Seventh Avenue (band)

Seventh Avenue
Seventh Avenue live at Elements of Rock, Switzerland, 2008
Background information
Origin	Wolfsburg, Germany
Genres	Christian metal, heavy metal, power metal, speed metal, progressive metal
Years active	1989 - 2012
Labels	Massacre
Associated acts	Sinbreed
Website	http://www.seventh-avenue.de
Members	Herbie Langhans Mike Pflüger Florian Gottsleben Markus Beck
Past members	Louis Schock (until 1997) Andi Gutjahr (until 1997) Wiliam Hieb (until 1998) Geronimo Stade (until 2004)

Seventh Avenue was a Christian metal band from Wolfsburg, Germany, formed in 1989. Consisting of guitarist/vocalist Herbie Langhans, guitarist Florian Gottsleben, bassist Markus Beck, and drummer Mike Pflüger, Seventh Avenue plays a hybrid style of speed and power metal with the focus on melodies. The band launched a demo entitled First Strike in 1993 but the loss of their guitarist delayed their first album, Rainbowland, until 1995. They then signed with Treasure Hunt Records. Their first release on this label, Tales of Tales, topped at 18 on the Japanese heavy metal charts. The 1998 release, Southgate, was licensed to Megahard Records for release in Brazil, where the band subsequently toured. They have released 7 albums and an EP.

They released two albums, Between The Worlds and Eternals, on Massacre Records, and released their seventh album titled Terium on that label in 2008.

In 1989 a few teenagers, inspired by heavy metal bands, began to make music themselves. A CD was released on a small label.

Two years later the singer left the band and, then only seventeen, then guitarist Herbie Langhans took the place as a singer. Because of the change in the band, they began to think about a new name. "Seventh Avenue" was chosen in a mutual agreement.

In 1993 they released their first demo First Strike. The demo was far more successful than expected. Therefore, a number of live concerts followed.

A year later they were planning their new album Rainbowland. However, because of inner problems in the band, the release was delayed. The second guitarist suddenly left the band. Therefore, Herbie started to also play guitar. After a few months the album was nonetheless released, again with a great success. 1996, the band signed a contract for two albums with Treasure Hunt Records. Immediately they started with the recording on their next album Tales of Tales. With this album, they reached the 18th position at the Japanese heavy metal charts. In 1997 the drummer Louis Schock left the band. Mike Pflüger took his place. Andi Gutjahr was hired as a guest musician for the album Southgate which was published in 1998.

In 1999 William Hieb also left the band. So Herbie and Mike stood alone. But a short time later they found another bassist and someone for the second guitar, namely Geronimo Stade and Florian Gottsleben. After a short time, the recording was followed by several concerts. As in Brazil, the band achieved remarkable popularity which bought the label Mega Hard Records the licensing rights for South America on the albums so that they are the albums directly available in Brazil.