Welcome to the LOUDEST DOT COM ON THE PLANET!
KNAC.COM News Reviews and More Watch The Latest Videos Buy KNAC T-shirts and More


KAI HANSEN To Release Debut Solo Album XXX In August

By Larry Petro, News Monkey
Thursday, June 2, 2016 @ 10:24 AM


Announces Donation To WACKEN FOUNDATION

- advertisement -
KAI HANSEN, earMUSIC, and WACKEN Foundation are happy to announce the release of XXX, the first "solo project" album by Kai Hansen, one of the most influential guitarists and singers to emerge from Germany during the first part of the '80s. First with ground-breaking band HELLOWEEN (of which Hansen is one of the founding members) and later with GAMMA RAY, one of the bands that contributed to defining the genre power metal, bringing it to a generation of devoted fans worldwide since its first album.

XXX is, in pure Hansen tongue-in-cheek style, a reference to over 30 years of involvement in the world of heavy rock, as explained with the album's sub-title: Three Decades In Metal.

The album will be released in August 2016 on earMUSIC with further news to be shared soon.

XXX is a magical journey. It is the story of how powerful dreams can be.

Dreams and passions big enough to bring a teenager from Hamburg who is in love with rock music, glam rock and the first heavy metal sounds from the practicing space in his bedroom and rehearsal rooms to the biggest stages in the world practicing, and ending up influencing and sharing the stage with the very same bands he admired in the first place.

Not strictly autobiographical, XXX is without doubt the story of Kai Hansen but it could very well represent the story of anybody who is not afraid to believe in dreams, with passion and dedication. It is the story of the ups and downs that everybody faces at some point during the journey of life: the lost and found-again friends, the glory, the tragedies and the joys.

After the achievements enjoyed by Hansen lately with Unisonic and especially GAMMA RAY's recent work Empire Of The Undead, Kai Hansen has started working on the album with no precise commercial masterplan — just playing music with the same spirit as in the very beginning.

This certainly was the reason for Hansen to communicate to his label the intention of donating the first advance payment he will receive for XXX —which in the meantime was shaping into a proper album— to the Wacken Foundation.

The Foundation helps and supports young hard rock and heavy metal bands for over seven years now: Musicians full of hopes and dreams, exactly as Hansen had in the beginning of the 30 years story told on this album... in the hope that one day, somebody could tell another 30 years long magic story, also thanks to this album.

Together with Hansen, a stellar band of musicians gravitating around the Chameleon Studio in Hamburg has formed spontaneously.

There's Alex Dietz (guitar player of HEAVEN SHALL BURN) on bass, Eike Freese (who already worked as engineer and co-producer with Hansen on the last GAMMA RAY album) on guitar, and phenomenal drummer Daniel Wilding (CARCASS). The four will be joined by various guests, ranging from friends to followers to heroes — some having played a significant part in Kai's career, some who have expressed the wish to join the project with the same spirit that is leading Kai, Alex, Eike, and Daniel to create loud music with joy, freedom and determination.

Kai and friends will do an exclusive one-time performance at this year’s Wacken Open Air Festival, introducing the songs from the album to the audience for the first and only time.

Watch the video of Kai Hansen and Eike Freese discussing XXX below.

Talking about XXX (while in the studio, recording guitars), Hansen has declared, "30 years in metal, that’s a damn long time. Over the course of all these years, I never recorded a solo album. It is quite nice and a hell lot of fun to create something without any boundaries and to get a fresh view on music. I am celebrating 30 years of being able to do what I like best...

On XXX, I am reflecting on my roots, where I come from, how it all started for me. I believe you need a certain drive, passion and of course a bit of luck and coincidence to make it in the music world – and of course some financial support. This is where the Wacken Foundation came to my mind. They are helping people, musicians just like me, who want to make it. And I remember having had help myself, from my family, the families from the other band members – and by doing a paper round. So hopefully, with my donation, young musicians are given the same chance that I was given a long time ago, too. And who knows, maybe we all will be playing together at Wacken in 20 years…"

Wacken Foundation's Thomas Jensen adds, "This is really generous donation to the Wacken Foundation. Heavy metal is a way of life – and with this this amazing gesture Kai showed what it stands for: selflessness, thoughtfulness and most of all the passion and love for music. The goal of the foundation is to keep this kind of spirit going. With Kai is doing we are one step closer to this goal."


