André Hilgers André Hilgers was born on 30th of August 1974 in Remscheid/NRW. Aged 7 years, he was sitting behind a drumset for the first time and from the age of 10 years started concentrating on learning this instrument. After that he took rock/jazz style lessons for 6 years and was also given guitar lessons for 3 and singing lessons for 2 years.1986-1989 - André played in diverse metal formations, covering all stylistic fields, and was collecting much live experience.
1989 - André joined the band "Ninja" from Wuppertal and recorded the CD "Liberty". In the meantime he helped out 3 other bands as well as for live shows and also demo purposes.
Subsequent to "Ninja", in 1993, André joined the speedmetal band "Mendacious Messiah" from Bielefeld, playing the drums at 10 concerts and on their demotape.
1994-1997 - André played with the metal formation "Vanize" from Wuppertal. During this time about 30-40 concerts were given, some in former East Germany, in Berlin etc. The CD "Twins?" was recorded and an endorsement contract with Paiste was signed.
1997 - André helped out the speedmetal band "Regicide" (now "Cyberia") from Wuppertal. About 10 concerts were played in the NRW area.
1997 - Furthermore André played 6 concerts with the band "Noisehunter" from Dormagen, did a studio job for "Asmodina" from Leverkusen (death metal genre) and played the drums for the solo CD of "Sinner" guitarist Alex Beyrodt in Duisburg.
1998 - Joined the coverband "Bourbon Street". The solo project "Alex B." transformed into the band "The Sygnet". A management contract with "Bottom Row" was signed and four shows as support band of "Pink Cream 69" were played.
Subsequently, a the deal with ZYX / Germany was confirmed, and a four weeks tour throughout Germany together with "Doro" followed.
1999 - "The Sygnet" played on "Wacken Open Air" and their second CD was recorded at the "House of Music" near Stuttgart, produced by Achim Köhler (Sinner, Primel Fear etc.)
1999 - The band "Silent Force" was founded. In June 2000, the first album "The Empire of Future" was released.
2000 - André left "Bourbon Street" in August. In October, he played two festival shows with "Silent Force" in France, a two week European tour as support of "Stratovarius" followed in November.
2001 - Working on the second album of "Silent Force", titled "Infatuator" in May. André joined the cover rock band "Velvet Green", prior to playing at the "Wacken Open Air" with "Silent Force" in August.
2001 - Studio recording with "Velvet Green" in September. In November the "Silent Force" CD "Infatuator" was released.
2002 - In March, André participated in a three week European tour with "Silent Force" as support of the band "Angra" from Brazil.
2002 - A tour through Germany with "Silent Force" as support of "U.D.O." followed.
2003 - The third "Silent Force" album, entitled "Worlds Apart", was recorded at the "House of Audio" in Karlsdorf by producer Dennis Ward.
2003 - Helped out the band "Axxis" for some festival shows.
2004 - Joined "Axxis" on their "Time Machine" tour in March 2004.
2004 - André did various studio jobs for diverse bands and becomes a regular member of the biker cover rockband "Bourbon Street" again.
2005 - In the beginning of 2005: Japan tour with "Silent Force". After that, the second "Razorback" CD was produced. Subsequently, new songs for "Axxis" were composed and recorded by Dennis Ward at the "House of Audio".
2006 - Production of the band "The Raven Ride". (Tony Martin / ex Black Sabbath and Neil Murray / ex Whitesnake) which was released in spring 2006 by AOR Heaven.
2006 - Chart entry with the "Axxis" song "Paradise in Flames", promo shows with "Gotthard" in Germany and with "Helloween" abroad. Double headliner tour with "Krokus" in May.
2006 - Joined the metal band RAGE at the end of the year.
2007 - Touring Russia, the Ukraine, the Czech Republic and finally the "Wacken Open Air" festival in Germany together with "RAGE" and the "Lingua Mortis Orchestra" (Minsk/Belarus).
2007 - The Silent Force album "Walk the Earth" was released on the market, followed by a Japan tour and an entry in the Japanese charts.
2007 - The new "RAGE" album "Carved In Stone" was recorded at the VPS studio in Hamm in September.
2007 - The new "AXXIS" album "Doom Of Destiny" was released by AFM Records, and "AXXIS" toured throughout Europe with "HELLOWEEN" and "GAMMA RAY".
2007 - Studiojob for Markus Grosskopf's "Bassinvaders" project at the end of the year.
2008 - RAGE release their album "Carved In Stone" with a European tour follow.
2009 - RAGE release their EP "Never Give Up" and with this song gain the third place in the Bundes Vision Song Contest.
2009 - RAGE celebrate their 25 years band jubilee, giving several jubilee shows.
2010 - RAGE release their album "Strings To A Web" with a World tour follow.
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