The year is 2020 and a virus paralyzes everything - everything stands still. But suddenly, out of nowhere, a new band makes its way into the limelight: BLACK & DAMNED.

But one after the other:
Those "condemned to do nothing", MICHAEL VETTER (Guitars & Bass / PUMP) and ROLAND "Bobbes" SEIDEL (Vocals / IHRESGLEICHEN), decided in this bleak phase of the first worldwide lockdown to be active together. Two "lost souls of the music industry" suddenly merged into a glowing unit. The goal: to break the silence and lethargy and create a number of top notch metal songs. Together the duo wrote 12 epic power metal songs within a very short time, which appears like a symbiosis of the energy of bands like IRON MAIDEN, the gloom of BLACK SABBATH and the playfulness of HELLOWEEN. Soon there could be no other goal than to immortalize these songs on a CD and present them to the public.

Drummer AXEL WINKLER (IHRESGLEICHEN), AXEL MACKENROTT (MASTERPLAN) at the Keyboards and TOMMY LAASCH (CHINCHILLA / Backingvocals) were hired for the studio work. So that the disc is also guaranteed to blow the ears of the potential listeners, the CD was mixed and mastered by ACHIM KÖHLER (i.a. PRIMAL FEAR, SODOM, BRAINSTORM), who gave the songs an absolutely independent, epic and modern sound.

With ROCK OF ANGELS RECORDS, the perfect partner was found after just a few weeks for a great, intensive collaboration and of course for the release of the songs.

Last but not least, 2 more dark figures joined the "Army of Darkness", to get the songs live into the world as quickly as possible: AKI REIßMANN (Guitar / PUMP) and ALI GÖZÜBÜYÜK (Bass / BIONIC ANGELS). After Ali left the band in May 2021 for personal reasons, a more than adequate replacement was quickly found in PAPPE LEE (LICENCE).

The 12 tracks, of the 2021 debut release "Heavenly Creatures", are incredibly multi-layered, gorgeous and over long stretches of merciless toughness. Originated from the rage against the lockdown, resulted in fresh, melodically strong riffs and vocal lines, which definitely not only make you take notice, but also get stuck in your cerebral convolutions.

At the beginning of 2023, BLACK & DAMNED presented with "Servants Of The Devil" their 2nd longplayer and seamlessly continue their debut without any compromises. The 11 new songs once again offer a great musical spectrum, from doomy, massive, profound power metal to mercilessly banging and pumping heavy tracks. Crashers, where no mercy is to be expected from the very beginning, can be found next to tracks that also open up broader and more atmospheric structures. Without exception, all tracks impress again with that certain something and timeless hooklines.

The recording in the band's own studios was completed this time by guest musicians DANIEL GALMARINI (NO LIMIT, MERCURY FALLING / keyboards), BASTIAN ROSE (VANISH / backing vocals) and SVEN VÖRI (DUST & BONES / backing vocals). For the bombastic sound ACHIM KÖHLER was again responsible with mixing and mastering.

By now it is clear that the band from the Stuttgart area can be called a real enrichment of the heavy metal world - something has been set in motion!

Are you now well equipped too, to dive into a new era of metal with BLACK & DAMNED?

Roland Seidel
Vocals

Michael Vetter
Guitar

Aki Reißmann
Guitar

Pappe Lee
Bass

Axel Winkler
Drums

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