Exciter

Biography

Exciter was a Canadian speed metal band formed in Ottawa, Ontario, in 1978. Named after a Judas Priest song, they are considered one of the first speed metal bands, and cited as an influence on thrash metal. Despite personnel changes, limited commercial success, and three disbandments (in 1989, 1993, and 2026), Exciter has had a small following.

Formation and "classic" lineup era (1978–1985)

In 1978, the band Hell Razor formed in Ottawa, Ontario. It consisted of vocalist and drummer Dan Beehler, guitarist John Ricci, and bassist Allan James Johnson. In 1980, the band changed their name to Exciter and recorded a demo which they then sent to Mike Varney of Shrapnel Records. Varney included one song from it, "World War III×World War III1982 · EP · DemoSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1World War III3:252I’ll Never Forget (Sail On)5:053Vindicator4Fall Like an Angel", on the compilation album US Metal Volume II in 1982. Shortly after that, the band was signed to Shrapnel. In 1983, they released their debut album, Heavy Metal Maniac×Heavy Metal Maniac1983 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracks1The Holocaust1:432Stand Up and Fight2:453Heavy Metal Maniac3:484Iron Dogs6:005Mistress of Evil5:166Under Attack4:177Rising of the Dead3:338Blackwitch7:059Cry of the Banshee3:49.
Exciter signed a record deal with Jon Zazula's Megaforce Records the year after based on the promise of tour support and, in 1984, released their second album, Violence & Force×Violence & Force1984 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Oblivion0:342Violence & Force4:053Scream in the Night4:134Pounding Metal4:355Evil Sinner4:586Destructor4:197Swords of Darkness3:578Delivering to the Master6:069Saxons of the Fire3:2710War Is Hell6:18. After a few headlining dates with American thrash metal band Anthrax, they embarked on their first U.S. tour with Danish heavy metal band Mercyful Fate opening for Motörhead. Exciter was forced to switch to a new label, Music for Nations, when Megaforce sold its contract and travelled to London, England for a tour that was cancelled at the last minute and then again to record their third album, Long Live the Loud×Long Live the Loud1985 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracksA1Fall Out1:55A2Long Live the Loud4:18A3I Am the Beast4:50A4Victims of Sacrifice4:59A5Beyond the Gates of Doom5:15B1Sudden Impact4:03B2Born to Die6:02B3Wake Up Screaming10:00. It was released in 1985 and produced by Motörhead producer Guy Bidmead. It contained a slightly more "mainstream" heavy metal sound than the pure speed/thrash metal of the first two albums. After its release, the band went on a European tour with German heavy metal band Accept. At the end of 1984, Exciter was the support band on one of the US legs of Motörhead's No Remorse Tour; the following year, they were the headliner in a tour with Megadeth and Exodus. Before the year ended, Exciter released the three-track EP, Feel the Knife×Feel the Knife1985 · EPSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Feel the Knife2:552Violence and Force (live)4:253Pounding Metal (live)6:14, which was the last release from the original line-up. Shortly after its release, John Ricci left the band and was replaced by Brian McPhee.

Lineup changes, first hiatus and first comeback (1986–1996)

