Heathens Rage - The Years Of Rage

Just got this but haven't heard it yet, I read they are from like 83 and had an ep & demo which are hard to find. Anymore info would be nice!

Wargod48

Heathens Rage were from Trenton, NJ. One of my good high school friends was their guitarist. They started off doing a lot of cover songs. They'd cover anything from "Queen of the Ryche" to "Soldiers of Metal", Accept to Saxon. They were all about metal. I actually helped design their logo when I was in high school. Their sound was a mixture of traditional heavy metal, thrash and speed metal. Probably along the lines of early Anthrax or Agent Steel.

The disc is a bootleg. The photos used on the inside of the disc were swiped from my web site. My wife, who was my girlfried at the time, took those photos. The bio on the inside of the cover was lifted from my website as well. The cover art is a small portion of the original EP cover art done by Chris Matisa. Chris was another guy I went to high school with, although He was a year younger than me.

Their original music was great. Anytime they use to play, the place would be packed. They were opening for Anthrax and other bands. We all thought they would be one of the next big bands. Unfortunately that never happened for them. They released on the one EP. It was self titled but you'll often see if called "Knights of Steel" EP. The other songs on the disc are just demos.

For some odd reason, Heathens Rage have this HUGE following in Greece, where I believe this bootleg was produced. The original vinyl sells for WAY to much money if you can even find it. I use to have an autographed copy of it and the bands 8x10 glossy. Unfortunately I don't have it any longer. Wish I did. This is just one of those bands that has a lot of nostalgic value for me. Seen 'em live more times than I can remember. Even seen them practice numerous times.

Quote :

For some odd reason, Heathens Rage have this HUGE following in Greece

Classic mega-rare heavy metal from 80s is still very popular in a European underground, not just Greece, and not just Heathens Rage A strong base of fans and cool sites/webzines dedicated to rare 80s heavy metal - Like Metalpage, Corroseum or Kingdom of Steel.

Metalpage lists Heathens Rage rarity status as 5/6 - "almost impossible to find"

http://www.kingdom-of-steel.ch/index.php?heathensragehist

I have their 1984 (though some people say it is actually a 1985 demo) and 1986 demos... The 1985 demo has 10 tracks on it, and the 1986 demo has 4. Two songs, "Knights Of Steel" and "Dark Storm" from the '84 demo are on the EP (which I do NOT have), but none of the songs on the 1986 demo are on the EP...



Arttie

Hey Arttie, can you upload those songs on a page like rapidshare.com or something similar?



Just saw that 12'' EP on a sale list of some guy today. Price: 220 eur

sovdat wrote:

Just saw that 12'' EP on a sale list of some guy today. Price: 220 eur

Wow! So what is that in U.S dollars? This is one of the albums I am
still kicking myself for getting rid of. It's not because it's worth so
much, but because of the value it has to me personally. My copy was
even autographed and had an 8x10 photo with it.

That is about $280-$290. Well, it's still very cheap if you compare it
to Graven Image's People in Hell Want Ice Water or Militia's The
Sybling ($1000 and above) (original 1st versions of course).

Ult: Still haven't gotten my package?

Kmorg. Got it. Will mail you.

Hey Ult, do you maybe know a band called Sleepy Hollow? Mike LePond from Heathens Rage played bass there; other members were mainly from Attacker (Bob Mitchell, Jim Mooney...). Band released an self-titled album in early 90s.

I know of them.

ultmetal wrote:

Heathens Rage were from Trenton, NJ. One of my good high school friends was their guitarist. They started off doing a lot of cover songs. They'd cover anything from "Queen of the Ryche" to "Soldiers of Metal", Accept to Saxon. They were all about metal. I actually helped design their logo when I was in high school. Their sound was a mixture of traditional heavy metal, thrash and speed metal. Probably along the lines of early Anthrax or Agent Steel.

The disc is a bootleg. The photos used on the inside of the disc were swiped from my web site. My wife, who was my girlfried at the time, took those photos. The bio on the inside of the cover was lifted from my website as well. The cover art is a small portion of the original EP cover art done by Chris Matisa. Chris was another guy I went to high school with, although He was a year younger than me.

Their original music was great. Anytime they use to play, the place would be packed. They were opening for Anthrax and other bands. We all thought they would be one of the next big bands. Unfortunately that never happened for them. They released on the one EP. It was self titled but you'll often see if called "Knights of Steel" EP. The other songs on the disc are just demos.

