WINTER'S VERGE "Tales Of Tragedy" (MASSACRE RECORDS, 2009)

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INFO

When they talk about exotic bands, most central Europeans in the know primarily mean combos from South America, or Asia. It is often hard to see that anything exotic can actually be just next door. Cyprus was never marked on the world map of Heavy Metal � Until now.
September 2003 saw WINTER�S VERGE founded by George Charalambous (vocals) and Stefanos Psillides (keyboards) in the city of Nicosia. Only a short while later, they were joined by guitarist Pericles Mallopoulos.

 It didn�t take long to decide on their musical direction or to begin looking for other like-minded musicians. On an island like Cyprus, however, it proved to be a bigger problem than it would be on the mainland. The next candidate they found was drummer Andreas Charalambous and shortly after this they wrote their first own songs. It soon became clear that they needed to find a bass player, not only to rehearse the songs better but also so that the highly motivated band could play their first live shows. The search took over five months before the right bass player was found in Charis Ioannou. They quickly won such an excellent reputation on local stages that they decided to record their first demo. The four track CD sold very well and WINTER�S VERGE was also noticed beyond Cyprus�s shores. But now the gods threw a rock in their path; Charis was called up for his military service. They quickly found an ideal replacement in Miguel Trapezaris, who brought a lot of experience with him which also benefited the band�s entire songwriting.

After a further six months they were ready to record their first demo. �Another Life... Another End� was burned onto CD and was showered with positive reviews shortly after its release. In the meantime WINTER�S VERGE had refined their style and had reached an absolutely professional level. The band were faced with their next big step when another lineup problem reared its head. Guitarist Pericles Mallopoulos also received his call-up papers to the army. The search for a suitable replacement did not take long and Harris Pari, an ambitious guitarist who had gained enough experience during his stint with BAD INFLUENCE was the man of the moment. With more motivation than ever WINTER�S VERGE contacted Limb Music Products (L.M.P.) and the contact resulted in a record contract.

In September 2007 the band moved to The Prophecy and Music Factory Studios in Kempten in southern Germany to record their debut album. Under the aegis of no lesser person than MYSTIC PROPHECY�s singer, R.D. Liapakis the combo burned their style onto a terrific album. The songs from the previously unreleased demo album �Another Life... Another End� were completely reworked and re-recorded, and two more songs were selected resulting in �Eternal Damnation�. The album caused a stir in power metal communities around the globe, with glowing reviews given and new fans being made the world over. WINTER�S VERGE put Cyprus firmly on the map of Power Metal, and the band sought to expand their reach beyond Cyprus� shores. At this point, however, longtime drummer Andreas Charalambous decided that he could no longer dedicate himself 100% to the band due to personal reasons, and announced that he would be leaving. The rest of the band understood his decision, and Andreas remains to this day a close friend of the band and is currently the http://www.wintersverge.com  webmaster. In this difficult situation the band knew there was only one man they could turn to: Chris Ioannides. Being one of the best-known and most respected session musicians in Cyprus, Chris had played almost every style of music imaginable and is a regular on the venue circuit. Chris was immediately interested in the position, and after a single tryout joined the band, bringing with him a wealth of experience, know-how and ideas. With a new drummer and taking the experiences of writing and recording �Eternal Damnation� with them, the band began crafting their next release. More progressive and darker, the new material was a clear development into a different direction for WINTER�S VERGE, while maintaining the essence of their sound and style. Returning to The Prophecy and Music Factory studios in March and April of 2009, once again under the watchful guidance of producer R.D. Liapakis, WINTER�S VERGE refined and sharpened their sound, infusing a darker, more epic and harder edge into their music. The past experiences also meant that WINTER�S VERGE could push their own individual abilities further and harder than ever before, while maintaining a tasteful balance between technicality and melody. A sinister running concept for the record was developed from the lyrical content, and the album was dubbed �Tales of Tragedy�, fitting in with the themes explored and the music perfectly.
In November 2009 WINTER�S VERGE signed a new deal with MASSACRE RECORDS and with this strong label the band will continue to grow stronger. At the same time the band was confirmed to support STRATOVARIUS in their January European Tour. With exciting live prospects just around the corner and a strong album that will please the heart of any WINTER�S VERGE fan anywhere as well as grab the attention of anyone who thrives on Power and Progressive Metal, WINTER�S VERGE are on the cutting edge of today�s melodic Metal.


FACTS:
- The exciting 2nd album by Cyprus� leading heavy metal band WINTER�S VERGE
- European tour with Stratovarius in January/February 2010
- Produced & recorded by R.D. Liapakis (Mystic Prophecy) at Music Factory studios, Kempten
- Good feedback and press reviews for debut album �Eternal Damnation� (2008)
- Full page advertising campaign in January/February in a.o. Metal Hammer (D), Rock Hard (D), Aardschok (NL), Hard Rock (FR), Metal Hammer (GR), Terrorizer (GB)
- Internet promotion with banners, interviews and reviews: www.Soulfood.de , www.Powermetal.de , Metal.de, Wallsoffire.com, Stalker.cd, Vampster.com, www.Laut.de , www.Metalinside.de , www.Metalglory.de , www.Myrevelation.com  and many more
- Online stream and song teaser prior to album release (Myspace site).
- Flyer and e-newsletter spread to more than 100.000 contacts through street team