Persian Risk | |
|---|---|
 Phil Campbell of Motörhead at Wacken Open Air 2013 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Cardiff, Wales |
| Genres | Heavy metal, hard rock |
| Years active | 1979–1986, 1992–1995 (US version), 2012–present |
| Labels | Neat Records, Zebra Records, Metal Masters, High Vaultage, Powerage, High Roller |
| Members | Carl Sentance Howie G. Wayne Banks Tim Brown |
| Past members | Nick Hughes Phil Campbell Russell "Razz" Lemon Jon Deverill Dave Bell Alex Lohfink Carl Sentance Dixie Lee Steve Hopgood Graham Bath Phil Vokins |
Persian Risk are a Welsh heavy metal band from the new wave of British heavy metal era formed in 1979 and hailing from Cardiff, Wales. The brainchild of ex-Stoned Soul Party guitarist Phil Campbell, he recruited vocalist Jon Deverill, second guitarist Dave Bell, bass player Nick Hughes, and drummer Razz. The group was active until 1986. In 2012, the band was re-activated by vocalist Carl Sentance albeit without the involvement of any other past members.
In late 1980, Deverill was headhunted by the Tygers of Pan Tang and replaced by Carl Sentance, a former bandmate of Nick Hughes and Razz in Leading Star. New vocalist in place, Persian Risk issued the now highly collectible "Calling For You" b/w "Chase the Dragon" 7" single in 1981, before sacking Dave Bell's replacement, Alex Lohfink, and soldiering on as a four-piece. The band made further headway by contributing the aforementioned "Calling For You" to the "Heavy Metal Heroes Vol. 2" compilation album[1] (Heavy Metal Records, 1982) and a new cut, "50.000 Stallions", to the 60 Minutes Plus cassette compilation (Neat Records, 1982), also issued on vinyl as All Hell Let Loose by Neat in conjunction with Italy's Base Records label in 1983. Adding to their tally, the band followed it up with the "Ridin' High" b/w "Hurt You" single through Neat,[1] which earned Risk their strongest reviews yet.[citation needed]
It would turn out to be the final recording with drummer Razz who was sacked in late 1983. He was briefly superseded by Dixie Lee (ex-Lone Star, Wild Horses) before a more permanent replacement was a found in Steve Hopgood (ex-Chinatown, Shy). The band also added a new second guitarist, Graham Bath (ex-Sphinx). Persian Risk were dealt a significant blow when founding member Phil Campbell successfully auditioned for Motörhead, who would tap his old band for the support slot on their 1984 UK tour. Campbell's successor was Phil Vokins (ex-Tyrant, Wrathchild). Risk also signed a new record deal with London-based Zebra Records and issued the Too Different 12" EP in 1984 which saw the band temper their raw approach in favor of a somewhat more polished sound.[citation needed]
That same year, Persian Risk made their one and only national UK TV appearance when the band performed three songs – "Women In Rock", "Rise Up", and "Too Different" – on Channel 4's ECT program. All three songs would later feature on their Rise Up album, which was released in 1986 on Metal Masters.[1] By that time, the band had already disintegrated, the result of mounting frustration after years of hard work and failing to get that elusive big break. Nick Hughes exited to join Idol Rich, drummer Steve Hopgood co-founded Wild! (and later joined Paul Di'Anno's Battlezone[1] and Killers, as well as an early version of Jagged Edge), while Carl Sentance stepped in with Tokyo Blade on their 1986 European tour; he was also brought in as a guest vocalist by fellow Welsh act Tredegar for their 1986 debut album. Graham Bath, too, would later serve a stint with the DiAnno fronted Battlezone[1] and Killers.
In February 2012, vocalist Carl Sentance announced on his Facebook page that he had recorded seven new songs, and re-cut four old Persian Risk tracks, for inclusion on a new Persian Risk album, albeit without any of the original members involved. The participation of Deep Purple keyboardist Don Airey and former Thunder bassist Chris Childs was confirmed by Sentance.[2]
In a 29 July 2012 posting on the band's Facebook page, an August release was announced for the new album, entitled Once A King. On it, Sentance, Airey and Childs are joined by bassist Alex Meadows, drummer Tim Brown and the guitar duo of Danny Willson and Howie G. The above-mentioned album was released in October 2012; a limited edition vinyl version was issued by German label High Roller Records.[3]
The new Persian Risk played the "Hard Rock Hell" festival in Wales on 29 November 2012, with a line-up consisting of Sentance, Brown, Howie G. and former Blaze bassist Wayne Banks. They are also scheduled to appear at the "Keep It True" festival in Germany in April 2014. Their third album, named Who Am I?, was released on 6 November 2014.[4][5]
Persian Risk USA lineup (active briefly from 1992–1995):
01. "Hold the Line"
02. "Jane" featuring Didge Digital on keyboards
03. "Rise Up"
04. "Brave New World"
05. "Don't Turn Around"
06. "Sky's Falling Down"
07. "Break Free"
08. "Dark Tower"
09. "Rip It Up"
10. "Women in Rock"
Note: The High Vaultage re-issue added the three songs from the Too Different 12" EP as bonus tracks.
01. "Asylum"
02. "Riding High"
03. "Killer"
04. "Once a King"
05. "Soul Deceiver"
06. "Battle Cry"
07. "Spirit in My Dreams"
08. "Ride the Storm"
09. "Fist of Fury"
10. "Women and Rock"
11. "Wasteland"
Note: "Riding High" and "Women and Rock" are re-recordings of earlier Persian Risk songs.
