Talisman (band)
Encyclopedia

Talisman was a Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....

 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...

 band characterized by an international melodic/powerful sound.

1980s - Getting together

Talisman was formed by bass player Marcel Jacob
Marcel Jacob
Marcel Karl Jacob was a Swedish musician, best known as the bassist in the hard rock bands Talisman and Last Autumn's Dream.-Biography:In 1978, Jacob formed the band Rising Force together with guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen...

, who had previously played with (among others) Rising Force, John Norum
John Norum
John Norum is a rock music guitarist and founder of the Swedish band Europe . Concurrent to his role with Europe, he also maintains a side solo project...

 Group and Power.
While Jacob was playing with John Norum
John Norum
John Norum is a rock music guitarist and founder of the Swedish band Europe . Concurrent to his role with Europe, he also maintains a side solo project...

, he started working on tracks which he thought would end up on Norum's second solo album. The singer on those demos was Göran Edman
Göran Edman
Göran Edman is a Swedish vocalist. He is noted for his session work with many artists through the years but mainly for his early work with guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen...

, also in John Norum
John Norum
John Norum is a rock music guitarist and founder of the Swedish band Europe . Concurrent to his role with Europe, he also maintains a side solo project...

  Group at that time. But Norum rejected the songs and, in the meantime, Göran was offered the opportunity to join Yngwie Malmsteen's band.
Jacob found himself with record label interest but no band when he was later contacted by the label which had originally showed some interest in the demos.

Auditions among Swedish vocalist were unsuccessful but Cary Sharaf (ex Wasa Express guitar player) suggested Jeff Scott Soto
Jeff Scott Soto
Jeff Scott Soto is an American rock singer of Puerto Rican descent. He is best known for being the lead singer for the group Talisman from 1990 till the end of Talisman in 2007, the vocalist on Yngwie Malmsteen's first two albums, and for stepping up to the job of lead vocalist for Journey on...

 then he was called, he got the material and agreed to join the band. Both Soto and Jacob had played on Yngwie Malmsteen's "Marching Out
Marching Out
Marching Out is the second studio album by Swedish heavy metal guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen, released in 1985 through Polydor Records.- Track listing :- Personnel :...

" in 1985, touring in support of the album to some acclaim, particularly in Japan.

In February 1989 recordings for the first album took place in Stockholm with Christopher Ståhl (Power) and Mats Lindfors (Norum, Grand Slam) on guitars, Peter Hermansson (220 Volt, Norum) playing drums on some tracks and Mats Olausson (Yngwie Malmsteen, Glory) on keyboards. Jacob programmed the rest of drums and played all rhythm guitars with the help of the producer Mats Lindfors on "Women, Whiskey and Songs"

1990s - Continuing along the path

Unfortunately, Electra, the label Jacob was signed to, went bankrupt
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....

 just when the mixing was finished and the album's release was delayed.
Meanwhile, Soto's US-based project Eyes
Eyes (band)
Eyes was a rock band from New Haven, Connecticut that was active throughout the 1980s. The band was founded by James Christian, who would later go on to front the notable hard rock band House of Lords.- History :Eyes formed in New Haven, Connecticut in 1977...

 got signed. Jacob left for Los Angeles to help Eyes
Eyes (band)
Eyes was a rock band from New Haven, Connecticut that was active throughout the 1980s. The band was founded by James Christian, who would later go on to front the notable hard rock band House of Lords.- History :Eyes formed in New Haven, Connecticut in 1977...

 demo and record what would be their first release.
During this time an employee of the label that had originally signed Talisman moved to a new label and the masters of the first album were bought from the bankrupt label. So "Talisman
Talisman (album)
Talisman was the self-titled 1st studio album by Swedish hard rock band Talisman released in February 1990 on Airplay/Vinylmania in Sweden....

" was eventually released in February 1990 on the Airplay/Vinyl Mania label. The first single "I'll Be Waiting" reached number 2 in Sweden's singles chart and 33,000 copies of the album were sold in two months in Sweden.

