Product Code Database
Vicious Rumors are an American power metal band, originally formed in 1979 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was conceived by founder and guitarist/vocalist Geoff Thorpe, and has been actively recording and touring worldwide since their full-length recording debut in 1985. They are signed to the Germany-based label SPV GmbH.
While working towards a stable lineup, early incarnations of Vicious Rumors played live extensively within California's Bay Area between 1980 and 1985. Their first studio recordings appeared on compilations such as KMEL's New Oasis and U.S. Metal vol. III and IV in 1982, 1983 and 1984. These recordings helped the band obtain their first record deal with the legendary Shrapnel Records.
The band's first full-length album Soldiers of the Night was released in 1985, it featured Geoff Thorpe, Gary St. Pierre, Vinnie Moore, Dave Starr, and Larry Howe. It quickly began to establish VR's worldwide reputation. This release is classed as a milestone and a classic in power metal. The lineup at that time included a young guitarist named Vinnie Moore. (Vinnie originally lived in Delaware, but was recommended to the band by Shrapnel Records founder Mike Varney).
An increase in popularity began to generate interest in the band from major record labels, and in 1989 they signed a deal with the legendary major label Atlantic Records(Led Zeppelin, AC/DC,...). Their first Atlantic release was the self-titled Vicious Rumors in 1990. The band subsequently began their first full US tour—which lasted for over three months and shot their first official video, "Don't Wait for Me", directed by Gore Verbinski. This tour was quickly placed in rotation on MTV's Headbangers Ball.
1991 saw the release of Vicious Rumors' fourth album, Welcome to the Ball. This recording received Bay Area Music Awards nominations for "Best New Metal Album" and "Outstanding Metal Album" (other nominees included Metallica and Tesla). Their second MTV video, "Children", went beyond the exposure normally limited to metal bands on Headbangers Ball. It received regular daytime air play. The band finished the year with a one-month European tour—with Savatage—and four months worth of live US performance dates.
After a 1992 tour with label-mates Savatage and the release of the live album , guitarist Thorpe was diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome. He was forced to undergo surgery. During the year-long hiatus for Vicious Rumors, the band parted company with both Atlantic Records and bassist Dave Starr.
After Thorpe recovered, new bass player Tommy Sisco (ex-Villain with Carl Albert) was recruited. The band's sixth album, 1994's Word of Mouth, was recorded and released on the Rising Sun label. The CD included the song "Thunder and Rain" (parts 1 and 2), which was dedicated to the memory of Criss Oliva of Savatage.
Sales of "Word of Mouth" were strong, the reception was positive, and the band resumed touring to support the release. Vicious Rumors were now becoming increasingly popular in Europe; they were invited back to the Dynamo Open Air Festival in the Netherlands. They also joined forces with Accept for several summer festival dates. The band returned to Europe later that year for more live shows, this time with Metal Church, Zodiac Mindwarp and the Love Reaction, and Paul Di'Anno's Killers.
Upon Albert's death, the band released A Tribute to Carl Albert (culled from non-soundboard recordings taken from the Word of Mouth European tour), and their first home video The First Ten Years. Additionally Mark McGee composed and recorded the song "Find Your Way Home" for one of his solo projects (currently unpublished) and dedicated it to the memory of Albert.
The band decided not to replace Albert at that time, and Thorpe assumed the role of vocalist for the band's next album: Something Burning. This album was released in 1996 on the Massacre Records label. The song "Perpetual", included on the album, was the last track written with Albert. The resulting reviews of the new release were favorable, and VR subsequently undertook a European tour with Accept to support it. Cyberchrist, their next studio album, was recorded and released in 1998 with newcomer Brian O'Connor on vocals. The band was invited by Blind Guardian to join them for 30 tour dates on their highly successful "Nightfall in Middle-Earth" European tour. The band then took some time off from touring and recording primarily to recruit new personnel. They recruited a new bass player, Cornbread, who replaced Tommy Sisco, and Ira Black (ex Heathen—later with Lizzy Borden) filled the spot left by departing guitarist Smyth. Session players Atma Anur, Dan Lawson and Will Carroll (later with Death Angel) briefly sat in for drummer Larry Howe—who at the time wanted to take some time off from touring and recording. The new lineup recorded and released Sadistic Symphony with vocalist Morgan Thorn in 2001, but O'Connor re-joined the band for live dates in the US and Europe in support of the new album. These three albums had a more groove metal-oriented sound.
