Unisonic [Bonus CD]

Unisonic is a reunion which will have fans of classic German power metal group Helloween rejoicing: the group reunites former Helloween singer Michael Kiske (who left the group in 1993 to start a solo career) and the group's ex-guitarist and co-founder Kai Hansen (who left in 1988, shortly after the release of the group's two seminal Keeper of the Seven Keys albums, and went on to form Gamma Ray). The band also includes guitarist Mandy Meyer (ex-Gotthard), bassist Dennis Ward, and drummer Kosta Zafiriou (both from Pink Cream 69 and both members of Place Vendrome, which also featured Kiske). After a four-song EP which was released in February 2012, Unisonic delivered their first full-length album one month later. The self-titled effort features 11 tracks of melodic hard rock, with only a few traces of Helloween's power metal. It is also available as a limited edition that comes as a 40-page media book and features one bonus track ("Over the Rainbow"). ~ Christian Genzel