Live, the band featured Jason Bieler
Jason Bieler
Jason Bieler , is a singer, guitarist and songwriter who is most famous for playing with hard rock band Saigon Kick....

 on guitar (Saigon Kick
Saigon Kick
Saigon Kick was an American rock band from Miami, Florida that formed in 1988.-History:Saigon Kick was formed by lead vocalist Matt Kramer and guitarist Jason Bieler along with bassist Tom Defile, and drummer Phil Varone. They gained a following on the local club scene and generated enough of a...

), Jakob "Jake Samuels" Samuelsson on drums and Thomas Wikström (Talk of the town, Candlemass) on keyboards and backing vocals. Talisman were one of the top ten drawing acts in Sweden in the summer. Unfortunately, this label went bust - ending any chances of international exposure for the album.

The time following the summer of 1990 was difficult for the band. Soto was signed to the Pasha label with Eyes
Eyes (band)
Eyes was a rock band from New Haven, Connecticut that was active throughout the 1980s. The band was founded by James Christian, who would later go on to front the notable hard rock band House of Lords.- History :Eyes formed in New Haven, Connecticut in 1977...

. Bieler was enjoying some success with Saigon Kick
Saigon Kick
Saigon Kick was an American rock band from Miami, Florida that formed in 1988.-History:Saigon Kick was formed by lead vocalist Matt Kramer and guitarist Jason Bieler along with bassist Tom Defile, and drummer Phil Varone. They gained a following on the local club scene and generated enough of a...

. Jacob got signed to Warner Sweden because of the success of "Talisman
Talisman (album)
Talisman was the self-titled 1st studio album by Swedish hard rock band Talisman released in February 1990 on Airplay/Vinylmania in Sweden....

" and had to put together a band. A trip to the US and the UK followed, looking for talent but without success.
Eventually Marcel met again Matti Alfonzetti, an old acquaintance from grade school and from touring in 1986 with Swedish fusion/rock group Wasa Express, and they started writing and recording together in 1992. After some auditions, Alfonzetti, Jacob and Samuels chose 19-year old guitar player Fredrik Åkesson
Fredrik Åkesson
Karl Fredrik Henry Åkesson is a Swedish heavy metal guitarist. He is a current member of Opeth. He is also active in Krux, Monsters of Metal and Talisman.-Biography:...

. However, a change in personnel at Warner rsulted in Talisman leaving that label and, with Talisman spending most of 1992 looking for a new label, Alfonzetti left to join Skin Trade.

Christer Wedin, who was doing press and promotion for the label that released "Talisman
Talisman (album)
Talisman was the self-titled 1st studio album by Swedish hard rock band Talisman released in February 1990 on Airplay/Vinylmania in Sweden....

", became the Swedish label manager for Dutch/Canadian label Dino Music (later Empire Records). Wedin was interested in releasing a second Talisman album, if Soto was available. As Eyes
Eyes (band)
Eyes was a rock band from New Haven, Connecticut that was active throughout the 1980s. The band was founded by James Christian, who would later go on to front the notable hard rock band House of Lords.- History :Eyes formed in New Haven, Connecticut in 1977...

 were now no longer together, Soto agreed and the band returned to the studio.

In the interim, Samuels had left to join Zinny J. Zan
Zinny J. Zan
Zinny J. Zan is the former lead-singer for Shotgun Messiah and is currently the founder and frontman for Zan Clan and reunited Easy Action.-Biography:...

's band and so Jacob programmed all drums on an Alesis SR-16. The new album "Genesis
Genesis (Talisman album)
Genesis was the 2nd studio album by hard rock band Talisman released on 7 July 1993 on Dino Records.Drummer Jake Samuels had left them to join Zinny J. Zan's band and then Marcel Jacob made all programmed drums used on the recording with an Alesis SR-16....

" was recorded in three weeks in December 1992 at Stocksund Recording Studios. Soto joined recording along with his then-girlfriend Julie Greaux (Billy Idol
Billy Idol
William Michael Albert Broad , better known by his stage name Billy Idol, is an English rock musician. A member of the Bromley Contingent of Sex Pistols fans, Idol first achieved fame in the punk rock era as a member of the band Generation X...

, Axel Rudi Pell
Axel Rudi Pell
Axel Rudi Pell is a German guitar player, playing melodic heavy metal. He started off with the band Steeler before leaving to start his solo career in 1989 with the eponymous band Axel Rudi Pell...

) who ended up playing the grand piano on "All I Want".

