Фирма High Roller Records

Hobbs’ Angel of Death should be a household name for every well-informed thrash metal fan. Hailing from Melbourne, Victoria, the Australian band first started out as a solo project of main man and former Tyrus-guitarist Peter Hobbs, and one can rightfully say that they belong to the pioneers of mid-Eighties’ Australian thrash metal. The two demos “Angel of Death” and “Virgin Metal Invasion from Down Under” were followed by the self-titled debut album in 1988 which thrilled thrashers on both halves of the globe; 1995 saw the release of the sophomore album “Inheritance” and sadly, in spite of the cult status they had acquired in the meantime, Hobbs’ Angel of Death dissolved soon after its release. That could have been the end of it, but… In 2002 the band got reformed, signed a four-album deal the next year and have been alive and kicking ever since; and now they finally give their brand new album to the world; and it was about time, wasn’t it? Peter Hobbs himself gives a short account of what has happened since “Inheritance” came out: “Actually it's almost 23 years since ‘Inheritance’ was recorded. I've still been writing tunes and playing though, but it really kicked off again in 2010. Where has the time gone I ask myself!!?” Apart from Peter himself, the band has a completely new line-up that has only been playing together since 2013/14. Peter talks a bit about his new comrades-in-arms: “I travel a lot touring so I come across many people. I toured Europe and found Alessio. He needed a gig in Germany and I needed a show in Italy. From that meeting we have become great friends. He is actually like a son to me now. We have travelled many miles together from our first meeting in 2013.” If one has ever wondered why it regularly takes Peter so long to record and release new stuff, the answer may lie in his perfectionism: “I've recorded the new album three times. I was my goal to give to the industry a more mature album. The previous attempts were great but I was not totally satisfied with the results so I kept at it until I knew and felt that my achievement was made, and it clearly shines through within the new album. I believe that ‘Heaven Bled’ is just as great a the earlier albums, all written and produced by myself for a wider range of musical tastes and catering for more people in all fields of metal.” Some people say that Hobbs’ Angel of Death play thrash metal in the Slayer vein while Peter himself refers to his music as “virgin metal”, an “untainted and pure form of metal”. Is this also true for “Heaven Bled”? “I'm glad you brought that question up. I played just before Slayer in Finland at Jalomettalii 2013 - a thirty year wait! I asked Kerry King the question if he felt or thought or heard that Hobbs’ was a Slayer cover band. His reply was ‘I've heard of Hobbs’ Angel of Death but no, you have your own style compared to us !!!!!!’ But it's a fact, I love Slayer!!!!!!” So, looks like this question has been answered once and for all. As said above, Peter wrote all the music for the new album and did all the arrangements himself. “I've been doing this since day one. I’ve had the songs on the new album in the works for many years, some of them I even wrote almost 30 years ago. I revamped some old riffs with the modern feel and it's paid off for the release of ‘Heaven Bled’.” Even though it seems to be a good guess, the opener “Il monstro di Firenzi” is not a contribution by bassist Alessio “Cane” Medici: “I had written this song some time ago but I was still looking for a title. A lot of my tunes are inspired by history, just like the cult song ‘Jack the Ripper’ from our debut album. Here it was the same: I did some research of where the murders where committed by the Florence monster and I actually walked around the areas and felt the ground and breathed the air and tried to put my self within the same frame of mind as these serial killers, so the song just fell into place.” “Heaven Bled” was recorded at the West Link Studio in Italy: “I had arranged to meet the engineer to get a feel of him and his studio. I walked in and saw the old school sound craft desk!!!!! I was at home and I new from seeing his equipment that Ovi could get me the sound I wanted, so I made the right choice. I'm very happy with the product, I knew exactly what I wanted and had full focus on every result.” When the debut came out Hobbs’ Angel of Death gained some early fame as “the other remarkable Australian thrash metal band besides Mortal Sin.” With the next album German Rock Hard magazine even went so far as to ask if they were “the better Slayer”. Peter’s comment on this: “Wow, I'm being called the better Slayer! I'm overwhelmed with that statement, but to be honest, it's not the first time I've heard that…everyone who knows me does know that I put my heart and soul into what I do as a professional, on the road and off the road. When touring I give it my full passion and execute the job as sincerely as I can.” Mr. Hobbs seems to be quite satisfied to see his new endeavour coming out on High Roller Records: “I’ve always had respect for companies that are trying to keep the industry alive, and High Roller Records is one of them, so I felt that we are on the same side and could work together as a team, and I'm sure we will put out some top quality in every aspect.” The album will come with a 7inch that contains a version of “Depopulation” from the “Inheritance” album, and another song called “Suicide”. Peter explains why he decided to include this little extra: “I wrote the song ‘Suicide’ many years ago and I wanted it to be on an album; it has a great 80s feel about it. ‘Depopulation’ was more or less a bonus track. One day I will re-record “Inheritance” and revamp these songs, but for now let's concentrate on one thing at a time.” He’s surely right, and the thing to concentrate on is of course the new album “Heaven Bled”: “My plan is to continue to tour world-wide and to promote this new Hobbs’ album and move it into the cult status the debut already has ...” Peter knows of course that this status would mean nothing if it wasn’t for his loyal Hobbs’ fans, thus his last words here go to them: “I’d like to thank all Hobbs’ supporters for the love and respect from people that is greatly given to me. You all have my respect in full return and I look forward seeing you all again on tour. Record Label: High Roller Records Style: Trash Metal

Titan Force's second and final album 'Winner/Loser' was originally released in 1991. Though this work offers songs that are a bit easier to listen to than those on its predecessor, it still contains lots of progressive, almost jazzy, parts. Record Label: High Roller Records Style: Metal

Reissue of TITAN FORCE's self-titled debut-album. With a style ranging from heavy metal to melodic power metal, and adding a progressive jazzy touch and a unique vocal approach, Titan Force added a whole new dimension to the rock scene back in 1989. Record Label: High Roller Records Style: Metal

Titan Force's second and final album 'Winner/Loser' was originally released in 1991. Though this work offers songs that are a bit easier to listen to than those on its predecessor, it still contains lots of progressive, almost jazzy, parts. Record Label: High Roller Records Style: Metal

