Amidst the eruption of rock bands in the L.A. scene during the mid 80s came Warrior, a band of five young men focused on one thing: the creation of unrepentant heavy metal. Their first release, Fighting for the Earth (MCA 1985 later reissued by Metal Blade), established the group?s penchant for mature songwriting and diverse guitar work. Critics immediately responded, calling Warrior the Californian counterpart to Florida?s Savatage. The title track received extensive radio coverage, helping the band land the opening slot on the West Coast leg of Iron Maiden?s legendary World Slavery Tour. After some initial success, the band soon found themselves victims of the changing music scene and anti-heavy metal sentiment from commercial outlets like MTV.
Guitarist and mainstay Joe Floyd opened a studio, as he was eager to expand his repertoire and experiment with new sounds and techniques. After several years of diligent work, Joe made a name for himself and his studio, Silver Cloud, by working on some of today's biggest metal releases, including engineering two of Bruce Dickinson?s most recognized efforts (Accident of Birth and The Chemical Wedding) and Rob Halford?s comeback release, Resurrection. While doing studio work full-time, Joe got the itch to once again make his own music.
Ancient Future (Metal Blade) hit in 1998. Album number two combined the tradition of mid 80s American metal with the stylistic elements that approached a more modern, late 90s sound. Critics once again responded enthusiastically, and the band proved their worth went beyond studio walls by performing later that year at the Wacken Open Air festival in Germany. Warrior, the underdog of the event, quickly became a crowd favorite.
And now 2001 sees them primed to continue the tradition of excellence. Featuring an all-new lineup and an even more steadfast determination, The Code of Life delivers a traditional dose of metal rarely heard from an American band these days. Fleshed out by former Impelliterri vocalist and genre vet Rob Rock (also the "R" in M.A.R.S., alongside Tony MacAlpine, Tommy Aldridge, and Rudy Sarzo), the results tell the story. The Code of Life focuses on Warrior?s traditional sound but expands upon it with Joe's ability to link his emotional guitar work with Rob?s incomparable voice. The combination leaves no doubt as to where the heart of Warrior lies ? in unrepentant heavy metal.
Joe Floyd (guitar)
Rob Rock (vocals)
Mick Perez (guitar)
Dave DuCey (drums)
Simon Oliver (bass)