News
Rythm guitarist of Los Angeles speed metal icons AGENT STEEL, Juan Garcia, is another vuluable asset in the Vertigo user list, who hasn't stopped playing his Sustainer-equipped Vertigo Elite. Juan started playing guitar in the early 1980's in the metal band ABBATOIR, and later joined AGENT STEEL when their first demo "144,000 Gone" got the band signed to Combat records, in 1984.
The band released two full length albums, and one EP before temporarily disbanding in 1988. Juan went on to form the thrash metal band EVILDEAD along with ex-members of Abattoir. The band released the two full-length albums Annihilation of Civilization and The Underworld, and a 3-song EP entitled Rise Above on Steamhammer Records. They had reasonable success in the European metal scene touring with bands like Laaz Rockit. EvilDead disbanded in the early 1990's and some of the members, including Juan, went on to form the band TERROR, which released the full-length "Hijos de Los Cometas" on BMG in Mexico before officially disbanding.
In 1999, AGENT STEEL was reborn. Juan brought in bassist Karlos Medina that had been in EvilDead, and Terror; while Chuck Profus and Bernie Versailles returned; along with new recruit Bruce Hall as the new vocalist. The band recorded Omega Conspiracy in 1999 which was their first album in 13 years. In 2003, they released the album Order of the Illuminati to rave reviews with the band returning to a more of a traditional classic metal sound. Following the release of Order of the Illuminati, a mini CD was available in late 2003 entitled Earth Under Lucifer as a promotional product to coincide with a European tour with Exodus. In 2005, Agent Steel released an official DVD which contains an entire live performance with no "overdubs" from their appearance at the Dynamo Open Air.
On Sept 18-19, 2010 AGENT STEEL performed two live shows with John Cyriis returning as lead vocalist for the first time in over two decades in Tokyo, Japan at "Thrash Domination 2010" along with Exodus, Overkill, Nevermore and the Japanese band Outrage. Agent Steel also performed live in Europe with John Cyriis on vocals again at the "Sweden Rock Festival" in Solvesborg, Sweden on June 10, 2011. Juan is currently performing with MASTERS OF METAL, which include several AGENT STEEL members.
