Unisonic

Formed in 2009, the German rock band Unisonic originated from the collaboration of Michael Kiske, the former frontman of Helloween, with bassist Dennis Ward and drummer Kosta Zafiriou, who formed the rhythm section of Pink Cream 69. Having previously collaborated on the AOR project Place Vendome, yielding the albums Place Vendome in 2005 and Streets of Fire in 2009, the trio brought ex-Gotthard guitarist Mandy Meyer into the fold before launching their inaugural tour in June 2010, which included performances at the Sweden Rock Festival and the Masters of Rock Festival in the Czech Republic. Momentum built for the group following the March 2011 addition of Kai Hansen, a former Helloween guitarist and co-founder, to the lineup, effectively creating a partial Helloween reunion—though Kiske had already made guest appearances on Gamma Ray albums Land of the Free from 1995 and To the Metal! in 2010, the band led by Hansen. The four-track EP Ignition came out in January 2012, paving the way for the band's self-titled full-length album just two months afterward.