Former Death/Iced Earth Drummer's new band

Saw this on another board and thought I'd pass it along. Looks like Ripper Owens has yet another gig...kinda stupid band name though.

Famed metal drummer Richard Christy's new band, Charred Walls of the Damned, inks deal with Metal Blade Records

Metal Blade Records is proud to announce the signing of Richard Christy's new project, Charred Walls of the Damned! This newly formed outfit features some of the most talented musicians in metal. Their collective experience is colossal and their musical pedigrees speak louder than any verbal or written praise.

Founder, Richard Christy comments: "To be a part of the Metal Blade family is such an honor. I've been a fan of the label since I was an eleven year old kid ordering Metal Massacre cassettes through the mail. It's so amazing to be label mates with some of my all time favorite metal bands like Amon Amarth, King Diamond, Mercyful Fate, Cannibal Corpse, and Lizzy Borden, just to name a few! Brian Slagel is a true metal legend and I'm honored to be a part of his label. I'm beyond excited to get back into the studio and make some crushing Heavy Metal with my friends!"

Metal Blade Records founder Brian Slagel adds: “We are very happy to welcome Richard Christy and his band Charred Walls of the Damned to the Metal Blade Family. In addition to his duties on the Howard Stern show, Richard has had a great career in metal. He has put together a really great new band with some of metal's most talented artists and we can't wait to have everyone hear it.”

In the Spring of 2009, Richard Christy, former drummer for Death and Iced Earth, finished writing the music for a new project. The music for album began to take shape roughly two years ago, after several years of Richard being on a musical hiatus. And though Richard is mostly known for his drumming prowess, he has also actively played guitar since 1992. The project would come to be named Charred Walls of the Damned.

Upon completing the music for the album in 2009, Richard began to put together his dream band of musicians whom he considers to be some of the best in the world. Included in this musical collective is famed producer, Jason Suecof. Suecof has produced and/or mixed some of the most prominent albums from metal's leading bands, including: Trivium, All That Remains, Bury Your Dead, August Burns Red, The Black Dahlia Murder, Daath, Chimaira, DevilDriver, God Forbid and many, many more. Richard and Jason have been friends for over ten years and wrote music together for years while Richard resided in Florida. On vocals for Charred Walls of the Damned will be none other than legendary metal vocalist, Tim "Ripper" Owens. Richard and Tim played together in Iced Earth from 2003 to 2004. Tim "Ripper" Owens' first and most well known gig was with metal legends, Judas Priest. He currently performs with Beyond Fear and Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force. On bass guitar for Charred Walls of the Damned will be one of metal's most heralded bassists, Steve Digiorgio. Richard and Steve played together in the bands Control Denied and Iced Earth. DiGiorgio has also performed with Death, Autopsy, Control Denied, Testament, Vintersorg, Iced Earth, and is a founding member of technical thrash pioneers, Sadus. He is widely renowned for his technical skills, and is one of the very few bass players in the metal scene who plays fretless bass.

Look for a full length album by Charred Walls of the Damned this fall, produced by Jason Suecof himself at his Orlando, FL based studio, Audiohammer Studios. More details, a myspace page, and music will be coming soon, so stay tuned.

Charred Walls of the Damned is:
Richard Christy - Drums
Jason Suecof - Guitar, Producer
Tim "Ripper" Owens - Vocals
Steve Digiorgio - Bass

should be interesting.

Might be interesting even though that has to be one of the worst band names evah.

How are they gonna fit that band name on a tour shirt? Good grief.

I guess hes tired of making of fool of himself on the Howard Stern show huh?

Is Christy really a good songwriter? I have serious doubts.

Chairman_Smith wrote:

I guess hes tired of making of fool of himself on the Howard Stern show huh?

Nope. He still does that as well. It's quite embarrassing actually.

Quote :

Is Christy really a good songwriter? I have serious doubts.

Musically speaking, I think it'll be cool. He's skilled behind the kit and he's got some talented musicians with him. As far as lyrics go, yea, it could be a disaster. We'll see.

I think Ripper might be starting to do to much. Pick something and stick with it. Of course, I will still look into this.

MetalGuy71 wrote:

Musically speaking, I think it'll be cool. He's skilled behind the kit and he's got some talented musicians with him. As far as lyrics go, yea, it could be a disaster. We'll see.

I'm not just talking about lyrics, I'm talking about guiding talented musicians into something worth listening to, like the director for a movie. You can't just have Dustin Hoffman, Glenn Close, and special effects wizards show up to a movie set with no director and expect magic to be filmed.

