The recently formed Elegant Weapons, which features singer Ronnie Romero (Rainbow and MSG), guitarist Richie Faulkner (Judas Priest), bassist Rex Brown (Pantera and Down), and drummer Scott Travis, will surely rock hard. In the spring of 2023, the band will release its full-length debut album titled “Horns for a Halo.” It is produced by Andy Sneap and distributed by Nuclear Blast Records.
Being a part of a record company like Nuclear Blast, with its extensive history and high regard from both fans and the music business, is exciting, says guitarist Richie Faulkner. “Andy Sneap has always held the label in the highest regard, according to Monte Conner [Nuclear Blast VP A&R].” Monte has been a fan of the album since the very first demo versions. Richie adds that “It means a lot to me that the label I sign with appreciates and feels a connection to the music. This album more closely reflects my identity as a guitarist and songwriter. Heavy, yet straying just a little bit from the definition of “heavy metal.” Although those origins are clear, I wanted to go a little deeper to see what else emerged that wasn’t entirely expected.”
Additionally, the guitarist claims that Elegant Weapons has his dream line-up. “I’ve always wished to collaborate with Scott outside of Priest. Legendary metal bass player Rex Brown’s distinct tone and attitude are crucial for our sound and the results are something remarkable. A guitarist’s fantasy is to play with those guys in the rhythm section. Ronnie Romero was the cherry on top. Ronnie, with his unique voice, gave the songs a character and a swagger that instantly made them something unique.
Richie characterizes the song as “heavy, catchy, and with melody—a blend of Jimi Hendrix, Priest, Sabbath, solo Ozzy, and Black Label Society.” In a way that is both retro and contemporary, if that makes any sense. The songs are often heavier and feature numerous guitar solos. And even though there is a lot of melody, your bones will still quake.
Richie talks further about the songs, saying, “Me and acoustic don’t really get along, so there’s just one quiet song on it, a sort of smokey, haunting, New Orleans kind of tune called “Ghost of You,” with a de-tuned 1920s piano on it. That particular one is about a ghost or remembrance of a past love. But that is as acoustically effective as it gets. Acoustic guitars don’t really appeal to me in general. Really, it’s mostly heavy and full-on.
There is a song called “White Horse” and another called “Horns for a Halo,” which sounds like Tony Iommi and Alice in Chains combined. That’s essentially how we excuse our terrible behavior.
However, Elegant Weapons’ main goal is to carry on the rich lineage of the old proto-power metal created by the heavy metal giants of the 1970s and 1980s, particularly Richie’s own band, Judas Priest. And with the release of “Horns for a Halo” in 2023, audiences will finally get to hear what this intriguing new band sounds like. We can’t wait to hear Rex Brown rock out again. To find out more about Elegant Weapons check out their website here – www.elegantweaponsband.com
