Release:
Limb Music
18.09.2020
Info:
Epic Symphonic Power Metal is a style that has neither too many friends in the UK nor bands which tend to indulge in this more Scandinavian or Italian genre. Nevertheless, a certain Billy Jeffs has discovered a passion for this genre and starts working on an album in 2017. Three years later, with his new band MEMORIES OF OLD, he presents an album that impressively reflects the entire spectrum of this genre. "The Zeramin Game" is not just a simple debut - it is an epitome of the genre. What started as a one-man-project has even aroused the interest of Sabaton/Majestica guitarist Tommy Johansson, who quickly declared himself a member of MEMORIES OF OLD. "The Zeramin Game" delivers a firework of songs that fans of Epic Symphonic Power Metal will embrace enthusiastically! The compositions are crisply produced, up to date, and simply monumental.
His main band NightMare World is not enough for multi-instrumentalist Billy Jeffs to get his fill, so he starts working on an Epic Power Metal album in 2017. He quickly convinces NightMare World keyborder Anthony Thompson to join MEMORIES OF OLD. In the same year, he gets in touch with Tommy Johansson (Sabaton, Majestica, ReinXeed, Golden Resurrection), his biggest influence and hero for more than ten years, and the two become friends.
Meanwhile, Billy Jeffs continues to work on his album - Johansson knows about that and offers him to sing on the album. Jeffs cannot believe his luck and works even harder on the songs… - And as the years go by, Johansson sings them one by one.
In June 2019, MEMORIES OF OLD sign with Limb Music. Two digital singles of the upcoming album are released, the band recorded them at Rogue Studios in London with producer Alessio Garavello. Erick Tekilla joins the band as full-time bass player.
In the same year, the band plays their first live show at the Power Metal Quest Fest in Birmingham, UK. By now, a powerful line-up has been forged: with Paul Sundt on second guitar and James Chapman on drums. The latter will later become a real full-time band member. Since Tommy Johansson is bound to other commitments, Craig Cairns does the vocals for this gig.
Keyboarder Anthony Thompson and bandleader and main songwriter Billy Jeffs leave their old band NightMare World in the first half of 2020 and focus on MEMORIES OF OLD. In May 2020, the production of the album is finished - it will be released in September 2020.
"The Zeramin Game" was mainly written in the course of the last three years, but also features song parts that are almost ten years old. Bandleader, composer and guitarist Billy Jeffs is responsible for the whole music and the lyrical concept. Keyboarder Anthony Thompson is responsible for the rare hard vocal parts. The Australian pirate metal band Lagerstein provides some of the pirate sound effects and phrases on the album. Apart from an enormous melody density which sounds even more voluminous due to epic elements, the guitars are not pushed into the background - on the contrary. The guitars are always concise and dominate the classically inspired pieces. Mid-tempo tracks like 'Some Day Soon' or 'Overture' will delight fans of Alestorm, Malmsteen & their peers. Furiously fast tracks like 'The Land Of Xia' and 'Zera's Shadow' are mercilessly carving themselves into your ears, leaving deep scars. For fans of the style, "The Zeramin Game" is a bonanza of great songs and will be among the genre's gems in 2020.
"Some Day Soon" - Official Lyric Video: https://youtu.be/wFGD_Dx-zlM
Tracklist:
1. In Exordium
2. Overture
3. The Land of Xia
4. Zera's Shadow
5. Some Day Soon
6. Destiny
7. Across the Seas
8. Arrival
9. A Hooded Traveller
10. Fowlen's Revenge
11. The Zeramin Game
12. Finale
13. The Architect's Eyes (CD Bonus Track)
Line-up:
Billy Jeffs - Guitar, Drums, Keyboards
Tommy Johansson - Vocals
Anthony Thompson - Keyboards
Erick Tekilla - Bass
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