The Metal Band Amadis

Amadis is a classic metal band from Vermont. They play straight-up metal influenced by Judas Preist, Iron Maiden, and Thin Lizzy. (They're pretty much the Judas Priest of New England...) They've got as many monster riffs and face-melting guitar solos as you could want. It seems their rhythm guitarist is in a spot of legal trouble... Hopefully, this won't stop them from producing more good music in the future.

Lead guitarist Franky Andreas has played in other local bands, and teaches guitar lessons. He also manages the booking for 242 Main now, which makes him double cool. Oh, and did I mention he's a kickass guitarist?

That's not to take the spotlight away from the other band members - they're all badass too. Especially with all the leather and such.
- Color And Sense blog

This is a 3 song Ep from this band and they sure raise the flag for heavy metal on this. This is a pure heavy metal delight with some ass kicking metal riffs and Rob Halford like vocals and I was a fan of this band in 30 seconds in when I heard the first riffs spew out of my speaker. The music is just balls to the wall metal like the new Accept metal or Judas Priest. The production is good and the band even throw a few thrashy Overkill riffs in the mix too. 3 songs had me longing for more. - Metalcore Fanzine - 12/4/10

Da auténtico gusto encontrarse con bandas de este estilo hoy en día. Este nuevo descubrimiento con el que me he topado haciendo gilipolleando por Internet y suenan, simple y llanamente a Heavy Metal de toda la puta vida. Así de simple. Si te gustan Judas o Maiden, te llevarás un buen sabor de boca si visitas su myspace.

Los tres temas que tienen colgados son una auténtica gozada. "Leatherhouse" es directo, con unos toques vocales que recuerdan a Paul Di'Anno (joven, claro está), unas guitarras afiladas en la mejor tradición de Judas Priest. Es el tema con el que me han enamorado.

"Throne of Blood" se acerca más al Speed Metal o a los primeros Helloween, y demuestra que saben componer estribillos terriblemente pegadizos y coreables. Su tema himno "Amadis", -cómo me gustan los grupos que tienen temas que se llaman como ellos mismos- sorprendentemente me ha parecido el más flojo de los tres, con un sonido que me recuerda lejanamente a Savatage, con un toque suavemente épico.

El único punto negativo es la producción de las grabaciones, que suenan abigarradas, sin matices. Pero eso no quiere decir que no me hayan gustado. ¡Joder, si me ha gustado hasta el logo! Encima, se les intuye actitud y presencia en escena. Estoy convencido de que este grupo tiene potencial para hacernos muy felices a los amantes del metal más clásico. Ojalá no hayan nacido en el momento equivocado.



We don't speak spanish. Here's what Babelfish thinks he said:

It gives authentic flavor to be found with bands of this style nowadays. This new discovery which I encountered doing gilipolleando(?) by Internet and they sound, simple and clearly, Heavy Metal of all the prostitute life. Its that simple. If you like Judas Priest or Maiden, you will get a good taste in the mouth if you visit their myspace.

The three songs that have been uploaded are an authentic delight. "Leatherhouse" is direct, with some vocal sounds that recall Paul D' Anno (clearly a young man), some sharp guitars in the best tradition of Judas Priest. It's the song with which they won the love of me.
"Throne of Blood" is closer to Speed Metal or the first Helloween, and shows that they know to compose terribly catchy refrains and chorus'. Its the theme song "Amadis", -how i like the groups that are not afraid to have a self titled song - which, surprisingly, has seemed to me the most slack of the three, with a sound that reminds me distantly to Savatage, with a softly epic touch.?

The only negative point is the production of the recordings, that sound painted, without tones. But that does not mean that I have not liked them. Fuck, how I like the logo! Overall, one senses they have attitude and stage presence . Myself am convinced that this group has potential to do us lovers of classic metal very happy. I hope they have not been born at the wrong time. - online review

For those about to rock … hang on just a sec. Take AC/DC out of the tape deck of your Firebird and, assuming you’ve added a CD player at some point in the last 25 years, pop in Hell Devil! by Amadis, and get ready to redline your fucking engine. The latest from Burlington’s reigning cock-rocking metal maniacs is a scorching tour de force. It is a brisk, bracing three-song sampler that serves as a powerful reminder of just how potent Vermont metal can be.

