Power Metal act formerly known as CENTERS. The band, created in Mainz, Rhineland-Palatinate, includes in its ranks guitarist Olaf Lenk, previously a member of both ZED YAGO and VELVET VIPER. Other initial personnel number four ex-members of SPIDER in vocalist OLIVER HARTMANN, who also lists credits with HEAT and MERLIN, keyboard player Uli Müller, also ex-ESCAPE and BREAKPOINT, bass player Jochen Schnur and drummer Jurgen Lucas. Second guitarist Reinald König was ex-CONFRONT.

Having signed to Shark Records, AT VANCE's debut February 1999 album 'No Escape' would ambitiously not only tackle a Vivaldi piece 'Summer' but also an attempt at ABBA's 'Money, Money, Money'. The Japanese version of the album would give listeners there the chance to hear two more covers in SURVIVOR's 'Eye Of The Tiger' and TEARS FOR FEARS 'Shout'. The band would get to grips once more with ABBA on their second outing 'Heart Of Steel', recorded by Axel Thubeauville at Guitarland Studios and issued in May 2000, by taking on 'S.O.S.' The set closed out with 'Chopin - Etude No. 4'. Limited edition variants included a take on SUPERTRAMP's 'Logical Song'. Oliver Hartmann contributed to EDGUY man Tobias Sammet's ambitious AVANTASIA eponymous project album of 2000.

AT VANCE would switch labels from the Shark concern to Andy Allendörfer of SQUEALER's AFM Records label in mid 2001. Their former label promptly gathered together archive CENTERS tracks for the compilation 'Early Works', this featuring a rendition of THE EAGLES 'Desperado'. Japanese versions of the September 2001 album 'Dragonchaser', issued on the JVC Victor label, boasted an additional track of ABBA's 'Winner Takes It All'. Again AT VANCE tackled a classical composition for this set, in Beethoven's '5th Symphony'.

AT VANCE formed part of a package billing with RHAPSODY and ANGEL DUST for European dates during April of 2002. The accompanying album, the Sascha Paeth produced 'Only Human', included the by now expected cover version in RAINBOW's hit 'I Surrender'. Japanese versions on the Avalon Marquee label added a bonus track in 'Heroes Of Honor'. Hartmann, Schnur and Lucas would also find space to operate side project band HANZ DAMF. The singer also enrolled as frontman for Italian act EMPTY TREMOR in 2003.

Japanese versions of the May 2003 album 'The Evil In You' added an exclusive extra cut in a rendition of DEEP PURPLE's seminal 'Highway Star'. Sascha Feldmann took on the bass role that year.

Enrolled as frontman in 2004 would be former YNGWIE MALMSTEEN and TREAT vocalist Mats Leven whilst John A.B.C. Smith (Dario Trobok), of SCANNER and GALLOWS POLE repute, became the new bassist. Getting back to recording in early 2005, AT VANCE pulled in session drummer Franco Zuccaroli, a credited member of the ULI JON ROTH band. They then drafted Mark Cross as permanent band member, a scene veteran citing a tradition with Greek acts SCRAPTOWN, MAGNA CARTA, SPITFIRE and NIGHTFALL then KINGDOM COME, METALIUM, HELLOWEEN and VALANOS.

Ex-singer OLIVER HARTMANN issued his debut solo album, 'Out In The Cold', during April 2005. The AT VANCE 'Chained' album gave the band its debut on the Swedish charts at no. 60. Meantime, early 2005 also revealed that Mats Levén was in collaboration with the MERCYFUL FATE, KING DIAMOND, NOTRE DAME, DREAM EVIL and MEMENTO MORI credited Snowy Shaw on a new band project.

In the Autumn of 2005 Cross activated a new band unit billed GOD'S ARMY, a band unit conceived alongside the HALLOWED pairing of bassist John A.B.C. Smith and guitarist Ian O'Sullivan and featuring second guitarist Don Amiro. Cross joined FIREWIND in November. Further changes would see Alex Landenburg, a veteran of AXXIS, MEKONG DELTA, ANNIHILATOR, BROKEN GRACE and PHILOSOPHOBIA, taking over on drums, and singer Rick Altzi, of SANDALINAS, FREQUENCY and THUNDERSTONE, in 2007. Taking on bass duties that year would be the PURPLE HAZE credited Manuel Walther.

AT VANCE issued the 'VII' album in June 2007. Japanese editions added 'Bach Cello Prelude in G Major' plus a live version of 'Broken Vow'. However, the album landed the group in controversy when a Finnish act claimed copyright on the song 'Shiver'.

The self-produced 'Ride The Sky' album, featuring new bassist Wolfman Black, was released by AFM Records on 18th September 2009.

Garry Sharpe-Young