this is a show not to be missed.
I haven’t ever seen Vain live, but I have heard a lot of good things about them. I would be happy to check them out.
House of Lords is still putting out new music, and has a new CD that will hit stores in a couple of weeks. Their last album, World Upside Down was quite good. James Christian is a very good singer, and the band features the talent of axe slinger Jimi Bell. Count me in!
I had the pleasure of seeing Jetboy live in Columbus (See this article for the concert review with videos). The band was excellent alive. I wouldn’t miss this their set for anything.
Tracii Guns mentioned in the Rocklahoma press conference that he hated opening for these guys, as they used to blow him off the stage. Jetboy was originally signed to MCA, and as with most acts on that label, never got the proper support they deserved. They are going to open up a lot of eyes at Rocklahoma.
Bret Michaels mentioned at the press conference that this will be a big show with pyro etc when he closes out on Thursday night. It sounds as if he wants to make this every bit of fun as a Poison show. He also mentioned that a special area will be set up where you can meet him in person, get an autograph, and a picture, and talk music with him. With Rock of Love being the #1 show on cable televison, there will be a lot of people waiting in line to meet Bret, without question. I don’t know much of his solo music, so I can’t say if his solo set is something I would want to check out. I will likely check out his solo disc that is supposed to hit in June.
Strangely enough, most of the bands on the Friday schedule, I have not seen live. For them to all be on the same bill together is quite cool. I wouldn’t want to miss one band on the Friday night line up.
Friday:
XYZ
Armored Saint
Kingdom Come
Night Ranger
TBA
Triumph
Extreme
XYZ
Armored Saint
Kingdom Come
Night Ranger
TBA
Triumph
Extreme
XYZ was quite similar to Dokken. Terry Ilous said that this will be the first time the band has played together is several years. It should be an interesting set, and it will good to hear some of their tunes again.
Armored Saint is easily the heaviest band on the main stage for the entire 4 day event, and is a no miss act, in my opinion. Their CD, Symbol of Salvation, is still one of my favorites.
Kingdom Come always took a lot of crap for being a Led Zeppelin clone when they first came out. Nonetheless I like their first two CD’s, but I haven’t cared for their more recent material. I am not sure what the lineup will be for this show. I am guessing it will be Lenny Wolf and a bunch of hired hands. I will have to see what I can find out on this one. I have low expectations for this part of the show.
There are plenty of Night Ranger songs that I have enjoyed over the years. They put out a new CD in 2007, which I still haven’t checked out yet. Jack Blades, Brad Gillis and Kelly Keagy are a very talented group. I wouldn’t dare miss this set.
Triumph and Extreme are co-headlining Friday night. This is one of the few appearances that Triumph is making
in 2008. Rik Emmett always puts on a good show. I wouldn’t miss this for anything.
Extreme is back together again with Gary Cherone, Nuno Bettencourt, and Pat Badger. They are working on new
material for a 2008 release. I would be happy to see Nuno play live, in any capacity. I am glad to see him return to the band that made him famous.
There is also one band that has not been announced for Friday. I am not sure who this will be, but the lineup is already a solid one.
The Saturday Lineup has a lot of question marks for me, but could turn out to be a solid day of rock.
Saturday:
Pretty Boy Floyd
Every Mothers Nightmare
Tora Tora
Black N Blue
Trixter
Kix
Warrant featuring Jani Lane
Cinderella
Pretty Boy Floyd
Every Mothers Nightmare
Tora Tora
Black N Blue
Trixter
Kix
Warrant featuring Jani Lane
Cinderella
My understanding is that Pretty Boy Floyd has completely reunited. This isn’t the watered down version of the band that Steve Summers has been on the road with. If so, then this would be kind of cool to see.
Every Mother’s Nightmare is a complete wild card. The singer, Rick Ruhl, and drummer Jim Phipps are the only remaining members. I like their bluesy Memphis rock, and would like to check them out.
Tora Tora on the other hand is a complete band reunion. I love their two CD’s Surprise Attack, and Wild America.
I have seen them live but it has easily been 18 years ago. They were great then, so I would imagine a solid show by this group. Hopefully their unreleased CD will see the light of day after this.
I never had the opportunity to see Black N’ Blue live, but I have all of their CD’s and would certainly want to check them out. Jamie St. James was pretty good on the last Warrant CD. I don’t know what the lineup will be for this show, but I doubt that Tommy Thayer will be part of it. Gene Simmons owns him now.
I have to admit that I have never been a Trixter fan. I always looked at this band as the New Kids on the Block
with guitars. I thought their music was a little thin back in the day, and seeing them live won’t change my opinion.
I have always liked Kix, and I have seen them live a few times. I have also seen Steve Whiteman’s other band,
Funny Money (which sounds exactly like Kix). It would be cool to hear some Kix tunes live again.
I saw Jani Lane solo in 2007, and he sounded great. I am happy that Warrant is back together again in a full reunion. I have seen them live a few times, and they always put on a good show.