In conjunction with the release of "Genesis
Genesis (Talisman album)
Genesis was the 2nd studio album by hard rock band Talisman released on 7 July 1993 on Dino Records.Drummer Jake Samuels had left them to join Zinny J. Zan's band and then Marcel Jacob made all programmed drums used on the recording with an Alesis SR-16....

" early 1993, Dino Music licensed the first album from Vinyl Mania and re-issued "Talisman
Talisman (album)
Talisman was the self-titled 1st studio album by Swedish hard rock band Talisman released in February 1990 on Airplay/Vinylmania in Sweden....

" adding six live tracks recorded in Sweden in 1990.
When "Genesis
Genesis (Talisman album)
Genesis was the 2nd studio album by hard rock band Talisman released on 7 July 1993 on Dino Records.Drummer Jake Samuels had left them to join Zinny J. Zan's band and then Marcel Jacob made all programmed drums used on the recording with an Alesis SR-16....

" was released, the single "Mysterious" got some airplay, and the album immediately sold more than 15,000 copies in Sweden. Furthermore, both "Talisman
Talisman (album)
Talisman was the self-titled 1st studio album by Swedish hard rock band Talisman released in February 1990 on Airplay/Vinylmania in Sweden....

" and "Genesis
Genesis (Talisman album)
Genesis was the 2nd studio album by hard rock band Talisman released on 7 July 1993 on Dino Records.Drummer Jake Samuels had left them to join Zinny J. Zan's band and then Marcel Jacob made all programmed drums used on the recording with an Alesis SR-16....

" gathered some international interest and were released in Japan on Xero.

The band did a club tour in Sweden in March with Julie Greaux on keyboards and Jake Samuels back again on drums.
While the band was planning a tour in Japan, Samuels left again to pursue a singing career. The new drummer was Jamie Borger from the recently broken-up Treat
Treat (band)
Treat is a melodic-rock band from Stockholm, Sweden. In the second half of the 1980s they had national as well as international successes with songs like "Too wild", "Get you on the run", "Ride me high", "World of promises" and "Party all over"....

. Talisman became a 'group' for the first time and were now ready to tour Japan (where the live album "Five out of Five (Live in Japan)
Five out of Five (Live in Japan)
Five out of Five is a live album by hard rock group Talisman, recorded in Kawasaki, Japan on September 27, 1993.-Track listing:# "Mysterious "# "Standin' on Fire"# "Comin' Home"# "If U Would Only Be My Friend"...

" was recorded and released postponed) and Europe.

After the end of the European tour in early October, the band were scheduled to fly to Los Angeles to record the already available material. But those plans were disregarded and the recording got delayed. Fredrik, Jamie and Marcel spent the following two months in a rehearsal studio in Upplands Väsby, just outside Stockholm, writing, playing bits of music, improvising arrangements, learning the new stuff and collecting tons of material.

In January 1994 Jeff joined the guys and the band recorded and mixed the new album "Humanimal" at Sound Trade Studios in Stockholm. Everything was perfect: the recording sessions, the working environment, everyone having much fun! Except for Jeff being worried about his home situation because of the huge earthquake which hit LA killing 60 and injuring around 8,000 people.
Additional musicians on "Humanimal" were Julie Greaux as backing vocalist and the sound engineer Ronny Lahti playing the funky wah guitar on "Seasons".

The guys, being so pleased with the recordings (22 tracks recorded and mixed in 22 days), wanted to make it a double album at first, but then decided against it since pretty much all the material would fit on one cd. So Jeff and Marcel chose the set of the songs to be on the album.
Unfortunately, the Japanese label Zero, was allowed to put together their own version of the album suitable for the Japanese audience. The whole matter turned out to be a mess: the German version by Polydor
Polydor Records
Polydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone...

 was different from the Swedish one featuring "Hypocrite" as bonus track. The Japanese had to release the Swedish version too because of the amount of imports. In Europe a second version was released with the outtakes from the first one.
"Humanimal" was greeted with great enthusiasm thanks to a successful combination of metal, funky and pop influences. It is still the favourite album of several fans and of more than one member in the band. Despite some good album sales, no touring was done for this album.