Back to Top

 

 

 Recent News
NEW CONTEST: Win Tickets To See THE DEAD DAISIES In San Diego On June 19th!
SABATON's The Tour To End All Tours Concert Film Comes To Cinemas
NILE Unveil First New Album In Five Years, The Underworld Awaits Us All
DAYSEEKER Announce Fall 2024 Headline "Dayseeker: Dark Sun Protocol Tour"
KISSIN' DYNAMITE Debut "The Devil Is A Woman" Video
SIGNS OF THE SWARM Announce North American Headlining Tour
ECLIPSE Shares New Single, Video For "Falling To My Knees"
ILLDISPOSED Return With New Album In Chambers Of Sonic Disgust
ASKING ALEXANDRIA Announce Second Leg Of "All My Friends" North American Tour
BLACKTOP MOJO Drop New Video For "As The Light Fades"
STEEL PANTHER Announces Final Leg OF U.S. "On The Prowl Tour"
THE HELLACOPTERS Debut New Video For "Stay With You"
JANE'S ADDICTION, LOVE AND ROCKETS Announce 2024 Tour
MISTER MISERY Reveal New Self-Titled Album
AS I LAY DYING Releases First New Single, Video In Five Years, "Burden"
BLACKMORE'S NIGHT Return To The Stage In June And July
NIGHTWISH Drop First Single, Video For "Perfume Of The Timeless"
ORBIT CULTURE Announces 2024 Headline Tour Dates Around SLIPKNOT 25th Anniversary Tour
SUNBOMB, Featuring TRACII GUNS & MICHAEL SWEET, Share Second Single "Steel Hearts"
WORMWITCH Return With New Self-Titled Album, First Single "The Helm And The Bow" Streaming
RORSCHACH TEST Celebrates Goth Day With "Fallen" Lyric Video
ROCKLAHOMA Announces Single Day Lineup For 2024
AXEL RUDI PELL Drops New Video For "Darkest Hour"
BRING ME THE HORIZON Surprise Release New Album Post Human: NeX GEn
NONPOINT Release New Video For "Underdog"
RICHIE KOTZEN Announces U.S. Tour Dates For Fall
D-A-D Announce Brand New Album Speed Of Darkness
W.A.S.P. Announce 2024 'Album ONE Alive' World Tour, Playing Debut Album In Full
NERVOSA Announce North American Headline Tour
MR. BIG Ready New Studio Album Ten
BLACKLIST UNION Unleash "Horns And Halos" Video
ANCIIENTS Return With New Album Beyond The Reach Of The Sun
SEVENDUST Announces Seasons Anniversary Tour
SILENT THEORY Unveil New Album Tell Us How It Ends
THE WARNING Stream New Single "Burnout"
VICTORY Return With New Album Circle Of Life
NOTHING MORE Announce Headlining 'Carnal Tour 2024'
DYSTOPICA Release First Full-Length Album Infinite Reflection
JESSE JAMES DUPREE Shares New Video For "Stranded"
DIZASTERPIECE Releases New Album Zzonebound [QRX4-Notion]
POWERWOLF Releases New Video For "1589"
PALLBEARER Drops New Album Mind Burns Alive
RAT PAK RECORDS Releases 20 Year Anniversary Compilation Album
CRYSTAL VIPER Drop New Album Title Track Video For "The Silver Key"
ORDEN OGAN Unveil New Album The Order of Fear
ALL FOR METAL Share "Valkyries In The Sky" Video, Featuring LAURA GULDEMOND Of BURNING WITCHES
GOATWHORE Announces North American Headlining Tour
SEBASTIAN BACH Releases New Video For "Freedom"
CHARLOTTE WESSELS Reveals Details For New Album The Obsession
NIGHT LASER Release "Don't Call Me Hero" Video
GEEZER BUTLER Set For Paperback Edition Of Book Into The Void: From Birth To Black Sabbath-And Beyond
Second Annual METAL INJECTION FESTIVAL Announced
SAINT DIABLO Share "Voice On The Phone" Single, Video
LORNA SHORE Announces North American Headline Tour
VISIONS OF ATLANTIS Drop New Video For "Monsters"
MARK TREMONTI Announces December Solo Dates
HANABIE. Debut New Video For "Girl's Talk"
X Announce 'The End Is Near' Tour
ANVIL Stream New Single "Truth Is Dying"
SOULFLY 'Healer' Coffee Coming Soon Via Concept Cafes
BAD WOLVES Launch New Video For "Hungry For Life", Featuring CHRIS DAUGHTRY
SERIOUS BLACK Ready New Studio Album Rise Of Akhenaton
LIKE MOTHS TO FLAMES Share "Over The Garden Wall" Video
