Artist: AT VANCE
Album: HEART OF STEEL RE-RELEASE (CD)

Release date: 2000/ 2006
Media type: CD

Power Metal act formerly known as CENTERS. The band includes in its ranks guitarist Olaf Lenk, previously a member of both ZED YAGO and VELVET VIPER. Other personnel number four ex-members of SPIDER in vocalist OLIVER HARTMANN, who also lists credits with HEAT and MERLIN, keyboard player Uli Muller, also ex-ESCAPE and BREAKPOINT, bass player Jochen Schnur and drummer Jurgen Lucas. Second guitarist Konig Rainald is ex-CONFRONT.

AT VANCE's debut 1999 album 'No Escape' would ambitiously not only tackle a Vivaldi piece 'Summer' but also an attempt at ABBA's 'Money, Money, Money'. The Japanese version of the album would give listeners there the chance to hear two more covers in SURVIVOR's 'Eye Of The Tiger' and TEARS FOR FEARS 'Shout'. The band would get to grips once more with ABBA on their secound outing 'Heart Of Steel' by taking on 'S.O.S.' Oliver Hartmann contributed to EDGUY man Tobias Sammet’s ambitious AVANTASIA eponymous project album of 2000.

Japanese versions of the 2001 album 'Dragonchaser', issued on the JVC Victor label, boasted an additional track 'Winner Takes It All'. AT VANCE would switch labels from the Shark concern to Andy Allendorfer of SQUEALER's AFM Records label in mid 2001.

AT VANCE formed part of a package billing with RHAPSODY and ANGEL DUST for European dates during April of 2002. The accompanying album, the Sascha Paeth produced 'Only Human', included the by now expected cover version in RAINBOW's hit 'I Surrender'. Japanese versions on the Avalon Marquee label added a bonus track in 'Heroes Of Honor'. Hartmann, Schnur and Lucas would also find space to operate side project band HANZ DAMF. The singer also enrolled as frontman for Italian act EMPTY TREMOR in 2003.

Japanese versions of the May 2003 album 'The Evil In You' added an exclusive extra cut in a rendition of DEEP PURPLE's seminal 'Highway Star'. Enrolled as frontman in 2004 would be former YNGWIE MALMSTEEN and TREAT vocalist Mats Leven. Getting back to recording in early 2005, AT VANCE pulled in session drummer Franco Zuccaroli, a credited member of the ULI JON ROTH band. They then drafted Mark Cross as permanent band member, a scene veteran citing a tradition with Greek acts SCRAPTOWN, MAGNA CARTA, SPITFIRE and NIGHTFALL then KINGDOM COME, METALIUM, HELLOWEEN and VALANOS.

Ex-singer OLIVER HARTMANN issued his debut solo album, 'Out In The Cold', during April 2005. The AT VANCE 'Chained' album gave the band its debut on the Swedish charts at no. 60. Meantime, early 2005 also revealed that Mats Leven was in collaboration with the MERCYFUL FATE, KING DIAMOND, NOTRE DAME, DREAM EVIL and MEMENTO MORI credited Snowy Shaw on a new band project.

In the Autumn of 2005 Cross activated a new band unit billed GOD'S ARMY, a band unit conceived alongside the HALLOWED pairing of bassist John A.B.C. Smith and guitarist Ian O'Sullivan and featuring second guitarist Don Amiro. Cross joined FIREWIND in November.

TRACKLIST:

1. Prelude
2. Soldier Of Time
3. The Brave And The Strong
4. Heart Of Steel
5. S.O.S.
6. King Of Your Dreams
7. Princess Of The Night
8. Goodbye
9. Why Do You Cry?
10. Don't You Believe A Stranger
11. Chopin - Etude No. 4
12. Shout - Bonus Track

LINE-UP:

Oliver Hartmann (vocals)
Olaf Lenk (guitar)
Konig Rainald (guitar)
Jochen Schnur (bass)
Uli Muller (keyboards)
Jurgen Lucas (drums)