Close to the Sun is the fourth album of the melodic hard rock project Place Vendome. The songwriting for this album was provided by Magnus Karlsson (Primal Fear), Jani Liimatainen (Cain's Offering, ex-Sonata Arctica), Olaf Thörsen (Vision Divine, Labyrinth), Fabio Lione (Vision Divine, Angra, ex-Rhapsody of Fire), Simone Mularoni (DGM), Alessandro Del Vecchio (Hardline, Voodoo Circle), Aldo Lonobile (Secret Sphere) and Mike Palace (Palace).
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Source | Rating |
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DangerDog | ![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/51/Star_full.svg/11px-Star_full.svg.png) ![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/51/Star_full.svg/11px-Star_full.svg.png) ![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/51/Star_full.svg/11px-Star_full.svg.png) ![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/51/Star_full.svg/11px-Star_full.svg.png) [1] |
Sea of Tranquility | ![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/51/Star_full.svg/11px-Star_full.svg.png) ![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/51/Star_full.svg/11px-Star_full.svg.png) ![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/51/Star_full.svg/11px-Star_full.svg.png) ![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/51/Star_full.svg/11px-Star_full.svg.png) [2] |
Heavy Paradise | ![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/51/Star_full.svg/11px-Star_full.svg.png) ![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/51/Star_full.svg/11px-Star_full.svg.png) ![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/51/Star_full.svg/11px-Star_full.svg.png) ![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/51/Star_full.svg/11px-Star_full.svg.png) [3] |
This was the first Place Vendome album to feature guest guitar solos by Gus G (Firewind, Ozzy Osbourne), Kai Hansen (ex-Helloween, Gamma Ray, Unisonic), Mandy Meyer (Krokus, ex-Asia, Unisonic), Alfred Koffler (Pink Cream 69), Magnus Karlsson, Simone Mularoni and Michael Klein.[4] It was released on 24 February 2017 with cover art credited to Stanis W. Decker.
Title | Writer(s) |
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1. | "Close to the Sun" | Simone Mularoni | 4:32 |
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2. | "Welcome to the Edge" | Jani Liimatainen | 4:30 |
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3. | "Hereafter" (DGM cover) | Mularoni | 4:26 |
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4. | "Strong" | Alessandro Del Vecchio | 3:53 |
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5. | "Across the Times" | Mularoni | 4:51 |
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6. | "Riding the Ghost" | Olaf Thörsen, Fabio Lione | 3:57 |
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7. | "Light Before the Dark" | Mike Palace | 4:11 |
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8. | "Falling Star" | Magnus Karlsson | 4:50 |
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9. | "Breathing" | Aldo Lonobile | 4:43 |
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10. | "Yesterday Is Gone" | Del Vecchio | 4:33 |
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11. | "Helen" | Thörsen, Lione | 5:00 |
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12. | "Distant Skies" | Lonobile | 5:28 |
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13. | "Strong" (orchestral version) (Japan bonus track) | Del Vecchio | 3:19 |
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- Michael Kiske – vocals
- Dennis Ward – bass guitar, rhythm guitars, producer
- Dirk Bruinenberg – drums
- Gunther Werno – keyboards
- Uwe Reitenauer – rhythm guitars on "Close to the Sun", "Welcome to the Edge", "Hereafter", "Across the Times", lead guitars on "Close to the Sun"