In 1995 Marcel and Jeff worked together in LA to write the songs for the next album Life
Life (Talisman album)
Life was the 4th studio album by hard rock band Talisman released on 23 August 1995 on Polydor Records.This album was written in Jeff Scott Soto's house over a couple weeks time in March 1995...

. Drums were recorded by Jamie in a very short time at Park Studios. After doing overdubs, the tapes were sent to Jeff so that he could record the bulk of the vocals at home. The original mixing took place in the same studio where "Genesis
Genesis (Talisman album)
Genesis was the 2nd studio album by hard rock band Talisman released on 7 July 1993 on Dino Records.Drummer Jake Samuels had left them to join Zinny J. Zan's band and then Marcel Jacob made all programmed drums used on the recording with an Alesis SR-16....

" was recorded, once again with the help of Mats Lindfors, but something didn’t sound right to the guys and the album was remixed for the European version.
At the same time, several problems with the labels (Polydor
Polydor Records
Polydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone...

, Xero, Empire) occurred, leading the band not to get any touring done for the album.

The guys took a break from Talisman for 3 years. Jeff went on to do things with the Boogie Knights, although he and Marcel had taken some time to record the Human Clay albums.

Talisman also had the chance to play a couple of gigs and to open up for Yngwie Malmsteen in Stockholm. For those shows the band enlisted Pontus Norgren
Pontus Norgren
Karl Pontus Norgren is the current guitarist of the Swedish power metal band HammerFall and formerly played guitar for The Poodles.- Biography :...

 on guitar (ex Great King Rat) because Fredrik had left in the fall of 1995 to pursue a more metal oriented direction (see the band Southpaw featuring 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:...

 on vocals and John Levén
John Levén
John Gunnar Levén is the bassist in the Swedish rock band Europe. Levén and vocalist Joey Tempest are the only band members who have performed on all of Europe's studio albums....

 on bass).

In 1998 the guys were requested from Christer Wedin (Empire Records) to do a new Talisman album. Marcel travelled to LA to write songs with Jeff. Jamie and Pontus joined the guys a few days later to rehearse and record drums in a small studio and do overdubs in Jeff's home studio.
The new album "Truth
Truth (Talisman album)
Truth was the fifth studio album by Swedish hard rock band Talisman released on 27 December 1998 by Point Music.Marcel Jacob and Jeff Scott Soto wrote most of the material during ten days in Soto's new house in Los Angeles, after which the rest of the band joined up for a couple of weeks of...

" saw the light. The guys had a lot of help with the recording and the mixing from John Ellis (Prism Sound Studios, Boston). The album included a range of covers: “Darling Nikki” of Prince
Prince (musician)
Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...

, “Let me entertain you” of Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...

 and “Frozen” of Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...

 (which apparently became very popular in clubs in Germany). Once again there was no touring done for the album unfortunately.

2000s

In May/June 2001 Pontus, Marcel and Jeff were busy working in Sweden on the album of Humanimal
Humanimal (band)
Humanimal was a musical project featuring Pontus Norgren and Marcel Jacob .The band's name idea come from Marcel Jacob who used the following quote: "...we might be human but in the end, we still being animals"....

 (the band!).
At the same time, dj Dr. Rock from the Swedish Radio Rock Klassiker persuaded the guys to perform at Sweden Rock Festival
Sweden Rock Festival
Sweden Rock Festival is an annual rock/metal festival held in Sweden since 6 June 1992. While having a clear rock/metal focus, the festival is noted for its diversity across these genres, having featured southern rock bands such as Molly Hatchet to death metal legends like Obituary.The first...

.

Two nights before the festival gig, Talisman played in Stockholm. Owing to a miscommunication between Jamie, Pontus, Marcel and the guys doing the mobile recording stuff, Marcel's entire gear (bass included!) was left at the venue in Stockholm instead of travelling with everybody else’s gear down to Sölvesborg, south of Sweden, where the Sweden Rock Festival
Sweden Rock Festival
Sweden Rock Festival is an annual rock/metal festival held in Sweden since 6 June 1992. While having a clear rock/metal focus, the festival is noted for its diversity across these genres, having featured southern rock bands such as Molly Hatchet to death metal legends like Obituary.The first...

 takes place.
Marcel wanted to leave the festival but, after looking inside the tent which was fully packed with a crowd shouting for Talisman, he decided not to turn his back on those people. So Marcel and other people started to run around the festival area to look for a bass to be borrowed in time for the show: Magnus Rosén
Magnus Rosén
Klas Magnus Rosén is a Swedish musician, born 1963 in Gothenburg, and is best known for being the bassist of the Swedish band HammerFall during the years 1997-2007....

 from HammerFall
HammerFall
HammerFall is a power metal band from Gothenburg, Sweden. The band was formed in 1993 by ex-Ceremonial Oath guitarist Oscar Dronjak.- Early days :...

 finally lent Marcel one of his bass guitars.

