Mekong Delta’s New ‘Intersections’ album released April 23rd on SPV

Ground breaking, technical / extreme / progressive thrash metal pioneers Mekong Delta, who were formed in 1985, are set to release a very special new album, ‘Intersections’, on April 23rd on SPV’s Steamhammer label. ‘Intersections’ contains ten of Mekong Delta’s classic songs, drawn from across their nine strong milestone studio album catalogue, all re-recorded with modern equipment and brought bang up to date by the vibrant current line-up.

Mekong Delta were formed when producer / bass player / label owner Ralf Hubert was inspired to initiate a secret super-group studio project, and recruited a mysterious line-up of some of the very best German metal musicians around to create a new style of unconventional, superbly performed, highly technical thrash metal. The musicians, who were mostly contracted to other record labels, could not, therefore, reveal their true identities, and were credited with invented stage names on Mekong Delta’s debut, self-titled album, (1987), ‘The Music Of Erich Zann’ (1988), ‘The Principle Of Doubt’ (1989) and ‘Dances Of Death’ (1990). Rising stars such as Jörg Michael (Stratovarius) and Uli Kusch (Helloween) passed (invisibly to the public) through the ranks during this period of the band’s history.

In 1991 the band’s true names were revealed so that Mekong Delta could set off on the road for the first time ever, touring round Germany and Holland. 1992 saw the release of ‘Kaleidoscope’, followed two years later by ‘Visions Fugitives’ and then the completely instrumental, classical music oriented ‘’Pictures At An Exhibition’, featuring Modest Mussorgsky compositions, in 1997. Mekong Delta then went on a long hiatus, re-emerging a decade later with ‘Lurking Fear’, in 2007, but due to the then band members’ busy time schedules, planning tour dates became virtually impossible.

In 2008, Ralf cast about for a new, permanent band line- up who would be able to go out and tour, as well as spend time in the studio recording, and recruited vocalist Martin LeMar, guitarists Benedikt Zimniak and Erik Grösch, plus drummer Alex Landenburg.
Months of rehearsals ensued as the band honed down all the old classic songs, gradually gelling into a lethal live machine, before hitting the road throughout Europe in 2009. In June 2010 Mekong Delta released ‘Wanderer On The Edge Of Time’, which was proclaimed yet another milestone of-the-genre album by critics and public alike, and the newly energised ensemble’s live shows brought the house down everywhere they played. Not only were the new band easily able to perform the classics to perfection, but they also added a new, modern dimension, pushing the limits even further.

In 2011, in response to numerous fan requests, the decision was made to cherry pick the ten gems of timeless, technically outstanding, progressive thrash metal classic compositions contained on ‘Intersections’, not only a ‘must have’ for old and new fans of Mekong Delta, but also a superb introduction to all discerning hard rockers as yet unaware of this seminal band.

Up The Junction – Roland Hyams – roland@workhardpr.com / 020 8677 8466 / 07768 156392.
www.mekongdelta.eu / www.spv.de ;