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IMPERIA is an atmospheric metal band who's sound is
especially evident by the distinguished and remarkable strong voice of Helena
Iren Michaelsen (ex- Trail Of Tears), who sings in a variety of styles from deep
emotional feelings to extreme operatic expressions. The music is full of
vivacity, it is heavy, bombastic and orchestral, but it also contains elements
of pure metal. The band is a true cross-border unit of musicians originating
from different countries: Norway, Finland, Germany, Belgium and The Netherlands.
Through hard work and extensive touring the band has earned its reputation as a
powerful live band.
The first release of IMPERIA was a cover-song "Lotus Eaters" for a Dead Can
Dance tribute album which was released by Black Lotus Records in the spring of
2004. The song was recorded at the RS29 studios by Oscar Holleman in Holland.
The tribute-album and especially IMPERIA's title track received excellent
reviews and soon after IMPERIA signed a record deal with the Dutch Ebony Tears
label.
In the summer of 2004 IMPERIA played their first gigs and also recorded their
debut album "The Ancient Dance of Qetesh" in Holland at the Franky's. The first
album was released in the autumn of 2004 in the Benelux countries. The album
received fine reviews and it even made it to album of the month in Belgium and
in Spain. In the following months the band played all over the main clubs in
Holland and Belgium. They also played in some festivals and supported bigger
names like for example Nightwish in the sold out Amsterdam HMH.
In 2005 the band recorded another project of Helena called Angel. The album "A
Woman's Diary - Chapter I" was released by Black Lotus Records in the spring of
2005. Though the style of the album was very varied and less metal the band
succeeded to demonstrate their versality and musicianship. Also Helena had this
time the change to show her skills in more mainstream music next to the opera
style she is already known for.
Towards the end of 2005 IMPERIA had written enough new material for the second
full length. So in February 2006 the band entered the Spacelab studio in Germany
with the producer Oliver Philipps and Moschus Moos. This time IMPERIA wanted
everything to be perfect and that is why more studio time was required than for
the debut album. Therefore it was not until the summer that the band was finally
finished with the recordings. The band went through a series of negotiations
with different established metal record labels for the release and in the end
they teamed up with the German Massacre Records, which had proven to be a
reliable label and which had helped a lot of artists in their style.
The new IMPERIA album is titled as "Queen of Light". The album title symbolizes
the wonder of birth. As Helena's baby girl Angel Michaelsen was born during the
production, also the band has given a symbolic birth to a new child - a new
album. The "Queen of Light" consists of not less than 13 new songs. You will
hear an album of Atmospheric Metal with a multitude of different emotions and
feelings; from the fast up-tempo metal songs to slow bombastic ballads and even
to some extreme experimental vocals and sounds with an eastern touch. It is an
album full of different directions and surprises - it is the surprising world of
IMPERIA.
2004 The Ancient Dance of Qetesh
2007 Queen of Light
FACTS:
- The 2nd album by the Dutch/Notrwegian gothic metal quintet IMPERIA
- The new band of Norwegian top female singer Helena Michaelsen (Angel, ex-Trail
of Tears)
- Strictly limited edition Digipak including video part “Making of Queen of
Light”
- Excellent reviews for the band’s debut album
- Huge crossover potential in both goth- and metal scene
- Big stories and features in a.o. Zillo, Orkus, Gothic
- Festival apperances in summer 2007
- Europewide advertising campaign with Requiem and In Slumber
- Track Placements on diverse magazine compilations
FROM www.massacre-records.de
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