Nuclear Blast All-Stars: Into the Light
Encyclopedia
Into the Light is a compilation album from Nuclear Blast
Records to commemorate their 20 years as a record label. Produced by Rage
guitarist Victor Smolski
, with singers Tobias Sammet
(of Edguy
), Peter "Peavy" Wagner
(Rage
), Tony Kakko
(Sonata Arctica
), Mats Levén
(Therion
), Marcel "Schmier" Schirmer
(Destruction
), Hansi Kürsch
(Blind Guardian
), Andi Deris
(Helloween
), Oddleif Stensland
(Communic
), Marco Hietala
(Nightwish
and Tarot
), and Tarja Turunen
(Ex-Nightwish
). It features a variable collection of "All Stars" much in the same vein as Roadrunner United
. The whole album was written by Victor Smolski
(however, two songs, "In the Picture" and "Slaves to the Desert" – originally "Slaves of the Desert" – are remakes of songs he had already recorded with Mind Odyssey
), who also recorded all the guitars, some bass and keyboards. The drums were done by Volker Schultz and André Hilgers.
It was followed by a "twin" album called Out of the Dark
. "Into the Light" focuses on the Power Metal
side of Nuclear Blast, "Out of the Dark" on their Melodic Death
side.
Tarja Turunen is the only singer in the album that is not (and wasn't at that time either) from Nuclear Blast. She is only included because of her past with Nightwish
, one of the best known bands from Nuclear Blast.
Nuclear Blast
Nuclear Blast is an independent record label and mail order record distributor with subsidiaries in Germany, the United States and Brazil. The record label was founded in 1987 by Markus Staiger in Germany. Originally releasing hardcore punk records, the label moved on to releasing albums by melodic...
Records to commemorate their 20 years as a record label. Produced by Rage
Rage (band)
Rage are a German heavy metal band, formed in 1984. They were part of the German heavy/speed/power metal scene to emerge in the early to mid 1980s, along with bands such as Helloween, Running Wild and Blind Guardian.-Background:...
guitarist Victor Smolski
Victor Smolski
Victor Dmitrievich Smolski is a Belarusian musician, composer and multi-instrumentalist. He is a constant member of the German heavy metal band Rage.-Biography:...
, with singers Tobias Sammet
Tobias Sammet
Tobias Sammet is the vocalist and primary songwriter of the German Power metal band Edguy, as well as the creator of the metal opera Avantasia and a member of the metal project Final Chapter. He also made guest appearances on the Rob Rock album Holy Hell and the metal opera Aina...
(of Edguy
Edguy
-Demos, AFM years :Edguy was founded in 1992 by 14-year-old students Tobias Sammet, Jens Ludwig, Dominik Storch and Dirk Sauer. The name "Edguy" was an affectionate epithet for Mr. Edgar Siedschlag, their math teacher at the time. In 1994, the band released two demos, Evil Minded and Children of...
), Peter "Peavy" Wagner
Peavy Wagner
Peter "Peavy" Wagner is a German heavy metal musician. He is best known for being singer and bassist of the band Rage.- Biography :...
(Rage
Rage (band)
Rage are a German heavy metal band, formed in 1984. They were part of the German heavy/speed/power metal scene to emerge in the early to mid 1980s, along with bands such as Helloween, Running Wild and Blind Guardian.-Background:...
), Tony Kakko
Tony Kakko
Toni Kristian "Tony" Kakko is a Finnish musician, composer and vocalist. He is mainly known as the vocalist, primary songwriter, and creative force in the band Sonata Arctica since 1996.-Biography:...
(Sonata Arctica
Sonata Arctica
Sonata Arctica are a Finnish power metal band from the town of Kemi, originally assembled in 1995. Their later works contain several elements typical of progressive metal.....
), Mats Levén
Mats Levén
Mats Levén is a singer. His most notable recent collaborations have been with symphonic metallers Therion and doom metallers Krux.-Biography:...
(Therion
Therion
Therion, Greek for "wild animal" or "beast" , may refer to:* Therion, the name the Greeks gave to the constellation Lupus * Therion , the Swedish symphonic metal band* Therion , a god in Thelema, consort of Babalon...
), Marcel "Schmier" Schirmer
Marcel Schirmer
Marcel Schirmer, born on December 22, 1966, is a German heavy metal musician. Commonly known as Schmier, he is the founding bassist and vocalist of the thrash metal band Destruction. He left Destruction in 1989 to form Headhunter and reunited with them in 1999. Schmier owned a pizzeria named...
