MICHAEL KISKE Talks To 'The Metal Voice' About PLACE VENDOME, HELLOWEEN And IRON MAIDEN (Audio)

"The Metal Voice" recently conducted an interview acclaimed German hard rock singer Michael Kiske (PLACE VENDOME, UNISONIC, ex-HELLOWEEN). You can now listen to the chat in the YouTube clip below.

PLACE VENDOME's third album, "Thunder In The Distance", was released on November 1 in Europe and November 5 in North America via Frontiers Records.

PLACE VENDOME is the melodic rock project featuring Kiske on all lead vocals and production from Dennis Ward (PINK CREAM 69).

PLACE VENDOME started in 2004 when Kiske, following a self-imposed exile from the rock and metal scene which lasted a few years after his departure from HELLOWEEN and solo career, accepted an offer in 2004 to be part of a melodic rock-oriented concept put together by Frontiers Records president Serafino Perugino.

The resulting PLACE VENDOME debut album brought Kiske back to a more straight-ahead rock sound, still very accessible and melodic and far from the heavy metal stereotypes of blood, violence and hate which Kiske never had anything to do with. He collaborated for the first time with PINK CREAM 69's Dennis Ward, Kosta Zafiriou and Uwe Reitenauer with Gunther Werno (VANDEN PLAS) on keyboards. In a quite ironic twist of fate, Michael found himself to work with members of PINK CREAM 69 when that band's original singer, Andi Deris, took his place in HELLOWEEN after Kiske left.

The very favorable acceptance of the first PLACE VENDOME album planted the seeds for a second recording entitled "Streets Of Fire", which was produced during 2008. The concept was slightly changed, with some outside writers such as Robert Säll (WORK OF ART),Ronny Milianowicz (SAINT DEAMON) and Torsti Spoof (LEVERAGE) handling the bulk of the songwriting, with Dennis Ward still handling the recording and production sessions.

Following his stint with the band UNISONIC, Kiske decided to go back once again to the PLACE VENDOME concept with more melodic rock-oriented songs which — once again — have been selected by Perugino from outside writers, including Magnus Karlsson (PRIMAL FEAR),Timo Tolkki (ex-STRATOVARIUS),Alessandro Del Vecchio (HARDLINE),Roberto Tiranti and Andrea Cantarelli (LABYRINTH, A PERFECT DAY),Tommy Denander (RADIOACTIVE),Sören Kronqvist (SUNSTORM, ISSA),and Brett Jones.

"I am having a very open mind in terms of music anyway, and the PLACE VENDOME vibe is a pretty different approach than UNISONIC," says Kiske. "I like many tracks off the PLACE VENDOME albums, but especially 'Guardian Angel', 'Streets Of Fire', 'I Will Be Waiting', 'Set Me Free' from the previous albums or now 'Maybe Tomorrow'. For me, the vocals are the most important part of a song, of course."

Ward once again produced and mixed the whole affair with such musicians as Dirk Bruineberg (CONSORTIUM PROJECT),Gunter Werno (VANDEN PLAS) and Uwe Reitenauer (PINK CREAM 69) completing the lineup.

"Thunder In The Distance" track listing:

01. Talk To Me
02. Power Of Music
03. Broken Wings
04. Lost In Paradise
05. It Can't Rain Forever
06. Fragile Ground
07. Hold Your Love
08. Never Too Late
09. Heaven Lost
10. My Heart Is Dying
11. Breakout
12. Maybe Tomorrow
13. Thunder In The Distance

PLACE VENDOME is:

Michael Kiske - Lead Vocals
Dennis Ward - Bass, Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Dirk Bruineberg - Drums
Gunter Werno - Keyboards
Uwe Reitenauer - Lead Guitar