Scroll
down to access James Byrd's discography
Tribute album appearances are located underneath the main discography.
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James Byrd's Atlantis Rising - Crimes
Of Virtuosity - Special Bonus Tracks Edition
2005 Lion Music |
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Prelude In Sea
Metatron
Heaven On Their Minds
Shot Down In Flames*
In My Darkest Hour
The Hunted Heretic
Jane
Get Free
Storm King
Bolero - No.46 Mvt. 3*
Goodbye My Love
Going Home
James Byrd - All Guitars/
Keyboards, Kendall Torrey - Vocals. Randy Matthieson - Bass. Chase Culp
- Drums.
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This new version
of Crimes Of Virtuosity sees all new artwork by Byrd and 2 bonus tracks
(indicated on track listing by *) available worldwide for the very first
time on Lion Music. |
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Byrd - Anthem
2002 Lion Music
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Anthem ~ Dealt By Darkness
Omen
Messages From Home
Some Day
All I Want
Killing Machine
Thank You
The Price Of War
Only Love
James Byrd - All Guitars + Backing Vocals, Michael James
Flatters - Vocals, Brian Hutchinson - Bass, Keyboards, Drums, Backing
Vocals. |
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'Anthem'
sets forth 9 tracks of highly polished progressive symphonic metal featuring
complex multi-layered vocal harmonies, AOR melodic sensibility, and incredible
guitar performances along with rich orchestration. One of Byrd's finest
compositions is contained here with the epic 'The Price Of War' as
well as the burning fretwork of Messages From Home, whilst Killing
Machine is home to some of the most complex arrangements Byrd has
fused yet into a metal framework. |
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Byrd - Flying
Beyond The 9
2001
Lion Music |
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Flying Beyond The 9
Dark Heart
W.T.O. (We Took Over)
Nevermore
Everything To Me
Unity (While You Were Sleeping)
Paradise Tonight
All Of Me (an allegory)
Avianti Suite Op.1 No.63
James Byrd - All Guitars + Backing Vocals. Michael James Flatters - Vocals.
Brian Hutchinson - Bass, Keyboards, Drums, Backing Vocals. |
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Byrd's debut on
Lion Music. 'Flying Beyond The 9' heralded a new beginning and a new
sound. Heavily orchestrated with dynamic songs the album was Byrd's
most critically acclaimed release thus far. Flying Beyond The
9 was in Lion Music's top 3 sellers of 2001 and set a new benchmark
in terms of quality for Byrd's future works. |
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James Byrd's Atlantis Rising - Crimes Of Virtuosity mp3.com edition
2000 mp3.com |
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Metatron 444
Shot Down In Flames
Goodbye My Love
Byrd's Bolero No.46 Mvt#1
Get Free
In My Darkest Hour
Storm King
Jane
The Hunted Heretic (When I Was Young)
Going Home
James Byrd - All Guitars.
Kendall Torrey - Vocals. Randy Matthieson - Bass. Chase Culp - Drums.
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This
extremely ltd edition of 'C.O.V.' was remastered for sale at Byrd's
page at mp3.com page (now redundant). If you own a copy of this you have a TRUE collectors item.
The track
Metatron (444) went to #2 on the mp3.com progressive metal charts 10
days after release, and remained there for 9 straight weeks. The track
was still top ten at mp3.com after six months with many thousands of
plays and downloads. |
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James Byrd's Atlantis Rising - Crimes
Of Virtuosity
1998
Mascot Records / JVC Victor |
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Prelude
In Sea
Metatron 444
Heaven On Their Minds
In My Darkest Hour
The Hunted Heretic (When I Was Young)
Jane
Get Free
Storm King
Goodbye My Love
Going Home
James Byrd - All Guitars.
Kendall Torrey - Vocals. Randy Matthieson - Bass. Chase Culp - Drums.
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Crimes of
Virtuosity was recorded in 1996 and first released on JVC Records in
Asia in late 1997.
Featuring
Byrd's most passionate and aggressive guitar playing to date. The
album also features amazing vocal performances long-time friend
Kendall Torrey on lead vocals.
Crimes of
Virtuosity is a decidedly aggressive album and it's raw, in your
face guitar tones mark a change in production for Byrd, being
decidedly un-processed and clear. The album was featured on
Masa Itoh's Syndicated Radio Hour across Asia and reviews have been
stellar. C.O.V. was remixed for it's European release on Mascot
Records in 1998 as an HDCD.