Reissue of TITAN FORCE's self-titled debut-album. With a style ranging from heavy metal to melodic power metal, and adding a progressive jazzy touch and a unique vocal approach, Titan Force added a whole new dimension to the rock scene back in 1989. Record Label: High Roller Records Style: Metal

Robert Pehrsson (born 13th of December 1975) is currently one of the most talented Swedish rock guitarists. Furthermore, he is an outstanding songwriter as well. It's only a matter of time until a broader (rock) audience will recognize him as what he is: a star in the making. Robert Pehrsson has worked for such diverse bands such as Runemagick, Thunder Express, Death Breath, Dundertåget, Imperial State Electric, Slingblade and also Dagger. He picked up his guitar in 1987 and started a (professional) career in 1994 (at the time concentrating mainly on playing extreme music like thrash and early death metal). In 2013, his debut longplayer under the name of Robert Pehrsson's Humbucker was released (via High Roller Records). It was a perfect example for a contemporary classic rock album, landing the Swedish guitarist extraordinaire the album of the month award in Germany's leading independent metal magazine Rock Hard. No wonder then that expectations for the follow-up album Long Way To The Light are sky high. The record contains eight brand new compositions (plus a re-worked version of the single The Hollow In A Rising Tone). With songs such as Send Her My Love or Traveling Through The Dark Robert Pehrsson's Humbucker carry on where they have left off with the captivating debut album – albeit with even slicker guitar playing and sharper song arrangements. I put so much pressure on myself so I got enough to deal with already, comments Robert Pehrsson on the expectations surrounding the release of Long Way To The Light. The main thing is to not disappoint myself and to know in the end that I did the best I could. I was sincerely happy both for High Roller and of course for myself with the great reviews on the previous album. I think the new album is stronger, but in the end, it's up to the listener and that I have no control over. Listening to Long Way To The Light for the first time, one might get the impression that overall it's a slightly poppier record compared to the debut. It might be, reflects Robert Pehrsson. But it's not really intentional. I like the songs short and to the point with a strong hook. That's what I strive for always. I think people sometimes put us in the same category as more hard rocking bands and we're not really that type of band in the end. I want the freedom to do other styles as well. If I look at the old bands, I like that they were all very diverse, not playing on 10 all the time. D'accord, diversity in songwriting has always been the forté of Robert Pehrsson's Humbucker. But in the past, for some, this has been a dangerous road, if you look at Phil Lynott's solo album Solo In Soho, which for some is, well, a total mess. I actually like a lot of that album, confesses the Swedish guitarist. But maybe it was wise to do it as a solo album. I'm not scared to try different approaches to both writing and recording and I think it's possible to paint with a wide brush and still be true to the overall sound of the band. I'm not talking about rocket science here and we record in a very old school fashion. But there are so many different ways to approach things and I am intrigued with these things. I'm interested in the craft of songwriting and recording. This approach shows on each of the nine tracks of the record. So nine songs once more (just like on the debut platter), that must be the lucky number for Robert Pehrsson indeed. I guess so, he laughs. There was more material written and recorded, but I was not 100% happy with how some of the songs came together so I've put them on hold for another day. I don't want any filler material and I don't like albums that go on forever personally. Sometimes we are limited as performers. I wrote some material for this album that I was really excited about, but I just could not make it sound right this time around. I listen to lots of different music and I would like the band to be able to do diverse material. The biggest difference is that we have played live since the first album, comments Robert Pehrsson on the main differences between the first album and Long Way To The Light. My approach for the writing was not that different, but I kept in mind that I want do be able to perform the songs live in their true form. I also co-worked with Joseph Tholl, Nicke Andersson and Andreas Axelsson on some tracks. So I think there is more of a band feeling to this one compared to the first album. And that was something I wanted from the beginning when I started working on this album. Robert Pehrsson's Humbucker have played around 40 live shows since the debut album, so the line-up is starting to gel. Robert Pehrsson: Long Way To The Light has been recorded mostly by me and Nicke Anderssons (drums and bass). Joseph Tholl has also been involved a lot. I really like recording with these guys. But a lot of the players on the previous also appear on this. The live line-up has been Joseph Tholl, Jakob Ljungberg and Jens Lagergren, and they all appear on the album. It's a mixture of really talented friends from other bands: Enforcer, Imperial State Electric, The Hellacopters, Tribulation etc... We tend to do a lot of stuff together. Here's some names: Robert Eriksson, Jonas Wikstrand, Johan Bäckman, Johannes Borgström. The list goes on! Maybe Robert Pehrsson is indeed one the last great guitarist in the tradition of Ritchie Blackmore, Michael Schenker, Jimmy Page and Scott Gorham. But then again Long Way To The Light is not a guitar-driven record per se. So what comes first for the Swedish guitarist exytraordinaire, the song or the guitar performance? Robert Pehrsson: Thanks! The song is always first. I see it the same way playing live. I want us, as a band, to play together and be a strong unit. It's not about individual performances at all. I do, however, think there is quite a lot of guitar playing, but there is no room for unnecessary flash in the songs. I want the listener to feel that the solo is an integral part of the song and not just there for me to show off. My main goal is to create a solo that you can and would want to hum along to. There are lots of great songs on the album, for example Zero Emotion. It's some kind of a love song, correct? It's more of a breakup song, laughs Robert Pehrsson. And how you sometimes end up dealing with things like that. A lot of the lyrics are about losing loved ones in one way or another. I guess it's because I'm at that age now when things like that happen, whereas in the past I did not really have to deal with that in the same way. The closing number No I don't is quite funky partially … so maybe the right choice for the title of most unusual song on the album? Robert Pehrsson begs to differ: I would probably say it's rather 'Traveling Through The Dark'. It's got an 1980s vibe to it and I don't really see any other of the songs having that. But overall I think this album is more diverse. 'Pretender' also comes to mind as a bit unusual and something we have not really done before. These are the songs I tend to like the most. Record Label: High Roller Records Style: Metal

2016 reissue, white/ red splatter vinyl, ltd 350, new artwork, lyric sheet Record Label: High Roller Records Style: Metal

