IN EXTREMO have announced the new acoustic album ‘Tranquilo II’ for 23 October 2026. 17 tracks featuring newly recorded acoustic versions of classics spanning over three decades of band history, rarely played fan favourites, and the brand-new song ‘Heute wird der Himmel brennen’.The album showcases top-tier guests such as Doro Pesch, Monchi and Max Bobzin from FEINE SAHNE FISCHFILET, and Laura Fella from FAUN. A Deluxe CD and a strictly limited vinyl bundle will include an exclusive ‘Sternhagelvoller’ bonus EP, ahead of a major ‘Tranquilo II’ live acoustic tour in November and December.
Over Three Decades of Defying Boundaries
For more than three decades, IN EXTREMO have steadfastly walked their own path. With their distinctive signature sound combining modern rock, centuries-old melodies, and historical instruments, they have not only decisively shaped a genre of their own but also lifted medieval rock out of its niche and onto major stages. What began with performances at medieval markets has led the minstrels to sold-out tours and festivals across the globe, making IN EXTREMO arguably the most well-known and successful Medieval Rock band in the world.
Yet, a band whose history is defined by change, a love for experimentation, and the breaking of musical barriers does not like to look back without trying something new at the same time. Sometimes, it is the fans themselves who provide the decisive spark.
Sixteen years ago, IN EXTREMO presented their songs in a completely different setting for the first time under the title ‘Tranquilo’: quieter, acoustic, and stripped down to the essentials. This extraordinary concert concept revealed a previously unfamiliar side of the band and sparked massive enthusiasm among fans. The desire for a sequel has accompanied IN EXTREMO ever since. In 2026, after numerous albums and countless concerts, the minstrels have finally answered their followers’ calls.
Reimagining the Repertoire
The idea of finally bringing ‘Tranquilo’ back to the stage quickly grew into something more. Since the first chapter, the repertoire has expanded massively. New classics and live anthems have emerged, other tracks had not been played for a long time, and some songs seemed to be practically waiting to be completely dismantled and reassembled in a fresh musical guise. Thus, ‘Tranquilo II’ was born - not just as a special concert programme, but ultimately as a new album.
Across 17 tracks, IN EXTREMO bridge more than three decades of their history, blending the primal nature of minstrelsy with all the musical experience gathered along their extensive journey. Crucially, this is not about simply playing familiar tracks more quietly. The songs have been rearranged, partially reconstructed from the ground up, and open themselves up to styles one might not initially expect from IN EXTREMO. Swing, rockabilly, ska, and reggae meet Eastern European influences, centuries-old soundscapes, and the band’s very own musical DNA.
All tracks were recorded in a small studio in Dornbirn, Austria, capturing an authentic live atmosphere. Free from heavy production gear, the sessions left plenty of room for spontaneity, collaborative music-making, and fresh ideas. It is a working method that effectively returns IN EXTREMO to their roots while simultaneously demonstrating how far their musical horizons have expanded over three decades.
Stellar Collaborations and Guest Appearances
Crucial to this special sound are three top-class musicians who not only support IN EXTREMO on the album but will also join the band on tour in November and December: Oliver “SaTyr” Pade and Niel Mitra from FAUN, alongside violinist Justin Ciuche. Introducing additional instruments, arrangements, and tonal colours, they expand the musical spectrum of ‘Tranquilo II’ and will form an integral part of this special live ensemble.
Furthermore, the album features several surprising guests whose musical backgrounds could hardly be more distinct. For the classic track ‘Störtebeker’, IN EXTREMO brought Jan “Monchi” Gorkow from FEINE SAHNE FISCHFILET on board as a duet partner for Micha Rhein. The duo is backed by FEINE SAHNE FISCHFILET trumpeter Max Bobzin. This clash of two bands and musical worlds might seem unusual on paper, which is precisely why it works so brilliantly.
With Doro Pesch, a genuine Metal legend and long-time close friend of the band makes a guest appearance. Together with Micha Rhein, she lends a new, deeply moving intensity to ‘Feine Seele’ as a duet. Meanwhile, FAUN vocalist Laura Fella enriches the IN EXTREMO classic ‘Liam’ with her voice, which simultaneously serves as the leading single to kick off ‘Tranquilo II’.
These encounters perfectly exemplify what has defined IN EXTREMO since their inception: musical boundaries have never been walls for this band, but rather invitations to overcome them. From early on, the minstrels combined instruments, melodies, and lyrics from centuries past with the sheer force of contemporary Rock music, developing a sound that initially defied categorization. IN EXTREMO did not simply find their place within a genre; they were instrumental in shaping the genre itself and making it accessible to a mainstream audience.
A Legacy of Chart Success
With their last studio album ‘Wolkenschieber’, IN EXTREMO successfully entered the top three of the German album charts for the ninth consecutive time in 2024. Seven of their albums have been certified gold or platinum, and four reached number one in the German charts. Over the decades, what began as an unusual and daring musical idea has evolved into one of the most independent and successful German rock bands. Yet, to this day, IN EXTREMO have never lost their appetite for shattering expectations.
