Pink Cream 69

German rockers Pink Cream 69 caught the tail-end of the '80s party-metal boom before adopting a more traditional European hard rock/power metal approach that they would cultivate into the next century. Founded in 1987 by vocalist Andi Deris, guitarist Alfred Koffler, drummer Kosta Zafiriou, and bassist Dennis Ward, the band released their eponymous debut long-player in 1989 via Epic. Deris left the group in 1994 to join Helloween, and was replaced by British vocalist David Readman, who made his first appearance on the group's fourth LP, Change. The band became a five-piece in 2003 with the arrival of second guitarist Uwe Reitenauer, who was hired to help out Alfred Koffler, who was struggling with Focal Dystonia, a neurological condition that made playing difficult -- Reitenauer made his debut on 2007's In10sity. Another lineup change preceded the release of 2013's Ceremonial, which saw the departure of Kosta Zafiriou and the arrival of new drummer Chris Schmidt, who manned the kit on 2017's Headstrong, the band's 12th full-length outing and first release for Frontiers Records. ~ James Christopher Monger, Rovi