2011

Over a few beers at a local Richmond watering hole during November 2008, the subject of putting a band together was raised between friends and fellow musicians Ryan Waste and Nick Poulos. The two had been tape trading for many years, delving increasingly deeper into obscure NWOBHM and early Scandinavian and European heavy metal. A lifelong heavy metal devotee, Ryan had formed a band in 2003 under the moniker of IMMORTAL AVENGER. Former members of IMMORTAL AVENGER including co-founder and vocalist Brent Hubbard and drummer Barry Cover would soon be called upon again to start a fresh project. MUNICIPAL WASTE bassist Landphil took over rhythm guitar duties to complete the string assault. The pieces had all fallen into place. All that was needed now was a name worthy of the heavy electric riffage that defined the band’s sound. The favorite working title was BAT (with seven T’s), but at the end of the day the band members agreed that it didn’t adequately represent the high-powered heavy metal that they were creating. The concept of a much mightier creature was hot-wired on the spot and the VOLTURE was born. The mythology quickly evolved as a vision of an electric bird made of steel, Shocking Its Prey to an untimely demise came into focus.

In late 2009 Landphil left the band and the remaining four focused their attention on writing during this time. In January 2010 the four-piece entered a small studio in Ryan’s neighborhood to lay down the tracks for their debut EP. Adding to the inherent raw intensity in their sound, the band completed much of the material on the fly. Shunning modern studio trickery, the members of VOLTURE relied solely on their musical abilities to get the job done. During the mixing process the band’s imagery also came together at the hand of band friend and artist Sean McGrath, guided by the direction of Ryan. The electrically charged flying steel mascot and winged logo were conceived by McGrath and perfected in paint by the great Andrei Bouzikov. The VOLTURE first born on canvas will soon be shared with the rest of the world on glorious 12” vinyl and CD on January 25th, 2011 care of New York’s purveyors of steel, Heavy Artillery Records. Since the recording, VOLTURE is proud to announce the addition of Dave Boyd from heavy metal stalwarts TWISTED TOWER DIRE on second guitar. After two years in the making, VOLTURE made their first live appearance on October 15th 2010 along with fellow Virginian speed metal legends AT WAR. With tour plans in the works and a full-length album on the horizon, the future is bright for VOLTURE as they shock the music world back to life with their brand of true heavy metal!