Formed in the town of Nakkila, Finland in the late 70′s. Their debut album was released on a Swedish record label – Tyfon Grammofon in 1982. By then the line-up consisted of Ape De Martini (vocals),Kari Elo (Guitar), Tauno Vajavaara (Bass guitar) & Mark Ruffneck (Drums). The Second-hand lady/Rather Knight-single was released the same year. The band gigged around Finland and even appeared on Finnish TV playing Hey You and Second-Hand Lady backed up with pyrotechnics and all.

Soon afterwards Jay C Blade was asked to join the band as a bass guitarist. Jay C. Bladehad been kicked out of Sarcofagus in which he had been handling the lead vocals on theEnvoy of death album released in 1980, after which he had re-joined his first band Masque.Jay joined OZ, bringing with him Esa Niva from Masque. Esa Niva got out of the band pretty quickly though, and somewhere along the way Spooky Wolff (ex Noitawaimo) and Speedy Foxx were recruited, both on guitars. The classic lineup was now complete. They played their debut gig at the Göta Lejon theatre in Stockholm. Jay C Blade became the main contributor of songs and soon the band recorded their next album.

Fire in the brain was released in 1983. It is arguably one of the best releases ever by any Swedish or Finnish metal band. With such classics as Search Lights, Black Candles and Megalomaniac it is an album with no weak moments, a major advancement from their debut and it was well received, selling fairly good in the USA and Japan as well.

By then the music market in Finland was underdeveloped and the band decided to move to Sweden to test their strength there instead. Their record label was located in Sweden anyway, so it was a logical choice. Mark Ruffneck was the first of them to move to Stockholm and the rest of the OZ-men soon followed.

Their next release was the Turn the cross upside down-single in 1984. The title track smelled of black metal and is still one their best remembered songs. The first royalty payment Jayreceived for the single was of the sum of 666 SEK (Swedish kronor). Jay took that as a sign of some sort and decided to cut down on the “satanic” stuff.

Though the next album still contained a bit of that dark religious stuff in the shape of the song Crucified. Their third full length album III Warning was also released in 1984. Solely written by Jay C. Blade, it included such goodies as Crucifiedand the title track itself. The band were supposed to go on tour as a support act for Venom on their USA and Canada dates, but their American manager somehow fucked it all up. They still played a few gigs around Sweden, though. Their stage act included the vocalist cutting guitars to pieces with the large knife which can be seen in the hands of the vocalist on the front cover of the III Warning album.

Their fourth album Decibel storm was released in 1986. This time the other band members apart from Jay C Blade had contributed more to the songwriting than on the previous album and the results were great. This was the first OZ album to have a little bit of keyboards on it, nothing too cheesy though. The songs Firestarter and Disaster Dreamer are classics. The band had planned to do a video for one of the songs on the album, but whether those plans came to realization or not is unknown.

Some while after the release of the album Jay C Blade was asked to fill in on guitar for New York-based Princess Pang on a 4 gig tour. Jay accepted the offer and headed to New York. The gigs went well and when he returned to Sweden it had already been decided that he was to join Princess Pang as a full-time member of the band. At the time, OZ had lost both their guitarists Spooky Wolff and Speedy Foxx, soJay was the third man to leave the band in a short period of time.

4 years went by before OZ would find themselves back in the business of recording again. New bandmembers had been recruited; Michael Lundholm as sole guitarist and Tobbe Moen on bass guitar, as well as a keyboard player by the name of Jörgen Schelander. Tobbe Moen was later replaced by Fredrik Thörnblom on bass guitar after the recording sessions at the Sky Trak Studio in Berlin. The album Roll the dice was released in 1991. The songs on the album were mainly written by Ape De Martini and the new guitar player, resulting in a bit different style and sound than the earlier OZalbums. The title track stands out as the best offering on the album. The band again played a few gigs, but the music scene had changed and the Swedish death metal boom was in full action, resulting in loss of interest and gig-offers for more classic kinds of metal in the underground scene of Stockholm. So, the band slowly faded away from then and there.

