View source for Virgin Steele

{{Short description|American heavy metal band}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2022}}
{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians -->
| name = Virgin Steele
| image =Virgin Steele 3.jpg
| caption = David DeFeis and Edward Pursino in 2007
| landscape = yes 
| alias = 
| origin = [[Long Island]], New York, U.S.
| genre = {{hlist|[[Heavy metal music|Heavy metal]]|[[power metal]]}}
| years_active = 1981–present
| label = [[SPV GmbH|SPV/Steamhammer]], Dockyard1, [[Noise Records|T&T/Noise]] 
| associated_acts =
| website = {{URL|virgin-steele.com}}
| current_members = {{plainlist|
*[[David DeFeis]]
*Edward Pursino
*Josh Block
*Matt McKasty
}}
| Road_Crew members =
| past_members = {{plainlist|
*Rob DeMartino
*Joey Ayvazian
*Joe "O"Reilly
*[[Jack Starr]]
*Frank Gilchriest
}}
}}

'''Virgin Steele''' is an American [[Heavy metal music|heavy metal]] band from New York, originally formed in 1981.

The band released a few career highlights albums (''[[Noble Savage (album)|Noble Savage]]'', ''[[The Marriage of Heaven and Hell Part I]]'', ''[[The Marriage of Heaven and Hell Part II]]'' and ''[[Invictus (Virgin Steele album)|Invictus]]''). In recent years, they have enriched their sound with elements of musical theatre, [[progressive metal|progressive]] and [[symphonic metal]], developing and writing projects such as the [[metal opera]] ''The House of Atreus'' (based on ''[[Oresteia]]'' and the Greek myth related to the [[House of Atreus|Atreides]]) in 1999/2000 and the soundtrack for an imaginary movie ''[[Visions of Eden|Visions of Eden (A Barbaric Romantic Movie of the Mind)]]'' or ''The Lilith Project'' (based on the Sumerian legend of [[Lilith]]) in 2006.

== History ==
=== Origins ===
At the beginning of the 1980s, Jack Starr (a guitarist of French origin) was looking for the right elements to form the ultimate heavy metal band. The first to answer his call was drummer Joey Ayvazian and together they started jamming and auditioning singers. Future [[L.A. Guns]] bassist [[Kelly Nickels]] joined them in 1981. They auditioned around 40 singers before [[David DeFeis]] was introduced to Jack by a friend of Joey.

With an interpretation of "No Quarter" by [[Led Zeppelin]], "Child in Time" by [[Deep Purple]] and "Catch the Rainbow" by [[Rainbow (English band)|Rainbow]], David got the vacant role of singer, bringing with him bassist Joe O'Reilly.<ref name="Virgin Steele Official Biography">{{cite web |url= http://www.virgin-steele.com/bio.html |title=Virgin Steele Official Biography |work=virgin-steele.com |publisher=Virgin Steele Official Website }}</ref> At the end of 1981 the first line-up was ready.

=== The debut album ===
Virgin Steele debuted in 1982 with "Children of the Storm" (a song loved by [[Metallica]]<ref name="Virgin Steele Official Biography"/>), included in the compilation "U.S. Metal Vol. II".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/Various-US-Metal-Vol-II/release/1608560 |title=Various – U.S. Metal Vol. II (Vinyl, LP) at Discogs |date=1982 |publisher=Discogs.com |access-date=July 23, 2014}}</ref> Later they issued their self-titled first album. Their style was and remains very original, a melding of American heavy metal and [[Rainbow (rock band)|Rainbow]]'s epic atmospheres. DeFeis, who also plays piano and keyboards, shows a particular liking for pompous and melodic arrangements, while Starr goes for a harder and more immediate assault. Fan mail was becoming more interesting. Two letters in particular stand out, one from a young band, who were from Seattle. Their name was [[Queensrÿche]].<ref name="Virgin Steele Official Biography"/> The other, from California, also a band, who called themselves Metallica.<ref name="Virgin Steele Official Biography"/>

=== The second album ===
The following year (1983) the second album ''[[Guardians of the Flame (album)|Guardians of the Flame]]'' was supported by a mini LP called ''[[Wait for the Night]]'' ("A Cry in the Night" in the European version). After the album, Jack Starr started recording his first solo album, ''[[Out of the Darkness (Jack Starr album)|Out of the Darkness]]''. Meanwhile, DeFeis continued the band with [[Edward Pursino]]. As stated in the Virgin Steele's website "we never actually asked Edward to join the band, he just came down one day and never left".<ref name="Virgin Steele Official Biography" />) After a lawsuit won by Starr over the name ''Virgin Steele'', he sold it to DeFeis.

