Machines of Grace
Encyclopedia
Machines 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 Orchestra, Metal Church
and violinist Mark Wood
. The band plays varied genres of hard rock including; heavy metal
, acoustic rock and melodic metal.
and Jeff Plate
were members of Savatage
. After four albums and several world tours with the group, Zachary left citing family reasons. During the winter of 2002 Zak started his own band called Circle II Circle, co-writing with former Savatage
lead singer Jon Oliva
and guitarist Chris Caffery
. The remaining members of Savatage
eventually turned into the Trans Siberian Orchestra, of which Jeff Plate
is a founding member and is currently the east coast band's drummer
.
Zak and Jeff played in a band called Wicked Witch previously, with Boston
area guitarist
Matt Leff. Matt and Zak first met while attending Musicians Institute
in Hollywood California
. Upon graduating they moved to Boston Massachusetts and met Jeff. These three musicians have reunited under the band name "Machines Of Grace". When it was time to bring in a bassist
, Chris Rapoza was called. Matt and Chris played together for several years in the Boston
area metal band "Trigger Effect". Trigger Effect was chosen as one of the top unsigned bands in the USA by Sam Goody Record Stores, worked with Grammy winning producer Neil Kernon, and toured the Northeast as an opening act for Iron Maiden
, Queensryche
and Rob Halford
.
When 13 songs were ready to be recorded for the Machines Of Grace album, producer/engineer Paul David Hager was brought in. Paul previously mixed Wickedwitch live and in the studio. Paul has worked with many artists including The Goo Goo Dolls
, Pink
, Butch Walker, Megadeth
, Miley Cyrus
and Letters to Cleo.
The album was recorded at Pyramid Sound in Ithaca
, New York
, Studio Metronome in Nashua
New Hampshire
, Red Room Recorders in Tampa
, Florida
and 37' Productions in Rockland Massachusetts
. It was mixed at Skip Saylor Studios in Hollywood California
and mastered at Sterling Sound in New York City
.
The band released their debut album, featuring 13 songs, worldwide in the summer of 2009 and plays live sporadically.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
hard rock band from Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. The band features two former members of 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 :...
, namely 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....
and drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
Jeff Plate
Jeff Plate
Jeff Plate is a professional drummer and percussionist. He currently plays with the progressive rock group Trans-Siberian Orchestra and with thrash metal band Metal Church until their 2009 disbanding, although he is most remembered for his drumming for the band, Savatage on their albums since...
. 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....
is also the vocalist for Circle II Circle and Jeff Plate
Jeff Plate
Jeff Plate is a professional drummer and percussionist. He currently plays with the progressive rock group Trans-Siberian Orchestra and with thrash metal band Metal Church until their 2009 disbanding, although he is most remembered for his drumming for the band, Savatage on their albums since...
is the drummer for the Trans Siberian Orchestra, Metal Church
Metal Church
Metal Church was an American heavy metal band. They originally formed in Seattle, Washington as Shrapnel in 1980. Their first album was released in 1984, and the band's most recent work, This Present Wasteland, was released in 2008....
and violinist Mark Wood
Mark Wood
Mark Wood may refer to:*Mark Wood , electric violinist and former string master of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra*Stanley Mark Wood , Bishop of Matabeleland and Bishop of Ludlow...
. The band plays varied genres of hard rock including; 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...
, acoustic rock and melodic metal.
History
For a period of eight years, from 1992 until 2000, Zachary StevensZachary 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....
and Jeff Plate
Jeff Plate
Jeff Plate is a professional drummer and percussionist. He currently plays with the progressive rock group Trans-Siberian Orchestra and with thrash metal band Metal Church until their 2009 disbanding, although he is most remembered for his drumming for the band, Savatage on their albums since...
were members of 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 :...
. After four albums and several world tours with the group, Zachary left citing family reasons. During the winter of 2002 Zak started his own band called Circle II Circle, co-writing with 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 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...
. The remaining members of 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 :...
eventually turned into the Trans Siberian Orchestra, of which Jeff Plate
Jeff Plate
Jeff Plate is a professional drummer and percussionist. He currently plays with the progressive rock group Trans-Siberian Orchestra and with thrash metal band Metal Church until their 2009 disbanding, although he is most remembered for his drumming for the band, Savatage on their albums since...
is a founding member and is currently the east coast band's drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
.
