Skeptics Apocalypse

Last updated
Skeptics Apocalypse
Agentsteelskepticsapocalypse.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedJune 1985 (1985-06)
RecordedDecember 1984–February 1985 [1]
StudioIndigo Ranch Studios (Malibu, California) [2]
Genre
Length30:39
Label Combat
Producer Jay Jones
Agent Steel chronology
Skeptics Apocalypse
(1985)
Mad Locust Rising
(1985)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [4]
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal 6/10 [5]
Rock Hard 9.5/10 [6]

Skeptics Apocalypse is the debut album by American heavy metal band Agent Steel. It was recorded in Los Angeles, California and mastered at Frankort Wayne Studios in Miami, Florida by Tom Coyne from December 1984 to February 1985. The album was released by Combat Records in June 1985 and reissued in 1998 by Century Media Records.

Contents

The bonus tracks on the 1998 reissue contains an updated version of "(The Calling)" titled "Calling 98 for Skeptics" and the never before released song "The Unexpected" in live format, both of which are of unknown origin. The latter can be seen and heard on the Mad Locust Rising home video. A second remastered version, released in 2008, contains the two songs, plus a cover version of the Judas Priest song "The Ripper", which was originally featured on the Mad Locust Rising EP.

"144,000 Gone" and "Taken by Force" are re-recordings of songs John Cyriis had previously cut as demos with his pre-Agent Steel outfit Sceptre in 1983. The Sceptre version of "Taken by Force" appears on Metal Massacre IV .

Track listing

Side A
No.TitleLength
1."(The Calling)" (Instrumental)0:47
2."Agents of Steel"3:04
3."Taken by Force"2:30
4."Evil Eye / Evil Minds"3:04
5."Bleed for the Godz"3:28
Side B
No.TitleLength
6."Children of the Sun"4:53
7."144,000 Gone"4:32
8."Guilty as Charged"4:58
9."Back to Reign"3:23
Total length:30:39
1998 Remastered bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
1."Calling 98 for Skeptics"0:57
2."The Unexpected" (live)5:06
Total length:36:42
2008 Remastered bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Calling 98 for Skeptics" 0:57
2."The Unexpected" (live) 5:06
3."The Ripper" (Judas Priest cover) Glenn Tipton 2:33
Total length:39:27

Personnel

Production

Related Research Articles

<i>Vagabonds of the Western World</i> 1973 studio album by Thin Lizzy

Vagabonds of the Western World is the third studio album by Irish hard rock band Thin Lizzy, released in 1973. It was the band's last album with original guitarist Eric Bell and the first to feature the artwork of Jim Fitzpatrick, whose work would appear on many subsequent albums by the band.

<i>I Am the Night</i> (album) 1985 studio album by Pantera

I Am the Night is the third studio album by American heavy metal band Pantera, released in 1985 through Metal Magic Records. It was made available only on vinyl and cassette, with any subsequent CD releases being bootlegs transferred from the vinyl or tape originals. It was the last Pantera album to feature lead singer Terry Glaze, as well as their second-to-last to feature a glam metal sound. The band made their second music video for the track "Hot and Heavy".

<i>Scream Bloody Gore</i> 1987 studio album by Death

Scream Bloody Gore is the debut studio album by American death metal band Death, released on May 25, 1987, by Combat Records. It is considered by many to be "the first true death metal record". Chuck Schuldiner, the band’s founder and leader, performed guitar, bass and vocals, and composed all tracks on the album.

<i>Queensrÿche</i> (EP) 1982 EP by Queensrÿche

Queensrÿche is the debut EP by the American progressive metal band Queensrÿche, released independently in 1982 through 206 Records and reissued later that next year through EMI-America. A remastered edition was reissued in 2003 through Capitol Records.

<i>Bonded by Blood</i> 1985 studio album by Exodus

Bonded by Blood is the debut studio album by American thrash metal band Exodus. Although the album was completed in the summer of 1984, it was not released until 1985 due to issues with Exodus and the record label. It is considered one of the most influential thrash metal albums of all time. This is also the only full-length studio album of Exodus to feature Paul Baloff on vocals, though he was also on their 1982 Demo and appeared on their 1997 live album Another Lesson in Violence.

<i>Tales of Creation</i> 1989 studio album by Candlemass

Tales of Creation is the fourth album by Swedish doom metal band Candlemass released in 1989 and reissued in 2001 with a bonus CD.

<i>Symphonies of Sickness</i> 1989 studio album by Carcass

Symphonies of Sickness is the second album by British extreme metal band Carcass. It was released through Earache Records on 4 December 1989.

<i>Wheels of Steel</i> 1980 studio album by Saxon

Wheels of Steel is the second studio album by English heavy metal band Saxon. Released in 1980, it was their first album to enter the UK Albums Chart, peaking at number 5, and is their highest-charting album in the UK Albums Chart to date. The album eventually went on to achieve gold status in the UK.

<i>Strong Arm of the Law</i> 1980 studio album by Saxon

Strong Arm of The Law is the third studio album by English heavy metal band Saxon. It was released in 1980, seven months after Wheels of Steel, and debuted on the UK chart at #11.

