Gamma Ray

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Hamburg, Germany (1989 – present)

Founded in 1989 by Kai Hansen in Hamburg, Germany after leaving Helloween, Gamma Ray borrowed straight from the Helloween classics, and continued to pioneer Hansen’s style of power metal.

After four years with Helloween, Kai Hansen decided to leave the band at the height of their career. He then went on to do some studio work with Blind Guardian.

Kai and his friend Ralf Scheepers from Tyran’ Pace decided to start a project. They recruited bassist Uwe Wessel and drummer Mathias Burchard. The resulting sound was very close to Helloween’s power metal style.

The first album Heading For Tomorrow was released in 1990. Two lineup changes resulted in Uli Kusch (who would later join Helloween) becoming the bands second drummer and Dirk Schlachter becoming a new guitarist. The new lineup released the Heaven Can Wait EP.

In 1991 the band released Sigh No More, which resulted in a 50 date world tour.

In 1993 Uli Kusch left the band and was replaced with Thomas Nack and Jan Rubach who replaced Uwe Wessel as the new bassist. The resulting cd was Insanity and Genius. Later that year, along with Rage, Helicon and Conception the band played on a tour called “Melodic Metal Strikes Back”. This resulted in a double CD release and video called Power of Metal. They also released Lust For Live which did not feature the other bands.
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Popular tags: power metal, heavy metal, speed metal, metal, german  See more

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  • LegionOfWarlord

    power metal!

    Tuesday morning

  • FilthyBorgir

    try out Mystic Prophecy if you're looking for a new power metal band! They're fucking great!

    Monday afternoon

  • TheMukeyMu

    gamma ray ON!

    last week

  • ArcTheseus

    Anywhere In The Galaxy

    13 days ago

  • Paiuz

    The best Power Metal Band! "no wonder why Kai Hansen is called "The Father of Power Metal"[3]

    18 days ago

  • MetalMeghier

    The best Power Metal Band! "no wonder why Kai Hansen is called "The Father of Power Metal"[2]

    20 days ago

  • Tebymetal1

    Amazing band, no wonder why Kai Hansen is called "The Father of Power Metal".

    21 days ago

  • MrWaagh

    No Need to Cry is amazing. [2] It took a little while before I was able to appreciate it, but now I LOVE it.

    24 days ago

  • TheJudasMaster

    No Need to Cry is amazing.

    last month

  • stanbys

    Heavy Metal Universe ;-)

    last month

  • MetalMeghier

    Kai Hansen is GOD!

    last month

  • Rakzoman_666

    Beyond The Black Hole *-*

    last month

  • B-eatchSkin

    Someone that wanna help change the awful chards in this group? http://www.lastfm.se/group/Holli+Would

    last month

  • MrWaagh

    Kai is God! [2]

    last month

  • BeIieve

    the world lies dying

    December 2011

  • MrWaagh

    Tiiiiiiime has coooome...

    December 2011

  • ElHuevas1428574

    ⌠↑ಠ_ಠ ←:D→ ಥ_ಥ↓⌡

    December 2011

  • Lionheartattack

    V I never liked it that much at first. I was like "lol unicorns..." :D Then I heard the Skeletons in the Closet version. O_________O It's like fucking Painkiller! Intense as shit! Heavy Metal at its very heavymetaliest! o/ @hammerstrikebg - It's possible I'd come see that tour. Yeah. The whole tour. Every gig in every country. :D

    December 2011

  • krumbknob

    The Heart Of The Unicorn

    December 2011

  • Killman66

    Thanks for awesome show in Kraków :D [6]

    December 2011
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Upcoming Dates & Upcoming Festivals 2012

18 Nov 2011 | from www.gammaray.org/index.php/component/content/frontpage.html

Only 45 minutes after the pre-sale for the Wacken Open Air Festival 2012 had started, the first 10.000 tickets have been sold. One of the steadiest bands of the W:O:A Festival of course is …

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