Ride the Sky
Encyclopedia
Ride 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.
, on metal label Nuclear Blast
records. The band combines strong traits of progressive metal
, power metal
, and symphonic metal
, with strong influences from 80's hard rock
.
On November 17, 2007, on their website they announced that Kaspar departed from the line-up due to personal reasons, and that Ram-Zet
's Henning "Zet" Ramseth was to replace him on keyboards and rhythm guitar for the rest of the tour.
On April 22, 2008 the band stated in their blog on MySpace
that they have officially broken up, saying "There was not much media focus and together with a minor support from the record company, we came to the point where it was just not worth the work to even try to complete a second album."
Progressive metal
Progressive metal is a subgenre of heavy metal originating in the United Kingdom and North America in the late 1980s...
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 formed by ex-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...
, Gamma Ray
Gamma Ray (band)
Gamma Ray is a power metal band from Hamburg, northern Germany, founded and fronted by Kai Hansen after his departure from the German power metal Helloween. Hansen is the current lead vocalist, guitarist as well as the chief songwriter of Gamma Ray. The band is known as one of the most prominent...
, and Masterplan drummer Uli Kusch
Uli Kusch
Ulrich Kusch, born 11 March 1967, is a heavy metal drummer. He is best known for playing with Helloween, Gamma Ray, and Masterplan. He is known for his technical style of playing, fast-paced speed metal-like rhythm and capable songwriting abilities.-Biography:...
, and Tears of Anger members Bjørn Jansson and Benny Jansson.
History
The ground work for Ride the Sky began back in 2006 when drummer Uli Kusch started swapping musical ideas with vocalist Bjorn Jansson. Uli left Masterplan later that year and was asked by Bjorn and Benny to do some guest work on the next Tears of Anger album. Uli was impressed with the music sent to him, and started sending some of his own compositions back to them. The three musicians decided to put all their work to play in Ride the Sky. The trio hired bassist Mathias Garnås, and keyboardist Kaspar Dahlqvist, in order to, according to them, to "Gain the highest caliber of talent to complete the band". They have so far released one album entitled New ProtectionNew Protection
New Protection is the only album by progressive power metal band Ride the Sky. A video was made for the title track of the album. The limited edition digipak and US version includes the bonus track "Make the Spirit Burn".-Track listing:...
, on metal label 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. The band combines strong traits of progressive metal
Progressive metal
Progressive metal is a subgenre of heavy metal originating in the United Kingdom and North America in the late 1980s...
, 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...
, and symphonic metal
Symphonic metal
Symphonic metal is a term used to describe heavy metal music that has symphonic elements; that is, elements that are either borrowed from classical music or, as with progressive rock music, create a style reminiscent of it, e.g...
, with strong influences from 80's 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...
.
On November 17, 2007, on their website they announced that Kaspar departed from the line-up due to personal reasons, and that Ram-Zet
Ram-Zet
Ram-Zet is an extreme metal/avant-garde metal band formed in Norway in 1998. It began as a one-man project by singer and guitarist Zet, which later evolved into a full-grown band with the arrival of Küth and Solem , leading to the release of Ram-Zet's debut album Pure Therapy in September...
's Henning "Zet" Ramseth was to replace him on keyboards and rhythm guitar for the rest of the tour.
On April 22, 2008 the band stated in their blog on MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
that they have officially broken up, saying "There was not much media focus and together with a minor support from the record company, we came to the point where it was just not worth the work to even try to complete a second album."
Final members
- Bjørn Jansson – vocals
- Uli KuschUli KuschUlrich Kusch, born 11 March 1967, is a heavy metal drummer. He is best known for playing with Helloween, Gamma Ray, and Masterplan. He is known for his technical style of playing, fast-paced speed metal-like rhythm and capable songwriting abilities.-Biography:...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Benny Jansson – guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists... - Mathias Garnås – bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....