Year : 1984 (Heaven And Hell Records Edition 2025)
Style : Heavy Metal , Hard Rock
Country : United States
Audio : 320 kbps + scans
Size : 98 mb
Bio:
American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1982, now disbanded.3RD STAGE ALERT was formed in 1982 by Al Morris and Giulio Lomma, two guitar players seeking to form a band that defied the typical mold of L.A. rock bands at the time. The duo recruited Dave Drury for vocals, who had recently migrated to L.A. from Philadelphia, where he was the singer for World War III.Initially, the band went through several drummers and bass players before settling on their lineup. Joining the original three members were former STEELER drummer Mark Edwards and BURNING ROME bassist Ron Murray.Like many Los Angeles bands, 3RD STAGE ALERT debuted with a track on the legendary Metal Blade Records “Metal Massacre” compilation series, appearing on the second volume released in 1982 with the aggressive and dynamic track ‘Mind Invader’.Later, 3RD STAGE ALERT would go into Music Grinder and Sunswept Studios in Hollywood to record the band’s debut self-titled EP. Guitar hero Yngwie J Malmsteen would produce the EP, which would be the guitarist's first producing effort. Malmsteen would also perform on the instrumental track ‘Adagio (For a Dead Soldier)’. Other tracks included: ‘Superstar’, ‘Steppin Out’, ‘ The Stranger’, and ‘Take the Jump’ featuring later HELLION frontwoman and New Renaissance Records founder Ann Boleyn on keyboards.The 5-song mini-album was released in December 1984. A solid offering of commercially radio-friendly tunes with a more European sound akin to RAINBOW and MICKAEL SCHENKER GROUP, opposed to that usually coming from the West Coast. With limited label support and a botched planned Japanese tour, the release would fall short of expectations.3RD STAGE ALERT would record a handful more tracks before calling it a day, and the members would go on to other projects. These tracks would remain unreleased until now.
Album:
I remember being interested in Californian band 3rd STAGE ALERT back in 1984 when they released their mini-LP debut because it was produced by Yngwie J. Malmsteen (he also play in one song), and was curious to hear what they did. Musically 3rd STAGE ALERT isn’t far away from Yngwie’s first solo works with Jeff Scott Soto, also STEELER, ALCATRAZZ, MSG… really good stuff.As requested, here’s the recent Heaven and Hell Records remastered reissue of “3rd STAGE ALERT“, the 5-track mini-LP now including 6 bonus tracks. Among the bonuses, we find a previously unreleased track where Jeff Scott Soto sings lead vocals – and it’s a killer hard rockin’ tune for sure.3rd STAGE ALERT comprised talented musicians, including former STEELER drummer Mark Edwards and BURNING ROME bassist Ron Murray, there’s future HELLION frontwoman Ann Boleyn on keyboards, and ALCATRAZZ / NEW ENGLAND’s Gary Shea play bass on one song.3rd STAGE ALERT was formed in 1982 by Al Morris and Giulio Lomma, two guitar players seeking to form a band that defied the typical mold of L.A. rock acts at the time. The duo recruited Dave Drury for vocals, who had recently migrated to L.A. from Philadelphia, where he was the singer for World War III.Initially, the band went through several drummers and bass players before settling on their lineup. Joining the original three members were former STEELER drummer Mark Edwards and BURNING ROME bassist Ron Murray.Like many Los Angeles bands, 3rd STAGE ALERT debuted with a track on the legendary Metal Blade Records “Metal Massacre” compilation series, appearing on the second volume released in 1982 with the aggressive and dynamic track ‘Mind Invader’, featured here among the bonuses.Later, 3rd STAGE ALERT would go into Music Grinder and Sunswept Studios in Hollywood to record the band’s debut self-titled EP.Drummer Mark Edwards contacted his former STEELER bandmate guitar hero Yngwie J Malmsteen to help with the recording, and the Swede ended producing the whole thing, his first work behind the desk alongside his own debut album with Rising Force. Malmsteen would also perform on the instrumental track ‘Adagio (For a Dead Soldier)’.Another friend of the band, the still unknown Ann Boleyn (later HELLION frontwoman and New Renaissance Records founder played keyboards on the mini-album.The 5-song mini-album was released in December 1984 via Metal Blade Records. A solid offering of commercially radio-friendly hard rock tunes with a more European sound akin to RAINBOW and MICKAEL SCHENKER GROUP, opposed to that usually coming from the West Coast. However, there’s traces of early STEELER and ALCATRAZZ too.There’s a couple of unreleased tracks in demo form, and the properly finished and well recorded ‘Time’s Up’, where the connection with the aforementioned outfits persists as Jeff Scott Soto perform lead vocals, and Gary Shea bass. Great track.With limited label support and a botched planned Japanese tour, the release would fall short of expectations. 3rd STAGE ALERT would record a handful more tracks (some of the bonus featured here) before calling it a day, and the members would go on to other projects.
Line Up:
Dave Drury - Vocals
Al Morris - Guitars (lead)
Guilio Lomma - Guitars (rhythm)
Ron Murray - Bass
Mark Edwards - Drums
+ guests:
Yngwie J. Malmsteen – Additional Guitars track 5
Ann Boleyn – Keyboards tracks 3, 4
Gary Shea – Bass track 11
Jeff Scott Soto – Vocals track 11
Production:
Produced by Yngwie J. Malmsteen
Produced by Brian Slagel
Recorded at Mad Dog Studios in Burbank, Ca.
Engineer by Chad Blake
Mixed at MCA Whitney Recording Studios
Tracklist:
01. Superstar
02. Steppin’ Out
03. The Stranger
04. Take That Jump
05. Adagio (For a Dead Soldier) [Yngwie on guitar]
06. Mind Invader [Metal Massacre II compilation] (Bonus Track)
07. On Hold [Demo] (Bonus Track)
08. Take That Jump [Demo Version] (Bonus Track)
09. Steppin’ Out [Demo Version] (Bonus Track)
10. Fine Line [Demo] (Bonus Track)
11. Time’s Up [Jeff Scott Soto lead vocals] (Bonus Track)
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