virgin steele new album...

VIRGIN STEELE Leader Says New Album Has The "Untamed Fury, Pure Unadulterated Energy Of Albums Like LED ZEPPELIN 2 Or The Early VAN HALEN Albums"







VIRGIN STEELE's forthcoming metal opus, The Black Light Bacchanalia will be released on October 22 in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, and the rest of Europe on October 25 and on Novemeber 9 in North America.

Leader David DeFeis checks in from the studio: "This has been one tense week for us to say the least! Josh (Block) and I have worked like demons from the farthest crypts of Hades and Vikings on a rampage to complete this album. Due to some freaky electrical malfunctions caused by the various late summer storms we have had here, we lost various tracks from the majority of the songs on the album, including information on drives that were the backups. The gods and goddesses of all things involving the Currents of the earth and sky are not always kind. Luckily we had enough material from earlier sessions baked up on other drives, to be able to go in and frantically begin work again, re-recording over the past three or four days about 75-80-% of the album all over again in terms of vocals, guitars and a few stray bits of orchestration. Now after a harrowing week, we are in the home stretch and once again racing to the finish line in our attempt to make our deadline. While we are in for another major league insane day and night, this actually looks possible.

The end result of all this manic activity, is that an already raw and passionate album is even more raw and passionate! Listening back last night, I was reminded of the untamed fury and pure unadulterated energy of albums like LED ZEPPELIN 2, or the early VAN HALEN albums. Not that Virgin Steele sounds like that per say, but that spontaneity, that abandon, is captured here. If Zeppelin came back today as a barbaric-romantic metal band and were releasing there first album, they might have made an album like we are making now. It sounds like a debut album in many ways. It is very honest and overflowing with exuberance. It is heavy when it needs to be, atmospheric on occasion, epic in all directions, violent, tender, proud and ultimately defiant.

I want to express my thanks to my friend and bandmate Josh Block for his dedication, determination, and for hanging in there with me, not only playing wicked guitar on the record, but also contributing his exceptional engineering skills throughout the recording and mixing process. I also wish to thank our good Friend and long time recording engineer Ed Warrin for his tireless assistance, keen ears, great wit, and Noble skills in helping to bring this album to a proper close.

I also wish to send out a royal thanks and a round of drinks to: our drummer Frank Gilchriest who contributed amazing drum performances even while suffering from a severely injured ankle. He is the new and indestructible Keith Moon, and he shall remain Invictus. And thanks and cheers to Edward (Van Dorian) Pursino for his passionate guitar work and positive vibes throughout these past several months of traveling and recording.

We hope that you will all enjoy the fruits of our summer of madness."

A BraveWords.com exclusive in-studio listen to The Black Light Bacchanalia can be viewed here.

The Black Light Bacchanalia will be released in four formats, three of which are standard CD, limited edition CD Digipak with a bonus CD, digital download and strictly limited edition LP box set. Each version will have its own unique artwork. Details on each format and the artwork can be found below:

Limited Edition Digipak:




CD 1

'By The Hammer Of Zeus (And The Wrecking Ball Of Thor)'
'Pagan Heart'
'The Bread Of Wickedness'
'In A Dream Of Fire'
'Nepenthe (I Live Tomorrow)'
'The Orpheus Taboo'
'To Crown Them With Halos (Parts 1 & 2)'
'The Black Light Bacchanalia (The Age That Is To Come)'
'The Tortures Of The Damned'
'Necropolis (He Answers Them With Death)'
'Eternal Regret'

CD 2

'When I'm Silent (The Wind Of Voices)' (Bonus Track)
'Silent Sorrow' (Bonus Track)
'From A Whisper To A Scream - (The Spoken Biography) - spoken by David DeFeis

Standard Jewel Case Edition:




'By The Hammer Of Zeus (And The Wrecking Ball Of Thor)'
'Pagan Heart'
'The Bread Of Wickedness'
'In A Dream Of Fire'
'Nepenthe (I Live Tomorrow)'
'The Orpheus Taboo'
'To Crown Them With Halos (Parts 1 & 2)'
'The Black Light Bacchanalia (The Age That Is To Come)'
'The Tortures Of The Damned'
'Necropolis (He Answers Them With Death)'
'Eternal Regret'

Strictly Limited Collector's Edition LP Box Set:




Bonus Materials

- Book in LP format with the complete history of Virgin Steele (written by David DeFeis)
- Extra large full color poster
- Sticker
- Postcard
- Jewel case version of the album

LP 1

Side 1

'By The Hammer Of Zeus (And The Wrecking Ball Of Thor)'
'Pagan Heart'

Side 2

'The Bread Of Wickedness'
'In A Dream Of Fire'

LP 2

Side 1

'Nepenthe (I Live Tomorrow)'
'The Orpheus Taboo

Side 2

'To Crown Them With Halos (Parts 1 & 2)'
'The Black Light Bacchanalia (The Age That Is To Come)'

LP 3

Side 1

'The Tortures Of The Damned'
'Necropolis (He Answers Them With Death)'

Side 2

'Eternal Regret'
'When I'm Silent' (Bonus Track)

All LPs come in printed inner sleeves.