Circle II Circle (band)
Encyclopedia
Circle II Circle is an American
Heavy metal
band from Tampa
, Florida
. The band was formed by former Savatage
lead vocalist, Zachary Stevens
, in 2001. They play varied genres of metal including; heavy metal, power metal
and progressive metal
.
. After five albums with the group, he left in 2000 citing family reasons. During the winter of 2001, Zak started his comeback with long time friend and co founder of the band, Dan Campbell, co-writing material with former Savatage lead singer Jon Oliva
and guitarist Chris Caffery
what would become the songs for the Circle II Circle debut album, Watching in Silence
. The second CIIC record The Middle of Nowhere
featured Zak's vocals along with band members Paul Michael Stewart, Andy Lee, Tom Drennan and Evan Christopher.
The band's third release was a concept album
, entitled Burden of Truth
, based around the concept of Jesus' descendants. It was released on October 13, 2006. Recently, Stevens and the band signed with Intromental Management. Their fourth album, entitled Delusions of Grandeur was released on April 25, 2008.
Artwork for the band's album covers has been created by artist Thomas Ewerhard. Additional artwork for the concept album "Consequence of Power" (2010) was created by Claudio Bergamin
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band from Tampa
Tâmpa
Tâmpa may refer to several villages in Romania:* Tâmpa, a village in Băcia Commune, Hunedoara County* Tâmpa, a village in Miercurea Nirajului, Mureş County* Tâmpa, a mountain in Braşov city...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. The band was formed by former Savatage
Savatage
Savatage is an American heavy metal band founded by the brothers Jon and Criss Oliva in 1978 at Astro Skate in Tarpon Springs, Florida.-Early days :...
lead vocalist, Zachary Stevens
Zachary Stevens
Zachary "Zak" Stevens , is best known as the former lead vocalist of the band Savatage. He is also a drummer and has a degree in psychology but is not, as is often reported, a licensed, practicing psychologist....
, in 2001. They play varied genres of metal including; heavy metal, power metal
Power metal
Power metal is a style of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional metal with speed metal, often within symphonic context. The term refers to two different but related styles: the first pioneered and largely practiced in North America with a harder sound similar to speed metal, and a...
and progressive metal
Progressive metal
Progressive metal is a subgenre of heavy metal originating in the United Kingdom and North America in the late 1980s...
.
History
For a period of eight years from 1992 until August 2000, Zachary Stevens was the lead singer of SavatageSavatage
Savatage is an American heavy metal band founded by the brothers Jon and Criss Oliva in 1978 at Astro Skate in Tarpon Springs, Florida.-Early days :...
. After five albums with the group, he left in 2000 citing family reasons. During the winter of 2001, Zak started his comeback with long time friend and co founder of the band, Dan Campbell, co-writing material with former Savatage lead singer Jon Oliva
Jon Oliva
John Nicholas Oliva is best known simply as Jon Oliva and as founder of and lead vocalist for Savatage. He is the third of four children...
and guitarist Chris Caffery
Chris Caffery
Chris Caffery is a heavy metal guitarist who is best known for his work as a member of Savatage and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra...
what would become the songs for the Circle II Circle debut album, Watching in Silence
Watching in Silence
Watching in Silence is a 2003 release by Circle II Circle. It was the band's first release, and featured guest appearances from lead vocalist Zachary Stevens's former band mates from Savatage, Jon Oliva and Chris Caffery, who co-wrote many of the songs on the album.- Track listing :#"Out of Reach" ...
. The second CIIC record The Middle of Nowhere
The Middle of Nowhere (Circle II Circle album)
The Middle of Nowhere is a 2005 release by Circle II Circle. It was the band's second studio release, but the first featuring the new band assembled after Stevens fired the original band in 2003...
featured Zak's vocals along with band members Paul Michael Stewart, Andy Lee, Tom Drennan and Evan Christopher.
The band's third release was a concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
, entitled Burden of Truth
Burden of Truth
Burden of Truth is a 2006 release by Circle II Circle. It was the band's third full-length studio release so far, and is a concept album, with the songs telling a story based on The DaVinci Code...
, based around the concept of Jesus' descendants. It was released on October 13, 2006. Recently, Stevens and the band signed with Intromental Management. Their fourth album, entitled Delusions of Grandeur was released on April 25, 2008.
Artwork for the band's album covers has been created by artist Thomas Ewerhard. Additional artwork for the concept album "Consequence of Power" (2010) was created by Claudio Bergamin
Claudio Bergamin
Claudio Bergamin is a Chilean/Italian digital painter and photographer. He works mainly with rock bands creating album covers and visual imagery. His work also includes advertising photography, digital matte painting and comic books....