Standout
tracks include "Metatron" which features one of the longest, fastest
guitar solos ever recorded, and a burning cover of the Andrew Lloyd
Webber classic "Heaven on Their Minds" from the rock musical Jesus
Christ Superstar. |
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The James Byrd Group - The
Apocalypse Chime
1996 Shrapnel Records |
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Bosnia
One
Visigoth
Cold Paradise
Death (is)
Dolly Dagger
I've Got A Line On You
Lighting The Sky
The Long Road
James Byrd - All Guitars
& Bass. Robert Mason - Vocals. Chase Culp - Drums. Doug Roberts -
Keyboards. Evan Sheeley - Bass on Dolly Dagger.
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The Apocalypse
Chime features James Byrd teaming up with former George Lynch
vocalist Robert Mason for 9 tracks of gothic progressive metal.
Recorded in
late 1995 and released on Shrapnel Records in 1996, The Apocalypse
Chime was Byrd's last album on the Shrapnel label. Well received in
the press for it's hard-hitting performances and writing, the album
even features a cover of the cult Hendrix classic "Dolly Dagger"
from The Original Rainbow Bridge Motion Picture Sound Track release
(1970) .
Songs like
"Visigoth" feature passionate and highly technical performances and
the album is still selling among fans of over-the-top neo-classical
guitar metal. |
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James Byrd - Son
Of Man
1995
Shrapnel Records |
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In The Beginning
Adam
The World Requiem
Ezekiel (son of man)
Yeshua - Adonai Elohim
Out Of The Temple
The Teacher / Beatitude
Golgotha / The Right Hand Of Power
In My Fathers House
James Byrd - All Guitars,
Fretted Bass, Keyboards & Piano. Bill Roman - Fretless Bass. Chase
Culp - Drums.
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More focused
than Octoglomerate, and very classical in it's approach, Son of Man
marks Byrd's 4th release and second instrumental album. Recorded and
engineered by Byrd in 1995, Son of Man brought Byrd international fame
as an important instrumentalist when Yngwie Malmsteen granted his
first, and to this day, his only personal public endorsement of
another guitarist .
Malmsteen's
uncompensated endorsement of Byrd to Shrapnel Records brought Byrd
into the limelight when Malmsteen proclaimed him as "The most exciting
European sounding guitarist I've heard in years". Byrd was featured in
Guitar magazine as "One of The Ten Best Guitarists You've never Heard
Of", and proclaimed to be "Too good to be true".
Additional
proclaimations by Malmsteen in interviews of Byrd as "A great
Guitarist" and a guitarist who "Really has vision" furthered Byrd's
visibility in the press, and Son of Man became the most critically
acclaimed guitar instrumental album ever released on Shrapnel Records.
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James Byrd - Octoglomerate
1993 Shrapnel Records
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Heavy Water
Sunburst
Octoglomerate
War Hero
Yoshimi's Mourning
Time Alone
Mourning World Blues
Dances With Knives
Why Have You Forsaken Me
James Byrd - Electric
& Classical Guitar, Keyboards, Bass Guitar on 'Octoglomerate' and
'Why Have You Forsaken Me'. Jeff Robinette - Drums, Sequencing & Percussion.
Joey Blair Mudarri - Bass Guitar & Fretless Bass Guitar.
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Byrd's first
all instrumental release, "Octoglomerate" was recorded in 1993 for
Shrapnel Records. The album features a blend of Hendrixian
space-rock and neo-classical influences which remain unique.
Octoglomerate also marked Byrd's introduction to Yngwie Malmsteen
who upon hearing the album, asked to meet Byrd. The two became good
friends when Byrd found that Malmsteen admired his music and vision.
Octoglomerate also marked Byrd's first effort at engineering, having
been recorded by Byrd in his basement on a single 8 track machine
with almost no equipment other than his guitars, amps, and an
ancient Digital delay/reverb unit. Octoglomerate is an album made
with virtually no commercial considerations according to Byrd, and
the album features very extended concepts, embodying elements of
blues, jazz, flamenco, classical, funk, and metal. Impossible to put
in one category, Octoglomerate generated critical acclaim not only
from Malmsteen, but in the guitar press as well.
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James Byrd's Atlantis Rising
1991
Shrapnel Records |
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Into The Light
Let It Out
After The Fire
Fallen Warrior
Angel Of Mercy
Driven By Desire
Eye Of The Storm
Remember Love
Bay Of Rainbows
Fly To The Sun
James Byrd - Guitars.
Freddy Krumins - Vocals. Ken Mary - Drums. Evan Sheeley - Bass.
