Stormzone is a heavy metal band from

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ; ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, part of the United Kingdom in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It has been #Descriptions, variously described as a country, province or region. Northern Ireland shares Repub ...

formed in 2004. The band's classic line-up consisted of vocalist John "Harv" Harbinson, bassist Graham McNulty, guitarists Steve Moore and Dave Shields, and drummer Davy Bates. Previous members included Andrew Baxter, Steve Doherty, Keith Harris, Junior Afrifa and Peťo Uhrin. The band released four studio albums on SPV Records, three albums on Metal Nation Records, and one on Metalapolis Records. The band enjoyed considerable success, playing major rock festivals such as

Sweden Rock Sweden Rock Festival is a rock festival outside the town of Sölvesborg in Blekinge in southern Sweden. The festival offers the best possible mix of classic rock, hard rock, metal, blues and related genres. The first version of the festival, k ...

. Firefest, Z-Rock, Raismes Fest and

Wacken Open Air Wacken Open Air (, abbreviated as W:O:A) is a Heavy metal music, heavy metal music festival, held annually since 1990 on the first weekend of August in the village of Wacken, Schleswig-Holstein, Wacken in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Almost all ...

, as well as performing extensively across the UK and Europe. Their releases and performances have been met with general critical acclaim from publications such as ''

Classic Rock Classic rock is a radio format that developed from the album-oriented rock (AOR) format in the early 1980s. In the United States, it comprises rock music ranging generally from the mid-1960s through the early-1990s, primarily focusing on comm ...

''. Two albums have had covers designed by renowned fantasy artist

Rodney Matthews Rodney Matthews (born 6 July 1945) is a British illustrator and conceptual designer of fantasy and science-fiction. Career Trained at the West of England College of Art, Matthews worked in advertising for Plastic Dog Graphics before turning ...

, with more recent albums featuring artwork by John Harbinson himself. Other notable activities for the band have included performing as George Lynch's band, the "Lynch Mob", and supporting Y&T,

White Lion White Lion is an American glam metal band that was formed in New York City in 1983 by Danish vocalist Mike Tramp and American guitarist Vito Bratta. Mainly active in the 1980s and early 1990s, they released their debut album ''Fight to Survive ...

Tesla Tesla most commonly refers to: * Nikola Tesla (1856–1943), a Serbian-American electrical engineer and inventor * Tesla, Inc., an American electric vehicle and clean energy company, formerly Tesla Motors, Inc. * Tesla (unit) (symbol: T), the SI-d ...

Stryper Stryper is an American Christian metal and heavy metal music, heavy metal band from La Mirada, California. The group's lineup consists of Michael Sweet (lead vocals, guitar), Oz Fox (guitar), Perry Richardson (bass), and Robert Sweet (musician), ...

Sebastian Bach Sebastian Philip Bierk (born April 3, 1968), known professionally as Sebastian Bach, is a Canadian-American singer who achieved mainstream success as the frontman of the hard rock band Skid Row from 1987 to 1996. He has acted on Broadway and h ...

and

Saxon The Saxons, sometimes called the Old Saxons or Continental Saxons, were a Germanic people of early medieval "Old" Saxony () which became a Carolingian " stem duchy" in 804, in what is now northern Germany. Many of their neighbours were, like th ...

. Initially beginning as a studio-only band crafting keyboard-driven AOR style rock, culminating in the release of the well-received ''Caught In The Act'', Stormzone have taken a distinctive turn in recent years, focusing on a more guitar-heavy,

NWOBHM The new wave of British heavy metal (often abbreviated as NWOBHM) was a nationwide musical movement that began in England in the mid-1970s and achieved international attention by the early 1980s. Editor Alan Lewis coined the term for an arti ...

style classic metal sound, with

power metal Power metal is a subgenre of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional heavy metal with speed metal, often within a symphonic context. Generally, power metal is characterized by a faster, lighter, and more uplifting sound, in co ...

influences. This re-invention of the band's sound has seen them enjoy considerable success, starting with a record contract with SPV/Steamhammer Records, and later with Metal Nations Records, under the management of Jess Cox (

Neat Records Neat Records was a British independent record label based near Newcastle, England. The label was established in 1979 by David Wood, who was the owner of Impulse Studios in Wallsend, Tyne and Wear. A key figure in the establishment of the label ...

