Canada's The Metal Voice recently spoke to former Samson / Iron Maiden drummer, Barry Graham Purkis, aka Thunderstick. In the chat, Thunderstick spoke about his upcoming album Lockdown, as well as his time in Samson (with Bruce Dickinson), plus joining and being asked to rejoin Iron Maiden in the early years. Watch below:
Led by Thunderstick, and fronted by the mesmerizing lead vocalist, Raven Blackwing, October 2023 sees the release of a brand-new studio album from Thunderstick. Lockdown will be the band’s first new studio album since the critically-acclaimed Something Wicked This Way Comes album in 2017.
A collection of fourteen titles playing for one hour and twenty minutes, Lockdown features brand-new material never before released, and includes compositions written by Barry Graham Purkis during the band’s original tenure in the 1980s that only made it to demo stage at the time due to live commitments.
Taken from the album, stage favourite "Go Sleep With The Enemy (I Dare Ya)", was released as a single in August and has been picking up extensive airplay.
Lead singer Raven Blackwing: “I’m very excited about the forthcoming full-length studio album which is my first with the band. I have been working really hard on the live shows and believe that the album tracks present many different facets of my onstage characters. I hope that our fans enjoy meeting them all.”
Thunderstick's alter ego and creator Barry Graham Purkis adds: “What can I say… I am so pleased that I am able at last to announce that we have new material ready for release. Drum tracks for this album were laid down pre-covid in 2019, so to say it has been a long time coming would be an understatement. I do believe, however, that it has been worth the wait. I regard the new material as some of the strongest that I have recorded. Something that I can thank the many guest appearances for, as well as my live band.”
Featuring the band’s regular touring line-up of Raven Blackwing (vocals), Pete Pinto and Dave Butters (guitars), Rex Thunderbolt (bass) and the legendary Thunderstick/Barry Graham Purkis (drums), the album also features a number of guest appearances from friends of Purkis, including former Thunderstick guitarists, Dave Kilford and Vinny Konrad; ex-Iron Maiden guitarist, Terry Wapram; Dave John Ross from NWOBHM band, More; and solo heavy metal guitarist, Marius Danielson.
Lockdown will be released via Roulette Records on October 20 in CD format and on all the main digital platforms. Pre-orders will be available here.
The album was mixed and mastered by BGP/Danielson at Legend Recording Studios, Ålesund, Norway. It features original artwork by Baz Crowcroft.
Tracklisting:
"Cortege Of The Dark Princess"
"Torn'N'Twisted"
"Snakebite"
"I'm A Rockstar ( In My Head)"
"Who The Devil Are You?"
"Those Days"
"Warhead"
"Snowfall In Space"
"Thunder Thunder '23"
"Hold On Me"
"Valkyrie Warriors"
"Go Sleep With The Enemy (I Dare Ya)"
"Dawn Of The Crystal Night"
"I Close My Eyes"
