Mastercastle is an Italian
heavy metal band formed in 2008 by guitarist
Pier Gonella
Pierangelo Gonella is an Italian guitarist, composer and producer, most known in the heavy metal music, metal genre as founding member of the heavy metal music, heavy metal bands Mastercastle, guitar player of the band Necrodeath, past member o ...
and singer
Giorgia Gueglio.
History
Mastercastle was founded in January 2008 by guitar player
Pier Gonella
Pierangelo Gonella is an Italian guitarist, composer and producer, most known in the heavy metal music, metal genre as founding member of the heavy metal music, heavy metal bands Mastercastle, guitar player of the band Necrodeath, past member o ...
and singer
Giorgia Gueglio. The pair had several music projects in the past and wanted to try something different. No fixed genre was chosen with the emphasis being on producing music in a natural way.
The result was a natural mix of the virtuoso guitar style of Pier with the individual female voice of Giorgia Gueglio which worked well together. The pair wrote a great number of songs and recorded a four-song promo to gain label interest. In the meantime the lineup was completed by the drummer Alessandro Bissa aka Bix and the bassist
Steve Vawamas
Steve Vawamas is an Italian bassist, known for his collaborations with various metal bands as Athlantis, Shadows of Steel, Mastercastle, and The Dogma.
Biography
He started playing when he was 14 years old on the example of famous hard rock a ...
; their joining changed the initial project into a real band and the name Mastercastle was settled on for the new real band.
In July 2008, they sent the demo to Lion Music who offered a deal which leads us up to the release of Mastercastle's debut album ''
The Phoenix'' on 17 April 2009. The album met with widespread critical acclaim and the video for "Princess of Love" rapidly clocked up over 100,000 views on
YouTube
YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...
. The band had also a deal with the label ''Spiritual Beast'' for a Japanese release.
In the meantime, the band started immediately writing new stuff for a new album. Another four-song demo was sent to Lion Music and they get another deal. With the great experience of the previous album, the band worked better than before and produced 12 tracks (2 instrumental). The new album ''
Last Desire
''Last Desire'' is the second studio album of the Italian heavy metal band Mastercastle. The lyrics of the album tell about the concept of "desire". The track "La Serenissima" is a cover of the Italian ensemble Rondo Veneziano.
History
The al ...
'' was released by Lion Music on 18 June 2010, followed by the videoclip ''Last Desire''.
In 2011, during the composition of new staff, the band was included in the project ''Embrace the sun'', a "benefic" cd produced by
Lion Music
Lion Music is a production company and record label founded in 1989 by composer and artist Lars Eric Mattsson.
History
Lion Music was founded in 1989 by Lars Eric Mattsson as a production company to handle production and licensing for his recor ...
and dedicated to the victims of the tsunami and earthquake that struck Japan in March 2011. The band donated the song ''Sakura'' (with the namesake videoclip)and the album was released in June 2011 including
Jennifer Batten
Jennifer Batten (born November 29, 1957) is an American guitarist who has worked as a session musician and solo artist. From 1987 to 1997, she played on all three of Michael Jackson's world tours, and from 1999 to 2001, she toured and recorded w ...
and many other musicians. Than the band finished the production of the new album that was released by Lion Music on 18 November 2011 with the title
Dangerous Diamonds
''Dangerous Diamonds'' is the third album of the Italian heavy metal band Mastercastle, released by Lion Music on 18 November 2011.
History
The album was recorded from July to September 2011 at MusicArt studios (Genova, Italy). (Genoa, Italy), ...
.
At the end of 2011, the band started working on the fourth album, at the beginning called ''Metals'' and the lineup was changed by the new drummer
John Macaluso
John Macaluso is an American drummer who has played for bands such as Ark, TNT, and Yngwie Malmsteen. Born in Commack, New York, Macaluso started playing drums at age 11. He has recorded over 200 records and played in multiple world tours. He ...
(
Malmsteen,
James LaBrie
Kevin James LaBrie (born May 5, 1963) is a Canadian singer, best known as the lead singer of the American progressive metal band Dream Theater, which he has been fronting since 1991.
Early life
Kevin James LaBrie was born in Penetanguishene, ...
, 'Ark', 'Tnt').The album was released on 19 April by
Lion Music
Lion Music is a production company and record label founded in 1989 by composer and artist Lars Eric Mattsson.
History
Lion Music was founded in 1989 by Lars Eric Mattsson as a production company to handle production and licensing for his recor ...
with the title ''
On Fire''.
In 2014, the band signed a deal with
Scarlet Records
Scarlet Records is an Italian independent record label based in Milan. It is most notable for featuring two side projects from Soilwork front-man Björn "Speed" Strid, as well as bands like Agent Steel, Royal Hunt, Skyclad, Eldritch, Hates ...
for the releasing of the fifth album, titled
Enfer (De La Bibliothèque Nationale)
''Enfer e La Bibliothèque Nationale' is the fifth album of the Italian heavy metal band Mastercastle. The lyrics of the album tell about a secret section of the National Library of Paris. There are also two instrumental tracks, the first " ...
. The album is described by the band as their heaviest effort to date, while still maintaining their trademark sound and with a special mention for the strongest production the band have ever benefited from.
On 3 October 2014, the band announced by many webzines and social networks the release of the videoclip "Enfer", and the date of release of the album "Enfer De La Bibliothèque Nationale" for 14 October.
On 28 June 2022, the band released the videoclip ''Who Cares for the Moon'' with
Fabio Lione
Fabio Tordiglione (born 9 October 1973), known professionally as Fabio Lione, is an Italian singer who has worked with many bands in the heavy metal music, heavy metal genre. He was known for being the singer of Italian symphonic power metal ba ...
as special guest singer, and later the album ''
Lighthouse Pathetic'' under the label "Diamonds Prod".
Discography
Studio albums
* 2009: ''
The Phoenix''
* 2010: ''
Last Desire
''Last Desire'' is the second studio album of the Italian heavy metal band Mastercastle. The lyrics of the album tell about the concept of "desire". The track "La Serenissima" is a cover of the Italian ensemble Rondo Veneziano.
History
The al ...
''
* 2011: ''
Dangerous Diamonds
''Dangerous Diamonds'' is the third album of the Italian heavy metal band Mastercastle, released by Lion Music on 18 November 2011.
History
The album was recorded from July to September 2011 at MusicArt studios (Genova, Italy). (Genoa, Italy), ...
''
* 2013: ''
On Fire''
* 2014: ''
Enfer (De La Bibliothèque Nationale)
''Enfer e La Bibliothèque Nationale' is the fifth album of the Italian heavy metal band Mastercastle. The lyrics of the album tell about a secret section of the National Library of Paris. There are also two instrumental tracks, the first " ...
''
* 2017: ''
Wine of Heaven
''Wine of Heaven'' is the seventh album of the Italian heavy metal band Mastercastle.
History
The album was recorded starting from January 2016 and was finished in January 2017 at MusicArt studios. (Genoa, Italy), but the composition began on ...
''
* 2022: ''
Lighthouse Pathetic''
Collaborations
* 2011 – ''Embrace the Sun''
Embrace the sun – Lion Music Web site
/ref> (guest on track 14: "Sakura")
References
External links
Mastercastle – Official Myspace site
{{Authority control
Musical groups established in 2008
Italian heavy metal musical groups
Italian power metal musical groups
2008 establishments in Italy
Italian musical quartets
Scarlet Records artists
Mixed-gender bands