GHOST Launch Trailer For Debut Feature Film Rite Here Rite Now
BARONESS, GRAVEYARD Team Up For European Tour
2024 NEW ENGLAND METAL & HARDCORE FEST Announces More Performers
CARMINE APPICE Rebuilds Legendary Rock Band CACTUS With Powerful New All-Star Album
KING 810 Announce New Indie Film, Tour
AMORPHIS, DARK TRANQUILLITY Confirm North American Co-Headline Tour
JAMEY JASTA & Company Unleash JASTA Music Video For New Song, "Suicidality", Ft. PHI DEMMEL
DEATH TO ALL Share "Suicide Machine" Video
BEARTOOTH Announce Second Leg Of 'The Surface Tour'
FALLING IN REVERSE Unveil New Album Popular Monster
KK'S PRIEST, ACCEPT Join For North American Tour
DECIBEL Announces '20th Anniversary Show'
1349 Stream New Single "Ash of Ages"
THE SISTERS OF MERCY Announce North American Fall Tour
THE HU Announce Extended Live Album The Hu Live At Glastonbury
BEASTO BLANCO Drop New Video For "Lowlands"
CATEGORY 7 Set To Release Debut Self-Titled Album
DORTMUND DEATHFEST Reveals Full 2024 Lineup
FLOTSAM AND JETSAM Unveil New Album I Am The Weapon
KINGS OF THRASH Announce 'Anarchy In The UK' Tour
ALL THAT REMAINS Return With "Divine" Video
NIGHTWISH Return With New Album Yesterwynde
ARMORED SAINT Announce L.A. Hometown Headline Show
GHOST Set To Release Debut Feature Film, Rite Here Rite Now, To Cinemas Worldwide
HAMMERFALL Reveal New Album Avenge The Fallen
SLIPKNOT Announce 'Here Comes The Pain' Summer Tour
THE DEAD DAISIES Unveil New Album, Single, Tour
DARKTHRONE Stream New Single "The Bird People Of Nordland"
70000TONS OF METAL Announces First Bands For 2025
NIGHT LASER Set For Call Me What You Want Album
RICHIE SAMBORA Returns With "I Pray" Single
TESTAMENT, KREATOR Join For "Klash Of The Titans" 2024 North American Tour
SAXON Share Lyric Video For "Witches Of Salem"
2024 SUMMER SLAUGHTER Tour Announced, Co-Headlined By VEIL OF MAYA And BRAND OF SACRIFICE
SEBASTIAN BACH Launches Video For New Single "(Hold On) To The Dream"
NARCOTIC WASTELAND Announces 2024 Summer Tour Dates
THE WARNING Release Cinematic Video For "Que Mas Quieres"
KITTIE Announce Exclusive Run Headline Shows On The 'Fire 2024' Tour
ACCEPT Stream New Single "Frankenstein"
200 STAB WOUNDS Return With Manual Manic Procedures Album
KURT DEIMER Confirms New Tour Dates With TEXAS HIPPIE COALTION
STAIND Launch Animated Video For Track "Better Days", Featuring DOROTHY
WEEDEATER Announce More Spring/Summer Shows
UNLEASH THE ARCHERS Are "Seeking Vengeance" With New Video
OPETH Announces North American Headlining Tour
LEAGUE OF DISTORTION Release "My Hate Will Go On" Video
EVERCLEAR Announces Fall Headlining Tour
DEAD MAN'S HAND Release Second Single, Video For "Bobblehead Jesus"
ZEAL & ARDOR Set For With New Album Greif
LACUNA COIL Share New Video "In The Mean Time", Featuring ASH COSTELLO Of NEW YEARS DAY
BARONESS Announce U.S. Summer Tour
FROZEN SOUL Drop WHITE ZOMBIE Cover Video For "Creature Of The Wheel"
SUNBOMB, Featuring MICHAEL SWEET And TRACII GUNS, Set To Release Sophomore Album Light Up The Sky
BABYLON A.D. Unleash "Wrecking Machine" Video
Current, Former Members Of ICE NINE KILLS And FROM ASHES TO NEW Form New Band HILLHAVEN
Former DISCIPLES OF BABYLON Singer ERIC KNIGHT Releases First Solo Single "Out Of This World"
GWAR Announces 'Age of Entitlement Tour'
MILLENIAL REIGN Ready New Album World On Fire
MEMPHIS MAY FIRE Return With New Video For Single "Chaotic"
MEGADETH Announce Summer 'Destroy All Enemies' Tour
ECLIPSE Unleashes New Video For "Apocalypse Blues"
Official, Special, Limited Edition, KNAC Heritage Item On Sale Now!



HOME | MAGAZINE | VIDS | STORE | HELP/POLICIES

©2024 KNAC.COM. All Rights Reserved.    Link to us    Advertise with us    Privacy policy
 Latest News