August 27, 1979 - Geoff Thorpe moves from Hawaii to Santa Rosa, California, to pursue his musical career and start his own band. For the first year, before even having the band together, Geoff went to every concert and club show, passing out Vicious Rumors business cards, which helped to generate an interest in the music scene when the band finally did start playing out in the clubs.

1980 - Vicious Rumors play the first "Metal Monday" along with Metallica, Mötley Crüe, Lääz Rockit and Exodus. "Metal Mondays" were metal shows sponsored by the San Francisco radio station KRQR, featuring the best metal acts in the Bay Area at Bill Graham's, "The Old Waldorf", the premier club in the Bay Area at the time. "Metal Mondays" were the birth of the Bay area Metal scene.

1982 - Vicious Rumors appears on KMEL's 'New Oasis' album, with the track, "I Can Live Forever". The lineup: Mark Tate - vocals, Geoff Thorpe - guitar, Jim Cassero - guitar, Jeff Barnacle - bass, Walt Perkins - drums.

1983 - Vicious Rumors  releases another single on 'US Metal III' called, "Ultimate Death", with Jim Lange replacing Walt on the drums. At this time Geoff met Gary St. Pierre in Hawaii. Gary was playing in the band Hawaii with guitarist Marty Friedman (ex-Megadeth).

1984 - Vicious Rumors return to 'US Metal IV' with the song, "One Way Ticket". The line-up: Gary St. Pierre - vocals, Geoff Thorpe - guitar, Chuck Moomey - guitar, Jeff Barnacle - bass, Don Selzer - drums. After the two 'US Metal' releases, Vicious Rumors had built a strong Bay Area following, which lead to their first recording contract - a 2 album deal with Mike Varney's Shrapnel Records.

1985 - 'Soldiers of the Night' was released. This album becomes album of the month in Magazines in Holland and Germany. The new line up was: Geoff Thorpe - Guitar, Vinnie Moore - Guitar, Gary St. Pierre - Vocals, Dave Starr - Bass, and Larry Howe - Drums. Vinnie left the band after recording the album due to musical differences. Dave Starr tells Geoff about his friend Mark McGee, formerly of Star Castle, to audition for a guitar player, and this incredible singer Carl Albert, formerly of Ruffians and Villain. They all jammed one time and wrote the song "Digital Dictator" and the rest is history. Out goes Vinnie and Gary, and in comes Carl and Mark.

SOLDIERS OF THE NIGHT (1985) SHRAPNEL RECORDS/ROADRACER

Vicious Rumor's debut album is considered a classic power metal gem today. It is also one of the hardest metal CD's to find, even after Roadracer Records re-issued it in their Price Killers series. So is this record all it is hyped up to be? After a sweet instrumental intro the band is galloping away with the speed metal number, "Ride (Into The Sun)". Fast riffing with typical soloing, and soaring metal vocals makes this a metal monster! When your guitar-player is none other then Vinnie Moore, you are bound to deliver some serious shredding. And that is exactly what opens "Medusa". This mid-paced track is yet another fine metal moment. Then onto the title-track. "Soldiers Of The Night" is a metal hymn that'll get your head banging and fists flying in the air faster then you can say Geoff Thorpe! And I could go on like this with each and every song. What sets this album apart from most other releases in this genre is the guitar-playing. Mentioned Vinnie Moore is a shredder that can deliver awesome riffs, but also some really great solos. Most lead guitar-players can of course solo, but not quite as good as Vinnie. So in conclusion; yes, this is a metal classic! This is what true power metal was all about; POWER! After the recording of this album Vinnie Moore left the band to proceed his solo career. Gary St. Pierre was a member of Marty Friedman's first band Hawaii before he joined Vicious Rumors.

Killer tracks: Ride (Into The Sun), Soldiers Of The Night, March Or Die, In Fire

DIGITAL DICTATOR (1987, 2009) SHRAPNEL RECORDS

'Soldiers Of The Night' did well for Vicious Rumors and Shrapnel Records. However, in time for the bands follow-up album, they had to replace 2 members. Vocalist Gary St. Pierre and guitar player Vinnie Moore had left. The latter went on to a successful solo career. Their replacements, Mark McGee and Carl Albert, helped form what is known as the bands legacy line-up. And in 1987 their released 'Digital Dictator' together.

Musically there is not much of a difference between 'Soldiers Of The Night' and 'Digital Dictator'. Save for the instrumental opening, Geoff Thorpe has written or co-written all of the songs, so that secures continuity in the band's approach. New vocalist, Carl Albert, is clearly a better vocalist then his predecessor, without sounding all that different. He just has a clearer and more distinct voice. New guitarist, Mark McGee is no slouch himself, and delivers some tasty riffs and solos, creating a dynamic duo together with Geoff. And with the improved production it all just comes to its rights here, as every member of the band is heard.

Yes, 'Digital Dictator' is a smorgasbord of powerful metal. All the Vicious Rumors trademarks are here, like the gang vocals, the speedy riffs and melodic structures in the songwriting. Some have suggested that the name of this band stopped them in reaching as far as some of their contemporaries, like Metal Church and (early) Queensrÿche. Perhaps that is so, because Vicious Rumors where comparable to the works of both bands, and just as good!. And if you add a hint of Crimson Glory and Warrior, you'll have the bands sound pinned.

