Vanden Plas

Progressive Metal

1986

Vanden Plas is a German progressive metal band, based in Kaiserslautern and founded in the late 1980s. The band surrounding vocalist Andreas Kuntz have succeeded in making a name for themselves on an international level, enjoy almost cult status in France, have been touring all over Europe with established acts like Dream Theater, Savatage or Angra and can point to a number of impressive releases, among them three studio albums, a live cut, an unplugged recording, and several EPs. With their latest offering, Beyond Daylight (2002), Vanden Plas once again emphasise their leading position on the international prog scene, opening an exciting new chapter in their band history.

Beyond Daylight contains nine brand-new prog metal tracks which stand out with their brilliant melodies, exquisite instrumental passages and intelligent arrangements, and the powerful rock ballad 'The Healing Tree' mirrors perfectly the fascination that this band has in the line: "Where we go around from here? Will we share another tear? Like the seasons we are leaving to return again." Be it the juxtaposition of a habit-forming chorus and technically virtuoso passages, as in 'Scarlett Flowerfields', anthemnic structures like the opener 'Nightwalker', or progressive tracks like 'Cold Wind': Vanden Plas never cease to delight and at the same time surprise their audience. "The new album has an even wider stylistic range than our previous releases," elaborates Kuntz on the difference compared to older Vanden Plas material. "A while ago, we would have been sceptical as to whether a shout-along number like 'Free The Fire' actually suits Vanden Plas. These days we don't worry too much about things like that. What matters is the quality of a song; a ballad like 'Can You Hear Me?' could in this or a similar form easily have been penned by Sting, but it happens to suit Beyond Daylight perfectly. The mood of the songs, the entire album is more open-minded, atmospherically broader and, in a very positive sense, more commercial." The first edition of the album is rounded off by a cover version of the Kansas classic 'Point Of No Return'.

Since the late Eighties, when the band first got together, Vanden Plas never lost sight of their ambitious goal: expressive music with emotional depth and a melancholy prog metal corset. Starting off with their debut album Colour Temple (1994), the band continued to gather an ever-increasing following with their versatile, intuitive and always unbridled lust for playing. Two years later, in 1997, Vanden Plas brought out their epic bombast successor The God Thing, which was praised by renowned magazines like Metal Hammer, Rock Hard, Burrn!, Aardschock and Flash. A six week tour with Dream Theater followed, like a sort of knighthood conferred on the highest level. The group went on to bring out the unplugged EP AcCult, on which the fascinating aspects of their compositions came to fruition in all their purity. Each Vanden Plas release shows the great musical diversity of the five band members, who have all repeatedly been involved in theatre projects and rock musicals like 'Jesus Christ Superstar', 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show', 'Little Shop of Horrors' or 'Evita'. In September 1999, Vanden Plas returned to the limelight with Far Off Grace, which had been recorded by Pink Cream 69 bassist/producer Dennis Ward at the House Of Audio. The band presented themselves in an even more compact and determined style, remaining melodic and innovative at the same time.

Spring 2000 saw Vanden Plas recording a concert in front of enthusiastic fans at the Elysée Montmartre in Paris, releasing the cuts on their Spirit of Live album, which also featured a duet by vocalist Andy Kuntz and Don Dokken on the Dokken cover 'Kiss Of Death', and a breathtaking duel between guitarist Stephan Lill and his French colleague Patrick Rondat - over 73 minutes of intense live atmosphere which speak of the band's unbridled enthusiasm for their music. The same enthusiasm comes across on Beyond Daylight, combined with a determination to link past, present and future.

