Mekong Delta

Biography

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Mekong Delta (1986-present): a Progressive Metal band from Germany.

bit of a mystery band on the metal scene, Mekong Delta came with the story that the members were under contract to other bands and couldn't show their true identities. The early lineups featured Rage main man Peavey Wagner along with other members of Rage from time to time, but by the first album, Mekong Delta (1987), a firm lineup was established, consisting of Keil (Real Name: Wolfgang Borgmann; vocals), Rolf Stein (Real Name: Frank Fricke; of Living Death; guitar), Vincent St. John (Real Name: Reiner Kelch; of Living Death; guitar), Bjorn Eklund (Real Name: Ralf Hubert; bass) and Gordon Perkins (Real Name: Jorg Michael; of Rage; drums).

The band continued with their pseudonyms through the release The Music of Erich Zann (1988) and The Gnome EP (1989; now adding drummer Patrick Duval (Real Name: Uli Kusch)), and The Principle of Doubt (1989; with Uwe Baltrusch (a.k.a. Mark Kaye) taking over for Kelch). For the 1990 release of Dances of Death all the members except Michael finally had revealed their true names. Fricke would also leave before this album, reducing their total number by one, with Doug Lee assuming the vocals spot left vacant by the departing Borgmann.

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Live at an Exhibition was their 1990 live effort with Georg Syrmbos coming in to assume the vacant guitar slot. Syrmbos would be gone, however, by the time the follow-up Kaleidoscope was released in 1992, while Peter Haas replaced Michael.

Mekong Delta were considered untouchable when they were at their prime playing a kind of German Thrash with Classical and Progressive tendencies, although some of the albums ended off being a hit or miss they were nonetheless a strong force to reckon with. During their tenure they had also covered many classical pieces, most notably of Mussorsky, and these efforts were subsequently re-released on their Classics compilation album in 1993.

After Visions Fugitive (1994), their last album would be an all-instrumental affair and featured only classical pieces with vocalist Doug Lee not appearing even though he was still a member of the band. Since the release of that final effort, Pictures at an Exhibition (1997), nothing has been heard. Although there is no official announcement of a break up, reports have stated that leader Ralf Hubert has left his homeland leaving the future of the band very much in doubt.

For the record: Doug Lee would move on to Siren, Haas has experience in Poltergeist and Krokus, Michael went on with Running Wild, Unleashed Power, Grave Digger and Stratovarius, while Kusch went on with Holy Moses, Gamma Ray, Helloween, Masterplan (Germany) and Sinner.