Infernal Majesty

Originally going by the name of Overlord, Toronto thrashers Infernal Majesty formed in 1986 and featured vocalist Chris Bailey, guitarists Kenny Hallman and Steve Terror, bassist Psycopath, and drummer Rick Nemes. A four-song demo was duly recorded and circulated to specialized magazines, eventually finding its way to Roadrunner Records, which chose to sign the band and issued their None Shall Defy debut in 1987. Although it received very positive reviews, yielded a video for the title track, and is still considered a minor classic of technical thrash metal, the album proved to be their last for Roadrunner, which dropped them with no explanation soon after its release. Bailey, Psycopath, and Nemes also left at this time (the last two starting a new band called Castle of Pain) and were replaced by new vocalist Justin (more on him later), bassist Chay McMullen, and drummer Kevin Harrison, but none of the revamped group's demos managed to attract a new record deal. Infernal Majesty eventually went their separate ways, and Justin went on to grab headlines, when he was charged with slashing a young woman's wrists and drinking her blood! Labeled the "vampire trial," his bizarre behavior earned him seven months in prison and, wonder of wonders, the love of his former victim, with whom he later shacked up! In the meantime, Infernal Majesty (with a returning Chris Bailey) had experienced a resurgence of interest in 1996 when their debut was re-released on CD. And, following a short European touring stint, they scored a new deal with Hypnotic Records and released the Unholier Than Thou album in 1998, only to be swiftly dropped yet again. Unfazed, they self-released the live Chaos in Copenhagen in 1999.