Artist: AGENT STEEL
Album: LIVE @ DYNAMO OPEN AIR (DVD)

Year: 2005
Media type: DVD

The legend that is Los Angeles’ AGENT STEEL began in 1984 when JOHN CYRIIS and CHUCK PROFUS created the idea of forming an speed metal band with the lyrical focus centered on science fiction and the otherworldly. Not only was the concept entirely different from anything that had gone before, the music also reflected the uniqueness of the idea. Thrash metal was in its very early stages. In 1985 EXODUS released “BONDED BY BLOOD”, ANTHRAX released “SPREADING THE DISEASE”, DARK ANGEL released “WE HAVE ARRIVED”, and METALLICA, MEGADETH and SLAYER had yet to release their seminal works, “MASTER OF PUPPETS”, “PEACE SELLS” and “REIGN IN BLOOD”. This same year, 1985, AGENT STEEL recruited JUAN GARCIA and released their COMBAT RECORDS debut, “SKEPTICS APOCALYPSE”.
AGENT STEEL made their mark incorporating all the aggressive elements of the Bay Area Thrash scene with soaring vocals inspired by metal gods JUDAS PRIEST and IRON MAIDEN. In fact, Kerrang magazine dubbed AGENT STEEL, “IRON MAIDEN on speed.” In 1986, AGENT STEEL recruited 18-year-old guitar virtuoso BERNIE VERSAILLES and released “MAD LOCUST RISING”, an EP to fill the gap between “SKEPTICS APOCALYPSE” and 1987’s “UNSTOPPABLE FORCE”. “UNSTOPPABLE FORCE” which was recorded at the legendary Morrisound Studios in Tampa, Florida received incredible reviews throughout Europe for the stunning musicianship and fantastic vocals and it seemed the only way was up for AGENT STEEL. Major labels began to court the band in 1987 but internal difficulties forced Juan, Bernie, and bass player, MIKE ZAPUTIL, from the fold. Chuck and John carried on with new members but the magic, for the moment, had been lost. AGENT STEEL disbanded entirely in 1988.

The next 10 years saw the various members pursuing music with little monetary success. Only Garcia released records with his classic thrash band, EVILDEAD, which released two studio records and two Eps on Steamhammer/SPV in Europe, and Spanish metal band, TERROR.
Juan and Chuck began playing together in a punk band for fun and the idea occurred to Chuck one afternoon that, “since we are doing this, we might as well be doing AGENT STEEL.” With that thought in mind, Juan contacted Bernie and Mike and the core of the band reunited in 1998. Although their parting with vocalist Cyriis had been far from amicable, the band made numerous attempts to find him to no avail. This was most unfortunate because at the same time, CENTURY MEDIA bought the COMBAT catalog and made plans to reissue the classic 80’s records and promoters of the WACKEN OPEN AIR FESTIVAL contacted the reformed AGENT STEEL for a rare live appearance. Undeterred, the band contacted vocalist BRUCE HALL whom Bernie had worked with immediately after leaving AGENT STEEL in 1987. The band knew, especially in 1998, that there would be very few, if any, singers who could match the range of the mythic and enigmatic Cyriis but Bernie assured them that, “if anyone can do it, it’s Bruce.”

A rehearsal was scheduled in June of 1998 and Bruce blew the band away. After hearing him sing “Unstoppable Force”, “Rager”, and “Bleed For The Godz” the band knew Bernie had contacted the right man for the job and AGENT STEEL officially reformed.
Writing for 1999’s comeback record “OMEGA CONSPIRACY” began immediately and contracts were signed with the U.K’s CANDLELIGHT records, home of EMPEROR.
1999 brought the loss of Mike Zaputil from the fold for personal reasons and the arrival of KARLOS MEDINA (EVILDEAD/TERROR) on bass. 1999 also saw AGENT STEEL perform in WACKEN to rave reviews and release the universally acclaimed “OMEGA CONSPIRACY”. Though some were dubious as to the validity of AGENT STEEL without Cyriis, the skeptics had been silenced by the band’s sheer power and ferocity and AGENT STEEL were once again regarded as a legitimate force in the metal world.

In early 2000, AGENT STEEL, along with long time veterans ANVIL, RIOT, and DOMINE, toured Europe and successfully solidified their comeback. METAL BLADE RECORDS released “OMEGA CONSPIRACY” in North America that summer and the band continued to perform with killer bands, STEEL PROPHET, TESTAMENT, ARMORED SAINT, CAGE and many others. It seemed, again, the only way was up for AGENT STEEL. Plans were made and writing for the follow up to “OMEGA CONSPIRACY” began in early 2001 and the songs were completed in the spring but Cyriis had reappeared causing a bit of controversy and virtually stopping the band in their tracks. Chuck Profus, having had enough resigned, and RIGO AMEZCUA (TERROR) filled the drum stool, performing at the CLASSIC METAL FEST alongside VICIOUS RUMORS, EXCITER, ABATTOIR, DESTINY’S END and many others. Though the group was still in strong demand some live shows were sporadically accomplished throughout 2002 while recording “ORDER OF THE ILLUMINATI” out of their own pocket. Hence, it is a record full of passion and an album genuinely from the heart.

By the end of 2002, talks with Mr. Cyriis, who now has a new band, STELLAR SEED, had finally begun. The air was cleared, an understanding was reached and John publicly endorsed this latest incarnation of AGENT STEEL saying, “The new AGENT STEEL have certainly achieved/created a great lightning bolt in behalf of truth/consciousness speed/heavy music works so they sure do deserve to wear the title/mark/stars, and most of all, silver bullets and stake, the AGENT STEEL name enforces. The ball is now in their court.”

Now, in 2003, the stage is set once again for AGENT STEEL to unleash their unique brand of metal on the world with their fourth full-length studio album, “ORDER OF THE ILLUMINATI”, available in June through Italy’s own Scarlet Records for Europe and King Records for the Japanese territory. “ORDER OF THE ILLUMINATI” is classic AGENT STEEL from full speed start to climactic finish. Controversial and thoughtful subject matter, memorable riffs, layered guitar harmonies and out of this world vocals combine for an hour long sonic metal battering that will leave even the strongest metalhead gasping for air and nursing their wounds. As always, AGENT STEEL trample where others fear to tread, disregarding convention, utterly assaulting the listener with metal and message too powerful for the meek and too sincere to be anything but ABSOLUTE METAL. NO COMPROMISE! PURE POWER! MASTERS OF METAL, AGENT STEEL, RETURN!

TRACKLIST:

Live @ Dynamo Open Air

01. Guyana Intro
02. Unstoppable Force
03. Rager
04. Illuminati is Machine
05. Ten Fists of Nations
06. Bleed for the Godz
07. Forever Black
08. Wash The Planet Clean (new song)
09. New Godz
10. Know Your Master
11: Agents of Steel

Bonus Selection
· Children of the Sun
· Mad Locust Rising
· Earth Under Lucifer
· Avenger

LINE-UP:

Bruce Hall - Vocals
Juan Garcia - Guitars
Bernie Versailles - Guitars
Karlos Medina - Bass
Rigo Amezcua - Drums

DISCOGRAPHY:

Skeptics Apocalypse - 1985
Mad Locust Rising EP - 1986
Unstoppable Force - 1987
Omega Conspiracy - 1999
Order Of The Illuminati - 2003
Earth Under Lucifer - MCD - 2003
Live @ Dynamo Open Air - DVD - 2005