The first person Johan approached was LION’S SHARE guitarist Lars Chriss, who is also a renowned producer and mixer. “Johan and I got together and started writing songs,” Chriss said. “He usually had an idea of the direction and we took it from there. We also had a couple of friends coming up with basic ideas for about half of the album. We had the luxury to cherry-pick the songs we thought would add to what we already had going. For lyrics and melodies we worked closely with singer Mick Devine of the band SEVEN, whom I’ve done a couple albums with the last couple of years. My old friend and LION’S SHARE keyboardist Kay Backlund stepped up to the plate and worked with us on a couple of tracks as well.”
Kihlberg and Chriss decided to work with several different singers on the project, while enlisting Kihlberg’s longtime friend and IMPERA bandmate Mats Vassfjord to lay down the bass tracks. “As soon as we had the songs written, we started thinking about what voice and singer that would fit each individual track the best,” Kihlberg said. “Fortunately, they all agreed and did an amazing job on the album. I even managed to get one of my all-time favorite singers, Michael Sadler from SAGA, to sing a song.”
Johan Kihlberg’s Impera “Age Of Discovery” features a wide range of musical influences while remaining a very strong, melodic and powerful album. It boasts great production work by Chriss and a stunning artwork by Carl-André Beckston.
Line-up: Johan Kihlberg – Drums/Keyboards; Lars Chriss (Lion’s Share)- Guitars; Mats Vassfjord (220 Volt) – Bass; Michael Sadler (Saga) – Lead & Backing Vocals on 8; Göran Edman (Yngwie Malmsteen, John Norum) – Lead & Backing Vocals on 6; Mick Devine (Seven) – Lead Vocals on 3, 5, 9 – Backing Vocals on 3, 7, 9, bonus track; Nigel Bailey (Bailey) – Lead Vocals on 7, 10, bonus track – Backing Vocals on 5, 10 ; Nils Patrik Johansson (Lion’s Share, Astral Doors) – Lead & Backing Vocals on 2, 3; Michael J. Scott – Lead & Backing Vocals on 4; Mattias IA Eklundh (Freak Kitchen) – solo on 9; Kay Backlund (Lion’s Share) – Keyboards on 1, 3, 6; Anders Rybank (Coastland Ride) – Keyboards on 8
Produced by: Johan Kihlberg & Lars Chriss
Mixed by: Lars Chriss for www.noterious.eu
Mastered by: Mike Lind
Artwork by: Carl André Beckston
Line-Up

Johan Kihlberg
Drums/Keyboards

Lars Chriss (Lion’s Share)
Guitars

Mats Vassfjord (220 Volt)
Bass

Michael Sadler (Saga)
Lead & Backing Vocals on 8

Göran Edman (Yngwie Malmsteen, John Norum)
Lead & Backing Vocals on 6

Mick Devine (Seven)
Lead Vocals on 3, 5, 9 - Backing Vocals on 3, 7, 9

Nigel Bailey (Bailey)
Lead Vocals on 7, 10 - Backing Vocals on 5, 10

Nils Patrik Johansson (Lion’s Share, Astral Doors)
Lead & Backing Vocals on 2, 3

Michael J. Scott
Lead & Backing Vocals on 4

Mattias IA Eklundh (Freak Kitchen)
solo on 9

Kay Backlund (Lion’s Share)
Keyboards on 1, 3, 6

Anders Rybank (Coastland Ride)
Keyboards on 8
PRESS
The first person Johan approached was LION’S SHARE guitarist Lars Chriss, who is also a renowned producer and mixer. “Johan and I got together and started writing songs,” Chriss said. “He usually had an idea of the direction and we took it from there. We also had a couple of friends coming up with basic ideas for about half of the album. We had the luxury to cherry-pick the songs we thought would add to what we already had going. For lyrics and melodies we worked closely with singer Mick Devine of the band SEVEN, whom I’ve done a couple albums with the last couple of years. My old friend and LION’S SHARE keyboardist Kay Backlund stepped up to the plate and worked with us on a couple of tracks as well.”
Kihlberg and Chriss decided to work with several different singers on the project, while enlisting Kihlberg’s longtime friend and IMPERA bandmate Mats Vassfjord to lay down the bass tracks. “As soon as we had the songs written, we started thinking about what voice and singer that would fit each individual track the best,” Kihlberg said. “Fortunately, they all agreed and did an amazing job on the album. I even managed to get one of my all-time favorite singers, Michael Sadler from SAGA, to sing a song.”
Johan Kihlberg’s Impera “Age Of Discovery” features a wide range of musical influences while remaining a very strong, melodic and powerful album. It boasts great production work by Chriss and a stunning artwork by Carl-André Beckston.
Line-up: Johan Kihlberg – Drums/Keyboards; Lars Chriss (Lion’s Share)- Guitars; Mats Vassfjord (220 Volt) – Bass; Michael Sadler (Saga) – Lead & Backing Vocals on 8; Göran Edman (Yngwie Malmsteen, John Norum) – Lead & Backing Vocals on 6; Mick Devine (Seven) – Lead Vocals on 3, 5, 9 – Backing Vocals on 3, 7, 9, bonus track; Nigel Bailey (Bailey) – Lead Vocals on 7, 10, bonus track – Backing Vocals on 5, 10 ; Nils Patrik Johansson (Lion’s Share, Astral Doors) – Lead & Backing Vocals on 2, 3; Michael J. Scott – Lead & Backing Vocals on 4; Mattias IA Eklundh (Freak Kitchen) – solo on 9; Kay Backlund (Lion’s Share) – Keyboards on 1, 3, 6; Anders Rybank (Coastland Ride) – Keyboards on 8
Produced by: Johan Kihlberg & Lars Chriss
Mixed by: Lars Chriss for www.noterious.eu
Mastered by: Mike Lind
Artwork by: Carl André Beckston
For more info: www.impera.org