Robert Pehrsson (born 13th of December 1975) is currently one of the most talented Swedish rock guitarists. Furthermore, he is an outstanding songwriter as well. It's only a matter of time until a broader (rock) audience will recognize him as what he is: a star in the making. Robert Pehrsson has worked for such diverse bands such as Runemagick, Thunder Express, Death Breath, Dundertåget, Imperial State Electric, Slingblade and also Dagger. He picked up his guitar in 1987 and started a (professional) career in 1994 (at the time concentrating mainly on playing extreme music like thrash and early death metal). In 2013, his debut longplayer under the name of Robert Pehrsson's Humbucker was released (via High Roller Records). It was a perfect example for a contemporary classic rock album, landing the Swedish guitarist extraordinaire the album of the month award in Germany's leading independent metal magazine Rock Hard. No wonder then that expectations for the follow-up album Long Way To The Light are sky high. The record contains eight brand new compositions (plus a re-worked version of the single The Hollow In A Rising Tone). With songs such as Send Her My Love or Traveling Through The Dark Robert Pehrsson's Humbucker carry on where they have left off with the captivating debut album – albeit with even slicker guitar playing and sharper song arrangements. I put so much pressure on myself so I got enough to deal with already, comments Robert Pehrsson on the expectations surrounding the release of Long Way To The Light. The main thing is to not disappoint myself and to know in the end that I did the best I could. I was sincerely happy both for High Roller and of course for myself with the great reviews on the previous album. I think the new album is stronger, but in the end, it's up to the listener and that I have no control over. Listening to Long Way To The Light for the first time, one might get the impression that overall it's a slightly poppier record compared to the debut. It might be, reflects Robert Pehrsson. But it's not really intentional. I like the songs short and to the point with a strong hook. That's what I strive for always. I think people sometimes put us in the same category as more hard rocking bands and we're not really that type of band in the end. I want the freedom to do other styles as well. If I look at the old bands, I like that they were all very diverse, not playing on 10 all the time. D'accord, diversity in songwriting has always been the forté of Robert Pehrsson's Humbucker. But in the past, for some, this has been a dangerous road, if you look at Phil Lynott's solo album Solo In Soho, which for some is, well, a total mess. I actually like a lot of that album, confesses the Swedish guitarist. But maybe it was wise to do it as a solo album. I'm not scared to try different approaches to both writing and recording and I think it's possible to paint with a wide brush and still be true to the overall sound of the band. I'm not talking about rocket science here and we record in a very old school fashion. But there are so many different ways to approach things and I am intrigued with these things. I'm interested in the craft of songwriting and recording. This approach shows on each of the nine tracks of the record. So nine songs once more (just like on the debut platter), that must be the lucky number for Robert Pehrsson indeed. I guess so, he laughs. There was more material written and recorded, but I was not 100% happy with how some of the songs came together so I've put them on hold for another day. I don't want any filler material and I don't like albums that go on forever personally. Sometimes we are limited as performers. I wrote some material for this album that I was really excited about, but I just could not make it sound right this time around. I listen to lots of different music and I would like the band to be able to do diverse material. The biggest difference is that we have played live since the first album, comments Robert Pehrsson on the main differences between the first album and Long Way To The Light. My approach for the writing was not that different, but I kept in mind that I want do be able to perform the songs live in their true form. I also co-worked with Joseph Tholl, Nicke Andersson and Andreas Axelsson on some tracks. So I think there is more of a band feeling to this one compared to the first album. And that was something I wanted from the beginning when I started working on this album. Robert Pehrsson's Humbucker have played around 40 live shows since the debut album, so the line-up is starting to gel. Robert Pehrsson: Long Way To The Light has been recorded mostly by me and Nicke Anderssons (drums and bass). Joseph Tholl has also been involved a lot. I really like recording with these guys. But a lot of the players on the previous also appear on this. The live line-up has been Joseph Tholl, Jakob Ljungberg and Jens Lagergren, and they all appear on the album. It's a mixture of really talented friends from other bands: Enforcer, Imperial State Electric, The Hellacopters, Tribulation etc... We tend to do a lot of stuff together. Here's some names: Robert Eriksson, Jonas Wikstrand, Johan Bäckman, Johannes Borgström. The list goes on! Maybe Robert Pehrsson is indeed one the last great guitarist in the tradition of Ritchie Blackmore, Michael Schenker, Jimmy Page and Scott Gorham. But then again Long Way To The Light is not a guitar-driven record per se. So what comes first for the Swedish guitarist exytraordinaire, the song or the guitar performance? Robert Pehrsson: Thanks! The song is always first. I see it the same way playing live. I want us, as a band, to play together and be a strong unit. It's not about individual performances at all. I do, however, think there is quite a lot of guitar playing, but there is no room for unnecessary flash in the songs. I want the listener to feel that the solo is an integral part of the song and not just there for me to show off. My main goal is to create a solo that you can and would want to hum along to. There are lots of great songs on the album, for example Zero Emotion. It's some kind of a love song, correct? It's more of a breakup song, laughs Robert Pehrsson. And how you sometimes end up dealing with things like that. A lot of the lyrics are about losing loved ones in one way or another. I guess it's because I'm at that age now when things like that happen, whereas in the past I did not really have to deal with that in the same way. The closing number No I don't is quite funky partially … so maybe the right choice for the title of most unusual song on the album? Robert Pehrsson begs to differ: I would probably say it's rather 'Traveling Through The Dark'. It's got an 1980s vibe to it and I don't really see any other of the songs having that. But overall I think this album is more diverse. 'Pretender' also comes to mind as a bit unusual and something we have not really done before. These are the songs I tend to like the most. Record Label: High Roller Records Style: Metal

