Chitral Somapala

Chandana Chitral "Chity" Somapala was born into a prominent musical family in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on 4 November 1966. His deceased parents, father P.L.A. Somapala and mother Chitra Somapala (nee Perera) had been renowned Sri Lankan musicians, as well as music directors and producers, in which his father also worked in the capacity of a movie music director. Chitral's father, who entered the music arena in the 1940’s, had made contributions towards various fields of music, such as gramophone records, radio, cinema and television, for several decades that followed. After the marriage of Chitral's father, P.L.A. Somapala, to his mother Chitra Perera in 1952, almost all songs with the original tunes of Chitral's father began to be sung by his mother. The duo also contributed to the soundtrack of the renowned Sri Lankan movie "Asoka", a 1955 Sri Lankan Romantic Musical based on the Bollywood movie titled “Sheesa”. His parent's songs "Lalitha Kala" and "Dambulu Gale" are still popular hits among both the young and old generations in Sri Lanka. “Dambulu Gale” was also recreated by Chitral in later years, adding a soulful and accentuated touch to the original song, which brought mixed feedback by critics, musicians, and fans.

Chitral was educated at Isipathana College (formally known as Greenlands College), a national school for boys, located in Colombo 5, Sri Lanka. He was a talented sportsman including earning National Medals in junior cricket, football (soccer), and hockey. In 1977 he was selected from All Island as a teenage footballer for the International Year of the Child Programme in Tokyo, Japan. At the tender age of 10, and prior to focusing on singing, young Chitral (Chity) began to take guitar lessons. Soon after, at the age of 14, he switched to electric bass, and eventually began singing thereafter. As a teenager, at the considerably young age of 17, Chitral began to hit the Top 40 Nightclub Circuit in Colombo, Sri Lanka, where he ended-up gigging with the leading bands and artists of Sri Lanka of that particular era. In the year 1985, the ingenious musician joined the Sri Lankan band called Shock, an alternative band founded by Diliup Gabadamudalige, considered to be the pioneer of computer-based music production in Sri Lanka, and a main figure of the modern music industry in the island nation.

In 1986, Chitral traveled to Europe: namely; Switzerland, Germany, Austria and Finland — as the bassist and singer of a Top 40 band called Rendesvouz (which was later named Friends). The band Friends also backed numerous well-known artists in the aforesaid European countries. After indulging in the night club tenure for a considerable duration, in time — and after touring from club to club for a while playing Top 40 Hits — he decided to take a diverse turn in his music career. Therefore, in 1994 Chitral left the previously involved music/performance sequence, and began concentrating on performing only as a vocalist in order to pursue his dream of playing Hard Rock and Heavy Metal. In this noteworthy journey, he joined a well-known German underground metal act called Court Jester in 1996, with whom he recorded the album "Forced II Believe", which received countless favorable reviews in the European press.

Chitral "Chity" Somapala in 2009

In 1998, Chitral contributed the astounding song "Nadee Ganga", which has ever since been continuously heard not only on Sri Lankan radio stations and TV channels, but also has become a hit song sung by numerous contestants at popular reality TV programmes conducted in Sri Lanka over the years. It was originally recorded by Chitral for a TV/Radio commercial to promote the brand of Lion Beer in Sri Lanka, which is of high demand on the island. It immediately became an undying, captivating hit, and is based on the melody of "Many Rivers To Cross" by Jimmy Cliff. However, Chitral sings this amazing song with Sinhala lyrics in a Hard Rock and Metal style, via his significantly smashing own idiosyncratic vocal stylings.

As the years flew by, Chitral joined a German Melodic Power/Progressive band called Avalon as front man and lead singer. In collaboration with others, Avalon was produced by Charlie Bauerfeind, a German sound engineer and producer who had worked mostly with power metal bands such as Helloween, Gamma Ray, Blind Guardian, Saxon, etc. The aforesaid German progressive outfit Avalon was in the midst of the underground scene going back to 1992. While their earlier exploits were a clear exercise in solid musicianship, 1998 brought in the voice that would both solidify and codify this band's sound: the then up & comer Chity Somapala. The third album by Avalon, “Vision Eden”, received excellent reviews in the international press. Moreover, the Vision Eden tour had Avalon as a support act for bands such as HammerFall, Uriah Heep, Metallica, Motörhead, Royal Hunt, Pink Cream 69, and many others. During the summer of 2000, Chitral participated on Avalon's 4th Album, "Eurasia", under the hands of Sascha Paeth, who is known for his work with Rhapsody Of Fire, Kamelot, Heaven's Gate, Angra and others. On “Eurasia” certain Asian musical influences from Chitral's native Sri Lanka could be heard as well. In addition, during the vocal parts on “Eurasia”, Chitral could be heard playing a member of the guitar family, the "Chapman Stick", an electric musical instrument devised by Emmett Chapman in the early 1970s. Avalon was more diverse than the usual power metal bands, and consisted of quality Euro Power Metal with plenty of Prog Metal influences in their music. They necessarily did not attempt to go over the top with countless double bass or stretching guitar licks. Instead, Avalon utilized these entities only when necessary, creating an exclusive effect which made them unique. The release of “Eurasia” was followed by a European tour with Metalium. Avalon disbanded shortly afterwards.