2010 – 2011 NEW OZ LINE-UP, VIDEO, ALBUM TITLE & PRODUCER

The reunited OZ were recording their new album at Park studio in Stockholm, Sweden. The most of AXworks on the new album was performed by Legendary Markku Petander (a former member of Finnish bands Popeda and Yö). LegendaryCostello Hautamäki known from Hanoi Rocks‘ 2002-period (Twelve Shots on the Rocks-album) and from voluminous albums and tours with the Finnish band Popeda and young AXman Michel Santunione (Guitar player in the Queen musical ‘We Will Rock You’ in Sweden/Norway) were firering on some of the tracks their best shots. Present in the studio was also Nicke Andersson (ex Entombed & Hellacopters) operating as producer. The new album was having working title ‘Greatezt Blitz‘ and is now having the official title ‘Burning Leather’ and contains both new songs and re-recordings of old OZ classics. Some of the songs included are ‘Dominator‘, ‘Seasons in the Darkness‘ and ‘Burning Leather‘. The new album “Burning Leather” was released 18th November 2011 World Wide by AFM Records, Germany and Spiritual Beast, Japan.

The new touring line-up consists of 2 new guitarists: Michel Santunione and John Berg, along with the classic trio of Ape DeMartini, Jay C. Blade and Mark Ruffneck . Michel Santunione is previously known as Guitar Player in the Queen Musical ‘We Will Rock You’in Sweden/Norway. John Berg is a former member of Dynasty and today playing guitar on stage with Chris Laney.

In 1985, Ron Daniel had become tired of playing in the southern California punk scene. He’d joined the band The Hags when their lead guitarist went to jail, and had enjoyed the notoriety that came with being in one of Orange County’s most controversial stage acts. Billed as “Rock and Roll’s abortion,” the group was like a punk Black Sabbath with a genius sociopath at the mic. (Mark Dead regularly using surgically precise insults to provoke audiences towards violence against himself and the band.)

One night, when headlining a 12-band bill celebrating the grand reopening of a famous punk club, Ron was grousing to high school pals Matt Jordan and James Lareau about the scene, about having no creative control, and about the fact that this music was just too damn SLOW. He said he was ready to quit.

Matt was playing drums in Iron Maiden tribute band Barrier at the time. With no permanent singer or bass player, the future wasn’t looking promising. Bassist James was playing with the Schuerman brothers in punk band Lethal Gene, but the band wasn’t gigging enough.

Together, the three of them decided to dump their bands and form a new unit: Tracer (named after the visual effects LSD has on its user). They began writing tunes immediately. But even after auditioning half a dozen singers, the right vocalist couldn’t be found. They temporarily borrowed Tony Vargas (L.S.N./Vermin) to produce a three-song demo entitled “Sudden Death,” but the band was destined to dissolve.

Matt wanted to keep playing, and put an ad in the Recycler asking for musicians that were “into Slayer and old KISS.” A guitarist named Brett answered the ad. Brett Sarachek had come to L.A. from Kansas, and played in several metal groups with names that would later be recognizable: Blind Decree featured guitarist Glenn Rogers (Deliverance/Vengeance Rising/Hirax) and Mike Gonzales (Dark Angel), and The Hierophant had vocalist Julian Mendez (Heretic).Matt and Brett decided to jam, and invited Ron to sit in. Starting with Slayer’s “Black Magic,” they played a few tunes that sounded tight. As a joke, Ron picked up the mic and belted out another Slayer tune. Matt and Brett were floored. They emphatically told Ron that they didn’t need to find a vocalist. HE was the guy. Hesitant, Ron finally acquiesced. If they could find a bass player, they’d be up and running immediately. James was called, and in 1986, VIKING was born.They started furiously writing new tunes and reworking some of the Tracer and Hierophant material. In a very short time, they had a setlist and started booking shows.

VIKING managed to land a recording contract upon the completion of their second live concert, a feat practically unheard of in the clubs of Hollywood.VIKING went on to open for such acts as MEGADETH, FORBIDDEN, and SACRED REICH, as well as headlining many of their own shows.

Although VIKING had a six-album contract with Metal Blade Records and an upcoming U.S. tour with Helstar, Ron knew that his new-found Christian faith would not withstand the temptations of the road. He quit the band in 1990 along with Matt Jordan, who had also recently become a Christian. With only two members remaining, VIKING immediately disbanded. Brett, having replaced DARK ANGEL’s Jim Durkin on a world tour, joined the band full time, and released “Time Does Not Heal” before exiting the band himself. In the meantime, Ron and Matt had moved to Oregon, and James pursued a career in sculpture.

Fast-forward 22 years. A new generation of thrash fans revere the music of the “old guard”: that first wave of bands from ’85, ’86, and ’87 who followed Slayer and Metallica into the pit. Bootleggers are producing VIKING records and merchandise. Relentless requests from both long-time followers and new thrash fans demand the return of VIKING.

