Warlord (California band)

Warlord

Company type	Band
Industry	Music
Founded	1980
Headquarters	Los Angeles, California , United States
Key people	William J Tsamis, Mark Zonder
Products	Heavy metal music

Warlord is a heavy metal band from the United States, established in 1980 and operating out of Los Angeles, California. Since its formation, guitarist William J Tsamis and drummer Mark Zonder have been the consistent leaders of the group.

Formation and early period

Guitarist and songwriter Bill Tsamis alongside drummer Mark Zonder founded Warlord after moving from San Jose to Los Angeles. Their music caught the eye of Brian Slagel, owner of Metal Blade Records, who had previously promoted bands like Metallica through the Metal Massacre compilation series. Enthusiastic about the new wave of British heavy metal and European metal influences, Slagel signed Warlord following their tracks "Lucifer's Hammer" on Metal Massacre II (1982) and "Mrs. Victoria" on Metal Massacre III. This partnership resulted in their 1983 six-track mini-album Deliver Us, which received attention in prominent music magazines including Kerrang!.

The band distinguished themselves by adopting stage names—'Destroyer' for Tsamis, 'Thunderchild' for Zonder, 'Damien King' for vocalist Jack Rucker, and 'Sentinel' for keyboardist Diane Kornarens—and deliberately avoided the typical Los Angeles club scene in favor of a more theatrical approach. Their only live show took place at The Raymond Theatre and was filmed without an audience to serve as the basis for their debut full-length record, And the Cannons of Destruction Have Begun... (October 1984). This album featured new compositions like "Soliloquy" and "MCMLXXXIV," alongside earlier singles such as "Lost And Lonely Days" and "Aliens." The lineup included Tsamis, Zonder, Kornarens, bassist Dave Watry ('Archangel'), and vocalist Rick Cunningham ('Damien King II'), with Rick Anderson ("Damien King III") contributing during studio sessions.

Subsequent projects and initial reunion

Persistent difficulties in maintaining a stable roster, particularly securing a dependable vocalist, led to Warlord disbanding in 1986. Following this, Tsamis moved from California to Florida and underwent a spiritual transformation. That same year, Metal Blade issued Thy Kingdom Come, a compilation resembling a best-of album. In 1989, an expanded edition combining the Deliver Us EP was released as Best of Warlord, marking the band's debut on CD.

Tsamis produced an acoustic demo under the name Lordian Winds and conceived 'My Name Is Man,' an ambitious 75-minute music video inspired by John Milton's Paradise Lost. Despite its cinematic scope, it failed to secure production backing. Subsequently, Tsamis formed Lordian Guard with his wife Vidonne Sayre Riemenschneider providing vocals; this project centered on Christian apocalyptic themes. They released two albums through Germany's Hellion Records: Lordian Guard (1995) and Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God (1997). Many songs originated from either the abandoned My Name Is Man project or a prospective second Warlord record. A third album titled The Holy Empire was planned but never completed.

Drummer Mark Zonder kept Warlord’s rehearsal space in San Fernando Valley, transforming it into a leading studio facility in Northern Los Angeles. He worked as a drum consultant and session musician before joining Metal Blade’s Fates Warning, contributing to their 1989 release Perfect Symmetry. Zonder remained with Fates Warning for six studio albums and two live recordings until his departure following 2004’s FWX. Later, he collaborated with multi-instrumentalist Wayne Findlay in Temple Within; their debut album was released under the name Slavior in 2007 via Inside Out Music.

Despite limited mainstream exposure, Warlord retained a devoted underground fanbase and reunited in 2002 with original members Tsamis and Zonder joined by HammerFall frontman Joacim Cans, whose band had previously covered Warlord’s "Child of the Damned" on their 1997 debut. This lineup produced Rising Out of the Ashes, released by Italian Athreia Records (licensed to German Drakkar Records), featuring reimagined Lordian Guard material infused with Warlord’s heavier style. That year they performed live at Wacken Open Air, supported by Italian act Black Jester.

Following this period, no new activity occurred until 2011; however, in 2009 Cans mentioned that another album could be possible if there was sufficient label interest. The continued demand for Warlord was further demonstrated by offers to appear at European festivals including headlining Hamburg’s Headbangers Open Air in 2009—though Tsamis and Zonder declined. Over time, Warlord’s cult status has remained strong throughout Europe.

Second reunion, Tsamis' passing, and renewed studio activity

Towards the end of 2011, Bill Tsamis shared on the band's fan page that Warlord had returned to the recording studio. Mark Zonder uploaded a teaser of a fresh track on YouTube, though Tsamis initially kept the vocalist's identity undisclosed. On March 12, 2012, Tsamis unveiled "Night of the Fury," marking Warlord's first new song in ten years, with Rick Anderson (also known as Damien King III) providing vocals.

In August 2012, Warlord announced their role as headliners for the 2013 Keep It True XVI Festival, followed by performances in Athens and Thessaloniki. That October, the band's 1984 EP Lost and Lonely Days/Aliens was remastered and reissued through Sons of a Dream Music.

March 2013 brought the release of The Holy Empire, a studio album that garnered favorable critiques from metal publications. Two sold-out live shows in Athens featured vocalist Giles Lavery. By September 2013, Cypriot singer Nicholas Leptos—recognized for his work with Arrayan Path and other projects—was introduced as the new lead vocalist.

For the 2014 tour, Gary Wehrkamp from Shadow Gallery stepped in on bass due to Philip Bynoe's scheduling conflicts. In May 2021, Bill Tsamis, Warlord’s founding guitarist and composer, passed away.

