Watchtower | |
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| Origin | Austin, Texas, U.S. |
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| Members | Doug Keyser Rick Colaluca Ron Jarzombek Jason McMaster |
| Past members | Billy White Mike Soliz Alan Tecchio |
Watchtower is an American progressive metal band based in Austin, Texas, active from 1982 to 1993 and they have reunited occasionally since 1999. [1] The band has released two studio albums― Energetic Disassembly (1985) and Control and Resistance (1989)―as well as one compilation album, four digital singles, one EP and three demo cassettes, and has been featured on numerous compilation albums. They are also notable for featuring vocalist Jason McMaster, who left Watchtower after the release of Energetic Disassembly to form Dangerous Toys, and was replaced by Alan Tecchio, who appeared on Control and Resistance and the band's 2016 EP Concepts of Math: Book One . After leaving the band once again in 2010, McMaster returned to Watchtower for the second time in 2023.
Influenced by the progressive rock and then-burgeoning new wave of British heavy metal scenes, [2] Watchtower has been credited (along with Voivod and Coroner) for helping pioneer the subgenre of "technical thrash metal" (also known as "progressive thrash metal"), which mixed elements of progressive music with thrash/speed metal. [1] [2] The band has also been cited as having influenced or inspired many notable progressive or heavy metal acts, including Testament, Dream Theater, Death, Annihilator, Coroner, Atheist, Pestilence, Cynic, Symphony X, Devin Townsend, Toxik, Sieges Even and Spiral Architect. [1] [3] [4] [5]
Watchtower was formed in May 1982 [2] in Austin, Texas. The quartet made its recording debut in 1983 with an early version of the song "Meltdown", which was included on the Cottage Cheese from the Lips of Death – A Texas Hardcore Compilation LP. It was followed by the debut album, Energetic Disassembly , issued in 1985 on the band's own DIY label, Zombo Records. An earlier version of the album was scrapped after the group's label, Rainforest Records, closed its doors. Energetic Disassembly is notable for its heavy use of time changes and is considered to be a landmark in progressive metal, as well as the first album for crossing over the genres of progressive and thrash/speed metal, thus the creation of the subgenre known as technical thrash metal. [6] The album saw Watchtower tour with bands such as Slayer, [7] [8] Anthrax, [9] Helstar, [9] Celtic Frost, [10] Voivod [10] and Armored Saint. [11]
In the fall of 1986, guitarist and founding member, Billy White, quit the band in order to pursue different styles of music. He formed the short-lived Khymera with Juggernaut drummer Bobby Jarzombek and former Karion bassist Pete Perez before joining vocalist Don Dokken for the Up from the Ashes album in 1990. With Watchtower's future briefly in doubt, Doug Keyser auditioned for Metallica following the death of bassist Cliff Burton. Similarly, Jason McMaster was approached by fellow Texans Pantera in search of a new vocalist. McMaster eventually exited in 1988 after getting signed to a major label deal with his side project Onyxx, later renamed Dangerous Toys, whose self-titled debut album on CBS scored the MTV hits "Teas'n, Pleas'n" and "Scared" and reached near gold status.
White's replacement was Ron Jarzombek, formerly with S.A. Slayer, while fellow Austinite Mike Soliz (ex-Militia, Assalant) was recruited in place of McMaster, but eventually replaced by former Hades vocalist Alan Tecchio. Newly signed to Noise Records, Watchtower flew to Berlin, Germany in the summer of 1989 where the band recorded their second album, Control and Resistance , at Sky Trak Studios, which was released that November. Control and Resistance received positive reviews by the press and fans alike, and saw Watchtower mix their style with progressive metal, thrash metal and jazz fusion, thus creating a sound that would influence the technical death metal genre. [12] [13] [14] In support of the album, the band opened for Coroner in Europe on their No More Color tour, [15] and also played with Dark Angel, [16] Loudblast, [15] Tankard, [15] Prong, [17] Fates Warning, [18] Mordred, [18] and Whiplash. [19]
After first and only European tour (opening for Noise Records labelmates Coroner) in the spring of 1990, [15] Watchtower continued to promote Control and Resistance with a few East Coast shows but lost Tecchio soon thereafter. The remaining members of the band spent more than two years searching for a new vocalist, [20] which proved to be a difficult task, although several candidates – including Scott Jeffries (Confessor) – were at least considered. Adding to the band's woes, Jarzombek developed severe hand problems which required multiple surgeries, effectively putting Watchtower on ice indefinitely and with it a proposed third album, which was to be titled Mathematics. [20]
After failing to find a permanent replacement for vocalist Alan Tecchio, Watchtower finally disbanded around 1993, [20] and the members went on to pursue their own individual activities. Bassist Doug Keyser and drummer Rick Colaluca joined colorful local rock/funk/rap outfit Retarted Elf who released the album Trick Quigger on Pony Canyon in Japan. Jarzombek returned with Spastic Ink, akin to an all-instrumental version of Watchtower, who issued their debut album, Ink Complete in 1997, while McMaster continued with Dangerous Toys before making Broken Teeth his main band in the late 1990s. Tecchio reunited with his former Hades bandmate Dan Lorenzo in the New Jersey-based heavy metal band Non-Fiction, which released three studio albums during the early-to-mid 1990s – about the same time the duo resurrected Hades, who remain active to this day despite no new recordings since their most recent studio album, 2001's DamNation. [21]
In 1999, original Watchtower members McMaster, Keyser and Colaluca reunited, along with Jarzombek, to record a cover of Accept's "Run If You Can" for A Tribute to Accept – Vol. 1 on Nuclear Blast Records. In 2000, Watchtower played the prestigious Bang Your Head!!! festival in Germany and later that summer supported Dream Theater in Houston and Dallas. The band also began work on the long dormant Mathematics album, but progress stalled once again.
