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Melissa Ferlaak

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Melissa Ferlaak
Background information
Birth nameMelissa Marie Ferlaak
Born (1979-04-26) April 26, 1979 (age 45)
OriginCottage Grove, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
GenresSymphonic metal, classical
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter, vocal coach
Instrument(s)Vocals, flute
Years active2002 - Present
Websitehttp://www.melissaferlaak.com/

Melissa Marie Ferlaak (born April 26, 1979) is an American soprano from Cottage Grove, Minnesota. She is best known as former singer for symphonic metal bands Aesma Daeva, Visions of Atlantis and Echoterra. She is now current singer of her female-fronted doom/death metal project Plague of Stars and ambient band MY Eternel with Voa Voxyd. She just completed writing the libretto and vocal parts for a new "Avante-Garde Nihilist Opera" entitled Demandolx: The First Chapter of Convent Demonic Possession, and additionally sang the role of Madeleine on the recording of the work. Throughout her career, she has guest appeared with other bands such as Ad Inferna, Withering Soul, Azure Emote, North, Beto Vazquez Infinity, Rising Dream, Adyta, Stardust Reverie and Voidwork.

Early life

Born in Cottage Grove, Minnesota. Melissa holds a master's degree from the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Massachusetts in Vocal Performance and a bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls in Music with an emphasis on classical and operatic technique.

Musical career

Melissa Ferlaak began her musical career when she joined American symphonic metal band Aesma Daeva in 2001. She played gigs in Mexico, the US and Canada. With her career with Aesma Daeva, they have recorded three albums, The Eros of Frigid Beauty, The New Athens Ethos, and Ex Libris. On October 11, 2005, the band announced that singer Melissa Ferlaak was leaving to join the Austrian band Visions of Atlantis, her final show with Aesma Daeva was in December 2005 at the Star Central club in Minnesota. The concert was filmed for the DVD, "Last Rites", and it was released on March 2007.

While singing with Aesma Daeva, Melissa was looking for change into her career, until a friend from the band Melechesh wanted to help, he got her in contact with record label Napalm Records, and then joined as new vocalist for Austrian symphonic power metal band Visions of Atlantis, after their original singer Nicole Bogner departed from the band to pursue commitments elsewhere. In early 2006 to early 2007, Vision of Atlantis did a short tour with Melissa. With Melissa, the band recorded their 3rd new album Trinity, released on May 25, 2007, and began a tour through Europe, China, and the U.S.. On November 28, 2007, a message was posted on the official VoA website saying that Melissa Ferlaak parted ways with the band citing personal reasons.[1]

In 2006, Melissa auditioned for American Idol performing "Flow with Desert." She briefly appeared on television, earning disrespectful comments from the hosts.[citation needed]

In late 2009, she joined Minneapolis band, Echoterra after their original singer Suvi Virtanen had departed. With Melissa in Echoterra, the band recorded their new EP "In Your Eyes" which was released with newly remastered songs in January 19, 2009, and they began to perform regularly. In 2011, the band went back into studio and started recording a new album called "Land of The Midnight Sun," and was released on October 17, 2011 through Blinding Force Recordings. On March 13, 2012, Melissa left Echoterra due to creative and personal differences.[2]

Melissa started a new band in 2012 with Will Maravelas (We Are Legion), Aaron Lanik (We Are Legion), and Chris Quinn (Aesma Daeva) called Plague of Stars. The quartet released two songs in October 2012 as a teaser for their full album to come in June 2013.[3]

In March 2013, Melissa started making music with VoA Voxyd from Ad Inferna. The two have since started their new project MY Eternel, releasing "Pursuit of a Higher Throne" in 2013.[4]

In April 2014 "Ancient Rites of the Moon", the first album of the Stardust Reverie Project (Graham Bonnet, Zak Stevens and Lynn Meredith among others) was released. It features Melissa in three songs. "Daughter of the Sun" , a tune based in an old Cherokee tale, was highly praised by the media.

In June 2015, 'Demandolx: The First Chapter of Convent Demonic Possession' was completed in which she wrote the libretto and vocal parts for this new "Avante-Garde Nihilist Opera." Additionally, she sang the role of Madeleine on the recording of the work.

She has performed classically with such companies as Theater Latte Da, Coro!, Thursday Musical and the Schubert Club.

Discography

With Aesma Daeva

With Visions of Atlantis

With Adyta

With Echoterra

  • In Your Eyes (EP) (2010)
  • Land of the Midnight Sun (2011)

With MY Eternel

  • Pursuit of a Higher Throne (2013)

With Stardust Reverie

  • Ancient Rites of the Moon (2014)

With Plague of Stars

  • When Morning Comes (2014)

Demandolx

  • Demandolx: The First Chapter of Convent Demonic Possession (2015)

References

  1. ^ "Melissa Ferlaak's myspace page".
  2. ^ "ECHOTERRA Parts Ways With Singer MELISSA FERLAAK - Mar. 13, 2012".
  3. ^ "Former VISIONS OF ATLANTIS Singer Launches PLAGUE OF STARS - Oct. 29, 2012".
  4. ^ http://www.facebook.com/myeternelofficial
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