Origin: New York, New York, USA  
Genres: Power Metal
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Last update/review: July 4, 2023

Virgin Steele

Virgin Steele have been around since the early 80's, at which time they briefly achieved some acclaim for their early classic power metal albums before seemingly disappearing from view. But they've always been around, garnering a considerable European following in recent years. The early core of the band was vocalist David Defeis and guitarist Jack Starr, but while the latter has long since depart to forge his own solo career, Defeis has been the constant here. The later albums have retained the 80's format, with a neoclassical keyboard-laden edge and style not too far removed from fellow New Yorkers Manowar.

Recent album: The Passion Of Dionysus, released on June 30, 2023.

Current Members

David Defeis

vocals/keyboards

Edward Pursino

guitars (ex-Piledriver)

Joshua Block

bass

Former Members/Guests

Jack Starr

guitars (Burning Starr, ex-Devil Childe, ex-Guardians Of The Flame, ex-Phantom Lord)

Dave Ferrara (guest)

guitars

Rob Demartino

bass

Lynn Delmato (guest)

keyboards

Joe O'Reilly

bass

Joey Ayvazian

drums

Frank Gilchriest

drums (ex-Gothic Knights, ex-Holy Mother, Riot)

Robert Esposito (guest)

drums


Discography



Virgin Steele  
1982 Music For Nations
  1. Danger Zone
  2. American Girl
  3. Dead End Kid
  4. Drive On Thru
  5. Still In Love With You
  6. Children Of The Storm
  7. Pictures On You
  8. Pulverizer
  9. Living In Sin
  10. Virgin Steele
  • David Defeis
  • Jack Starr
  • Joe O'Reilly
  • Joey Ayvazian


A Cry In The Night  EP
1983 Music For Nations
  • David Defeis
  • Jack Starr
  • Joe O'Reilly
  • Joey Ayvazian


Guardians Of The Flame  
1983 Music For Nations
  1. Don't Say Goodbye (Tonight)
  2. Burn The Sun
  3. Life Of Crime
  4. The Redeemer
  5. Birth Through Fire
  6. Guardians Of The Flame
  7. Metal City
  8. Hell Or High Water
  9. Go All The Way
  10. A Cry In The Night
  • David Defeis
  • Jack Starr
  • Joe O'Reilly
  • Joey Ayvazian


Burn The Sun  
1984 Maze
  1. Don't Say Goodbye
  2. A Cry In The Night
  3. I Am The One
  4. Life Of Crime
  5. Burn The Sun
  6. Birth Through Fire
  7. Guardians Of The Flame
  8. Wait For The Night
  9. Metal City
  10. Go Down Fighting
  • David Defeis
  • Edward Pursino
  • Joe O'Reilly
  • Joey Ayvazian


Noble Savage  
1985 AM
  1. We rule the night
  2. I'm On Fire
  3. Thy Kingdom Come
  4. Image Of A Faun At Twilight
  5. Noble Savage
  6. Fight Tooth And Nail
  7. The Evil In Her Eyes
  8. Rock Me
  9. Don't Close Your Eyes
  10. The Angel Of Light
  • David Defeis
  • Edward Pursino
  • Joe O'Reilly
  • Joey Ayvazian


Age Of Consent  
1988 AM
  1. The Burning Of Rome (Cry For Pompeii)
  2. Let It Roar
  3. Prelude To Evening
  4. Lion In Winter
  5. Stranger At The Gate
  6. On The Wings Of The Night
  7. Seventeen
  8. Tragedy
  9. Stay On Top
  10. Chains Of Fire
  11. Cry Forever
  12. We Are Eternal
  • David Defeis
  • Edward Pursino
  • Joe O'Reilly
  • Joey Ayvazian


Life Among The Ruins  
1993 Shark
  1. Sex Religion Machine
  2. Love Is Pain
  3. Jet Black
  4. Invitation
  5. I Dress In Black
  6. Crown Of Thorns
  7. Cage Of Angels
  8. Never Believed In Goodbye
  9. Too Hot To Handle
  10. Love's Gone
  11. Wild Fire Woman -Cry Forever
  12. Haunting The Last Hours
  13. Last Rose Of Summer
  • David Defeis
  • Edward Pursino
  • Rob Demartino
  • Joey Ayvazian