In 2002, Monster Records issued Demonstrations in Chaos , an archives release consisting of early recordings, demos, and unreleased tracks, including almost the complete original Energetic Disassembly recordings and the 1987 demos with Ron Jarzombek that got the band signed to Noise Records.
Watchtower returned to Europe once more in 2004 to headline the Headway Festival in Amstelveen, Holland. That same year Ron Jarzombek released the second Spastic Ink album, Ink Compatible , with guest contributions by Watchtower bandmates Doug Keyser and Jason McMaster who contributed lead vocals on five songs. In the fall of 2004, Monster Records, now Monster Underground, reissued Energetic Disassembly on CD for the first time ever in the United States. The original CD reissue came 1993, courtesy of Germany's Institute of Art label.
In the spring of 2009, Watchtower were confirmed as co-headliners of the 13th edition of Germany's Keep It True Festival, set to take place in April 2010. The band also re-commenced work on Mathematics with a view toward a 2010 release.
Decibel Magazine featured Watchtower's Control and Resistance as part of their "Hall of Fame" series in their January 2010 issue. [22]
On April 9, 2010, Watchtower released a preliminary mix of "The Size of Matter" from their forthcoming album Mathematics as a digital-only single. It marked the band's first new music since Control and Resistance in 1989, featuring Jarzombek, Keyser, and Colaluca, with Alan Tecchio returning on vocals and replacing original frontman Jason McMaster for the second time in the band's history. In May 2010, Tecchio left Watchtower once again. After the announcement of Tecchio's departure. Watchtower's last public appearance was at the German Keep It True festival in 2010. [23]
On October 7, 2016, the EP Concepts of Math: Book One was released by Prosthetic Records, featuring previously released tracks, and new track, "Mathematica Calculis". [24] On October 21, Watchtower released three new songs from Mathematics, M-Theory Overture, Arguments Against Design and Technology Inaction, on iTunes and CD Baby. [25] [26] They reunited with Tecchio for the sessions of these tracks. [27]
Nothing has been posted on their Facebook page since 2016 and their official website is currently defunct. Nevertheless, Control and Resistance was reissued by Music On Vinyl in July 2018. [28]
After years of speculation regarding the current status of Watchtower, drummer Rick Colaluca confirmed in a statement on Facebook in July 2020 that the band had been on an indefinite hiatus, and stated it was "doubtful that [they would] ever reform, but not out of the question." Colaluca also revealed that the band had "discussions a few times over the past several years" about finishing their long-in-the works third album Mathematics, and added that "there are a couple of sticking points that we just can't seem to get past. We actually have a good bit of the remaining songs recorded to some degree." [29]
In a May 2022 interview, Tecchio stated that, even though Watchtower were "not like an active band", they had "pretty much the material" for their next EP Concepts of Math: Book Two. He also revealed that he had "one song in particular that [he was] still working on". [1] [30]
After more than two months of teasing a potential reunion, [31] original singer Jason McMaster confirmed in a May 2023 interview on The Decibel Geek podcast that he would be rejoining Watchtower after a thirteen-year absence, and added that the band had been rehearsing for a series of live dates for 2024, including festival appearances. [32] [33]
On June 7, 2023, it was announced that Watchtower would be playing one of its first shows in 13 years, and with McMaster in 19 years, at the Keep It True Rising III festival in Germany on October 7. [34] [35] The band played their first U.S. show in over a decade at Fitzgerald's Bar in San Antonio and followed with an announcement that in March 2024, they will appear at the Hell's Heroes Festival at White Oak Music Hall in Houston, TX, alongside such bands as Queensryche and Sodom. [5] [36]
Anthrax is an American thrash metal band from New York City, formed in 1981 by rhythm guitarist Scott Ian and bassist Dan Lilker. The group is considered one of the leaders of the thrash metal scene from the 1980s and is part of the "Big Four" of the genre, along with Metallica, Megadeth and Slayer. They were also one of the first thrash metal bands to emerge from the East Coast. The band's current lineup consists of Scott Ian, drummer Charlie Benante, bassist Frank Bello, vocalist Joey Belladonna and lead guitarist Jonathan Donais. Anthrax's lineup has changed numerous times over their career, leaving Ian as the only constant member of the band. Ian and Benante are the only two members to appear on all of Anthrax's albums, while Bello has been a member of Anthrax since 1984, replacing Lilker.
