Greece's Rockpages recently conducted a phone interview with GAMMA RAY drummer Dan Zimmermann regarding the band's 10th studio album, To The Metal. Here's an excerpt about MICHAEL KISKE's participation and a few details of the album:

Q: How was Michael Kiske involved in the album?

A: "Well, when we were playing this song, in rehearsals, and in the studio before recording it, everybody was saying that the vocal line, and the chorus sound like Kiske would have sung it. So, Kai thought that this was a good idea, and since he is always in contact with Michael Kiske he called him, and Michael agreed. It was easy!"

Q: Can you give me some comments for some songs on the album? 'Empathy', 'Mother Angel', and 'Deadlands'.

A: 'Empathy': It’s the best song on the album in my opinion! It has a very comfortable point very early, a very straight song. Also, if you see the verses it has a progress aspect, and it has everything a good metal song should have: it’s dramatic; it has good riffs, good grooves, good melodies, a really great chorus, good singing, the mood is a bit melancholic... it’s about empathy, it starts to happen in a world of tragedy. Everybody would show their empathy very fast, but nothing is changing... we are referring to two tragedies that happened in Germany, one that happened at a school in Germany, where a 15-year old school kid shot and killed 15 people. Everybody was showing their empathy, but instead of making firmer laws for the gun use in Germany they aren’t doing anything! Because, politicians refer to the weapon lobbies, that are big enough to say to politicians what to do. The other tragedy was that goalkeeper from Hannover (Ed, Robert Enke) who committed suicide jumping on the rail tracks, and got killed by the train. Again, everyone showed their empathy, but instead of laying off pressure from the young generation, the pressure gets higher, and higher. It’s the school system, and it goes so far, for your entire life...

'Mother Angel': it’s more like an ‘80s stadium rock song. We like to play this song, it has a great groove, it’s very straight, and kind of commercial. It’s about Kai’s mother who died last year, and he wanted to get over it, and I think the songs helped him...

'Deadlands': It has a very strong guitar riff, it’s a medium fast double bass song, and has a nice chorus too. The lyrics are about a game. Like seven deadly snipers are waiting for you, and they all have one bullet in their gun, and you have seven bullets in your clever gun, and you are trying to get out, while people on TV are watching. “The eyes of the stranger will follow”, as it says on the lyrics. It’s about a reality game where people watch games like this in order to entertain themselves. It’s very “special”!"

Read the full interview here.