Saturday Singles: Snowy Shaw-"Fire" and Sleepy Hollow-"Bound By Blood"

 It's been awhile since I last did a Saturday Singles feature so for that I do apologize. To make it up to all of my faithful followers (all half dozen of you!) I would like to present two songs that have personally been rocking my days and nights! First up is Snowy Shaw (Cans, Mad Architect, Notre Dame, ex-Illwill, XXX, Maryann Cotton (live), ex-Dream Evil, ex-King Diamond, ex-Nightrage (live), ex-Sabaton (live), ex-Scheepers (live), ex-Therion (live), ex-Mercyful Fate, ex-Memento Mori, ex-Colossus (live), ex-K2, ex-Loud N'Nasty, ex-Them Sluts! (live) and ex-Snowy Shaw and the Star-Spangled Banned) with his take on a all-time favorite of mine and then we will have a new cut from traditional heavy metal outfit Sleepy Hollow. Enjoy!

Wunderwurld Music
2014

Snowy Shaw is pretty well-known within metal circles thanks to his involvement with King Diamond and Merciful Fate as well as Dream Evil. With "Fire" Snowy Shaw pays tribute to the one and only Arthur Brown and if you are old enough and weird enough like I am you might remember hearing the original version of this on Dr. Demento back in the day! Originally released in 1968(!), "Fire" was issued as a single and it also appeared on the album "The Crazy World of Arthur Brown". With the opening line "I am the god of hell fire and I bring you...FIRE!" becoming a well known catchphrase this dark and twisted psychedelic rock number would go on to be covered by everyone from The Ventures to God Dethroned! What I like about Snowy Shaw's version is how well this one-time drummer turned front-man captures the spirit of Arthur Brown while simultaneously giving it modern shock rock makeover that is part Rob Zombie and part King Diamond! The video version below was captured live in Sweden on Halloween 2012 and it is taken from the "Snowy Shaw Live DVD/CD Box, The Liveshow: 25 Years Of Madness In The Name Of Metal." which can be found here:http://shop.textalk.se/en/shop.php?id=25422

Pure Steel Records
2014

Next up we have traditional/power metal band (and Heavy Metal Time Machine fave!) Sleepy Hollow with their brand new single "Bound By Blood". This is first single from the band's as yet untitled 2015 release and since we last checked in with this band (http://metalmark.blogspot.com/2012/03/sleepy-hollow-skull-13.html) there has been a few changes in personnel. Unfortunately "Due to personal differences and scheduling" Sleepy Hollow and vocalist Bob Mitchell have decided to part ways. That's a big time bummer. Fortunately for Sleepy Hollow and their fans the gods of metal stepped right in and new lead vocalist Chapel Stormcrow (Altar Of Dagon) sounds downright killer on "Bound By Blood"! As does the band's new bass player Rich Fuester who is also of Altar Of Dagon fame! While the doom metal influences of Chapel and Rich's other band will fit in nicely with Sleepy Hollow's new direction it's a bit odd to consider that Altar Of Dagon evolved out of a melodic death metal band called Alazith! Credit has to go to guitarist Steve Stegg then as he was able to see the perfect picture that would be created by these new additions. Steve made the right call with Sleepy Hollow's new vocalist and bass player as "Bound By Blood" feels like empowered Sleepy Hollow with a tougher attitude and a darker edge! With Sleepy Hollow reportedly busy at Dirge studios in Newark, DE recording 11 tracks in all for their 2015 follow-up to "Skull 13" (an album that I will jump all over once it hits the open market!) one has to imagine that Steve Stegg and company will deliver a fantastic new album next year!
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