{"id":44858,"date":"2016-09-15T00:00:01","date_gmt":"2016-09-15T00:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.metalforcesmagazine.com\/site\/?p=44858"},"modified":"2016-09-15T23:47:54","modified_gmt":"2016-09-15T23:47:54","slug":"news-gamma-ray-founding-member-kai-hansen-releases-debut-solo-studio-album-xxx","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.metalforcesmagazine.com\/site\/news-gamma-ray-founding-member-kai-hansen-releases-debut-solo-studio-album-xxx\/","title":{"rendered":"KAI HANSEN\u2019s Solo Project HANSEN & FRIENDS: \u2018XXX – Three Decades In Metal\u2019 Album Samples Available For Listening (September 15th, 2016) | News @ Metal Forces Magazine"},"content":{"rendered":"

KAI HANSEN\u2019s Solo Project HANSEN & FRIENDS: \u2018XXX – Three Decades In Metal\u2019 Album Samples Available For Listening<\/strong><\/span>
\nSeptember 15th, 2016<\/strong><\/span>
\n
\nHansen & Friends, the solo project of former Helloween and current Gamma Ray guitarist Kai Hansen, issue debut full-length studio album XXX – Three Decades In Metal<\/em> on September 16th, 2016 through earMUSIC.<\/p>\n

Audio samples can be accessed below.<\/p>\n

The outing was recorded at Chameleon Studio in Hamburg with Alex Dietz (Heaven Shall Burn guitarist) on bass, Eike Freese (engineer and co-producer with Hansen on March 2014 Gamma Ray record Empire Of The Undead<\/em>) on guitar, and Daniel Wilding (Carcass) on drums. In addition, XXX<\/em> features various guests, including Ralf Scheepers (ex-Gamma Ray \/ Primal Fear), Piet Sielck (Iron Savior \/ ex-Savage Circus), Dee Snider (Twisted Sister), Steve McT, Tobias Sammet (Edguy \/ Avantasia), Michael Kiske (ex-Helloween \/ Unisonic), Frank Beck (Gamma Ray), Cl\u00e9mentine Delauney (ex-Serenity \/ Visions Of Atlantis), Marcus Bischoff (Heaven Shall Burn), Richard Sjunnesson (ex-Sonic Syndicate \/ The Unguided), Hansi Kirsch (Blind Guardian), Roland Grapow (ex-Helloween \/ Masterplan), Michael Weikath (Helloween) and Tim Hansen (son of Kai Hansen).<\/p>\n

A video in which Hansen and Freese discusses the album can also be viewed below.<\/p>\n

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The track listing is as follows;<\/p>\n

01. \u2018Born Free\u2019
\n02. \u2018Enemies Of Fun\u2019
\n03. \u2018Contract Sun\u2019
\n04. \u2018Making Headlines\u2019
\n05. \u2018Stranger In Time\u2019
\n06. \u2018Fire And Ice\u2019
\n07. \u2018Left Behind\u2019
\n08. \u2018All Or Nothing\u2019
\n09. \u2018Burning Bridges\u2019
\n10. \u2018Follow The Sun\u2019<\/p>\n

Hansen & Friends\u2019 recording line-up was as follows:<\/p>\n

Kai Hansen (vocals and guitar, ex-Helloween \/ Gamma Ray)
\nEike Freese (guitar, vocals on track 9, Dark Age)
\nAlexander Dietz (bass, Heaven Shall Burn)
\nDaniel Wilding (drums, Carcass)<\/p>\n

Guest musicians:<\/p>\n

Ralf Scheepers (vocals on track 2)
\nPiet Sielck (vocals on track 2)
\nDee Snider (vocals on track 3)
\nSteve McT (as The Manger on track 3)
\nTobias Sammet (vocals on tracks 4 and 5)
\nMichael Kiske (vocals on track 5)
\nFrank Beck (vocals on track 5)
\nCl\u00e9mentine Delauney (vocals on tracks 5, 6 and 7)
\nMarcus Bischoff (vocals on track 6)
\nRichard Sjunnesson (vocals on track 6)
\nHansi Kirsch (vocals on track 10)
\nRoland Grapow (guitar solo on trck 5)
\nMichael Weikath (guitar solo on track 6)
\nTim Hansen (guitar solo on track 10) <\/p>\n

A music video was filmed for the track \u2018Born Free\u2019, which can be viewed below as well.<\/p>\n

Kai Hansen\u2019s first advance payment to be received for XXX – Three Decades In Metal<\/em> will be donated to the Wacken Foundation, a foundation which supports young hard rock and heavy metal bands.<\/p>\n