New MELIAH RAGE Singer Talks About Forthcoming Album 'Warrior'

Boston power/thrash veterans MELIAH RAGE recently announced the addition of singer Marc Lopes to the group's ranks. The band is currently working on a new album, "Warrior", to be released this summer via Metal On Metal Records.

Commented Lopes: "Joining the band kind of came out of nowhere for me, actually. [MELIAH RAGE founder] Tony [Nichols] sent me an e-mail after seeing me perform on YouTube, and we started sending demos back and forth of cataloged tunes and new riffs.

"Having been a fan of MELIAH RAGE since the early days, this was an awesome opportunity for me.

"It wasn't until I got a phone call about writing/ recording vocal parts for a leftover track to be used on a compilation CD that everything went fast-forward. I had a short window of time to get the song together with producer/engineer Rich Spillberg, but we got some killer sounds and worked feverishly to make it happen. I felt like this was the final step in the audition process for me and I am pleased with how the track turned out. Once the label and band approved final mix, I was officially asked to join the band and I gladly accepted. From there, it was head first into getting the new record learned, arranged and ready to record. Again, it was mayhem — diving right into the creative process but the pressure and time constraints forced some really good results in my opinion.

"For many weeks before we began tracking, I listened very intently to early MELIAH RAGE material trying to fully grasp the style and evolution of the band from a musician's point of view rather than from the perspective of a fan. I wanted to keep the essence of the band's style and meld it together with my own ideas.

"I have so much respect for the old material and vocalist Mike Monroe — I wanted
to keep that feel intact the best I could but also bring my own personality.

"I entered the studio in mid-May with vocal producer Dan Dykes. I brought all my demos, lyric sheets etc. and we just started recording… We all put in long hours hashing out ideas and performing them until we were both happy.

"Dan has a very keen perspective of what the MELIAH RAGE sound is and what Tony is looking for.

"I dug in deep for this record and I'm very proud of the results. My brothers
kicked major ass and brought it to a new level…. MELIAH RAGE 21st-century style."

Lopes, who hails from New Bedford, Massachusetts, was previously involved with DARK DAY SUNDAY, the old-school thrash outfit featuring FATES WARNING guitarist Frank Aresti and SHADOWS FALL drummer Jason Bittner.

MELIAH RAGE reunited with singer Paul Souza after the band's original vocalist Mike Munro became very dedicated to his church and spent time volunteering in Haiti. Mike subsequently felt these and other missions of goodwill would not allow him the flexibility of schedule to tour with MELIAH RAGE.

Souza recorded two albums with MELIAH RAGE — "Barely Human" and 2006's "The Deep And Dreamless Sleep". In addition, he toured with the band when it supported METAL CHURCH across the U.S. in 2007.

MELIAH RAGE was founded in 1987 and 2013 marks the 25th anniversary of the band's debut release, "Kill To Survive". Nichols has indicated that in addition to releasing a record this year, the band plans on making several live appearances.

MELIAH RAGE's seventh full-length studio album (or eighth, if you also count the "Unfinished Business" CD),"Dead To The World", came out in July 2011 via Italy's Metal On Metal Records.