One of the biggest “re-discoveries” of obscure eighties US Metal/Hard Rock are Ashbury from Tuscon in Arizona. The band, led by brothers Randy and Rob Davis, did originally record two very hard to find albums: »Endless Skies« in 1983 and the (belated) follow-up »Something Funny Going On« (issued in 2010). However, the roots of the band go way back to the late 1970s, when multi-instrumentalist Randy Davis formed his very first band in Southern Oklahoma. “That was before Ashbury proper,” explains Randy. ”It was in late 1977 that Ashbury South was formed in Oklahoma. In early 1980 Rob and I returned to Tucson and formed Ashbury in June 1980. The original line-up of that band broke up a year later. Ashbury proper was born at that time as Rob and I were writing music and our long term objective was to record original music and we knew we had to have the right elements in place for that. Ironically, it would turn out that just the two of us would become the base for Ashbury, both then and now.” The story goes that Ashbury was offered an album deal by a major company(from Los Angeles) in the early 1980s. Which company was that? ”The label was Polydor,” states Randy, “and the 'offer' came in September 1983. We had recorded »Endless Skies« and self released the LP in May of the same year. Rob was 'shopping' it around all the major labels in L.A. (and agencies like William Morris). We were looking for a major label's interest in order to possibly re-record the album again (maybe with a larger budget and major label producer), or to at least gain better distribution, etc. Ashbury had only existed as a 'cover' band up until the release of »Endless Skies«, so we had not attracted the interest of A&R people at the major labels. The label, however, wanted to 'shelve' the whole record and sign us for something entirely different. They had in mind an acoustic sound featuring our songwriting and vocal harmony skills (i. e.: England Dan & John Ford Coley). We were not interested in that and turned them down. Ironically, we now perform an acoustic show as a duo and it is a major source of our music income. We perform the show locally here in Tucson, but have also performed acoustically as a duo in Greece and Sweden, while there to perform Ashbury shows.” The original vinyl edition of »Endless Skies« came out in 1983 (with a circulation of 1,000 copies). ”It was a complete indie project all the way,” states Rob Davis. “The early processes were handled by Randy and another guy who was instrumental in putting everything together. His name is Stone Age, he went on to found other Metal bands like Butcher. He also was the artist that conceived and drew our 'Rocker' logo, and he found the artist Ernie Polo that painted the artwork for the »Endless Skies« cover (from our own conception). We worked mostly on a budget of $ 5,000 for the entire project, financed by a backer named Mac Whitton. Our distribution was through Tower Records in the western U.S. ... and we put that together ourselves also. Tower Records was the #1 "Record" store in the western U.S., and we had secured distribution in several western states.” Ashbury's sound has sometimes been compared to Jethro Tull, would that be a fair comparison? ”We both have a big smile on our face with that question”, expain the Davis brothers. “Yes, we are proud to be compared with Jethro Tull, and can easily live with that comparison. Jethro Tull and Ian Anderson's writing were a huge influence on us both. Ironically, Ian Anderson and Martin Barre were the stable members of the band while many others came and went, similar to us, except for the amount of success and sales - haha - that's where the comparison ends!” The first album does feature an iconic artwork. Who was responsible for it and what does the cover signify? ”Responsibility for the concept lies with Randy, Rob and Stone Age,” is the answer to the question. “Once we knew what we wanted, the search for the right artist began. Stone Age was not only a musician, but a very good artist (remember he conceived and drew our 'Rocker' logo), but he felt the cover art needed a more talented artist/painter than he was. He began the search, and found an artist named Ernie Polo working in Tucson, and subsidizing his art by selling shoes in a mall shoe store. We commissioned him and with relative ease he delivered the painting in just a couple of weeks. The cover signifies Creation, and the choices we all make. The cover obviously coincides with the opening song 'The Warning', about the Prophet who warns against bad choices, evil and greed. The final touch was a 'fantasy' setting, a look just off from any real world appearance.” Were Ashbury catering to a metal audience back then at all? Or were they exclusively playing to normal rock audiences (locally?) in the States? ”Exactly!,” exclaims Randy Davis. “We were playing to 'Rock' audiences in night clubs throughout the western U.S. We did not consider anything about Ashbury to be catered to a 'Metal' audience. The irony might be that Stone Age was as "Metal" as Metal gets. During pre-production, he actually mentioned that we needed to have at least one song to appeal to the Metal fans, and we wrote 'Vengeance' at that time and Stone was very thumbs up on the song. Looks like he was right.” Randy and Rob Davis are playing as brothers in Ashbury, they have always been the core of the band: ”We would not continue performing as Ashbury without both being involved. We write independently, and also together, therefore the very creation of the music would be different if one of us left the band. We also both sing lead vocals, so the sound of the band would be altered. I might refer to a recent tour concerning Styx - touring without Dennis DeYoung - therefore it's NOT Styx Record Label: High Roller Records Style: Metal

