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Band page - Val´Paraiso
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| Monday, September 29, 2003 - Looking-Glass-Self downloads | Three songs from the Pre-Val'Paraiso band Looking-Glass-Self are available for download from the Val'Paraiso website, which also says:
"All three tracks were part of the Looking-Glass-Self promo-CD "Equinox", recorded entirely without electric guitars back in the year 2000.It is different to what Val'Paraiso is doing nowadays. But it is a part of the band's history. Feel free to download this experiment featuring the voice of Brazilian vocalist André Matos. You'll probably find some of the tracks on an upcoming Val'Paraiso-album - with different instrumentation and, of course, the voice of Val'Paraiso's frontman Arno Menses."
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| Thursday, April 17, 2003 - Sieges Even / Looking-Glass-Self / Val'Paraiso | Finally some news regarding the new band formed by members of former Progressive Metal masters Sieges Even. As some may know, Alex Holzwarth, Oliver Holzwarth and Markus Steffen formed the band Looking-Glass-Self after Sieges Even broke up, and have been trying to find a singer ever since. Some months ago they finally found Arno Menses, and now it seems that the band is getting ready to take off.
As another band was already called Looking-Glass-Self, the band has now changed their name to Val'Paraiso. In March 2003 they entered the studio to record their promo CD, consisting of the two songs "Where our shadows sleep" and "The lonely views of condors". These two songs are available for download from The Official Val'Paraiso Web Site
If you liked an album like "A sense of change" from Sieges Even, then I'm sure you'll go absolutely crazy when you hear these two tracks. I know I did... This sounds extremely promising.
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| Monday, January 20, 2003 - Looking-Glass-Self news | Finally! Looking-Glass-Self have found their lead singer. His name is Arno Menses and hails from The Netherlands. Looking-Glass-Self consist of members from the fantastic progressive metal band Sieges Even who broke up some years ago. Since the break-up of Sieges Even, Markus Steffen, Oliver Holzwarth and Alex Holzwarth have been working on a new band. Check out their website for some samples of their music and more information.
Due to problems with other bands using the name 'looking-glass-self' they will also change the bandname. More info will come when it is available.
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Other information
Val´Paraiso - The official biography
1986-1988 - The SIEGES EVEN-years
Val'Paraiso's history starts with the history of progressive rock-frontrunners SIEGES EVEN. It all began back in the eighties when guitarplayer Markus Steffen and bassplayer Oliver Holzwarth founded their first band in Munich, Germany. After Oliver's brother Alex (drums) and singer Franz Herde had joined the band the name SIEGES EVEN immediately became a synonym for innovative and progressive rock music. Between 1986 and 1987 their first demos and rehearsals were recorded, highly acclaimed by the undergorund press in Europe and the States. In 1987/88 SIEGES EVEN recorded another 4-track-demo called "Repression and Resistance" which called the attention of producer Kalle Trapp and German record label SPV to which SIEGES EVEN finally got signed.
1988-1992 In spring 1988 SIEGES EVEN entered Kalle Trapp's 'Karo-Studio' in Münster to commence the recordings of their debut album "Life Cycle". The album contained the 7 tracks "Repression and Resistance", "Life Cycle", "Apocalyptic Disposition", the instrumental "The Roads to Iliad", "David", "Straggler from Atlantis" and another short instrumental called "Arcane". As for the production, the album had a very rough and energetic sound. Not quiet what the band had in mind, but yet a first step. After the recordings had been finished and having received first positive reactions from the press and from lovers of progressive rock and metal, SIEGES EVEN instantly began writing new music for a second album.
