''Christ 0'' is the fifth full-length studio album by the German

progressive metal Progressive metal (sometimes shortened to prog metal) is a broad fusion music genre melding heavy metal and progressive rock, combining the loud "aggression" and amplified guitar-driven sound of the former with the more experimental, cerebral ...

band

Vanden Plas Vanden Plas is the name of coachbuilders who produced bodies for specialist and up-market automobile manufacturers. Latterly the name became a top-end luxury model designation for cars from subsidiaries of British Leyland and the Rover Group, ...

, released on March 31, 2006 by

InsideOut Music Inside Out Music is a German independent record label originally based in Kleve, North Rhine-Westphalia, and dedicated to the publication of progressive rock, progressive metal and related styles. In 2009, it formed a partnership with Century Med ...

. This

concept album A concept album is an album whose tracks hold a larger purpose or meaning collectively than they do individually. This is typically achieved through a single central narrative or theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, or lyrical. Some ...

interprets the

Alexandre Dumas Alexandre Dumas (, ; ; born Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie (), 24 July 1802 – 5 December 1870), also known as Alexandre Dumas père (where '' '' is French for 'father', to distinguish him from his son Alexandre Dumas fils), was a French writer ...

1844 novel ''

The Count of Monte Cristo ''The Count of Monte Cristo'' (french: Le Comte de Monte-Cristo) is an adventure novel written by French author Alexandre Dumas (''père'') completed in 1844. It is one of the author's more popular works, along with ''The Three Musketeers''. L ...

'', exploring the story of a man imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit and following his chain of vengeful murders through the eyes of "X," an

Interpol The International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO; french: link=no, Organisation internationale de police criminelle), commonly known as Interpol ( , ), is an international organization that facilitates worldwide police cooperation and cr ...

detective assigned to the case. Throughout the course of the album, both characters come to terms with their goals; X realizes just how similar the nature of his work is to Christ-0's, while 0 repents for the sins of his vengeance and commits suicide. The lyrics make several contemporary references, alluding to modern movies (e.g. ''Silence of the Lambs'') and organizations (Interpol). The band employed a forty-piece choir for the first time in this album. Lead vocalist

Andy Kuntz Andy Kuntz (born 20 November 1962) is a German progressive metal singer best known for his work with the band Vanden Plas. He has also participated in a production of the musical Jesus Christ Superstar. Background Kuntz was born in Kaiserslautern ...

stated that such orchestral elements were new to Vanden Plas and attributes this experimentation with the four-year wait since their previous album, ''

Beyond Daylight ''Beyond Daylight'' is the fourth full-length studio album by the German progressive metal band Vanden Plas. It was released on 28 January 2002 by InsideOut/ SPV Records. Track listing Personnel * Andy Kuntz – Vocals * Stephan Lill – ...

''.

Track listing

Bonus track

The first copies of Christ 0 contained a bonus track, Gethsemane. This track is a cover of a song from ''

Jesus Christ Superstar ''Jesus Christ Superstar'' is a sung-through rock opera with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice. Loosely based on the Gospels' accounts of the Passion, the work interprets the psychology of Jesus and other characters, with ...

'' of the same name.

Musicians

– Vocals *

Stephan Lill Stephan Lill is a German guitarist best known for his work with the Progressive metal band Vanden Plas. Biography Stephan Lill was born on 30 November 1968 in Eitorf, Germany. His interest in music, and especially in playing guitar, was awake ...

– Guitars *

Günter Werno Gunter or Günter may refer to: * Gunter rig, a type of rig used in sailing, especially in small boats * Gunter Annex, Alabama, a United States Air Force installation * Gunter, Texas, city in the United States People Surname * Chris Gunter ...

– Keyboards *

Torsten Reichert Thorsten (Thorstein, Torstein, Torsten) is a Scandinavian given name. The Old Norse name was ''Þórsteinn''. It is a compound of the theonym ''Þór'' (''Thor'') and ''steinn'' "stone", which became ''Thor'' and ''sten'' in Old Danish and Old Swed ...

– Bass *

Andreas Lill Andreas Lill is a German Progressive metal drummer. He is best known for his work as the drummer for the band Vanden Plas. Background Andreas Lill was born November 3, 1965. As an early teenager he tried to learn to play bass guitar, but at 15 he ...

– Drums

Personnel

*Thomas Ewerhard – Artwork *Markus Teske – Producer, Mastering, Mixing *Vanden Plas – Arranger, Producer *Stefanie Veenstra – Photography

References

{{Authority control Vanden Plas (band) albums 2006 albums Concept albums Inside Out Music albums Music based on novels Works based on The Count of Monte Cristo