For some odd reason, Heathens Rage have this HUGE following in Greece, where I believe this bootleg was produced. The original vinyl sells for WAY to much money if you can even find it. I use to have an autographed copy of it and the bands 8x10 glossy. Unfortunately I don't have it any longer. Wish I did. This is just one of those bands that has a lot of nostalgic value for me. Seen 'em live more times than I can remember. Even seen them practice numerous times.

you're right about their huge following in greece, no matter what sovdat says....greeks love them for their music, not for the "collectibility" of their ep like the other europeans(who often seem to confuse music with collecting stamps and coins)......sometime i'll have to scan the "review" i made of their ep in my fanzine back in '94. easily i can name you at least 40 olde greek friends of mine who rate this ep as their all time favorite one(put also myself in that list)....sometime i have also to post a picture of their original t-shirt i have(well, it's small for me now but who cares, i'll have to frame it with the other HR goodies i found through the years)...

as for the bootleg it was released in greece and there's also another one made in germany with only the demos....

and i bet you that you cannot tell me where the mighty bob pizzauro is....

Could someone maybe upload some of their stuff, if possible?

Required Fields wrote:

Could someone maybe upload some of their stuff, if possible?

Buy the bootleg instead, it would be just as illegeal!

Heathens Rage rules. "Knights of Steel" is a badass song.

Anyone know anywhere on the web I could hear this?

kmorg wrote:

Required Fields wrote:

Could someone maybe upload some of their stuff, if possible?

Buy the bootleg instead, it would be just as illegeal!

here's the EP divided into individual mp3 songs, since i've no idea how to place them into one quick, easy link. this is my first attempt at uploading anything on rapidshare

http://rapidshare.com/files/75516667/Heathens_Rage_-_Knights_Of_Steel.MP3.html

http://rapidshare.com/files/75516666/Heathens_Rage_-_Dark_Storm.MP3.html

http://rapidshare.com/files/75516665/Heathens_Rage_-_City_Of_Hell.MP3.html

Thanks!

ultmetal wrote:

Heathens Rage were from Trenton, NJ. One of my good high school friends was their guitarist. They started off doing a lot of cover songs. They'd cover anything from "Queen of the Ryche" to "Soldiers of Metal", Accept to Saxon. They were all about metal. I actually helped design their logo when I was in high school. Their sound was a mixture of traditional heavy metal, thrash and speed metal. Probably along the lines of early Anthrax or Agent Steel.

The disc is a bootleg. The photos used on the inside of the disc were swiped from my web site. My wife, who was my girlfried at the time, took those photos. The bio on the inside of the cover was lifted from my website as well. The cover art is a small portion of the original EP cover art done by Chris Matisa. Chris was another guy I went to high school with, although He was a year younger than me.

Their original music was great. Anytime they use to play, the place would be packed. They were opening for Anthrax and other bands. We all thought they would be one of the next big bands. Unfortunately that never happened for them. They released on the one EP. It was self titled but you'll often see if called "Knights of Steel" EP. The other songs on the disc are just demos.

For some odd reason, Heathens Rage have this HUGE following in Greece, where I believe this bootleg was produced. The original vinyl sells for WAY to much money if you can even find it. I use to have an autographed copy of it and the bands 8x10 glossy. Unfortunately I don't have it any longer. Wish I did. This is just one of those bands that has a lot of nostalgic value for me. Seen 'em live more times than I can remember. Even seen them practice numerous times.

tell us more please. did they ever play with other NJ legends? even with the other band from the same label?

I know they performed with S.O.D., Anthrax, The Ramones and several other bigger acts. I saw them with a few local bands, but cannot remember much about them. I saw tons of local NJ bands back in the early 80's. However, I can't even remember the names of most of them.

I don't ever remember seeing them play with Tantrum, but I went away to college in 1985 and didn't see them live very much after that.

They put out another demo without Bob Pizzauro on vocals. It was quite good as well. Use to have it. Sadly, don't own it anymore. I cannot remember who the vocalist was on that last demo.

Guitarist Tony Lee has a myspace. You can find him in my friends list if you wish to contact him. However, he has distanced himself from metal completely. He is know a dance club DJ in NYC.

ultmetal wrote:

I know they performed with S.O.D., Anthrax, The Ramones and several other bigger acts. I saw them with a few local bands, but cannot remember much about them. I saw tons of local NJ bands back in the early 80's. However, I can't even remember the names of most of them.

