ARCH RIVAL - USA

Wake Up Your Mind - 1993 - IMF
Third Degree Burns - 1997 - B.O./Alfa

Arch Rival image
  
 
Members
Vocals
Solo>>STEVE SNYDER>>Solo

Guitar
Tyrant, Leather, Counterpoint, Solo, Surgeon, Chastain/Harris, The Michael Harris Tranz-Fusion, Zanister, Thought Chamber, Vitalij Kuprij, Darkology>>MICHAEL HARRIS>>Leather, Counterpoint, Solo, Surgeon, Chastain/Harris, The Michael Harris Tranz-Fusion, Zanister, Thought Chamber, Vitalij Kuprij, Darkology, Crucial Velocity

Bass
Tyrant, Solo>>GARY RIGMAIDEN>>Solo

Drums
Tyrant, Counterpoint>>GREG MARTIN>>Counterpoint




History & Biography
This heavy metal act was founded in 1985. The act was the regrouping of three former Tyrant members. The quintet was first heard through the God Bless America single. That wish may have failed, but the band was not dissuaded and a demo called There Is No Escape arrived in 1989. The band had gigged quite a bit. Singer Aaron Wallace left and his replacement John Angel was summarily fired. Second guitarist Jeff Dennis also left. Another demo, this one entitled In the Face Of Danger, was released in 1993. The group’s own imprint was called Windmill. This featured several older demo tracks. Me Against The World was not a Lizzy Borden cover version, but the band was on the bandwagon anyway and included a Beatles’ song. The demo was licensed by South Korea’s Killerwatt and Japan’s Apollon. A live recording from a radio broadcast came next and was called Arch Rival Live! Not sure why anyone was supposed to be surprised, but there was an exclamation mark in the title. IMF Records, which also worked with guitarist Harris for his solo act, issued the band’s record, but the act threw in the towel. Harris had made the move from Ohio to Texas.

Harris kept his solo career going, and had a new band called Surgeon, but Arch Rival obviously reformed as early as 1996. A record was issued and the act disbanded. The act reappeared in 2008 and even issued a self-titled demo and played two reunion gigs, but it disbanded faster than the old appearances. Another concert occurred in 2011 and the act bit the dust despite the stated intention to record a new album.

The members in general, and Michael Harris in particular, have been involved with guitarist David Chastain. The bands have toured together and there have been overlapping projects like Counterpoint and Zanister. David Chastain had also introduced Michael Harris to Leather Leone for her solo project.


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