C-187 (Patrick Mameli-Sean Reinert-Tony Choy &

‘Supergroup’ was a term introduced in the late 60’s to describe groups such as Cream and Blind Faith which were composed of members who already achieved fame in other great bands. Now, a few decades down the dusty road, this qualification is more than fitting for a brand new band: C-187!

C-187is an international project initiated by Patrick Mameli. From 1985 till 1994 he was the creative genius, guitar player and sometime singer of the Dutch death metal band Pestilence. Over the course of six years Pestilence released four groundbreaking albums. His increasingly experimental and challenging approach to heavy music won Patrick Mameli and his colleagues’ worldwide admiration, although more than once the band proved to be ahead of it’s time. Not long after the release in 1993 of the underrated masterpiece Spheres Pestilence fell apart and Patrick Mameli suddenly disappeared from the scene.

It took him close to 13 years to build up a healthy appetite to give it another go. This time he simply wanted to work with the best musicians available. And he got them. The rhythm section is probably the best in the world of current heavy music: Sean Reinert is a powerful and creative drummer who left it’s mark on albums by the legendary metal bands Death (Human) and Cynic (Focus). He also worked with acclaimed acts like Gordian Knot and Æon Spoke. Fellow American Tony Choy is the skilled and all-round bass player who was also a member of Cynic. He worked with Pestilence on the album Testimony Of The Ancients and later on joined Atheist. His involvement with the Latin band Area 305 earned him a Latin Grammy Award nomination in 2004. Patrick Mameli found the perfect singer in Gothenburg, Sweden. Tony Jelencovich has lent his powerhouse voice and impressive stage presence to bands as B-Thong, Transport League, Mnemic and M.A.N.
It’s this mixture of nationalities, talent, influences and creativity that found it’s way to C-187’s Collision; a truly unique debut album that will be unleashed to the world in August this year.

,,After Pestilence fell apart I was fed up with music for a very long time”, confesses Patrick Mameli. ,,I was tired of record company policies, expectations of the audience and internal band struggles. I decided to focus on my personal life instead. Getting a job, having a family, back to basics. For a very long time I didn’t even touch my guitar.”
Patrick Mameli’s talent seemed to be lost forever for music, although over the course of this period some come back attempts announced, resulting in slightly worried responses from his still loyal fan base. Would Patrick Mameli reappear with a hip hop act? Was he getting involved with dance music? Somehow it all never materialized. ,,I was sick and tired of telling band members what to do and how to play, like I had to in the past. I was only willing to form a new band with musicians who were able to bring their own creativity and ideas with them. For a very long time that appeared to be impossible. Until now.”

Patrick Mameli got in touch with Sean Reinert and Tony Choy who, in spite of their own busy schedules, were more than happy to get involved. They recorded the music in the Spacelab Studio in Germany where the band was able to play together for the first time after only exchanging music files over the internet at first.
,,It was a truly amazing experience”, says Patrick Mameli looking back. ,,I knew what to expect from these guys, but what I got was even better. Sean and Tony just needed just a few days to record their parts and they delivered the goods. Big time. They knew exactly what the songs needed and even added many extra’s. The same can be said about Tony. When he first opened his mouth in the studio, I was blown away. His delivery proved to be the perfect match for the music.”
The mixing was done in the Hansen Studios in Denmark by the mighty Jacob Hansen.

The music on Collision is heavy, but it’s no Pestilence, stresses Patrick Mameli. ,,Pestilence was then, this is now.” The music on C-187’s first release is a wild mixture – a clash if you will - of styles from all around the globe. Which explains the album title: Collision. ,,Over the years I became a fan of reality programs like Cops. I got intrigued by the music I was listening at the time: loud and aggressive gangsta rap. There are traces of that in the lyrics, vocals and samples. That’s also how I got the band name: C-187 is an American juridical term for murder in the first degree. I have also been a fan of jazz. Alan Holdsworth is my ultimate guitar hero. So there are jazzy licks and chords, but played very, very heavy and with lots of distortion. And there is a healthy dose of metal too. I have my signature sound. It was there on the albums I made with Pestilence. It’s still there. The result is music that is loud and in your face, but intelligent, varied and well executed at the same time.”

Patrick Mameli refers to C-187 as a project. He takes things one step at the time now. But he takes it all very seriously. The release of the album will be supported by a proper tour in February 2008. He is eager to hit the road with C-187. ,,It’s going to be exciting. We can only improve as a unit while playing every night. I also really look forward to the responses of the audience. I hope that people are willing to give the music a try with an open mind. I think there is something on the album for everybody: fans from the old days of Pestilence, people who love challenging music and kids that dig modern kinds of metal. But it’s first and foremost an album that I wanted to get out of my system. This is what I want to do now. In 2007. No compromise. No hassle. Just great music. It’s great to be back again!”