The show went great and, since another band playing at Sweden Rock Festival
Sweden Rock Festival
Sweden Rock Festival is an annual rock/metal festival held in Sweden since 6 June 1992. While having a clear rock/metal focus, the festival is noted for its diversity across these genres, having featured southern rock bands such as Molly Hatchet to death metal legends like Obituary.The first...

 had a mobile hard disc recording unit, Christer Wedin managed to get the Talisman show recorded as well.
But the sound Marcel had at the show was not too exciting and some out of tunes guitars needed some fixing. So he and Pontus went into the studio to record live together the entire show exactly the same way they would have done it on stage.
The live album was released in October 2002 in Sweden only through Empire Records, charting at number 18 the first week!
In the same year, the entire back catalogue of Talisman was re-issued with bonus tracks on Frontline Records in Brazil.

Jeff, Marcel and Pontus later joined forces with drummer Tomas Broman (Great King Rat, Electric Boys, Amaze Me) and finally released the self-titled debut album of Humanimal
Humanimal (band)
Humanimal was a musical project featuring Pontus Norgren and Marcel Jacob .The band's name idea come from Marcel Jacob who used the following quote: "...we might be human but in the end, we still being animals"....

 in 2002. In May the band played a couple of shows to support it.
Unfortunately, this was not a good moment for the guys owing to some personal, professional and legal problems. Pontus and Marcel had a falling out and this meant that Pontus was out both of Talisman and Humanimal
Humanimal (band)
Humanimal was a musical project featuring Pontus Norgren and Marcel Jacob .The band's name idea come from Marcel Jacob who used the following quote: "...we might be human but in the end, we still being animals"....

.

Humanimal
Humanimal (band)
Humanimal was a musical project featuring Pontus Norgren and Marcel Jacob .The band's name idea come from Marcel Jacob who used the following quote: "...we might be human but in the end, we still being animals"....

 split. Marcel and Jeff had a meeting with Christer Wedin who explained the guys were basically free to go into business without him. Since Jeff had already signed a deal with the Italian label Frontiers
Frontiers Records
Frontiers Records is an Italian record label, predominantly producing melodic rock. It was formed in 1996 by Serafino Perugino and is based in Naples, Italy.-History:...

 for his solo album "Love Parade", he talked to them about doing a new Talisman album. Frontiers
Frontiers Records
Frontiers Records is an Italian record label, predominantly producing melodic rock. It was formed in 1996 by Serafino Perugino and is based in Naples, Italy.-History:...

 showed them open arms.

Now the guitar issue had to be sorted. Jeff had had Howie Simon playing on his solo album and was now trying to persuade Marcel to involve him. Jamie was at the same time pushing to get Fredrik back in the band. It ended up with Fredrik back in the studio and Howie joining the band for some live gigs.
Interesting coincidence, Christer Wedin had been contacted by an Italian recording studio willing to let Talisman use the studio for free. This contact was reopened and the guys spent two weeks’ time at the Music Planet Recording Studio in Acqui Terme, near Turin, with Jeff being in charge of everything in terms of logistics and dealing with Frontiers
Frontiers Records
Frontiers Records is an Italian record label, predominantly producing melodic rock. It was formed in 1996 by Serafino Perugino and is based in Naples, Italy.-History:...

.
After having finished in the studio, Marcel and Jeff flew to Boston where they worked with engineer and friend John Ellis for the second time. They were supposed to be mixing, but had to do some editing first instead and so John did the final mixes without Marcel and Jeff.

"Cats and Dogs
Cats and Dogs (Talisman album)
Cats and Dogs is the sixth studio album by Swedish hard rock band Talisman released on 12 May 2003 on Frontiers Records.The release of the album was followed by a tour in Europe, which included a headlining slot at Gods of AOR Festival in the UK, a performance at Frontiers Showcase in Italy, a new...