“IN EXTREMO have always been an unpredictable bunch, constantly surprising their fans and never doing what people actually expected,” says Micha Rhein with a smile. “Simply following up our 30th anniversary with another standard rock album would have been too predictable for us. Instead, on ‘Tranquilo II’, we show a side of ourselves that probably no one would have expected. For us, this record is a great opportunity to poach in foreign musical genres before sailing ahead again at full steam!”
Consequently, ‘Tranquilo II’ becomes a journey through their own history without looking back nostalgically. Ranging from early classics like their first hit ‘Spielmannsfluch’, to live anthems like ‘Frei zu sein’ and ‘Störtebeker’, through to newer pieces such as ‘Weckt die Toten’ and ‘Feine Seele’, familiar songs suddenly appear in a completely different light. At times stripped-back and intimate, at others boisterous and playful, and sometimes surprisingly far removed from their original form.
True to character, IN EXTREMO would not be themselves if they focused exclusively on the past during this retrospective. With ‘Heute wird der Himmel brennen’, ‘Tranquilo II’ therefore also includes a completely new song that blends seamlessly into the album’s acoustic universe whilst firmly looking ahead.
Exclusive Bonus Material
A very special encore awaits in the Deluxe CD version of ‘Tranquilo II’ as well as in the strictly limited vinyl bundle: the exclusive bonus EP ‘Sternhagelvoller’. While it is included as an additional CD in the Deluxe version, it is available as a strictly limited 10" vinyl EP within the exclusive vinyl bundle. These three songs are available uniquely in this compilation.
The namesake and centrepiece is ‘Sternhagelvoller’, the XXL version of one of the band’s most famous and beloved tracks. ‘Sternhagelvoll’ is the ultimate feel-good party smash in the IN EXTREMO repertoire, an essential fixture at every concert, and a nightly highlight of the set. For ‘Sternhagelvoller’, the band has now elevated this classic to a completely new level: the call went out to a whole host of fellow minstrels and companions who, like IN EXTREMO, have been bridging the medieval era and the present day for many years.
Answering the call were Ben from FEUERSCHWANZ / DARTAGNAN, Laura & Oli from FAUN, Teufel from TANZWUT, Eric from SUBWAY TO SALLY, Malte from VERSENGOLD, Pat & Albi from FIDDLER’S GREEN, Castus from CORVUS CORAX, David from HAGGEFUGG, Fabi from STORMSEEKER, and the warriors from FABULA. Together with IN EXTREMO, they transform ‘Sternhagelvoll’ into ‘Sternhagelvoller’, creating an almost six-minute-long anthem across generations that brings together an impressive portion of the medieval rock family.
With ‘Amontillado’, the bonus EP also contains another completely new and previously unreleased IN EXTREMO song, which can be found exclusively on ‘Sternhagelvoller’. The release is rounded off by ‘Ave Maria’, which IN EXTREMO recorded together with their friends from METAKLAPA. The Croatian vocal ensemble meets Micha Rhein here, giving the piece a completely new shape in this special vocal version.
In November and December, IN EXTREMO will subsequently bring the album to the stage in an equally extraordinary setting. Deliberately chosen venues such as the Admiralspalast in Berlin, the Laeiszhalle in Hamburg, the Alte Oper in Frankfurt, or the Circus Krone in Munich will provide the backdrop for concerts where, instead of a massive rock production, the focus will be on atmosphere, intimacy, and musical nuances.
After more than three decades and a journey from medieval markets to the world’s biggest stages, IN EXTREMO are thus coming full circle: back to making music together, back to direct encounters with their audience, and at the same time, setting sail once more for new musical shores. ‘Tranquilo II’ will be released via Universal Music and can be pre-ordered HERE. Further information can be found at: https://inextremo.universal-music.de/
IN EXTREMO - “Tranquilo Ii - The Acoustic Tour”
06 Nov 202 - A, Vienna, Globe Wien (at the Marx Halle)
07 Nov 202 - Munich, Circus Krone Bau
12 Nov 202 - Nuremberg, Meistersingerhalle
13 Nov 202 - Stuttgart, Hegel-Saal (at the Kultur- und Kongresszentrum Liederhalle)
14 Nov 202 - Berlin, Admiralspalast
17 Nov 202 - Wuppertal, Historische Stadthalle
19 Nov 202 - Osnabrück, OsnabrückHalle
20 Nov 202 - Neubrandenburg, Konzertkirche
21 Nov 202 - Halle (Saale), Georg-Friedrich-Händel-Halle
24 Nov 202 - Hamburg, Laeiszhalle
02 Dec 202 - Friedrichshafen, Kultur- und Kongresszentrum Graf-Zeppelin-Haus
03 Dec 202 - CH, Zurich, Volkshaus
04 Dec 202 - Frankfurt, Alte Oper
05 Dec 202 - Dillingen, Lokschuppen
10 Dec 202 - Hanover, Theater am Aegi
11 Dec 202 - Erfurt, Alte Oper
12 Dec 202 - Bremen, Metropol Theater
Source: Press Release