=== ''Noble Savage'' and ''Age of Consent'' ===
Supported by Pursino, whose style better fit DeFeis' songwriting than Starr's had, Virgin Steele new lineup recorded ''[[Noble Savage (album)|Noble Savage]]'', which melds classic and epic music. Today, this album is still considered one of the most important manifests of heavy and epic metal worldwide.<ref>[http://www.revelationz.net/index.asp?ID=317]  {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061012074812/http://www.revelationz.net/index.asp?ID=317 |date=October 12, 2006 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://truemetal.it/reviews.php?op=albumreview&id=6827 |title=Recensione – Noble Savage [Reissue&#93; – Virgin Steele |publisher=TrueMetal.it |access-date=July 23, 2014 |archive-date=July 23, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120723094546/http://www.truemetal.it/reviews.php?op=albumreview&id=6827 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metalcrypt.com/pages/review.php?revid=4821 |title=Virgin Steele – Noble Savage Review |publisher=The Metal Crypt |date=April 22, 2009 |access-date=July 23, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Bryan Reesman |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/noble-savage-mw0000801767 |title=Noble Savage – Virgin Steele &#124; Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=July 23, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.truemetal.it/reviews.php?op=albumreview&id=584 |title=Recensione – Noble Savage – Virgin Steele |publisher=TrueMetal.it |access-date=July 23, 2014 |archive-date=January 27, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120127153814/http://www.truemetal.it/reviews.php?op=albumreview&id=584 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Between 1985 and 1986, some members of Virgin Steele strongly contributed to an album published under the name Exorcist called ''Nightmare Theatre''<ref name="Exorcist Myspace">{{cite web|url=http://www.myspace.com/megawattmayhem |title=Exorcist &#124; Listen and Stream Free Music, Albums, New Releases, Photos, Videos |publisher=Myspace.com |access-date=July 23, 2014}}</ref> and to an album published under the name Piledriver called ''Stay Ugly''. David DeFeis only produced and helped these albums even if some rumors said that he and Pursino were behind these bands.<ref name="Exorcist Myspace"/>

Finally, the band managed to go to Europe, supporting [[Manowar (band)|Manowar]] on tour and gaining great approval from all quarters because of their live performances.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Virgin-Steele-Biography/154707772B6FFB7348256CA9000E6F5B |title=Virgin Steele Biography |publisher=Sing365.com |date=July 11, 1988 |access-date=July 23, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140729193451/http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Virgin-Steele-Biography/154707772B6FFB7348256CA9000E6F5B |archive-date=July 29, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> When things started to come together, though, some inexplicable laws seemed to apply<ref name="Virgin Steele Official Biography"/> and the following album, ''[[Age of Consent (Virgin Steele album)|Age of Consent]]'', got a very narrow distribution and ended up a complete commercial failure. At this point, Virgin Steele were in their darkest period: their label shut down and Joe O'Reilly decided to leave, forcing the band to stop playing for a while.

During this break, [[David DeFeis]] graduated in piano and composition and played live with a semi-improvised band called "Smoke Stark Lightning", featuring some famous musicians like his old mate Jack Starr and drummer [[Bobby Rondinelli]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.musicmight.com/artist/usa/new+york/smokestack+lightning |title=Artists :: Smokestack Lightning |publisher=MusicMight |access-date=July 23, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110819052517/http://musicmight.com/artist/usa/new+york/smokestack+lightning |archive-date=August 19, 2011 }}</ref>

=== The comeback ===
In 1993, Rob De Martino was chosen as the new bass player and Virgin Steele came back with ''[[Life Among the Ruins]]'', an album of [[Whitesnake]]-influenced [[hard rock]] with a strong bluesy vein. The song "Last rose of Summer" is the highlight of the cd.<ref name="Life Among the Ruins Review">[http://www.revelationz.net/index.asp?ID=315]  {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071020160828/http://www.revelationz.net/index.asp?ID=315 |date=October 20, 2007 }}</ref> Featuring none of the trademark epic and mythology-based elements of the band, ''[[Life Among the Ruins]]'' is probably the most atypical release in the Virgin Steele discography and disliked by many die-hard classic metal fans.<ref name="Life Among the Ruins Review"/> Quite interesting is the fact the American version has got a different cover and a bonus-track called "Snakeskin Voodoo Man" (published as a stand-alone single too) while many video-clips, taken from this album, were included into the home-video "Tale Of The Snakeskin Voodoo Man".

