Black Steel is an Australian heavy metal band, whose career highlights include supporting rock legends Deep Purple

Deep Purple

Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...

 (2000), Judas Priest

Judas Priest

Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band from Birmingham, England, formed in 1969. The current line-up consists of lead vocalist Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis. The band has gone through several drummers over the years,...

 (2001, 2008), Zakk Wylde

Zakk Wylde

Zachary Phillip Wylde , best known by the stage name Zakk Wylde, is an American musician, songwriter, and occasional actor who is best known as the former guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne and founder of the heavy metal band Black Label Society. He was the lead guitarist and vocalist in Pride & Glory,...

's Black Label Society

Black Label Society

Black Label Society is a heavy metal band formed by Zakk Wylde, with nine studio albums, one live album, two compilation albums, one EP, and three video albums released since formation of the band.-Formation and Sonic Brew :...

 (2006)and appearing at the Metallica

Metallica

Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...

-headlined 'Big Day Out' Perth show in 2004. They are listed in Garry Sharpe-Young's 'The A-Z Of Power Metal', and have received international acclaim in the genre. Most notably in 'Kerrang!

Kerrang!

Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine devoted to rock music published by Bauer Media Group. It was first published on June 6, 1981 as a one-off supplement in the Sounds newspaper...

' magazine. with a KKKK rating , and 'Power Play' magazine with a 7/10 rating . Iron Maiden

Iron Maiden

Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...

 lead singer Bruce Dickinson

Bruce Dickinson

Paul Bruce Dickinson is an English singer, songwriter, airline pilot, fencer, broadcaster, author, screenwriter, actor and marketing director, best known as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden....

 also spoke favourably of Black Steel during his BBC

BBC

The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...

 radio show 'Bruce's Rock Show', playing the track 'Slaughterhouse' from the bands 2005 album 'Hellhammer'.

Releases

To date, Black Steel has released the EP 'Battle Call' (MGM Distribution

MGM Distribution

MGM Distribution is the largest independent distributor of Australian music and music related merchandise and was established in April 1998 by Sebastian Chase....

 2000), full-length album 'Destructor' (MGM/Steelheart 2001), single 'Relentless Force' (2004), and full-length album 'Hellhammer' (MGM/Steelheart 2005). All albums were released on CD in Australia and overseas. 'Destructor' was also released in Russia and the Baltic states on the CD Maximum label, and a limited pressing on vinyl of 'Hellhammer' was released by Killer Metal Records.

Black Steel also recorded a cover of AC/DC

AC/DC

AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...

's 'Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap

Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap

Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap is the third studio album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC, released in 1976. All songs were written by Angus Young, Malcolm Young, and Bon Scott....

' for the 'AC/DC Hometown Tribute' album (Seeing Ear Records 2000). Appearances on other tribute albums include 'A Tribute To the Glory Of 80's Metal' (Steelheart 2004) for their version of Saxon's 'Power & The Glory', and Pantera

Pantera

Pantera was an American heavy metal band from Arlington, Texas. Formed by the Abbott brothers, Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell in 1981, bassist Rex Brown would join in late 1981 with vocalist Terry Glaze. Looking for a new and heavier sound, Pantera had Terry replaced in 1987 with Phil Anselmo as...

's Dimebag Darrell

Dimebag Darrell

Darrell Lance Abbott , also known as Diamond Darrell and Dimebag Darrell, was an American guitarist. He was best known as a founding member of the heavy metal bands Pantera and Damageplan. Abbott also contributed to the album Rebel Meets Rebel, a collaboration between Pantera and David Allan Coe...

 tribute album 'The Art Of Shredding - A Tribute To Dime' (DarkStar 2006).

'Destructor' was released on itunes worldwide by MGM in September 2009, with 'Hellhammer' and 'Battle Call' having been available since 2005, also by MGM.

Line-Ups

The original line-up of Black Steel, formed in late 1999, consisted of Dave Harrison (ex-Allegiance

Allegiance

An allegiance is a duty of fidelity said to be owed by a subject or a citizen to his/her state or sovereign.-Etymology:From Middle English ligeaunce . The al- prefix was probably added through confusion with another legal term, allegeance, an "allegation"...

) on bass, Jamie Page (ex-Trilogy, Black Alice, and writing credits for Queen

Queen (band)

Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...

 guitarist Brian May

Brian May

Brian Harold May, CBE is an English musician and astrophysicist most widely known as the guitarist and a songwriter of the rock band Queen...

, for the song 'Resurrection') on guitar, Matt Williams (ex-Project X) on vocals, and Jeff Oliver (ex-The Poor Boys, Ian Kenny band). Andrew Di Stefano then joined the line-up as a second guitarist. Prior to recording their debut, the 'Battle Call' EP, new drummer Damien Petrilli joined the band. This line-up continued until after the release of their first full-length album 'Destructor'. Jamie Page had a break from the band for a year, and guitarist Emanuel Rudnicki ('Voyager

Voyager

-Technology:*LG Voyager, a mobile phone model manufactured by LG Electronics*NCR Voyager, a computer platform produced by NCR Corporation*Voyager , a computer worm affecting Oracle databases...

') joined the line-up. Page returned when Di Stefano left the line-up, and shortly after the band became a four-piece, consisting of Page, Harrison, Williams and new drummer Simon Wisniewski. This line-up recorded the three-track single 'Relentless Force' in 2004, after which Petrilli returned as the bands drummer to record the 'Hellhammer' album. Following the release of 'Hellhammer', guitarist Adrian Pertrache joined as second guitarist, returning Black Steel's twin-guitar attack sound to the ensuing live performances.

Re-union

After a hiatus of nearly two years, the original recording line-up of Black Steel re-united for a support slot with Judas Priest during that bands 2008 'Nostradamus' tour, at Challenge Stadium in Perth, Western Australia.

Former members

The current line-up of Black Steel is
Matt Williams (vocals)
Jamie Page (guitar)
Andrew Di Stefano (guitar)
Dave Harrison (bass)
Damien Petrilli (drums). Former members include Adrian Pertrache (guitar), Simon Wisniewski (drums), Emmanuel Rudnicki (guitar), and Jeff Oliver (drums).

Band Members' Other Projects

Jamie Page has since recorded the guitar instrumental tracks, 'Escape 666' and 'SS Rejected', the former of which featured on a guitar compilation album. In 2009, Matt Williams released the classic rock inspired, self-titled EP 'Humungous D'. All four tracks were made available on iTunes in March 2010. Damien Petrilli formed the progressive metal band 'Evolution Machine', also featuring former Black Steel guitarist Emanuel Rudnicki. The band was launched officially in February 2010.

Discography

• Hellhammer - LP album (Killer Metal Records 2005)
• Hellhammer - CD album (Steelheart Records / MGM Distribution 2005)
• Relentless Force - CD single (MGM Distribution 2004)
• Destructor (European version) - CD album (Steelheart Records 2002)
• Destructor - CD album (MGM Distribution 2001)
• Battle Call - CD EP (MGM Distribution 2000)