Current members
- Zachary StevensZachary StevensZachary "Zak" Stevens , is best known as the former lead vocalist of the band Savatage. He is also a drummer and has a degree in psychology but is not, as is often reported, a licensed, practicing psychologist....
(lead vocals) (2001–present) - Paul Michael "Mitch" Stewart (bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
) (2003–present) - Rollie Feldman(guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s) (2010–present) - Johnny Osborn (drumDrumThe drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s) (2009–present)
Former members
- Matt LaPorte (guitars) (2001–2003)
- Evan Christopher (guitars) (2003–2008)
- Bill Hudson (guitars) (2008–2009)
- John Zahner (keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
) (2001–2003) - Oliver PalotaiOliver PalotaiOliver Palotai is a heavy metal musician.-Career:He made his name playing keyboards and guitar for Doro and keyboards for Circle II Circle before joining Blaze Bayley's BLAZE as a replacement for founding guitarist John Slater in 2004...
(keyboards) (2006–2007) - Kevin Rothney (bass guitar) (2001–2003)
- Christopher Kinder (drums) (2001–2003)
- Tom Drennan (drums) (2003–2009)
- Andy Lee (guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s) (2003–2010)
Studio albums
- Watching in SilenceWatching in SilenceWatching in Silence is a 2003 release by Circle II Circle. It was the band's first release, and featured guest appearances from lead vocalist Zachary Stevens's former band mates from Savatage, Jon Oliva and Chris Caffery, who co-wrote many of the songs on the album.- Track listing :#"Out of Reach" ...
(2003) - The Middle of NowhereThe Middle of Nowhere (Circle II Circle album)The Middle of Nowhere is a 2005 release by Circle II Circle. It was the band's second studio release, but the first featuring the new band assembled after Stevens fired the original band in 2003...
(2005) - Burden of TruthBurden of TruthBurden of Truth is a 2006 release by Circle II Circle. It was the band's third full-length studio release so far, and is a concept album, with the songs telling a story based on The DaVinci Code...
(2006) - Delusions of GrandeurDelusions of Grandeur (Circle II Circle album)Delusions of Grandeur is a 2008 release by Circle II Circle. It was the band's forth studio release.- Track listing :# Fatal Warning - 03:55# Dead of Dawn - 04:07# Forever - 05:16# Echoes - 05:21# Waiting - 03:35# Soul Breaker - 03:29...
(2008) - Consequence of Power (2010)
Extended plays
- All That RemainsAll That Remains (Circle II Circle EP)All That Remains is a 2005 release by Circle II Circle. This was an EP distributed by AFM Records to demonstrate to fans the new line-up of the band that debuted on the resulting studio album, The Middle of Nowhere, which was released later in 2005...
(2005) - Revelations (2006)
- Every Last Thing/So Many Reasons (2008)
See also
- SavatageSavatageSavatage is an American heavy metal band founded by the brothers Jon and Criss Oliva in 1978 at Astro Skate in Tarpon Springs, Florida.-Early days :...
− Stevens sung lead vocals on four studio albums - Trans-Siberian OrchestraTrans-Siberian OrchestraTrans-Siberian Orchestra is an American progressive metal band founded in 1993 by producer, composer, and lyricist Paul O'Neill, who brought together Jon Oliva and Al Pitrelli and keyboardist and co-producer Robert Kinkel to form the core of the creative team. Since then, TSO sold nearly 8...
− Stevens toured with the group as a vocalist - Jon Oliva's PainJon Oliva's PainJon Oliva's Pain is the latest project of Savatage co-founder Jon Oliva.-Band history:Originally, the project consisted entirely of solo recordings by Oliva, but after several months of work he was joined by former members of Circle II Circle to form a band.The band's first performance was at the...
− most of the former Circle II Circle members formed Jon Oliva's Pain - Machines of GraceMachines of GraceMachines of Grace is an American hard rock band from Boston, Massachusetts. The band features two former members of Savatage, namely vocalist Zachary Stevens and drummer Jeff Plate. Zachary Stevens is also the vocalist for Circle II Circle and Jeff Plate is the drummer for the Trans Siberian...
- Stevens is the vocalist
External links
- Circle II Circle official site
- http://www.myspace.com/circleiicircleCircle II Circle official MySpaceMySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
page] - Circle II Circle official Street Team
Circle II Circle at online databases
- Circle II Circle at Encyclopaedia MetallumEncyclopaedia MetallumEncyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives is a website which lists bands from various forms of heavy metal music...