/ original

Tygers of Pan Tang Tygers of Pan Tang are an English Heavy metal music, heavy metal band who are part of the new wave of British heavy metal movement. They formed in 1978 in Whitley Bay, England, and were active until 1987. The band reformed in 1999 and continue ...

vocalist), and then with German label Metalapolis Records in 2020.

Early history

Stormzone were formed as a studio project in 2004, by current and founding vocalist John "Harv" Harbinson. Harbinson had previously enjoyed success in bands such as No Sweat, Den of Thieves (who enjoyed considerable and continuing success in the Japanese rock market), Fastway, and a brief tenure in Sweet Savage. Beginning life as a new creative outlet for Harbinson after a brief break from the rock industry, Harbinson set about recruiting

session musicians A session musician (also known as studio musician or backing musician) is a musician hired to perform in a recording session or a live performance. The term sideman is also used in the case of live performances, such as accompanying a record ...

: drummer Julian Watson, bassist Pete Macken, keyboardist Stephen Prosser (who would later find success as keyboardist for

Queen Queen most commonly refers to: * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a kingdom * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen (band), a British rock band Queen or QUEEN may also refer to: Monarchy * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Q ...

tribute-act Flash Harry), and guitarist Keith Harris, who would continue to work with Harbinson through all subsequent incarnations for the band. After a tenure with this line-up, which saw the release ''Caught In The Act'', Harbinson decided as a side project to join an Iron maiden tribute band formed by Steven Doherty and Stephen Stranaghan. He joined bassist Graham McNulty, guitarists Steven Doherty and Stephen Stranaghan and brought along long-term bandmate Keith Harris. During rehearsals, the band decided to compose some original material, which led to the realisation of Stormzone's current incarnation as a functioning live band. In 2008, current drummer Davy Bates replaced Glenn Gray as a stand-in for the "Firefest" festival in Nottingham, England, which led to a permanent slot within the band's line-up. Following extensive live success in Europe, the band decided to record a new album in the vein of their rapidly evolving classic metal style, having already caught the attention of rock industry producer/DJ Neal Kay, (famed as the man who discovered

Iron Maiden Iron Maiden are an English Heavy metal music, heavy metal band formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris (musician), Steve Harris. Although fluid in the early years of the band, the line-up for most ...

) who consequently agreed to co-produce the resulting album, 2010's ''Death Dealer''.

Later history

Following ''Death Dealer'' and a subsequent live tour supporting

, and an appearance at 2009's Sweden Rocks Festival guitarist Steve Doherty left the band due to family commitments. He was replaced by 21-year-old guitarist Chris Polin, who had been known to the band due to his presence in Belfast metal band Sorrowfall. Six weeks after Doherty's departure, the band were back onstage, supporting Y&T in a sold-out show in Stormzone's home-town of Belfast. After the departure of Chris Polin in early 2011, Steve Moore joined the band. Having played previously with Riff Master General and

Fireland Tierra del Fuego (, ; Spanish for "Land of Fire", rarely also Fireland in English) is an archipelago off the southernmost tip of the South American mainland, across the Strait of Magellan. The archipelago consists of the main island, Isla Gra ...

, he has toured with the likes of

Kreator Kreator is a German thrash metal band from Essen, formed in 1982. Their current line-up consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Mille Petrozza, Miland "Mille" Petrozza, drummer Jürgen Reil, Jürgen "Ventor" Reil, lead guitarist Sami Yli- ...

and

DragonForce DragonForce are a British power metal band from London, formed in 1999. They are known for their long and fast guitar solos, fantasy-themed lyrics and retro video game-influenced sound. The band themselves refer to their music as "extreme po ...

and has appeared on, and engineered, several albums. After supporting

on the Spanish leg of their 2011 European tour, the band played the W.E.T. stage at

Festival in Germany. They then set about recording their third album ''Zero To Rage'', which was released by SPV/Steamhammer in November 2011. It was produced by Steve Moore at FireMachine Studio in Antrim, Northern Ireland. ''Three Kings'' was released in September 2013 on Metal Nation Records. An official video for the title track was recorded in August 2013. After several tours in the UK and Ireland with

, and appearances at

Sonisphere Festival The Sonisphere Festival was a touring rock music festival which took place across Europe between the months of June and August. The festival was owned by John Jackson and Kilimanjaro Live. It was jointly promoted by K2 and Kilimanjaro Live. It h ...

