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Category: FIFTH ANGEL

ATLANTIS / FIFTH ANGEL / James Byrd's ATLANTIS RISING / UNRELEASED

ATLANTIS – The Missing Links [recorded 1988 / digitally remastered] (2022) *only at 0dayrox*

Anyone remember the mighty Fifth Angel? If the answer is “yes”, then you’ll also have heard of James Byrd who once played guitar for that fantastic band. James was fired from Fifth Angel in 1987 forming his own band called James Byrd’s Atlantis Rising, and within days of that departure he and his band were recording a brand new album, with some songs that had been written for the second Fifth Angel release. This new record became ‘James Byrd’s Atlantis Rising’, released 1990-1991.
Fast forward to 2022 and vocalist Freddy Krumins, digging through a box full of tapes dating back to the 80s, found the original pre-production recordings of the band when it was simply named ATLANTIS.
Titled “The Missing Links“, the just released album includes the early versions – some very different – from songs later recorded for ‘James Byrd’s Atlantis Rising’, plus unreleased material. The sound quality is very good, hard rocking tunes in the vein of FIFTH ANGEL, DOKKEN and CRIMSON GLORY.
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ATLANTIS / FIFTH ANGEL / James Byrd's ATLANTIS RISING

James Byrd’s ATLANTIS RISING – self-titled [Japan Edition] HQ

James Byrd is one of a prominent guitarist that’s well-known from his former band, FIFTH ANGEL. After Fifth Angel re-released its debut in 1988 under new major label Epic there was a disagreement about royalty payment, with Byrd finally flew off and replaced by Kendall Bechtell.
Byrd formed his own band James Byrd’s ATLANTIC RISING and released this self-titled debut in 1990, and album musically with a lot of FIFTH ANGEL on it but also DOKKEN and a bit of CRIMSON GLORY. Although not credited, House Of Lord’s et all Ken Mary play drums all over the LP.
I found several interesting songs in this album such as “Into The Light”, “After The Fire”, and “Eye of The Storm”. “Let It Out” stands out with roaring overture that blasted into a great metal song, one of the best tunes of the album.
When appeared in 1991 in Japan, ”James Byrd’s ATLANTIC RISING” charted at #14 in Asia and was a top twenty metal release in many European territories…

FIFTH ANGEL / REMASTER

FIFTH ANGEL – Time Will Tell [Metal Blade Records Digipak remastered reissue] (2018)

Requested by many and accompanying the new, FIFTH ANGEL‘s really good comeback album, here’s the 2018 Metal Blade Records Digipak remastered reissue of the band’s second LP “Time Will Tell”, another terrific slice of classic US hard rock / melodic metal. It would not have been possible to follow-up the self-titled Fifth Angel with anything superior, so instead the Seattle...

FIFTH ANGEL / REMASTER

FIFTH ANGEL – Fifth Angel [Metal Blade Records Digipak remastered reissue] (2018)

Requested by many and accompanying the new FIFTH ANGEL really good comeback album, here’s the 2018 Metal Blade Records Digipak remastered reissue of the band’s cult debut LP “Fifth Angel”, featuring the original cover artwork. Fifth Angel should be the most underrated American Melodic Metal band from the ’80s releasing two superb albums in the 2nd half of the decade...

FIFTH ANGEL

FIFTH ANGEL – The Third Secret (2018)

FIFTH ANGEL recently put the finishing touches on their first new album in almost 30 years, “The Third Secret“, which will be released on October 26th. The album features the incredible talents of guitarist and lead vocalist Kendall Bechtel, bassist John Macko and drummer / backing vocalist Ken Mary.
Perhaps one of the most legendary outfits to come out of Seattle, USA, alongside giants like Queensrÿche or Metal Church, Fifth Angel took the scene by storm with their awesome homonym debut album in 1986, shortly after releasing another gem in ‘Time Will Tell’ (1989) – both remastered 2018 and to be featured on this website soon.
They were the next big thing, though, former vocalist Ted Pilot, Ed Archer (guitars) and Ken Mary (drums) decided to call it quits, only to reform in 2010 to headline one of the greatest festivals in the world to me, the iconic Keep It True Festival.