One of the biggest “re-discoveries” of obscure eighties US Metal/Hard Rock are Ashbury from Tuscon in Arizona. The band, led by brothers Randy and Rob Davis, did originally record two very hard to find albums: »Endless Skies« in 1983 and the (belated) follow-up »Something Funny Going On« (issued in 2010). However, the roots of the band go way back to the late 1970s, when multi-instrumentalist Randy Davis formed his very first band in Southern Oklahoma. “That was before Ashbury proper,” explains Randy. ”It was in late 1977 that Ashbury South was formed in Oklahoma. In early 1980 Rob and I returned to Tucson and formed Ashbury in June 1980. The original line-up of that band broke up a year later. Ashbury proper was born at that time as Rob and I were writing music and our long term objective was to record original music and we knew we had to have the right elements in place for that. Ironically, it would turn out that just the two of us would become the base for Ashbury, both then and now.” The story goes that Ashbury was offered an album deal by a major company(from Los Angeles) in the early 1980s. Which company was that? ”The label was Polydor,” states Randy, “and the 'offer' came in September 1983. We had recorded »Endless Skies« and self released the LP in May of the same year. Rob was 'shopping' it around all the major labels in L.A. (and agencies like William Morris). We were looking for a major label's interest in order to possibly re-record the album again (maybe with a larger budget and major label producer), or to at least gain better distribution, etc. Ashbury had only existed as a 'cover' band up until the release of »Endless Skies«, so we had not attracted the interest of A&R people at the major labels. The label, however, wanted to 'shelve' the whole record and sign us for something entirely different. They had in mind an acoustic sound featuring our songwriting and vocal harmony skills (i. e.: England Dan & John Ford Coley). We were not interested in that and turned them down. Ironically, we now perform an acoustic show as a duo and it is a major source of our music income. We perform the show locally here in Tucson, but have also performed acoustically as a duo in Greece and Sweden, while there to perform Ashbury shows.” The original vinyl edition of »Endless Skies« came out in 1983 (with a circulation of 1,000 copies). ”It was a complete indie project all the way,” states Rob Davis. “The early processes were handled by Randy and another guy who was instrumental in putting everything together. His name is Stone Age, he went on to found other Metal bands like Butcher. He also was the artist that conceived and drew our 'Rocker' logo, and he found the artist Ernie Polo that painted the artwork for the »Endless Skies« cover (from our own conception). We worked mostly on a budget of $ 5,000 for the entire project, financed by a backer named Mac Whitton. Our distribution was through Tower Records in the western U.S. ... and we put that together ourselves also. Tower Records was the #1 "Record" store in the western U.S., and we had secured distribution in several western states.” Ashbury's sound has sometimes been compared to Jethro Tull, would that be a fair comparison? ”We both have a big smile on our face with that question”, expain the Davis brothers. “Yes, we are proud to be compared with Jethro Tull, and can easily live with that comparison. Jethro Tull and Ian Anderson's writing were a huge influence on us both. Ironically, Ian Anderson and Martin Barre were the stable members of the band while many others came and went, similar to us, except for the amount of success and sales - haha - that's where the comparison ends!” The first album does feature an iconic artwork. Who was responsible for it and what does the cover signify? ”Responsibility for the concept lies with Randy, Rob and Stone Age,” is the answer to the question. “Once we knew what we wanted, the search for the right artist began. Stone Age was not only a musician, but a very good artist (remember he conceived and drew our 'Rocker' logo), but he felt the cover art needed a more talented artist/painter than he was. He began the search, and found an artist named Ernie Polo working in Tucson, and subsidizing his art by selling shoes in a mall shoe store. We commissioned him and with relative ease he delivered the painting in just a couple of weeks. The cover signifies Creation, and the choices we all make. The cover obviously coincides with the opening song 'The Warning', about the Prophet who warns against bad choices, evil and greed. The final touch was a 'fantasy' setting, a look just off from any real world appearance.” Were Ashbury catering to a metal audience back then at all? Or were they exclusively playing to normal rock audiences (locally?) in the States? ”Exactly!,” exclaims Randy Davis. “We were playing to 'Rock' audiences in night clubs throughout the western U.S. We did not consider anything about Ashbury to be catered to a 'Metal' audience. The irony might be that Stone Age was as "Metal" as Metal gets. During pre-production, he actually mentioned that we needed to have at least one song to appeal to the Metal fans, and we wrote 'Vengeance' at that time and Stone was very thumbs up on the song. Looks like he was right.” Randy and Rob Davis are playing as brothers in Ashbury, they have always been the core of the band: ”We would not continue performing as Ashbury without both being involved. We write independently, and also together, therefore the very creation of the music would be different if one of us left the band. We also both sing lead vocals, so the sound of the band would be altered. I might refer to a recent tour concerning Styx - touring without Dennis DeYoung - therefore it's NOT Styx Record Label: High Roller Records Style: Metal

Record Label: High Roller Records Style: Metal

transparent ultra clear/ doublemint splatter vinyl, ltd 350, 425gsm heavy cardboard cover, lyric sheet, promo photo, remastered for vinyl by Patrick W. Engel/ Temple of Disharmony. “The Heritage” was the first Protector album with no original member involved. Drummer Michael Hasse had left the band due to health reasons and was replaced by Marco Pape, who had earned his spurs playing in Steelhunter and Shooting Gallery. Protector’s fourth full-length album was recorded in 1993 at the TNT Studio in Gelsenkirchen, a town in the famous Ruhr-Area. It was released in the same year by Witten-based label C&C. Olly Wiebel, who had taken over both vocal and guitar duties already on the previous release, remembers that the recordings went well and smoothly. Matze Grün had already helped out during the recordings for “A Shedding of Skin” and had now joined the Protector ranks as an official member, and new drummer Marco proved to be a great choice both with regard to his drumming skills and his general work ethics. Compared to what they did on “A Shedding of Skin”, Protector had now made some adjustments to both the songwriting and the sound they were aiming for: Soundwise, the three-piece had decided to go for a purer and harder sound (to this end, Protector were supported by Tim Buktu of Massacra-fame) and the songs were meant to be faster and more furious than before. They totally met these goals, and “The Heritage” got the reactions it deserved: Protector had become even heavier, faster and more brutal than before, and both fans and press liked it a lot. Pondering what effect the album had on the band’s career, Olly Wiebel hopes that the impression “The Heritage” made on the metal scene had been both a good and a lasting one. He surely is right there, even though in 1993, Thrash Metal was heading for difficult times, while Death Metal was on the rise. That in turn provided rather good conditions for Protector, as they had traditionally been playing on the verge of both genres and are still regarded as an important instigator for Teutonic Death Metal. Also, the introduction of Olly Wiebel as the Protector vocalist had already tipped the scale a bit more to the Death Metal side of things. “The Heritage” now even amplified that inclination, also adding an experimental/progressive touch and even further developed musicianship shown off in a decent, not all-too-technical way. A reviewer on Metal Archives even called it “the most well written death metal album that I have personally ever listened to.“ If that isn’t something! And that guy may be right. Protector had matured and were totally in control of what they were doing, not only focusing on being as fast, heavy and savage as possible, but always paying attention to the purposeful use of effects, and, most important, to the composition as a whole. Protector played skillfully with the innovations the Nineties threw at them: Just listen to “Convicts on the Streets” which even treads the forbidden paths of groove metal… German “Rockhard” celebrated this ruthless piece of Thrash/Death as the album which should finally reinforce Protector’s status as an integral part of the German metal elite – but things never turn out the way you expect. After the release of “The Heritage” – perhaps due to a feeling of exhaustion – Olly, Matze and Marco decided on go on a one-year break; this break eventually turned into a two year hiatus, after which only drummer Marco found the motivation to carry on with Protector. Consequently, he gathered a new line-up and tried to keep the band rolling, but things somehow had lost their momentum: Protector released another four-track demo in 2000, but there was no new album coming from the new line-up. “The Heritage” would soon prove to be a self-fulfilling prophecy: It was the last proper album to come out before Protector vanished from the scene for a good ten years, until they had their comeback with “Reanimated Homunculus, out on High Roller in 2013. For the re-release, “The Heritage” has been remastered by Patrick W. Engel at Temple of Disharmony, and it will come with a bunch of previously unreleased pictures from the past Record Label: High Roller Records Style: Metal

