Valley of the Kings (EP)
Encyclopedia
Valley of the Kings was an EP
released in 1997 by the German
power metal
band Gamma Ray
prior to the release of their album Somewhere Out in Space
. This was the first release from Gamma Ray featuring Henjo Richter
on guitar and Dan Zimmerman on drums.
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
released in 1997 by the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
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 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...
prior to the release of their album Somewhere Out in Space
Somewhere Out In Space
Somewhere Out in Space is an album by German power metal band, Gamma Ray. It was released on August 25, 1997 and is the band's fifth studio album. Continuing in the tradition of the previous four albums, it contained yet another different lineup, but would also be the first album to feature the...
. This was the first release from Gamma Ray featuring Henjo Richter
Henjo Richter
Henjo Oliver Richter, in Hamburg, West Germany, is a guitarist and keyboardist in Gamma Ray, the German power metal band formed by Kai Hansen.-Biography:...
on guitar and Dan Zimmerman on drums.
Track listing
- "Valley of the Kings" – 3:50 (HansenKai HansenKai Michael Hansen is a power metal guitarist and vocalist.Hansen is the founder, lead guitarist, and vocalist of power metal band Gamma Ray, and the co-founder and former member of German metal band Helloween. He is a prominent figure in power metal, and has sold millions of albums worldwide...
) - "Somewhere out in Space" – 5:28 (Hansen)
- "Watcher in the Sky" – 5:18 (Sielck/Hansen)
- "Victim of Changes" (Judas Priest cover) - 7:21 (Atkins, Downing, Halford, Tipton)
- "Valley of the Kings" and "Somewhere Out in Space" also appears on the album Somewhere Out in SpaceSomewhere Out In SpaceSomewhere Out in Space is an album by German power metal band, Gamma Ray. It was released on August 25, 1997 and is the band's fifth studio album. Continuing in the tradition of the previous four albums, it contained yet another different lineup, but would also be the first album to feature the...
. - "Watcher in the Sky" appears on both Somewhere Out in Space and Iron SaviorIron SaviorIron Savior is a German power metal band that formed in Hamburg, Germany in 1996. Following a period of several years working behind the scenes in music production, multi-instrumentalist and producer/engineer Piet Sielck joined with former Helloween bandmate Kai Hansen and then-drummer for Blind...
's self titled album. - "Victim of Changes" also appears on Legends of Metal - A Tribute to Judas Priest Volume I, and in the 2003 reissue of Somewhere Out in SpaceSomewhere Out In SpaceSomewhere Out in Space is an album by German power metal band, Gamma Ray. It was released on August 25, 1997 and is the band's fifth studio album. Continuing in the tradition of the previous four albums, it contained yet another different lineup, but would also be the first album to feature the...
.
Personnel
- Kai HansenKai HansenKai Michael Hansen is a power metal guitarist and vocalist.Hansen is the founder, lead guitarist, and vocalist of power metal band Gamma Ray, and the co-founder and former member of German metal band Helloween. He is a prominent figure in power metal, and has sold millions of albums worldwide...
- vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Henjo RichterHenjo RichterHenjo Oliver Richter, in Hamburg, West Germany, is a guitarist and keyboardist in Gamma Ray, the German power metal band formed by Kai Hansen.-Biography:...
- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Dirk SchlächterDirk SchlächterDirk Schlächter is the bassist of the power metal band Gamma Ray.- History :Dirk got in touch with music for the first time joining a music school at the age of 8. At the age of 11 he got his first acoustic guitar followed by an electric guitar at the age of 15. At the age of 19 he turned to bass...
- bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Dan Zimmerman - 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 ....