LACE DRAGON - Lace Dragon CD (US IMPORT!) (Pre-Order)

After several years of hunting for the dragon and even discovering another along the way, Heaven and Hell Records have finally found what they have been searching for. In the Fall of 2025, the label will release the rare and unearthed LACE DRAGON (NY) recordings for the first time on CD.

Little is known about LACE DRAGON, a fledgling power metal band that would have fit like a sword in sheath on any "Metal Massacre" compilation alongside WARLORD, FATES WARNING, or OVERLORDE, but alas, this was not meant to be.

Thomas Italo Ciampoli was born in Rockland County, New York, to a musically enriched family. He would begin his musical journey as a young boy, joining his father in a local barbershop band, where he played the guitar. By the age of nine, Ciampoli wanted to give up the guitar, but one faithful visit from his cousin introduced the lad to Jimi Hendrix. Never having heard the guitar played in such a way, Ciampoli would be inspired to stick with the instrument, and at age thirteen, he would have his own Stratocaster. In eighth grade, Ciampoli joined his second band, led by one of his school teachers and featuring some of his classmates. The band went on to play a talent show in the state capital of Albany. Performing covers of John Denver's 'Leaving on a Jet Plane', Ricky Nelson's 'Garden Party', and 'Revolution' by The Beatles.

That event also saw Ciampoli meeting with a group of high school teens who were also performing that evening. This chance encounter would lead to his third band, RUDE AWAKENINGS. As the band gained momentum and picked up several gigs, Ciampoli became in demand among local bands, who would often ask him to join them.

After a few years of working with various band lineups and gigging, Ciampoli would gain extensive experience as a working musician.

In 1980, Ciampoli found himself in his first year of college in Rockland, New York. There, he made friends with many new people and met other musicians. There, he decided to form a new band and call it LACE DRAGON.

Now, with the moniker LACE DRAGON, Ciampoli would search for the right musicians for his heavy metal vision. The first lineup would consist of drummer Hal Maddax, bassist Tony Monti, and vocalist Mike Pitilli. This lineup would be short-lived. However, Ciampoli's persistence continued as he searched for new players. Eventually, his efforts would pay off when he found drummer Christian Van Den Heuvel, bassist Jimmy Mute, and vocalist Rich Ceccehtti.

LACE DRAGON would quickly emerge onto the local club circuit. It would not be easy for the band to push their original tunes into the cover band-dominated music scene, gig after gig. Still, LACE DRAGON kept moving forward.

In 1984, the band went to Black Creek Studios to record six songs. Ciampoli would fully finance the EP. Recording the EP would be no easy task, especially while adhering to a tightly knit schedule over the next four months. The handful of songs chosen for the sessions were regular additions to the band's live sets.

By the time LACE DRAGON was able to return to the studio to begin recording a second release, the lineup had begun to change. Around this time, the all-too-familiar vices of rock 'n' roll also began to affect the band. Due to these issues, LACE DRAGON would break up. But not before managing to record a handful of additional tracks that would remain unreleased until now.

In early Fall of this year Heaven and Hell Records will release a limited edition CD of all the LACE DRAGON recordings. All the tracks have been cleaned up and remastered by Jamie King from the best possible sources.

1. East of Paradise
2. Burning Up

3. Rock Child

4. Dogs

5. Vision of Nahum

6. Picture Photo

7. The Master of the Universe

8. Carry On

9. Prisoner of War

10. Red Skies

11. Never Be the Same