The Marriage Of Heaven And Hell I  
1995 Noise
  1. I Will Come For You
  2. Weeping Of The Spirits
  3. Blood And Gasoline
  4. Self Crucifixion
  5. Last Supper
  6. Warrior's Lament
  7. Trail Of Tears
  8. The Raven Song
  9. Forever Will I Roam
  10. I wake Up Screaming
  11. House Of Dust
  12. Blood Of The Saints
  13. Life Among The Ruins
  14. The Marriage Of Heaven And Hell
  • David Defeis
  • Edward Pursino
  • Rob Demartino
  • Frank Gilchriest
1995 Readers' Album #70



The Marriage Of Heaven And Hell II  
1996 Noise
  1. A Symphony Of Steele
  2. Crown of Glory
  3. From Chaos To Creation
  4. Twilight Of The Gods
  5. Rising Unchained
  6. Transfiguration
  7. Prometheus The Fallen One
  8. Emalaith
  9. Strawgirl
  10. Devil/Angel
  11. Unholy Water
  12. Victory Is Mine
  13. The Marriage of Heaven And Hell revisited
  • David Defeis
  • Edward Pursino
  • Rob Demartino
  • Frank Gilchriest
1996 Readers' Album #62



Invictus  
1998 Noise
  1. The Blood Of Vengeance
  2. Invictus
  3. Mind, Body, Spirit
  4. In The Arms Of The Death God
  5. Through Blood And Fire
  6. Sword Of The Gods
  7. God Of Our Sorrows
  8. Vow Of Honour
  9. Defiance
  10. Dust From The Burning
  11. Amaranth
  12. A Whisper Of Death
  13. Dominion Day
  14. A Shadow Of Fear
  15. Theme from "The Marriage.."
  16. Veni, Vidi, Vici
  • David Defeis
  • Edward Pursino
  • Rob Demartino
  • Frank Gilchriest
1998 Readers' Album #61



The House Of Atreus Act I  
1999 Noise
  1. Kingdom Of Fearless (The Destruction Of Troy)
  2. Blaze Of Victory (The Watchman's Song)
  3. Through The Ring Of Fire
  4. Prelude In A Minor (The Voyage Home)
  5. Death Darkly Closed Their Eyes (The Messenger's Song)
  6. In Triumph Or Tragedy
  7. Return Of The King
  8. Flames Of The Black Star (The Arrows Of Heracles)
  9. Narcissus
  10. And Hecate Smiled
  11. A Song Of Prophecy
  12. Child Of Desolation
  13. G Minor Invention (Descent Into Death's Twlight Kingdom)
  14. Day Of Wrath
  15. Great Sword Of Flame
  16. The Gift Of Tantalos
  17. Iphigenia In Hades
  18. The Fire God
  19. Garden Of Lamentation
  20. Agony And Shame
  21. Gate Of Kings
  22. Via Sacra
  • David Defeis
  • Edward Pursino
  • Frank Gilchriest
1999 Readers' Album #28



Magick Fire Music  EP
2000 Noise
  1. Wings Of Vengenace
  2. Flames Of Thy Power (From Blood They Rise)
  3. Prometheus The Fallen One
  4. Gate Of Kings
  5. Agamemnon's Last Hour (Silver Sided Death)
  6. Great Sword Of Flame
  • David Defeis
  • Edward Pursino
  • Frank Gilchriest


The House Of Atreus Act II  
2000 Noise
  1. Wings Of Vengeance
  2. Hymn To The Gods Of The Night
  3. Fire Of Ecstasy
  4. The Oracle Of Apollo
  5. The Voice As Weapon
  6. Moira
  7. Nemesis
  8. The Wine Of Violence
  9. A Token Of My Hatred
  10. Summoning The Powers
  11. Flames Of Thy Power (From Blood They Rise)
  12. Arms Of Mercury
  13. By The Gods
  14. Areopagos
  15. The Judgement Of The Son
  16. Hammer The Winds
  17. Guilt Or Innocence
  18. The Fields Of Asphodel
  19. When The Legends Die
  20. Anemone (Withered Hopes... Forsaken)
  21. The Waters Of Acheron
  22. Fantasy And Fugue In D Minor (The Death Of Orestes)
  23. Resurrection Day (The Finale)
  • David Defeis
  • Edward Pursino
  • Frank Gilchriest


