When he left Virgin Steele in 1984 the New York guitarist JACK STARR remained a member of the upper echelon of Heavy Metal in the Eighties. Instead of bowing to the trend of elaborate guitar-egomania of the time, STARR turned to band-oriented songwriting and released four first-class metal albums between 1985 and 1989. But with the passing years, the name of the small guitarist with the huge riffs became lost in the musical Nirvana. It was not until 2009 that JACK STARR'S BURNING STARR could celebrate a successful comeback with the album, "Defiance". Now, in 2011, the successor, "Land Of The Dead", is about to take the scene by force and it is an album, which oozes power, high class Power Metal hymns with thumping great vocal passages and riffs. There is absolutely no doubt that this album will rocket the name of JACK STARR back into the spotlight. The ten songs cover the entire genre of Power Metal and are rounded off by a sharp, transparent and ass-kicking production. "Land Of The Dead" will kick all fans of high-class true steel straight into headbanger heaven. The metal community first became aware of JACK STARR in 1982 when he and Virgin Steele appeared on the now legendary metal compilation, "U.S. Metal Volume 2". The Shrapnel series of compilations was to become the starting ramp for many a band in the following years. However, because of musical differences STARR did not stay with Virgin Steele for long and after two albums he went his own way. In 1984 he released his first solo album entitled "Out Of The Darkness", with no lesser colleagues than the late ex-Riot singer Rhett Forrester as well as the two Rods musicians Carl Canedy and Gary Bordonaro. It was an album that, as far as the music went, reminded one of the hardrock phase Riot albums, combined with The Rods and Dokken. One year later JACK STARR'S BURNING STARR was born, with which he released four high quality and memorable albums during the rest of the Eighties. "Rock The American Way”, "No Turning Back!”, "Blaze Of Glory” and "Jack Starr's Burning Starr” are magic, musical documentation of the times when metal sounded exactly like one wishes it would today. For several of the musicians who played on the albums, these works were the starting point for their later successful careers with other bands. Hell screamer Mike Tirelli, for example, with his Halford-like voice brought attention to several different bands. But, after the release of "Jack Starr's Burning Starr”, metal began to show signs of wear and traditional Heavy Metal started to be seen as passé and not as innovative as the latest musical trends. STARR broke up the band and more or less disappeared from the scene. With two ten year pauses, two further JACK STARR albums appeared, but which had no connection to heavy metal: "A Minor Disturbance" (1990) and "Soon Day Will Come" (2000) are quite bluesy, experimental albums with funk and Latin influences. He also appeared on the US east coast as a blues musician with Smoke Stack Lightning and the Jack Starr Blues Band. Then in 2003 STARR reappeared under the band name, Guardians Of The Flame, and released the band's debut album, "Under A Savage Sky". It was, however, only the underground, which took notice of the work, which could only be described as a form of eccentric metal. Five years passed and then STARR decided to work together with Magic Circle Music (Manowar Label, Management) and performed in the two consecutive years 2008 and 2009 at the Magic Circle Festival. 2009 also saw the official comeback album entitled "Defiance" and showed a re-born, agile Jack Starr who had gathered a group of excellent musicians around him. "Defiance" was the starting gun for the musical content of the 2011 album, "Land Of The Dead": metal from the heart and with all the trademarks of the metal of the late Eighties - in other words, metal as metal should be. Right from the start and the opening title track, 'Land Of The Dead' JACK STARR'S BURNING STARR makes it clear that Eighties metal needn't sound musty or faded, but instead, with unbounded passion, high-quality songwriting and a kick-ass production, it can hold its head up high today without the stain of clichees. In several passages, the song reminds one of VIRGIN STEELE in their "Guardians Of The Flame" days! Pure magic. 'Sands Of Time' has a gallopping up-tempo riff and tops it all with a hymn-like chorus, which, once inside your head, is hard to remove! 'On The Wings Of The Night' hits you like a speeding, full metal jacket bullet whilst the rhythmical, tough 'Until The End' with its extremely expressive vocals and the blade sharp riffs drills into your ears, as does every other song on the album. The mixture of hymns and driving Power Metal tracks is earthy and rooted in the classical metal sound, all supported by the excellent guitar playing of Jack Starr and the vocals of Todd Hall. Hall's voice sometimes sounds like a young David DeFeis with a touch of Mike Tirelli (Messiah's Kiss, Riot, Holy Mother) and Tony Moore (Riot). It is a stupendous voice and thanks to his vocal chords, the tight Power Metal tracks make the melodic components of "Land Of The Dead" into a tremendous metal opus. And, knowing that you can't get far without a competent and powerful rhythm section, JACK STARR managed to bring the ex-Manowar drummer Rhino on board who, together with bass virtuoso Ned Meloni, Starr's long-time musical colleague, is responsible for laying down a thick Axminster of sound. And as guest musicians on this album, Ross The Boss, David Shankle (both ex-Manowar) and Martha Gabriel (Crystal Viper) were eager to take part. In this sense, "When Blood And Steel Collide"!