(Hard Rock-Rock Opera) Nikolo Kotzev - Nikolo Kotzev's Nostradamus - 2001, FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Nikolo Kotzev's Nostradamus is a rock opera in three acts written by Nikolo Kotzev about the life and times of Nostradamus. It was released in a 2-CD set in 2001; it has as of 2006 not been performed live, although it remains an ambition of Kotzev's to have the rock opera performed on stage. Several members of Kotzev's main project, Brazen Abbot, also appear on this album.

Kotzev was born in Pazardzhik and started taking violin lessons at the age of five. While in his teens he took an interest to rock music, and started playing the guitar.
Nikolo worked as a session musician and played the guitar in a Bulgarian cover band. While touring with the band in Europe in the late 80s, Nikolo met Swedish singer Björn Lodin. When Nikolo relocated to Mariehamn, Åland, Finland in 1989, he joined Lodin's band Baltimoore, with whom he recorded two albums: Double Density (1992) and Thought For Food (1994).
Creative differences led to Kotzev's departure in 1994, at which point Nikolo started working on a solo project under the Brazen Abbot moniker. The result was Live and Learn (1995), which featured singers Göran Edman (ex-Yngwie Malmsteen), Glenn Hughes (ex-Deep Purple, ex-Trapeze) and Thomas Vikström, keyboard player Mic Michaeli (Europe), bassist Svante Henryson and drummer Ian Haugland (Europe). Kotzev played the guitar, produced, mixed and wrote all the songs for the album.
The follow-up album, Eye of the Storm (1996), featured mostly the same people, with Joe Lynn Turner (ex-Rainbow,ex-Deep Purple) replacing Hughes and John Levén (Europe) replacing Henryson. The same line-up also released Bad Religion (1997).
Brazen Abbot was put on hiatus when Kotzev started working on a rock opera about Nostradamus. Due to a string of setbacks, including scheduling conflicts and Kotzev's record company, USG Records, going bankrupt, the album wasn't completed until 2000 and was finally released as Nikolo Kotzev's Nostradamus in 2001 on SPV Records. The album featured most Brazen Abbot members, in addition to singers Jørn Lande (ex-Masterplan), Alannah Myles and Sass Jordan.
Kotzev resumed work with Brazen Abbot in 2002, releasing Guilty as Sin in 2003. The line-up was mostly the same as for Bad Religion, with Lande replacing Vikström. Michaeli, Levén and Haugland departed Brazen Abbot to rejoin Europe. Temporary replacements filled in during a short tour in Bulgaria, recordings of which were released on the live album A Decade of Brazen Abbot (2004). My Resurrection followed in 2005, and featured four singers: Edman, Turner and new members Tony Harnell (TNT) and Erik Mårtensson and a new backing band consisting of bassist Wayne Banks (ex-Sabbat, Blaze), organist Nelko Kolarov and drummer Mattias Knutas.
In addition to being a recording artist, Kotzev has also produced and mixed albums by other bands, such as Saxon, Molly Hatchet, Rose Tattoo and Messiah's Kiss.

Nikolo Kotzev - production, mixing, composition

Singers/Cast

Joe Lynn Turner - Nostradamus
Alannah Myles - Anne Gemelle
Sass Jordan - Queen Catherine of France
Glenn Hughes - King Henri II of France
Göran Edman - Soldier/Ghost
Jørn Lande - Inquisitor
Doogie White - Storyteller

Musicians

Nikolo Kotzev - Guitars, Violin
Mic Michaeli - Organ
John Levén - Bass
Ian Haugland - Drums
The Sofia Strings Symphonic Orchestra conducted by Nelko Kolarov

Notes

On the initial pressing of the CD, the tracks "Introduction" and "Home Again" were accidentally switched. While the mistake was corrected on later pressings, the mishap has resulted in some confusion, particularly as most of the promo versions sent to the media are from this initial pressing. The track list above is the correct track list, as listed in the booklet.