Artist: VENGEANCE
Album: CRYSTAL EYE LTD. EDIT. (DIGI)

Year: 2012
Media type: CD

t’s a full thirty years ago that Leon Goewie founded the Dutch rock band Vengeance in the early 1980s thirty years in which the band went through variably successful times and which had Goewie himself experience the usual highs and lows of life as a musician. Yet: he never lost his inherent optimism nor his basic enthusiasm for Vengeance. Crystal Eye, the group’s latest album, is – as Goewie puts it – “straightforward rock’n’roll which communicates first and foremost a positive feeling and a strong sense of humour, going directly for the audience’s central nervous system.” At the same time Goewie, whose uniquely expressive voice can be picked out among thousands, cannot deny that his band has developed: “After thirty years in this business, you should mature at least a little,” he grins knowingly, “so in that respect Crystal Eye is slightly more serious than most of our previous releases – but of course only to an extent where we don’t miss out on the fun of it all.” The new album will be out on 27 February 2012 (Germany: 24 February, USA/Canada: early March) on Steamhammer/SPV.

Goewie talks about a recording which, in his opinion, is the most professional he’s ever cut with Vengeance. Crystal Eye, which he composed mostly in collaboration with producer Michael Voss (Mad Max) and which also features a title track by former Vengeance guitarist Arjen Lucassen (Ayreon, Star One), consists of a total of eleven songs. Plus ‘Whole Lotta Metal’, a number which Tony Martin (ex-Black Sabbath) contributed tailor-made for Goewie and Vengeance. The album closes with the instrumental ‘Jan’s End Piece’ which features the last guitar solos recorded by Jan Somers before his unexpected death.

Talking of Jan Somers: the unforgotten Vengeance guitarist is present on Crystal Eye in a number of ways: the cover artwork as well as the illustrations in the booklet were created by the multi-talented musician, and his son Timo Somers features on the album as a guest guitarist. No doubt about it: Crystal Eye forges an arch between the group’s glorious past – documented by the return of the legendary band logo from the cult recordings We Have Ways To Make You Rock and Take It Or Leave It – and their future-oriented present.

The album’s sensational all-star cast is just as spectacular as the new material: alongside original vocalist Leon Goewie, Crystal Eyes features drummer Chris Slade (ex-AC/DC), guitarist Keri Kelli (ex-Alice Cooper), and bassist Chris Glen (Michael Schenker Group). “More than ever before, this is a band which consists of friends,” comments Goewie, whose excellent reputation as an exceptional vocalist made this impressive line-up possible: Goewie, Slade, Glen and Kelli also form the nucleus of AC/DC cover band Chris Slade Steel Circle who rock the popular clubs whenever their time allows it.

And Vengeance are eager to rock their audience as soon as possible: an extensive tour has been scheduled for spring 2012, only a few weeks after the release of their album. Goewie: “We can hardly wait to play numbers from Crystal Eye live at last, along with our classics. I promise that we will pull out all the stops 100% every night!”

TRACKLIST:

01 me and you
02 bad to the bone
03 barbeque
04 shock me now
05 five knuckle shuffle
06 desperate women
07 whole lotta metal
08 promise me
09 crystal eye
10 missing
11 jans end piece
12 Paint This Town (bonus track)
13 Barbeque - radio edit (bonus track)