IMAGIKA In Writing Mode

September 16, 2010

San Francisco Bay Area power/thrash metallers IMAGIKA have commenced writing material for their eighth album for a spring 2011 release via an as-yet-undetermined record label. The follow-up to the band's critically acclaimed "Portrait Of A Hanged Man" effort will once again be engineered by guitarist Steve Rice and mixed by Andy La Rocque (KING DIAMOND guitarist). The CD will mark the recording debut of new members Rob Kowolski (guitar) and Wayne DeVecchi (drums).

Commented Rice: "The band is definitely ready to kick ass with the new material that has been developing since we've been back from our U.S. tour this past summer. 13 new songs are in the works, and as usual, it will be a departure from our past releases.

"The original idea was to approach this as a concept album, but we agreed that it’s been beat to death by so many other bands that there is no point. I mean, how can you top some of the great metal concept albums like 'Operation: Mindcrime' [QUEENSRŸCHE] or 'Abigail' [KING DIAMOND]? It’s very hard to accomplish and not really our thing at the end of the day. But, after hearing our singer's seemingly endless collection of fruity, flowery Euro power metal while on the tour bus and sparing his iPod a horrible asphalt death, I definitely knew what I didn't want to do! HA! A CD full of progressive, complex and melodic thrash metal is more appealing to me and the band at this point and decidedly the definitive goal for this next release.

"By bringing new blood into the band, there's an aggressive attitude for making a bold statement with a lot to prove! Also being able to approach the recordings as a two-guitar band is inspiring since we haven't done that since our 'My Bloodied Wings' 2006 release.

"It'll be cool to kick it up a notch and bring more shred and harmony to the table this time. All in all, I'm expecting nothing but the best from the band."

"A Portrait In Metal" was released in the U.S. on May 11 via Metalville. The CD was recorded at Fang Studios in San Mateo, California by IMAGIKA guitarist Steve Rice and was mixed at KING DIAMOND guitarist Andy La Rocque's Sonic Train Studios in Varberg, Sweden. In addition to mixing the effort, La Rocque makes a guest appearance on the instrumental "A God No More".

Metalville is the band and label pool launched by the Cologne, Germany-based company Flying Dolphin Entertainment Group UG.

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