Dragonslayer (band)

Biography

The band started out in 1978 under the name Heavy Thunder. After shifting their focus toward heroic fantasy lyrics, they relocated to Rochdale, Greater Manchester in 1980 and became Slayer. They built a strong live following and cut a five-track demo at Cargo Studios with producer Colin Richardson, who later worked with Fear Factory and Machine Head. In late 1983, they recorded the "I Want Your Life" EP at Cavalier Studios in Stockport. But just before it came out, the American band Slayer released their debut album, prompting the group to rename themselves Dragonslayer. They covered the EP labels with stickers bearing the new logo, though the original print was faintly visible underneath. The single did well, and they kept headlining local gigs, even supporting Tractor on several dates. Throughout 1984 and 1985, they searched for a record deal and recorded a seven-track demo in early 1986 to maintain momentum. After that session, bassist Steve Morgan left and was replaced by Marc Webb, formerly of Voltage. With this lineup, they contributed the song "Rock the Radio" to Ebony Records' compilation "The Metal Collection Vol. II." The band played a few farewell shows and disbanded in mid-1987. Guitarist Phil Odins was the only member who continued playing in other bands. In 2008, Shadow Kingdom Records released a compilation of most of their material. The reissue was successful, and in 2013 the band began rehearsing again, posting on Facebook about writing new songs and planning live shows. However, after a quiet period, they announced in 2016 that "the Dragon still sleeps for now." Notably, the compilation omits "Rock the Radio" from the 1987 Ebony Records release.