David DeFeis | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | David DeFeis |
| Born | January 4, 1961 |
| Origin | Long Island, New York, United States |
| Genres | Heavy metal |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, acoustic guitar, bass guitar, keyboards |
| Years active | 1981–present |
| Website | www.virgin-steele.com |
David DeFeis (born January 4, 1961) [1] [2] is an American singer, keyboard player, songwriter and producer. He is the main composer and leader of the heavy metal band Virgin Steele.
DeFeis is a classically trained pianist, with a bachelor's degree in composition from S.U.N.Y. Stony Brook. [3] As vocalist he is self-taught, possessing around four octaves and a four notes:E2-B6 As a musician and a singer, he declared he was very much influenced by guitar players like Jimmy Page, Brian May and Eddie Van Halen because he wanted to do with his voice what they did with their guitars. [4]
He is also influenced by rock singers like Freddie Mercury, Robert Plant, David Coverdale, Ronnie James Dio and Ian Gillan. [5]
The major part of the lyrics DeFeis writes are mythological, dealing with subjects from especially Greek, Sumerian and Christian mythology. All of them are based on real life in some form or another. [6]
DeFeis comes from a theatrical family: his father is a Shakespearian actor who runs the theatre company "The Arena Players Theatre" [7] while his sister Doreen [8] is a gifted opera singer who performs all over Europe.
A big fan of European classical music, at 9–10 years old he was introduced to rock music by hearing the band Stalk, with his brother Damon (on organ and piano) and his sister Danae (on vocals), playing in the basement beneath his room. [1] Damon DeFeis was later in the band Creation with future Kiss drummer Eric Carr, and died in the Gulliver's nightclub fire in 1974.
He began piano lessons at the age of eight. By age eleven, he began his career with Long Island's local heavy metal band Phoenix.
At 16 years old, he met for the first time his future partner Edward Pursino when DeFeis's band at the time, Mountain Ash, was auditioning for a gig at the high school dance. Mountain Ash was mainly a Black Sabbath cover band and, after the performance of the song "War Pigs", Pursino came over and introduced himself to DeFeis. [9]
At the beginning of the 1980s, together with Jack Starr and Joey Ayvazian, he started the first line-up of the band Virgin Steele. They debuted in 1982 with the song "Children of the Storm" included in the compilation U.S. Metal Vol. II. [10]
In 1985, the guitarist Edward Pursino replaced Starr. [11] Among the years, in their longtime relationship in Virgin Steele, DeFeis and Pursino released a lot of heavy metal classics such as the albums: Noble Savage , [12] [13] Invictus , [14] The Marriage of Heaven and Hell Part I , [15] The Marriage of Heaven and Hell Part II . [16] [17]
DeFeis collects swords: his collection includes more than 20 items. [18] In studio, sometimes he uses his swords to create particular effects for the Virgin Steele songs, and during the concerts he usually burns a sword on stage. [19]
Between the end of the 1990s and the 2000s (decade), he wrote music for actors based on the Oresteia and the Greek myths related by Aeschylus. According with German artists Walter Weyers and Martina Krawulsky, with the name "Klytaimnestra": "The House of Atreus" Metal Opera (musically available on the Virgin Steele's albums The House of Atreus Act I , The House of Atreus Act II ) was performed on stage in Germany theaters by Landestheater Production. [20]
The premiere of "Klytaimnestra" in Memmingen, June 5, 1999, [21] has been the first ever regular musical theatre show based on heavy metal concepts.
After "Klytaimnestra" success, David DeFeis & Landestheater Production extracted a second metal opera musical, named "The Rebels", from the previous Virgin Steele's albums of the Marriage of Heaven and Hell trilogy ("The Marriage of Heaven and Hell Part I", "The Marriage of Heaven and Hell Part II", "Invictus"). [22]
In 2003, the same team released a third Metal Opera, named "Lilith", based on the material of album Visions of Eden . "Visions of Eden" was later on published in CD in 2006.
DeFeis owns his personal recording studio called: "The Hammer of Zeus" (sometimes also called "The Wrecking Ball Of Thor"). [23]
Virgin Steele's albums are produced by DeFeis.
He also produced albums released by other artists such as: Out of the Darkness and No Turning Back by Jack Starr, Nightmare Theatre by Exorcist, [24] Stay Ugly by Piledriver, The Sign of the Jackal by Damien Thorn, [25] [26] Sin Will Find You Out by Original Sin. [27]
Virgin Steele is an American heavy metal band from New York, originally formed in 1981.
Virgin Steele is the eponymous debut album by New York heavy metal band Virgin Steele, released independently in 1982. This was the first album released by Music for Nations in Europe and was subsequently released by Mongol Horde Records and Maze Records in Canada. Music for Nations pressed 5,000 copies of the original LP. Sanctuary Records reissued the album on CD in 2002, with bonus tracks and some previously unreleased demos.
Visions of Eden is the eleventh album by American heavy metal band Virgin Steele, released on September 8, 2006 via Sanctuary Records. The album is subtitled The Lilith Project - A Barbaric Romantic Movie of the Mind. It is a concept album based on Gnostic beliefs, which critically revisits the traditional Christian mythology about the creation of the Earth and the Biblical accounts of Adam and Eve.
