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It’s the season of the ‘Witch’ for Bethel Park resident

By Eric Seiverling for The Almanac writer@thealmanac.Net 4 min read
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With Halloween just around the corner, ghosts, ghouls and goblins will be making appearances throughout the area. Oh, and don’t forget about witches.

After a six-year hiatus, Pittsburgh heavy metal band Icarus Witch makes a return to the scene with the release of its sixth album “Goodbye Cruel World” on Cleopatra Records.

The band is holding a release party for friends and fans of the band at 7 p.m. Oct. 27 at Get Hip Recordings located in Pittsburgh’s North Side neighborhood.

“This is our favorite time of the year,” Icarus Witch bassist and Bethel Park resident Jason Myers said of having the release party coincide with Halloween. “When our first album came out in 2004, we had a release party at a local record store, so we decided to take it back to where it all started and celebrate the career of the band.”

Myers formed Icarus Witch in 2003 after returning home to Pittsburgh following a stint in Los Angeles where he was unable to find like-minded musicians influenced by the classic metal sounds of bands like Judas Priest, Scorpions and Iron Maiden.

“Pittsburgh is isolated from the trendiness you find in other cities,” Myers said. “There’s nothing trendy about Pittsburgh, and the metal musicians here know how to keep it true. What better place to form a classic heavy metal band than in a place where people never left heavy metal behind?”

The band’s lineup now consists of Myers, vocalist Andrew D’Cagna, guitarist Quinn Lukas and drummer Justin Walker.

Photo courtesy of Aubrianna Veitz

courtesy of Aubrianna Veitz

Icarus Witch members are, from left, bassist Jason Myers, vocalist Andrew D’Cagna, guitarist Quinn Lukas, and drummer Justin Walker.

Over the band’s 15-year run, Icarus Witch has toured North America and Europe, sharing the stage with heavy metal legends like Black Sabbath, Queensryche, Twisted Sister and former Iron Maiden vocalist Paul Di’Anno. Iconic hard rock vocalist Joe Lynn Turner of Deep Purple and Rainbow fame as well as guitar god George Lynch of Dokken can be heard making guest appearances on previous Icarus Witch releases.

The band’s last album was released in 2012, but that doesn’t stop Myers from being excited about the release of “Goodbye Cruel World,” which features the band’s first instrumental piece and a ballad that features a vocal duet between D’Cagna and guest singer Katharine Blake.

“We really went to the woodshed to become better songwriters for this album,” Myers said. “We spent more time crafting the songs. We’re not an extreme metal band. We’ve always felt good songwriting is most important. Taking a break gave us a renewed passion and a new energy for the band. The songs just flowed naturally.”

Pre-production duties of “Goodbye Cruel World” were handled by Grammy Award-winning producer Neil Kernon, who’s resume includes heavy metal heroes Judas Priest and Queensryche as well as Top 40 titans Hall & Oates and Michael Bolton.

“He brought an experienced, outside ear to our sound,” Myers said of working with Kernon. “He’s a consummate professional.”

But why wait six years between album releases?

“I take most of the blame for that,” Myers admitted. “For a decade, we were hitting the road and it really took its toll on me. Being crammed in a van with four of five guys for 10-hour drives is a real grind. I needed to pump the brakes and take a spiritual vacation from band business.”

But Myers is quick to point out he’s rejuvenated and has no plans of stopping anytime soon.

“The reason I stick with this is because I’m able to do whatever I want musically,” Myers said. “It’s a great creative outlet. I can express my emotions and maybe help other people, too. That’s the magic of this whole thing. That’s what music is all about.”

For more information, go online to www.icaruswitch.com.

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