VICIOUS RUMORS: "Razorback Killers" Album Artwork, Tracklisting Revealed

It's Geoff Thorpe's story of power and pain. The quest to change peoples lives with […]

By Maria Voutiriadou

• December 15, 2010

It's Geoff Thorpe's story of power and pain. The quest to change peoples lives with the power of Metal music and the fascination of his band in 2011. The guitarist and main songwriter of American power Metal act VICIOUS RUMORS says: "The older we get, the more wicked VICIOUS RUMORS sound. We've definitely not slowed down - quite the opposite - we have even more drive. Our fans won't see a single VICIOUS RUMORS show where we don't go to our limits and beyond." Anybody who has been to one of the group's gigs during the past two years knows just what he means. Thorpe's comment not only describes his band's concerts, but also without reservation VICIOUS RUMOURS' latest album, "Razorback Killers" (due out via SPV/Steamhammer in Europe on March 28, 2011 - except in Germany, where it will arrive three days earlier - and in the U.S. on April 5, 2011) and featuring ten breathtaking new songs which transport the traditional VICIOUS RUMORS sound perfectly into the present. To cut a long story short: this band has never sounded more dynamic than on "Razorback Killers".

The reasons for VICIOUS RUMORS' high-powered performance? Thorpe has a plausible explanation: "The Metal is in our blood!!!! Plus we always have an awesome line-up. Larry Howe on drums and vocals, our bassist Stephen Goodwin and guitarist Kiyoshi Morgan, and in Brian Allen we've found the best vocalist you could possibly get for these kind of songs." Brian Allen joined the VICIOUS RUMORS fold one and a half years ago at the recommendation of Matt McCourt (WILD DOGS), a longtime friend whom Thorpe met up with at the Headbangers Open Air. "Matt had praised Brian, and I thought that he'd be perfect for VICIOUS RUMORS," Thorpe said. His assessment soon proved true: from the beginning, Allen showed his great potential during intense rehearsals. "We immediately noticed this raw, pure quality in him," Thorpe said. "Like a snowball, something very big developed very quickly out of small beginnings. During our five-week European tour, Brian got nothing but positive reactions from our fans."

So the furious "Razorback Killers" marks the next chapter in the career of VICIOUS RUMORS, whose history is paved with countless highlights: the band took the legendary 'Dynamo Festival' in Eindhoven, Netherlands, by storm with their amazing shows in the summers of 1990 and 1994, floored the 2002 'Wacken Open Air', rocked the Metal fans at the 2007 'Bang Your Head!!!' festival and are celebrated frenetically all over the world for their passionate live performances. VICIOUS RUMORS have released ten excellent power Metal albums to date, travelled the world over a dozen times - with METALLICA, MÖTLEY CRÃœE, JUDAS PRIEST, AEROSMITH and many others - and are now ready to present their latest recording to their fans. "We'll be co- headlining the 'Keep It True' festival in April 2011, one month after the album is released," Thorpe promised. "We'll be touring for the rest of the year in the USA, Europe and Japan, hopefully also visiting countries such as South America or Australia, where we've never been before."

"Razorback Killers" was recorded at Trident Studios in Pacheco, California with producers Juan Urteaga and Geoff Thorpe.

The track listing is as follows:

01. "Murderball"
02. "Black"
03. "Razorback Blade"
04. "Blood Stained Sunday"
05. "Pearl Of Wisdom"
06. "All I Want Is You"
07. "Axe To Grind"
08. "Let The Garden Burn"
09. "Rite Of Devastation"
10. "Deal With The Devil"