Reviews of "Nostradamus" NIKOLO KOTZEV’S NOSTRADAMUS (Steamhammer/ SPV) Nikolo Kotzev has impressed me several times with his albums under the Brazen Abbot moniker. People like Göran Edman, Joe Lynn Turner, Glenn Hughes and the ex-Europe members John Levén, Ian Haugland and Mic Michaeli have been involved in this project on several occasions. All big names, which provided these releases with great class. No wonder that Nikolo chose to work with these individuals again on his biggest project up to now: Nostradamus. Not only that, he added much respected musicians like Alannah Myles, Sass Jordan, Jorn Lande and Doogie White to the line up as well. And let’s not forget a thirty-five piece symphonic orchestra. As the title says the album deals with the life and times of the famous visionary Nostradamus who forecasted events like WWI and II as well as a third one and ultimately the end of the world. Every singer plays a character in the story: Allannah Myles is Anne Cemelle, Nostradamus’ wife, Sass Jordan is Catherine, Queen Of France, Göran Edman is the Ghost, Glenn Hughes is Henry II, King Of France, Jorn Lande the Inquisitor, Joe Lynn Turner plays Nostradamus and Doogie White is the Storyteller, while the choir plays both the People and the Inquisition. I’ve listened to more than a few rock operas in my life, but the huge all-star line up alone makes this one very special. It’s just plain fabulous to hear Jorn Lande, Joe Lynn Turner and Allannah Myles together in one song. Or Turner and the mighty Glenn Hughes. And you’ll hear it all on Nostradamus! It took Nikolo four years to complete this ingenious piece of music. In fact he planned to release it about a year ago, but it’s been worth the extra year of waiting, I can assure you that. Musically Nostradamus has everything that people who are heavily into Deep Purple and Rainbow, as well as the Brazen Abbot albums, will love because it brings you exactly that kind of music and more. It’ll take you several listens to get into the album, but it deserves just that. It’s hard for me to really point out my favorite tracks on the album, as I think the album should be listened as a whole. Songs like Henriette, World War II and III and I’ll Remember You have just this little extra something compared to the rest, though so if I had to choose I think I would stick to those four. But the overall class on this album is so high that I can’t say anything less than that Nostradamus is an essential album for fans of Classic European Hardrock. MMMMM (5/5) Fred Monster Majestic Magazine (http://www.majesticmagazine.cjb.net/)