On disc: Pink Cream 69

 
 PC69 – Mixery
 
- Claudia Ehrhardt -
 
 


 
 PC69 – Mixery
 
- Katja Henning -
 
   


 
 Thunderdome
 
- Anika Peterson -
 
 


 
 Live In Karlsruhe
 
- Claudia Ehrhardt -
 
 


 
 Ceremonial
 
- Claudia Ehrhardt -
 
 

Ceremonial

(Frontiers Records - 2012)



 
 

 

It's been years since PC69 released their last studio In10sity, but now they are back with Ceremonial. For the first time in the band's career it isn't Kosta Zafiriou on drums, he was busy with his management company and Unisonic and so the other PC69 guys hired Chris Schmidt.



They kick off with Land Of Confusion, a hard rocker with a slight Oriental touch at times. This mid-paced rocker make it easy to get into Ceremonial. Wasted Years isn't a cover of the Iron Maiden tune - and I guess nobody expect them to cover the British -, it's another hard rock tune. Actually there aren't any major surprise - good or bad - at this album. And so the album should satisfy their fans, but I'm not sure, if they can convince their critics... Anyway, it's a decent album, but it's the first studio album since 2007 and so expectations might be a bit higher...


To get an idea, check it out!





 
 










Claudia Ehrhardt


  
up 













Live In Karlsruhe

(Frontiers - 2009)



 
 

 

Melodic metal fans will know Pink Cream 69 for many years, in a nutshell... The band started 1987 and they only had one line-up change through all the years. Singer Andi Deris left to join Helloween, but the band was lucky to find David Readman. Due to some health problems guitarist Alfred Koffler was handicapped in his playing and so Uwe Reitenauer joined them live on stage first and became a full member of the band meanwhile. In 1997 the band released a live album and now they are back with Live In Karlsruhe. Additionally they will release a DVD Past & Present, but about that I can only tell that it will have a lot bonus stuff incl. the Karlsruhe concert, an interview and backstage footage, live footage from Monsters Of Rock 2007 and Das Fest 2007 as well as Size It Up - Live In Japan from 1992 and all video clips of the band.

The live album kicks off with Children Of The Dawn and next they present some of their classics from the Deris era - Do You Like It Like That and Hell's Gone Crazy. The fans were going crazy when the first notes of Do You Like It Like That were played. Actually I think that David Readman is doing the old songs even better then his predecessor. This time PC69 could show their quality as a live band and managed to show this on Live In Karlsruhe. Highlights of the set were in my opinion Talk To The Moon, Carnaby Road, Seas Of Madness and Keep Your Eye On The Twisted. But as usual everybody will have favorites, but as PC69 write songs on a high level for many years there are no fillers. A semi-acoustic version of One Step Into Paradise shows them a little different. Especially David Readman's emotional vocals make this one special! After one of Readman's favorites - The Spirit - the singer states that he is sick and doing his best... And they head into Livin' My Life For You! Some more tunes to follow before they close the set with the reggae So Lonely / No Woman No Cry, no surprise for their fans. The last 2 songs at the 2nd disc were recorded in 2007 at Das Fest and show One Step Into Paradise and Better Days in a semi-acoustic version. Cool idea.

With Live In Karlsruhe offers a kind of best-of live and also documents their live quality. Live In Karlsruhe is not just interesting for PC69 fans, every melodic metal fan should enjoy this double live album!





Track list:



CD 1:

Children Of The Dawn

Do You Like It Like That

Hell's Gone Crazy

Lost In Illusions

The Hour Of Freedom

I'm Not Afraid

Talk To The Moon

Carnaby Road

Break The Silence

One Step Into Paradise

That Was Yesterday

The Spirit



CD 2:

Livin' My Life For You

Welcome To The Night

Seas Of Madness

Keep Your Eye On The Twisted

No Way Out

Shame

So Lonely / No Woman No Cry

One Step Into Paradise (live, Das Fest)

Better Days (live, Das Fest)
 
 










Claudia Ehrhardt


  
up 













Thunderdome

(Steamhammer - 2004)



 
 

 

It's been 3 years since the band from Karlsruhe released their last album Endangered. The fans of PC69 had to wait and hope that guitarist Alfred Koffler will recover. Actually he still suffers, but learnt to play differently and was so able to play the guitar lines on Thunderdome. A straight rocker is Carnaby Road which fits to their classics, as well as Here I Am which is very melodic and has a great, catchy chorus. Which Gods Come Together they recorded a powerful track which is a little heavier then what they presented the last time, perhaps can be compared with Sea Of Madness of Sonic Dynamite. A power ballad is That Was Yesterday. Their sound varies from balladesque songs to melodic rockers - like we know them from their previous releases. With My Sherona they recorded a cover version - originally done by The Knack - which is done quite good. David Readman proofs again that he is one of the best singers in this genre.

Bassist Dennis Ward produced the album - like he did before - and so there are no complains sound-wise. A big name producer couldn't have done better.
 
 










Anika Peterson
(translation: Claudia Ehrhardt)


  
up 










Mixery

(Massacre Records - 2000)



 
 

 

On this EP the band took the chance to present different versions, live ones and more to their fans.

The opener is One Step Into Paradise sung by David Readman which proofs that David is able to sing the songs of the Deris-era. Personally I think that the versions of David show a larger vocal variety. The acoustic version of Seas Of Madness proofs that this song is a killer in the acoustic version which rarely happens. King Of My World is a previously unreleased track and a catchy tune which sounds familiar, a typical PC69 song!

With Looks That Kill the band offers a cover version of Mötley Crüe's track. The first time that PC69 wanted to record a cover tune for a tribute album was when they got ask to take part at a Mötley Crüe tribute album. A song they played in their early days which still has a certain magic to them.
 At the end of this EP are two live tracks from Japan.... Shame & Break The Silence. This EP is interesting for fans and for people who wants to check out this band. Mixery shows the different sides of the 4 piece.
 
 










Claudia Ehrhardt


  
up 










Mixery

(Massacre Records - 2000)



 
 

 

Just in case Pink Cream 69 added a print 'fan edition' to the cover of this EP. And that's what it is, something for their fans. On the EP you find a re-recorded version of One Step Into Paradise - with David Readman on mic - and Seas Of Madness in an acoustic version. With King Of My World they present a previously unreleased song, a cover of the Mötley Crüe tune Looks That Kill and live versions of Shame and Break The Silence. A real treat for their fans!
 
 








Katja Henning
(translation: Claudia Ehrhardt)


  
up 





 
           ©2008-2014 by Claudia Ehrhardt • E-Mail: contact@ice-vajal.com