I don't ever remember seeing them play with Tantrum, but I went away to college in 1985 and didn't see them live very much after that.

They put out another demo without Bob Pizzauro on vocals. It was quite good as well. Use to have it. Sadly, don't own it anymore. I cannot remember who the vocalist was on that last demo.

Guitarist Tony Lee has a myspace. You can find him in my friends list if you wish to contact him. However, he has distanced himself from metal completely. He is know a dance club DJ in NYC.

vielen dank for this cult info. anything about heathen's rage or tantrum(i could name you many great NJ acts: brute force, overlorde, sleepy hollow, deadly blessing, optimus prime, obliterator, altered state, superstition, exxplorer, ziad, autumn silence,etc etc) is like reading the bible for me. actually warner made 2 demos after the departure of lee and disapearrance of the mighty bob pizzauro. one with 4 tracks and one with 7. they didn't have any cover etc. neither do i remember the name of the vocalist. lee after his depatrure made a demo with the mediocre drunken angel and some albums with railroad jerks(never heard of them). i think that the chemistry was lost after lee's deparure and especially pizzauro's disappearance. still today i never manage to learn anything about him. the great "short with the high throat,hehehe. i'll contact lee(danke again) just to show some appreciation and worship. after all he was a great knight of steel,hehehe....

sovdat wrote:

Hey Ult, do you maybe know a band called Sleepy Hollow? Mike LePond from Heathens Rage played bass there.

Is this the same Mike LePond who plays bass for Symphony X?

I assume it must be, as Symphony X are also Jersey based.

Fat Freddy wrote:

sovdat wrote:

Hey Ult, do you maybe know a band called Sleepy Hollow? Mike LePond from Heathens Rage played bass there.

Is this the same Mike LePond who plays bass for Symphony X?

I assume it must be, as Symphony X are also Jersey based.

you assumed right. although they never recorded anything with mike lepond. i thinke they were chasing a deal then that never happened unfortunately. however still their demo, their album and their vinyl ep remain as a mark of their great presence in NJ....in the dark ages....and definately mitchell made his best performance in them....still a chill comes over my spine while listening to their immortal tunes....there's a compilation "rest in peaces" which is legit and should be easy to obtain....it was distributed free in greece with an issue of "true metal" magazine...here's a promo poster i made for my fanzine back in '94 when i bought their demo and cd. the original of course is framed....

syrus wrote:

ultmetal wrote:

I know they performed with S.O.D., Anthrax, The Ramones and several other bigger acts. I saw them with a few local bands, but cannot remember much about them. I saw tons of local NJ bands back in the early 80's. However, I can't even remember the names of most of them.

I don't ever remember seeing them play with Tantrum, but I went away to college in 1985 and didn't see them live very much after that.

They put out another demo without Bob Pizzauro on vocals. It was quite good as well. Use to have it. Sadly, don't own it anymore. I cannot remember who the vocalist was on that last demo.

Guitarist Tony Lee has a myspace. You can find him in my friends list if you wish to contact him. However, he has distanced himself from metal completely. He is know a dance club DJ in NYC.

vielen dank for this cult info. anything about heathen's rage or tantrum(i could name you many great NJ acts: brute force, overlorde, sleepy hollow, deadly blessing, optimus prime, obliterator, altered state, superstition, exxplorer, ziad, autumn silence,etc etc) is like reading the bible for me. actually warner made 2 demos after the departure of lee and disapearrance of the mighty bob pizzauro. one with 4 tracks and one with 7. they didn't have any cover etc. neither do i remember the name of the vocalist. lee after his depatrure made a demo with the mediocre drunken angel and some albums with railroad jerks(never heard of them). i think that the chemistry was lost after lee's deparure and especially pizzauro's disappearance. still today i never manage to learn anything about him. the great "short with the high throat,hehehe. i'll contact lee(danke again) just to show some appreciation and worship. after all he was a great knight of steel,hehehe....

Ahhh, but the demo after bob and tony did have a cover on it. I WISH I still had that sucker. I'll never find that again. The tape was given to me by the (now) owner of Rock Dreams Records.

Also, Warner put out a demo with his own band titled WARNER in the mid-80's. I never heard that one.

There were several other popular metal bands from NJ during that time as well. My brother may still a have some demos by some of those old bands. Faust was a popular thrash/speed metal band. (At least I think that was the spelling). I know he still has that demo tape.

Drunken Angel wasn't bad. They had a sleazy metal sound, like early Guns n Roses, but heavier. I had that demo too.