Alcatraz Line up: 2023

With Exciter we are welcoming one of the very first speed metal bands to hit the scene. Formed in 1978 in the Canadian capital of Ottawa and named after the famous Priest song, Exciter took cues from Maiden, AC/DC, Motörhead, Rush, Sabbath and others. Exciter churned out two hard-hitting straight-up speed/thrash albums in quick succession with ‘Heavy Metal Maniac’ (1983) and ‘Violence & Force (1984). ‘Long Live the Loud’ (1985) sounded a bit more polished and melodic but tracks like ‘Beyond the Gates of Doom’ and ‘Victims of Sacrifice’ can still give many modern thrash bands a run for their money. Subsequent releases gravitated towards classic heavy metal and although personnel changes have been a constant throughout their 30+ years, Exciter still has a fiercely loyal following. The original line-up had reassembled in recent years until the late 2018 replacement of guitarist John Ricci by Daniel Dekay. The current line-up is completed by founding members Dan Beehler (vocals/drums) and Allan Johnson (bass).