The Book Of Burning  
2002 Noise
  1. Conjuration Of The Watcher
  2. Don't Say Goodbye (Tonight)
  3. Rain Of Fire
  4. Annihilation
  5. Hellfire Woman
  6. Children Of The Storm
  7. The Chosen Ones
  8. The Succubus
  9. Minuet In G Minor
  10. The Redeemer
  11. I Am The One
  12. Hot And Wild
  13. Birth Through Fire
  14. Guardians Of The Flame
  15. The Final Days
  16. A Cry In The Night
  17. Flames Of Thy Power
  18. Through The Ring Of Fire
  19. Invictus
  20. Crown Of Glory
  21. Kingdom Of The Fearless
  22. The Spirit Of Steele
  23. A Symphony Of Steele
  24. The Burning Of Rome
  25. I Will Come For You
  26. Saturday Night
  27. Noble Savage
  28. The Mists Of Avalon
  29. Emalaith
  • David Defeis
  • Edward Pursino
  • Frank Gilchriest


Hymns To Victory (compilation)  
2002 Noise
  1. Flames Of Thy Power
  2. Through The Ring Of Fire
  3. Invictus
  4. Crown Of Glory
  5. Kingdom Of The Fearless
  6. The Spirit Of Steele
  7. A Symphony Of Steele
  8. The Burning Of Rome
  9. I Will Come For You
  10. Saturday Night
  11. Noble Savage
  12. The Mists Of Avalon
  13. Emalaith


Visions Of Eden  
2006 Sanctuary
  1. Immortal I Stand (The Birth Of Adam)
  2. Adorned With The Rising Cobra
  3. The Inefable Name
  4. Black Light On Black
  5. Bonedust
  6. Angel Of Death
  7. God Above God
  8. The Hidden God
  9. Childslayer
  10. When Dusk Fell
  11. Visions Of Eden
  • David Defeis
  • Edward Pursino
  • Frank Gilchriest


The Black Light Bacchanalia  
2010 Steamhammer/SPV
  1. By The Hammer Of Zeus (And The Wrecking Ball Of Thor)
  2. Pagan Heart
  3. The Bread Of Wickedness
  4. In A Dream Of Fire
  5. The Orpheus Taboo
  6. Nepenthe
  7. Necropolis (He Answers Them With Death)
  8. To Crown Them With Halos Parts 1 & 2
  9. The Torture's Of The Damned
  10. The Black Light Bacchanalia (The Age That Is To Come)
  11. Eternal Regret
  12. When I'm Silent (Bonus Track)
  13. Silent Sorrow (Bonus Track)
  14. From A Whisper To A Scream - (The Biography Of Steele)
  • David Defeis
  • Edward Pursino
  • Joshua Block
  • Frank Gilchriest


Nocturnes Of Hellfire & Damnation  
2015 Steamhammer/SPV
  1. Lucifer's Hammer
  2. Queen of the Dead
  3. To Darkness Eternal
  4. Black Sun-Black Mass
  5. Persephone
  6. Devilhead
  7. Demolition Queen
  8. The Plague and the Fire
  9. We Disappear
  10. A Damned Apparition
  11. Glamour
  12. Delirium
  13. Hymns to Damnation
  14. Fallen Angels
  • David Defeis
  • Edward Pursino
  • Joshua Block


Ghost Harvest - Vintage I: Black Wine For Mourning  
2018 Steamhammer/SPV
  • David Defeis
  • Edward Pursino
  • Dave Ferrara
  • Joshua Block
  • Lynn Delmato
  • Robert Esposito


Ghost Harvest - Vintage II: Red Wine For Warning  
2018 Steamhammer/SPV
  • David Defeis
  • Edward Pursino
  • Dave Ferrara
  • Joshua Block
  • Lynn Delmato
  • Robert Esposito


Gothic Voodoo Anthems  
2018 Steamhammer/SPV
  • David Defeis
  • Edward Pursino
  • Joshua Block
  • Lynn Delmato


The Passion Of Dionysus  
2023 Steamhammer/SPV
  1. The Gethsemane Effect
  2. You'll Never See the Sun Again
  3. A Song of Possession
  4. The Ritual of Descent
  5. Spiritual Warfare
  6. Black Earth & Blood
  7. The Passion of Dionysus
  8. To Bind & Kill a God
  9. Unio Mystica
  10. I Will Fear No Man for I Am a God
  • David Defeis
  • Edward Pursino
  • Joshua Block



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