In 2011, Ron Daniel Eriksen and Matt Jordan reunited for the purpose of creating new tunes. The new VIKING page on Facebook gained over a thousand fans the first week — and continues to grow towards 20,000. A new, full-length studio album of original tunes has been written and recorded, soon to be released as “No Child Left Behind.” Original members Ron and Matt have teamed up with former Dark Angel bassist Michael Gonzalez, and Justin Zych of VadimVon, with live shows being booked for 2013.

Bill Sabo started the band along with his cousin Eric Marderwald. Bob Piskac joined next to help with recordings and live sound. Bill auditioned Ken Erb and was very impressed with his guitar playing. It took some time after that to find Kelly Berkshire then finally Vic Hix.

THE GATES OF SLUMBER encapsulates the metal experience for true believers. The Indianapolis doom metal trio formed in the late 1990’s with the goal of creating a band whose sound delivered an updated take on the member’s long list of favorite heavy metal greats. Weaned on Black Sabbath, St. Vitus, the melodic might of Iron Maiden and a host of classic bands from Thin Lizzy to Rainbow to Mercyful Fate, THE GATES OF SLUMBER draw deep from heavy metal’s most powerful blood and deliver doom in its purest form.

The underground Heavy Metal scene is certainly not for everyone. From the dreams of glitz and glamour that certain giants from the 80s and even modern bands that thrive from paycheck to paycheck, making it is the be all end all for some. Not that there is anything wrong with living off of what you love to do. It’s just almost scary how certain members of the human race can turn their integrity inside out at the flip of a dollar and history has proven, with exception (always), success to do more harm than good, especially if a band has or had any kind of staying power. Greed is a terrible thing. For others, its not always about being in the Top 40, having your video on Headbangers Ball, being on a major label, sharing the stage with the most happening band(s), free scrotum waxing, getting a gold record, etc. Some don’t care too much about that. Metal is a lifestyle to some and that has definitely been proven over the years by a certain US band.

October 31 have one main goal, to produce the most uncompromising, no frills Heavy Metal they possibly can spew forth. The latest, “No Survivors”, further proves this being the heaviest October 31 yet, and just as memorable as the rest. 

THE RESURRECTION OF SLEEPY HOLLOW

Known, stylistically, for combining the elements of Power and Doom metal, America’s SLEEPY HOLLOW are, thus far, credited with three official releases; the self-titled “Sleepy Hollow” (1991) “A Legend Retold” (2000) and the “best of” collection “Rest In Pieces: 1989-1992″ (2002).

In August of 1989, vocalist Bob Mitchell formed SLEEPY HOLLOW with guitarist Steve

Seax was formed in 2009 by guitarist Hel with the intent to play Speed Metal.
The band found its first stable lineup late in 2010 and started playing live in 2011.
Their first album “High on Metal” was recorded in the same year, and released in 2012.
In 2013, they started recording their second album “To the Grave”.
It was mixed by the bands guitarist, Eli, and mastered by Jack Control @ Enormous Door Mastering.
It was released on December of 2014.
Right now the band is finishing the writing of their 3rd album, which will be released in the fall.

Seax is:
Carmine Blades – Vocal
Hel – Guitar
Eli Firicano – Guitar
Mike Bones – Bass
Derek Jay – Drums

Cleveland, Ohio… A town where sports come to die and metal comes to live. A city that has seen it’s share of metal titans by their own rights. Destructor, Nunslaughter, Purgatory, Midnight, Soulless, Black Death and many more. In two thousand five the city would give birth to another bastard of speed and aggression… Vindicator would tear down the walls and burn the scene to the ground. Quickly earning respect from the old guard and garnering new fans with every show, the band quickly propelled to the forefront of the thrash resurgence with acts like Warbringer, Merciless Death, and Bonded By Blood.

Vindicator continue to unleash their signature brand of thrash metal to die hard fans of the genre and the unsuspecting alike. Years of consistent touring has created a solid fan base amongst the truest of metal warriors. Following the release of 2008’s There Will Be Blood, 2009’s split Outbreak Of Metal (with tuetonic terrors, Metal Witch), and 2010’s The Antique Witcheries, Vindicator cemented their place in the U.S. thrash scene.

Some retooling of the band’s lineup has them poised to launch their next assault on the metal masses in the form of Vindicator’s upcoming third full-length release. Fans can expect a sound that is true to the roots of Thrash, yet fresh and exciting with a new level of energy and musicianship.