Description
Persian Risk were a heavy metal band from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal era formed in 1979 and hailing from Cardiff, Wales. The brainchild of guitarist Phil Campbell, he recruited vocalist Jon Deverill, second guitarist Dave Bell, bass player Nick Hughes, and drummer Razz. The group was active until 1986.
Associated acts: Motörhead, Tygers Of Pan Tang, Lone Star, Wild Horses, Tyrant, Wrathchild, Chinatown, Shy, Idol Rich, Paul DiAnnos Killers, Battlezone, Wild, Tredegar, Geezer Butler Band, Paul Chapman’s Ghost, Krokus, Tank
SAMPLES: http://17329745.tistory.com/entry/Persian-Risk-Rise-Up
TRACK LISTING (13 not 10 songs –> High Vaultage, 1997)
1. Hold the Line 4:31
2. Jane 4:12
3. Rise Up 4:37
4. Brave New World 4:01
5. Don’t Turn Around 3:31
6. Sky’s Falling Down 4:53
7. Break Free 3:46
8. Dark Tower 4:03
9. Rip It Up 2:59
10. Women and Rock 4:00
11. Too Different 3:39 (bonus track)
12. Skys Falling Down 5:09 (bonus track)
13. Dark Tower 4:01 (bonus track)
Note: The High Vaultage re-issue added the 3 songs from the Too Different 12″ EP as bonus tracks.
In late 1980, Deverill was headhunted by the Tygers Of Pan Tang and replaced by Carl Sentance, a former band mate of Nick Hughes and Razz in Leading Star. New vocalist in place, Persian Risk issued the now highly collectible Calling For You b/w Chase the Dragon 7″ in 1981 before sacking Dave Bells replacement, Alex Lohfink, and soldiering on as a four-piece. The band made further headway by contributing the aforementioned Calling For You to the “Heavy Metal Heroes Vol.2” compilation (Heavy Metal Records, 1982) and a new cut, 50.000 Stallions, to the “60 Minutes Plus” cassette compilation (Neat Records, 1982), also issued on vinyl as “All Hell Let Loose” by Neat in conjunction with Italys Base Records label in 1983. Adding to their tally, the band followed it up with the Ridin’ High b/w Hurt You 7″ single through Neat, which earned Risk their strongest reviews yet.
It would turn out to be the final recording with drummer Razz who was sacked in late 1983. He was briefly superseded by Dixie Lee (ex-Lone Star, Wild Horses) before a more permanent replacement was a found in Steve Hopgood (ex-Chinatown, Shy). The band also added a new second guitarist, Graham Bath (ex-Sphinx). Persian Risk were dealt a significant blow when founding member Phil Campbell successfully auditioned for Motörhead, who would tap his old band for the support slot on their 1984 UK tour. Campbells successor was Phil Vokins (ex-Tyrant, Wrathchild). Risk also signed a new record deal with London-based Zebra Records and issued the Too Different 12″ EP in 1984 which saw the band temper their raw approach in favor of a somewhat more polished sound.
That same year, Persian Risk made their one and only national UK TV appearance when the band performed 3 songs – Women In Rock, Rise Up, and Too Different – on Channel 4s ECT program. All three songs would later feature on their “Rise Up” LP which finally saw the light of day in 1986 on Metal Masters. By that time, the band had already disintegrated, the result of mounting frustration after years of hard work and failing to get that illusive big break. Nick Hughes exited to join Idol Rich, drummer Steve Hopgood co-founded Wild! (and later joined Paul DiAnnos Battlezone and Killers as well as an early version of Jagged Edge), while Carl Sentance stepped in with Tokyo Blade on their 1986 European tour; he was also brought in as a guest vocalist by fellow Welsh act Tredegar for their 1986 debut album. Graham Bath, too, would later serve a stint with the DiAnno fronted Battlezone and Killers.
Post break-up activities & where are they now: Carl Sentance was recruited by Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler to front the Geezer Butler Band in 1986 but the group ultimately failed to score a record deal. In 1990, he was sought out by Welsh guitarist Paul Chapman of Lone Star, UFO, and Waysted fame to front a new band, Ghost, in Orlando, Florida. It too never got off the ground properly and was mostly ignored by the industry (although an archives release was put together posthumously by Chapman). Sentance also assembled an American version of Persian Risk with guitarist Mark Lanoue; the band gigged in the Southern US area until their demise in 1995. Back in the UK, the singer was involved in a project with members of Wraith before being asked to front legendary Swiss hard rockers Krokus in 1998; he appeared on their Round 13 album and stayed on for the next three years. In 2005, Sentance emerged fronting Whole Lotta Metal alongside co-vocalist Tony Martin of Black Sabbath fame and other British metal session musicians, assembled for a touring cast of cover versions. The singer also served as the voice for the Power Project who issued the Dinosaurs album in 2006. It featured Sentance and veteran US musicians Carlos Cavazo (Quiet Riot, Ratt), Jeff Pilson (Dokken, Dio, Foreigner), and Vinny Appice (Black Sabbath, Dio). On the live front, the singer teamed up with Deep Purples Don Airey & Friends and can also be heard on Aireys 2008 solo effort, A Light in the Sky. Sentance issued his debut solo album, Mind Doctor, in 2008; musical guests include Airey on keyboards and the Thunder rhythm section of Harry James and Chris Childs.
Steve Hopgood was seen in a late 90s incarnation of Tank who released the The Return of the Filth Hounds – Live album in 1998 and toured Japan as part of a 20th Anniversary NWOBHM festival billing, documented on the Metal Crusade ’99 split CD, which also features Samson, Trespass, and Praying Mantis.
Phil Vokins returned in 2006 with Psychowrath, a union with fellow ex-Wrathchild members, bassist Marc Angel and drummer Eddie Starr, and Beyond Recognition vocalist Gaz Harris. The band is still active and playing shows.
Nick Hughes has re-emerged in recent years as a DJ and producer.
Jon Deverill left the rock music world behind after a final pair of Tygers of Pan Tang albums, The Wreck-Age and Burning in the Shade, in the late 80s and now works as a successful stage actor. A graduate of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff, Deverill, stage name: Jon de Ville, most recently appeared in a national tour of Blood Brothers in 2007 and The Sound of Music in London in 2008. An album, recorded in the mid-90s under the name of Square World with fellow former Tyger, Fred Purser, remains unreleased.
Phil Campbell has been a continuous member of Motörhead for the last 25 years and has recorded a total of 13 studio albums with the band. In 2004, Campbell made ‘The 100 Welsh Heroes’ list as a result of Wales’ largest ever online poll, conducted by Culturenet Cymru.
5.0 out of 5 stars Lost classic!,
1 of the better bands out of the dross-filled NMOBHM in the early 80s. Some great tracks here, plenty of melody and strong songwriting throughout.
Standout tracks – Dark Tower, Jane, Women & Rock
Carl Sentance is/ was a great singer too. Glad this CD has been put out, my ageing copy of the original vinyl has been truly spent!
Rock on boys!
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