transparent ultra clear/ easter yellow splatter vinyl, ltd 350, 425gsm heavy cardboard cover, lyric sheet, poster, promo photo, mastered for vinyl by Patrick W. Engel/ Temple of Disharmony. Leviathan’s Desire” was Protector’s first release without original vocalist Martin Missy. Olly Wiebel was the new man on the microphone, and he brought in a new and different style, one no less gruff and aggressive than that of his predecessor. With the “Leviathan’s Desire” EP, Protector left the musically mid-paced path they had followed on “Urm the Mad”, turning back to their key skills and delivering a short but sweet-and-extreme thrash metal attack. The EP contains a revised and extended version of “Kain and Abel” that fits in perfectly with the new tracks, which are full to the brim with raging riffs and violent hooks, relentlessly delivered by a band that’s fully aware of its great skills and abilities both with regard to song-writing and performance – rhythm changes, breaks and bridges are all thoroughly worked out and excellently delivered. But do not fear! There are no signs of giving in to any ideas of embracing the “progressive” side of Protector. This is still pure Teutonic Thrash to the bone. “Leviathan’s Desire” was recorded in the Phoenix Studio Bochum in 1990 and originally released by German label Atom H (based in Witten, North Rhine-Westphalia) in the same year. The main songwriters for “Leviathan’s Desire” were guitarist Hansi Müller, who had been a part of Protector since the very beginning, and Michael Hasse, Protector’s original drummer, who sadly deceased in 1994. Olly Wiebel remembers that the two were pulling a row of all-nighters to get everything finished in time. And another very familiar figure was involved, too: The original credits keep quiet about it, but Protector’s first singer Martin Missy contributed parts of the lyrics for the EP. Apart from the (old and new) band members themselves, there was Ralph Hubert of Mekong Delta fame involved, as he took over production duties of the record. Being the band’s first output with Hansi on vocals, it is no big surprise that “Leviathan’s Desire” is still his favourite Protector release. It would also be the last output featuring the guitarist, as left the band in 1991, shortly after a tour with Napalm Death, and singer Olly then took over guitar duties as well. Also, fans and media reacted overall positively to this release, so the change in the singer position did not lead to any deep rifts between Protector and their fans and followers, as one might have expected. Olly is extremely glad to see the vinyl re-release of “Leviathan’s Desire”, which has been mastered for vinyl by old comrade Patrick W. Engel at Temple of Disharmony. As a special feature for every nostalgic thrasher’s soul, Protector opened up their dusty cabinets to present a selection of previously unreleased pictures from those still good old days, which will be gracing the High Roller edition of “Leviathan’s Desire”. Record Label: High Roller Records Style: Metal

ltd transparent ultra clear/ red splatter vinyl, 425gsm heavy cardboard cover, A4 lyric sheet, insert, promo photo, poster. mastered for vinyl by Patrick W. Engel/ Temple of Disharmony. Protector’s third full-length album starts off with a peaceful intro… wait, is that a bird singing? But no, don’t let yourself be deceived – “A Shedding of Skin” is a most lethal and savage piece of thrash metal madness: It gives us thirteen tracks of most refined, most extreme and ripping thrash metal, constantly keeping up the highest level of thrash metal craftsmanship - just listen to the brutally well executed title track and you know what I am talking about! This album is an impressive display of Protector’s very own blend of thrash and death metal influences that made the three-piece from Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony a force in its own right. Wait, three-piece? Yes, indeed: On “A Shedding of Skin”, guitarist Olly Wiebel had also taken over vocal duties, what reduced Protector to the typical power trio format, now consisting of Olly together with bassist Ede Belichmeier and drummer Michael Hasse (R.I.P. 1994). The savage masterpiece was recorded during August 1991 at the Musik LAB Studio in Berlin. The songs for “A Shedding…” were written, rehearsed and recorded by Olly Wiebel and Michael Hasse. During the recording process, the two were assisted by Matze Grün, who later would join Protector to replace Ede Belichmeier, and Ken Kennedy of Criminal Justice fame (some might also know him from his short stint with Tankard). “A Shedding of Skin” was first released by Major Records International. Soundwise there is nothing “A Shedding of Skin” leaves to wish for, which is due to the man responsible for the recordings: For their third album Protector worked together with Harris Johns, one of the most prolific European music producers for rock and metal, who also worked for and together with Kreator, Voivod, Tankard and Sodom… – just check out the impressive list of albums he has to his name. Olly Wiebel puts it simply: “Working with Harris Johns was great, very professional, and you definitely can hear that on the record. I think that ‘A Shedding of Skin’ is a real masterpiece.” The release was followed by a small tour together with Funeral Nation and Ravenous, for which Matze Grün already took over the bass position. The shows were all well-attended and the album received a mass of enthusiastic reviews. German Rockhard called it “a great leap forward”, especially with regard to the songwriting and – no wonder – to the sound quality. Parallels were drawn between Protector and French outfit Massacra, as Protector were now leaning even more to the death metal side of things. Olly Wiebel’s vocal performance was compared to Nick Holmes (Paradise Lost) and Martin von Drunnen (Asphyx). For the re-release on High Roller, “A Shedding of Skin” has been especially re-mastered for vinyl by Patrick W. Engel at Temple of Disharmony. Olly is certain that both old and new fans will like this release very much, especially as it will come with yet another bunch of previously unreleased pictures from the Protector archives. Record Label: High Roller Records Style: Metal

