White Wizzard


Many metalheads assume that the new crop of throwback, '80s-inspired bands are being ironic and poking fun at an era gone by. Nothing could be further from the truth for Los Angeles' defenders of the faith known as White Wizzard. Their love for metal is genuine. "Our music is serious, and we are serious about that," vocalist Wyatt Anderson, who hails from Florida and has a charming Southern accent, told Noisecreep. "I believe that we're considered a throwback, like the new 'new wave of traditional heavy metal.' We are going back to the new wave of British heavy metal sound, but as far as parody goes? No way!"

White Wizzard are adamant that they are no Steel Panther, who are admittedly a send up of metal! "There is a band here in California that does that," Anderson, who says he takes his inspiration from his favorites like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Dio, admitted. "Steel Panther have fun, and they are good musicians, but they are completely un-serious about their material and lyrics, whereas we are completely serious."

Anderson hopes the band can help usher a new heyday of metal, saying, "During the last tour we were on, we had people come up to us and say, 'Wow, we haven't heard music like this since the '80s, so thanks for playing it.'"

For the video for the title track from 'Over the Top,' due out on March 9 through Earache, the White Wizard character makes a second appearance. Is he going to become a White Wizzard emblem, like fellow metal icons Ed Hunter and Vic Rattlehead? "Maybe," Anderson, who got his audition for the band via MySpace, said with a chuckle. "He has appeared in two videos, so there is no telling. Derek Riggs of Iron Maiden fame drew us a shirt with a white wizard, and the drawing was in the first pressing of the EP that was released!"

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