In 2002, Chitral contributed "Greenland's Theme" for his alma mater, Isipathana College's International Rugby Championships in Sri Lanka. Later that year, Chitral formed a melodic rock outfit called Faro.[1] The band released the albums ”Dawn of Forever” and "Angelost" through MTM Music. Also in 2002. In Summer 2003 Chitral recorded the album "Echoes Of A Nightmare" with the Swedish symphonic metal band Moonlight Agony for Massacre Records. Towards the latter part of 2003, Chitral was auditioned by the young Greek guitar virtuoso Gus G (who has also played in Mystic Prophecy, Nightrage, Arch Enemy, Dream Evil, and Ozzy Osbourne) to join his band Firewind for a January 2004 headline tour of Japan. Following a successful Japanese tour, Gus G asked Chitral to join the band on a permanent basis, and soon after they began sharing ideas for Firewind’s third album. The result of their timely collaboration, "Forged By Fire", entered the Japanese TOP 100, and received excellent reviews around the globe. After a tour with Hammerfall in 2005, Chitral decided to leave Firewind.

In 2006, Chitral formed his own band Civilization One together with guitarist Aldo Lonobile (Secret Sphere), bassist Pierre-Emmanuel Pelisson (Maladaptive, Ex-Heavenly), and drummer Luca Cartasegna (Secret Sphere). Their intention was to form a band which created hard and aggressive riffs with the sensitivity of classical music, and combine them with memorable vocals and choruses, as achieved by the classic Heavy Metal bands. Civilization One released the critically acclaimed albums “Revolution Rising” (2007) and “Calling The Gods” (2012). Civilization One is currently on hiatus. Chitral was recording and performing with the German progressive metal band Red Circuit from 2002 till 2016 and the British Classic Rock/Metal band Rekuiem from 2008 till 2012, one of the founding members of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal Movement back in the early 1980s from Birmingham. In May 2010, Chitral joined the British power metal band Power Quest. Following 17 months as a member of the band and an album release, "Blood Alliance”, he left the band on amicable terms, Chitral was the composer and singer of the Olympic Theme Song, “Dreams of Fire” for MTV in Sri Lanka, and he also composed and sang “Believing The Dream’”, the Official Cricket World Cup song for MTV.

Having countless experiences in the music field of recording, Chity was offered to work with some internationally recognized film directors for film scoring. He has worked with Chandran Ratnam, Asoka Handagama, and other notable filmmakers and has won international & national awards. In addition, he has been producing his compositions of film scores for Sri Lankan movies of the new generation, as well as several music videos featuring his original hits, which have a deep message to injustices occurring in current affairs in his native land. He also recorded a duet titled "Malakuth Thibuna " with popular Sri Lankan female vocalist Umara Sinhawansha. His other original Sri Lankan hits, produced during the recent past, which acquired absolute positive feedback from the local press, as well as promising devotion from his local fans include: Aherenna (Ege Esa Aga / Let Her Cry - Film-score + Theme Song), Man Adareyi (Me Wage Adarayak / A Love like this - Movie Score + Theme Song), Miringuwa Parada, Sihinaya Pupura Yai from the movie ‘Dedunu Akase’, Vilpaththuwe deforestation of the national park ‘Wilpaththwa’ Chitral also performed as a solo singer at the 2009 & 2011 ‘Fete La Musique’ Concerts with the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra at Rock Am Knuedler with Professor/Conductor Gast Waltzing, a highly acclaimed achievement for a Sri Lankan born musician. Chitral is a Sri Lankan musician who has done wonders in bringing the Contemporary Rock/Metal flavor to Sri Lankan audiences, and perhaps the most important figure in Sri Lankan 20th century popular music; He undoubtedly holds responsibility for bringing Rock and Heavy Metal Music to Sri Lankan ears. As such, today Chitral is considered one of the most acclaimed Hard Rock/Metal vocalists and composers in his native country of Sri Lanka.

