Video: TIM 'RIPPER' OWENS Performs DIO, IRON MAIDEN, BLACK SABBATH Classics With DAMIEN

Powerhouse American vocalist Tim "Ripper" Owens (JUDAS PRIEST, ICED EARTH, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, DIO DISCIPLES) joined veteran Ohio metallers DAMIEN — who are celebrating their 30th anniversary — on stage on April 13 at Rocket Bar in Toledo to perform cover versions of the heavy metal classics "Holy Diver" (DIO),"Flight Of Icarus" (IRON MAIDEN),"Heaven And Hell" (BLACK SABBATH) and "Hell Bent For Leather" (JUDAS PRIEST). Video footage of his appearance can be seen below.

Owens is without doubt among the most important metal vocalists of the past 15 years. When he succeeded Rob Halford, joining JUDAS PRIEST in May 1996, the press rubbed their eyes, surprised as well as impressed: Owens had previously been a fairly unknown quantity to international music journalists and only a few new of him from the band WINTERS BANE, but he recorded his first PRIEST album, the Grammy-nominated "Jugulator" (1997) with more aplomb than even insiders had expected. Following successful tours with the British metal legends, the strong studio recording "Demolition" (2001),and the live recordings, "Meltdown - 98 Live" (1998) and "Live In London" (2003),and the movie "Rock Star" that was loosely based on Tim's experience with JUDAS PRIEST, Halford's return put an end to Owens' stint with JUDAS PRIEST. More or less immediately, he was enlisted by Jon Schaffer to team up with ICED EARTH and sang on "The Glorious Burden" in spring 2004. Three years later, Owens followed suit with the ICED EARTH album "Framing Armageddon (Something Wicked Pt. I)", which succeeded the self-titled highly praised debut by his own band BEYOND FEAR. Spring 2008 saw Owens move on to join one of the world's best guitar players Yngwie Malmsteen, debuting with a sensational vocal performance on "Perpetual Flame".