User:Andineris/sandbox

The conceptalbum Memorial For A Wish is the first full-lenght album by the Norwegian Heavy/Melodic Rock project Nergard, a group lead by composer/drummer Andreas Nergård. It was released on April 17th 2013 through Battlegod Productions and is the first part of a two-act Metal Opera which is by far one of the most ambitious projects from the Norwegian Rock/Metalscene. The sequel will be release in late 2014.

The story of the album takes place in Dublin/Ireland in the late 19th century and tells the story of the unfortunate young man Peter O'Donnell who is falsely accused and convicted of a crime and sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment and hard labor. Consumed with longing for his wife while imprisoned, his world is shattered upon his release by the discovery that she had died while giving birth to his daughter which also died. Shunned and alone in the world he finally succumbs to madness and takes his own life.

Being a fan of epic musicals such as Phantom of The Opera, Les Miserables and Sweeney Todd, Nergard wanted to create an ambitious two-act metalmusical with a big cast of well-known singers from the rock/metalscene. Nergård begun working on ideas for the two albums in April 2010, puting a childhood-dream to life: making records with singers whos music he grew up listening to. The first piece of music to be written was several parts for the opening track "Twenty Years In Hell", which was written while he was on his way to see Phantom of The Opera on Broadway. The first song to be written entirely was the ballad "Is This Our Last Goodbye" which was finnished during the summer of 2010. The actual recording begun in November of 2010 with three songs for the promo EP The Beginning which was released digitally in June 2011 through Pug-Nose Records. The project gained wide attention from both national and international media prior to the release, including a big interview in one of Norway's biggest metalmagazines; Scream Magazine. The album was recorded in various studios in the Trondheim area in Norway in the periode November 2010 - June 2012. The album was mixed from June 2012 until August 2012 by producer Fred Amadeus Zakariassen at Nidaros Studio, Trondheim/Norway. The mastering was done by the legendary Jens Bogren at Facinationstreet Studios, Varberg/Sweden in late August 2012.

Memorial for a Wish was well-recieved after the release, gaining top reviews from magazines and websites from all over the world. The coverart was made by Norwegian artist Bernt Kulseth.

The album spawned two musicvideos for the songs "A Question Of God" and "An Everlasting Dreamscape".

Track listing

 * 1) Twenty Years In Hell - (Nergård) 9:13
 * 2) A Question Of God - (Nergård/Mills) - 5:12
 * 3) Is This Our Last Goodbye - (Nergård) - 6:34
 * 4) Hell On Earth (Nergård/Vecera) 5:12
 * 5) An Everlasting Dreamscape - (Nergård)  4:07
 * 6) Nightfall -  (Nergård) 7:52
 * 7) Angels -  (Nergård) 11:51
 * 8) Requiem - (Nergård) 14.53

Line-up

 * Andreas Nergård - (composer, drums, bass, keyboards, percussion)
 * Göran Edman - ex-Yngwie Malmsteen, ex-John Norum - (vocals on track 3,8)
 * Tony Mills - ex-TNT, ex-SHY -(vocals on track 2)
 * Åge Sten Nilsen - Wig Wam - (vocals on track 3)
 * Nils K. Rue - Pagan's Mind - (vocals on track 6)
 * Mike Vescera - ex-Yngwie Malmsteen, Loudness - (vocals on track 4)
 * Andi Kravljaca - Aeon Zen, Silent Call - (vocals on track 1,5,6,7)
 * Michele Luppi - Secrets Sphere - (vocals on track 7)
 * Ralf Scheepers - Primal Fear, ex-Gamma Ray - (vocals on track 8)
 * David Reece - Powerworld, Bangaloir Choir, ex-Accept - (vocals on track 7)
 * Ole Martin Moe Thornæs - Rudhira - (vocals on track 1,7,8)
 * Sunniva Unsgård - (vocals on track 1,7,8)
 * Helge Engelke - Fair Warning, Dreamtide - (guitarsolos on track 3,6)
 * Stig Nergård - Tellus Requiem - (guitarsolo # 2 on track 4, guitarsolo # 1 on track 7)

Additional musicians

 * Henrik Karlsvik - (rhythmguitar)(leadguitar on track 2)
 * Ørjan Halsan - (rythmguitar)(leadguitar on track 8)
 * Tomas Nergård - (Acoustic guitar on track 7)
 * Frode Vingelsgaard Strand - (Guitarsolo # 2 on track 7)
 * Andreas Midtlyng - (Guitarsolo on track 5)
 * Anders Jordbrekk - (Guitarsolo # 1 on track 4)
 * Andre Aamås - (rhythmguitar on track 3)
 * Ruben Aksnes - (Bass on track 3,5)
 * Eiliv Andreas Myren Ribe - (violin on track 1,3,6,8)
 * Craig Robin Furunes - (growlvocals on track 4)
 * Torstein Fosmo - (The voice of the judge on track 1)
 * Marit Kristine Lerfald Hoff - (voice on track 8)
 * Eiliv Andreas Myren Ribe - (violin on track 1,3,6,8)
 * Craig Robin Furunes - (growlvocals on track 4)

Selected reviews

 * For Metal
 * Rocks Hard
 * Music Mag
 * Underground
 * Melodiösa Bloggen
 * Temple
 * Rock
 * Metal.de
 * 
 * Magazine
 * On Music
 * 

Selected interviews

 * Rocks Hard
 * Finland
 * Realms