• 2008 and 2009: Performing at the "TNL-Onstage-Show Sri Lanka" with Civilization One as special guest as the first ever international metal act

• Performing at Wacken Open Air Festival with the band Rokken

• Contributed to the singing technique book "Raise Your Voice" by Jamie Vendera (USA)

• 2009: Concert with the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra as solo singer at Rock um Knuedler with Professor Gast Waltzing

• 2011: Composing and singing the Cricket Championship song, "Believing the Dream," in Sri Lanka

• Performance in the USA with Red Circuit at the Premier ProgPower USA Festival

• 2012: recording first solo album Photographic Breath

• Composer and singer of the Olympic theme song "Dreams of Fire" for MTV in Sri Lanka.

• 1996 – Court Jester – Forced To Believe (Allister Records)
• 1998 – Avalon – Vision Eden (Omega Records)
• 2000 – Avalon – Eurasia (Omega Records)
• 2000 – Aimless – Seven Stars and Supernova (Bellaphone/Allister Records) (Bass Player)
• 2001 – Another Piece of Metal – Tribute To Scorpions (Dwell Records)
• 2002 – Shadowkeep – A Chaos Theory – (Limb Music) – Backing Vocals
• 2002 – WOLFF – Metanoia – (LEICO Music, LC-7701) – Guest Vocals (some songs)
• 2003 – Faro – Dawn of Forever (MTM Music)
• 2003 – MTM Compilation – Volume 9 (MTM Music)
• 2004 – Final Chapter – The Wizard Queen (Underground Symphony) – Guest Vocals
• 2004 – Moonlight Agony – Echoes of a Nightmare (Massacre Records)
• 2004 – Mystic Prophecy – Never Ending (Nuclear Blast) – Backing Vocals
• 2004 – Firewind – Forged By Fire (Emi/Toshiba)
• 2005 – Firewind – Forged By Fire (Century Media Records)
• 2006 – Faro – Angelost (MTM Music)
• 2006 – Red Circuit – Trance State (Limb Music)
• 2007 – Civilization One – Revolution Rising (Metal Heaven)
• 2009 – Red Circuit – Homeland (Limb Music)
• 2009 – Chitral Somapala – The Works (Criminal Records)
• 2011 – Power Quest – Blood Alliance (Napalm Records)
• 2012 – Chitral Somapala – Photographic Breath (Audio Gate Productions - M Entertainment)
• 2012 – Mob Rules – Cannibal Nation (AFM Records)
• 2012 – Civilization One – Calling the Gods (Limb Music)
• 2014 – Chitral Somapala - "Sinhabumi" (M Entertainment - Audio Gate Productions)
• 2014 – Mob Rules - "Time Keeper" (AFM Records)
• 2014 – Red Circuit - ''Haze of Nemesis" (Limb Music)

• 2016 – Vivaldi Metal Project - “Four Seasons”  (Pride & Joy Music)
• 2017 – Beyond the Labyrinth - ‘’The Art of Resilience” (Spinal Records)
• 2018 – Costas Varras - “Neon Classical”  (Symmetric Records)
• 2018 – Chitral Somapala - “Dambulugale”  (Audio Gate Productions)
• 2018 – Chitral Somapala - “Aharenna - Wake up”  (Audio Gate Productions)

• 2014 - Leeches - Film Music Composer
• 2015 - A Love like this - මේ වගේ ආදරයක් - Film Music Composer  & Playback Singer
• 2015 - Let her cry - ඇගේ ඇස අග - Film Music Composer & Playback Singer
• 2016 - ආදරණීය කතාවක් - Composer & Playback Singer
• 2017 - දේදුණු ආකාසේ - Composer & Playback Singer
• 2018 - Bahuchithawadiya- බහුචිතවාදියා - The Undecided - Film Music Composer
• 2018 - The Wind Beneath Us - සුළඟ අපි රැගෙන යාවි - Film Music Composer & Composer

• Chitral "Chity" Somapala official website (English)
• Rekuiem official website (English)
• Red Circuit official website
• House of Music (Music School - Trier / Germany)
• ලංකාවේ වැඩිපුරම තියෙන්නේ කැපිල්ල තමයි - චිත්‍රාල් සෝමපාල (Sinhala)