Stormzone

Stormzone are a heavy metal band from Northern Ireland formed in 2004, and still very much active. The band's classic line-up consists of vocalist John "Harv" Harbinson, bassist Graham McNulty, guitarist Steve Moore, guitarist David Shields and Dave Shields and drummer Davy Bates. Previous members included Andrew Baxter, Steve Doherty, Keith Harris, Junior Afrifa and Peťo Uhrin.

The band has so far released eight studio albums, the debut 'Caught in the act' 2006 through Escape Music (UK), 'Death Dealer' 2009 and 'Zero To Rage' 2011 through SPV Records (Germany), 'Three Kings' 2014, 'Seven Sins' 2016, 'Return to Zero' 2018 and 'Lucifer's Factory' 2020 through Metal Nation Records (UK) and 'Ignite the machine' 2002 through Metalapolis Records Germany. In July 2025 Stormzone will release a ninth full studio album 'Immortal Beloved' returning once again to Escape Music for worldwide release. 'Immortal Beloved' will be released on CD and digital platforms and because this new album features the magnificent artwork of Rodney Matthews Studios' (Rodney has also contributed artwork for legendary rock bands such as Asia/Avantasia/Magnum/Scorpions/Praying Mantis/Allen/Lande amongst others) 'Immortal Beloved' will also be released in August 2025 on highest quality vinyl! Stormzone as a live act has enjoyed considerable success, playing major rock festivals such as Sweden Rock (Sweden). Firefest (UK), Z-Rock (UK), Icerock Festival (Switzerland) Raismes Fest (France), Wacken Open Air (Germany), Sonisphere (UK), Bloodstock Open Air (UK), Skulls of Metal (Spain), Hard Rock Hell (UK), Headbangers Open Air (Germany), Leyendas Del Rock (Spain), Sicking High Rock Festival (Germany), Metal Assault (Germany), Lorca Rock (Spain), Iron Hammer Festival (Germany), Ironfest (Germany) as well as performing extensively across the UK and Europe as support to many famous rock and metal headliners included performing as George Lynch's band, the "Lynch Mob" for his tour of Spain and opening for Y&T, White Lion, Tesla, Stryper, Sebastian Bach, Kamelot, Cinderella and Saxon.

. The Stormzone releases and their live performances have been met with general critical acclaim from publications such as Classic Rock and Metal Hammer. Of their eight releases so far, seven of the album covers have been painted by Stormzone vocalist John 'Harv' Harbinson, while the first featured artwork by Rodney Mathews in 2005 as will the ninth album 20 years later in 2025!

Initially beginning as a studio-only band crafting keyboard-driven AOR style rock, culminating in the release of the well-received Caught In The Act, Stormzone took a distinctive turn in the years after that first release, focusing on a more guitar-heavy, NWOBHM style classic metal sound, with power metal influences. This re-invention of the band's sound has seen them enjoy considerable success, starting with a record contract with SPV/Steamhammer Records, and later with Metal Nations Records, under the management of Jess Cox (Neat Records/ original Tygers of Pan Tang vocalist), and then with German label Metalapolis Records in 2020. Always evolving Stormzone's forthcoming (ninth) release maintains their heavy metal leanings, but with 'Immortal Beloved' the band has added a layer of Euro-metal to the songs on the new album giving it depth which steps back from labelling Stormzone with the oft-associated NWOBHM tag.

Early history

Stormzone were formed as a studio project in 2004, by current and founding vocalist John "Harv" Harbinson. Harbinson had previously enjoyed success in bands such as No Sweat, Den of Thieves (who enjoyed considerable and continuing success in the Japanese rock market), Fastway and Emerald, a Northern Ireland band featuring himself along with three ex-members of Sweet Savage, bassist Raymie Haller, guitarist Ian Speedo Wilson and drummer Davy Bates. Emerald often featured live appearances by Vivian Campbell who was also a member of Sweet Savage before going on to join famous acts such as Dio. Whitesnake and Def Leppard. Emerald disbanded when Metallica recorded a version of the Sweet Savage song 'Killing Time' and added it to the 'B' side of their single 'The Unforgiven'! This once again elevated the profile of Sweet Savage and prompted a reformation of the original line-up, and of course John 'Harv' Harbinson was never an actual member of Sweet Savage so he took the opportunuty to join Belfast band Den of Thieves. Beginning life as a new creative outlet for Harbinson when, having plied his trade in Tribute acts for several years before agreeing to form an original material band in order to support Danger Danger , he experienced a resurgence in his desire to focus on his own material both from a live perspective but also, significantly, as a recording unit! Harbinson then set about recruiting session musicians: drummer Julian Watson, bassist Pete Macken, keyboardist Stephen Prosser (who would later find success as keyboardist for Queen tribute-act Flash Harry), and guitarist Keith Harris, who would continue to work with Harbinson for the first five of Stormzone's nine (this year) albums!

After a tenure with this line-up, which saw the release Caught In The Act, Harbinson decided as a side project to join an Iron maiden tribute band formed by Steven Doherty and Stephen Stranaghan. He joined bassist Graham McNulty, guitarists Steven Doherty and Stephen Stranaghan and brought along long-term bandmate Keith Harris. During rehearsals, the band decided to compose some original material, which led to the realisation of Stormzone's current incarnation as a functioning live band.