(Destruction
Destruction (band)
Destruction is a German thrash metal band. They are considered one of the "three kings" of the Teutonic thrash metal scene, the others being Kreator and Sodom...
), Hansi Kürsch
Hansi Kürsch
Hans Jürgen Kürsch, better known as Hansi Kürsch is a German musician, the lead vocalist and lyricist of power metal band Blind Guardian. Together with André Olbrich, he is also the principal songwriter for the band. He was also the bassist in Blind Guardian until the 1998 album Nightfall in...
(Blind Guardian
Blind Guardian
Blind Guardian is a German power metal band formed in the mid-1980s in Krefeld, West Germany. They are often credited as one of the seminal and most influential bands in the power metal and speed metal subgenres...
), Andi Deris
Andi Deris
Andreas "Andi" Deris is the vocalist and the main songwriter for power metal band Helloween, and co-founder and former lead singer of German melodic metal band Pink Cream 69...
(Helloween
Helloween
Helloween is a German power metal band founded in the mid 1980s by members of Iron Fist and Powerfool. The band was a pioneering force in the European Power Metal movement and their second and third studio albums, Keeper of the Seven Keys, Pt...
), Oddleif Stensland
Oddleif Stensland
Oddleif Stensland is the vocalist and guitarist of Norwegian progressive/power metal band Communic.Stensland appeared on the 2007 Nuclear Blast All-Stars album, which celebrated the 20th anniversary of Nuclear Blast Records....
(Communic
Communic
Communic is a progressive metal band from Kristiansand, Norway. The band was founded in 2003 and has released four albums. The first two have received good reviews from magazines and critics.-Beginning :...
), Marco Hietala
Marco Hietala
Marko Tapani "Marco" Hietala is a heavy metal vocalist and bassist. Internationally, he is most known as the current bassist, male vocalist and composer, of the symphonic metal band Nightwish...
(Nightwish
Nightwish
Nightwish is a Finnish symphonic metal band from Kitee, Finland. Formed in 1996 by songwriter and keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen, guitarist Emppu Vuorinen, and former vocalist Tarja Turunen, Nightwish's current line-up has five members, although Tarja has been replaced by Anette Olzon and the...
and Tarot
Tarot (band)
Tarot is a heavy metal band from Finland. They are most famous for the song “Wings of Darkness” from the 1986 album Spell of Iron. While having enjoyed a broad underground popularity in Finland, the band has never been very famous elsewhere until gaining new success in the recent years when their...
), and Tarja Turunen
Tarja Turunen
Tarja Soile Susanna Turunen Cabuli is a Finnish singer-songwriter and composer. She is a full lyric soprano and has a vocal range of three octaves....
(Ex-Nightwish
Nightwish
Nightwish is a Finnish symphonic metal band from Kitee, Finland. Formed in 1996 by songwriter and keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen, guitarist Emppu Vuorinen, and former vocalist Tarja Turunen, Nightwish's current line-up has five members, although Tarja has been replaced by Anette Olzon and the...
). It features a variable collection of "All Stars" much in the same vein as Roadrunner United
Roadrunner United
Roadrunner United was a project organized by the heavy metal record label Roadrunner Records to celebrate its 25th anniversary. It culminated in an album released worldwide on October 11, 2005, entitled The All-Star Sessions...
. The whole album was written by Victor Smolski
Victor Smolski
Victor Dmitrievich Smolski is a Belarusian musician, composer and multi-instrumentalist. He is a constant member of the German heavy metal band Rage.-Biography:...
(however, two songs, "In the Picture" and "Slaves to the Desert" – originally "Slaves of the Desert" – are remakes of songs he had already recorded with Mind Odyssey
Mind Odyssey
Mind Odyssey is a German progressive metal band that formed in 1993, split in 1999 and re-formed in 2007.-1993-1999:Mind Odyssey was founded in 1993 by singer and bassist, Mario LeMole, guitarist Dan Uhden, guitarist Rocco Stellmacher and drummer Volker Schultz. The first album Keep it All Turning...
), who also recorded all the guitars, some bass and keyboards. The drums were done by Volker Schultz and André Hilgers.
It was followed by a "twin" album called Out of the Dark
Nuclear Blast All-Stars: Out of the Dark
Out of the Dark is a two disc compilation album from Nuclear Blast Records to commemorate their 20 years as a record label. Produced by Peter Wichers, who is also the only song writer on the album, it features a variable collection of "All Stars" much in the same vein as Roadrunner United...