Studio Albums

Colour Temple *1994*

1. Father

2. Push

3. When the Wind Blows

4. My Crying

5. Soul Survives

6. Anytime

7. Judas

8. Back to Me

9. How Many Tears

Line-up

Andy Kuntz  #  Vocals

Stephan Lill  #  Guitars

Torsten Reichert  #  Bass

Andreas Lill  #  Drums

Günter Werno  #  Keyboards

Guest Musicians

Miriam Bonmarchand  #  Vocals (backing) (6)

The God Thing *1997*

1. Fire Blossom

2. Rainmaker

3. Garden of Stones

4. In You: I Believe

5. Day I Die

6. Crown of Thorns

7. We're Not God

8. Salt in My Wounds

9. You Fly

Line-up

Andy Kuntz  #  Vocals

Stephan Lill  #  Guitars, Vocals

Torsten Reichert  #  Bass

Andreas Lill  #  Drums

Günter Werno  #  Keyboards, Vocals

Guest Musicians

P. Achim Schneider  #  Cello

Gunni Mahling  #  Violin

Far Off Grace *1999*

1. I Can See

2. Far Off Grace

3. Into the Sun

4. Where Is the Man?

5. Iodic Rain

6. I Don't Miss You

7. Inside of Your Head

8. Fields of Hope

9. I'm in You

10. Kiss of Death (Dokken cover)

Line-up

Andy Kuntz  #  Vocals

Stephan Lill  #  Guitars, Vocals

Torsten Reichert  #  Bass

Andreas Lill  #  Drums

Günter Werno  #  Keyboards, Vocals

Guest Musicians

Dennis Ward  #  Vocals (backing)

Beyond Daylight *2002*

1. Nightwalker

2. Cold Wind

3. Scarlet Flower Fields

4. Healing Tree

5. End of All Days

6. Free the Fire

7. Can You Hear Me?

8. Phoenix

9. Beyond Daylight

10. Point of Know Return (Kansas cover)

Line-up

Andy Kuntz  #  Vocals

Stephan Lill  #  Guitars

Torsten Reichert  #  Bass

Andreas Lill  #  Drums

Günter Werno  #  Keyboards

Guest Musicians

Christine Wolff  #  Vocals (choirs) (7)

Mark Schlick  #  Vocals (choirs) (7)

Miriam Bonmarchand  #  Vocals (choirs) (7)

Sabine Masing  #  Vocals (choirs) (7)

Larry Love  #  Vocals (choirs) (7)

Timo Holstein  #  Vocals (choirs) (7)

Andi Klein  #  Vocals (choirs) (7)

Christ Φ *2006*

1. Christ Φ

2. Postcard to God

3. Wish You Were Here

4. Silently

5. Shadow I Am

6. Fireroses Dance

7. Somewhere Alone in the Dark

8. January Sun

9. Lost in Silence

10. Gethsemane

Line-up

Andy Kuntz  #  Vocals, Lyrics

Stephan Lill  #  Guitars

Torsten Reichert  #  Bass

Andreas Lill  #  Drums

Günter Werno  #  Keyboards

Guest Musicians

Jojo Nimtz  #  Vocals (backing)

The Seraphic Clockwork *2010*  

1. Frequency

2. Holes in the Sky

3. Scar of an Angel

4. Sound of Blood

5. The Final Murder

6. Quicksilver

7. Rush of Silence

8. On My Way to Jerusalem

9. Eleyson

Line-up

Andy Kuntz  #  Vocals

Stephan Lill  #  Guitars

Torsten Reichert  #  Bass

Andreas Lill  #  Drums

Gunter Werno  #  Keyboards

Guest Musicians

Eva Alexandrian  #  Violin

Burdette L. Becks II  #  Flute

Christian Köbler  #  Vocals (backing)

Manuel Lothschütz  #  Vocals (backing)

Charlotte Baumann  #  Vocals (additional) (3, 8)

Extra Chorus of the Pflalztheater Kaiserslautern  #  Vocals (choirs) (4, 6)

Chronicles of the Immortals: Netherworld I *2014*  

1. Vision 1ne

2. Vision 2wo - The Black Knight

3. Vision 3hree - Godmaker

4. Vision 4our - Misery Affection Prelude

5. Vision 5ive - A Ghosts Requiem

6. Vision 6ix - New Vampyre

7. Vision 7even - The King and the Children of Lost World

8. Vision 8ight - Misery Affection

9. Vision 9ine - Soul Alliance

10. Vision 10n - Inside

Line-up

Torsten Reichert  #  Bass

Andreas Lill  #  Drums

Stephan Lill  #  Guitars

Günter Werno  #  Keyboards

Andy Kuntz  #  Vocals

Guest Musicians

Stephan Hugo  #  Vocals (choirs)

