Apostate>>CELLADOR - USA

Enter Deception - 2006 - Metal Blade
Off The Grid – 2017 - Scarlet

Cellador image
  
 
Members
Vocals
MICHAEL GREMIO [MICHAEL SMITH]>>Defender

Guitar
CHRIS PETERSEN - The Supremacy>>Bill Hudson>>The Supremacy, Avian, Power Quest, Defender, Circle II Circle, Nightrage, Jon Oliva’s Pain, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, I Am Morbid, UDO - ERIC MEYERS


Bass
Valentin Rakhmanov

Drum
David Dahir - NICK MCCALLISTER


Keyboard
DIEGO VALADEZ




History & Biography
The Omaha, Nebraska-based Cellador was formed in 2004 after changing its name from Apostasy for obvious reasons. The speed metal band began playing live in March, 2005 and soon issued a demo called Leaving All Behind. The band featured singer Michael Smith (a.k.a Michael Gremio) and second guitarist Sam Chatham at this point. An opening slot for The Black Dahlia Murder translated into that band’s Trevor Strnad handing Metal Blade’s Brian Slagel Cellador’s demo, which in turn translated into a recording deal. Brazilian guitarist Hudson soon joined the band and the group entered Mana Studio in Florida to record its debut with Erik Rutan. The album was issued in June, 2006. Valentin Rakhmanov left the band in late 2006. Drummer David Dahir followed apparently preferring to play death metal. The band had to cancel its appearance at the New England Metal And Hardcore Festival in 2007 due to singer Michael Gremio being ill. The band’s new bassist was Mika Horiuchi formerly of Netherelm. The planned King Diamond, Kreator, Cellador and Leaves' Eyes tour of America in April of 2008 was cancelled in 2007 due to King Diamond’s ailing herniated disc of the spine. The vocalist was not expected to be fully recovered in time for the touring. More turmoil occurred with the departure of Brazilian guitarist Bill Hudson in early 2008. He was to start a new band in California. The band picked For All Or Nothing as the title for its next album, which was due for January of 2009 through Metal Blade Records. The band’s new guitarist was a chap called Yord. Petersen and Gremio formed Defender in 2011.


Reviews

CELLADOR - ENTER DECEPTION - METAL BLADE  
Who would have guessed that Omaha, Nebraska has a speed metal band? Apparently, there is some culture to be found in the land of conservative hacks and fools! That Enter Deception will be an enjoyable listen was apparent the moment the album’s opener Leaving All Behind kicked in with a riff out of Helloween’s debut and self-titled EP. Cellador is a young speed metal band with a high-pitched singer, tight rhythms and solo after fantastic solo. While the band’s closest comparisons are names like Freedom Call, Helloween and Gamma Ray, Cellador sets itself apart by actually being metal all the way, eschewing the usual melodic metal tendencies of many young bands, and having a drummer who blasts away most of the time. Seen Through Time proves the band’s tightness despite its young age, while on the flip side Wakening incorporates too much vocal harmony. The same song also has the guitars following the vocals and rhythm too closely easily becoming the album’s weakest moment. Keyboards are listed, but thankfully not present further boosting the band’s standing. Cellador is a young band from an unlikely area, yet deserves speed metal fans’ attention nonetheless. - Ali “The Metallian”


Interviews







Cellador