Virgin Steele - Guardians Of The Flame - The Anniversary Edition - DOUBLE LP GATEFOLD

These men of Steele have been busy! Hot on the heels of last summer’s brand new Bombastic Epic release “THE PASSION OF DIONYSUS” coming this summer in addition to the re-release of the very first VIRGIN STEELE album, the second VIRGN STEELE album, “GUARDIANS OF THE FLAME”, will also be re-released in tandem with the first album, on August 23, 2024, via Steamhammer/SPV in a very special edition, as a digi-CD and as a Gatefold Double Vinyl LP, and also in digital format. David DeFeis has included an additional moniker to this re-release…”The Anniversary Edition”, for like he has done with VIRGIN STEELE 1, he has completely re-mixed the album from start to finish. He had this to say to me, ”I felt compelled to add that additional title because just like with VS 1 this too is a very special reissue. And again…this too is a great celebration! As I did with VS 1, once again every song on the album has been lovingly restored, re-mixed with faith, heart & Steele. It was a joy to go back to the original multi-tracks, listen and find all the various outtakes, studio chatter and even a long forgotten about piano solo that I had done. In resurrecting this album, I did my best to try to preserve the original feel and integrity of what we were trying to achieve, while at the same time hoping to make it sonically clearer and more direct. The original energy and exuberant fire remains…and there is greater definition all around”. On the preview day I listened with several others and we were amazed at how fresh these Works sounded. The album sounds like it could have been recorded just this week! It has that classic 80’s sensibility combined with a timeless yet modern aura. Not an easy thing to achieve I imagine. David continues, “ for me it feels like being back in those days again only with the knowledge gained from having lived several lives since then. The full album is represented in its original entirety, plus we have included the tracks from the extended play single we had issued right after “Guardians”, which featured the songs, (I AM THE ONE, GO DOWN FIGHTING & WAIT FOR THE NIGHT) and… in addition we were also able to include several new bonus tracks, such as the lost diabolical piano solo…CHAOS CAPRICE, (from the original “Guardians” Sessions), a new alternate version of the song DESERT PLAINS, a brand new track called DIRTY BLONDE ANGEL, (that I had actually written for the AGE OF CONSENT album but we had never recorded until now), and there is also another bonus track in the form of “THE HEAVEN’S DOOR SUITE”, which contains a re-written cover of the song KNOCKIN’ ON HEAVEN’S DOOR combined with new music that I crafted…” Like my listening experience with their re-mixed first album, I can attest that the sonic experience has greatly improved. Hold your flaming swords high…victory is at hand!

Side A : Don't Say Goodbye (Tonight) / Burn The Sun / Life Of Crime / The Redeemer
Side B : Birth Through Fire / Guardians Of The Flame / Metal City / Hell Or High Water / Go All The Way
Side C : Chaos Caprice (Piano Solo) (Bonus Track) / A Cry In The Night / I Am The One / Go Down Fighting / Wait For The Night
Side D : Desert Plains (New Alternate Version) (Bonus Track) / Dirty Blonde Angel (New Bonus Track) / The Heaven's Door Suite (New Bonus Track)