| The King of Metal | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | March 8, 2012 | |||
| Genre | Heavy metal | |||
| Label | Blaze Bayley | |||
| Producer | Blaze Bayley | |||
| Blaze Bayley chronology | ||||
| ||||
The King of Metal is the sixth studio album by English heavy metal vocalist Blaze Bayley, released in 2012. This is the first album that Blaze recorded where he considers himself a "Solo Artist", having parted ways with the Blaze Bayley band that recorded The Man Who Would Not Die and Promise and Terror. [1]
Bayley stated that the album is dedicated to all the fans that have supported him through the years, and that without their continued support his career would not have been possible. "The King of Metal" is the fan that supports metal music. [2]
Following the release of the album, Blaze embarked upon the King of Metal World Tour, commencing with the European leg of the Tour. During this section of the tour he has played in Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Poland, France, Switzerland, Spain, England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Wales and Italy between 8 March and 27 May 2012. King of Metal tour has been his biggest tour in a number of years. [3]
Reception to the album was generally mixed. Lior Stein of Metal Temple.com wrote "This is clearly not the best upshot of what Blaze Bayley has been working on throughout his solo career. I don’t know why there has been nothing that could top “Silicon Messiah”, and I can’t really answer that. “The King Of Metal” is a solid venture slightly beyond average and no more even with its good intentions."
During the recording stage of the album, Blaze ran a competition of his official forum to guess the names of the songs in the track list. He also kept a video diary during the recording which could be view on his Official Facebook page and YouTube channel. [4]
Total Length – 47:08
All songs written by Blaze Bayley & Thomas Zwijsen, except "The Black Country" written by Blaze Bayley & Jase Edwards
Darkthrone is a black metal band from Kolbotn, Norway, formed in 1986 as a death metal band under the name Black Death. In 1991, the band embraced a black metal style influenced by Bathory and Celtic Frost and became one of the leading bands in the Norwegian black metal scene.
The X Factor is the tenth studio album by English heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released on 2 October 1995 through EMI Records. CMC International released the album in North America. It is the first of two albums by the band to include Blaze Bayley, formerly of Wolfsbane, as vocalist, replacing Bruce Dickinson who left the band following their previous tour to pursue a solo career. The album takes a darker tone than the band's first nine releases, due to the lyrics being based on personal issues surrounding Steve Harris at the time, who was in the midst of a divorce. This is reflected in the cover artwork, which graphically depicts the band's mascot, Eddie, being vivisected by machine.
Blaze Bayley is an English singer, musician, songwriter, and lyricist. He was the lead singer of Wolfsbane from 1984 to 1994, and currently from 2010 following reunions in 2007 and 2009. Bayley was also the lead singer for Iron Maiden from 1994 to 1999. Since then, he has embarked on a solo career.
Virtual XI is the eleventh studio album by English heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released on 23 March 1998. It is the band's second and final album with Blaze Bayley on vocals.
Wolfsbane are an English hard rock band. Formed in 1984, the band initially remained active until lead singer Blaze Bayley went on to join Iron Maiden in 1994, resulting in their breakup. After a couple of reunion shows in 2007 and 2009, Wolfsbane officially reunited in June 2010. To date, Wolfsbane have released four studio albums, two live albums, two compilation albums, two EPs and three demos. In 2012, a lost "Live in the Studio" recording was found in Jase Edwards' loft and was mastered and released as a special, "available only on tour", making it a rare limited edition. The band have had a few changes in their line-up since their formation.
A Blaze in the Northern Sky is the second studio album by Norwegian black metal band Darkthrone. It was released on 26 February 1992 by Peaceville Records. It contained the band's first black metal recordings and is considered a classic within the genre. It was the first album of what fans dub the "Unholy Trinity", the other albums being Under a Funeral Moon and Transilvanian Hunger. It was the last album to feature bassist Dag Nilsen.
"Fear of the Dark" is a song by British heavy metal band Iron Maiden. Written by Steve Harris, the band's bass player and primary songwriter, it serves as the title track to Iron Maiden's 1992 album Fear of the Dark.
"Man on the Edge" is a single from the Iron Maiden album The X Factor released in 1995. The song is based on the film Falling Down, starring Michael Douglas. It was the first single the band released with Blaze Bayley on vocals.
"Virus" is a single from Iron Maiden, released in 1996. It is the first single since 1980's "Women in Uniform" that does not appear on any official Iron Maiden studio album. It was, however, featured as a brand new track on the band's first ever career retrospective – 1996's double-disc Best of the Beast. It is the only Iron Maiden song to be credited to both of the band's guitarists. It has never been performed live by Iron Maiden, but Blaze Bayley performed it several times in his solo career. Lyrically, the song warns of rising business and government corruption in an increasingly Internet-dependent world.
"Futureal" is a single from the Iron Maiden album Virtual XI, released in 1998. It is the last single by the band to feature vocalist Blaze Bayley, as he parted ways with the band in February 1999.
Rise to Addiction, also known as RTA, are a British heavy metal band formed in 2004 by former Blaze Bayley guitarists John Slater and Steve Wray.
Promise and Terror is the fifth studio album by English heavy metal band Blaze Bayley, released in 2010. It is the second studio album released by the band since they changed their name from Blaze. It is also the first Blaze Bayley album without a title track.
Fury UK is an English heavy metal band based in Manchester, England. Between 2007 and 2012 the band played a series of important festival appearances, toured extensively with some of the biggest names in the rock/metal genres and released three albums, one EP and one DVD. In May 2012 the band went on long term hiatus when bassist Luke Appleton was recruited by American heavy metal band Iced Earth, following which Fury UK members Chris Appleton and Martin McNee formed a new band called Absolva.
Dorothee Pesch, known professionally as Doro Pesch or simply Doro, is a German heavy metal singer-songwriter, formerly front-woman of the heavy metal band Warlock. Dubbed the "Metal Queen", Doro's contributions to music and culture along with her publicized personal life made her a global figure in metal culture for over three decades. The name Doro has also been associated with the touring band accompanying the singer, whose members have continuously changed in more than twenty years of uninterrupted activity, the most stable presences being those of bassist Nick Douglas and drummer Johnny Dee.
Yellowdog Creative Project Management is an independent record label, project management platform, tour management and promotions representing a variety of artists and bands. The business trades in the United Kingdom, France, Netherlands, Italy, Sweden, Ireland & United States.
Thomas Zwijsen is a Dutch/Belgian (Flemish) classical acoustic and Heavy Metal guitarist. He is known for his arrangements of Iron Maiden songs for classical guitar both on YouTube since 2007 and with his 2013 and 2014 albums "Nylon Maiden", "Nylonized" and "Nylon Maiden II". Since 2011, he has worked closely with ex Iron Maiden & Wolfsbane frontman Blaze Bayley, co-composing Bayley's 2012 album The King of Metal and 2013 released Russian Holiday E.P. In 2015 he released an album in Flamenco/fusion style consisting entirely of his own compositions, entitled "Divide & Unite".
Sinnergod are a five piece English goth rock band from Wigan, England. Their sound is recognisable as an atmospheric, layered wall of sound consisting of guitar driven riffs and symphonic keyboards. The band have built a fanbase following support slots with bands such as The Misfits, Bam Margera of CKY and Jackass, Orgy, Blaze Bayley, Eso formerly Esoterica, Deathstars and Sarah Jezebel Deva from Cradle of Filth, as well as a festival appearance at Bloodstock Open Air in 2007. Metal Hammer magazine labelled Sinnergod as "The new goth kings of Manchester" in the September 2014 issue.
This is the discography for English heavy metal musician Blaze Bayley.
