Behind the scenes of CHRISTMAS METAL SYMPHONY, that will have it's opening night on Sunday December 28. in 013-Tilburg, the orchestra and band are already preparing themselves for this unique metalshow. The program is now complete and all of the international vocalists have told "Band Boss" Joost van den Broek what their all time favorite metaltracks are, so Joost has started to work on the arrangements. Due to the fact that most of the participating singers are living all over the world, this show really came together due to the blessings of the internet....

 

The concept of the show is in fact a very simple one; each vocalist shall perform some songs from his (or in this case) her band. They shall also perform some of their all time favorite metaltracks, tracks that can't be missed on a show like this; songs from Metallica via Iron Maiden to Judas Priest and from Testament to Symphony X and Tiamat.

And to spice it all up even more: our very own MAGNUM OPUS ROCKESTRA will join at some of the songs to give them an extra dimension. All performing artists are having high expectations of the concept and some of them even said that this might be the European answer to the Trans Siberion Orchestra, but with a real Christmas story and a lot more metal. So, all signs are telling us that CHRISTMAS METAL SYMPHONY will be a special event like no one has ever seen in this country. Enough reasons for some European promotors to join us at the Tilburg show to see if we can get this on the road in 2009...

 

In the meantime some companies in the musical instruments industry have also decided to participate in this concept. Dutch guitar innovatives BO~EL guitars will create a small exhibition with some of their finest models in the lobby of 013.  When the doors of the venue are open, you can visit their booth and talk to the people behind this very succesful brand. During the show you can see how these monsters perform live, since CMS bandmembers Marcel Coenen and Frank Schiphorst are using them on stage, being 2 of the special endorsers of BO~EL guitars metal section.

 

The legendary specialized metalstore State off Art will be present in the lobby of 013 as well. Their shop in Nijmegen (in the eastern part of Holland) is packed with metalstuff, so they will only bring a smaller selection of their products to this show like CD's, collectibles and merchandise. State off Art was of great value for the productionteam of CHRISTMAS METAL SYMPHONY in helping them out with some very special props. We won't tell you what they were, but we are shure that you will recognize it when you see it....

 

Tickets for CHRISTMAS METAL SYMPHONY are now on sale and are available via www.013.nl plus the regular ticketpoints of Ticket Service. For only € 32,50 per ticket you will get a whole lot of metal at this Ultimate Christmas Detox Party...

Achter de schermen van CHRISTMAS METAL SYMPHONY dat op zondag 28 december in 013 te Tilburg zijn premiere beleefd, zijn het orkest en de band inmiddels al volop bezig met de repetities voor deze unieke show. Het programma is inmiddels rond en alle zangers hebben hun meest favoriete metalnummer aller tijden opgegeven aan de muzikale "bandbaas" Joost van den Broek zodat hij ze kon voorzien van een passend arrangement. Doordat veel van de deelnemende artiesten verspreid zitten over de hele wereld, is internet een zegen gebleken voor de totstandkoming van een dergelijke show.

Wat betreft de opzet van de show: iedere zanger zal nummers van zijn eigen bands gaan brengen én zij zullen met elkaar een aantal unieke combinaties gaan vormen tijdens een aantal nummers die zeker niet mogen ontbreken in een echte metalshow. Van Metallica via Iron Maiden naar Judas Priest en van Testament tot Symphony X; je kunt het allemaal mee gaan maken als je nog een kaartje weet te bemachtigen voor dit unieke concert.
Alle deelnemende muzikanten zijn dan ook erg enthousiast over de opzet van de show en er wordt zelfs gefluisterd dat het wel eens de Europese variatie op het Trans Siberian Orchestra zou kunnen worden, maar dan met een kerstverhaal en veel meer metal…

CHRISTMAS METAL SYMPHONY wordt dus een echt speciaal evenement zoals je nog niet eerder kon zien in ons land. Reden ook voor een aantal buitenlandse promotors om de trip naar Tilburg te maken om de mogelijkheden te bekijken voor eventueel ook meerdere shows in Europa vanaf volgend jaar. De verwachtingen zijn dus behoorlijk hoog gespannen….

Inmiddels hebben ook een aantal partijen uit de muziekindustrie besloten om deel te nemen aan het evenement. Het gitaarmerk BO~EL zal daarom tijdens Christmas Metal Symphony een expositie van hun modellen neerzetten in de lobby van 013, zodat je voorafgaande aan de show alles te weten kunt komen over deze topgitaren. Tijdens de show kun je ze wederom bewonderen omdat zowel Marcel Coenen als ook Frank Schiphorst endorsers zijn van het merk. Een ander merk dat de samenwerking is aangegaan is het legendarische London City. Met name hun nieuwste serie versterkers zijn zeer de moeite waard voor projecten zoals CHRISTMAS METAL SYMPHONY, zowel qua sound als ook qua uitstraling.

De Nijmeegse metalstore State off Art kun je ook aantreffen in de lobby. Zij zullen zich presenteren in een bescheiden vorm, maar waren voor de organisatie van onschatbare waarde voor de totstandkoming van de show. Zij wisten ons te helpen aan enkele rekwisieten die we nog niet zullen verklappen, maar iedereen die de show gaat bekijken zal meteen zien wat we bedoelen. Je kunt voor de show bij hen terecht voor CD's, collectibles en merchandise.