=== ''The Marriage of Heaven and Hell'' ===
One year later, the band returned to the original sound with ''[[The Marriage of Heaven and Hell Part I]]'', an album of epic metal full of melodic and symphonic influences, very progressive oriented. This work (a concept regarding the different side of human nature) includes, among the others, the song "Life Among the Ruins" which is not related to the previous album with the same title.

Virgin Steele went back to Europe supporting [[Manowar (band)|Manowar]] and [[Uriah Heep (band)|Uriah Heep]] and at the beginning of 1996 released ''[[The Marriage of Heaven and Hell Part II]]'', following the concept and the style of the first one. The band appeared also on the compilation ''A Tribute to Judas Priest: Legends of Metal – Volume II'' playing a raw cover of the song "Screaming for Vengeance". Another [[Judas Priest]] cover, "Desert Plains", is included as a bonus track in the ''[[Age of Consent (Virgin Steele album)|Age of Consent]]'' album reissue.

After another European tour (this time as headliner) in 1996, a new album was released in March 1998: the third and final chapter of the "Marriage" saga, titled ''[[Invictus (Virgin Steele album)|Invictus]]''. This was their heaviest album at the time and also very epic.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metalcrypt.com/pages/review.php?revid=2094 |title=Virgin Steele – Invictus Review |publisher=The Metal Crypt |date=February 15, 2005 |access-date=July 23, 2014}}</ref> Lyrically it is a concept album about humanity's rebellion against a [[pantheon (gods)|pantheon]] of evil, uncaring gods. The band played at the [[Wacken Open Air]] festival in 1997 and in 1998. The Marriage of Heaven and Hell trilogy signs also the debut of drummer Frank Gilchriest. Always in 1998, Virgin Steele headlined a real long new European tour with Mark Reale's [[Riot (band)|Riot]] and Stigmata IV as supporting acts. This tour included the headliner performance at the [[Motorcycle|biker]] festival "Motorock" in Cremona (Italy).<ref>[http://www.custommccremona.it/storia.htm]  {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110527143534/http://www.custommccremona.it/storia.htm |date=May 27, 2011 }}</ref>

===Metal opera ===
Between the years 1999 and 2000, the band released a metal opera, writing the albums ''[[The House of Atreus Act I]]'' and ''[[The House of Atreus Act II]]'', intended to be played by actors in theaters.

The subject of the metal opera was ''[[Oresteia]]'' and the Greek myths related by [[Aeschylus]], very familiar to David DeFeis, because of his father's theaterical background.<ref>[http://www.solidrock.gr/index.php/lang-en/interviews/6-interviews/494-virgin-steele-david-defeis-interview-1208 ] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721083118/http://www.solidrock.gr/index.php/lang-en/interviews/6-interviews/494-virgin-steele-david-defeis-interview-1208 |date=July 21, 2011 }}</ref> On the albums all vocals and orchestrations are managed by David DeFeis himself.

Just before ''[[The House of Atreus Act II]]'', the single "Magick Fire Music" was published, with some metal opera outtakes. Inspired by Virgin Steele's metal opera, the German band Tobias Sammet's [[Avantasia]] wrote various albums using the same format. David DeFeis appears as special guest on the track: "The Final Sacrifice" included in the [[Avantasia]]'s second album. After the show at the [[Bang Your Head!!!]] festival in 2000 without a bass player, in 2001 Virgin Steele toured with [[HammerFall]] and [[Freedom Call]] with the new bass player Josh Block.

=== The 20th anniversary ===
In 2002, the band released two compilations to celebrate the 20th anniversary. ''The Book of Burning'' consists of a mix of previously unreleased songs and new compositions created by David DeFeis in collaboration with original guitarist Jack Starr. The songs were written at the beginning of the 1990s and previously unofficially appeared in the underground, with Starr at the guitar, with the name "Sacred Demos". The album contained also re-recordings of various songs from the first two albums with Josh Block, and not Jack Starr, supporting Pursino at the second guitar. ''Hymns to Victory'' instead is a best-of album covering the band's career from ''[[Noble Savage (album)|Noble Savage]]'' to their latest album ''[[The House of Atreus Act II]]''.

