Artwork by Danny Miki and Travis Smith
Produced by Jim Morris with Schaffer and Kürsch
Published by Warner Chappell/Platinum Songs Unlimited and BG Publishing GbR

Hansi Kürsch - Vocals
Jon Schaffer - Rhythm, Bass & Lead Guitars

Guest Musicians:

Jim Morris - Lead Guitar
Mark Prator - Drums

The album, which is simply entitled "Demons and Wizards", was produced during July and August 1999 at Morrisound Studios. The regular album features 10 songs - plus an intro (Rites of Passage) and an outro (Chant) - for a total running time of 52:40 minutes. There are two bonus tracks on the digi pack version. The music can be described as extremely dark and very aggressive. It contains a strong Gregorianlike feeling throughout the whole album. "My Last Sunrise" - the first song Jon and Hansi have written together - is featured as the final part of a trilogy ("Tear Down the Wall", "Gallows Pole", "My Last Sunrise") in which the story of Azrael - a cruel, godlike, maddened gnomish creature - is told. During this mindtrip the listener is forced to witness the annihilation of all things caused by Azrael. It is a philosophical concept about justified doubts, the lack of faith and the ultimate longing for the "Supreme Being". Considering this "Chant" can be seen as the fourth part of the story. "Fiddler on the Green" is the most outstanding song on the album - Jon considers it to be the best D&W song so far. Inspired by the death of two children Hansi and Jon wrote that beautiful ballad about fatality, love and the afterlife.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=34KYPCOD

Produced by Jim Morris with Schaffer and Kürsch
Line Art by Leo Hao
Inking and Coloring by Travis Smith
Logo design by Travis Smith
Design and Layout by Nikolay "Dr. Venom" S. Simkin and Dennis "Sir" Kostroman

All songs published by Warner/Chappel & BG Publishing & Platinum Songs Unlimited
Except for "Immigrant Song" published by Superhype Music Inc., ASCAP

Hansi Kürsch - Vocals
Jon Schaffer - Rhythm, Bass, Lead and Acoustic Guitars

Guest Musicians:
Bobby Jarzombek - drums and percussion
Jim Morris - guitar solos and backing vocals
Rubin Drake - bass and fretless bass guitar
Howard Helm - piano and backing vocals
Kathy Helm - backing vocals
Tori Fuson - backing vocals
Jesse Morris - backing vocals
Krystyna Kolaczynski - cello

Recorded in November/December 2004 and mixed during February/March 2005 by Jim Morris at Morrisound Studios it took more than five years to finalize this second one. The longplayer delivers a higher variety of different sounding tunes, but keeps up the intensity of the first one at the same time. In comparison to the first strike "Touched by the Crimson King" offers far brighter music and drifts further away from "Iced Earth" and "Blind Guardian" in terms of songwriting - although the musical roots are not denied at any point. You will find a good amount of intense Metal anthems (Terror Train, The Gunslinger , Crimson King ...) as well as you can listen to a wide range of freestyle pieces (Dorian, Down where I am, Beneath These Waves). "Crimson King" - a song inspired by Stephen King ´s "The Dark Tower" series - is the perfect mixture of Iced Earth and Blind Guardian. Same must be said about "The Gunslinger (Hansi ´s favourite D&W track - so far), while the almost mainstreamish "Beneath These Waves" features tight, fresh, heavy and very melodious "Demons and Wizards" Metal music. "Seize the Day" goes completely different directions, again. The song is based on brilliant acoustic´-, melody- and solo guitar elements. Jim Morris guitar solo adds a "Pink Floydish" atmosphere to the tune. "Dorian" turns out to be a musical and lyrical trip to the bottom of one´s soul. The music is twisted and takes some (even for the musicians) very surprising routes. Be prepared!!!!

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