Following a glorious, borderline-orchestral instrumental intro track — complete with transcendent guitars and a cannonade of thunderous drums — the EP begins in earnest with “Heavy Metal World.” The song explodes from the washout of the previous cut like a freight train about to run off the rails. Frantic, staccato guitar bursts drive forward at breakneck speed. Vocalist Sid Dystic holds court over the proceedings with malicious zeal. His soaring tenor squeals and howls with unhinged abandon, not unlike a young Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden. But that band is a less obvious influence on Amadis than one might think, given that certain members moonlight in the local Maiden tribute band Made in Iron. Rather, the group takes cues from a slightly earlier era of metal, when bands like Judas Priest and Thin Lizzy were terrifying teenagers’ parents.

Amadis also bear an affinity for more relatively recent strains of the genre, including power metal, evident on the bruising title track. The song is slower in tempo than the preceding ditty, but no less intense. Over a deliberate, churning current of chunky guitar, Dystic shows impressive vocal range. He is as compelling a front man in lower registers as he is unleashing manic screams. Here, he combines both talents to great effect, framed by a chorus of backing harmonies and a maelstrom of guitar fury courtesy of axemen J.J. Harris and Franky Vitriol.

Of course, any great metal album, or even just a sampler, is not complete without an overblown epic. At nearly eight minutes, closing track “The Last Gaul” is just that. A pretty — yes, pretty — acoustic guitar line sets the bait before Amadis spring the trap with a virtual clinic on heavy-metal technical precision. Drummer Johan Sebastian Rock and bassist Gustavus Adolphus are in lockstep throughout, holding down the song’s hairpin turns as Vitriol and Harris trade increasingly Malmsteen-esque lead lines. Even if you’re not a fan of metal, you can’t help but appreciate the virtuosity on display here, and throughout Hell Devil!

Catch Amadis at City Limits in Vergennes with Victim of Metal, this Saturday. - Seven Days

I hate to rip on Vermont, but I challenge you to name a Metal band from the Green Mountains. Sure, success has eked out here and there over the years with Chainsaws and Children, Romans, and Drowningman—but all are now defunct. Different in style—not to mention active status—is The Metal Band Amadis. They display none of the industrial, hardcore, or punk aesthetics of the respective aforementioned bands, rather favoring a traditional approach to heavy music. In one way or another, they all have ‘people’ in their names, too… you notice that?

Well, maybe you’re not familiar with Amadis: the character of Castilian Spanish legend. Oh, there is history built into this beast, boys and girls. The figure was even named Amadis sin Tiempo (Amadis without Time) by his mother, which seems to be adapted by the band to extend into the realms of time travel. But one may easily imagine how these three stories may link together, and really, that is part of the band’s magic—their imagination. According to guitarist Franky Vitriol:

“We’ve written three full lengths already. All three albums have a different concept/story, and they all have Amadis as the protagonist. I had this idea as a way of conveying that to listeners and labels, sort of like a sample pack.”

The Metal Band Amadis positively jumps through your speakers. Hell Devil! first grabs your attention with Matt Dixon’s comic book-style artwork, which gives you an idea of the stories to come. The mix by James Murphy—of Death, Testament, and scores of guest spots & production credits—brings a rich, punchy character to the music, where classic meets modern while balancing homage with innovation. The kind of consistency bands like White Wizzard achieve, only Amadis has a steady core lineup, all of whom bear pseudonyms and specific adornments. [Editor's Note: We erroneously listed James Murphy as mixer, when he in fact mastered the album. It was actually Egan O'Rourke of Daylight Dies who did the mixing]

Co-founders J.J. Harris (chains) and Franky Vitriol (chaps) command twin leads and fierce interplay imported from the finest UK sources. You’ll hear the tophat-clad Gustavus Adolphus make his bass presence known, as he compliments “The Last Gaul” well, and otherwise interlocks in perfect pockets with bullet-bearing drummer, Johan Sebastian Rock. Commanding your attention is vocalist Sid Dystic, who is a smooth tower of controlled-yet-chaotic charisma, with gauntlets of giant strength and pipes to match.

Hometown bias aside, the caliber of The Metal Band Amadis is too powerful to miss. From the confident charge of “Heavy Metal World” to the mighty title track, they clearly have the drive to forge their metallic mark. - www.mindovermetal.org