Mandalaband have strong roots in the Symphonic Rock music scene. They first arrived in the late 70’s with two releases on Chrysalis Records which have been re-issued on Legend Records (2010) as a 2 CD set called Resurrection. Fast forward 30 + years (2009) when Mandalaband return with their best work to date: BC – ANCESTORS, which featured four of the principal musicians from that original era who are still very much a part of the new Mandalaband project: ASHLEY MULFORD (Guitars - Mandalaband I, Sad Café) WOOLLY WOLSTENHOLME (Mellotron & Keyboards - Mandalaband II, Barclay James Harvest, John Lee's BJH & Maestoso) KIM TURNER (Drums & Percussion - Mandalaband II & Maestoso) and DAVID ROHL (Writer, Engineer, Producer and Keyboards). The third incarnation of the band Included TROY DONOCKLEY (Uilleann Pipes, Whistles & Guitars - Iona & the Bad Shepherds) JOSE MANUEL MEDINA (Keyboards - Last Knight) MARC ATKINSON (Vocals - Gabriel & Riversea) GEOFFREY RICHARDSON (Violin, Viola, Flute, Clarinet & guitars - Caravan, The Penguin Café Orchestra & the Murray Head band) CRAIG FLETCHER (Bass Guitar - Maestoso, BJH & John Lee's BJH) and BARBARA & BRIONY MACANAS (Vocals - Limehouse & Afriko).

It is 2011 and Mandalaband return with the second concept album: AD – SANGREAL, after four years in the making, and following on from the widely acclaimed BC – ANCESTORS CD. Whilst BC focused on the pre-Christian era of ancient Egypt, Israel and Mesopotamia, AD takes the first one thousand years of early Christianity as its theme – specifically the legend of the Holy Grail or Sangreal. But this is not the famous Arthurian tale with which we are all familiar. This is the true story of the cup of the Last Supper, as handed down to us from within the little-known Romano-Spanish traditions – a small red agate vessel which, over the centuries, journeyed from Jerusalem to Glastonbury, then to Rome, and on to the kingdom of Aragon in Spain, before finally finding its rest in the cathedral of Valencia where the Sangreal remains to this day. All the extraordinary events, heroes and villains involved in that epic journey are revealed in the lyrics of AD – SANGREAL … a story told in majestic ballads, stirring melodies and a complex tapestry of weaving rhythms … a story of emperors, kings, caliphs, warriors, crusaders, knights and saints. Epic in every sense of that word,

AD – SANGREAL consists of 14 tracks, many of which are spectacular anthems. In addition there is a very special bonus track, featuring Woolly Wolstenholme (of BJH and Maestoso) as lead vocalist on Mandalaband’s rendition of the classic Barclay James Harvest song ‘Galadriel’. The CD also includes a 32-page booklet and sees the return of Ed Unitsky contributing the beautiful artwork.

Track Listing:

1. A Bloodline Born (Medina/Rohl) 2. Magdalena (Medina/Rohl) 3. Palatium Britannicum (Mulford/Rohl) 4. England’s Heart and Soul (Rohl) 5. Sancto Laurent (Mulford/Rohl) 6. Flight to Osca (Mulford/Rohl) 7. Visigoths (Rohl) 8. Saracens (Medina/Rohl) 9. Al-Andalus (Rohl) 10. Unholy Orders (Mulford/Rohl) 11. The Kingdom of Aragon (Medina/Rohl/Spear) 12. Holy Orders (Rohl/Turner) 13. Le Perche Val (Mulford/Rohl) 14. Anfortas Rex (Rohl) 15. Galadriel [Bonus Track] (Lees) Total running time 76 minutes. Engineered and Produced by David Rohl.

US Release Date July 25th 2011
UK Release Date July 11th 2011

For more information:
Mandalaband
Melodic Revolution Records