Jimmy Kay from The Metal Voice recently spoke to Virgin Steele's main man David DeFeis about the bands upcoming remixed anniversary albums (Debut and Guardians of the flame).
Photo Credit: Carmine Fergo -Debut era
Photo Credit: Bill Pickering- Guardians of the flame era
Hot on the heels of last summer’s brand new Bombastic Epic release “THE PASSION OF DIONYSUS” coming this summer in addition to the re-release of the very first VIRGIN STEELE album, the second VIRGN STEELE album, “GUARDIANS OF THE FLAME”, will also be re-released in tandem with the first album, on August 23, 2024, via Steamhammer/SPV in a very special edition, as a digi-CD and as a Gatefold Double Vinyl LP, and also in digital format.
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When asked about the upcoming remixed anniversary albums (Debut and Guardians of the Flame)
"It was done the old school way of taking the actual physical tapes and putting them in the convection oven and baking them. It worked pretty well they actually held up pretty darn well, more so the second album than the first album. They're definitely clearer. My goal was to preserve the fire, the feeling of the Ambiance of those records but make it sonically more understandable to the ear. There are some little keyboard flourishes things in the there not like very high in the mix. "
"I edited along the way because I would have done that had we made the record today knowing what I know, so it's like well this could benefit from that. But in a way that's subtle not so over the top. You can still hear Jack (Starr) of course everywhere and that's what's important to be heard is all there. I tried to balance it a bit more whereas the original mix was very edgy, very trebly. Kind of like you wouldn't want to listen to the record more than once in one sitting kind of a thing your ear gets like fatigued after a while. I tried to make it so l you could put the record on all day and and you can enjoy it."
When asked about any upcoming new music and or studio albums?
"Yes, there's lots of songs. I'm always writing and we've actually got probably about 20 somewhat songs in various stages of completion on tape. There are more songs that are just living on cassette because that's where they start with me. I write on the cassette first and the stuff that's just in my brain. So yeah all these things will be explored fully before I choose what would be on the next record. The next record probably and all honestly is a double situation like Act one, Act two probably. If we don't want to release it all together it would be something like the The Marriage of Heaven and Hell was or The house of Atreus was that kind of a thing. Like part one will be released first and then later on. (part 2). I think the way I understand from my conversations with the label it's they're more about one disk at a time right now. You never know it might change. There is a conceptual idea but all the lyrics aren't completely written yet. But at the moment it's more conceptual in the way that 'Age of consent' was or 'Noble savage' was, well there's an overarching theme. "
David DeFeis has included an additional moniker to this re-release…”The Anniversary Edition”, for like he has done with VIRGIN STEELE 1, he has completely re-mixed the album from start to finish. He had this to say to me, ”I felt compelled to add that additional title because just like with VS 1 this too is a very special reissue. And again…this too is a great celebration! As I did with VS 1, once again every song on the album has been lovingly restored, re-mixed with faith, heart & Steele.
It was a joy to go back to the original multi-tracks, listen and find all the various outtakes, studio chatter and even a long forgotten about piano solo that I had done. In resurrecting this album, I did my best to try to preserve the original feel and integrity of what we were trying to achieve, while at the same time hoping to make it sonically clearer and more direct. The original energy and exuberant fire remains…and there is greater definition all around”.
On the preview day I listened with several others and we were amazed at how fresh these Works sounded. The album sounds like it could have been recorded just this week! It has that classic 80’s sensibility combined with a timeless yet modern aura. Not an easy thing to achieve I imagine.
David continues, “ for me it feels like being back in those days again only with the knowledge gained from having lived several lives since then. The full album is represented in its original entirety, plus we have included the tracks from the extended play single we had issued right after “Guardians”, which featured the songs, (I AM THE ONE, GO DOWN FIGHTING & WAIT FOR THE NIGHT) and… in addition we were also able to include several new bonus tracks, such as the lost diabolical piano solo…CHAOS CAPRICE, (from the original “Guardians” Sessions), a new alternate version of the song DESERT PLAINS, a brand new track called DIRTY BLONDE ANGEL, (that I had actually written for the AGE OF CONSENT album but we had never recorded until now), and there is also another bonus track in the form of “THE HEAVEN’S DOOR SUITE”, which contains a re-written cover of the song KNOCKIN’ ON HEAVEN’S DOOR combined with new music that I crafted…”
Release Date: August 23, 2024
Photo Credit: Bill Pickering
Debut
Tracklist:
1. Minuet In G Minor - (Anniversary Re-Mix)
2. Danger Zone - (Anniversary Re-Mix)
3. American Girl - (Anniversary Re-Mix)
4. Dead End Kids - (Anniversary Re-Mix)
5. Drive On Thru - (Anniversary Re-Mix)
6. Lothlorien (Orchestral Version) - (Anniversary Re-Mix)
7. Still In Love With You - (Anniversary Re-Mix)
8. Children Of The Storm - (Anniversary Re-Mix)
9. Pictures On You - (Anniversary Re-Mix)
10. Pulverizer - (Anniversary Re-Mix)
11. Living In Sin - (Anniversary Re-Mix)
12. Virgin Steele - (Anniversary Re-Mix)
13.The Lesson (Demo) - (Anniversary Re-Mix)
14.Life Of Crime (Demo) - (Anniversary Re-Mix)
15.Burn The Sun (Demo) - (Anniversary Re-Mix)
16.Hell From Beyond The Stars - (New Bonus Track)
17. The Fire God - (New Alternate Version Bonus Track)
18.Virgin Steele - (New Orchestral Version Bonus Track)
Virgin Steele Is:
David DeFeis (vocals, keyboards)
Jack Starr (guitars)
Joe O' Reilly (bass)
Joey Ayvazian (drums)
Guardians of the Flame Tracklist:
01. Don’t Say Goodbye (Tonight) - (Anniversary Re-Mix)
02. Burn The Sun - (Anniversary Re-Mix)
03. Life Of Crime - (Anniversary Re-Mix)
04. The Redeemer - (Anniversary Re-Mix)
05. Birth Through Fire - (Anniversary Re-Mix)
06. Guardians Of The Flame - (Anniversary Re-Mix)
07. Metal City - (Anniversary Re-Mix)
08. Hell Or High Water - (Anniversary Re-Mix)
09. Go All The Way - (Anniversary Re-Mix)
10. Chaos Caprice - (Piano-Solo From The Original ‚Guardians’ Sessions)
11. A Cry In The Night - (Anniversary Re-Mix)
Bonus EP-Tracks:
12. I Am The One - (Anniversary Re-Mix)
13. Go Down Fighting - (Anniversary Re-Mix)
14. Wait For The Night - (Anniversary Re-Mix)
Additional Bonustracks:
15. Desert Plains - (Alternate Version Bonus Track)
16. Dirty Blonde Angel - (New Bonus Track)
17. The Heaven’s Door Suite - (New Bonus Track)
Virgin Steele Is:
David DeFeis (vocals, keyboards)
Jack Starr (guitars)
Joe O' Reilly (bass)
Joey Ayvazian (drums)
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