AXE DRAGGER, Featuring Ex-PANTERA Singer And FU MANCHU Guitarist, To Release Debut Album In March

Heavy metal supergroup AXE DRAGGER, featuring current members of FU MANCHU and DARK FUNERAL and former members of PANTERA and PENTAGRAM, will release its self-titled debut album on March 6, 2026 via Ripple Music. The official lyric video for the LP's first single, the eponymous title track, created by DJ Summitt, can be seen below.

AXE DRAGGER began as a long-distance collaboration between guitarist Bob Balch (FU MANCHU, SLOWER) and drummer Pete Campbell (ex-PENTAGRAM). Bob would send over riffs, Pete would lay down drums, and before long, things started to take shape. The project leveled up when vocalist Terry Glaze (ex-PANTERA) and bassist Fredrik Isaksson (DARK FUNERAL) joined the fold. Over the course of a year, songs slowly but relentlessly came together — built riff by riff, crash by crash — until it became clear they had a full-blown band on their hands. The result is a debut album soaked in the spirit of early 1980s heavy metal — think RIOT, SAVATAGE, JUDAS PRIEST, DIO, IRON MAIDEN and ARMORED SAINT — with modern weight and grit in the vein of SOUNDGARDEN, MASTODON and THE OBSESSED.

Balch commented: "'Axe Dragger' was the first song we wrote. When ex-PENTAGRAM drummer Minnesota Pete Campbell reached out to me about collaborating on a metal record, those riffs came out of me moments later. The song pretty much wrote itself. I thought Terry Glaze (ex-PANTERA) would sound great on it, so we sent it over to him. When we both heard the vocals and lyrics, we knew we had something special. I mean, he sings the words 'heavy metal' in the first verse! Haha. That song lit a fire under all of us and ended up spawning the entire record. Pete then mentioned bringing in Fredrik Isaksson from DARK FUNERAL on bass. Fredrik absolutely killed it on that track, and at that point the lineup was solidified.

"The riffs on this song were inspired by the early '80s metal records I grew up on — JUDAS PRIEST, RIOT, MAIDEN, DIO, etc., etc. Hope you dig it!"

Campbell added: "This was the first track Bob sent me for the project. At first listen, I was like, 'Okay... I see where this is going.' I laid down my drum tracks and sent it back. He told me Terry was interested in doing some vocals, and I was stoked. When we got Terry's vocals back, I knew right away we were onto something — and ten songs later, we had a whole record. Fredrik's bass playing is ungodly, and he's the perfect man for the job. Bob is a freakin' riff machine — such an honor to jam with. I'm super excited for people to hear this band. Proud of the music and the guys involved. Hail metal!"

Balch previously stated about AXE DRAGGER's formation: "I'd been in touch with drummer Pete Campbell for a while about trading riffs, drum beats, and ideas. I've also been teaching a student over FaceTime for a couple of years who wants to learn old RIOT, JUDAS PRIEST and DIO — and that really lit a fire under me to start writing an old-school heavy metal project. So Pete and I started sending riffs and beats back and forth, and once we had a few solid tunes, we brought in vocalist Terry Glaze and bassist Fredrik Isaksson. The first song Terry sent back was 'Axe Dragger' and Pete and I completely lost our minds. From there, we were all fired up, and over the course of a year, we put together this record. It's a pure reflection of early '80s heavy metal — and I hope you dig it. For the guitar geeks out there, this record is loaded with harmonic minor modes à la 'Powerslave'-era IRON MAIDEN!"

"Axe Dragger" was mixed by Brian Scheuble (MÖTLEY CRÜE, WHITESNAKE, STONE TEMPLE PILOTS, NINE INCH NAILS) and mastered by Dave Collins (METALLICA, SOUNDGARDEN),with vinyl and CD mastering by Carl Saff, album artwork by Seldon Hunt and press photo by John McGill.

"Axe Dragger" track listing:

01. Axe Dragger
02. Give You The Rope
03. Fight Another Day
04. Iron Rider
05. Eat Me From The Inside
06. Shock 'Em Dead
07. El Toro
08. The Damned Will Cry
09. Fire In The Madhouse
10. Death Is Calling My Name

Glaze was the frontman of PANTERA during the band's early'-'80s "party metal" phase and sang on the band's first three albums. After leaving PANTERA, Glaze formed the band LORD TRACY.

AXE DRAGGER is:

Bob Balch (FU MANCHU, SLOWER) - guitar
Pete Campbell (ex-PENTAGRAM) - drums
Fredrik Isaksson (DARK FUNERAL) - bass
Terry Glaze (ex-PANTERA) - vocals