Year : 1995 (Japan Edition 1997)
Style : Melodic Hard Rock , AOR
Country : Germany
Audio : 320 kbps + all scans
Size : 103 mb
Bio:
The Story of Lee Z from Greven near Muenster, Germany started 1988 with the aim to play the first class Melodic Rock / Progressive Rock.Lee Z performed a couple of local shows at the time an soon raised the attention of producer and Mad Max drummer Uwe Starck.The result of their collaboration was Lee Z«s first album "Primetime" (only available on vinyl) which saw the day of light in 1989 and totally sold out at the time.Original guitarist Manfred Kubillus and drummmer Jens Uwe Rahe had to leave the band due to problems with their schedules and were replaced my "Dixie" Voss on drums and Peter Pauliks on guitars.Their first album with Lee Z was called "Timeline" and hit the shelves in Japan.The band continued to play live permanently and due to high requests, this items these days reaches high prices at EBay of about 50 Euro per copy and more.The band«s third album "Time Will Tell" was released in Germany on Inside Out/SPV in 1995 and again saw Lee Z massively touring.This disc as well went out of print and these days is regarded as an highly acclaimed collector«s item. Another four years passed, the vocal job went over from Thomas Zink to Peter Pauliks and the band released their final album up to today:"Alive".In between the years from 1999 to 2004 all bands members went on the road Europe-wide with various projects and artists includingSnowy White (ex Pink Floyd), Magfic of The Dance, Eric Marienthal (Chick Corea), Big Jay McNeely, Deborah Woodson and many more.
Peter "PANI" Pauliks started playing the guitar at the age of 14. He quickly discovered his passion for singing and songwriting. He recorded his first albums with the hard rock band LEE Z and gained his first live experiences. Afterwards he toured Germany as front man of several cover bands for many years. His love for German music was always unbroken and so it was only a matter of time to finally release his own songs. With his first production, the album "Leben", PANI fulfilled a long awaited wish.
Album:
They released a self-produced album.It is in fact their second album.Produced by Ralph Hubert of Mekong Delta.It is a keyboard-driven melodic Hard Rock album.Four years elapsed between the release of their next (third) album.A curious album this one. Not only for its rarity (as far I know only released in Japan) but for the mixture of styles, yet turning out a consistent and homogeneous piece.LEE Z is the brainchild of German multi-instrumentalist Thomas Zink, and has been active since 1988 with several line-up changes though. "Time Line" is the band's 2nd album appeared in 1995 (but I think it was recorded in the early '90s), and as said, featuring a captivating mix of Melodic Rock, Hard Rock, AOR and some light progressive arrangements here and there.But their prog pedigree isn't in the classical vein, the approach is more melodic and personal, with emphasis into the songs structures rather than going all over the place with jam sessions and solos, where the staccato riffs and key changes are encompassed with the tune and the use of keyboard layers add color and substance.Don't be fooled by the slightly neoclassical style of opener "Up To The Sky". This is the only track in this vein here, and a good one by the way. The double drum attack is in your face, the guitars trepidating and the swirling keys are all over. Think classic '80s Yngwie. Then "Way Of Live" is a syncopated and melodic midtempo rocker in the Queensryche style circa 'Rage For Order'.The orchestral keyboard intro of "Fancy Dress Ball" turns into a climatic European melodic hard rocker plenty of key changes and big keyboards. "Hands Of Touch" is a moody slow paced AOR track with a nice, catchy refrain. Great vocal arrangement too.The programmed drums of "Try To Find My Way" don't bother at all, as this is a very commercial 'let's sing together' tune with clean guitars that sounds very 'British'."Hold On" is a keyboard driven melodic rock, with lots, lots of keys. Maybe the chorus is a bit weak, but the pace of the track rocks. Now the band offers, again, something different. "Getting Older" is an instrumental featuring a really good guitar work.Are you waiting for a ballad? "Sad Paradise" arrives... but not your typical one. Starts with a long, climatic keyboard/vocal passage and a 8/8 drum pattern (really uncommon) and then explodes into a passionate legitimate power ballad with a guitar solo inspired by Gary Moore."Don't Wanna Loose My Mind" returns to the melodic rock territory. The catchy, hooky chorus is the 'leitmotiv' of this track. But the band, again, is far to wrote-by-numbers. The middle section features a pace change that reminds me the group Fates Warning, and then returns to the chorus. This kind of arrangements is not easy to do warmly, but on Lee Z's hands this comes flawlessly.Final track "One Night Love Affair" is another winner. A very British AOR midtempo similar to SHY featuring a superb guitar solo and keyboards."Time Line" is a great, pretty unknown album, much better than you can appreciate at first listen. It's clever, varied, well written. You have first rate musicianship, original arrangements and a slick production its indie origin.Try Lee Z. Try something different.Japan only and out of print.
Line Up:
Peter Pauliks - Vocals
Thomas Zink - Guitars, Keyboards, Synths, Piano
Matthias 'Rethi' Rethmann - Bass, Programming
Andreas Guth - Keyboards, Backing Vocals
Gerald Voss - Drums
Production:
Co-producer – Mary Starck
Composed By – Lee Z
Cover [Cover Art] – MediaArt, Tobias Niemann
Engineer, Mixed By – e.Görsch*, H.Stabenow*, R.Hubert*, Uwe Starck
Liner Notes – 奥村裕司*
Producer – Ralph Hubert
Produced by Ralph Hubert, Co Produced by Mary Starck for UMS Records
Tracklist:
01. Up To The Sky (4:15)
02. Way Of Live (3:37)
03. Fancy Dress Ball (4:07)
04. Hands Of Touch (5:26)
05. Try To Find My Way (3:51)
06. Hold On (5:35)
07. Getting Older (3:02)
08. Sad Paradise (3:50)
09. Don't Wanna Loose My Mind (4:55)
10. One Night Love Affair (4:35)
Download links for all albums only on our blog here: http://goodmetalandhar.do.am/
