Armoured Angel
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1982 |
| Founder | Glen "Lucy" Luck |
| Defunct | 1999 |
| Headquarters | Canberra , Australia |
Area served | Australia |
| Products | Music albums, demos, EPs |
Armoured Angel was an influential Australian thrash metal and death metal group originating from Canberra, initially established in 1982 under the name Metal Asylum. The founding bassist, Glen "Lucy" Luck, played a pivotal role in the band’s formation. Recognized as trailblazers within the Australian death metal genre, they expanded the scope of the local thrash metal movement and were instrumental in launching the metal festival Metal for the Brain in 1991. Their sole studio album, Angel of the Sixth Order, was released in July 1999 prior to their dissolution.
History
The band began in 1982 as Metal Asylum with Glen "Lucy" Luck on bass and Rowan Powell handling guitar duties. By 1984, they adopted the name Armoured Angel, adding Dave Davis on drums and Rick Wayy as vocalist. After producing the demo Baptism in Blood (1985), Powell and Wayy departed and were succeeded by Tony Sheaffe on guitar and Russell Ruszinski on vocals.
In 1986, Armoured Angel reassembled as a trio featuring Luck alongside brothers Joel Green (drums, vocals) and Matt Green (guitar). This lineup created the demo Wings of Death (1989), which helped them build a dedicated following, followed by another demo titled Communion (1990). They toured extensively along Australia’s east coast and reissued Wings of Death through UK-based label CCG in 1991. That same year, Joel Green organized the inaugural Metal for the Brain festival as a benefit event; Armoured Angel managed this festival until 1996.
Their debut EP, Stigmartyr, was launched in December 1992 via Id Records, a Polygram development label. That year, they also supported Morbid Angel on tour. The EP earned a perfect rating from Australian heavy metal publication Hot Metal. In January 1993, Armoured Angel performed at Sydney’s Big Day Out festival and subsequently supported both Carcass and Bolt Thrower during their Australian tours. Their follow-up EP, Mysterium, was released in April 1994. In 1995, they undertook a UK tour and headlined a show in Germany.
During 1996, Jaz Coleman of Killing Joke produced an album for Armoured Angel at Sydney’s Powerhouse Studios; nevertheless, the band disbanded shortly afterward without issuing this work. In 1998, Glen Luck revived Armoured Angel with guitarist/vocalist Yuri Ward (formerly of Psychrist) and drummer Steven Luff. Their debut full-length album, Angel of the Sixth Order, appeared in July 1999 under Sydney’s Warhead Records. This formation dissolved later that year following Warhead Records’ closure and Luff’s departure.
Musicologist Ian McFarlane notes that Armoured Angel drew early inspiration from UK bands such as Motorhead and Venom. They played a crucial role in shaping Australia’s thrash and death metal scenes through their pioneering efforts to push musical limits.
Aftermath
After Armoured Angel disbanded, Lucy had a brief stint with Canberra-based death metal act Reign of Terror. Yuri Ward continued his career with Psychrist, performed live with Lord Kaos, and eventually founded death/thrash band Kill for Satan. Joel Green currently plays with doom metal ensemble Witchskull. Toward the end of 2006, Lucy reunited with the Green brothers to remaster their previous recordings, including a 1996 pre-production demo from their unreleased album Hymns of Hate. A comprehensive compilation encompassing all material from their 1987–1996 lineup was issued in 2013.
Members
- Glen "Lucy" Luck – bass
- Rowan Powell – guitar
- Dave Davis – drums
- Rick Wayy – lead vocals
- Russell Ruszinski – lead vocals
- Tony Sheaffe – guitar
- Joel Green – drums and vocals
- Matt Green – guitar
- Steve Luff – drums
- Yuri Ward – guitar and vocals
External links
- Armoured Angel official Facebook page
- Stigmartyr Records & Distribution (Australian metal label and distributor named after the 1992 EP/song)