The way to manage the reissues of the first two albums ''[[Virgin Steele (album)|Virgin Steele]]'' and ''[[Guardians of the Flame (album)|Guardians of the Flame]]'', never published in cd before, created one more time problems between DeFeis and Starr so they decided to truncate any sort of relationship.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cuttingedgerocks.com/v-steele.html |title=Virgin Steele |publisher=Cuttingedgerocks.com |access-date=July 23, 2014 }}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> DeFeis managed the reissues all by himself remastering the original albums and adding new bonus tracks. The EP ''A Cry in the Night'' was included into the ''[[Guardians of the Flame]]'' CD.

=== Side projects ===
[[David DeFeis]] (keyboards and backing vocals) appears as special guest on the first two Immortally Committed albums in the tracks "Epic" and "Council in Hell".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.truemetal.org/immortallycommitted/biography.htm |title=Immortally Committed Biography |publisher=Truemetal.org |access-date=July 23, 2014}}</ref> He, [[Edward Pursino]], Josh Block and Exorcist's drummer Geoff Fontaine played some live dates with the New York cover band Carnival of Souls.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/BLABBERMOUTH.net/news.aspx?Mode=Archive&Date=9/27/2004 |title=Blabbermouth.net |publisher=Roadrunnerrecords.com |date=April 17, 2013 |access-date=July 23, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606103908/http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/BLABBERMOUTH.net/news.aspx?Mode=Archive&Date=9%2F27%2F2004 |archive-date=June 6, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Between the years 2002 and 2005, the band headlined a large number of heavy metal festivals such as the "[[Agglutination Festival]]" (2003, Italy), the "Tradate Iron Fest" (2004, Italy), the "Keep It True V Festival" (2004, Germany) and the "Ragnarock Festival" (2005, Netherlands).

=== ''A Barbaric Romantic Movie of the Mind'' ===
David DeFeis also created his own recording studio called ''The Hammer of Zeus'' (sometimes also called ''The Wrecking Ball of Thor'').<ref>{{cite web|url=http://vampster.com/artikel/show/7875_VIRGIN_STEELE__Neue_Metal-Oper_.html |title=Virgin Steele: Neue Metal-Oper (News) @ vampster.com heavy metal magazin |date=January 23, 2003 |publisher=Vampster.com |access-date=July 23, 2014}}</ref> In September 2006, after 6 years without an all-new studio album, the band released its 11th full-length ''[[Visions of Eden]]''. The album revolves heavily around [[Gnostic]] beliefs and critically revisits the traditional [[Christian mythology]] with regards to the creation of the Earth and the Biblical accounts of [[Adam and Eve]].<ref>[http://www.revelationz.net/index.asp?ID=379]  {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081120152905/http://www.revelationz.net/index.asp?ID=379 |date=November 20, 2008 }}</ref> An even darker, more melancholic drama than the House of Atreus saga, the story revolves around [[Lilith]], the first wife of Adam and a symbol of female strength and independence. Representing the female side of the true, higher god, she suffers under the lusting, jealous [[Demiurge]] who represents the Christian god, and as an emancipated woman who could not get along with the dominant [[Adam]] stands in stark contrast to [[Eve]]. Adam's second wife is portrayed as a docile, subservient partner created by the demiurge at the request of Adam, who could not cope with an independent woman on equal footing with him.

''[[Visions of Eden|Visions of Eden (A Barbaric Romantic Movie of the Mind)]]'' or ''The Lilith Project'' is based on the Sumerian legend of [[Lilith]] and it is intended as the soundtrack for an imaginary movie. The band is looking for a producer to bring this concept album story to screen.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://truemetal.it/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=17366 |title=Virgin Steele (David DeFeis) – Commenti pag. 2 |date=March 3, 2003 |publisher=TrueMetal.it |access-date=July 23, 2014}}</ref>