Along with a new guitarist came a new, more melodic sound. The band's fourth album, Unveiling the Wicked×Unveiling the Wicked1986 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracksA1Breakdown the Walls6:39A2Brainstorm1:33A3Die in the Night4:11A4(I Hate) School Rules3:57A5Shout It Out4:40B1Invasion/Waiting in the Dark5:40B2Living Evil6:54B3Live Fast Die Young3:53B4Mission Destroy6:21, was released in 1986 on the Music for Nations label. After its release, the band went out on a successful European tour with Motörhead and American power metal band Manowar. It was decided at this time that Dan Beehler (who had handled both drums and vocals since the band's inception) would not sing anymore. New vocalist Rob Malnati was hired, and made his debut on the band's self-titled album (a.k.a. O.T.T.). The album was released in 1988 through the Canadian record label Maze Music. A Canadian tour followed, but by early 1989, the band had broken up.
In 1991, Exciter re-emerged with Beehler on lead vocals again. John Ricci also returned to the band. Bass duties were handled by new bassist David Ledden. The band's first recording with this line-up was the song "Born to Kill" which appeared on a compilation album titled Capitol Punishment, which was released in 1991. The same year, the band went on a reunion tour in Canada, which would largely be focused on songs from their first three albums. The band's first live album, Better Live than Dead×Better Live Than Dead1993 · Album · LiveSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Stand Up and Fight2:592Heavy Metal Maniac3:403Victims of Sacrifice5:024Under Attack4:195Sudden Impact4:066Delivering to the Master6:067I Am the Beast4:418Blackwitch7:239Long Live the Loud5:0710Rising of the Dead3:5211Cry of the Banshee4:0812Pounding Metal5:1813Violence and Force5:05, which was released in 1993, had been recorded during their reunion tour at this time.
In 1992, the band signed to German metal label Noise Records and recorded their sixth album, Kill After Kill×Kill After Kill27 April 1992 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracks1Rain of Terror5:052No Life No Future3:543Cold Blooded Murder3:564Smashin ’em Down3:105Shadow of the Cross5:276Dog Eat Dog3:187Anger, Hate & Destruction4:278The Second Coming4:359Born to Kill (live)4:08. The band went on a three-week European tour with Rage to support it. After the tour, the band disappeared for a second time. It would be three years before they would be heard from again.

Second reunion and Jacques Bélanger era (1996–2006)

In March 1996, an almost completely new line-up was announced. Ricci was the only returning original member. Jacques Bélanger was the new vocalist and Rik Charron and Marc Charron (no relation) would handle drum and bass duties respectively. The new line-up played a few well-received gigs in Canada before recording a new album, The Dark Command×The Dark Command14 November 1997 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1The Dark Command2:422Burn at the Stake4:493Aggressor3:334Assassins in Rage3:195Ritual Death5:336Sacred War3:587Let Us Prey5:128Executioner4:209Suicide Overdose2:3310Screams From the Gallows4:11. The album was released in 1997. With one of their strongest albums in years, the band went out on a European tour with Anvil and Flotsam and Jetsam.
Between 1998 and 2000, the band was basically dormant with only two festival appearances in the two-year span. The summer of 2000 saw the release of the follow-up album to The Dark Command, Blood of Tyrants×Blood of Tyrants5 July 2000 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Metal Crusaders4:132Rule With an Iron Fist3:483Intruders3:244Predator3:235Martial Law3:116War Cry3:347Brutal Warning3:518Weapons of Mass Destruction3:009Blood of Tyrants3:1110Violator3:52. The new album was heavier and more aggressive than its predecessor. In the fall of 2001, Bélanger left the band due to "creative differences". A year later Marc Charron quit, pursuing a career in the technology industry.

At the beginning of 2003, a new line-up was announced, with Ricci and Rik Charron returning along with new vocalist Rob Degroot and new bassist Paul Champagne. This line-up only lasted until March 2003 when Degroot left. His replacement was former vocalist Jacques Bélanger. In 2004, Paul Champagne was released from the band. The band recorded their ninth studio album, New Testament×New Testament21 June 2004 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1Rising of the Dead3:242Violence and Force4:013Rule With an Iron Fist3:474Rain of Terror4:545Brutal Warning3:506Victims of Sacrifice4:477The Dark Command2:388I Am the Beast4:569Pounding Metal3:4110Stand Up and Fight2:4311Heavy Metal Maniac3:4912Blackwitch9:0513Burn at the Stake4:5714Long Live the Loud4:0215Ritual Death5:31, with Ricci on both guitar and bass. New Testament is somewhat of a compilation album of re-recorded classics from throughout the band's entire career. Later that year, bassist Rob "Clammy" Cohen joined the ranks. The year ended with the band heading out on a European tour with Swedish power metal band Steel Attack.
Exciter participated in a number of European summer festivals in 2005, including the Tradate Iron Fest in Italy, Bang Your Head in Germany and Metalcamp in Slovenia.
Annihilator founder Jeff Waters was able to get the rights back to most of Exciter's catalogue titles from the old labels and get them a new deal to re-release these titles. As well, Waters remastered these titles and new booklet info, including comments from the original 3 band members, as well as additional photos were added to the re-releases.

