Mind Key

I found this awesome band and have to get it to the station. I really like these guys. Clean sound, excellent vocals (often reminds me of Jorn), instrumentals are superb... I hope you'll agree with me that these guys would make a nice addition to ERR.

MIND KEY, a progressive-metal band from Italy, started in early 1999 thanks to Dario De Cicco (keyboards) and Emanuele Colella (guitars), who decided to create a band with the precise task to melt the sound of Prog Metal bands such as Dream Theater, Symphony X, Evergrey and Pain of Salvation with a newer, mature and more song oriented approach inspired by 80/90’s Hard Rock style.

After the new awesome drummer Andrea Stipa joined the band, the guys immediately started writing togheter a lot of new songs for the first demo entitled "Welcome to another reality" that was recorded in 2000. The demo brought them to the attention of Frontiers Records, who released the band’s debut “Journey Of A Rough Diamond” in July 2004.

MK line up also included Mark Basile (who gave a great songwriting contribution) on vocals and Raffaele Castaldo on bass. Just before the release of the album, Mark Basile left the group and in preparation of the subsequent tour dates, the guys met for the first time Aurelio Fierro Jr. a singer with a vast experience, who was able to give some splendid performances especially in the gigs that MK landed as support of Dream Theater for the Italian “Train Of Thought Tour 2004”. Mike Portnoy in particular said: “These guys sound really excellent!”

MK played more live dates in support of Vision Divine, Pendragon and also appeared at the Progpower Europe Festival with more dates in Poland, Switzerland, Holland, Germany and France. During the Polish dates, a Live DVD was recorded “Habemus Poland”, with the singer Giorgio Adamo as frontman. However he soon left to make space for the return of Aurelio Fierro, who was a more suitable choice for Emanuele, Dario & Andrea on the basis of the strength of the new material written for the follow up album.

Mind Key then began the recording of the second album “Pulse for a Graveheart”, simplifying their songwriting and giving the chance to Fierro to showcase his immense vocal potential which can be described as a powerful mix of Ronnie James Dio, David Coverdale and Jorn Lande.

Just before the release of the new stunning album, MK took the decision to hound out their historical bassist Raffaele Castaldo 'cause intolerable personal and musical matters. It was a critical but necessary decision. But the guys immediately show their "ace in the hole" and in late summer introduce the new great bass player LUCIO GRILLI (Soul Secret) who has enthusiastically taken his place in the band!

The album was later mixed and mastered by none other than Dennis Ward (Pink Cream 69, Angra, Krokus, Place Vendome etc.) to ensure the best sounding quality. “Pulse for a Graveheart” finally sees the light in July 2009, with some amazing guest musicians appearing such as Derek Sherinian (Dream Theater, Alice Cooper), who plays a keyboard solo on “Citizen of Greed”, Reb Beach (Whitesnake, Winger) on “Now Until Forever” and Tom Englund from Evergrey, dueting with Elio Fierro on “Graveheart”. “

Pulse for a Graveheart” introduces to the fans a new band, with a more mature attitude and an astonishing songwriting. And the road....goes on (citing TOTO)!!!

http://www.mindkey.it/

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHMP8OWc-k0

PULSE FOR A GRAVEHEART
Frontiers Records
Release Date: 03.07.2009

Tracks:
Sunset Highway
The Seventh Seal
Citizen Of Greed
Crusted Memories
Dead Fame Hunterr
Ventotene (The Island) - Instr.
Graveheart
Eye Of A Stranger
Now Until Forever
A New Generation
Secret Dream (performed by Aurelio Fierro Jr.)*
* Exclusive Japanese bonus track

Line Up:
Aurelio Fierro Jr. - Lead and Backing Vocals
Emanuele Colella - Guitars, Backing Vocals
Dario De Cicco - Keyboards, Backing Vocals
Andrea Stipa - Drums, Backing Vocals

- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION -

Guest Appearances by
REB BEACH - guitar solo on Now Until Forever
TOM S. ENGLUND - vocals duo with Aurelio on Graveheart
DEREK SHERINIAN - keyboard solo on Citizen of Greed

All songs written and arranged by Emanuele Colella, Dario De Cicco and Andrea Stipa with the exception of Sunset Highway, Crusted Memories and A New Generation written by Dario De Cicco. All lyrics by Dario De Cicco.

Produced by Dario De Cicco, Emanuele Colella and Andrea Stipa.

All the bass parts are performed by RAFFAELE CASTALDO.

Strings fugato on A New Generation composed and orchestrated by Dario De Cicco.

Strings Quartet on A New Generation performed by Quartetto Flegreo:

Simona Sorrentino – Violin
Fabiana Sirigu – Violin
Luigi Tufano – Viola
Marco Pescosolido - Cello
Mixed and Mastered by DENNIS WARD
at his Studios in Karlsdorf – Neuthard (Germay)
Excepts
Ventotene (The Island) and Secret Dream
mixed and Mastered by Salvio Imparato at
Orange Bug Studios in Naples (Italy).

Recorded and Engineered by Luciano Liguori at GDS Studios in Naples (Italy).
Excepts
All the keyboards recorded by Salvio Imparato at
Orange Bug Studios in Naples (Italy).
Acoustic and Classic Guitars on Ventotene (The Island) recorded by Salvio Imparato at Orange Bug Studios in Naples (Italy).

Editing by Andrea Stipa and Pierluigi Esposito.

Artwork and layout by Nello Dell’Omo.
Artwork concepts by Dario De Cicco, Emanuele Colella and Nello Dell’Omo.
Photos by Antonio Pelliccia.