Frontiers Music Srl is pleased to announce the upcoming reissues of Brazen Abbot’s studio albums “Guilty As Sin” and “Live And Learn”, out on December 12, 2025.
Pre-Order “Guilty As Sin”: https://ffm.bio/guiltyassin-reissue
Pre-Order “Live And Learn”: https://ffm.bio/liveandlearnreissue
Nikolo Kotzev commented:
“Live And Learn” was the first Brazen Abbot album, released originally in Japan and other Asian countries. It packed a fantastic lineup of musicians - Glenn Hughes, Göran Edman, Thomas Vikström, Ian Haugland, Svante Henryson and Mic Michaeli. Wow. Even to this day it sounds like a crazy mountain of talent… It contains some extraordinary songs, which sound surprisingly fresh even today. Don’t miss that one - it's the one, that started it all”.
“Guilty As Sin” says a lot about a tough period in my life. Many of the songs are written after true events and reminiscent my state of mind. Extraordinary musicianship as always by the Europe guys and all the singers. There are quite a few memorable ones on this one and as Joe said himself - the production and writing quality is extraordinary. Not bad to hear it from someone like him, eh?”, he continued.
Brazen Abbot was originally conceived as a studio project by Bulgarian guitarist, producer, and songwriter Nikolo Kotzev. The band has since performed live on several occasions, particularly in the early 2000’s
A unique feature of Brazen Abbot is its use of multiple singers on each album. Göran Edman and Joe Lynn Turner have contributed with vocals on most of their records. Initially, Kotzev planned to work with a single vocalist, Göran Edman (ex-Malmsteen) but, due to contractual restrictions, he could only record two songs for the debut album. The “Voice of Rock” Glenn Hughes was then lined up to sing the remaining tracks, but similar issues limited him to three songs.
To complete the album, Thomas Vikström (Talk of the Town and later on Therion) was brought in, and Kotzev was so satisfied with the outcome that he decided to continue the multi-singer approach for future albums. However, during live performances, Joe Lynn Turner (ex-Malmsteen, Rainbow, Deep Purple) usually handled all lead vocals.
Several Brazen Abbot members also participated in Kotzev’s rock opera Nostradamus (2001). During the rock opera’s development, Brazen Abbot was temporarily on hiatus. Former members of the band include Mic Michaeli, John Levén, and Ian Haugland, all of whom are also members of the legendary rock band Europe.
“Guilty As Sin” arrived in 2003 as a bold comeback from Nikolo Kotzev’s long-running studio project, a record that pairs grand, melodic hard-rock songwriting with powerful, characterful vocal performances. Kotzev’s fingerprints are all over the album - his guitar work, arrangements and production drive the record - while the vocal duties are shared between three distinct frontmen: Joe Lynn Turner, Jørn Lande and Göran Edman, each contributing four songs and giving the album an extraordinary tonal variety.
Backing that vocal triumvirate is a rock-solid foundation: the rhythmic punch of John Levén’s bass and Ian Haugland’s drums, plus Mic Michaeli’s keyboards, which together deliver the muscular yet melodic backdrop Kotzev needed to realize his vision.
Musically, “Guilty As Sin” moves confidently between anthemic AOR, heavier riff-driven moments and dramatic, cinematic passages - a combination that lets the songs breathe and the singers shine in their different registers. The title track closes the album with an expansive, almost operatic sweep, while opening numbers and mid-tempo standouts balance immediate hooks with layered instrumentation that rewards repeated listening.
Originally released in 1995, “Live And Learn” stands as one of the strongest statements in European melodic hard rock of the ’90s. The project, led by Bulgarian guitarist, songwriter, and producer Nikolo Kotzev, combines razor-sharp riffs and symphonic arrangements with soaring vocal performances, creating a record that feels both powerful and timeless.
The album is notable for its rotating cast of world-class singers, with the “Voice of Rock” Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple, Black Sabbath), Göran Edman (Yngwie Malmsteen), and Thomas Vikström (Talk of the Town, Candlemass) each delivering unforgettable performances that give the songs their distinctive character.
Musically, Kotzev’s vision is realized through the expert interplay of his guitar work, the thunderous drumming of Ian Haugland (Europe), the driving bass of John Levén (Europe), and the lush keyboard textures of Mic Michaeli (Europe), forming a band that sounds as massive as its pedigree suggests.
Among the fan favorites are the dramatic title track “Live And Learn” and the opening gem “Extraordinary Child”, both of which capture the balance of heaviness, melody, and emotional depth that define the Brazen Abbot sound.
“Guilty As Sin” Tracklist:
1. One Life To Live (Joe Lynn Turner)
2. Eyes On The Horizon (Jørn Lande)
3. I’ll Be Free (Göran Edman)
4. Slip Away (Joe Lynn Turner)
5. Mr. Earthman (Jørn Lande)
6. Like Jonah (Göran Edman)
7. Bring The Colors Home (Jørn Lande)
8. Fool’s Confession (Göran Edman)
9. Supernatural (Joe Lynn Turner)
10. Eve (Göran Edman)
11. A Whole Lotta Woman (Jørn Lande)
12. Guilty As Sin (Joe Lynn Turner)
Line Up:
Nikolo Kotzev - guitars, keyboards
Ian Haugland - drums
Mic Michaeli - Hammond
John Leven - bass
Joe Lynn Turner - singer
Göran Edman - singer
Jörn Lande - singer
“Live And Learn” Tracklist:
1. Extraordinary Child (Göran Edman)
2. No Way Out of Nowhere (Thomas Vikström)
3. Live And Learn (Glenn Hughes)
4. Russian Roulette (Thomas Vikström)
5. Clean Up Man (Glenn Hughes)
6. When November Reigns (Thomas Vikström)
7. Miracle (Glenn Hughes)
8. Big Time Blues (Thomas Vikström)
9. Feeling Like A Rolling Stone (Göran Edman)
10. Children Of Today (Thomas Vikström)
11. Shadows Of The Moon (Thomas Vikström)
Line Up:
Nikolo Kotzev – guitars and keyboards
Svante Henryson – bass
Ian Haugland – drums
Mic Michaeli – Hammond
Glenn Hughes – singer
Göran Edman – singer
Thomas Vikström - singer
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