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Recorded under
his own name in late 1989, Byrd's 2nd album was released in Japan
and Europe to critical acclaim in 1990 on the Apollon and RoadRunner
labels, respectively.
Although
slated for release on Shrapnel Records in the U.S. in 1990, a
lawsuit between label president Mike Varney and his distributor left
Byrd's album undistributed in boxes for an entire year while ads ran
claiming it's availability.
Featuring
the same melodic writing style that won critical acclaim for Fifth
Angel, the album was a strong seller in Japan and Europe. James
Byrd's Atlantis Rising charted at #14 in Asia, and was a top 20
metal release in European territories.
The
album marked Byrd's first instrumental track, "Bay of Rainbows", a
majestic anthem featuring backwards guitars and soaring melodies.
The album is
now out of print. |
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Fifth
Angel - Fifth Angel
1984
Shrapnel Records / 1986 Epic Records. |
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In The Fallout
Shout It Out
Call Out The Warning
Fifth Angel
Wings Of Destiny
The Night
Only The Strong Survive
Cry Out The Fools
Fade To Flames
James Byrd - Lead Guitars.
Ted Pilot - Vocals. Ken Mary - Drums. Ed Archer - Rhythm Guitar. John
Macko - Bass.
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The
genre defining album of the Power Metal movement. Fifth Angel is on its
umpteenth world re-release and Byrd has never seen a cent from Epic.
Considered by fans of melodic power metal to be an underground classic,
the album that launched James Byrd's recording career is now in it's
umpteenth world re-release and Byrd has never seen a cent from Epic.
The band Fifth Angel was created by Byrd in late 1983 and quickly
snatched-up by California guitar-whiz promoter Mike Varney and signed to
his label, Shrapnel Records. The album made it's debut on Shrapnel in late
1985 and garnered critical acclaim in the press, particularly in Europe.
In 1989 Fifth Angel were signed to Epic/ CBS Records and the debut album
was re-mastered, given a new cover, and re-released. Feature articles in
major magazines like Metal Edge, Hit Parader, Pulse, and a whole slew of
European publications propelled the band into the heavy metal spotlight.
Byrd landed endorsement deals with Ibanez and Peavey and full page ads
featuring him ran in major guitar magazines. The band signed with Concret
Management and Marketing but Byrd parted company with Fifth Angel at the
same time.
Fifth Angel went on to record the next album without Byrd, but broke-up
upon completion of the recording. Drummer Ken Mary went on to play with
Byrd on his 2nd album, James Byrd's Atlantis Rising.
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Tribute
Album Appearances |
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Secondhand Smoke - A Tribute To Frank Marino
2005 Wildmess Records |
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James Byrd performs the classic 'The World Anthem'.
The album is
available now exclusively through
Wildmess Records
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The Spirit
Lives On Vol.2 - A Tribute To Jimi Hendrix
2004 Lion Music |
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James Byrd performs
a solo on the track 'Burning Of The Midnight Lamp'.
The album is
available now on Lion Music.
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Beyond
Inspiration - A Tribute To Uli Jon Roth
2003 Lion Music |
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James Byrd performs
a blistering rendition of 'Still So Many Lives Away', with Michael
Flatters on vocals, Ian Haughland (drums) and Weine Johansson (bass).
The album is
available now on Lion Music.
Press comments:
"James Byrd kicks in hard
with Still So Many Lives Away, joined by fellow Byrd vocalist Michael
Flatters. This is one track I was very excited about as soon as the cd
arrived, luckily the track does not disappoint in the slightest. Byrd's
extremely pure tone is prevalent throughout with some tasty harmonisations
of the original lines. James' guitar tone was big on the last Byrd release
Anthem but here it is super thick yet with stunning clarity.Uli's
influence on Byrd is well known, yet James has not seen this as an excuse
to ape Uli note for note. Instead Byrd serves up a revamped solo and
guitar lines that whilst staying true to the original add a new sound to
the track that updates it and brings an original element to the tune -
just listen to that phrasing, vibrato and tone - glorious! This is the
best example on the album of how to cover a track, by using the original
and then revamping it to make it your own. Simply stunning!" (www.VirtuosityOne.com),
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Warmth In
The Wilderness Vol.1- A Tribute To Jason Becker
2001 Lion Music |
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Byrd performs a
trademark solo on the final track of disc 2 entitled 'Outro Jam'.
Coming in hard before evolving into a beautiful classical harmonisation.
The album is
available now on Lion Music.
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