Progressive metal is a broad fusion music genre melding heavy metal and progressive rock, combining the loud "aggression" and amplified guitar-driven sound of the former with the more experimental, cerebral or quasi-classical compositions of the latter.
Thrash metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its overall aggression and fast tempo. The songs usually use fast percussive beats and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead guitar work. The lyrical subject matter often includes criticism of The Establishment, opposition to armed conflicts, and at times shares a disdain for the Christian religion with that of black metal. The language is typically direct and denunciatory, an approach borrowed from Punk.
Voivod is a Canadian heavy metal band from Jonquière, Quebec. The original line-up consisted of vocalist Denis "Snake" Bélanger, guitarist Denis "Piggy" D'Amour, drummer Michel "Away" Langevin and bassist Jean-Yves "Blacky" Thériault. The band has had numerous members changes throughout its 42-year career, with Langevin as the only consistent member. Their current line-up includes Langevin, Bélanger, Daniel "Chewy" Mongrain (guitar) and Dominic "Rocky" Laroche (bass).
Meshuggah is a Swedish extreme metal band formed in Umeå in 1987. Since 2004, the band's lineup consists of founding members Jens Kidman (vocals) and Fredrik Thordendal (guitar), alongside guitarist Mårten Hagström, drummer Tomas Haake and bassist Dick Lövgren. Since its formation, the band has released nine studio albums, six EPs and eight music videos. Their latest studio album, Immutable, was released in April 2022 via Atomic Fire Records.
Mudvayne is an American heavy metal band formed in Peoria, Illinois, in 1996. Known for their sonic experimentation, face and body paint, masks and uniforms, the band has sold over six million records worldwide, including nearly three million in the United States. The group consists of guitarist Greg Tribbett, drummer Matthew McDonough, lead vocalist Chad Gray, and bassist Ryan Martinie. The band became popular in the late-1990s Peoria underground music scene, and they found success with the single "Dig" from their debut album L.D. 50 (2000). After releasing four more albums and touring relentlessly for nearly a decade, Mudvayne went on hiatus in 2010. They reunited in 2021 and continue to perform live.
Flotsam and Jetsam is an American thrash metal band that was formed in Phoenix, Arizona, in 1981. Before settling on its current name in 1984, the band had existed under three different names, Paradox, Dredlox and Dogz. Their current lineup includes vocalist Eric "A.K" Knutson, guitarists Michael Gilbert and Steve Conley, bassist Bill Bodily, and drummer Ken Mary. Flotsam and Jetsam went through several lineup changes over the years, leaving Knutson as the only constant member. They are also notable for featuring a then-unknown Jason Newsted, who was Flotsam and Jetsam's bassist from 1981 to 1986, when he left the band shortly after the release of their debut album to join Metallica.
Testament is an American thrash metal band from Berkeley, California. Formed in 1983 under the name Legacy, the band's current lineup comprises rhythm guitarist Eric Peterson, lead vocalist Chuck Billy, lead guitarist Alex Skolnick, bassist Steve Di Giorgio and drummer Chris Dovas. Testament has experienced many lineup changes over the years, with Peterson being the only remaining original member, though they have since reunited with Skolnick, who had been out of the band from 1992 to 2005. Billy has been a member of Testament since 1986, when he replaced original singer Steve "Zetro" Souza, who had left to replace Paul Baloff in Exodus. He and Peterson are the only members to appear on all of Testament's studio albums, with the latter being the only constant member overall.
Coroner is a Swiss thrash metal band from Zürich formed in 1983, better known for the lineup formed in 1985. They garnered relatively little attention outside of Europe. The band broke up in 1996, but reformed 14 years later. The band has performed at multiple live venues and festivals around worldwide since 2011, and as of 2023, they are working on their first studio album in more than three decades.
