John Michael West (born October 29, 1964) is an American vocalist and guitarist, perhaps best known as the lead vocalist of
Artension
Artension is a North American neoclassical progressive metal band, founded in 1993 by keyboardist Vitalij Kuprij. The band split up after recording seven albums from 1996 to 2004, but reformed in 2016 with the intention of releasing an eighth ...
and the former lead vocalist of
Royal Hunt
Royal Hunt is a Danish progressive metal band. The band was founded in 1989 by keyboardist André Andersen in order to combine basic values of classic rock with progressive, current musical elements. The name originated from a painting seen in ...
.
Early career
Prior to his joining Royal Hunt in 1998, West contributed vocals to a variety of projects. His recording career began in 1986 as the singer of Diamond. Later, he sang for Destiny, who released the four-song demo ''Side By Side'' in 1989. He had brief stints replacing
Ray Gillen
Raymond Arthur Gillen (May 12, 1959 – December 1, 1993) was an American rock singer. He is best known for his work with Badlands, in addition to his stint with Black Sabbath in the mid-1980s and recording most of the vocals on Phenomena's '' ...
in both
Badlands
Badlands are a type of dry terrain where softer sedimentary rocks and clay-rich soils have been extensively eroded."Badlands" in ''Chambers's Encyclopædia''. London: George Newnes, 1961, Vol. 2, p. 47. They are characterized by steep slopes, m ...
and
Sun Red Sun
Sun Red Sun was an American heavy metal project created by guitarist Al B. Romano. It also featured several prominent musicians: vocalists Ray Gillen of Badlands and Black Sabbath, and John West of Artension and Royal Hunt; drummer Bobby Ro ...
in the mid-1990s, also lending his voice to
Cozy Powell
Cozy Powell (born Colin Trevor Flooks; 29 December 1947 – 5 April 1998) was an English rock drummer who made his name with major rock bands and artists such as The Jeff Beck Group, Rainbow, Michael Schenker Group, Gary Moore, Robert Plant, ...
's final solo album, ''Especially For You'' during this period. In lesser known projects, he also sang one track on
Marc Ferrari
Marc Schumann(known professionally as Marc Ferrari) (born January 27, 1962) is an American musician, author, entrepreneur and investor. He is best known for his work as a guitar player in the 1980s and 1990s rock bands Keel, Cold Sweat, and Medi ...
's solo album ''Guest List'' in 1995, also handling vocal duties on self-titled albums by Many Moons and Rider the following year.
Artension
In 1996, West joined neoclassical power/progressive metal group
Artension
Artension is a North American neoclassical progressive metal band, founded in 1993 by keyboardist Vitalij Kuprij. The band split up after recording seven albums from 1996 to 2004, but reformed in 2016 with the intention of releasing an eighth ...
, who released their debut album ''Into The Eye of the Storm'' the same year. The band went on to release seven studio albums from 1996–2004. The group's second album, ''Phoenix Rising'', is especially noted for West's wide-ranging vocal contributions. West and the band regrouped in 2016 with the intention of releasing a new album.
Royal Hunt
In 1998, West replaced
D.C. Cooper
Donald Christopher Cooper (born August 22, 1965) is an American singer.
Career
Cooper started his career playing in several local bands and touring local clubs in the Pittsburgh area while studying singing under renowned opera coach Charlotte ...
as the lead singer of
Royal Hunt
Royal Hunt is a Danish progressive metal band. The band was founded in 1989 by keyboardist André Andersen in order to combine basic values of classic rock with progressive, current musical elements. The name originated from a painting seen in ...
, remaining with the group until 2007. He recorded four studio albums, one live album, and one EP with the group. West's ten-year tenure as the band's vocalist is the longest uninterrupted tenure of any singer in Royal Hunt's 25-year history.
Solo career
West has released four albums under his own name, which have featured a wide variety of contributors. His first two, ''Mind Journey'' (1997) and ''Permanent Mark'' (1998), adopted a neoclassical metal style with many extended instrumental sections. After concentrating on Royal Hunt for a few years, West returned in 2002 with the concept album ''Earth Maker'', which showcased a more song-oriented writing style while still retaining much of his previous sound. Finally, in 2006, West released ''Long Time No Sing'', which is more of a blues-rock album. The latter disc features West playing guitar as well as singing.