Julia Steingass  #  Vocals (additional) (4, 5, 7, 8, 10)

Christian Köbler  #  Vocals (choirs, backing)

Manuel Lothschütz  #  Vocals (backing)

Dave Esser  #  Narration

Sarah Bohnert  #  Vocals (choirs)

Heike Dechert  #  Vocals (choirs)

Julia Hach  #  Vocals (choirs)

Lisana Hunsinger  #  Vocals (choirs)

Jutta Mitschke  #  Vocals (choirs)

Ines Pawlowski  #  Vocals (choirs)

Johannes Zimnol  #  Vocals (choirs)

Chronicles of the Immortals: Netherworld II *2015*  

1. Vision 11even - In My Universe

2. Vision 12elve - Godmaker's Temptation

3. Vision 13teen - Stone Roses Edge

4. Vision 14teen - Blood of Eden

5. Vision 15teen - Monster

6. Vision 16teen - Diabolica Comedia

7. Vision 17teen - Where Have the Children Gone

8. Vision 18teen - The Last Fight

9. Vision 19teen - Circle of the Devil

Line-up

Torsten Reichert  #  Bass

Andreas Lill  #  Drums

Stephan Lill  #  Guitars

Günter Werno  #  Keyboards

Andy Kuntz  #  Vocals

Guest Musicians

Stephan Hugo  #  Vocals (choirs)

Falk Leidemer  #  Vocals (5)

Julia Steingass  #  Vocals (additional) (4, 9)

Christian Köbler  #  Vocals (backing, choirs)

Manuel Lothschütz  #  Vocals (backing)

Sarah Bohnert  #  Vocals (choirs)

Heike Dechert  #  Vocals (choirs)

Julia Hach  #  Vocals (choirs)

Lisana Hunsinger  #  Vocals (choirs)

Jutta Mitschke  #  Vocals (choirs)

Ines Pawlowski  #  Vocals (choirs)

Charlotte Seeger  #  Vocals (choirs)

Johannes Zimnol  #  Vocals (choirs)

The Ghost Xperiment - Awakening *2019*  

1. Cold December Night

2. The Phantoms of Prends-Toi-Garde

3. Three Ghosts

4. Devils' Poetry

5. Fall from the Skies

6. The Ghost Xperiment

Line-up

Torsten Reichert  #  Bass

Andreas Lill  #  Drums

Stephan Lill  #  Guitars

Günter Werno  #  Keyboards

Andy Kuntz  #  Vocals

Guest Musicians

Jürgen Rehberg  #  Vocals (backing)

Manuel Lothschütz  #  Vocals (backing)

Markus Teske  #  Vocals (backing)

Oliver Hartmann  #  Vocals (backing)

The Ghost Xperiment - Illumination *2020*  

1. When the World Is Falling Down

2. Under the Horizon

3. Black Waltz Death

4. The Lonely Psychogon

5. Fatal Arcadia

6. The Ouroboros

7. Ghost Engineers

8. Krieg kennt keine Sieger (Saltatio Mortis cover)

Line-up

Torsten Reichert  #  Bass

Andreas Lill  #  Drums

Stephan Lill  #  Guitars

Günter Werno  #  Keyboards

Andy Kuntz  #  Vocals

Guest Musicians

Alea der Bescheidene  #  Vocals (8)

Jacob Roters  #  Cello (7)

Katherine Barritt  #  Viola (7)

Anton Roters  #  Violin (7)

Burdette L. Becks  #  Flute (3)

Eva Alexandrian  #  Violin (3)

Peter Kuntz  #  Shouts (5)

Markus Teske  #  Vocals (backing)

Herbie Langhans  #  Vocals (backing)

Manuel Lothschütz  #  Vocals (backing)

