Vicious Rumors on October 31th!
Doors at 7:30 PM
Show at 8:00 PM
All Ages, Standing Room Only
It’s been five years since US power metal act Vicious Rumors unleashed their most
recent album. Five years during which band mastermind Geoff Thorpe and his crew
played well over one hundred and fifty shows, presenting their longstanding career in
condensed form and performing a playlist featuring their most important VR classics.
These shows have left their mark on the band members while at the same time releasing
a burst of new energy. Both these factors are now literally about to culminate on their
upcoming album ‘The Devil’s Asylum’, which Geoff Thorpe aptly summarises, saying:
“‘The Devil’s Asylum’ sees us return to our roots, which we’ve combined with
contemporary influences.” He continues: “Vicious Rumors look back at a career that
spans 45 years, so there’s only one goal for us: Everything we do should always be
significant, every show, every song, every new album. This band has always stood for
maximum intensity, powerful music and lots of new, fresh ideas.” In this respect, ‘The
Devil’s Asylum’ couldn’t be more typical of Vicious Rumors and at the same time the
album is bound to appeal to new fans. It will be available from ?? 2025 on
Steamhammer/SPV, with three singles – ‘Bloodbath’, ‘Crack The Sky In Half’ and
‘Dogs Of War’ – out ahead of the album release. So there’s a lot to talk about, not only
the new album, but also the highly motivated new line-up.
First of all, there are two new additions that have had a lasting impact on ‘The Devil’s
Asylum’: There’s vocalist Chalice, who Thorpe raves about: “We were looking for a
new frontman worldwide and of course received lots of video applications featuring
candidates singing to one of our tracks. Chalice, on the other hand, sent us a video with
just him singing, without any background music. So you could clearly recognise all the
facets of his voice, his range, his amazing expression, his timbre, his sound. I don’t
think anyone has ever come so close to the voice of our original singer Carl Albert and
at the same time had a charismatic personality all of his own.” The second new member
is guitarist Denver Cooper, who – like Chalice – also hails from Cape Coral in Florida.
Thorpe: “I got to know Denver on our last US tour, where he supported us with his band
NZM. He’s a brilliant guy and a real shredder, a totally cool rock star! When I called
him and asked whether he was interested, he was absolutely thrilled and agreed straight
away.”
That continuing enthusiasm based on the tours of the past five year and the breath of
fresh air thanks to the new line-up: no wonder ‘The Devil’s Asylum’ is bursting with
energy. Vicious Rumors recorded their eleven new songs in four different studios
during just a few weeks between December 2024 and January 2025 under the direction
of Thorpe and his two co-producers Tiago James (Machine Head, Testament, Exodus)
and Jimmy Evans III. Thorpe refers to this time as a “quick and intense period” and is
now proud to present some of the strongest tracks his band has ever recorded. They
include the three aforementioned singles, which range from a raw speed metal attack
with melodic vocals and thrashy guitar riffs (‘Bloodbath’) through a typical Vicious
Rumors mix of aggression and catchy melodies (‘Dogs Of War’) to a veritable anthem
about never giving up and enjoying life to the full (‘Crack The Sky In Half’). The
album’s title track also deserves a mention and has composer and lyricist Geoff Thorpe
put the extreme political situation worldwide with all its trials and tribulations into clear
words: “Times are just getting crazier and crazier, hence the album title, which also
sums up the whole recording.”
No doubt about it: ‘The Devil’s Asylum’ is an album that combines perfectly the
group’s irresistible heaviness with speed and catchiness. Thorpe: “The shows we played
during the past four years and our two new additions have shaped a sound that blends
classic Vicious Rumors with modern elements. I couldn’t be happier with the result!”