Artist: PRETTY MAIDS
Album: PANDEMONIUM (DIGI)

Year: 2010
Media type: CD

The Danish Hard Rock / Metal combo Pretty Maids was founded in early 1982 by guitarist Ken Hammer and singer Ronnie Atkins who, with their flair for powerful guitar riffs and strong melodies, soon established themselves as a band to be taken seriously.

In 1983 they signed their first record deal and had the chance to open concerts for Black Sabbath and Rainbow before the release of their self titled album in November, which brought the band to extensively tour England. The following year, CBS snapped up the band and Pretty Maids released “Red Hot and Heavy”: an album who gave the band their breakthrough on the European continent, thanks also to a tour with Saxon.

In April 1987, “Future World”, the band’s third album recorded in the USA, was released to great acclaim and is still today regarded as a “classic metal album”. It soon became the absolutely major breakthrough for Pretty Maids not just in Europe, but was also successful in America and in the far east. Within the same year the band toured Europe with Deep Purple, appearing at the “Monsters of Rock” Festival as well as headlining a tour on their own.

After the release of the follow up album “Jump The Gun” (produced by Deep Purple’s bassist Roger Glover), Pretty Maids in 1991 were on the verge of a break up. However founding members Ken Hammer and Ronnie Atkins found a new rhythm section and in 1992 released the “Sin – Decade” a record that would reveal that Pretty Maids was still a force to be reckoned with, despite the fact that the metal scene now was overrun by the grunge movement. “Sin – Decade” became a huge success in Japan and gave the band a big radio hit with the single “Please don’t leave me” and laid the foundation for the band in the east that would last for the next decade.

During the following years Pretty Maids continued to release albums usually followed by European and Japanese tours. The band kept a very high standard when it comes to song writing and releasing albums. Albums such as “Scream” (1995), “Spooked” (1997), “Anything worth doing…. “ (1999) or “Planet Panic” (2002) say it all.

The release of “Wake up to the Real World” in 2006 started the band’s relationship with Frontiers Records and the release was followed by several Festival appearances in the years to come and a European tour in November 2008.

Now in 2010 Pretty Maids are back with their first long player in 4 years entitled “Pandemonium”. It truly shows the band in their finest moment, and according to the band this is their best effort in many years and the spirit of the band is real high.

“Pandemonium” with its melodic approach is a return to the “Future World / Red Hot and Heavy” era of the eighties but with an updated sound and freshness that consolidates that Pretty Maids are as strong as ever.

This album also introduces Keyboard player Morten Sandager as a permanent member of the band and his impact is evident on the tracks of the cd. Written in the fall 2009 and recorded in the winter 2010, “Pandemonium” was produced by Jacob Hansen (Volbeat etc.) and will be supported by several festival appearances during the summer of 2010 and the followed by a full scale European tour in Oct/Nov 2010.

“PANDEMONIUM” must be played LOUD !!! And is guaranteed satisfaction for all fans and supporters of Pretty Maids throughout the world.

TRACKLIST:

1. Pandemonium
2. I.N.V.U.
3. Little Drops Of Heaven
4. One World One Truth
5. Final Day Of Innocence
6. Cielo Drive
7. It Comes At Night
8. Old Enough To Know
9. Beautiful Madness
10. Breathless

LINE-UP:

Ronnie Atkins - vocals
Ken Hammer – guitars
Kenn Jackson – bass
Allan Tschicaja - drums
Morten Sandager - keyboards