" was released in May 2003 and a tour in Europe (including a headlining slot at Gods of AOR Festival in the UK, a performance at Frontiers Showcase in Italy, a new appearance at Sweden Rock Festival
Sweden Rock Festival
Sweden Rock Festival is an annual rock/metal festival held in Sweden since 6 June 1992. While having a clear rock/metal focus, the festival is noted for its diversity across these genres, having featured southern rock bands such as Molly Hatchet to death metal legends like Obituary.The first...

 and a show at Lokerse Festival in Belgium) took place in the following months.

Also in 2003 through GMR Music Group Sweden, the entire back catalogue of Talisman was re-mastered and re-issued, complete with bonus-tracks, demos, live gigs, promotional videos, liner notes.

In March 2005 through Frontiers Records
Frontiers Records
Frontiers Records is an Italian record label, predominantly producing melodic rock. It was formed in 1996 by Serafino Perugino and is based in Naples, Italy.-History:...

, Talisman launched a double DVD package "World’s Best Kept Secret" which coincided with the 15th anniversary of the release of the first Talisman album. The set comprised two complete shows from the "Cats and Dogs
Cats and Dogs (Talisman album)
Cats and Dogs is the sixth studio album by Swedish hard rock band Talisman released on 12 May 2003 on Frontiers Records.The release of the album was followed by a tour in Europe, which included a headlining slot at Gods of AOR Festival in the UK, a performance at Frontiers Showcase in Italy, a new...

" tour in 2003 (Sweden Rock Festival
Sweden Rock Festival
Sweden Rock Festival is an annual rock/metal festival held in Sweden since 6 June 1992. While having a clear rock/metal focus, the festival is noted for its diversity across these genres, having featured southern rock bands such as Molly Hatchet to death metal legends like Obituary.The first...

 and Club Mondo in Stockholm), archive backstage and live footage, all the band’s promotional videos, an instructional video from Marcel Jacob
Marcel Jacob
Marcel Karl Jacob was a Swedish musician, best known as the bassist in the hard rock bands Talisman and Last Autumn's Dream.-Biography:In 1978, Jacob formed the band Rising Force together with guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen...

 and much more!
A double live album "Five Men Live
Five Men Live
Five Men Live is a Talisman live record edited at 21 March 2005 and 25 May 2005 as part of a double package that Frontiers Records released with the band....

", including the gigs at Sweden Rock Festival
Sweden Rock Festival
Sweden Rock Festival is an annual rock/metal festival held in Sweden since 6 June 1992. While having a clear rock/metal focus, the festival is noted for its diversity across these genres, having featured southern rock bands such as Molly Hatchet to death metal legends like Obituary.The first...

 and at Club Mondo, was also released at the same time.

For about 9 months starting from the end of 2005, Jeff, Marcel, Jamie and Fredrik have worked on a brand new Talisman album called "7
7 (Talisman album)
7 is the 7th and last studio album by hard rock band Talisman released on 20 October 2006 on Frontiers Records.It was recorded under the working title of "BAR", which stood for "Bitter-Angry-Resentful", basically a joke referring to the guys’ outlook on certain life events. It was dropped in the...

". According to Marcel, this might simply be the best Talisman album ever!!!
The release is due on 20 October on Frontiers Records
Frontiers Records
Frontiers Records is an Italian record label, predominantly producing melodic rock. It was formed in 1996 by Serafino Perugino and is based in Naples, Italy.-History:...

, with a Japanese release on King Records.

The working title was "BAR" which stood for "Bitter-Angry-Resentful", basically a joke referring to the guys’ outlook on certain life events. The guys then opted for the more straightforward title "7
7 (Talisman album)
7 is the 7th and last studio album by hard rock band Talisman released on 20 October 2006 on Frontiers Records.It was recorded under the working title of "BAR", which stood for "Bitter-Angry-Resentful", basically a joke referring to the guys’ outlook on certain life events. It was dropped in the...

" (it’s actually the band’s 7th studio album).

