Metal Edge 12/2000

When I was given the opportunity to have my own page in this issue of Metal Edge, I knew immediately what I wanted to write about. I could have easily come up with a page praising my New York Yankees and their continuing dynasty, but I decided to talk about a band I hold very close to my heart. A band that frontman Kory Clarke called, "the band that fought America and eventually lost," A band that was overlooked the first time around, and is now giving you another chance. This band is Warrior Soul.

The 1990's saw Warrior Soul go criminally ignored by the masses. Revolutionary, angst-ridden, metal battle cries presented to the world in five minutes blasts, before MTV told you that was cool to enjoy. Frontman Kory Clarke, guitarist John Ricco, bassist Pete McClanahan, and drummer Marc Evans presented their take on America's decaying social and political infrastructure over the course of six brilliant releases.

Critically acclaimed among metal journalists, Warrior Soul was unable to translate rave review into album sales and it led to an all out war against their label. The continuing struggles eventually led to their demise in 1995. It very well might have been a conspiracy against the band as you now have MTV darlings Zach de la Rocha and Fred Durst spewing their political and anti-authoritative rants to legions of kids who purchase 15 million of their respective bands CD's, based on idea's that Kory Clarke pioneered years before them. With a new century upon us, Warrior Soul is giving America the second chance it has longed for.

The end of the '90s found Kory Clarke forming The Space Age Playboys, a band with totally opposite ideals of Warrior Soul. Songs titles that once included names such as "Drugs, God, and the New Republic" and "Ghetto Nation" were replaced with "Tokyo Girls Go Bang Bang" and "I Want Some Pussy." New Rock Underground and Live In London were met with minimal fanfare and only saw releases overseas. While commercial success alluded Kory once again... "Guitarist John Ricco played in a project with former Lynch Mob bassist Anthony Esposito called Pure 13 and it's sitting on a completed record still awaiting release. Catchy industrial blasts with God and punk overtones, Pure 13 also fell by the wayside as MTV promoted platinum selling cover band Orgy and their rendition of the New Order classic "Blue Monday."

After a project with DJ Shadow, an almost super group with Cult guitarists Billy Duffy, and never-materializing intentions of Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich to bring The Space Age Playboys to his new record label, Kory knew where his passion lay and the reunion was born. I spoke with Johnny Ricco and he told me that the reunion has been brewing for the last two years, but it wasn't until the summer of 1999 that things started to happen. A 10 year reunion show at the London Astoria2 on September 28 proved to the sold out crowd that Warrior Soul still mattered. The guys were back together for the first time in six years, and was like no time had passed. Ricco promises to incorporate some of the idea's of today's heavy music with the substance and wisdom from writings past in upcoming yearly releases from the band. "Give the people what they want," he declared.

Warrior Soul is closing the chapter on the last decade of a dead century, and is starting the new millennium with a retrospective album and a brand new studio album to be released early next year on Dream Catcher Records. Johnny Ricco wants to thank all of his fans and tell you that the band is back in action, heavier than ever, and promises to go full on.

To stay updated, please check out www.koryclarke.com and www.warriorsoul.com. For those of you that have missed the boat, do yourself a favor and locate Last Decade, Dead Century, Drugs God and the New Republic, Salutations from the Ghetto Nation, Chill Pill, Space Age Playboys and Odds and Ends.