De kaarten voor dit concert kun je bestellen via www.013.nl en via de verkoopadressen van Ticketservice. Ze kosten in de voorverkoop € 32,50 per stuk en daar krijg je dan een heleboel metal voor! CHRISTMAS METAL SYMPHONY is eigenlijk je beste afkickmogelijkheid na de verplichtingen van de feestdagen!

Guitarist Sander Gommans of the Dutch female-fronted metallers AFTER FOREVER — who last year announced that they were taking a break from band activities for most of 2008 while Gommans underwent medical tests after suffering a seizure — has cancelled his participation in the Christmas Metal Symphony concert, set to take place December 28, 2008 at 013 in Tilburg, the Netherlands.

Commented Sander: "Despite the great initiative, the great set of songs and the chance to play with some wonderful musicians, I decided not to take part in this. I have to be realistic in what I can and cannot do at this point, and although I do feel a lot better, I think preparing the songs on such short notice and rehearsing several times might take more time than I have right now with all the guitar lessons, HDK and AFTER FOREVER preparations and other stuff. The last thing I want is another burn-out, so I guess these are decisions that have to be made even if they suck. The organisers knew about the chance I had to cancel, but still I'd like to offer my appologies for having to do that. However, a GREAT replacer has been found in Frank Schiphorst; check out his playing skills on his myspace, he rules!!! I'm sure that Marcel Coenen and Frank Schiphorst will be able to play the set extremely well, for all guitar freaks: get your ticket, you'll be satisfied!!!!!

"So, I'm still doing OK, just taking some precautions to make sure that it'll stay that way! I'll probably at the Christmas Metal Symphony as a visitor, hope to see you there!"

Christmas Metal Symphony will include appearances by such renowned hard rock and heavy metal musicians as Doro Pesch, Russell Allen (SYMPHONY X), Mats Levén (THERION, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN), Johan Edlund (TIAMAT), Ian Parry (CONSORTIUM PROJECT), Marcela Bovio (STREAM OF PASSION), Floor Jansen (AFTER FOREVER) and George Oosthoek (ORPHANAGE). They will be backed up by a six-piece band and a 30-piece classical orchestra as they perform the finest metal songs of all time. This unique show will contain songs from all metal genres — from prog-metal to rock, from death to speed and from industrial to NWOBHM... you name it... it's all in the show!

The backing band will consist of the following musicians:

Koen Herfst (EPICA) - Drums
Marcel Coenen (SUN CAGED) - Guitar
Johan Van Stratum (STREAM OF PASSION) - Bass
Frank Schiphorst (CONTROL HUMAN DELETE) - Guitar
Jeffrey Revet (STREAM OF PASSION) - Keyboards
Joost van den Broek (AFTER FOREVER) - Keyboards

The legendary singer from Testament, CHUCK BILLY, has confirmed his appearance on CHRISTMAS METAL SYMPHONY. The list of singers and artists who will join this really unique event has become very impressive, to say the least. 
MATS LEVÉN, ALLEN RUSSELL, JOHAN EDLUND, DORO, FLOOR JANSEN, IAN PARRY, GEORGE OOSTHOEK, MARCELA BOVIO and now CHUCK BILY have all confirmed their presence in Tilburg at December 28. for CHRISTMAS METAL SYMPHONY!

On the organisers wishlist, Chuck Billy had a very high ranking. Ever since he released his first democasette back in 1984 (First Strike is Deadly) with the band LEGACY, their music created an earthquake in the underground metalscene. The positive reactions by both media and fans helped the band in signing their first major recorddeal in 1986 with the big Megaforce / Atlantic label. 
While recording their first album, the band had to change their name to TESTAMENT when it turned out that there already was a band named Legacy in the USA. With the new name, a new label and a new album, (named "The Legacy" as a goodbye to their old bandname) it once again turned out to be a blast! This album was the official start of a great career that lasted for many years and gave Chuck the opportunity to become one of the finest performers of trashmetal!
Now, twenty years later... TESTAMENT is back in (metal-)business again! Chuck had to quit touring and singing for several years, due to health problems, but is now fully recovered. Their new CD "The Formation of Damnation" is bringing back the old times of their unique music and the band is once again taking the American and European metalclubs and festivals by storm!

With the conformation of Chuck Billy, the line up for CHRISTMAS METAL SYMPHONY on the Tilburg show is now complete. Don't be surprised if some of the best TESTAMENT classics will be performed plus some of Chucks All Time Favorite Metalsongs. It may even be that you can watch Chuck Billy performing some really unique music with band and orchestra.....
Tickets for the show are now available for € 32,50. You can find all info on this topic on www.013.nl
For more info on the artists, program and the latest news, you can check out

www.myspace.com/christmasmetalsymphony 

www.xmasmetalsymphony.hyves.nl

CHRISTMAS METAL SYMPHONY is a unique metal-event... so tell your friends and don't miss out on this one!!