Betrayer

Music: "Shadowed Force" is a male rock vocal. Jeff Klingbeil sang lead, played lead and rhythm guitar and wrote the song. Norm Michaud played bass. Bill Lozon played lead guitar and Shawn Bastien was on drums. Glenn Fricker engineered the track; mastering was done by Phil Demetro at Lacquer Channel Mastering; longtime readers may remember Phil as an occasional contributor to Recording.

Recording: Impressive gear list and an impressive sound. This one is as good as any you are likely to hear in this genre. The overall volume is cranking without any over-compression/limiting artifacts. Hats off to Messrs. Fricker and Demetro!

Individually, the tones are textbook for this style. Chunky, dark guitars, heavy kick drum and bass and an amazing vocal performance that is beautifully recorded. We're not sure which microphone/preamp combination was used here but it sure does work. This is just a fine recording, top to bottom.

Suggestions: None.

Summary: While we are not sure what's happening in the Canadian record industry at the moment, if there are labels actively pursuing this type of sound, "Shadowed Force" is a contender. - Review appears in the August 2005 issue of Recording Magazine

Local band lands opening gig at Iron Maiden/Dio/Moterhead show in Toronto this weekend.

Many musicians pay their dues for years, even decades, before hitting it big.

Essex County heavy metal band Betrayer spent the majority of their teenage lives playing in underground clubs across Ontario and southeast Michigan, but the chance of a lifetime is now before them.

On August 3rd, the four twenty-somethings will be opening for three of the biggest names in heavy metal music at the Molson Amphitheatre in Toronto.

With nearly 20,000 fans, record executives, and band members from Iron Maiden, Dio, and Moterhead, Betrayer has the chance to become one of the growing number of Essex County acts to crack the limelight.

“The opportunity to play with such a legendary lineup as Iron Maiden, Dio, and Moterhead is a huge and amazing step for us,” says 22-year-old bassist Norm Michaud. “We have already noticed new avenues opening up for us.”

“My initial thoughts were that it felt good to be offered something, rather than having to chase after it,” added manager Mark Wolf.

The roots of the band began eight years ago when vocalist/guitarist Jeff Klingbeil, 26, co-founded Wasted Youth. Before quitting due to a style change, he met Shawn Bastien.

The two decided to form a metal band together called Swarm.

Bastien, now 22, said that music was, is, and always will be his calling.

“I felt a power to make music and the passion and the art drove me miles beyond words,” he says. “The talent of the thrashing guitars and fast, yet amazing drums blew me away as a kid.”

Things turned a bit downhill from there, according to Klingbeil.

“We struggled for years to find musicians that would fit in with what we wanted to play,” he explains. “Heavy metal wasn’t as popular as it was maybe five years (before then).”

“At the time, when we were called Swarm, we were trying to get local gigs. There was this transition point taking place at that time where any rock bar wasn’t into hard rock/metal anymore, though it used to be their livelihood. They wouldn’t give us, or anyone similar, a chance. We’re still playing the same style of music as we did before and bars seem much more open to it now.”

A few lineup changes saw Vince Manzerolle out and Michaud in, as well was Warren Rawlins out and Bill Lozon, 25, in.

Wolf joined in 2000 as the band’s website designer before becoming manager.

“I saw them perform for the first time back in December 1999,” recalls Wolf. “After going to few more shows throughout 2000, I offered to take on the responsibility of creating the Betrayer website. Everything has been uphill from there.”

“It was never made official that I was in the band. I just kept coming to practice,” jokes Lozon.

Prior to joining Betrayer, Lozon had never performed in front of a crowd and had yet to develop his stage presence.

“They had patience with me and it’s paying off,” says Lozon.

The patience came from the strong friendships that were already in place, or quickly formed, thanks to the personalities of each member.

Michaud explained that this cohesiveness led to better performances and therefore better recognition from audiences, allowing the band to experiment onstage to create a presence.

“Crowd participation is very important to us. We always want the crowd to know they are as important to the show as we are. We feed on their energy and that gives us an added edge.”

Betrayer has remained adamant over keeping their fan base by sticking to their guns rather than becoming what may be popular.

“I personally think heavy metal fans are the greatest music lovers I’ve ever met,” Our fans are responsible for all of the band’s success. They all really amaze me and I can’t thank them enough.” - Jay Paulin, Writer for the Lakesore Newspaper

Heavy metal plus melody? That uncommon combination has put a Windsor band, Betrayer, on a very loud program of headliners in Toronto this weekend.

Iron Maiden, Ronnie James Dio and Motorhead are all big noises in heavy metal rock, meaning Betrayer has landed a break by opening slot in the show at the Molson amphitheatre in Ontario Place on Sunday.

They’ve got the metal hair, they’ve got the black t-shirts, and they’ve got the volume, Betrayer leader Jeff Klingbeil acknowledges.

"We’re geared towards '80s heavy metal," the guitarist and singer said, "even though it wasn’t popular when we started."

"When I mention metal, people think we just play loud and scream. But in our band there’s a lot of melody, and I try to be a really good singer. We try to develop melodic riffs," he said.

To help carry that melodic content, Klingbeil is taking vocal training from Pete Palazzolo. "In my lessons I’m pushing towards opera," he said.

Klingbeil and drummer Shawn Bastien started playing as Swarm in 1996. Under the Betrayer name, the current lineup has been stable for three years, filled out by bass player Norm Michaud and guitarist Bill Lozon.

The have put out one album, Rusted Icons, independently, although Klingbeil indicated that its content doesn’t give a full portrait of their current music.

Getting places to play in Windsor is even more difficult for metal than for Top-40, he said. The group has managed to land two jobs at Detroit’s Lager House, the tiny but influential home of the city’s garage-band movement.

The show at Ontario Place came through the Supernova network of alt-rock clubs in Toronto, where Betrayer has won several battle-of-the-band contests.

Headliners Iron Maiden, Ronnie James Dio and Motorhead also perform Wednesday at DTE Energy Music Theatre. - John Laycock, Star Entertainment Writer of the Windsor Star