=== Recent activities ===

In 2007, the band played at the Power Prog VIII Festival (Atlanta, Georgia) and at the Evolution Festival (Florence, Italy). David DeFeis and Josh Block appear on the Polish band Crystal Viper EP in the cover of Virgin Steele's song "Blood and Gasoline" from ''[[The Marriage of Heaven and Hell Part I]]'' album. Between 2007 and 2008 the out of print albums ''[[Noble Savage (album)|Noble Savage]]'', ''[[Age of Consent]]'', ''[[Life Among the Ruins]]'', ''[[The Marriage of Heaven and Hell Part I]]'' and ''[[The Marriage of Heaven and Hell Part II]]'' were reissued (with bonus tracks) by the German label Dockyard1. There are also rumors that a DVD live album is planned, a three hours show recorded at the Downtown Club (Long Island, NY) in 2002<ref name="virgin-steele.com"/> and an acoustic concert played in 2000 in München should be part of it.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.progressiveworld.net/virginsteeledefeisinterv.html |title=Progressiveworld.net: Interviews |website=www.progressiveworld.net |access-date=January 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021116034428/http://www.progressiveworld.net/virginsteeledefeisinterv.html |archive-date=November 16, 2002 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

A new Virgin Steele album, entitled ''[[The Black Light Bacchanalia]]'', was released at the end of October 2010 for the new label [[SPV GmbH|SPV/Steamhammer]] while, in 2011, the whole back-catalogue, from ''[[Noble Savage (album)|Noble Savage]]'' onwards, will be reissued again with faithfully restored covers and booklets, bonus tracks and liner notes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.virgin-steele.com/spv.html |title=SPV Press Release |publisher=Virgin-steele.com |access-date=July 23, 2014}}</ref>

The first ever Virgin Steele tribute album ''By the Gods: A Noble Tribute to Virgin Steele'' was released on October 31, 2015, by Majestic Metal Records. It features a 12-page full-color booklet with exclusive liner notes by Virgin Steele's frontman [[David DeFeis]].

In February 2017, the album [[Visions of Eden]] was reissued as a double CD containing a remixed version and a remastered recording of the original mix.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://metal-heads.de/reviews/virgin-steele-visions-of-eden-voe-17-02-17/ | title=Virgin Steele - Visions of Eden (VÖ: 17.02.17) | date=February 3, 2017 }}</ref>

Three years after [[Nocturnes of Hellfire & Damnation]], in 2018 the box-set [[Seven Devils Moonshine]] is published containing 3 new albums (''Ghost Harvest – Vintage I – Black Wine for Mourning'', ''Ghost Harvest – Vintage II – Red Wine for Warning'', ''Gothic Voodoo Anthems'') plus the re-issues of [[The Book of Burning]] and [[Hymns to Victory]].

Five years after ''Seven Devils Moonshine'', the band released their first album since then, and their first single-CD album since ''Nocturnes of Hellfire & Damnation'', ''The Passion of Dionysus'', on June 30, 2023.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://bravewords.com/news/virgin-steele-announce-first-studio-album-in-eight-years-the-passion-of-dionysus-to-arrive-in-june|title=VIRGIN STEELE Announce First Studio Album In Eight Years; The Passion Of Dionysus To Arrive In June|magazine=[[Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles]]|access-date=April 28, 2023|date=April 28, 2023}}</ref>

== Style ==

=== Barbaric romantic music ===
Virgin Steele play what they call symphonic, romantic and bombastic music with many elements taken from [[European classical music|classical music]] and fantasy/mythological lyrics based on real life events. [[David DeFeis]] (all vocals, keyboards, orchestration, synth bass, swords and effects) about Virgin Steele's music: "From a whisper to a scream, barbaric, romantic, bombastic, yet subtle, grandiose, yet earthy. A call, a shout, an invocation to Freedom and the continual awakening to the awareness that every moment of life is lived to its fullest potential. It is a force, a sacred quest which drives Virgin Steele on".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.virgin-steele.com |title=The Official Virgin Steele Homepage |publisher=Virgin-steele.com |date=June 20, 2014 |access-date=July 23, 2014}}</ref>

Typically, during Virgin Steele's concerts a sword is burnt on stage.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.virgin-steele.com/live2.html |title=The Official Virgin Steele Homepage |publisher=Virgin-steele.com |date=December 21, 2002 |access-date=July 23, 2014}}</ref> In some special show they used to play a long live set called ''Three hour extravaganza''.<ref name="virgin-steele.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.virgin-steele.com/newsarchive2.html |title=The Official Virgin Steele Homepage |publisher=Virgin-steele.com |access-date=July 23, 2014}}</ref> Fans consider "The Burning of Rome (Cry for Pompeii)" and "Emalaith" some of the most representative songs of the band.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.teethofthedivine.com/site/reviews/virgin-steele-hymns-to-victorythe-book-of-burning/ |title=Virgin Steele – Hymns to Victory/The Book of Burning « Teeth of the Divine |publisher=Teethofthedivine.com |date=February 24, 2002 |access-date=July 23, 2014}}</ref>