The Heritage was the first Protector album with no original member involved. Drummer Michael Hasse had left the band due to health reasons and was replaced by Marco Pape, who had earned his spurs playing in Steelhunter and Shooting Gallery. Protector’s fourth full-length album was recorded in 1993 at the TNT Studio in Gelsenkirchen, a town in the famous Ruhr-Area. It was released in the same year by Witten-based label C&C. Olly Wiebel, who had taken over both vocal and guitar duties already on the previous release, remembers that the recordings went well and smoothly. Matze Grün had already helped out during the recordings for “A Shedding of Skin” and had now joined the Protector ranks as an official member, and new drummer Marco proved to be a great choice both with regard to his drumming skills and his general work ethics. Compared to what they did on “A Shedding of Skin”, Protector had now made some adjustments to both the songwriting and the sound they were aiming for: Soundwise, the three-piece had decided to go for a purer and harder sound (to this end, Protector were supported by Tim Buktu of Massacra-fame) and the songs were meant to be faster and more furious than before. They totally met these goals, and “The Heritage” got the reactions it deserved: Protector had become even heavier, faster and more brutal than before, and both fans and press liked it a lot. Pondering what effect the album had on the band’s career, Olly Wiebel hopes that the impression “The Heritage” made on the metal scene had been both a good and a lasting one. He surely is right there, even though in 1993, Thrash Metal was heading for difficult times, while Death Metal was on the rise. That in turn provided rather good conditions for Protector, as they had traditionally been playing on the verge of both genres and are still regarded as an important instigator for Teutonic Death Metal. Also, the introduction of Olly Wiebel as the Protector vocalist had already tipped the scale a bit more to the Death Metal side of things. “The Heritage” now even amplified that inclination, also adding an experimental/progressive touch and even further developed musicianship shown off in a decent, not all-too-technical way. A reviewer on Metal Archives even called it “the most well written death metal album that I have personally ever listened to.“ If that isn’t something! And that guy may be right. Protector had matured and were totally in control of what they were doing, not only focusing on being as fast, heavy and savage as possible, but always paying attention to the purposeful use of effects, and, most important, to the composition as a whole. Protector played skillfully with the innovations the Nineties threw at them: Just listen to “Convicts on the Streets” which even treads the forbidden paths of groove metal… German “Rockhard” celebrated this ruthless piece of Thrash/Death as the album which should finally reinforce Protector’s status as an integral part of the German metal elite – but things never turn out the way you expect. After the release of “The Heritage” – perhaps due to a feeling of exhaustion – Olly, Matze and Marco decided on go on a one-year break; this break eventually turned into a two year hiatus, after which only drummer Marco found the motivation to carry on with Protector. Consequently, he gathered a new line-up and tried to keep the band rolling, but things somehow had lost their momentum: Protector released another four-track demo in 2000, but there was no new album coming from the new line-up. “The Heritage” would soon prove to be a self-fulfilling prophecy: It was the last proper album to come out before Protector vanished from the scene for a good ten years, until they had their comeback with “Reanimated Homunculus, out on High Roller in 2013. For the re-release, “The Heritage” has been remastered by Patrick W. Engel at Temple of Disharmony, and it will come with a bunch of previously unreleased pictures from the past Record Label: High Roller Records Style: Metal

Leviathan’s Desire” was Protector’s first release without original vocalist Martin Missy. Olly Wiebel was the new man on the microphone, and he brought in a new and different style, one no less gruff and aggressive than that of his predecessor. With the “Leviathan’s Desire” EP, Protector left the musically mid-paced path they had followed on “Urm the Mad”, turning back to their key skills and delivering a short but sweet-and-extreme thrash metal attack. The EP contains a revised and extended version of “Kain and Abel” that fits in perfectly with the new tracks, which are full to the brim with raging riffs and violent hooks, relentlessly delivered by a band that’s fully aware of its great skills and abilities both with regard to song-writing and performance – rhythm changes, breaks and bridges are all thoroughly worked out and excellently delivered. But do not fear! There are no signs of giving in to any ideas of embracing the “progressive” side of Protector. This is still pure Teutonic Thrash to the bone. “Leviathan’s Desire” was recorded in the Phoenix Studio Bochum in 1990 and originally released by German label Atom H (based in Witten, North Rhine-Westphalia) in the same year. The main songwriters for “Leviathan’s Desire” were guitarist Hansi Müller, who had been a part of Protector since the very beginning, and Michael Hasse, Protector’s original drummer, who sadly deceased in 1994. Olly Wiebel remembers that the two were pulling a row of all-nighters to get everything finished in time. And another very familiar figure was involved, too: The original credits keep quiet about it, but Protector’s first singer Martin Missy contributed parts of the lyrics for the EP. Apart from the (old and new) band members themselves, there was Ralph Hubert of Mekong Delta fame involved, as he took over production duties of the record. Being the band’s first output with Hansi on vocals, it is no big surprise that “Leviathan’s Desire” is still his favourite Protector release. It would also be the last output featuring the guitarist, as left the band in 1991, shortly after a tour with Napalm Death, and singer Olly then took over guitar duties as well. Also, fans and media reacted overall positively to this release, so the change in the singer position did not lead to any deep rifts between Protector and their fans and followers, as one might have expected. Olly is extremely glad to see the vinyl re-release of “Leviathan’s Desire”, which has been mastered for vinyl by old comrade Patrick W. Engel at Temple of Disharmony. As a special feature for every nostalgic thrasher’s soul, Protector opened up their dusty cabinets to present a selection of previously unreleased pictures from those still good old days, which will be gracing the High Roller edition of “Leviathan’s Desire”. Record Label: High Roller Records Style: Metal

