DEMONS & WIZARDS
have only released one album to date, their critically acclaimed self-titled
debut in 2000.
This section featurers info on this release, and the COLLECTABLE
section features some other rarer items.
DEMONS & WIZARDS released eagerly awaited
their self-titled album at the beginning of the year 2000. Combining the music
of JON SCHAFFER with the vocals of HANSI KURSCH produces a musical production
greater than the sum of its parts. Some of the material they have produced
rivals some of the best ICED EARTH and BLIND GUARDIAN songs ever written,
largely because their collaboration has allowed them to try new ideas that
would perhaps would not suit the style of their usual bands.
The material on this album is a lot heavier and darker than what Hansi would normally write with his band, and Jon was able to step back from writing vocals harmonies and let Hansi contribute totally different ideas than he would have come up with on his own.
There are lot of killer songs on this album, but the highlight is surely the brilliant "Fiddler On The Green", which was also the inspiration for the album's cover art. The song has special meaning for Hansi, as it was written around two tragic events he once witnessed, retold with a magical fantasy twist. Another classic is the song "The Whistler", which takes the classic Pied Piper Of Hamlin tale to a darker level , and another
The material on this album is a lot heavier and darker than what Hansi would normally write with his band, and Jon was able to step back from writing vocals harmonies and let Hansi contribute totally different ideas than he would have come up with on his own.
There are lot of killer songs on this album, but the highlight is surely the brilliant "Fiddler On The Green", which was also the inspiration for the album's cover art. The song has special meaning for Hansi, as it was written around two tragic events he once witnessed, retold with a magical fantasy twist. Another classic is the song "The Whistler", which takes the classic Pied Piper Of Hamlin tale to a darker level , and another
epic fantasy is represented with a trilogy
encompassing the tracks "Tear Down The Wall", "Gallows Pole"
and "My
Last Sunrise", about the gnome Azrael who is unhappy with the universe he created and begins to disassemble it. The subject content of the tracks also deal with real life incidents such as the Nibelungensage ("Blood On My Hands")
and the so-called Crusades.
Jon played most of the music on the album, including the bass guitar parts, and JIM MORRIS played all the guitar solos, having outdone himself on his guest appearance on the ICED EARTH SWTWC album. MARK PRATOR, who played on the past couple of ICED EARTH albums stepped in to play drums, after original candidate BRENT SMEDLEY was no
longer available..
Last Sunrise", about the gnome Azrael who is unhappy with the universe he created and begins to disassemble it. The subject content of the tracks also deal with real life incidents such as the Nibelungensage ("Blood On My Hands")
and the so-called Crusades.
Jon played most of the music on the album, including the bass guitar parts, and JIM MORRIS played all the guitar solos, having outdone himself on his guest appearance on the ICED EARTH SWTWC album. MARK PRATOR, who played on the past couple of ICED EARTH albums stepped in to play drums, after original candidate BRENT SMEDLEY was no
longer available..
DEMONS & WIZARDS TRACKLISTING
[1] RITES OF PASSAGE
[2] HEAVEN DENIES
[3] POOR MAN'S CRUSADE
[4] FIDDLER ON THE GREEN
[5] BLOOD ON MY HANDS
[6] PATH OF GLORY
[7] WINTER OF SOULS
[8] THE WHISTLER
[9] TEAR DOWN THE WALL
[10] GALLOWS POLE
[11] MY LAST SUNRISE
[12] CHANT
*[13] WHITE ROOM
**[14] THE WHISTLER [Alt Lyrics]
[2] HEAVEN DENIES
[3] POOR MAN'S CRUSADE
[4] FIDDLER ON THE GREEN
[5] BLOOD ON MY HANDS
[6] PATH OF GLORY
[7] WINTER OF SOULS
[8] THE WHISTLER
[9] TEAR DOWN THE WALL
[10] GALLOWS POLE
[11] MY LAST SUNRISE
[12] CHANT
*[13] WHITE ROOM
**[14] THE WHISTLER [Alt Lyrics]
*Bonus track on 2LP Picture Disc & Ltd
Ed Digipak
**Bonus Track on 2LP Picture Disc & Japanese Release
**Bonus Track on 2LP Picture Disc & Japanese Release
DEMONS & WIZARDS RECORDING INFO
HANSI KURSCH - , Vocals
JON SCHAFFER - Rhythm, Bass, & Lead Guitars
GUEST MUSICIANS:
JIM MORRIS - Lead Guitar
MARK PRATOR - Drums
JON SCHAFFER - Rhythm, Bass, & Lead Guitars
GUEST MUSICIANS:
JIM MORRIS - Lead Guitar
MARK PRATOR - Drums
RECORDED AT - MORRISOUND STUDIOS
PRODUCED BY - JIM MORRIS with SCHAFFER and KURSCH
ENGINEERED BY - JIM MORRIS
MASTERED AT - FULLERSOUND
PRODUCED BY - JIM MORRIS with SCHAFFER and KURSCH
ENGINEERED BY - JIM MORRIS
MASTERED AT - FULLERSOUND
DEMONS & WIZARDS SLEEVE PHOTO
DEMONS & WIZARDS COVER ARTWORK
Artwork by DANNY MIKI and TRAVIS SMITH (Crimeseem)
Design, Layout, and Logo by TRAVIS SMITH.
The sleeve artwork is based on the story behind the track, "Fiddler On The Green", and features the grim reaper
fiddler character appearing before the children. The artwork is by the same artists that were behind the ICED EARTH ALIVE IN ATHENS and SWTWC artwork. The drawing is more in the style of a comic book and is less dark than they would perhaps normally do for an ICED EARTH album sleeve.
The packaging is impressive, in particular the Limited Edition Digipack version of the CD, which has a very novel
"pop-up" of the Fiddler inside the cover.
The sleeve artwork is based on the story behind the track, "Fiddler On The Green", and features the grim reaper
fiddler character appearing before the children. The artwork is by the same artists that were behind the ICED EARTH ALIVE IN ATHENS and SWTWC artwork. The drawing is more in the style of a comic book and is less dark than they would perhaps normally do for an ICED EARTH album sleeve.
The packaging is impressive, in particular the Limited Edition Digipack version of the CD, which has a very novel
"pop-up" of the Fiddler inside the cover.
INNER SLEEVE ARTWORK
AUTOGRAPHED