In 2008, current drummer Davy Bates replaced Glenn Gray as a stand-in for theFirefest festival in Nottingham, England, which led to a permanent slot within the band's line-up. Following extensive live success in Europe, the band decided to record a new album in the vein of their rapidly evolving classic metal style, having already caught the attention of rock industry producer/DJ Neal Kay, (famed as the man who discovered Iron Maiden). Neal consequently agreed to co-produce the resulting album, 2009's Death Dealer.

Later history

Following Death Dealer and a subsequent live tour supporting Tesla, and an appearance at 2009's Sweden Rock Festival guitarist Steve Doherty left the band due to family commitments. He was replaced by 21-year-old guitarist Chris Polin, who had been known to the band due to his presence in Belfast metal band Sorrowfall. Six weeks after Doherty's departure, the band were back onstage, supporting Y&T in a sold-out show in Stormzone's home-town of Belfast.

After the departure of Chris Polin in early 2011, Steve Moore joined the band. Having played previously with Riff Master General and Fireland, he has toured with the likes of Kreator and DragonForce and has appeared on, and engineered, all of Stormzone's output since (and including) their third album 'Zero To Rage'.

After supporting Stryper on the Spanish leg of their 2011 European tour, the band played the W.E.T. stage at Wacken Open Air Festival in Germany. They then set about recording their third album Zero To Rage, which was released by SPV/Steamhammer in November 2011. It was produced by Steve Moore at FireMachine Studio in Antrim, Northern Ireland.

Three Kings was released in September 2013 on Metal Nation Records. An official video for the title track was recorded in August 2013.

After several tours in the UK and Ireland with Saxon, and appearances at Sonisphere Festival and Bloodstock Open Air in 2014, the band recorded their fifth album Seven Sins, again produced by Steve Moore at FireMachine Studio. The album is currently available via Metal Nation Records.

The band recorded a final album for Metal Nation Records, Lucifer's Factory (the third of three contracted albums for the UK based label) before signing to German label Metalapolis Records and Stormzone released their eighth album 'Ignite The Machine' in 2021. One year prior to this John 'Harv' Harbinson released the first of his solo albums 'John Harv's Twisted Mind - Into The Asylum' for the same German label Metalapolis Records which stayed in the European heavy metal charts for 14 weeks reaching #8!

Still going strong in 2025, and celebrating a 20 year anniversary, Stormzone continues to flourish and remains relevant in today's exciting rock and metal scene worldwide. Back where it all began in the capable hands of label owner Khalil Turk at Escape Music Ltd Stormzone will release album number nine 'Immortal Beloved' as a celebration of the bands achievements and longevity hoping to, as the album title suggests, remain 'Immortal' in the band's 'Beloved' world of metal!!

Members

• John "Harv" Harbinson - Lead Vocals
• Steve Moore - Lead and Rhythm Guitars
• David Shields - Lead and Rhythm Guitars
• Graham McNulty - Bass Guitar And Backing Vocals
• David Bates - Drums

Equipment

• Graham McNulty - Spector basses and Hartke amplifiers
• Steve Moore - Jackson guitars, Fractal Audio Axe-FX, Line 6 wirelesses, D'Addario strings

Discography

Caught in the Act (2006)

• Spellbound
• Hold Onto Her Love
• Stranger Things Have Happened
• Nervous Breakdown
• Crying In The Rain
• Call Of The Wild
• Beating Of A Heart
• New World
• Tuggin' At My Heartstrings
• Sky High
• Rock On Through The Night

Death Dealer (2009)

• Death Dealer
• Secret Gateway
• The Memory Never Dies
• Immortals
• Destiny Of Legends/The Legend Carries On
• Labyrinth
• Wasted Lives
• Stand Up And Fight
• The Chosen One
• World Of Sorrow
• The Greatest Sacrifice
• Final Journey

Zero To Rage (2011)

• Where We Belong
• Zero To Rage
• The Jester's Laughter
• This Is Our Victory
• Fear Hotel
• Hail The Brave
• Uprising
• Last Man Fighting
• Empire Of Fear
• Monsters
• Voice Inside My Head
• Cuchulainn's Story

Three Kings (2014)

• The Pain Inside
• Spectre
• Stone Heart
• Alive
• Night of the Storm
• Beware in Time
• Three Kings
• The Pass Loning
• I am the One
• Wallbreaker
• Never Trust
• B.Y.H.
• Out of Eden

Seven Sins (2016)

• Bathsheba
• Another Rainy Night
• Your Time Has Come
• The One That Got Away
• I Know Your Pain
• Seven Sins
• You're Not the Same
• Raise the Knife
• Abandoned Souls
• Special Brew
• Master of Sorrow
• Born of the Damned

Lucifer's Factory (2019)

• Dark Hedges
• Lucifer's Factory
• Cushy Glen
• Last Night in Hell
• Albhartach
• We Are Strong
• Broken Window
• The Heaven You Despise
• Hallows' Eve
• Your Hell Falls Down
• In for the Kill
• The Last Goodbye
• Time to Go

Ignite The Machine (2021)

• Tolling Of The Bell
• Ignite The Machine
• My Disease
• Each Setting Sun
• Dragon Cartel
• Nothing To Fear
• Revolution
• New Age Necromancer
• Dealer's Reign
• Flame That Never Dies
• Under Her Spell
• This Is Heavy Metal

Immortal Beloved (to be released July 2025)

• Steel Meets Ice
• Tyrannosaur
• Immortal Beloved
• Stand In Line
• The Hammer Falls
• Wolf At Your Door
• Ironclad
• How Many Wars?
• The Reckoning
• Light Of Day
• Until I Found You
• Burning Heart
• Facing Time