'Digital Dictator' did start the golden era of the band, and it marks as the first of their classical trio of seminal power metal albums. With songs like "Digital Dictator", "Town On Fire", "Lady Took A Chance", "Worlds And Machines" and "R.L.H. (Rock Like Hell)" they were ready to take on the world! This album eventually got them signed to a major label.

I own the 2009 reissue of 'Digital Dictator'. It comes in a digipack, with no extras or inserts. There are some new liner-notes, and all the original artwork.

Trivia: The song "Out of the Shadows" ends with a backmasked message. After a few seconds of silence, the message is re-played, the correct way. It says: "Be nice to your mom and dad, don't abuse, don't blow your brains out on drugs, rock your brains out, by the way; you're ruining your needle!"

Killer tracks: All of them!

VICIOUS RUMORS (1990, 2005) WOUNDED BIRD/ATLANTIC

After 2 seminal power metal releases Vicious Rumors returns with yet another strong effort. Their self titled album, originally released in 1990, contains less faster songs compared to their earlier efforts, so the speedy power metal is definitely toned down. That is not to say that they have gone all hair metal on us or anything, but the fact remains that this is not an all-out power metal album, the way 'Soldiers Of The Night' and 'Digital Dictator' were. Still, there is plenty of ballsy metal to enjoy here as well, and I find myself returning to this CD again and again.

The ball opens with the albums strongest track, "Don't Wait For Me". This is a heavy power metal song, with some very melodic hooks. Then "World Church" kicks in, a mid-paced song that reminds me of another Church, namely Metal Church. "On The Edge" is a speedier metal number, while "Ship Of Fools" and "Can You Hear It" sounds more like something off of Dio's 'Dream Evil' album! And so it ventures on. 'Vicious Rumors' might be the bands most commercial album to date. It's also the first one released on the major label, Atlantic Records. The album is strong, and there are no duds in sight. So if you like your guitars sharpened, and your vocals veiling, you could do worse then to listen to this slab of metal.

Killer tracks: Don't Wait For Me, World Church, Ship Of Fools, Down To The Temple, Hellraiser

WELCOME TO THE BALL (1991) ATLANTIC RECORDS

'Welcome To The Ball' is Vicious Rumors 4th album, the 3rd with the same line-up, and the second one released via major label, Atlantic Records.

'Welcome To The Ball' is more of a return to the bands sound previous to the 'Vicious Rumors' album. It's heavier than it's predecessor, making this yet another blueprint for power metal. I can't help but to liken it to Metal Church's 'The Dark', thus making it a pivotal landmark in the traditional power metal genre. The production is clear, yet with enough punch to give it that overall heavy feel. Carl Albert delivers some of his finest work here, sounding like David Wayne (Metal Church) and Blitz (Overkill) had a baby! The line-up for this album had been together for almost 5 years, recording 3 albums. As a result 'Welcome To The Ball' sound very focused, and it come across as a band effort. I love the inclusion of acoustic guitars here and there, and the twin guitar attack of Mark McGee and Geoff Thorpe is pretty unbeatable! 'Welcome To The Ball' is a true power metal classic!

A video was made for "Abandoned", as Atlantic Records tried to break the band as best they could. Still, Vicious Rumors never did make it to the top of the ladder, despite delivering a slew of great power metal albums. Today they are held in regard as one of the best bands of the genre, and 'Welcome To The Ball' is amongst their finest albums.

Killer tracks: Abandoned, You Only Live Twice, Savior From Anger, Children, Raise Your Hands, When Love Comes Down

WORD OF MOUTH (1994) RISING SUN/SPV

'Word Of Mouth' was my introduction to Vicious Rumors. Released in 1994, when metal was a dirty word, Vicious Rumors kept raising their metal flag higher!

Given the band's legendary status, I have to say that this album failed to impress me at first. I'm not sure what I expected, but in retrospect I think even the most die hard fans of Vicious Rumors must have been a little disappointed with 'Word Of Mouth'. This is still a decent metal platter, albeit far from the quality of the first 4 titles from this band.

Carl Albert is the one I give the most credit to here. His voice reminds me somewhat of the late David Wayne (ex-Metal Church, Reverend, Wayne), and is just a blueprint for power metal. He adds some depth to this otherwise pretty ordinary album. Despite my hesitations though, this is still a pretty solid peace of heavy metal. It's well balanced, with some stinkin' heavy tunes ("Against The Grain" and "Thinking Of You"), some faster stuff ("Sense Of Security") and some much slower songs ("Thunder And Rain Pt. 1" and "Dreaming"). 'World Of Mouth' is perhaps more groove oriented than it's predecessors, which was a pretty typical way for metal bands to try and reinvent themselves during the '90's.

I've grown to really like 'Word Of Mouth' over the years. It's not the bands most memorable effort, but if you are a fan of bands like Metal Church, Flotsam & Jetsam and (early) Savatage, then I think you'll find this album enjoyable too.

