EXCITER - Vinyl Album Cover Gallery and Discography

Exciter is the Canadian speed metal band from Ottawa, Ontario. They are widely considered to be one of the first speed metal bands and a seminal influence of the thrash metal genre. Despite many changes in personnel, the band have managed to keep a small but dedicated following for more than 25 years.

Photo of Photo of the Exciter band

The Exciter band started as "Hell Razor" and was formed by John Ricci (Guitars), Dan Beehler (Drums, Vocals), Allan James Johnson (Bass) in 1978. In 1980 the band's name was renamed into "Exciter"

EXCITER Band Description:

 Exciter is a Canadian speed metal band that was formed in Ottawa in 1978. They are considered to be one of the pioneering bands of the speed and thrash metal genres, and their fast-paced, high-energy music has influenced countless other metal bands over the years.

 Exciter's original lineup consisted of Dan Beehler on drums and vocals, John Ricci on guitar, and Allan Johnson on bass. They released their debut album, "Heavy Metal Maniac," in 1983, which quickly established their signature sound of fast, aggressive riffs and high-pitched, screaming vocals.

 Over the years, Exciter has released a number of acclaimed albums, including "Violence & Force" (1984), "Long Live the Loud" (1985), and "Unveiling the Wicked" (1986). They continued to tour and release new music throughout the 1990s and 2000s, and their influence on the metal scene has remained strong.

 One of the defining characteristics of Exciter's music is their fast, furious playing style. Their songs are filled with lightning-fast riffs, blazing solos, and thundering drum beats that are designed to get the listener's blood pumping. The band's music is not for the faint of heart - it's meant to be played loud and enjoyed at maximum volume.

 In addition to their music, Exciter is also known for their high-energy live performances. The band has played countless shows around the world, and they have built a reputation for delivering electrifying, adrenaline-fueled performances that leave audiences exhausted and satisfied.

 Despite numerous lineup changes over the years, Exciter has remained true to their roots and their commitment to delivering fast, aggressive metal music. They continue to be a major influence on the metal scene, and their legacy is secure as one of the pioneering bands of the speed and thrash metal genres.

John Ricci: Speed Metal's Reluctant Prophet

John Ricci didn’t just play metal—he summoned it from the bowels of some smoke-choked, gear-oil-scented Ottawa basement and screamed it into the void until the void screamed back. Founding Exciter in 1978 (before most of you were born or at least before you learned to stop wetting yourself during Sabbath solos), Ricci delivered the kind of guitar riffs that didn’t just melt your face—they turned it into a liquefied mess of denim, acne, and broken dreams.

EXCITER: THE SOUND OF AN AMBULANCE CRASHING INTO A BLAST FURNACE

The first album, Heavy Metal Maniac (1983)? A pure amphetamine overdose of raw speed metal, one of those rare slabs of vinyl that makes your turntable cry for mercy. Ricci wasn’t just shredding—he was weaponizing the guitar. Followed up by Violence & Force (1984) and Long Live the Loud (1985), this guy kept feeding the monster until it bit his damn fingers off.

Then he left. Internal squabbling? Maybe. Burnout? Sure. Needed to go find himself in the desert with a case of Molson and a Flying V? Probably. But the son of a bitch came back. In 1991, Ricci returned to Exciter like a prophet with a hangover, leading the charge into albums like The Dark Command (1997) and Blood of Tyrants (2000). The man couldn’t stop—he had riffs in his bones and probably nightmares scored by double kick drums.

WHITE ZOMBIE: A BRIEF PSYCHEDELIC DETOUR INTO HELL

So then, late ‘80s, he jumps ship and winds up in freakin’ White Zombie. Yeah, that White Zombie—the one with the horror movies and doom grooves and more latex than a Gwar tour bus. Ricci joined in 1988, during some embryonic Frankenstein phase of the band. It didn’t last. Carpal tunnel syndrome, they said. Maybe he just realized he missed the feral howl of Exciter crowds and the smell of sweat-soaked denim in some Quebec dive bar.

POWERRAGE: THE RECKONING CONTINUES

2024. The man is 60-something, probably limping from decades of onstage abuse, and what does he do? Launches a new band: Powerrage—because why the hell not. Recruits old pals like Jacques Bélanger (the voice behind three Exciter albums) and Witchkiller’s Todd Pilon. It’s like The Expendables of Canadian metal, only with more distortion and fewer gym memberships. They’re dropping an album sometime in 2025. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

THE LEGACY: SCARS, STRINGS, AND SPEED

Ricci is what happens when you hand a teenager a Gibson, a stack of Venom LPs, and a grudge against all things slow. He didn’t just help invent speed metal—he helped keep it dangerous. While others got clean and sold insurance, Ricci kept torching the frets, flipping the bird to trends, and making music that could kill a man at 30 yards through a Marshall cab.

Index of EXCITER 1980s Vinyl Album Discography and Album Cover Gallery

EXCITER - Heavy Metal Maniac
Heavy Metal Maniac  12" LP

Roadrunner RR 9710 / Shrapnel  , 1986 , Netherlands

"EXCITER - Heavy Metal Maniac" is the electrifying debut album by Canadian Thrash Metal pioneers, Exciter. Originally known as "Hell Razor", this 12" vinyl LP encapsulates the raw power and intensity of the band's early sound. Released with relentless speed and aggression, this iconic album showcases Exciter

Heavy Metal Maniac 12" Vinyl LP
EXCITER - Long Live the Loud (Netherlands)
Long Live the Loud (MFN, Netherlands)  12" LP

Music For Nations RR 9782 , 1985 , Netherlands

In 1985, the Canadian speed metal maniacs known as Exciter unleashed their third studio album, "Long Live the Loud," upon an unsuspecting world. This sonic assault, released on Music For Nations in the Netherlands, was a relentless barrage of riffs, screams, and pummeling drums that cemented Exciter

Long Live the Loud (MFN, Netherlands) 12" Vinyl LP Long Live the Loud (UK) 12" Vinyl LP
EXCITER - Unveiling the Wicked
Unveiling the Wicked 12" LP

Music For Nations MFN 61  , 1986 , France

"EXCITER - Unveiling the Wicked" is a thrilling 12" vinyl LP released in 1986 by Canadian Heavy Metal band Exciter. Published under the MFN Music for Nations label and manufactured in France, this album showcases the band's evolution, blending powerful riffs, blistering solos, and intense vocals.

Unveiling the Wicked 12" Vinyl LP
EXCITER - Violence & Force 12" LP
Violence & Force 12" LP

Roadrunner RR 9870 , 1983 , Netherlands

"Violence and Force" by Exciter has been produced by Carl 'The Sacred One' Canedy and released in 1984. It has been recorded at the "Pyramid Sound Recording Studios" (this studio was four years later used by "Overkill" to record "Under the Influence"),

Violence & Force 12" Vinyl LP