A great book is made up of well written chapters and pages. In this case, Chapter II has seven “pages” that make the perfect “chapter.” However, this is not a book - this is a band. The seven “pages” of this “chapter” are all professional musicians bound together with talent and creativity to form the bookends to the new Swiss rock band, Chapter II.
The story of Chapter II begins with a trip back in time to a rock cover band named Time Bandits. It was in this cover band in 2003 that guitarist and bassist James Ender met drummer Freddy Wiederkehr and sound engineer Peter Krattiger. The experiences these three professionals would share while performing with Time Bandits was vitally important. Ender explains, “The three of us developing our relationships and talents would be integral to the formation of Chapter II later on. Each of us brought something to the table, especially the technical expertise of Peter.”
By 2007, Ender, Wiederkehr and Krattiger had evolved beyond Time Bandits and began to experiment with new styles and compositions. In early 2008, the three took a new direction and a new name; Chapter II. “We thought the name reflected the fact that this would be the second chapter of our careers as professional musicians,” says Ender. Initially, Chapter II was an instrumental and studio-only band with a styled mix of classic rock, symphonic rock and folk. The compositions had hints of Metallica and Guns N’ Roses blended with influences from Finnish metal band Nightwish and the symphonic sounds of German medieval band Inextremo.
Chapter II continued to evolve in 2009 as the band began to lay demos in the studio for their debut album. They added additional experienced musicians with the same passion and professionalism for music. These members were Jürg Burkhard on keyboard who was from the well-known duet Piano Twins. Also they tapped the skills of guitarist Thomas Kesenheimer who had in depth experience both on stage and in the studio. Urs Haller, the gifted bassist from Time Bandits was also brought in as the band formed.
It seemed the “pages” of Chapter II were almost complete, but they were missing one central part – a vocalist. The band members began a search for the perfect lead singer for their unique style. They needed the final seventh “page” to complete the Chapter II lineup. It wasn’t easy to task to find a match but their search would pay off. In February, 2009 they discovered the talents of Natalie Chandra, who was already a well accomplished vocalist. Natalie would be an essential addition to the band, bringing with her the talents of operatic-range vocals and lyric writing skills.
In early 2009, with all seven “pages” of Chapter II in place, it was time to realize the goal of the first studio album, entitled Angel Face. Containing twelve original tracks with lyrics written by Chandra, Angel Face displayed a plethora of styles forged into one. The album was a multi-faceted musical milieu that reflected the synergy of each member’s musical input. Angel Face was a full fury of blazing hard rock sounds. It was filled with the thunderous collisions of orchestral compositions, hooky synthesizer melodies and throbbing and pulsating bass lines. With the addition of Chandra’s physically powerful vocals and Joan Jett/Patt Benatar style, Angel Face became a twelve track aural assault of filled with shock and awe.
Chapter II began live performances in August of 2009 in support of the Angel Face release in November, 2009. The positive reviews followed quickly. “On Angel Face the rock comes fast and furious as blasts of roaring guitars punctuate swirls of synthesizer in an all-out attack of goth-influenced and hook-filled hard rock.” - RadioIndy.com Angel Face continued the musical assault with awards and recognition as well, featuring Chapter II as Artist of the Week on Sellaband.com in April, 2009. Recognition for the singles off the album were apparent when Platinum Auddy Awards were given on Uplaya.com for four of the band’s singles; “Sulphur Anemia,” “Stop Looking Away,” “Sometimes,” and “Scorned.”
The seven “pages” in Chapter II have only just begun their journey with their first album. Their tour dates continue to increase as new fans discover their unique sound. All of the members are highly motivated when performing their compositions live, and they enjoy spending time with each other on the road. Ender states, “Each gig has is a profound moment in itself … each performance brings all of us closer together, both musically and creatively.” The fans definitely can feel the power and energy from the live sets, and all the band members live to rock it out on stage. “It’s easy, we just can’t be without rock n’ roll, and we live for the energy when we connect with the audience,” says Ender.
Chapter II looks forward to their sophomore release in 2011 and continued gigs and live sets. The band may be new, but all of these band members are seasoned veterans, total pros whom have spent over twenty years perfecting their craft. Pressed between the seven pages of Chapter II is more than just the rise of a new Swiss rock band. It’s a rise of a new sound, a new style, they are “writing the book” on pushing the creative limits of rock. Within these well-versed seven “pages” you will discover Chapter II, the latest chapter in a future best seller. Don’t judge a book by the cover, judge it by the pages and chapters within. In this case, the musical book that is Chapter II does not disappoint… just turn the page, for the story of this Swiss rock band has only just begun. There is much more music to be written for this talented group of artists.
Chapter II feat. Natalie Chandra
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