Post-Royal Hunt
Since departing from Royal Hunt in 2007, West has lent his voice to a wide variety of projects. He appeared as the lead singer for Bosnian guitarist Emir Hot on his debut album ''Sevdah Metal'' in 2008 and keyboardist Mistheria's solo effort "Dragon Fire" in 2010. In 2012, he sang on symphonic metal band Mythodea's self-titled debut album, and in 2013, he collaborated with former Artension guitarist Roger Staffelbach to form Artlantica, an Artension-styled band that went on to release an album called ''Across The Seven Seas.'' He also appeared on Chilean progpower band Delta's fifth album, ''The End of Philosophy'', singing a duet with the band's regular vocalist, Felipe del Valle, on the track "Bringers of Rain." After del Valle left the band in 2014, West recorded new versions of Delta's songs "New Philosophy" and "Regrets" as singles and also appeared with the band on the Progressive Nation at Sea cruise.
West has also toured as the singer for
Uli Jon Roth
Uli Jon Roth (born Ulrich Roth; 18 December 1954) is a German guitarist who became famous for his work with the hard rock band Scorpions and is one of the earliest contributors to the neoclassical metal genre. He is also the founder of Sky Aca ...
's band and
Ronnie James Dio
Ronald James Padavona (July 10, 1942 – May 16, 2010), known professionally as Ronnie James Dio, was an American heavy metal singer. He fronted and founded numerous bands throughout his career, including Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Dio and H ...
/
Ritchie Blackmore
Richard Hugh Blackmore (born 14 April 1945) is an English guitarist and songwriter. He was a founding member of Deep Purple in 1968, playing jam-style hard rock music that mixed guitar riffs and organ sounds. He is prolific in creating guitar ...
tribute band Black Knights Rising. He also collaborated with Danish guitar virtuoso Niels Vejlyt on a project called Sage's Recital, which put out their self-titled debut album in 2013 and followup ''The Winter Symphony'' in 2016.
Discography
Solo work
* ''Mind Journey'' (1997)
* ''Permanent Mark'' (1998)
* ''Earth Maker'' (2002)
* ''Long Time... No Sing'' (2006)
* Johnny and
Lonnie – "Greatest Misses" (2006)
Collaborations
;With
Artension
Artension is a North American neoclassical progressive metal band, founded in 1993 by keyboardist Vitalij Kuprij. The band split up after recording seven albums from 1996 to 2004, but reformed in 2016 with the intention of releasing an eighth ...
* ''
Into the Eye of the Storm
Artension is a North American neoclassical progressive metal band, founded in 1993 by keyboardist Vitalij Kuprij. The band split up after recording seven albums from 1996 to 2004, but reformed in 2016 with the intention of releasing an eighth a ...
'' (1996)
* ''
Phoenix Rising'' (1997)
* ''
Forces of Nature'' (1999)
* ''
Machine
A machine is a physical system using Power (physics), power to apply Force, forces and control Motion, movement to perform an action. The term is commonly applied to artificial devices, such as those employing engines or motors, but also to na ...
'' (2000)
* ''
Sacred Pathways
Artension is a North American neoclassical progressive metal band, founded in 1993 by keyboardist Vitalij Kuprij. The band split up after recording seven albums from 1996 to 2004, but reformed in 2016 with the intention of releasing an eighth a ...
'' (2001)
* ''
New Discovery'' (2002)
* ''
Future World'' (2004)
;With Rider
* ''Rider'' (1996)
;With
Royal Hunt
Royal Hunt is a Danish progressive metal band. The band was founded in 1989 by keyboardist André Andersen in order to combine basic values of classic rock with progressive, current musical elements. The name originated from a painting seen in ...
* ''
Fear
Fear is an intensely unpleasant emotion in response to perceiving or recognizing a danger or threat. Fear causes physiological changes that may produce behavioral reactions such as mounting an aggressive response or fleeing the threat. Fear ...
