Formed from the ashes of a fallen Squadron, forged in the fires of that purgatory where the dead won’t die yet the living can’t live. At long last we emerge from the shadows of the past; it is a time of reinvention.
Although the roots of the band can be traced back to 2008, the real change that has lifted the band to new heights took place at the end of a European support tour with Vicious Rumors in May/June 2013. From the original Iron Knights, bassist Paul ‘Beam’ Robbie and drummer Larry Paterson were the sole survivors. Their respective musical journeys have been linked since they formed their first band in New Zealand in 1983: Aftermath. Since then they have appeared in numerous bands, both in New Zealand and the UK where they eventually relocated at separate times over the decades that followed. Amongst the various musical adventures that followed, they were both members of UK bandsMetalhead and Chokehold, after which Larry spent years with former Iron Maiden vocalist Blaze Bayley. Eventually they were musically reunited once more in Stuka Squadron, which subsequently became Iron Knights leading to June 2013. With half of the original Iron Knights’ ranks depleted, they soon recruited two highly experienced veterans on the UK metal world into the fold. First of all, Jay Parmar came aboard to handle guitars.
Inspired to play guitar by the six-string mastery of Iron Maiden in the 1980s, as a solo artist Jay is now signed to Steve Vai’s record label Digital Nations, which released his 2012 album ‘Circle Of Fire’. Jay is also guitarist for progressive rock bands The Inner Road and Coalition, the former having released an album, ‘Ascension’ in 2013. He has toured as part of melodic rock band Eden’s Cursesharing the stage with Stratovarius, Alestorm and Firewind and appearing at Bloodstock and Hard Rock Hell III, – as well as independently playing showcase performances at the Music Live Show (2002 for Gajic Guitars), London Guitar Show (2000 for Elixir Strings) and Namm (2011 for Vengeance Guitars). Now, as part of Iron Knights Jay will be returning to full-on heavy metal and has already made huge contributions to the band’s evolution.
With the music in place, the search remained for a vocalist to bring the Iron Knights to life. Enter Jamie Gibson. Jamie began his musical journey at the age of 13 when he began torturing a guitar, influenced by such legends as Zakk Wylde, ‘Dimebag’ Darrel, Nuno Bettencourt, Steve Vai and Joe Satriani. By the 1990s he had also started to develop a vocal style that took him from guitar to lead vocalist in Possession and then the Iron Maiden tribute Hi-on Maiden (where he was once joined on stage by original Maiden vocalist Paul Di’Anno). However, following his tenure there he armed himself with a 7-String Ibanez and searched for heavier sounds, forming Koncept for the ensuing ten years as well as appearing the ranks of other Midlands-based bands. The familiar story of disenchantment with aspects of music led to a brief hiatus before he was rescued from normality by an angry drummer with whom he co-formed Caiman; their debut album due for completion at the end of 2013. Now he has joined the mighty Iron Knights; the line-up is complete and nothing will stand in their way.
To open this fresh chapter Iron Knights have released a free download of new track ‘Destroyer’, available exclusively here. The band’s first live appearance will be on 14 September in Andernach, Germany, as part of the Swordbrothers Festival.
Writing and recording of the new Iron Knights album is already underway and it will be released in early 2014. Then the open road beckons once more…..
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