Master of Illusion (album)
Encyclopedia
Master of Illusion is the 4th studio album
of the power metal
band Power Quest
, which was recorded in November/December 2007 and has been released worldwide on 13 May 2008.
The album has been described as having "catchy melodies, fast paced songs, mid paced songs, epic songs" and will have a "hard rock
" sound with "power ballads" and "heavier guitar work".
In December, 2007 band keyboardist
Steve Williams
has announced on the Official Power Quest forums that there would be five guest appearances on the forthcoming album. The first of these was announced as guitarist Bill Hudson
from North American
power metal
band Cellador
, who will be providing guest instrumentation on the track "The Vigil". The second of these was announced as keyboardist Richard West
from British
progressive metal
band Threshold
, who will be providing a keyboard solo on the track "Human Machine". The third has been revealed as Jorn Viggo Lofstad, from Norwegian
progpower metal band Pagan's Mind
who shared the stage with Power Quest in their 2006 tour. Fourth was announced as Chris Neighbour from UK thrash metal
band FourwayKill. The final guest was announced on the newly redesigned Power Quest website as Bob Katsionis
from Greek
power metal
band Firewind
who will provide guest instrumentation on "Save the World".
A series of podcasts from two members of the band has shed more light on the album, its songs and its style. According to those releases Steve Williams had written 17 songs prior to recording but 10 songs including a bonus track are to be on the final release.
The artwork for the album was created by Colombian artist Felipe Machado Franco.
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
of the power metal
Power metal
Power metal is a style of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional metal with speed metal, often within symphonic context. The term refers to two different but related styles: the first pioneered and largely practiced in North America with a harder sound similar to speed metal, and a...
band Power Quest
Power Quest
Power Quest is a power metal band based in the United Kingdom.-The Power Quest Demo and Wings of Forever :Power Quest was conceived in March 2001 by keyboardist Steve Williams, who had recently departed London power metal band DragonHeart...
, which was recorded in November/December 2007 and has been released worldwide on 13 May 2008.
The album has been described as having "catchy melodies, fast paced songs, mid paced songs, epic songs" and will have a "hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
" sound with "power ballads" and "heavier guitar work".
In December, 2007 band keyboardist
Keyboardist
A keyboardist is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instruments with keyboards have come into common usage, requiring a more...
Steve Williams
Steve Williams (musician)
Steve Williams is the keyboardist for British power metal band Power Quest and former member of DragonForce.Williams formed Power Quest in 2001 after leaving DragonForce and has been their main songwriter and face of the band since then...
has announced on the Official Power Quest forums that there would be five guest appearances on the forthcoming album. The first of these was announced as guitarist Bill Hudson
Bill Hudson (guitarist)
Bill Hudson, born on January 13, 1987 in Sao Paulo, Brazil, is a heavy metal guitarist. He moved to the United States during the year of 2005 in order to join the Nebraskan power metal band Cellador, playing on their debut album Enter Deception and remaining in their line-up until early 2008...
from North American
North American
North American generally refers to an entity, people, group, or attribute of North America, especially of the United States and Canada together.-Culture:*North American English, a collective term used to describe American English and Canadian English...
power metal
Power metal
Power metal is a style of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional metal with speed metal, often within symphonic context. The term refers to two different but related styles: the first pioneered and largely practiced in North America with a harder sound similar to speed metal, and a...
band Cellador
Cellador
Cellador is a power metal band from Omaha, Nebraska, formed by guitarist Chris Petersen in 2004. After a rotation of a few member try-outs in the band's earliest days, Cellador's album line-up was cemented in 2004. The band eventually signed to Metal Blade after playing a show with The Black Dahlia...
, who will be providing guest instrumentation on the track "The Vigil". The second of these was announced as keyboardist Richard West
Richard West (keyboardist)
Richard West is an English musician and producer, most widely known as the keyboard player and a songwriter for progressive metal band Threshold...
from British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
progressive metal
Progressive metal
Progressive metal is a subgenre of heavy metal originating in the United Kingdom and North America in the late 1980s...
band Threshold
Threshold (band)
Threshold is a progressive metal band, formed in Surrey, UK in the late 1980s.-History:Threshold began their career in 1988, initially playing covers of metal groups like Ratt and Testament. As they continued playing together, they began to write their own songs, and eventually stopped playing...
, who will be providing a keyboard solo on the track "Human Machine". The third has been revealed as Jorn Viggo Lofstad, from Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
progpower metal band Pagan's Mind
Pagan's Mind
-Biography:Founded in 2000 from the band Silverspoon by Nils K. Rue, Thorstein Aaby, and Stian Kristoffersen. Pagan's Mind released their first album, Infinity Divine, that same year. The following album, Celestial Entrance, was released in 2002 and was a relatively big success even outside of...
who shared the stage with Power Quest in their 2006 tour. Fourth was announced as Chris Neighbour from UK thrash metal
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
band FourwayKill. The final guest was announced on the newly redesigned Power Quest website as Bob Katsionis
Bob Katsionis
Babis "Bob" Katsionis , born on February 17, 1977 in Athens, Greece, is the rhythm guitarist and keyboard player for the heavy metal/power metal bands Firewind, Revolution Renaissance and Outloud.-Appearances:...
from Greek
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
power metal
Power metal
Power metal is a style of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional metal with speed metal, often within symphonic context. The term refers to two different but related styles: the first pioneered and largely practiced in North America with a harder sound similar to speed metal, and a...
band Firewind
Firewind
Firewind is a Greek power metal band. Formed in 1998, the group is currently signed to Century Media Records and was originally a small project created by guitarist, Gus G. to showcase his demo, Nocturnal Symphony in 1998. Firewind later became a full band over three years later when they recorded...
who will provide guest instrumentation on "Save the World".
A series of podcasts from two members of the band has shed more light on the album, its songs and its style. According to those releases Steve Williams had written 17 songs prior to recording but 10 songs including a bonus track are to be on the final release.
The artwork for the album was created by Colombian artist Felipe Machado Franco.
Track listing
Japanese bonus trackPersonnel
- Alessio Garavello - vocals, rhythm guitar
- Steve WilliamsSteve Williams (musician)Steve Williams is the keyboardist for British power metal band Power Quest and former member of DragonForce.Williams formed Power Quest in 2001 after leaving DragonForce and has been their main songwriter and face of the band since then...
- keyboards, backing vocals - Andrea Martongelli - guitars, backing vocals
- Steve Scott - bass guitar, backing vocals
- Francesco Tresca - drums
- Bill HudsonBill Hudson (guitarist)Bill Hudson, born on January 13, 1987 in Sao Paulo, Brazil, is a heavy metal guitarist. He moved to the United States during the year of 2005 in order to join the Nebraskan power metal band Cellador, playing on their debut album Enter Deception and remaining in their line-up until early 2008...
- guest guitars - Richard WestRichard West (keyboardist)Richard West is an English musician and producer, most widely known as the keyboard player and a songwriter for progressive metal band Threshold...
- guest keyboards - Jørn Viggo Lofstad - guest guitars
- Chris Neighbour - guest vocals
- Bob KatsionisBob KatsionisBabis "Bob" Katsionis , born on February 17, 1977 in Athens, Greece, is the rhythm guitarist and keyboard player for the heavy metal/power metal bands Firewind, Revolution Renaissance and Outloud.-Appearances:...
- guest keyboards