C O L U M N S

Where Are You?

The Sygnet --FOUND!
German band with shining debut

By: Eric Compton
Published: Wednesday, March 10, 2004
Its a rare occasion for a band to just come out of nowhere and deliver a bonafide, hard rocking classic with just one attempt. Germany's The Sygnet did just that, with 1998's "Children Of The Future", their one and only record to date, and one that will last the ages, never boring, always entertaining, every track shining in full light of the moon, with an emphasis on heavy rock and memorable hooks.

The Sygnet was an all-star lineup consisting of ex-Jaded Heart vocalist Michael Bormann, ex-Sinner guitarist Alex Beyrodt, Andre Hilgers and Michael Muller. This fine cast of metal superstars came together for one cause...to unleash a stellar hard rock classic in "Children Of The Future". The record raged out of control, hinting at progressive and light-hearted AOR, but ramming home a heavier dose of old Motley Crue, prime-era Pretty Maids, Sinner, and even a little bit of Queensryche.

Racing through the universe at light speed, songs like "Hero" and "Unload The Gun" spark a fire that illuminates this pretty, polished hard rock machine. Tracks like "Tears Of Rage" unload heavy, crunchy riffs to please the "heavy" in all of us, kind of like Victory or Vengeance at times. In fact this whole album is just solid from start to finish, never sidelined by loss of direction or too much filler that seems to plague debut albums so frequently. "Children Of The Future" is just an instant classic that begged for a follow-up.

The Sygnet shined with one purpose only, and that was to get in and get out, along the way creating a memorable masterpiece of great rock & roll. After the debut album, the members went their seperate ways. I know for a fact that Alex Beyrodt went on to form Silent Force with ex-Royal Hunt singer D.C. Cooper. As for the other members and the status of this band, well that remains a mystery.



The Sygnet - FOUND! Doing some more research on this band has led to the discovery of it's members. According to www.rockdetector.com, The Sygnet members are still very much active today. As I mentioned in the above article, Alex Beyroth did in fact form Silent Force with D.C. Cooper of Royal Hunt Fame. Not only did Beyroth join, but The Sygnet drummer Andre Hilgers also signed up with the Silent Force group.

Vocalist Michael Bormann spent some time with Rain in 2000. The singer would also guest on the Human Fortress album "Lord Of Earth And Heaven's Heir". During 2004 Bormann participated in the 20th Century Boys project, a pact with another highly respected German Hard Rock singer, Michael Voss of Demon Drive/Biss/Mad Max. Recently Michael Bormann has left Jaded Heart to work on other projects.


[Other Maximum Metal Columns]

<< back >>





RANDOM ACTS OF METAL
. Anvil. Hate Eternal
. Nightwish. Slipknot
. The Great Deceiver. The Haunted
. Vehemence. Grave Digger
. Machine Head. Queensryche
. Advent. Fozzy
. Mortician. Agoraphobic Nosebleed
. Wizard. October 31
. Supervillain. Shakra
. Saint. Iced Earth
. Sevendust. Mourning Beloveth
. Wicked Sensation. Secret Sphere
. Doro. Mother Misery
. Force Of Evil. Killik
. Superchrist. Gothic Knights
. Celesty. Ebony Ark
. Evanescence. downBleed
. Bleeding Inc. Wolf
. Low Earth Orbit. Jorn
. Zaius. Dimmu Borgir
. House of Lords. Joe Lynn Turner
. Mob Rules. Joey Belladonna
. Vox Tempus. Rhapsody of Fire
. Otep. Division
. Annihilator. Jamie. St. James
. Neurosis. Witchburner
. Arch Enemy. Overlorde
. Sonata Arctica. John Oliva's Pain
. Kinetic. Emerald Sun
. Divine Fire. Requiem Aeternam
. Soilwork. Hellfire
. Mechanical Poet. Suidakra
. Car Bomb. Icarus Witch
. Darkthrone. Diecast
. Stormwarrior. Alex Skolnick Trio
. Freedom Call. Derek Sherinian
. Bleed The Sky. Lord Gore
. Debris Inc.. Shade Empire
. Defleshed. Python
. Sentenced. Goddess Of Desire
. Unshine. Taake
. Evemaster. Slik Helvetika
. Supagroup. Leaves Eyes
. Sebastian Bach. Thor
. Fates Warning. Impaled Nazarene
. The Scourger. Painmuseum
. Octavia Sperati. To The Bone
. Black Majesty. Dirty Americans
. Winterfell. Forever Slave
. Mabon. Arthemis
. Even X. Crystal Ball
. Infliction. Dragonlord
. Bronx Casket Company. Torture Killer
. Dismember. Tandjent
. Codeon. Thyrane
. Fields Of The Nephilim. Hell-Born
. Vreid. Cavalar
. 8th Sin. Sun Descends
. Cult of Luna. Space Odyssey
. Ynis Vitrin. Mouth of the Architect
. Vicious Rumors. Skyforger
. Hurt. Pump
. Battle Bratt. Mastodon
. Cult of Daath. Lordi
. Audrey Horne. The Showdown
. Winger. Kotipelto
. Phazm. Blood Tsunami
. The Gathering. Battered
. Manticore. Merciless Death
. Blood of the Black Owl. Mendeed
. Trouble. Textures
. Pentacle. Rob Zombie
. JR Ewing. Hellveto
. Ensiferum. Pathology
. Orthodox. Straight Line Stitch
. Godhead. UFOmammut
. Battleroar. Caliban
. DC4. Raven
. Sister Sin. Earthen Grave