In March/April 1990 the band teamed-up with the new producer talent Charlie Bauerfeind to work on the second output "Steps". Recordings took place at the 'Lakeside-Studios' in Utting nearby Munich. The concept of the album was very different to what they did on "Life Cycle". Encouraged by the enthusiastic press feedback, SIEGES EVEN wrote one of the extremest albums in the progressive rock genre. "Steps" contained 7 tracks with a full playing time of about 55 minutes. The 25 minute opening track "Tangerine Windows of Solace" alone was a challenge for both the musicians and the listener. The other tracks on the album were "Steps", "Corridors", "The Vacuum tube processor", "An Act of Aquiescence" and "Anthem Chapter 1 & 2". Again the following press reactions were more than brilliant. One thing the band wasn't too happy about was the live situation. Although SIEGES EVEN always enjoyed being on stage, the opportunities during those years were rare. But one show they played turned out as real highlight in the band's history:
In 1991 SIEGES EVEN opened for the US band "Psychotic Waltz" in the German city Verl. In front of a enthusiastic crowd coming from all corners of Europe, SIEGES EVEN perfomed several tracks from their first two albums (and one new track from the upcoming third album). In 1991 the band entered studio again. Once again, Charlie Bauerfeind was the man in charge concering the album's production. It was entitled "A Sense of Change" - the perfect title for an album which was yet again very different to its predecessors. Indeed, the title was well chosen: During the recording sessions SIEGES EVEN parted company with their long-time singer and friend Franz Herde. Finding the perfect replacement took the band another 3 months: After recording some of the material with a female vocalist from the USA, SIEGES EVEN decided to go on with an unknown guy from Germany. His name was Jogi Kaiser. His jazzy and clear voice fitted perfectly to the more transparent and open sound of "A Sense of Change". And this guy was fast: He recorded all of the songs within 3 days time! "A Sense of Change" was one of the first recordings done in DDD and to be released only on compact disc. It contained the following pieces: "Prelude: Ode to Sisyphus", "The Waking Hours", "Behind Closed Doors", "Dimensions", "Prime", "Epigram for the last straw" and "These Empty Places". Even though the reactions to "A Sense of Change" were, once again, enthusiastic and the band members themselves felt that they have created something that would last, the album marked the end of the first chapter in the history of the band. Guitar player Markus Steffen left the band for personal reasons after they had played their last and legendary show in Wiesbaden in the summer of 1992.
1993-1999 - In-between-time
From that point, both the Holzwarth-brothers and Markus Steffen were pursuing different musical directions. While Oliver and Alex continued with SIEGES EVEN, releasing another two albums with new musicians ("Sophisticated" and "Uneven"), Markus focused on the modern classical guitar, recorded a solo album in 1999 ("Unsheltered Places") and wrote a book on the guitar in the same year. Oliver and Alex gained alot of live expererience as they did a tour with prog-rock legends Emerson, Lake and Palmer and, furthermore, both were recruited by international acclaimed bands suchs as Blind Guardian (Oliver) and Rhapsody (Alex). Even though each of them developed his musical abilities and benefited alot from working in musical areas which were quiet different to what they had done with SIEGES EVEN, there was the feeling that something was missing, something was left unsaid.
So, after 6 years it took nothing more than a phonecall to bring those guys together again. After the ultimative end of SIEGES EVEN, Oliver, Alex and Markus felt that the time was right again, to finish what they've started. In the summer of 1999 they met at their first rehearsal after 6 six years of not having heard from each other, not having played with each other. They wrote a first track called "Equinox" and instantly decided to carry on as a new band, since all of them felt that one of the most important factors each of them was lacking during all those years was eventually back: the chemistry.
1999-? - From LOOKING-GLASS-SELF to VAL'PARAISO
After the decision to carry on under the name LOOKING-GLASS-SELF, the main problem to appear was to find the right voice to their music. Everything seemed perfect when singer André Matos, who was known for his work with Brasilian outfit Angra, joined LGS to record the vocals for their first promo release "Equinox". The CD contained the four tracks "Equinox", "Stigmata", "Footprints of Angels" and "The Valparaiso Dreaming". However, André, whose contribution to the band was higly appreciated, was pursuing his own solo projects. So it wasn't a surprise that many people had the feeling that LGS was not a band but a project of Alex, Oliver and Markus plus one guest star as the singer. This, of course, has never been the intention. Even if a frustrating search for an adequate vocalist began anew, the three continued writing new songs. But it took them another almost two years 'til a guy from the Netherlands send Markus an email, telling him that he was the right one for the job.
And so, in January 2003 they entered the studio again to record the vocals for two new tracks ("The lonley views of Condors", "Where our shadows sleep") that were already recorded one year before. The name of the new singer was Arno Menses, originally a drummer with alot of backing-vocals experience. Due to the fact, that for the first time after many years Oliver, Alex and Markus had the feeling that they had a whole band line-up together, they decided to leave the past behind and continued under a new name: VAL'PARAISO. And here they are: ready to record their debut album and to paint the cities red and green with songs of open roads...
Source: http://www.valparaiso-music.com/
Added by Steen - 7/28/2003
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