Impellitteri

For the mayor of New York City, see Vincent R. Impellitteri.
Impellitteri
Also known as Holy Grail
Origin Los Angeles, California
Genres Heavy metal, speed metal, neoclassical metal
Years active 1987–1990, 1992-present
Labels Relativity Records, JVC
Associated acts Animetal USA, Magdallan, Mr. Big, Giuffria, House of Lords
Website Official website
Members Chris Impellitteri
Rob Rock
James Amelio Pulli
Edward Roth
Jon Dette
Past members Former members

Impellitteri is a heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California, formed and led by guitarist Chris Impellitteri. It has released ten studio albums featuring Chris Impellitteri's speed/shred style of playing.

Band history

Chris Impellitteri formed Impellitteri together with Rob Rock in Los Angeles, California. They released an EP simply titled Impellitteri. The self-titled EP featured high energy energetic heavy metal with fast guitar solos. Vocalist for the EP was Rob Rock.

After the EP the band regrouped, this time with Graham Bonnet as lead singer, and released A semi-tribute album to the more famous metal vocalists of the era titled Stand In Line. MTV played Impellitteri's music video for Stand In Line in its rotation, and Chris Impellitteri was a guest host on MTV's Headbanger's Ball. The fans voted Impellitteri a smash on MTV's Smash or Trash show featured during the release of the album. The album charted in Billboards top 100 and remained there for over 5 months. However, Impellitteri stated The Black EP was Impellitteri's style of music, and Stand in line was only intended to be a tribute to the legendary vocalists of the past's music, and not as a traditional Impellitteri metal shred record. Impellitteri has submitted copyright claims to YouTube for postings of live footage from this era.

After some touring and label deals, Impellitteri returned (again with Rob Rock on vocals). They recorded and released the popular EP titled Victim of the System, which was produced by Mike Tacci who was the assistant engineer on Metallica's Black album. In late 1994, they released Answer to the Master.

In 1996, Impellitteri released Screaming Symphony. The record was mixed by highly-reputed producer Michael Wagener who had produced Metallica and Ozzy Osbourne in the past. The next year, they released another record titled: Eye of the Hurricane. In 2000 Impellitteri released Crunch.

Shortly after Crunch, Rob Rock decided to pursue a solo career and Impellitteri again recruited Graham Bonnet and began working on their next album. In 2002 they released System X. That year they also released a compilation of hits called The Very Best of Impellitteri: Faster Than the Speed of Light.

The reunion with Bonnet would be short-lived as they parted ways some time shortly thereafter. Impellitteri recruited Curtis Skelton, releasing Pedal to the Metal in 2004, displaying some of their most aggressive music to date.

In May 2008, it was announced that Rob Rock was, once again, back in Impellitteri. They collaborated on a new album called Wicked Maiden with a working title of Good and Evil.

Wicked Maiden was released in Japan and Europe on February 24, 2009, with the intent of releasing the new album in the United States in 2011, followed by the Impellitteri shredfest tour.[1]

Beliefs

As far as Christian metal ties, Impellitteri (the band) does not consider themselves to be a Christian band. Rob Rock said the following in an interview:

“ Chris and I and Ken Mary are all Christians, but James and Ed and Glen, our touring drummer, don't necessarily proclaim themselves as Christians, so it's not a Christian band.[2] ”
— Rob Rock

Band members

Current
Former
  • Graham Bonnet - lead vocals (1988-90, 2000-02)
  • Mark Weitz - lead vocals (1990)
  • Curtis Skelton - lead vocals (2003-08)
  • Ted Days - bass guitar (1987-88)
  • Chuck Wright - bass guitar (1988, 1992)
  • Dave Spitz - bass guitar (1988-90)
  • Loni Silva - drums (1987-88)
  • Pat Torpey - drums (1988)
  • Stet Howland - drums (1988-90)
  • Ken Mary - drums (1992, 1994-99)
  • Mark Bistany - drums (1992-94)
  • Phil Wolfe - keyboards (1988-90)
  • Claude Schnell - keyboards (1990)
  • Glen Sobel - drums (1999-?)
  • Brandon Wild - drums (?-2015)

Timeline

Discography

Studio Albums

EPs

Live Albums

Compilation Albums

  • The Very Best of Impellitteri: Faster Than the Speed of Light (2002)

Project

See also

References

  • Hale, Mark (1993). "1409". Headbangers (First edition, second printing ed.). Ann Arbor, Michigan: Popular Culture, Ink. p. 160. ISBN 1-56075-029-4. 
  • Powell, Mark Allan (2002). "Impellitteri". Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music (First printing ed.). Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers. p. 431. ISBN 1-56563-679-1. 

Footnotes

  1. ↑ "Impellitteri's official fansite". 2008-12-09. Retrieved 2008-12-09.
  2. ↑ Frank Stöver. "ROB ROCK-1999 interview w/ "Take It" web-zine". Archived from the original on November 13, 2007. Retrieved 2008-05-13.

External links

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