Cinderella is also a band that has always put on an excellent show, each and every time I have seen them. Tom Keifer’s voice is the only thing that is a question mark about this show. The band has been off for a couple of years so I am hopeful that Tom’s voice is back to full strength.
The Sunday lineup is interesting, especially with two times slots still opened. One of these slots is heavily rumored to be Motley Crue. I am not sure of the other one, but wouldn’t be shocked to see Danger Danger get the other slot.
Sunday:
Axe
Beautiful Creatures
Zebra
Lynch Mob
TBA
Tesla
TBA
Axe
Beautiful Creatures
Zebra
Lynch Mob
TBA
Tesla
TBA
I doubt a lot of people are going to know Axe. I know the band, but I wouldn’t go out of my to see them play live. I like their tune Rock and Roll Party In the Streets, but that is about it.
Beautiful Creatures have released a couple of CD’s in this decade which is more than a lot of the bands in this music festival can say. Seeing them on the roster has me getting out my CD’s by them again. I would certainly want to check them out.
Zebra is a darkhorse in this lineup. I haven’t seen them live, but I am quite familiar with their music. This could be a good show.
Lynch Mob now features Oni Logan on vocals, Marco Mendoza on bass, Tommy Aldridge on drums, and of course George Lynch on guitar. I saw half of this band perform with Whitesnake, and would love to see this lineup in action. Tommy Aldridge is an animal on the drums, and George Lynch needs no introductions. I am interested in hearing his new Scorpion Tales album, but this is a Scorpions cover album. This is quite odd, considering that he hasn’t ever been in the band.
Tesla is the must see band on the Sunday bill. I have seen Tesla twice in the last year, and they were excellent both times. They will easily be the best band on the Sunday lineup (amongst those that have been announced so far.)
The side stages at Rocklahoma has a bunch of darkhorses, and bands that may surprise you.
The lineups look like this:
The Retrospect Records stage includes the following bands: Jester, Sidekixx, air-A-Dice, Front Runner, Tommy Had a Vision, Valor, Gypsy Blue, Whitefoxx, Blue Tiger, Wild August, Messang, Paul Shortino, Mariah, Warryor, Bad Candy,
Lorraine, Nasty Nasty, Real Steel, Cuttlass, Vyper, Mass, Bad Candy, Oney, Strikeforce, Herazz, Reckless, Heartless, Ron Keel, Warryor and Alibi.
I am not familar with most of the bands on the Retrospect stage, aside from: Mariah, Mass, Paul Shortino, Ron Keel, Nasty Nasty and Strikeforce. I would certainly like to
check out some of these acts, although none of these were bands were ever considered A-Listers.
The other stage has Texas Hippie Coalition, Karnevil featuring Dario Lorina, Dirty Penny, Crooked X, Gypsy Pistoleros, Sweet FA, Banshee, Gods of Kansas, Lipstick Magazine, Pownd, Shadowside, Mindflow, Warmachine, Asphalt Valentine, and Krucible featuring Lance King.
The interesting thing about Stage 3 is most of these are all up and coming bands.18 year old Dario Lorina is an amazing guitar player. Look him up on you tube and watch this kid play. He is very good. Karnevil is his new band. I don’t know much about them, but with Lorina on the six string, they will be interesting.
Dirty Penny is one of the better new glam bands out there. They aren’t very original, but their new CD is pretty good.
The Gypsy Pistoleros close out Friday Night on stage three, and they are the must see band in Rocklahoma. The Flamenco twist on their upbeat glam tunes is certainly one that I would like to see.
Sweet FA is the late 80′s/early 90′s hard rock band that reunited in 2007. Their new CD, The Lost Tapes is quite good. I have seen this band live, and I know they are pretty good.
Banshee is another must see band on stage three. They are one of the heavier acts on this stage. If you haven’t heard any of their music, I recommend checking them out. They will surprise you for sure.
Gods of Kansas is a newer band that is starting to make some waves. They are currently playing a bunch of live shows all over the U.S.
Pownd is a newer heavy metal band that is located 2.5 hours down the road from me in Richmond, Kentucky.
Their newest CD is highly rated across the web. I will be reviewing this one soon.
Shadowside and Asphalt Valentine are two of Chavis Records newer bands. Shadowside has one cd out, and one
on the way. Asphalt Valentine is a hard rocking band from Atlanta, GA. Their debut will be released within
the next couple of months. (I will also be checking them out locally in two weeks).
I don’t know the other acts on this stage (Crooked X, Lipstick Magazine, Mindflow, Warmachine, and Krucible) but I will be exploring these bands in the months to come.
As a whole….Rocklahoma offers plenty of Nostalgia, but also a slew of NEW bands trying to make it in the music world. The addition of two more stages in 2008 greatly improves this event over the 2007 show.
I can only hope that I will be able to make the trek there for this show. I can’t imagine missing this event!