Kenny "Metal Mouth" Winter era (2006–2014)

In 2006, Exciter played Keep It True VI in Lauda-Königshofen, Germany. Shortly thereafter, Bélanger left once again. An official statement from the band stated that "Due to 'differences of opinion' on many issues between Jacques and the rest of the band, he felt he could no longer continue as vocalist for Exciter." This lead them to regrettably cancel upcoming shows in Europe, the US and Canada that they had been working on for the summer. He was quickly replaced in October of that year by Kenny "Metal Mouth" Winter from New York.
The band played only one headlining show in Toronto, Canada in August 2007, thanks to an intense rehearsal and recording schedule involving a weekly 23-hour trek from New York City to Ottawa by Kenny Winter.
Twice delayed in December 2007 and January 2008, the band's tenth album Thrash Speed Burn×Thrash Speed Burn22 February 2008 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Massacre Mountain4:062Thrash Speed Burn5:013In Mortal Fear4:514Crucifixion6:225Demon’s Gate3:466Hangman3:017Evil Omen5:408Betrayal4:229The Punisher4:1210Rot the Devil King4:23 was released in February 2008 in Europe and in March 2008 worldwide. It has since garnered positive reviews from many a European fanzine.
The band's first European show for the tour, with the then-current line-up, saw their debut at the Atarfe Vega Rock Festival in Granada, Spain. Coincidentally, it also marked Exciter's first-ever appearance on the Iberian Peninsula.

Reunion with "classic" line-up and third breakup (2014–2026)

In February 2014, it was announced on the band's official Facebook fan page that guitarist John Ricci had decided to leave the band, departing Exciter and leaving the band with no original members. In April 2014, Ricci began claiming that the retirement statement was false, however the former band members maintain that at the time of the press release, the information it contained was accurate.
The original Exciter line-up reunited shortly after, playing their first European show on April 25, 2015, at Keep It True Festival and then in March 2015 at the Defenders of the Old Festival in New York. A reunion album was planned for 2019, but remained in question after the departure of John Ricci. In October 2018, Daniel Dekay was announced as the replacement for Ricci. The band also had a new album in the works.
In a March 2026 interview with Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles, Johnson confirmed that Exciter was "dead and buried and put to rest" after "a year and a half and no contact" with Beehler.

Legacy and influences

Some publications such as Loudwire consider Exciter to be among the greatest heavy metal acts to come out of Canada. Their first two albums were highly influential on the thrash movement that would come shortly afterward.
Exciter's music has been influenced by, amongst others, AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Grand Funk Railroad, Iron Maiden, Jethro Tull, Judas Priest, Motörhead, Rush and Scorpions.

Final lineup

Dan Beehler – vocals, drums (1978–1989, 1991–1993, 2014–2026)
Allan James Johnson – bass, backing vocals (1978–1989, 2014–2026)
Daniel Dekay – guitars (2018–2026)

Former

John Ricci – guitars, vocals, bass (1978–1985, 1991–2018)
Brian McPhee – guitars, vocals (1985–1989)
Rob Malnati – vocals (1987–1989)
David Ledden – bass (1991–1992)
Jeff MacDonald – bass, backing vocals (1992–1993)
Marc Charron – bass (1996–2002)
Jacques Belanger – vocals (1996–2001, 2003–2006)
Richard "Rik" Charron – drums (1996–2014)
Robert William DeGroot – vocals (2001-2003)
Paul Champagne – bass (2003-2004)
Robert "Clammy" Cohen – bass (2004–2014)
Kenny "Metal Mouth" Winter – vocals (2006–2014)

Studio albums

Heavy Metal Maniac (1983)
Violence & Force (1984)
Long Live the Loud (1985)
Unveiling the Wicked (1986)
Exciter / O.T.T. (1988)
Kill After Kill (1992)
The Dark Command (1997)
Blood of Tyrants (2000)
New Testament (2004)
Thrash Speed Burn (2008)
Death Machine (2010)