Trivia: I met some of the members of Vicious Rumors after a concert in Oslo in 2002. That was a different line-up then the crew that recorded this CD. But at the time this was the only Vicious Rumors album I owned, so it is now signed by Geoff Thorpe (the only one of them actually on the record), Cornbread and Brian O'Connor.

Killer tracks: Against The Grain, The Voice, Thunder And Rain Pt. 1, Thunder And Rain Pt. 2, Sense Of Security

SOMETHING BURNING (1996) MASSACRE (Digi-pack)

Band leader Geoff Thorpe took over the vocal duties after the tragic demise of Carl Albert. And at first this is probably the most noticeable change on 'Something Burning'. Geoff has a gritty metal voice, but he lacks range and depth. He sounds ok, but when you're used to the charisma of Carl Albert, Geoff's voice is just not on par. The music is still powerful, but one can certainly detect a more modern sound here, mainly due to the guitar sound. It is a shame when classic bands feel the need to ride trends. But due to the success of bands like Pantera and Machine Head, it seems that Vicious Rumors also wanted to see if they could create something similar. The result, albeit arguably being their heaviest moment, is one of their weakest albums, and probably the one I listen to the least. I want to listen to the originals, not the followers.

Killer tracks: Ballhog, Make It Real

Geoff Thorpe, Larry Howe, Brian O'Connor, Steve Smyth, Tommy Sisco

CYBERCHRIST (1998) EMI/MASSACRE (Digi-pack w/bonus track)

'Cyberchrist' sees Vicious Rumors going in a slightly different direction. They are still a power metal band, but they have adopted a more modern sound. By modern I mean the metal flavor of the day back in 1998, meaning a heavy Pantera influence. They have the downtuned guitars, thus taking away the crispy guitar sound, and the shouting/aggressive vocal delivery. Not sure why a classic band like Vicious Rumors feel they need to ride trends, but that is sadly the case. I can't help to think that this line-up would have been perfectly capable of delivering a much more interesting album, rather then this generic copy. Steve Smyth (Testament, Nevermore) on guitars alone should make one hope for a metal monster. Brian O'Conner does have a powerful voice, and he's a better singer then Geoff. It just doesn't help him much when he has to scream out most of the lyrics. Still, 'Cyberchrist' isn't all bad. I do like some of the tracks. I also like the fact that mentioned singer seems to be of Christian faith, and that is reflected, albeit very scarcely, in some of the lyrics. My digi-pack version has a bonus track.

Killer tracks: Cyberchrist, Faith

Cornbread, Will Carroll, Ira Black, Geoff Thorpe, Brian O'Connor

SADISTIC SYMPHONY (2001) PARRIS

Wow, this is more like it! Vicious Rumors return with an album that is more in the same vain as their classic releases. While containing a more modern production, it still has that aggressively heavy guitar tone. This time we also get some killer harmonies and solos. New vocalist, Morgan Thorn, offers his strong, mid-ranged, vibrato-laden pipes. And he is a very good fit for this band. Geoff is still experimenting a little here and there, but at least the first half of this album, and the songwriting in general, seems to be determined to create something along the same lines of those early classics. Just check out powerful stuff like "Break" and "March Of The Damned"! A return to form in my opinion. I even got to see them live in Oslo touring for this album.

Killer tracks: Break, March Of The Damned, Blacklight, Puritan Demons

Geoff Thorpe, Dave Starr, James Rivera, Larry Howe, Brad Gillis

WARBALL (2006) MASCOT

After some years in hiatus, Vicious Rumors are once again ready to assault the world with their power metal. And as usual, they have brought along a new line-up, and most noticeably, a new singer. But this time they hired none other than James Rivera (Helstar, Destiny's End, Seven Witches). And what a perfect fit he is! Musically the band is once again approaching the early sound of the band. What sets it apart from those early classics is the production. I'd describe the sound as sort of like a blend between 'Ball Of The Damned' and 'Sadistic Symphony'. Make no mistake about it though; this is top of the line US power metal, with blazing guitars, and James' wailing vocals. He always puts his signature to everything he sings on, making this sound just as much akin to his work with f.ex. Helstar as it does Vicious Rumors. The man is really showing all sides of himself on this platter. Let's hope he for once can stay in this band long enough to call him a member! 'Warball' is actually quite varied within it's boundaries. From the almost acoustic ballad in "Windows Of Memory" to the thrashing assault of "Oceans Of Rage", this is a power metal onslaught of high caliber.

Killer tracks: Sonic Rebellion, Dying Every Day, Warball, Oceans Of Rage

Stephen Goodwin, Brian Allen, Geoff Thorpe, Larry Howe, Kiyoshi Morgan

RAZORBACK KILLERS (2011) STEAMHAMMER/SPV

Frost - 'Raise The Fist Of Metal'

Brad Gillis guest appearances:

Vicious Rumors members also play/have played with:

Testament, Nevermore, Lääz Rockit, Helstar, Destiny's End, Seven Witches, New Eden, Distant Thunder, Heathen, Chris Caffery, Chastain, Lizzy Borden, Ozzy Osbourne