Many Virgin Steele songs are [[mythological]], often dealing with subjects from [[Greek mythology|Greek]] and [[Christian mythology|Christian]] mythology. Most of their albums are [[concept album]]s. The later albums tend to be more epic and mythological while, on the early albums (up until ''Life Among the Ruins''), many songs are more real-life based stories of love and sex. According to [[David DeFeis]], all the lyrics he writes are based on real life in some form or another.<ref>[http://www.truemetal.org/virginsteele/main.php?page=miscellaneous-faq Band] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090130065102/http://www.truemetal.org/virginsteele/main.php?page=miscellaneous-faq |date=January 30, 2009 }}</ref>

=== Metal opera and theatre ===
A [[metal opera]] is a mix between [[rock opera]], [[Broadway theatre|Broadway style]] and "heavy metal adapted for theater actors' live performances". According to German artists Walter Weyers<ref>[[:de:Walter Weyers|Walter Weyers de.wikipedia]]</ref> and Martina Krawulsky, with the name ''Klytaimnestra – The House of Atreus'', metal opera (musically available on the Virgin Steele's albums ''[[The House of Atreus Act I]]'', ''[[The House of Atreus Act II]]'') was performed on stage in Germany theaters by Landestheater Production.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.landestheater-schwaben.de/ |title=Landestheater Schwaben |publisher=Landestheater-schwaben.de |access-date=July 23, 2014}}</ref> The result, very different from a heavy metal concert, is a metal based dark Broadway style musical really powerful and energetic with actors only.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mitglied.lycos.de/TakeItMagazine/klytaimnestra_2000.htm |title=Lycos.com |publisher=Mitglied.lycos.de |access-date=July 23, 2014 |archive-date=April 16, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090416055344/http://mitglied.lycos.de/TakeItMagazine/klytaimnestra_2000.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> The premiere of ''Klytaimnestra'' in [[Memmingen]], June 5, 1999,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vampster.com/artikel/show/?id=340 |title=Klytaimnestra oder Der Fluch der Atriden (Live-Review) @ vampster.com heavy metal magazin |date=January 2000 |publisher=Vampster.com |access-date=July 23, 2014}}</ref> has been the first ever regular musical theatre show based on heavy metal concepts. After ''Klytaimnestra'''s success, [[David DeFeis]] & Landestheater Production extracted a second metal opera musical, named "The Rebels", from the previous Marriage of Heaven and Hell trilogy ("[[The Marriage of Heaven and Hell Part I]]", "[[The Marriage of Heaven and Hell Part II]]", "[[Invictus (Virgin Steele album)|Invictus]]").<ref>{{cite web|url=http://digilander.libero.it/virginsteele/metaloperas.htm |title=Metal Opera |publisher=Digilander.libero.it |access-date=July 23, 2014}}</ref>

In 2003, the same team released a third metal opera, named "Lilith", based on the material of album ''[[Visions of Eden]]''. "Visions of Eden" was later on published in CD in 2006. In a different way to the previous two operas. Regarding the album, David DeFeis declared: "I don't think of it as a Metal Opera. What it really is, is the soundtrack for a major motion picture that has yet to be made! And by the hammer of Zeus, I will make this film one day. I call this work a Barbaric Romantic movie of the mind.".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://stage.bravewords.com/news/virgin-steele-conan-meets-wagner |title=virgin-steele-conan-meets-wagner |publisher=stage.bravewords.com |access-date=October 16, 2014 |archive-date=October 28, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141028212308/http://stage.bravewords.com/news/virgin-steele-conan-meets-wagner |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== Band members ==
'''Current members'''
* [[David DeFeis]] – lead vocals, keyboards, [[Synthesizer#Synth bass|synth bass]], piano <small>(1981–present)</small>
* Edward Pursino – guitar <small>(1985–present)</small>
* Josh Block – bass <small>(2000–present)</small>
* Matt McKasty – drums <small>(2016–present)</small>
'''Former members'''
* [[Jack Starr]] – guitar <small>(1981–1984)</small>
* Joe O'Reilly – bass <small>(1981–1992)</small>
* Joey Ayvazian – drums <small>(1981–1995)</small>
* Rob DeMartino – bass <small>(1993–1999)</small>
* Frank Gilchriest – drums <small>(1995–2015)</small>

