It was 20 years of not being there, but to be back again means everything and then some for Germany’s AOR champions, Frontline.

“We were really a bit nervous,” admits vocalist Stephan Kämmerer. “What kind of reaction do we get after the break of 20 years? So far, we can say it was a really great rebirth.”

Aptly named, their revival album, Rebirth, picks up right where they left off. Their first since 2002’s Against the World, this record opens a new chapter following the silence while also keeping firmly planted in the roots that solidified them seemingly so long ago. The original plan was to return a couple of years back, but when guitarist/songwriter/founder Robby Böbel unexpectedly passed away after a quick battle with cancer, things stalled. After a little while, Kämmerer and newcomer, guitarist/producer Christian Mühlroth, decided to take the leap and commit.

“We got a lot of response from all over the world,” explains Kämmerer. “Many people, all over the world, asked us, ‘Can you do an album once again?’ We thought it was the right time. We had a lot of material. I wasn’t stopping making music for Frontline. I had so many ideas of songs and songwriting material. More than 500 songs.”

Energy is brimming from every corner of the record, from surging guitars to soaring hooks, which is perfect for modern rock and AOR. The stories are built on experiences in their own lives because the people who listen have the same emotions and can understand the message they are trying to convey. Mühlroth says it’s about renewal, resilience, change, second chances, and also moving forward without forgetting about the past.

“Sonically, the album lives in the space between reflections and forward momentum,” he shares. “A certain maturity. We weren’t interested in writing an album that pretends nothing happened over the last 20 years. Lyrically, it contains a lot of emotion. The title, ‘Rebirth,’ points to some of the themes that run throughout the entire album.”

The group formed in Nuremberg in 1989, which is coincidentally the year Mühlroth was born. As a boy, he would play piano and keyboard, followed by drums, annoying the neighbors and getting constant knocks on the door about it. From there, he moved to guitar and eventually to producer. He joined the band specifically for the Rebirth project.

“I think the biggest challenge was finding the right balance between honoring Frontline’s legacy and creating something that feels relevant today. The bridge between the legacy and then maybe a 2026 forward sound. Nobody wanted to make a copy of an album from the 90s, but at the same time, people immediately recognized the DNA of Frontline.”

The rebirth has been quite the success, and everyone is happy to see them back again: it means the world, and more, to the group, and to be doing it with the people they love; it can’t get better than that. 

“Chris is the best guy you can have,” beams Kämmerer. “The best friend, the best brother to make music, and he’s my soulmate. I don’t want to miss him one single minute. He is a gift from God, like Robby was the gift from God in the past. I never had such an unbelievable relationship with another guy. I can really say I call him my brother.”

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