'' (1999)
* ''Intervention'' (2001)
* ''
The Watchers'' (2001)
* ''
The Mission'' (2001)
* ''On The Mission 2002'' (2002)
* ''
Eyewitness
Eyewitness or eye witness may refer to:
Witness
* Witness, someone who has knowledge acquired through first-hand experience
** Eyewitness memory
** Eyewitness testimony
Arts, entertainment, and media Films
* ''Eyewitness'' (1956 film), a Britis ...
'' (2003)
* ''
Paper Blood
''Paper Blood'' is the eighth studio album released by the band Royal Hunt. It is the first album without longtime members Jacob Kjaer and Steen Mogensen who both left the band in December 2003, It is also the last studio album to feature John Wes ...
'' (2005)
* ''
2006 Live'' (2006)
* ''Royal Hunt 2006'' (DVD; 2006)
;With Ten Man Push
* ''Ten Man Push'' (2007)
* ''Playin' In The Dirt'' (2009)
* ''Branded'' (2013)
;With
Cozy Powell
Cozy Powell (born Colin Trevor Flooks; 29 December 1947 – 5 April 1998) was an English rock drummer who made his name with major rock bands and artists such as The Jeff Beck Group, Rainbow, Michael Schenker Group, Gary Moore, Robert Plant, ...
* ''Especially For You'' (1999)
;With Feinstein
* ''Third Wish'' (2004)
;With Emir Hot
* ''Sevdah Metal'' (2008)
;With Mythodea
* ''Mythodea'' (2012)
;With Sage's Recital
* ''Sage's Recital'' (2013)
* ''The Winter Symphony'' (2016)
;With Artlantica
* ''Across The Seven Seas'' (2013)
;Guest Appearances
*
Marc Ferrari
Marc Schumann(known professionally as Marc Ferrari) (born January 27, 1962) is an American musician, author, entrepreneur and investor. He is best known for his work as a guitar player in the 1980s and 1990s rock bands Keel, Cold Sweat, and Medi ...
– ''Guest List'' (1995)
*
Sun Red Sun
Sun Red Sun was an American heavy metal project created by guitarist Al B. Romano. It also featured several prominent musicians: vocalists Ray Gillen of Badlands and Black Sabbath, and John West of Artension and Royal Hunt; drummer Bobby Ro ...
– ''
Sun Red Sun
Sun Red Sun was an American heavy metal project created by guitarist Al B. Romano. It also featured several prominent musicians: vocalists Ray Gillen of Badlands and Black Sabbath, and John West of Artension and Royal Hunt; drummer Bobby Ro ...
'' (1994)
*
James Murphy – ''Feeding The Machine'' (1999)
*
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. While fluid in the early years of the band, the lineup for most of the band's history has consisted of Harri ...
Tribute – ''Slave To The Power'' (2000)
*
Savatage
Savatage () was an American heavy metal band founded by brothers Jon and Criss Oliva in 1979 in Tarpon Springs, Florida. The band was first called Avatar, but, shortly before the release of their debut album ''Sirens'' (1983), they changed thei ...
– ''
Poets and Madmen
''Poets and Madmen'' is the eleventh studio album by American heavy metal band Savatage, released in 2001. It was their last album before their 12-year hiatus, which lasted from 2002 to 2014. The album has a loose concept inspired by the career ...
'' (2001)
*
Roger Staffelbach's Angel of Eden – "The End of Never" (2007)
*Mistheria – "Dragon Fire" (2010)
*Delta – "The End of Philosophy" (2013)
*American Mafia – "Rock 'N' Roll Hit Machine" (2014)
*Forces United – II (2015)
*Crimson Cry – Lost Reality (2017)
;Other releases
*Many Moons – "Many Moons" (1996)
References
External links
John West Music
{{DEFAULTSORT:West, John
American male singers
American heavy metal singers
American rock guitarists
American male guitarists
Badlands (American band) members
Lynch Mob (band) members
Living people
Native American singers
Musicians from Syracuse, New York
1964 births
20th-century American guitarists
Royal Hunt members
20th-century American male musicians
Yngwie J. Malmsteen's Rising Force members
Frontiers Records artists
Shrapnel Records artists