After their successful return with “Reanimated Homunculus”, Protector now deliver their second full-length album of the not-so-new millennium. What can fans of Protector expect from the new LP? Martin Missy tells a bit about “Cursed and Coronated”, which contains a nice surprise for everyone familiar with the Protector back catalogue: “On ‘Cursed and Coronated’ there is a song with the same title. The lyrics to this song are about Urm the Mad, who people might know from our 1989-album – this is so to say the return of Urm the Mad!” About the last Protector album Martin said that the band “wanted an 80’s Thrash metal sound, and I hope we have succeeded with that.” Judging from the reviews “Reanimated Homunculus” got, a lot of people out there think they definitely have achieved this. Now what were the band’s goals for the new record? Has it been forged in the same furnace as the “Reanimated Homunculus”? “Definitely! We keep the ‘Protector boat’ sailing steadily on the seas of Thrash Metal, with some visits to ‘Death Metal Island’. I think that fans who liked ‘Reanimated Homunculus’ will like ‘Cursed and Coronated’ as well.” On their facebook page Protector already posted some new material, namely a ferocious new piece titled „The Dimholt“, performed in Wolfsburg on June 13th this year. Even though the sound quality is not very good, the video gives a good impression of what the whole album is like: evil, fast, cutting and slicing old school Thrash in the true Protector vein. Now that Protector features Martin as the only original member, who is responsible for the songwriting? Martin explains: “Most of the songs were, like on “Reanimated Homunculus”, written by my three band colleagues Michael ‘Micke’ Carlsson (guitar), Mathias ‘Matte’ Johansson (bass) and Carl-Gustav Karlsson (drums). I wrote all the lyrics to the album, and I also contributed the guitar riffs for the title song.” “Cursed and Coronated” was recorded in May 2015, in the Sunlight Studio in Norrtälje / Sweden, the same studio where the “Reanimated Homunculus” saw the light of day. And for the rest, the Protector crew remembered to never change a winning team: Again the producer is Tomas Skogsberg, the mastering was done by the Patrick W. Engel, and the cover artwork stems once again from prolific artist Kristian Wåhlin. Being situated within the vast Swedish countryside, Tomas Skogsberg’s studio was a place of literally wild adventures for Protector: “On one or two occasions there was a pheasant outside the house who even dared to walk up right to the studio entrance. And one night, when our bass player went outside to take a break from the recording sessions, he suddenly stared right into the glowing eyes of a wild boar!” Luckily, all band members survived their adventures in the Swedish wilderness, and the recordings were finished as they should. Just as on “Reanimated Homunculus”, Protector again proffer a mix of both older and new material: “Three of the songs already appeared on demos and split-singles between 2011 and 2013, while seven of the songs are brand new.” Martin finds it hard to pin down his own favourite track: “Oh, that's really difficult to say, because I like them all. But maybe I would pick ‘The Dimholt’ because it's a really cool Thrash song with great riffs.” For “Cursed and Coronated” Protector invited a couple of guests from the Swedish Thrash/Death underground: Ludvig Engellau from Blood Mortized, Shayan Jahanzadeh from Obscyria and Oliver Palmquist from Phidion all hired themselves out as background vocalists. Life hasn’t changed very much for the band, even if a lot of people welcomed “Reanimated Homuculus” as a great, exemplary “comeback” album. Thus they are not in for extensive touring and keep their live appearances at a low level, playing something like 4-6 shows a year. Nevertheless, Martin enjoys it a lot to be on stage with Protector: “The gigs at the CMOA, in Wolfsburg, at the Headache Inside and the Obscene Extreme festival went very well. It was really fun to play each of these gigs, and to meet many old and new fans and friends.” While being located in Sweden, Martin assumes that Protector still have their biggest following in Germany: “That’s so difficult to say, but, yes, I would guess it's Germany. From there we get most of our concert requests!” Asked if there is anything left to say about “Cursed and Coronated”, Martin’s reply is as modest and likeable as always: “Only that we hope that our fans will like ‘Cursed and Coronated’ as much as ‘Reanimated Homunculus’. Stay Metal!” Record Label: High Roller Records Style: Metal

Protector’s third full-length album starts off with a peaceful intro… wait, is that a bird singing? But no, don’t let yourself be deceived – “A Shedding of Skin” is a most lethal and savage piece of thrash metal madness: It gives us thirteen tracks of most refined, most extreme and ripping thrash metal, constantly keeping up the highest level of thrash metal craftsmanship - just listen to the brutally well executed title track and you know what I am talking about! This album is an impressive display of Protector’s very own blend of thrash and death metal influences that made the three-piece from Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony a force in its own right. Wait, three-piece? Yes, indeed: On “A Shedding of Skin”, guitarist Olly Wiebel had also taken over vocal duties, what reduced Protector to the typical power trio format, now consisting of Olly together with bassist Ede Belichmeier and drummer Michael Hasse (R.I.P. 1994). The savage masterpiece was recorded during August 1991 at the Musik LAB Studio in Berlin. The songs for “A Shedding…” were written, rehearsed and recorded by Olly Wiebel and Michael Hasse. During the recording process, the two were assisted by Matze Grün, who later would join Protector to replace Ede Belichmeier, and Ken Kennedy of Criminal Justice fame (some might also know him from his short stint with Tankard). “A Shedding of Skin” was first released by Major Records International. Soundwise there is nothing “A Shedding of Skin” leaves to wish for, which is due to the man responsible for the recordings: For their third album Protector worked together with Harris Johns, one of the most prolific European music producers for rock and metal, who also worked for and together with Kreator, Voivod, Tankard and Sodom… – just check out the impressive list of albums he has to his name. Olly Wiebel puts it simply: “Working with Harris Johns was great, very professional, and you definitely can hear that on the record. I think that ‘A Shedding of Skin’ is a real masterpiece.” The release was followed by a small tour together with Funeral Nation and Ravenous, for which Matze Grün already took over the bass position. The shows were all well-attended and the album received a mass of enthusiastic reviews. German Rockhard called it “a great leap forward”, especially with regard to the songwriting and – no wonder – to the sound quality. Parallels were drawn between Protector and French outfit Massacra, as Protector were now leaning even more to the death metal side of things. Olly Wiebel’s vocal performance was compared to Nick Holmes (Paradise Lost) and Martin von Drunnen (Asphyx). For the re-release on High Roller, “A Shedding of Skin” has been especially re-mastered for vinyl by Patrick W. Engel at Temple of Disharmony. Olly is certain that both old and new fans will like this release very much, especially as it will come with yet another bunch of previously unreleased pictures from the Protector archives. Record Label: High Roller Records Style: Metal

Record Label: High Roller Records Style: Metal

Record Label: High Roller Records Style: Metal