Guitar demon Metal Mike Chlasciak is without doubt one of the hardest working and respected Heavy Metal guitarists of today’s generation. Metal Mike is most commonly known as the guitarist who helped JUDAS PRIEST vocalist ROB HALFORD reclaim and hold his status as the true Metal God. Metal Mike is the guitarist for Rob Halford’s endeavor HALFORD. Metal Mike has written and appeared on all Halford Metal-is/ Sanctuary Records label recordings Resurrection (2000), Live Insurrection (2001), Crucible (2002) and Fourging The Furnace (2003). Well past a million units sales mark, above efforts thrust Metal Mike into the international spotlight.
Metal Mike toured the world several times over with Halford along Iron Maiden, Queensryche and many more. Frequently sold out festivals, headlining stadiums with Slayer, a sold out date at Madison Square Garden in 2000 and the famous Rock In Rio Festival in Brazil with over 350,000 people in attendance, where only few of the highlights spotlighting what many consider to be one of the premiere Metal bands in the world. And, who could forget the night when Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson, Queensryche’s Geoff Tate and The Metal God himself annihilated London’s Astoria when all three singers performed The One You Love To Hate from Halford’s Resurrection. Armed with machine gun technique and imaginative, highly recognizable guitar style Mike has been dubbed by many as Rob Halford’s “Randy Rhoads”.
In addition to being a guitar slings man to one of heavy metal’s premiere vocalists, in 2004 Metal Mike presented his solo band endeavor Metal Mike’s PAINMUSEUM, whose debut album Metal For Life enjoyed much attention and critical acclaim from the Metal community. Metal For Life has seen a worldwide 2005 release through Demolition Records via Universal Music Distribution/ UMVD. Metal For Life is mixed by Roy Z. (Judas Priest, Bruce Dickinson, Helloween, Halford) and the musician line-up features Metal Mike’s Halford stage mate Bobby Jarzombek, (Halford, Iced Earth, Sebastian Bach, Fates Warning), Steve DiGiorgio (Testament, Sadus, Death) and vocal power demon Tim Clayborne. Metal Mike’s PainmuseuM has toured internationally along Halford, Testament and Immortal to name a few. Rave reviews met the release across the globe with a prominent German publication HEAVY Oder Was? concluding PainmuseuM to be A band that finally delivered an album in the tradition of Pantera’s Vulgar Display Of Power and Machine Head’s Burn My Eyes. Any questions?
A scholarship graduate of Berklee College of Music, Metal Mike has also released 3 solo instrumental albums Grind Textural Abstraction (1996), Territory: Guitar Kill!!, (2000) and The Spilling (2001).
2004 marked the year of Rob Halford’s return to the mighty Judas Priest. In the next couple of months internet rumors proved to be true as Mike has been enlisted by Bay Area Thrash legends TESTAMENT as the new lead guitarist. Metal Mike joined Testament for 2004 tour where the band hit major festivals all over Europe and Scandinavia, sharing bills with Alice Copper, Scorpions, Motorhead and Judas Priest. Mike rounded off an already stellar line-up of Chuck Billy, Eric Peterson, Steve DiGiorgio and former Slayer drummer Paul Bostaph.
In 2005 Metal Mike has joined forces with SEBASTIAN BACH, the voice of multi-platinum SKID ROW. After successful European festival tours sharing bills with Motley Crue, Dio and Accept, Sebastian Bach armed with Metal Mike tapped Judas Priest/ Halford/ Bruce Dickinson producer Roy Z and entered California’s famed Sound City Studio to record Sebastian’s new studio release Angel Down. A lot earlier than some might have expected however, Heavy Metal world received surprising news that Metal Mike once again has reunited with the Metal God for a new HALFORD studio album tentatively called Halford IV.
Mid 2006, Metal Mike’s PAINMUSEUM delivered us another stellar release You Have The Right To Remain Violent, an enhanced EP released exclusively via Mike’s own imprint C.M.M. Entertainment. Remaining of 2006 saw Metal Mike as busy as ever. Immediately after concluding PAINMUSEUM’s headlining East Coast Violence 2006 tour, Mike has joined SEBASTIAN BACH on the Japanese festival tour along Kiss, Alice In Chains, Godsmack, Steve Vai and the arena ridden sold-out GUNS N’ ROSES North American, Canadian and European trek where Axl Rose himself has invited the SEBASTIAN BACH band as the support.
Reaching in total over 900,000 people and stopping at the sold-out venues of London’s Wembley Arena and New York City’s Madison Square Garden, the tour was among the highest grossing and attended of 2006.
In 2007, Metal Mike introduced Ridiculous Riffs For The Terrifying Guitarist and Monster Coordination – Guitar Boot Camp guitar instruction books. Quickly embraced by heavy metal minded guitarists across the world the publications are comprehensive teaching guides for dedicated rockers at all levels.
Later part of 2007 saw Metal Mike once again along Sebastian for a successful tour of Japan, Turkey, Italy, Spain and another sold-out arena trek along GUNS N’ ROSES across Australia and New Zealand. November 20, 2007 delivered us Sebastian Bach’s Angel Down album on MRV/ EMI Music label. Guns N’ Roses’ AXL ROSE himself delivered his vocals on three of the albums fourteen tracks solidifying the long awaited release’s place in rock n roll history.
Early 2008 saw Metal Mike join the cast of FUSE TV’s Talking Metal On Fuse show based on the 1 downloaded podcast in the world under the rock and metal category. A fan favorite, Talking Metal On Fuse was among the top rated shows of 2008 on the channel.
Later in the year, Sebastian Bach continued its touring across Europe and Australia, ultimately ending the year with a slot on Poison’s Live, Raw and Un-Cut tour. A Best Buy exclusive Angel Down / Roadrage CD/ DVD (2008) package via MRV/ EMI Music accompanied the tour. The band ultimately ended 2008 touring with an invitation only show at the PLAYBOY Mansion.
In the Halford camp, Metal Mike continued to be busy working on to the up-coming new HALFORD studio album. In addition to the up-coming release, Metal Mike has appeared on the 2006 Halford “Best Off” Metal God Essentials Volume 1 release via Halford’s own Metal God Entertainment/ SONY Japan. Recently, Metal God Entertainment has also re-issued and brought us several now classic Halford albums Forgotten Generation single/ video (2006), Silent Screams EP (2007) and the highly anticipated Halford Resurrection World Tour - Live In Rio (2008) and Halford Live Crucible World Tour (2009) DVDs.
Mike appears in MTV/ VH-1 Halford videos Made In Hell, Cyberworld, Betrayal, In The Morning, Forgotten Generation, PainmuseuM’s Speak The Name andSebastian Bach’s Love Is A Bitch Slap.
Metal Mike recently announced plans for a 2009 solo album and a Heavy Metal Guitar Instructional DVD release.
While there are many hopefuls, Metal Mike holds his fist firmly on the guitar throne of the new millennium.
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