Technical death metal is a musical subgenre of death metal with particular focus on challenging, demanding instrumental skill and complex songwriting. Experimentation in death metal began in the late 1980s and early 1990s by four bands that are often grouped together as "technical death metal's Big Four" – Death, Pestilence, Atheist, and Cynic – as well as Nocturnus; all but Pestilence being part of the Florida death metal scene.
The Years of Decay is the fourth studio album by thrash metal band Overkill, released on October 13, 1989 through Atlantic and Megaforce Records. It is the last Overkill album to feature guitarist Bobby Gustafson, who either left or was fired by the band amid a feud between himself and its founding members Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth (vocalist) and D. D. Verni (bassist). The Years of Decay was also the first of two Overkill albums produced by Terry Date, who took on the same role for their follow-up album Horrorscope (1991).
Ron Jarzombek is an American guitarist best known for his work with WatchTower, Spastic Ink, and Blotted Science, featuring Alex Webster of Cannibal Corpse. His most recent project is Terrestrial Exiled. He released a brand new song, "Beyond Life And Cosmic Kinetics" (B.L.A.C.K.), as an interactive six-track multi-tracking app in November 2012.
Spastic Ink was a progressive metal band from the United States.
Bobby Jarzombek is an American musician of Polish and German ancestry who is currently the drummer for country music legend George Strait. Bobby also has been a drummer for: vocalist Sebastian Bach, and progressive metal band Fates Warning. Guitarist Ron Jarzombek is his younger brother.
Heathen is an American thrash metal band originating from the San Francisco Bay Area, active from 1984 to 1993 and again from 2001 onwards. Despite never achieving commercial success, the band is often credited – alongside Exodus, Testament, Forbidden, Death Angel and Vio-lence – as one of the leaders of the Bay Area thrash metal scene of the mid-to-late 1980s, and they have gone through several lineup changes, leaving guitarist Lee Altus as the only constant member. To date, Heathen has released four studio albums: Breaking the Silence (1987), Victims of Deception (1991), The Evolution of Chaos (2009) and Empire of the Blind (2020).
Energetic Disassembly is the debut album by American progressive metal band Watchtower, released in 1985. This is the band's only album to feature vocalist Jason McMaster and guitarist Billy White, who were replaced by Alan Tecchio and Ron Jarzombek respectively for their next album Control and Resistance. Energetic Disassembly has been recognized as one of the first albums in the technical thrash metal genre, and Chuck Schuldiner of Death had cited the album as a significant influence on the band's transition from traditional death metal to technical death metal on their 1991 album Human.
Control and Resistance is the second and final album by progressive metal band Watchtower, released in 1989. This was the band's last album before disbanding in 1993 while working on its never-released third album Mathematics, and their first release with vocalist Alan Tecchio and guitarist Ron Jarzombek. Control and Resistance combines elements of thrash metal, progressive metal and jazz fusion, and has been cited as one of the most influential albums in the technical thrash metal genre, as well as a major influence on the then-emerging technical death metal scene.
Demonstrations in Chaos is a 2002 archives release by progressive metal band Watchtower, containing various early recordings that span the years 1983 to 1987.
S.A. Slayer, originally known as Slayer, was an American heavy metal band formed in San Antonio, Texas, in 1981 by the former Blitzkrieg guitar duo Robert "Bob Dog" Catlin and Art Villarreal, bassist Don Van Stavern, drummer Dave McClain, and vocalist Chris Cronk. The latter was soon replaced by Steve Cooper and the band signed a record deal with local upstart label Rainforest Records and proceeded to record six songs for a proposed EP at B.O.S.S. Studios with producer/engineer duo Bob O'Neill and Rick Shrieves. The Prepare to Die EP was released in 1983 and "Slayer" became one of the top metal draws of the Texas scene. The band changed their name to S.A. Slayer following a cease and desist lawsuit from founder of Metal Blade Records, Brian Slagel, on behalf of thrash metal legends Slayer. However band member Don Van Stavern denies that the band received a cease and desist letter, while Brian Slagel, denies having sent a cease and desist letter.
Concepts of Math: Book One is the first EP by the American progressive metal band Watchtower, and was released on October 7, 2016. An anticipation of Watchtower's upcoming third album Mathematics, the EP contains four previously-released tracks and one brand new song. "The Size of Matter" was previously released in 2010 as a digital single, and "M-Theory Overture", "Arguments Against Design" and "Technology Inaction" were digitally released separately in 2015.
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