Temple of Blood wrote:

MetalGuy71 wrote:

Musically speaking, I think it'll be cool. He's skilled behind the kit and he's got some talented musicians with him. As far as lyrics go, yea, it could be a disaster. We'll see.

I'm not just talking about lyrics, I'm talking about guiding talented musicians into something worth listening to, like the director for a movie. You can't just have Dustin Hoffman, Glenn Close, and special effects wizards show up to a movie set with no director and expect magic to be filmed.

Good point. Maybe the producer guy will add some direction.

TheNazgul wrote:

I think Ripper might be starting to do to much. Pick something and stick with it. Of course, I will still look into this.

Eh, lots of singers do side stuff...Jorn Lande, Jeff Scott Soto, dUg Pinnick, David Readman...I'd love to get paid to do different musical projects...

SpectreFate wrote:

Might be interesting even though that has to be one of the worst band names evah.

I don't know the full details, but apparently the band name 'Charred Walls of the Damned' came from a Howard Stern Show reference. Doesn't make it any less stupid though.

Agreed - worst band name in a long time, if not ever. Could be interesting, though, based on the list of all involved.

I know guys do lots of side stuff but he's doing nothing but right now. What's his main gig?

TheNazgul wrote:

I know guys do lots of side stuff but he's doing nothing but right now. What's his main gig?

His "main gig" is being a journeyman Metal singer...solo, Yngwie, IE, Beyond Fear, tribute albums...he makes a living singing Metal...more power to him.

Here's the short version of the band name...

Richard Christy made a prank phone call for the Howard Stern Show. When the hosts of the program realized they were being pranked, they went on a lengthy rebuttal, saying that people that do this sort of thing (making crank calls?) will not be saved during The Rapture and they will be left behind, scratching at the "charred walls of the damned".

Christy has been writing songs for the last year and a half and will be taking the demos to a Florida studio in July where the band will record them. According to Christy, the band members will have full freedom to improvise/improve on the demo material. It will be heavy, but melodic metal. He's looking for a fall release.

MetalGuy71 wrote:

Here's the short version of the band name...

Richard Christy made a prank phone call for the Howard Stern Show. When the hosts of the program realized they were being pranked, they went on a lengthy rebuttal, saying that people that do this sort of thing (making crank calls?) will not be saved during The Rapture and they will be left behind, scratching at the "charred walls of the damned".

Are you serious? That is too funny. You will not be saved during the rapture and will be left behind for making crank calls . I'm glad I finished drinking my tea right now cause it would have come out through my nose. The band name has to stay for the sake of the story alone.

GrandNational wrote:

MetalGuy71 wrote:

Here's the short version of the band name...

Richard Christy made a prank phone call for the Howard Stern Show. When the hosts of the program realized they were being pranked, they went on a lengthy rebuttal, saying that people that do this sort of thing (making crank calls?) will not be saved during The Rapture and they will be left behind, scratching at the "charred walls of the damned".

Are you serious? That is too funny. You will not be saved during the rapture and will be left behind for making crank calls . I'm glad I finished drinking my tea right now cause it would have come out through my nose. The band name has to stay for the sake of the story alone.

That's the explination that Richard gave on the show. I didn't hear the crank call myself, so I don't know what the joke was or what set them off specifically that they felt compelled to condemn all prank phone caller to eternal damnation.

Isn't that par for the show? Unless you're female and promise to come on the show and get naked?

Quote :

TheNazgul wrote:

I know guys do lots of side stuff but he's doing nothing but right now. What's his main gig?

His "main gig" is being a journeyman Metal singer...solo, Yngwie, IE, Beyond Fear, tribute albums...he makes a living singing Metal...more power to him.

I think he's good at it. Shawn, I know you lay awake dreaming how you could be like Ripper. No offense but you need a cool nickname.

Temple of Blood wrote:

Is Christy really a good songwriter? I have serious doubts.

Last i heard he was a comedy writer.

Troublezone wrote:

Temple of Blood wrote:

Is Christy really a good songwriter? I have serious doubts.

Last i heard he was a comedy writer.

I hope he's a better songwriter than he is at writing comedy. Uggh!

I predict one song will be above and beyond the call of duty...one or two more will be interesting and the rest will be
deja vu, borderline "boring"

James B. wrote:

I predict one song will be above and beyond the call of duty...one or two more will be interesting and the rest will be
deja vu, borderline "boring"

I'll be impressed if it's that good.

TheNazgul wrote:

I think Ripper might be starting to do to much. Pick something and stick with it. Of course, I will still look into this.

He's been in Judas Priest and Iced Earth. He must feel like he owns the world!