HEAVY metallers Nightmare Visions are battling on without a keyboard player - and heading into 1999 with a new, harder sound.

The Darwen-based band had a crisis last summer when Greek-born keyboard player George Kiosses had to return to his home country from Blackburn.

It was only when the rockers tried to find a replacement that they realised how big a part of the group George was.

They decided to drop keyboards from their line-up and have now hit on a revamped, tougher sound, according to drummer Steve Grant.

Steve said: "We didn't realise what a good musician George was until we tried to replace him.

"We couldn't find anyone like him so we decided to carry on without keyboards, which has given our sound a lot more power."

The former death metallers say their music is now drawing on hard rock influences like Black Sabbath. The band, signed to German-based Rawk Records, have written material for a new album which they hope to release this year.

They are set to continue touring Europe and hope to raise their profile in the United States, where they have had a limited amount of success.

The metallers are set to play Rio's in Bradford on Friday, January 29, and a coach will call to pick up fans in Blackpool, Preston, Blackburn and Burnley.

For details call 01253 292063.

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