. "Into the Light" focuses on 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...
side of Nuclear Blast, "Out of the Dark" on their Melodic Death
Melodic death metal
Melodic death metal is a heavy metal music style that combines elements from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal with elements of death metal. The style was developed during the early and mid-1990s, primarily in England and Scandinavia...
side.
Tarja Turunen is the only singer in the album that is not (and wasn't at that time either) from Nuclear Blast. She is only included because of her past with Nightwish
Nightwish
Nightwish is a Finnish symphonic metal band from Kitee, Finland. Formed in 1996 by songwriter and keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen, guitarist Emppu Vuorinen, and former vocalist Tarja Turunen, Nightwish's current line-up has five members, although Tarja has been replaced by Anette Olzon and the...
, one of the best known bands from Nuclear Blast.
Disc 1 - 20 Years Nuclear Blast
- Dirty Wings (feat. Tobias SammetTobias SammetTobias Sammet is the vocalist and primary songwriter of the German Power metal band Edguy, as well as the creator of the metal opera Avantasia and a member of the metal project Final Chapter. He also made guest appearances on the Rob Rock album Holy Hell and the metal opera Aina...
of EdguyEdguy-Demos, AFM years :Edguy was founded in 1992 by 14-year-old students Tobias Sammet, Jens Ludwig, Dominik Storch and Dirk Sauer. The name "Edguy" was an affectionate epithet for Mr. Edgar Siedschlag, their math teacher at the time. In 1994, the band released two demos, Evil Minded and Children of...
) - Terrified (feat. Peter "Peavy" WagnerPeavy WagnerPeter "Peavy" Wagner is a German heavy metal musician. He is best known for being singer and bassist of the band Rage.- Biography :...
of RAGERage (band)Rage are a German heavy metal band, formed in 1984. They were part of the German heavy/speed/power metal scene to emerge in the early to mid 1980s, along with bands such as Helloween, Running Wild and Blind Guardian.-Background:...
) - Ruling the World (feat. Tony KakkoTony KakkoToni Kristian "Tony" Kakko is a Finnish musician, composer and vocalist. He is mainly known as the vocalist, primary songwriter, and creative force in the band Sonata Arctica since 1996.-Biography:...
of Sonata ArcticaSonata ArcticaSonata Arctica are a Finnish power metal band from the town of Kemi, originally assembled in 1995. Their later works contain several elements typical of progressive metal.....
) - Death is Alive (feat. Mats LevenMats LevénMats Levén is a singer. His most notable recent collaborations have been with symphonic metallers Therion and doom metallers Krux.-Biography:...
of TherionTherionTherion, Greek for "wild animal" or "beast" , may refer to:* Therion, the name the Greeks gave to the constellation Lupus * Therion , the Swedish symphonic metal band* Therion , a god in Thelema, consort of Babalon...
, KruxKruxKrux is a Swedish doom metal band, created by Leif Edling after Candlemass fell apart for the second time preceding their reunion tour.-Members:* Leif Edling - bass guitar* Mats Levén - vocals* Peter Stjärnvind - drums* Jörgen Sandström - guitars...
, At VanceAt VanceAt Vance is a German power metal/Neo-classical metal band. They were formed by vocalist Oliver Hartmann and guitarist Olaf Lenk in 1998.-Biography:...
) - Bloodsucker (feat. Marcel "Schmier" SchirmerMarcel SchirmerMarcel Schirmer, born on December 22, 1966, is a German heavy metal musician. Commonly known as Schmier, he is the founding bassist and vocalist of the thrash metal band Destruction. He left Destruction in 1989 to form Headhunter and reunited with them in 1999. Schmier owned a pizzeria named...
of DestructionDestruction (band)Destruction is a German thrash metal band. They are considered one of the "three kings" of the Teutonic thrash metal scene, the others being Kreator and Sodom...
) - Slaves to the Desert (feat. Hansi KürschHansi KürschHans Jürgen Kürsch, better known as Hansi Kürsch is a German musician, the lead vocalist and lyricist of power metal band Blind Guardian. Together with André Olbrich, he is also the principal songwriter for the band. He was also the bassist in Blind Guardian until the 1998 album Nightfall in...
of Blind GuardianBlind GuardianBlind Guardian is a German power metal band formed in the mid-1980s in Krefeld, West Germany. They are often credited as one of the seminal and most influential bands in the power metal and speed metal subgenres...
) - A Perfect Day (feat. Andi DerisAndi DerisAndreas "Andi" Deris is the vocalist and the main songwriter for power metal band Helloween, and co-founder and former lead singer of German melodic metal band Pink Cream 69...
of HelloweenHelloweenHelloween is a German power metal band founded in the mid 1980s by members of Iron Fist and Powerfool. The band was a pioneering force in the European Power Metal movement and their second and third studio albums, Keeper of the Seven Keys, Pt...
