ATTACK - GERMANY

Danger In The Air - 1984 - Pro-sound
Return Of The Evil - 1985 - Pro-sound
Beastkiller - 1987 – Sonic/Polygram
Destinies Of War - 1989 - ZYX
Seven Years In The Past - 1992 - JVC
Revitalize - 1994 - Tin Can Discs
The Secret Place - 1995 - Tin Can Discs

Attack image
  
 
Members
Vocals
RICKY VAN HELDEN

Guitar
Andy Kammer - V.I.P.,>>Helge Engelke - Andy Niewidok – Hardware>>Jorg Franz>>Hardware – Entophyte, Freaks On The Roof>>PETER OKO>>Entophyte, Freaks On The Roof - Thorsten Koehne>>Aterial, Hardline, Code Of Perfection, Eden’s Curse, Demon Drive, Sunstorm, Hardline - Gerd Sossnierz – Fairywhite>>Chreddy Riepert>>Fairywhite, One Reality, Pantokraptor

Bass
RICKY VAN HELDEN

Drum
Thomas Ewermann>>Hardware - Zacki Tsoukas>>Fair Warning, Soul Doctor, Moses Mo, Almanac, One Reality, Farhad Darya

Keyboard
V.I.P.>>Tros [Thomas St. Jones]>>Parodise




History & Biography
The act had its genesis in 1983 when Van Helden had decided to leave the world pop and rock behind. He, guitarist Peter Gastmann and drummer Archie Köller had even moved in together in Hannover to create the band. The line-up would not last. The group began its assault courtesy of Thomas St. Jones (keyboards), Andy Kammer and Helge Engelke (guitars) and Ricky Van Helden in Hannover in 1984. Engelke, like St. Jones, also came from V.I.P. Soon a concert guitarist Walter Müller is also recruited from V.I.P. The band's first gig was at a youth centre in April 1984.

Soon enough Attack was the domain of singer and bassist Ricky Van Helden. Van Helden further anchored Attack with the occasional drumming and guitar playing. The band's first vinyl appearance was a single called Mouse In A Maze in 1984. Attack played heavy/power metal and underwent complete line-up overhauls between its debut and sophomore releases, sophomore and third releases and upon regrouping at the end of the 1980s. The debut featured hard rock, heavy rock and power metal, but the band grew harder and more consistent going forward. Demo '84 and Demo '85 were also released.

Kammer and TROS were on the debut, Niewidok and Franz and Ewermann were on the second outing and were all replaced after the respective albums. TROS had left following the debut as he and Van Helden were not friendly anymore and the keyboardist felt disrespected for not receiving credits for his lyrics. He and Van Helden would sort out the matter and publishing a decade later.

A compilation album entitled Revitalize was issued in 1994 which also featured rare and unreleased songs. There were several self-cover versions. Compilations and re-releases have been on the attack ever since. An album called Deadlocked was recorded in late 1996. It featured guitarists Thorsten Köhne and Peter Oko, drummer Frank Ulrich, keyboardist TROS (again) and violin player Manni Neumann. The ownership and masters have changed hands and the record remains unreleased.

Helge Engelke died due to cancer in 2023. Van Helden was largely retired, but had run his own studio. TROS would run Parodise studio, label and be in a band with the same name.


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