Bio

IMAGIKA- The band's expert blend of Thrash and Power Groove is infectious, and has the listener headbanging within the first few seconds of opener "Scared To Death". A rock solid rhythm section keeps things moving at a swift and sexy clip throughout, accompanied by molten chainsaw riffage and a torrent of wailing solos courtesy of axeman Steven Rice. There are more than a few moments guaranteed to inspire some serious anthemic foot stomping, particularly the title track and "Simple Servant". There's something for everybody in the vocal department; frontman Norman Skinner alternates with fluid ease between clean melodies and Bruce Dickinson-style air raid siren operatics, punctuated with low-end Death Metal roars in the vein of TESTAMENT's Chuck Billy.

Perhaps the most admirable thing about "Portrait Of A Hanged Man" is the band's ability to deliver the Thrash goods without drowning in over-the-top aggression; this owes much to their seasoned pedigree as scene veterans. While today's young retro-Thrashers set out to prove themselves by unleashing a bloody racket on the listener, IMAGIKA rely on their long-honed chops and experience to focus on crafting solid, memorable songs that stand out from one another. In their deft hands, no two tracks sound quite alike.

IMAGIKA deserve a much bigger platform than they've managed to secure since their 1993 formation, but perhaps their underground status is part of what makes their music so compelling. Their fellow Bay Area contemporaries MACHINE HEAD fought a similar battle to sustain Thrash in the '90s, but their mainstream popularity nudged them into an ill-advised period of experimentation in search of a wider audience. They have since recovered, and may have taken a lesson from IMAGIKA: Metal is a passion, not a fashion. Trends come and go, but the music you love - if treated with care and respect - can be timeless.
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SF Bay Area’s Imagika was formed in 1993 by original members Steven Rice (guitar), Henry Moreno (drums) and David Michael (vocals). After a 1994 demo recording as a 3 piece, bassist Michael Dargis was brought in to help record the band’s debut album in ’95. The band self released the debut and met with a lot critical acclaim for keeping Bay Area Thrash relevant in those lean years of Grunge and Alternative Rock. The CD was also licensed by Crazy Life/ Shark records for release in Europe the following year. Imagika spent the next 2 years on regional touring and the writing of their sophomore album “Worship”. By this time the band had come in contact with Chris Boltendahl’s then promotion company Flying Dolphin who helped secure distribution through Nuclear Blast/Indigo for the 1998 release of the CD. Imagika toured with Grave Digger and Iron Savior in 1999 to support the release and the tour marked the bands first ever dates in Europe. The following year the band !
recorded their “…And So It Burns” album which was the first for a new licensing deal with Massacre Records. By the time of release bassist Michael Dargis had left the band and it took over 6 months to find suitable a replacement in Elena Luciano. The unfortunate time off quelled any touring activity, but saw this first ever US release of any Imagika album through now defunct WW3 records in 2000. The band was able to follow the US release with tour and festival dates that helped the bands profile in North America as metal revivalist. Personal life pursuits made the next 4 years tough, but the band was able to record the “Devils on Both Sides” (Mausoleum Records) CD in 2004. Again things would change and founding member David Michael left the band to pursue other musical styles. This time the band was able to recruit vocalist Norman Skinner keeping the momentum achieved with the recording and release the next chapter in the bands evolving style. Norman’s versatili!
ty allowed the band to write more diverse and challenging material and made for a refreshing change that was rewarded with some of the bands best reviews ever. The band fresh with ideas wrote and recorded their next CD “My Bloodied Wings” the next year and this time utilized the production talents of King Diamond guitarist Andy LaRocque. The CD was released by Crash in the US, but unfortunately never saw a release in Europe.

With the 2008 “Feast For The Hated” CD the band has once again changed and challenged themselves with writing some of their best material to date. The album was again mixed by Andy LaRocque in his new Sonic Train Studios. The songs range from classic Thrash (Waking A Dead Man) to modern Power Metal (Feast For The Hated) to melodic epics (Succubus) showing the bands commitment to not follow trends or limit their creativity. Of course with all change things fall by the wayside and long time bassist Elena quit the band after laying her tracks down to be replaced by Jim Pegram. The “Feast For The Hated” release was a number 3 add and went Top 15 on CMJ and FMQB’s metal charts and stayed Top 20 for 4 weeks. The band followed this by completing a 15 date US tour in May 2009. This was the bands best exposure to date and further proves that sticking to your guns will always transcend any trend.

Fall 2009 saw the band once again hitting the studio to record the follow up to “Feast For The Hated”. Steve decided to take on the engineering of the CD this time and the band dug in deep at Fang and Fossil Studios for the next few weeks. Tracking was completed and Andy La Rocque took on the mix for what was to be one of the bands heaviest and most complex undertakings.

By the time of the CD’s release in spring 2010 on Metalville Records a second guitarist was added in the form of Rob Kolowski who is a veteran of the Bay Area scene from bands like Rapid Fire and Hellhound who he resurrected in 2009. Also within this time drummer Henry Moreno left the band to be replaced by Wayne De Vecchi who is also a current member of Hellhound and a past member for Doom Society. Even through all the changes the bands commitment to their music has never faltered.

2010’s “Portrait Of A Hanged Man” sees Imagika more focused than ever with heavier songs are more strident arrangements and proves that Imagika is committed to Metal…their way!