The new material is very melodic including some ballads, yet it encompasses what is the band’s trademark: catchy hooks, groovy rhythms, aggressive guitars and the ability to play different music styles. All songs were written by Marcel and Jeff, except "Shed a tear goodbye" which was written by Jamie and Jeff.

"7
7 (Talisman album)
7 is the 7th and last studio album by hard rock band Talisman released on 20 October 2006 on Frontiers Records.It was recorded under the working title of "BAR", which stood for "Bitter-Angry-Resentful", basically a joke referring to the guys’ outlook on certain life events. It was dropped in the...

" was recorded at XTC Studios in Älvsjö and at Mahatma Gandhi Location in Stockholm, with all the vocals done at the Hampton in Northridge, California. Marcel has handled all guitars, except leads, and keyboards. The album includes 11 tracks and was mixed by Pontus Norgren
Pontus Norgren
Karl Pontus Norgren is the current guitarist of the Swedish power metal band HammerFall and formerly played guitar for The Poodles.- Biography :...

, who is also the guest guitar player on "Final curtain", the bonus-track on the Japanese release.

The band was supposed to do a tour in September/October 2006 hitting Germany, Greece, Belgium, Italy and Spain, but everything has been delayed to further notice due to Jeff’s commitment in Journey
Journey (band)
Journey is an American rock band formed in 1973 in San Francisco by former members of Santana. The band has gone through several phases; its strongest commercial success occurred between the 1978 and 1987, after which it temporarily disbanded...

. Another go will be given as soon as possible.

As of Dec. 19, 2006, Jeff Scott Soto
Jeff Scott Soto
Jeff Scott Soto is an American rock singer of Puerto Rican descent. He is best known for being the lead singer for the group Talisman from 1990 till the end of Talisman in 2007, the vocalist on Yngwie Malmsteen's first two albums, and for stepping up to the job of lead vocalist for Journey on...

 has been officially brought on as permanent singer for Journey
Journey (band)
Journey is an American rock band formed in 1973 in San Francisco by former members of Santana. The band has gone through several phases; its strongest commercial success occurred between the 1978 and 1987, after which it temporarily disbanded...

. Talisman plan to do their final performances in Spring 2007 as the band are heading towards new horizons.

It was also announced that Talisman will Split due to Marcel Jacob
Marcel Jacob
Marcel Karl Jacob was a Swedish musician, best known as the bassist in the hard rock bands Talisman and Last Autumn's Dream.-Biography:In 1978, Jacob formed the band Rising Force together with guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen...

 health

On July 21, 2009, founding member Marcel Jacob
Marcel Jacob
Marcel Karl Jacob was a Swedish musician, best known as the bassist in the hard rock bands Talisman and Last Autumn's Dream.-Biography:In 1978, Jacob formed the band Rising Force together with guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen...

 committed suicide at age 45, after personal and health problems.

Studio albums

  • 1990: Talisman
    Talisman (album)
    Talisman was the self-titled 1st studio album by Swedish hard rock band Talisman released in February 1990 on Airplay/Vinylmania in Sweden....

  • 1993: Genesis
    Genesis (Talisman album)
    Genesis was the 2nd studio album by hard rock band Talisman released on 7 July 1993 on Dino Records.Drummer Jake Samuels had left them to join Zinny J. Zan's band and then Marcel Jacob made all programmed drums used on the recording with an Alesis SR-16....

  • 1994: Humanimal (Part 1 & Part 2)
  • 1995: Life
    Life (Talisman album)
    Life was the 4th studio album by hard rock band Talisman released on 23 August 1995 on Polydor Records.This album was written in Jeff Scott Soto's house over a couple weeks time in March 1995...

  • 1998: Truth
    Truth (Talisman album)
    Truth was the fifth studio album by Swedish hard rock band Talisman released on 27 December 1998 by Point Music.Marcel Jacob and Jeff Scott Soto wrote most of the material during ten days in Soto's new house in Los Angeles, after which the rest of the band joined up for a couple of weeks of...

  • 2003: Cats and Dogs
    Cats and Dogs (Talisman album)
    Cats and Dogs is the sixth studio album by Swedish hard rock band Talisman released on 12 May 2003 on Frontiers Records.The release of the album was followed by a tour in Europe, which included a headlining slot at Gods of AOR Festival in the UK, a performance at Frontiers Showcase in Italy, a new...