Age of Consent is the fourth full-length album by the American heavy metal band Virgin Steele. The album took eight months to complete, a change from Noble Savage which was recorded in only a few weeks, and was finally released in October 1988. It received scarce promotion and distribution by their small label, resulting in very low sales. The songs of this album follow in style and content the music of the previous album Noble Savage, adding a more polished sound and production. At the time of release, the band faced legal and financial setbacks that brought to the unofficial disbandment of Virgin Steele. Joe O'Reilly, although credited for playing bass on the album, was ill at the time of recording and was ghosted by DeFeis and Pursino.
Life Among the Ruins is the fifth full-length studio album by US heavy metal band Virgin Steele. It was released in 1993, after almost five years of inactivity. The song "Snakeskin Voodoo Man" was present only in the American release and was instead released as a single in 1992 in Europe, at the same time of the VHS Tale of the Snakeskin Voodoo Man. The VHS featured videos for "Snakeskin Voodoo Man", "Love Is Pain", "Invitation-I Dress in Black" and "Cage of Angels-Never Believed in Good-Bye", interviews and backstage footage. The music of this album is bluesy hard rock and melodic metal, more similar to early Whitesnake's recordings than the epic power metal of albums like Noble Savage and the following The Marriage of Heaven and Hell Part I. This is the first album with bassist Rob DeMartino, who replaced Joe O'Reilly, retired from the scene.
Invictus is the eighth studio album from New York-based power metal band Virgin Steele. It is the third part of The Marriage of Heaven and Hell saga, exploring the relationships and conflicts between humanity and divinity. The album's name is Latin for Unconquered.
The Marriage of Heaven and Hell Part I is the sixth studio album by American power metal band Virgin Steele, released in 1994. It is the first part of a trilogy of concept albums, comprising also The Marriage of Heaven and Hell Part II and Invictus, about the relationship between humanity and divinity. The songs of the album do not follow a storyline, but they were inspired by religion, mythology, poetry and the personal beliefs of lyricist DeFeis.
The Marriage of Heaven and Hell Part II is the seventh studio album by American power metal band Virgin Steele and the second of three albums in "The Marriage of Heaven and Hell" series. It was mostly written and composed by David DeFeis and Edward Pursino. It is a well received album for its romantic and lyrical approach and its being a major influence on symphonic metal.
The House of Atreus Act I, released in 1999, is the ninth studio album by the American heavy metal band Virgin Steele. It has the subtitle A Barbaric-Romantic Opera. This album is the first part of a metal opera inspired by the Oresteia, a trilogy of Greek tragedies written by Aeschylus which concerns the end of the curse on the House of Atreus. The music was intended to be the soundtrack for theatrical shows, with actors impersonating the characters of the tragedy. The metal opera was actually performed under the name "Klytaimnestra - The House Of Atreus" in European theatres from 1999 to 2001, with the production of the Memmingen Opera House company and Landestheater Production.
The House of Atreus Act II, released in 2000, is the tenth studio album by the American heavy metal band Virgin Steele. It was released as a double CD album. This album is the second and final part of a metal opera inspired by the Oresteia, a trilogy of Greek tragedies written by Aeschylus which concerns the end of the curse on the House of Atreus. The music was intended to be the soundtrack for theatrical shows, with actors impersonating the characters of the tragedy. The metal opera was actually performed under the name "Klytaimnestra - The House Of Atreus" in European theatres from 1999 to 2001, with the production of the Memmingen Opera House company and Landestheater Production.
Guardians of the Flame is the second album from New York power metal band Virgin Steele, released in 1983 by Music for Nations. Sanctuary reissued the album in 2002 with songs previously released in the EP Wait for the Night, a live recording, and an interview with the band.
Jack Starr is an American heavy metal and blues guitarist and songwriter, born of a French mother and American father.
Noble Savage is the third studio album of the American heavy metal band Virgin Steele, released in 1985 by Cobra Records. The album was reissued in 1997 on CD by Noise Records with six bonus tracks. The remastered edition of 2008 by Dockyard 1 added two other extra tracks. In May 2011, the album was reissued once more by Steamhammer Records, a subsidiary of SPV with the same track list as the 1997 release, but with an added bonus CD containing 13 additional tracks.
Magick Fire Music is an EP released in 2000, by the American heavy metal band Virgin Steele, promoting the upcoming full-length album The House of Atreus Act II.
Hymns to Victory is a compilation album of the American heavy metal band Virgin Steele. It was released in January 2002 by Noise Records, to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the band, together with the album The Book of Burning.
The Book of Burning is an album by the American heavy metal band Virgin Steele. It was released in January 2002 by Noise Records to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the band, together with the compilation Hymns to Victory. The Book of Burning caused a controversy between founding members David DeFeis and Jack Starr about the format of the recording, with the result of Starr renouncing any involvement in the production of the album and in other reunion projects.
The Black Light Bacchanalia is the twelfth album by New York heavy/power metal group Virgin Steele, released via SPV/Steamhammer on October 22, 2010 in Germany, Austria & Switzerland, and the rest of Europe on October 25, 2010 & on November 9, 2010, in the USA.
Nocturnes of Hellfire & Damnation is the thirteenth album by New York heavy/power metal group Virgin Steele, released via SPV/Steamhammer on June 19, 2015.
Seven Devils Moonshine is a five-disc box set by the American heavy metal band Virgin Steele, comprising three new albums and two reissues. It was released in November 2018 by SPV/Steamhammer.
The Passion of Dionysus is the fifteenth album by New York heavy/power metal group Virgin Steele, released via SPV/Steamhammer worldwide on June 30, 2023.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