) - Eternally (feat. Oddleif StenslandOddleif StenslandOddleif Stensland is the vocalist and guitarist of Norwegian progressive/power metal band Communic.Stensland appeared on the 2007 Nuclear Blast All-Stars album, which celebrated the 20th anniversary of Nuclear Blast Records....
of CommunicCommunicCommunic is a progressive metal band from Kristiansand, Norway. The band was founded in 2003 and has released four albums. The first two have received good reviews from magazines and critics.-Beginning :...
) - Inner Sanctuary (feat. Marco HietalaMarco HietalaMarko Tapani "Marco" Hietala is a heavy metal vocalist and bassist. Internationally, he is most known as the current bassist, male vocalist and composer, of the symphonic metal band Nightwish...
of NightwishNightwishNightwish is a Finnish symphonic metal band from Kitee, Finland. Formed in 1996 by songwriter and keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen, guitarist Emppu Vuorinen, and former vocalist Tarja Turunen, Nightwish's current line-up has five members, although Tarja has been replaced by Anette Olzon and the...
, TarotTarot (band)Tarot is a heavy metal band from Finland. They are most famous for the song “Wings of Darkness” from the 1986 album Spell of Iron. While having enjoyed a broad underground popularity in Finland, the band has never been very famous elsewhere until gaining new success in the recent years when their...
) - In the Picture (feat. Tarja TurunenTarja TurunenTarja Soile Susanna Turunen Cabuli is a Finnish singer-songwriter and composer. She is a full lyric soprano and has a vocal range of three octaves....
formerly of NightwishNightwishNightwish is a Finnish symphonic metal band from Kitee, Finland. Formed in 1996 by songwriter and keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen, guitarist Emppu Vuorinen, and former vocalist Tarja Turunen, Nightwish's current line-up has five members, although Tarja has been replaced by Anette Olzon and the...
)
Disc 2 - 20 Years Nuclear Blast: Bonus CD
- HammerFallHammerFallHammerFall is a power metal band from Gothenburg, Sweden. The band was formed in 1993 by ex-Ceremonial Oath guitarist Oscar Dronjak.- Early days :...
- Hearts on Fire - HelloweenHelloweenHelloween is a German power metal band founded in the mid 1980s by members of Iron Fist and Powerfool. The band was a pioneering force in the European Power Metal movement and their second and third studio albums, Keeper of the Seven Keys, Pt...
- The Madness of the Crowds - GotthardGotthard (band)Gotthard is a Swiss hard rock/heavy metal band founded in Lugano by Steve Lee and Leo Leoni. Their last eleven albums have all reached number 1 in the Swiss album charts, making them one of the most successful Swiss acts ever....
- El Traidor - After ForeverAfter ForeverAfter Forever was a Dutch symphonic metal band with strong progressive metal influences. The band relied on the use of both soprano vocals and death grunts. In February 2009, it was announced that After Forever had disbanded.-Biography:...
- Sweet Enclosure - Ride the SkyRide the SkyRide the Sky was a progressive power metal band formed by ex-Helloween, Gamma Ray, and Masterplan drummer Uli Kusch, and Tears of Anger members Bjørn Jansson and Benny Jansson.-History:...
- New Protection - ThunderstoneThunderstone (band)Thunderstone is a Power metal band from Helsinki, Finland. The band was formed in 2000 by guitarist Nino Laurenne, and the line-up became full the following year. After the release of the band's self-titled debut album, Thunderstone, the band toured Europe supporting Stratovarius and Symphony X...
- Forevermore - ThresholdThreshold (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...
- Slipstream - AmorphisAmorphisAmorphis is a Finnish heavy metal band started by Jan Rechberger, Tomi Koivusaari, and Esa Holopainen in 1990. Initially, the band was a death metal act, but on later albums they evolved into playing other types of genres, which include heavy metal, progressive metal, and folk metal...
- "The Smoke" - CandlemassCandlemassCandlemass are an influential Swedish doom metal band established in 1984 by Leif Edling , their leader and songwriter. The band is originally from Stockholm. After releasing five full-length albums and touring extensively throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, Candlemass disbanded in 1994, but...
- "Devil Seed" - SireniaSirenia (band)Sirenia is a gothic metal band from Stavanger, Norway which incorporates a mixture of gothic metal and symphonic metal, as well as extreme metal and death metal elements...
- "The Other Side"