There were no new releases by Vicious Rumors in 2002 or 2003. During this period, band leader Thorpe was asked by longtime friend Daniel Jones of rock & roll band 7th Order to take part in recording sessions, alongside veteran British guitarist Martin Pugh (of Steamhammer, the first Rod Stewart solo album and Armageddon) and drummer Tim Kelliher (of Randy Hansen's Machine Gun), for their The Lake of Memory album (released on the Big Island Sounds label in 2007). Several tracks prominently featured Thorpe, and the album enjoyed a great deal of worldwide radio airplay.
The album Warball (co-produced by Juan Urteaga) was recorded and released on the Mascot Records label in early 2006. Members Cornbread and O'Connor left the band prior to its recording, but original members Dave Starr (bass) and Larry Howe (drums) returned. Vocalist James Rivera (Helstar) and guitarists Brad Gillis (Night Ranger, Ozzy Osbourne) and Thaen Rasmussen (Heathen, Anvil Chorus) contributed to the recordings of the new album. Worldwide sales were excellent and reviewers universally saw the Warball album as a genuine "return to form" of a more traditional Vicious Rumors sound after the more experimental releases of the post-Carl Albert incarnations of the band. 2007 Stephen Goodwin stepped in to serve as bassist, and the band played several dates in Europe, including shows with Agent Steel, HammerFall, Girlschool, Nazareth, and Heaven & Hell.
Upon the band's return to the US, Ronnie Stixx (Divine Ruins, Blood Redskies, Shadowkeep) took over as an interim replacement for the a departing Rivera. Rasmussen was replaced by Kiyoshi Morgan as second guitarist. Stixx was eventually replaced by Brian Allen (Last Empire, Wild Dogs).
In 2009, Thorpe and Howe (alongside Allen, Goodwin and Morgan) acknowledged the 30th Anniversary of the inception of Vicious Rumors, by performing songs from their debut album, Soldiers of the Night, with former singer Gary St. Pierre. at the Headbangers Open Air Festival. In 2011, Mark McGee, Tommy Sisco and Kevin Albert (the son of late vocalist Carl Albert) sat in with the band for their performance at the Keep It True Festival, also in Germany.
The band signed to SPV GmbH Records, and their tenth album Razorback Killers was released on March 28, 2011. Several guests joined them for the sessions: Mark McGee, Brad Gillis, and Testament guitarist Eric Peterson. The album also marked the recording debuts of Goodwin, Morgan and Allen. The band then departed for an extensive European summer tour, headlining 60 shows and supporting HammerFall on 30 shows. In early 2012, the band took part in the first heavy metal sea cruise, 70000 Tons of Metal.
In late 2012, after a series of summer festival performances in Europe with new entry Bob Capka on second guitar, the band released a live album, recorded on tour with HammerFall in 2011 – engineered by Pontus Norgren (HammerFall guitarist and FOH engineer for King Diamond, Candlemass) – titled Live You to Death in November 2012.
In May 2017 the band announced a new line up with the return of vocalist Brian Allen and guitarist Gunnar DüGrey replacing Holleman and Rasmussen respectively. This lineup of Vicious Rumors performed several live dates in Europe, as well as the US (California) in the summer of 2017.
In 2018 and 2019, the band celebrated the 30th anniversary of Digital Dictator with a world tour and a new line up. Nick Courtney was announced as replacement for the again departing Brian Allen on vocals, and Cody Green stepped in on bass for Tilen Hudrap. The touring is intense in US and Europe. In spring 2019, again at Keep It True Festival, Vicious Rumors held a special set with guest Kevin Albert on vocals. In 2020, a new album, Celebration Decay, was released which saw the studio debut of both DuGrey and Courtney. Guests on the record are Greg Christian on bass and Cody Green on guitars, while the band's new live bassist was the Swedish Robin Utbult.
In July 2022, the band announced that former Metal Church vocalist Ronny Munroe had joined the band. On July 24, 2023, Munroe announced his departure for medical reasons. He would be replaced with Brian Allen once again. The band tours once again worldwide, including the long awaited return to Japan. Longest standing member beside Geoff Thorpe, drummer Larry Howe, suddenly announces his departure from the band in May, 2024. For the following gigs is replaced by Gunnar Coston from the band Wicked. One month later also singer Brian Allen and guitarist Gunnar DuGrey step out from Vicious Rumors. Larry Howe anyway returns behind the drumkit very soon, while a new guitarist is found in Denver Cooper. Brian "Chalice" Betterton is announced as new vocalist.
Vicious Rumors' first studio album in five years, The Devil's Asylum, is due for release on August 29, 2025.
|
|
