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TYRANT BAND PAGE
 TYRANT
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CURRENT NAME
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Tyrant | |
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FORMER NAMES
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- | |
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ORIGIN
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Pasadena, California, USA | |
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STATUS
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Active | |
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FORMED IN
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1978 | |
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LABEL
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Roadrunner Records | |
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GENRE
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Heavy metal | |
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STYLE
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- | |
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LYRICAL THEME
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- | |
| BAND ADDED | 2002-07-30, 00:00 | |
| LAST UPDATE | 2009-03-21, 22:41 | |
Biography | Band members | Discography | Shows | Forum
| Band biography |
In '78, Greg formed a band in high school, just for fun, nothing serious. It included Richard Fuentes on vocals, Tony Ramirez, Gary Crisp,and Bill Stremmel on guitars, and Phil Hilick on drums.
By 1980, Greg had played with members of such groups as Metallica, W.A.S.P., Armored Saint and Warlord, just to name a few. Guitarist Rocky Rockwell's (3-29-61) previous band, Visions, ironically featured Tim Gains of Stryper.
In '82, the two recruited Greg's brother, Glen May (8-13-63), a big (6'3", 230 lbs.), violent high school football player, to replace their previous singer Doug Anderson, on lead vocal and frontman requirements. "Doug also played guitar and looked like Peter Frampton." Greg explained. "It didn't work. Glen's football career was over after high school, so I brought him in and it clicked." Previous drummers have included Rob Roy, G. Stanley Burtis and Tom Meadows.
After two shows in Hollywood, California, Brian Slagel of Metal Blade Records and the band Bitch contacted Greg of TYRANT. The late 1983 release of "Battle of Armageddon", from the Metal Blade Records album "Metal Massacre III", was the result. After the release the label was flooded with mail from all over the world demanding more vinyl from TYRANT. This lead to Metal Blade Records signing TYRANT to an international recording contract.
The group returned to the studio with "Armageddon" producer Bill Metoyer, to record TYRANT's debut LP, "Legions of the Dead" which was completed and released in 1985. The LP sold well and hit Kerrang Magazine's (Europe's biggest rock publication) top ten import chart for two months. TYRANT's single, "Listen to the Preacher," was featured on the "Best of Metal Blade, Volume 1" double LP in 1986. The LP included, among others, Slayer, Trouble, VoiVod, Metal Church and Celtic Frost.
In 1988, contractual agreements demanded another vinyl release from the group, so they again enlisted the services of producer Bill Metoyer, then recorded and released "Too Late to Pray"--their best effort to date. Again, TYRANT's LP attracted praise from both fans and magazines around the world. The band had been offered opening slots for groups such as Slayer, Savatage, and Mercyful Fate, but the band felt that they were equal to these groups and should not have to open, so they declined on those tours.
The band continued to play live and demo songs on 4-track. In 1994, Metal Massacre III was re-released on C.D. worldwide; after which the band's attorneys Mark and Earnie contacted Metal Blade Records and the rights to TYRANT's material and band name were assigned to founder/bassist Greg May.
Thanks to an advertisement in Factor X magazine and a guy named Chris Liebengut, the word was out and two German record labels fought for the group. Art of Music won the battle and brought Greg May to Germany for a promo tour. Art of Music also put TYRANT back into the studio witb long time producer Bill Metoyer for the making of "King of Kings," which was released in 1996. In keeping with tradition, "King of Kings" gained international praise from fans and press alike.
Preparing to hit the club circuit to correspond with the new CD "King of Kings" and the re-issues of "Legions" and "Too Late", guitarist Rocky Rockwell backed out of two big shows that had been agreed to.
TYRANT recruited long time acquaintance, Anthony Romero, former guitarist of previous Metal Blade group, Blood Lust. Blood Lust had an L.P. in 1985 entitled "Guilty as Sin". Anthony is in the vein of Uli Roth, Blackmore and Iommi rather than Satriani, as Rocky Rockwell had become.
As of 1997, the band has been writing new TYRANT material. The first songs are "Evil World," "Soul Taker," and "Crimson Hill". They have also just signed with Dwell Records to do Motorhead and Black Sabbath tribute CD's that will be released worldwide in '98-'99. The band is gaining momentum for the new millennium.
The biography was taken from here.
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