  • 2006: 7
    7 (Talisman album)
    7 is the 7th and last studio album by hard rock band Talisman released on 20 October 2006 on Frontiers Records.It was recorded under the working title of "BAR", which stood for "Bitter-Angry-Resentful", basically a joke referring to the guys’ outlook on certain life events. It was dropped in the...


Live albums

  • 1994: Five out of Five (Live in Japan)
    Five out of Five (Live in Japan)
    Five out of Five is a live album by hard rock group Talisman, recorded in Kawasaki, Japan on September 27, 1993.-Track listing:# "Mysterious "# "Standin' on Fire"# "Comin' Home"# "If U Would Only Be My Friend"...

  • 2001: Live at Sweden Rock Festival
  • 2005: Five Men Live
    Five Men Live
    Five Men Live is a Talisman live record edited at 21 March 2005 and 25 May 2005 as part of a double package that Frontiers Records released with the band....


DVDs

  • 2005: The World's Best Kept Secret
  • 2005: Various Artists - United: Where Is The Fire DVD
  • 2003: Live at SRF

CD Singles and promos

  • 1990: "I'll be Waiting" (Single LP) Sweden Market
  • 1990: "I'll be Waiting" (CD Single) Sweden Market
  • 1990: "Just Between Us"
  • 1993: "Time After Time"
  • 1993: "Mysterious (This Time Is Serious)"
  • 1994: "All + All"
  • 1994: "Todo y Todo" ("All + All" Latin American market release under nickname Genaro)
  • 1994: "Colour My XTC"
  • 1994: "Doing Time with My Baby"
  • 1995: "Frozen"
  • 1998: "Crazy"

Current members

  • Jeff Scott Soto
    Jeff Scott Soto
    Jeff Scott Soto is an American rock singer of Puerto Rican descent. He is best known for being the lead singer for the group Talisman from 1990 till the end of Talisman in 2007, the vocalist on Yngwie Malmsteen's first two albums, and for stepping up to the job of lead vocalist for Journey on...

     − singer
  • Jamie Borger
    Jamie Borger
    Jamie Borger, born May 28, 1964, is a Swedish drummer who has played in the bands Talisman, Treat and Last Autumn's Dream. Over the years, he also has recorded with Alfonzetti, Adam Thompson, Baltimore, Human Clay, Swedish Erotica and Jeff Scott Soto....

    − drums
  • Fredrik Åkesson
    Fredrik Åkesson
    Karl Fredrik Henry Åkesson is a Swedish heavy metal guitarist. He is a current member of Opeth. He is also active in Krux, Monsters of Metal and Talisman.-Biography:...

     − guitars

Former members

  • Göran Edman
    Göran Edman
    Göran Edman is a Swedish vocalist. He is noted for his session work with many artists through the years but mainly for his early work with guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen...

     − singer
  • Matti Alfonzetti − singer

  • Christopher Ståhl − guitars
  • Mats Lindfors − guitars
  • Jason Bieler
    Jason Bieler
    Jason Bieler , is a singer, guitarist and songwriter who is most famous for playing with hard rock band Saigon Kick....

     − guitars
  • Pontus Norgren
    Pontus Norgren
    Karl Pontus Norgren is the current guitarist of the Swedish power metal band HammerFall and formerly played guitar for The Poodles.- Biography :...

     − guitars
  • Howie Simon − guitars
  • Marcel Jacob
    Marcel Jacob
    Marcel Karl Jacob was a Swedish musician, best known as the bassist in the hard rock bands Talisman and Last Autumn's Dream.-Biography:In 1978, Jacob formed the band Rising Force together with guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen...

     − bass

  • Peter Hermansson − drums
  • Jakob Samuel − drums

  • Mats Olausson
    Mats Olausson
    Mats Olausson is a Swedish keyboard player known from bands like Yngwie Malmsteen, Ark, Evil Masquerade, Kamelot, John Norum and many others. He now lives in Thailand where he is active as a musician, composer and producer. Mats plays 'Korg Trinity pro tri pbs' and 'Yamaha sy-99, sy-77 , cs-80'...

    − keyboard
  • Thomas Wikström − keyboard
  • Thomas Ahlstrand - keyboards
  • Julie Greaux - Keyboard

External links

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