Jürgen Rehberg  #  Vocals (backing)

Oliver Hartmann  #  Vocals (backing)

Ulli Perhonen  #  Vocals (3, 7)

EPs

Accult *1996*

1. πελεκάνος

2. My Crying

3. Theme from "Pseudo Silk Kimono"

4. Kayleigh (Marillion cover)

5. Father

6. Georgia on My Mind (Ray Charles cover)

7. How Many Tears

8. Des Hauts, Des Bas (Stephan Eicher cover)

9. Days of Thunder

Line-up

Andy Kuntz  #  Vocals

Stephan Lill  #  Guitars

Torsten Reichert  #  Bass

Günter Werno  #  Keyboards

Andreas Lill  #  Drums

Live Albums

Spirit of Live *2000*

1. I Can See

2. Into the Sun

3. Soul Survives

4. How Many Tears

5. I Don't Miss You

6. Journey to Paris

7. Spirit of Life

8. Iodic Rain

9. Far Off Grace

10. Kiss of Death (Dokken cover)

11. Rainmaker

Line-up

Andy Kuntz  #  Vocals, Lyrics

Stephan Lill  #  Guitars

Torsten Reichert  #  Bass

Andreas Lill  #  Drums

Günter Werno  #  Keyboards

Guest Musicians

Don Dokken  #  Vocals (10)

Patrick Rondat  #  Guitars (11)

The Seraphic Live Works *2017*  

Disc 1 (CD)

1. Postcard to God

2. Rush of Silence

3. Holes in the Sky

4. Far Off Grace

5. Scar of an Angel

6. Quicksilver

7. Cold Wind

8. Frequency

9. Silently

Disc 2 (DVD)

1. Postcard to God

2. Rush of Silence

3. Holes in the Sky

4. Far Off Grace

5. Scar of an Angel

6. Quicksilver

7. Cold Wind

8. Frequency

9. Silently

Line-up

Torsten Reichert  #  Bass

Andreas Lill  #  Drums

Stephan Lill  #  Guitars

Günter Werno  #  Keyboards

Andy Kuntz  #  Vocals

Videos

Ludus Danielis (The Play of Daniel) *2008*

1. Ad Honorem Tui

2. Astra Tenenti

3. Afferte Vasa

4. Jubilemus

5. Motus Terrae

6. Mane Thechel

7. Prudens Cum Potentia

8. Consilium Reginae

9. Vos Danielem Quaerite

10. Vir Propheta Dei

11. Multum Miror

12. Hic Versus Dei Famulus

13. Consilium Reprise

14. Tu Ne Daniel

15. Solutio Latentium

16. Qui Sic Solvit

17. Tolle Vasa

18. Solvitur

19. Regis Vasa

20. Audite Principes

21. Ex Regali

22. Celebremus

23. Quia Novi

24. Decreverunt In Tua Curia

25. Pars I

26. Pars II (Heu)

27. Pars III

28. Eleyson

29. Lacus Leonum

30. Mandat Rex Omnium

31. Surge Frater

32. Salvatio Ex Lacu

33. Inquitatem Fecimus

34. Pars I: Decretum Regis

35. Pars II: Praedictio

36. Nuntium De Supernis

37. Te Deum

Boxed Sets

The Epic Works 1991-2015 *2019*  

1. Colour Temple

2. Accult

3. The God Thing

4. Far Off Grace

5. Spirit of Live

6. Beyond Daylight

7. Christ 0

8. The Seraphic Clockwork

9. Chronicles of the Immortals: Netherworld [Path One]

10. Chronicles of the Immortals (Netherworld II)

11. Bonus Treasures 1991-2015

Singles

Double A Side *1986*

Fire *1992*

Das ist für euch *1994*

Des Hauts, Des Bas *1996*

Inside of Your Head *1999*

I Don't Miss You *2000*

Under the Horizon *2020*

Demos

Days of Thunder *1991*

Torsten Reichert  
Andreas Lill  

Stephan Lill  

Günter Werno  

Andy Kuntz  

Mischa Mang