TOTAL ECLIPSE

With a successful self-produced mini-CD released internationally ("Guardians of Metal", 2000) and a highly acclaimed worldwide album ("Ashes of Eden", Limb Music, 2003) released under a major record label to their credit, including a new album, "Spellcaster" (Independent, 2009) released worlwide, Total Eclipse are recognized as being principally responsible for reviving the dormant metal scene of the late 90s in the San Francisco Bay Area and leading a new wave of metal across California and ...

With a successful self-produced mini-CD released internationally ("Guardians of Metal", 2000) and a highly acclaimed worldwide album ("Ashes of Eden", Limb Music, 2003) released under a major record label to their credit, including a new album, "Spellcaster" (Independent, 2009) released worlwide, Total Eclipse are recognized as being principally responsible for reviving the dormant metal scene of the late 90s in the San Francisco Bay Area and leading a new wave of metal across California and the world. San Francisco's Bay Area is known, at least in name, by every metal fan. In the early Eighties dozens of bands such as Metallica, Testament and Slayer stood on the first steps of the ladder to fame in packed clubs. It was a pity that the apparently bottomless pool seemed to dry up in the Nineties. But in 1996 Erik Cameron and his brother Chris joined forces to revolutionize the metal scene and proceeded to create the entity known as TOTAL ECLIPSE. After a search for musicians who shared their passion, they met drummer Ramon Ochoa in 1998. Ramon had already swung the sticks in the circuit for several local acts. A short time later experienced bass player Owen Hart joined the band. The line-up was completed in January 1999 by singer Andy Dracons Giardina - also in PANDEMIC, and now the only original member from Total Eclipse's old line-up - who had already made a name for himself in his native Italy before moving to the USA to finish his academic studies and advance his musical career (Andy's latest side-project, PANDEMIC - one of the most influential and recognized bands to emerge from the Bay Area metal circuit - showcases a fusion of modern and traditional thrash/power/grindcore/melodic death/black metal, and can be checked out at www.myspace.com/norcalpandemic, Pandemic's LP "Infecting the World" was released in 2007 and received very favorable reviews and worldwide attention). The chemistry between the Cameron brothers and the rest of the band was just right and within a year they had enough material for a demo. The Total Eclipse "Guardians of Metal" EP was released internationally in 1999 and caused a riot in the press. That's right, METAL had returned to the Bay Area. Encouraged by the demo's success, Total Eclipse contacted producer Uwe Lulis (Grave Digger, Rebellion, Wizard, etc...) and before long the band had signed a deal with Limb Music; the album "Ashes of Eden" was released world-wide to much critical acclaim. Legendary Piet Sielck (Iron Savior, Blind Guardian, Paragon, Heavenly) was also involved in the mixing and production of the album. After parting ways with Limb Music, Total Eclipse decided to find another label to release their new second album, "Spellcaster," also produced by Uwe Lulis, recorded in the Bay Area and - appropriately - somewhere near the Black Forest in Germany, then remastered in 2007/08 in San Francisco. The music is an expansion of the sound of the Ashes of Eden album and the Guardians of Metal demo, but taken to the extreme and definitely proof of the musical evolution of the entity known as Total Eclipse. In October 2007, following the PANDEMIC project, Andy Dracons Giardina decided to resurrect Total Eclipse after the band's 4-year hiatus from the scene, and simultaneously release the long-awaited second LP "Spellcaster". After many hardships, including a brief stint with a potential new reformed line-up that didn't quite work out, the quest to fulfill the reincarnation of Total Eclipse continued and, in 2008, with Divine aid, the band found Brian Davy who can now be announced as the new drum wraith for the second coming of Total Eclipse. Andy Dracons Giardina, of course, reprises his role on vocals and as "sonic transducer," but will also be handling guitar duties. A new bass player is also scheduled to fill the line-up. In the meantime the new album "Spellcaster" is available worldwide through the following distributors: SENTINEL STEEL RECORDS- US (www.sentinelsteel.com), HIT-MAN RECORDS - Japan(www.hitman-metal.com, www.myspace.com/hitmanrecordsmetal),HELLION RECORDS- Germany (www.hellionrecords.de, www.myspace.com/hellionrecordsitzehoe,FOREVER ROCK - Germany (www.forever-rock.de, Sub-division of our former Mother/record label Limb Music GmbH),- ROCK IT UP RECORDS - Germany (www.rockitup.org, myspace.com/rockituprecords), AMOEBA RECORDS (San Francisco, www.amoeba.com), SHAXUL RECORDS (www.shaxurecords.com, www.myspace.com/shaxulrecords); the band is looking for more distributors world-wide interested in carrying "Spellcaster" and spreading the MESSAGE. As of March 24th, 2009 Total Eclipse entered FAULTLINE STUDIOS in San Francisco to begin the recording of the third TE LP with the new line-up. The title for the new album has yet to be announced. Be forewarned that this monumental effort WILL NOT pass unnoticed, representing yet another phase in the evolution of style and sound of the band as a whole, and as related to the current historical transition mankind as a species is undergoing, as we ALL head towards 2012 A.D. (Year of the Great Frequency). The next day of recording is scheduled for January, 2010. Once again the new sound will follow a natural evolution comparable to the transition in style from the demo to the first world-wide album release "Ashes of Eden" to the new "Spellcaster," as they all sound quite different, still while retaining their own, distinct quality the original stamp of Total Eclipse remains evident throughout. As a result, the new musical approach in the next album will be wholly modern, yet traditional in some aspects, heavier, darker and more aggressive in some parts and incorporate diverse metal styles ranging from power/thrash/prog. hardcore to groovy heavy rock and melodic black/death/grindcore metal, somewhat different from what was done before but nonetheless it is a natural evolution in the sound and style of the band -which remains original and with a stamp of its own - and perfectly in keeping with the Spirit of the Times. So, that said, let the listener be the judge in the end. But let it be known that Total Eclipse is still carrying the torch for US Heavy Metal!