===Timeline===
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ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1981

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  id:Guitar  value:green  legend:Guitar
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  id:Studio  value:black  legend:Studio_Album

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  at:12/01/1982
  at:08/01/1983
  at:10/01/1985
  at:10/01/1988
  at:09/01/1993
  at:12/01/1994
  at:12/01/1995
  at:04/20/1998
  at:09/16/1999
  at:10/16/2000
  at:09/08/2006
  at:11/09/2010
  at:06/17/2015
  at:11/23/2018
  at:06/30/2023

BarData =
  bar:David  text:"David DeFeis"
  bar:Jack   text:"Jack Starr"
  bar:Edward text:"Edward Pursino"
  bar:Joe    text:"Joe O'Reilly"
  bar:Rob    text:"Rob DeMartino"
  bar:Josh   text:"Josh Block"
  bar:Joey   text:"Joey Ayvazian"
  bar:Frank  text:"Frank Gilchriest"
  bar:Matt   text:"Matt McKasty"

PlotData=
  width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4)
  bar:David  from:start      till:end        color:Vocals
  bar:Jack   from:start      till:12/31/1984 color:Guitar
  bar:Edward from:01/01/1985 till:end        color:Guitar
  bar:Joe    from:start      till:12/31/1992 color:Bass
  bar:Rob    from:01/01/1993 till:12/31/1999 color:Bass
  bar:Josh   from:01/01/2000 till:end        color:Bass
  bar:Joey   from:start      till:04/01/1995 color:Drums
  bar:Frank  from:04/01/1995 till:12/31/2015 color:Drums
  bar:Matt   from:01/01/2016 till:end        color:Drums
}}

==Discography==
{{Main article|Virgin Steele discography}}

=== Albums ===
* 1982: ''[[Virgin Steele (album)|Virgin Steele]]''
* 1983: ''[[Guardians of the Flame (album)|Guardians of the Flame]]''
* 1985: ''[[Noble Savage (album)|Noble Savage]]''
* 1988: ''[[Age of Consent (Virgin Steele album)|Age of Consent]]''
* 1993: ''[[Life Among the Ruins]]''
* 1995: ''[[The Marriage of Heaven and Hell Part I]]''
* 1996: ''[[The Marriage of Heaven and Hell Part II]]''
* 1998: ''[[Invictus (Virgin Steele album)|Invictus]]''
* 1999: ''[[The House of Atreus Act I]]''
* 2000: ''[[The House of Atreus Act II]]''
* 2006: ''[[Visions of Eden]]''
* 2010: ''[[The Black Light Bacchanalia]]''
* 2015: ''[[Nocturnes of Hellfire & Damnation]]''
* 2018: ''[[Seven Devils Moonshine]]'' (includes their 2002 compilations)
** ''Ghost Harvest – Vintage I – Black Wine for Mourning''
** ''Ghost Harvest – Vintage II – Red Wine for Warning''
** ''Gothic Voodoo Anthems''
* 2023: ''[[The Passion of Dionysus]]''

=== EPs ===
* 1983: ''[[Wait for the Night]]''
* 2000: ''[[Magick Fire Music]]''

===Compilations===
* 2002: ''[[Hymns to Victory]]'' (*)
* 2002: ''[[The Book of Burning]]'' (*)

(*) re-issues included in 2018 box set [[Seven Devils Moonshine]]

===Singles===
* 1992: "Snakeskin Voodoo Man"
* 1998: "Through Blood and Fire"

===Videos/DVD===
* 1992: ''Tale of the Snakeskin Voodoo Man''

===Tributes===
* 2015: ''By the Gods: A Noble Tribute to Virgin Steele''

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{cc}}
* [http://www.virgin-steele.com/ Official website]
*{{allmusic}}
*{{discogs artist}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20081123104412/http://www.truemetal.org/virginsteele 'Arms of Mercury'; authorized official Italian site]

{{Virgin Steele}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Virgin Steele}}
[[Category:Heavy metal musical groups from New York (state)]]
[[Category:American power metal musical groups]]
[[Category:Musical groups from Long Island]]
[[Category:American musical quartets]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1981]]