Damien (USA) - 'Silent Rage' (promotional video)

Pounding like a heavy hammer,
Chaos amplified
Set our sights and shoot to kill,
Straight between the eyes
Breaking necks and breaking glass,
We'll break the speed of sound
Force-feeding you decibels,
A strong-arm hammerdown
The air becomes electric,
It's surging through your veins
The fire keeps on rising,
And scorching the remains
This wall of sound is building,
It's reaching to the sky
A wrecking ball inside your skull
Obliviates your sight

When ears start bleeding,
We sweat beneath the lights
This power that we're breeding,
Is growing strong tonight
Blinding light it shocks you,
It's never going to stop
This gun is cocked and loaded,
We're rising to the top

The waves of sound are screaming,
A wall that hits your brain
Slamming one another,
Then going in again
You've been cleared for takeoff,
Shooting for the sky
Become a living testament,
Rock's never gonna die

Silent rage - Feel it burning
Silent rage - Takes control
Silent rage - No more yearning
Silent rage - Rock 'n Roll
Rock 'n Roll

The power as elected,
The leader rules our pack
Made it to the very top,
And never turning back
Rock 'n Roll can save our soul,
In our hands this key
Ignition to a rocket ride,
The power to be free

Υπάρχουν (ή υπήρξαν) τουλάχιστον δέκα μπάντες με το όνομα Damien. (Ανάμεσά τους και μία Ελληνική η οποία δραστηριοποιήθηκε την δεκαετία του ενενήντα.) Αυτοί που μας ενδιαφέρουν (στην παρούσα ανάρτηση) μας έρχονται από το Οχάιο. Δημιουργήθηκαν το 1981 και συνεχίζουν μέχρι τις ημέρες μας.

Heavy / power metal συγκρότημα επηρεασμένο από μπάντες όπως οι Judas Priest, Black Sabbath, UFO, Scorpions. Έχουν κυκλοφορήσει τέσσερις "ολοκληρωμένους" δίσκους ("Every Dog Has Its Day" 1987, "Stop This War" 1989, "Angel Juice" 1955, "Beyond Apathy" 2011), ένα demo, ένα ep και δύο συλλογές (το 2018).

Προ επταετίας, στα τελειώματα του 2018, "βγήκε (σε cd+dvd) η συλλογή "Candle of Life". Στα τελειώματα του πρώτου φθινοπωρινού μήνα θα κυκλοφορήσει - από την ίδια δισκογραφική εταιρεία (την Lost Realm Records)- και σε βινύλιο (200 αντίτυπα) υπό τον τίτλο "Candle of Life - The 1992 Demo Tape"...

Δελτίο τύπου: «Ohio metal icons Damien are proud to announce the vinyl release of Candle Of Life, a hidden gem from their storied career.

Originally recorded in 1992 as a promotional tape and released on CD in 2018 through our label, this rare cassette is now available on vinyl for the first time, bringing a crucial yet overlooked chapter of the band’s history to fans old and new.

The early '90s marked a turbulent turning point for Damien. After the success of Every Dog Has Its Day and Stop This War, the band was riding high with MTV airplay, critical praise, and headlining gigs across the Midwest.

A deal with High Tide Management, sparked by Black Oak Arkansas singer Ruby Starr, signaled bigger prospects. However, their label’s inexperience with metal acts led to delays, no tour support, and mounting tensions with management.

Despite attracting crowds of over a thousand fans and sharing stages with acts like Flotsam & Jetsam, Chastain Anvil, internal strife and label disputes threatened to derail Damien’s momentum. In 1989, the departure of vocalist Randy Mikelson, who pursued a solo project, left the band in a deadlock.

Damien ends up recruiting Troy Moore for the vocal duties. Moore’s higher vocal range introduced a fresh dynamic, but it polarized some fans, at a time when grunge and alternative metal were beginning to dominate the scene.

With no label backing, the band recorded seven tracks in Moore’s basement, dubbing a few hundred cassettes to sell at shows. These Candle Of Life sessions, limited to roughly 100 copies, sold out quickly but failed to reignite the band’s spark, remaining shelved for nearly three decades.

This vinyl release celebrates Damien’s resilience and the raw energy of their transitional era. Candle Of Life captures a band defying the odds, delivering some of their most compelling yet least-heard material. A must-have for all die-hard Damien fans and metal collectors alike.»

Band: Damien
Country of origin: United States
Location: Toledo, Ohio
Formed in: 1981
Genre: Heavy/Power Metal
Years active: 1981-present

Lyric video: "Rat Race"
Album: "Candle of Life - The 1992 Demo Tape"
Type: Compilation
Release date: September 26th, 2025
Label: Lost Realm Records
Format: 12" vinyl (33⅓ RPM)
Limitation: 200 copies