Zak and Jeff played in a band called Wicked Witch previously, with Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
area guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
Matt Leff. Matt and Zak first met while attending Musicians Institute
Musicians Institute
Musicians Institute is a privately owned for-profit music vocational school located in Hollywood, California. Although not a regionally accredited school, the school offers a variety of unaccredited Bachelor Degree, Associate Degree and Certificate programs in fields including contemporary music...
in Hollywood California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Upon graduating they moved to Boston Massachusetts and met Jeff. These three musicians have reunited under the band name "Machines Of Grace". When it was time to bring in a bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
, Chris Rapoza was called. Matt and Chris played together for several years in the Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
area metal band "Trigger Effect". Trigger Effect was chosen as one of the top unsigned bands in the USA by Sam Goody Record Stores, worked with Grammy winning producer Neil Kernon, and toured the Northeast as an opening act for Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
, Queensryche
Queensrÿche
thumb|250px|right|Queensrÿche's classic line-up performing at the [[Sauna Open Air Metal Festival]] 2011 in [[Tampere]], [[Finland]]. Left to right: bass Eddie Jackson, lead vocals Geoff Tate, drums Scott Rockenfield and guitars Michael Wilton....
and Rob Halford
Rob Halford
Robert John Arthur "Rob" Halford is an English singer-songwriter, who is best known as the lead vocalist for the Grammy Award-winning heavy metal band Judas Priest. He is nicknamed the "Metal God" as a tribute to his influence on metal, and after the Judas Priest song of the same name from 1980's...
.
When 13 songs were ready to be recorded for the Machines Of Grace album, producer/engineer Paul David Hager was brought in. Paul previously mixed Wickedwitch live and in the studio. Paul has worked with many artists including The Goo Goo Dolls
Goo Goo Dolls
The Goo Goo Dolls are a Grammy-nominated American rock band formed in 1986 in Buffalo, New York, by vocalist and guitarist John Rzeznik and vocalist and bass guitarist Robby Takac. Since the end of 1994, Mike Malinin has been the band's drummer, a position previously held by George Tutuska...
, Pink
Pink (singer)
Alecia Beth Moore , better known by her stage name Pink , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and actress....
, Butch Walker, Megadeth
Megadeth
Megadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California which was formed in 1983 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist Greg Handevidt, following Mustaine's expulsion from Metallica. The band has since released 13 studio albums, three live albums, two...
, Miley Cyrus
Miley Cyrus
Miley Ray Cyrus is an American actress and pop singer-songwriter. She achieved wide fame for her role as Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana on the Disney Channel sitcom Hannah Montana....
and Letters to Cleo.
The album was recorded at Pyramid Sound in Ithaca
Ithaca
Ithaca or Ithaka is an island located in the Ionian Sea, in Greece, with an area of and a little more than three thousand inhabitants. It is also a separate regional unit of the Ionian Islands region, and the only municipality of the regional unit. It lies off the northeast coast of Kefalonia and...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Studio Metronome in Nashua
Nashua, New Hampshire
-Climate:-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 86,494 people, 35,044 households, and 21,876 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,719.9 people per square mile . There were 37,168 housing units at an average density of 1,202.8 per square mile...
New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, Red Room Recorders in 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...
and 37' Productions in Rockland Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. It was mixed at Skip Saylor Studios in Hollywood California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and mastered at Sterling Sound in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
The band released their debut album, featuring 13 songs, worldwide in the summer of 2009 and plays live sporadically.
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 - Jeff PlateJeff PlateJeff Plate is a professional drummer and percussionist. He currently plays with the progressive rock group Trans-Siberian Orchestra and with thrash metal band Metal Church until their 2009 disbanding, although he is most remembered for his drumming for the band, Savatage on their albums since...
− drums - Matt Leff − guitars
- Chris Rapoza − bass guitar
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 and Plate tour with the group - Metal ChurchMetal ChurchMetal Church was an American heavy metal band. They originally formed in Seattle, Washington as Shrapnel in 1980. Their first album was released in 1984, and the band's most recent work, This Present Wasteland, was released in 2008....
- Plate is the drummer - Circle II Circle − Stevens is the singer