<i>Power & the Glory</i> 1983 studio album by Saxon

Power & the Glory is the fifth studio album by English heavy metal band Saxon, released in March 1983 by Carrere Records. This is the first Saxon studio album with new drummer Nigel Glockler and was recorded in Atlanta, Georgia in the fall of 1982.

<i>Innocence Is No Excuse</i> 1985 studio album by Saxon

Innocence Is No Excuse is the seventh studio album by heavy metal band Saxon released in 1985. It was the group's first album for EMI after a falling-out with their previous label, Carrere Records, and their last with original bassist Steve Dawson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Agent Steel</span> American speed metal band

Agent Steel is an American speed metal band from Los Angeles, formed in 1984 by vocalist John Cyriis with drummer Chuck Profus. The band released two full-length albums and one EP before disbanding in 1988. They were most notable for Cyriis' high-pitched vocals, catchy songs, melodic riffs, and fast tempos mixed in with interest in UFOs. Agent Steel reformed in 1998 and released three more full-length albums before going on hiatus in 2011. The band reformed again in 2018, this time with Cyriis returning as the vocalist and without any previous members ; under this new lineup, Agent Steel released their first studio album in 14 years, No Other Godz Before Me, in 2021.

<i>We Have Arrived</i> (album) 1985 studio album by Dark Angel

We Have Arrived is the debut studio album by American thrash metal band Dark Angel, released in March 1985.

<i>Metal Church</i> (album) 1984 studio album by Metal Church

Metal Church is the debut album by American heavy metal band Metal Church. The album was originally released by the independent record label Ground Zero in 1984. Based on the success of the album, the band was signed to a recording contract by Elektra Records, who reissued it in 1985. The cover art depicts a cruciform Gibson Explorer hidden in shadows and smoke.

<i>Psalm 9</i> (album) 1984 studio album by Trouble

Psalm 9 is the debut studio album by American doom metal band Trouble, released by Metal Blade Records on March 10, 1984. The album was originally released eponymously and later renamed to Psalm 9 after the release of the band's fourth studio album, which was their 1990 self-titled release. Along with Saint Vitus' self-titled debut album from the same year, Psalm 9 is considered by many critics to be one of the first doom metal releases.

<i>Restless and Wild</i> 1982 studio album by Accept

Restless and Wild is the fourth studio album by German heavy metal band Accept, released in 1982 in Continental Europe and in 1983 in the US and UK. It was the first Accept album not to be recorded at Delta-Studio, since the band had moved to Dieter Dierks' studio in Stommeln. It is also the first Accept album in which Udo Dirkschneider sings every track, as well as the first in which manager Gaby Hauke ("Deaffy") gains credits for songwriting. Michael Wagener, once again, handled recording and mixing duties here.

<i>Mad Locust Rising</i> 1986 EP by Agent Steel

Mad Locust Rising is an EP by the American heavy metal band Agent Steel, released in January 1986 by Combat Records. It was recorded at Indigo Ranch Studios in October 1985 in Malibu, California. The EP features a cover of the Judas Priest song "The Ripper". It is also included on the 1999 reissue of the 1987 album Unstoppable Force. Former bassist Mike Zaputil is credited on the album, but the bass tracks were actually recorded by George Robb, who was then fired after the recordings, while Zaputil joined in early 1986 from Letchen Grey.

<i>Unstoppable Force</i> 1987 studio album by Agent Steel

Unstoppable Force is the second album by American heavy metal band Agent Steel. It was recorded at Morrisound Recording Studios in Tampa, Florida from March - June 1986, and was digitally mastered in July 1986 at Criteria Studios in Miami, Florida. The album was released by Combat Records in March 1987. The 1999 reissue by Century Media Records contains the Mad Locust Rising EP, which some later reissues excludes the cover version of the Judas Priest song "The Ripper". It was the last album before the band split up in 1988, only to reform in 1998 for the release of the 1999 album Omega Conspiracy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Juan Garcia (guitarist)</span> Cuban-American guitarist (born 1963)

Juan Garcia , also known as Juan of the Dead, is a Cuban-American guitarist. He is perhaps best known as the guitarist for the thrash metal bands Agent Steel and Evildead and the power metal/speed metal band Abattoir. Garcia is also the rhythm guitarist of Body Count.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bloodlust (Venom song)</span> 1982 single by Venom (speed metal band)

"Bloodlust" is a single released by English speed metal band Venom on August 13, 1982 through Neat Records. It is the bands second single and the follow up to their debut single "In League with Satan".

References

  1. AllMusic
  2. AllMusic
  3. Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Skeptics Apocalypse - Review". AllMusic . Retrieved October 16, 2021.
  4. Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Agent Steel - Skeptic Apocalypse review". AllMusic . All Media Network . Retrieved 2021-09-01.
  5. Popoff, Martin (November 1, 2005). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 2: The Eighties. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. p. 14. ISBN   978-1894959315.
  6. Kühnemund, Götz (1985). "Review Album : Agent Steel - Skeptics Apocalypse". Rock Hard (in German). No. 13. Retrieved September 1, 2021.