Third reunion

On April 10, 2023, Warlord declared their reformation featuring Mark Zonder on drums, Giles Lavery returning as vocalist, Philip Bynoe on bass, and Jimmy Waldo handling keyboards. Guitarist roles are slated to be revealed at a later date. The group intends to perform select shows in 2024 as a tribute to co-founder Bill Tsamis.

Members

Current

• Mark Zonder – drums (1980–1986, 2001–2002, 2011–present)
• Philip Bynoe – bass (2013–present)
• Giles Lavery – vocals (2013, 2023–present)
• Jimmy Waldo – keyboards (2023–present)
• Eric Juris – guitars (2023–present)
• Diego Pires – guitars (2025)

Former

• William J Tsamis – guitars, keyboards (1980–1986, 2001–2002, 2011–2021; deceased 2021)
• Jack Rucker – vocals (1981–1983)
• Rick Cunningham – vocals (1984–1986)
• Rick Anderson – vocals (1986, 2011–2013)
• Joacim Cans – vocals (2001–2002)
• Nicholas Leptos – vocals (2014–2017)
• Joe Hall – bass (1980–1981)
• Rik Fox – bass (1982)
• Dave Watry – bass (1984–1986)
• Jerry Alcevia – keyboards (1981)
• Diane Kornarens – keyboards (1981–1986)

Live

• Paulo Viani – guitar (2002, 2013–2017)
• Angelo Vafeiadis – keyboards (2013–2017)
• Gary Wehrkamp – bass (2014)
• Pasko – bass (2002)
• Daniele Soravia – keyboards (2002)

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Colors =

  id:vocals           value:red           legend:Lead_vocals
  id:guitar           value:green         legend:Guitar
  id:bass             value:blue          legend:Bass
  id:drums            value:orange        legend:Drums
  id:keys             value:purple        legend:Keyboards
  id:album            value:black         legend:Album
  id:bars             value:gray(0.92)

Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:3 BackgroundColors = bars:bars ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:2 start:1980 ScaleMinor = unit:year increment:1 start:1980

BarData =

  bar:Rucker      text:"Jack Rucker"
  bar:Cunningham  text:"Rick Cunningham"
  bar:Anderson    text:"Rick Anderson"
  bar:Cans        text:"Joacim Cans"
  bar:Leptos      text:"Nicholas Leptos"
  bar:Lavery      text:"Giles Lavery"
  bar:Tsamis      text:"William J Tsamis" 
  bar:Juris       text:"Eric Juris"
  bar:Hall        text:"Joe Hall"
  bar:Fox         text:"Rik Fox" 
  bar:Watry       text:"Dave Watry"
  bar:Bynoe       text:"Philip Bynoe"
  bar:Zonder      text:"Mark Zonder"
  bar:Alcevia     text:"Jerry Alcevia" 
  bar:Kornarens   text:"Diane Kornarens"
  bar:Waldo       text:"Jimmy Waldo"
  bar:Pires       text:"Diego Pires"

PlotData =

 width:11
 bar:Rucker          from:01/01/1981 till:05/12/1983  color:vocals
 bar:Cunningham      from:01/01/1984 till:12/01/1986  color:vocals 
 bar:Anderson        from:01/02/1986 till:12/12/1986  color:vocals
 bar:Anderson        from:01/01/2011 till:01/08/2013  color:vocals 
 bar:Cans            from:01/01/2001 till:01/11/2002  color:vocals 
 bar:Leptos          from:01/09/2013 till:01/01/2017  color:vocals 
 bar:Lavery          from:10/04/2023 till:end         color:vocals
 bar:Tsamis          from:01/01/1980 till:12/12/1986  color:guitar
 bar:Tsamis          from:01/01/2001 till:01/11/2002  color:guitar
 bar:Tsamis          from:01/01/2011 till:01/05/2021  color:guitar
 bar:Juris           from:10/04/2023 till:end         color:guitar
 bar:Pires           from:01/01/2025 till:end         color:guitar
 bar:Hall            from:01/01/1980 till:05/10/1981  color:bass
 bar:Fox             from:01/01/1982 till:12/12/1982  color:bass
 bar:Watry           from:01/01/1984 till:12/12/1986  color:bass
 bar:Bynoe           from:01/01/2013 till:end         color:bass 
 bar:Zonder          from:01/01/1980 till:12/12/1986  color:drums
 bar:Zonder          from:01/01/2001 till:01/11/2002  color:drums
 bar:Zonder          from:01/01/2011 till:end         color:drums
 bar:Alcevia         from:01/01/1981 till:01/10/1981  color:keys
 bar:Kornarens       from:01/11/1981 till:12/12/1986  color:keys
 bar:Waldo           from:10/04/2023 till:end         color:keys

LineData =

layer:bg
color:black at:
  10/04/1983 
  01/10/1984
  22/07/2002
  10/03/2013
  18/10/2015
  10/05/2024

</timeline>

Studio albums

• Deliver Us (1983) (EP)
• And the Cannons of Destruction Have Begun... (1984)
• Rising Out of the Ashes (2002)
• The Holy Empire (2013)
• The Hunt for Damien (2015) (Remix)
• Free Spirit Soar (2024)
• The Lost Archangel (2025)

Live albums

• Live in Athens 2013 (2015)

Singles

• Lost and Lonely Days / Aliens (12-inch single) (1984)

Compilations

• Metal Massacre II – featuring "Lucifer's Hammer"
• Metal Massacre III – including "Mrs. Victoria"
• Best of Metal Massacre – with the track "Mrs. Victoria"
• Thy Kingdom Come (1986)
• Best of Warlord (1989)
• The Ten Commandments (Warlord Through the Years) (2014)
• From the Ashes to the Archive – The Hot Pursuit Continues (2024)