Impellitteri
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1987 in Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Founder | Chris Impellitteri, Rob Rock |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles , United States |
| Products | Heavy metal music albums and EPs |
Impellitteri is a Los Angeles-based American heavy metal group, fronted by guitarist Chris Impellitteri, vocalist Rob Rock, and bassist James Amelio Pulli. The band has achieved global sales exceeding two million albums.
History
The band was established in Los Angeles by Chris Impellitteri alongside singer Rob Rock. Their 1987 EP, Impellitteri, highlighted a blend of heavy metal with intricate classical-style guitar solos, rapid drumming typical of speed metal, and powerful bass lines. Songs such as "Lost in the Rain" and "Burning" quickly attracted international recognition. Prominent music publications like Kerrang!, Guitar World, and Burrn! extensively featured the group.
After the EP's release, British vocalist Graham Bonnet joined for the 1988 album Stand in Line. The album’s title track became popular among fans and received airtime on MTV, where Chris Impellitteri also appeared as a guest host on Headbangers Ball. This album remained on Billboard’s Top 100 chart for more than five months.
Following a tour, the band reunited with Rob Rock to produce their first full-length album featuring him, Grin And Bear It (1992), succeeded by the EP Victim of the System (1993), produced by Mike Tacci. This EP demonstrated influences from Queen. In 1994, they released Answer to the Master, which included fan-favorite tracks like "Warrior" and "Fly Away".
The 1996 release, Screaming Symphony, earned Chris Impellitteri the "Best Rock Guitarist" honor in Burrn! magazine's Readers Poll Award. Mixed by Michael Wagener, the album contains enduring tracks such as "Rat Race" and "17th Century Chicken Pickin'".
With their 2000 album Crunch, the band incorporated occasional drop tunings alongside their signature shred metal sound, featuring songs like "Beware of the Devil" and "Speed Demon". Subsequently, Rob Rock embarked on a solo career while Graham Bonnet returned to record 2002’s System X, mixed by Andrew Murdock. That same year saw the release of a greatest hits collection titled The Very Best of Impellitteri: Faster Than the Speed of Light.
Rob Rock came back in 2008 to work on Wicked Maiden (2009), initially named Good and Evil. The album debuted first in Japan and Europe, with plans for a U.S. release in 2011 coinciding with the Impellitteri Shredfest tour.
In 2015, Impellitteri released Venom and supported it with touring that included performances at major festivals such as Rock Fest Barcelona alongside Iron Maiden, as well as headlining the Busan Rock Festival in South Korea.
Their 2018/2019 album, The Nature of the Beast, features original compositions like "Run for Your Life" along with covers including Black Sabbath’s "Symptom of the Universe" and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s "The Phantom of the Opera".
In 2024, Impellitteri unveiled their newest full-length record, titled War Machine.
Beliefs
Concerning any association with Christian metal, Impellitteri does not classify themselves as a Christian band. According to Rob Rock:
Band members
Current
- Chris Impellitteri – guitar (1987–90, 1992–present), bass (1987)
- James Amelio Pulli – bass (1992–present)
- Rob Rock – lead vocals (1987–1988, 1992–2000, 2008–present)
- Paul Bostaph – drums (2024–present)
Former
- Graham Bonnet – lead vocals (1988–1990, 2000–2002)
- Mark Weitz – lead vocals (1990)
- Curtis Skelton – lead vocals (2003–2008)
- Ted Days – bass (1987–1988)
- Chuck Wright – bass (1988, 1992)
- Dave Spitz – bass (1988–1990)
- Loni Silva – drums (1987–1988)
- Pat Torpey – drums (1988) (deceased 2018)
- Stet Howland – drums (1988–1990)
- Ken Mary – drums (1992, 1994–1999)
- Mark Bistany – drums (1992–1994)
- Phil Wolfe – keyboards (1988–1990)
- Claude Schnell – keyboards (1990, 1993)
- Ed Roth – keyboards (1995–2007)
- Glen Sobel – drums (1999–2009)
- Brandon Wild – drums (2009–2012)
- Jon Dette – drums (2012–2018)
- Patrick Johansson – drums (2018–2024; touring since 2016)
Timeline
Discography
| Year | Album Title | Format |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Impellitteri | EP |
| 1988 | Stand in Line | Studio Album |
| 1992 | Grin and Bear It | Studio Album |
| 1993 | Victim of the System | EP |
| 1994 | Answer to the Master | Studio Album |
| 1996 | Screaming Symphony | Studio Album |
| 1997 | Fuel for the Fire | EP |
| 1997 | Eye of the Hurricane | Studio Album |
| 1998 | Live! Fast! Loud! | Live Album |
| 2000 | Crunch | Studio Album |
| 2002 | System X | Studio Album |
| 2002 | The Very Best of Impellitteri: Faster Than the Speed of Light | Compilation Album |
| 2004 | Pedal to the Metal | Studio Album |
| 2009 | Wicked Maiden | Studio Album |
| 2015 | Venom | Studio Album |
| 2018 | The Nature of the Beast | Studio Album |
| 2022 | Wake the Beast | Compilation Album |
| 2023 | The Complete Beast 1987-2009 | Compilation Album |
| 2024 | War Machine | Studio Album |
References
External links
- [ Impellitteri biography, discography, album reviews & credits] at AllMusic.com
- Impellitteri discography & credits at Discogs.com
- Impellitteri albums streaming at Spotify