Metal-Rules.com's Marko Syrjala has issued an interview with Michael Kiske (UNISONIC, ex-HELLOWEEN). The following is an excerpt:

Q: What kind of memories do you have from your last tour with Helloween in 1993?

A: "I don't remember much about it. I just know we had a lot of resistance with this because it sounded so different. Which is always difficult especially in the metal scene which is very wrong, you know, and Unisonic wants to be a rock band not a metal band to have a wider range that you don't fall into that box, you know, because I think the band needs to be creative. We had the same conversation with that one interviewer here before, and she asked exactly those questions, because it's very important, and it is like so important especially these days as you have every band is trying to please a market, they think right away 'For what market to we make this record?' And this is wrong, really wrong it should be the other way around it's like we actually have the industry – I've said this many times in public - to make a simple formula for people to remember, not the industry should design the music, the musicians should make the music and then the industry should find or build a market for that. That way you have a true music culture going on, but it's vice versa. And fans have to understand because they control the market. If they screw every band that allows creativity and cherish every band that just reproduces them shelves, they're fighting against free music and fighting against creativity. I understand, that when you as a fan get a record of a band and it sounds totally different to what you expect, I can understand you a little confused or something and maybe also a little bit down but give it time."

Read the full interview at this location.

Frontiers Records has announced the digital only release of the single track 'Silence', from the much anticipated album from KISKE/SOMERVILLE - the project formed by vocalists Amanda Somerville (HDK) and Michael Kiske, with musicians such as Mat Sinner (PRIMAL FEAR, SINNER), Magnus Karlsson (Primal Fear), Sander Gommans (HDK, ex-AFTER FOREVER), Martin Schmidt (ex-ATROCITY, LEAVES' EYES) and Jimmy Kresic (VOODOO CIRCLE), on August 20th.

'Silence' was written by the Primal Fear team featuring bassist / producer Mat Sinner and guitarist Magnus Karlsson. The song explores a different, more atmospheric and melodic direction for the two writers.

According to Kiske, “The video shoot was a long day from 6 AM to midnight, but since everyone was so nice and easy going, it was a very pleasant experience. Especially Amanda and Sander Gommans are such fine people and made it an extraordinary journey. I do like the song 'Silence' a lot, nice drama and good melodies.”

Kiske/Somerville recently released the video 'Silence'. Check it out below:

Kiske/Somerville will release their debut album on September 24th in Europe and the October 12th in North America.

The songs 'Silence' and 'If I Had A Wish' can exclusively be heard in full on the Frontiers Web Radio at this location.

An official trailer for the album can be viewed below.

Kiske/Somerville filmed two videos - the above mentioned 'Silence' and 'If I Had A Wish' - on March 28th and March 29th in Nuremberg, Germany. The clips were directed by Martin Mueller (HELLOWEEN, U.D.O., GOTTHARD) of RCN TV. Joining Kiske and Somerville for the shoot were bassist and main composer Mat Sinner, guitarist Sander Gommans, drummer Rami Ali and keyboardist Jimmy Kresic.

This is the final tracklisting with the composers in parenthesis:

'Nothing Left To Say' (Mat Sinner, Magnus Karlsson)

'Silence' (Mat Sinner, Magnus Karlsson)

'If I Had A Wish' (Mat Sinner, Magnus Karlsson)

'One Night Burning' (Mat Sinner, Magnus Karlsson)

'Arise' (Sander Gommans, Amanda Somerville)

'End Of The Road' (Mat Sinner, Jimmy Kresic)

'Don't Walk Away' (Mat Sinner, Magnus Karlsson)

'Devil In Her Heart' (Mat Sinner, Jimmy Kresic)

'Rain' (Mat Sinner, Magnus Karlsson)

'A Thousand Suns' (Sander Gommans, Amanda Somerville)

'Second Chance' (Mat Sinner, Magnus Karlsson)

'Set A Fire' - Bonus (Sander Gommans, Amanda Somerville)

“When Mat Sinner asked me if I wanted to be the "other half" of the face of the album, I was very honored and quite looking forward to working more closely with Michael Kiske,” Somerville explains. “We'd both been involved in various projects over the years together, such as Aina and Avantasia, but it was always through third parties and we didn't sing together like we do here. It's not for nothing that Michael's a legend in the scene. He's got a very unique voice, a special delivery of his performance and is a wonderful person on top of it all. This has been a great experience all across the board!”. Kiske adds “To sing together with the gifted and beautiful Amanda was another genius idea of Serafino! And it was a most pleasant experience to meet her. Amanda has by far the best female voice I have heard for ages. And the album is a killer.”

Check out BraveWords.com's overview of the new album in a special report from Mark Gromen at this location.