and

Bloodstock Open Air Bloodstock Open Air is a British heavy metal festival held annually at Catton Hall in Walton-on-Trent, Derbyshire, since 2005. Originally held indoors for one day with two stages, the festival started in 2001 at the Derby Assembly Rooms and ...

in 2014, the band recorded their fifth album ''Seven Sins'', again produced by Steve Moore at FireMachine Studio. The album is currently available via Metal Nation Records. The band recorded a further album ''Lucifer's Factory'' on Metal Nations before moving to German label Metalapolis Records for their most recent album ''Ignite The Machine'' in 2020. Moore and McNulty left the band in 2023 to concentrate on power metal band, Whiteabbey.

Members

*John "Harv" Harbinson - Lead Vocals * Steve Moore - Lead and Rhythm Guitars *David Shields - Lead and Rhythm Guitars *Graham McNulty - Bass Guitar And Backing Vocals *David Bates - Drums

Equipment

*Graham McNulty -

Spector Spector or Spektor may refer to: People with the surname * Alfred Spector (born 1954), Vice President of Research and Special Initiatives at Google * Art Spector (1920–1987), American basketball player * Baylon Spector (born 1998), American fo ...

basses and Hartke amplifiers *Steve Moore -

Jackson guitars Jackson is a brand of guitars sold by the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. Jackson was originally an independent manufacturer of electric guitars and electric bass guitars named after its founder, the American luthier Grover Jackson. Th ...

Fractal Audio Fractal Audio Systems, often shortened to Fractal, is an American audio equipment manufacturer founded in 2006. Fractal became pioneers of the high-end digital amplifier modeling market with the release of the rack-mount Axe-FX, which has been ...

Axe-FX, Line 6 wirelesses,

D'Addario D'Addario () is a family-owned and operated American multinational company that specializes in musical instrument accessories, headquartered in Farmingdale, Long Island, New York. D'Addario is the world’s largest musical instrument access ...

strings

Discography

''Caught in the Act'' (2007)

*Spellbound *Hold Onto Her Love *Stranger Things Have Happened *Nervous Breakdown *Crying In The Rain *Call Of The Wild *Beating Of A Heart *New World *Tuggin' At My Heartstrings *Sky High *Rock On Through The Night

''Death Dealer'' (2010)

*Death Dealer *Secret Gateway *The Memory Never Dies *Immortals *Destiny Of Legends/The Legend Carries On *Labyrinth *Wasted Lives *Stand Up And Fight *The Chosen One *World Of Sorrow *The Greatest Sacrifice *Final Journey

''Zero To Rage'' (2011)

*Where We Belong *Zero To Rage *The Jester's Laughter *This Is Our Victory *Fear Hotel *Hail The Brave *Uprising *Last Man Fighting *Empire Of Fear *Monsters *Voice Inside My Head *Cuchulainn's Story

''Three Kings'' (2013)

*The Pain Inside *Spectre *Stone Heart *Alive *Night of the Storm *Beware in Time *Three Kings *The Pass Loning *I am the One *Wallbreaker *Never Trust *B.Y.H. *Out of Eden

''Seven Sins'' (2015)

*Bathsheba *Another Rainy Night *Your Time Has Come *The One That Got Away *I Know Your Pain *Seven Sins *You're Not the Same *Raise the Knife *Abandoned Souls *Special Brew *Master of Sorrow *Born of the Damned

''Lucifer's Factory'' (2018)

* Dark Hedges * Lucifer's Factory * Cushy Glen * Last Night in Hell * Albhartach * We Are Strong * Broken Window * The Heaven You Despise * Hallows' Eve * Your Hell Falls Down * In for the Kill * The Last Goodbye * Time to Go

''Ignite The Machine'' (2020)

* Tolling Of The Bell * Ignite The Machine * My Disease * Each Setting Sun * Dragon Cartel * Nothing To Fear * Revolution * New Age Necromancer * Dealer's Reign * Flame That Never Dies * Under Her Spell * This Is Heavy Metal

References

External links

Official website
(now defunct) {{Authority control Heavy metal musical groups from Northern Ireland Musical groups from Belfast Hard rock musical groups from Northern Ireland Musical quintets from Northern Ireland