VIRGIN STEELE is amongst a leading number of new North American Hard Rock bands taking their cue from British groups from the 70's and pioneering a new form of Pomp edged Heavy Metal. The seeds of the band were laid in Long Island when guitarist JACK STARR, actually of French origin and living there until he was nine years old, relocated back to America after a further spell in France having held a position in leading French rock outfit TRUST early on in their career. Indeed, Starr claims to have played with the group for what amounted to their first ever gig at the Olympia Theatre in Paris.

Upon returning to the America, Starr had begun playing with drummer Joey Ayvazian in 1981 and the duo quickly recruited vocalist / keyboard player David DeFeis after being impressed with his rendition of DEEP PURPLE's 'Child In Time' at his audition. DeFeis had previously been with MOUNTAIN ASH. The band's first bassist was Kelly Nichols although subsequently DeFeis drafted bassist Joe O'Reilly into the frame. Nichols would join ANGELS IN VAIN then relocate to Los Angeles later to join FASTER PUSSYCAT and L.A. GUNS.

The group's public audio debut came in 1982 with the inclusion of 'Children Of The Storm' included on the Shrapnel 'US Metal Vol. II' compilation. VIRGIN STEELE became the first signings to former Secret Records boss Martin Hooker's new Metal label Music For Nations. The band's debut album, originally intended as a demo and costing a mere $1'000, was released in Europe with the landmark catalogue number MFN 1 in 1983. It had originally appeared on the group's own label the previous December, Starr claiming that it had sold 5,000 copies in the first two and a half weeks. Amongst VIRGIN STEELE's earliest, high profile shows were two dates in New York opening for MANOWAR and the group were quick to begin work on a second album at Sonic Sound Studios in Freeport, New York. 'Guardians Of The Flame' was issued before the end of the year. UK editions sported a fantasy themed album cover whilst US variants came clad in a simpler sword design.

Mongol Horde Records put out the EP 'Wait For The Night', this set delivered in Europe re-billed and with a revised track listing as 'A Cry In The Night'. A diversion during 1984 found various members of VIRGIN STEELE appeared anonymously on two Thrash albums billed as EXORCIST, with David DeFeis as 'Damian Rath', and DEVIL CHILDE, the latter seeing Starr's inclusion under the pseudonym' Lucifer'.

VIRGIN STEELE parted company with JACK STARR due to musical differences. As the guitarist went on to forge a reasonably successful career for himself as a solo artist with his BURNING STARR band projects, VIRGIN STEELE eventually replaced him with Edward Pursino, a high school friend of DeFeis.

After Starr had left the band, his former colleagues seemingly discovered that he had copyrighted the band name. Eventually, the situation was resolved and the group was able to continue with the moniker. The group eventually returned with the 'Noble Savage' album, a record released on their Canadian manager Zoran Busic's Cobra label. Busic, once having been the manager of Canuck Prog Rock outfit SAGA, also had a hand in various Canadian issues of early Virgin Steele catalogue on the Maze label often with alternate art and track lists. Most notably Maze licensed the 'Guardians Of The Flame' album for the Canadian territory which dropped three tracks and added both the 'Cry In The Night' EP and the 'Wait For The Night' EP under a re-brand of 'Burn The Sun'.

In 1986 DeFeis produced the second BURNING STARR album 'No Turning Back' and added keyboards. DeFeis also put in time with another Cobra label act, female thrashers ORIGINAL SIN, producing their debut album 'Sin Will Find You Out' albeit under the pseudonym of "The Lion".

Both Pursino and DeFeis would also contribute albeit anonymously to the second album 'Stay Ugly' from spoof Thrash Metal band PILEDRIVER.

With enthusiasm at a high VIRGIN STEELE undertook two tours of Europe in 1987 supporting MANOWAR then BLACK SABBATH before recording of 'Age Of Consent'. The album, released in late 1988, did not feature Joe O'Reilly and bass was supplied by DeFeis and Pursino.

In a lengthy period of downtime for VIRGIN STEELE Starr and DeFeis reunited briefly in 1990 with the act SMOKESTACK LIGHTNING in union with ex-FOGHAT bassist Craig McGregor. This Blues Rock act's life span was short with a later recruit being bassist Rob DeMartino, later of RONDINELLI.

This lengthy hiatus saw a large philosophical shift in the band. Sonically and lyrically the band consciously moved away from a early US/ NWOBHM hybrid sound and their relatively lightweight lyrical stance of earlier material. This shift predominantly took shape in the band embracing a much more epic, sweeping metal sound and began a long-standing lyrical exploration of themes of classic literature and ancient times specifically, Greece and Rome. The band had briefly dabbled with historical themes with such tracks as 'The Burning Of Rome' on 'The Age Of Consent' but it wasn't until the 90's that the new sound and approach came to the fore.

VIRGIN STEELE pulled in former DIO, GREAT WHITE and RONDINELLI bassist Teddy Cook for the 'Life Among The Ruins' album. However, the bass sessions were finished by Rob DeMartino. VIRGIN STEELE promoted the album with a lengthy headlining jaunt in Europe, with July 1993 dates in Germany supported by SAHARA.

DeFeis' next project was the epic and ambitious concept 'The Marriage Of Heaven And Hell', released over two sprawling albums; 'The Marriage Of Heaven And Hell: Part One' in 1995, and 'The Marriage Of Heaven And Hell: Part Two' in 1996. During recording DeMartino left to join RAINBOW, albeit briefly. Pursino took over bass duties. In 1995 a projected tour of Europe was cancelled when headline act URIAH HEEP pulled out. The band regrouped with DeMartino for a headline European schedule later in the year as VIRGIN STEELE drafted a new drummer Frank Gilchriest.

The 1997 extensively reworked re-release of 'Age Of Consent' sees a revision of the original track order and additional newly recorded bonus tracks, amongst them a heavily keyboard orientated rework of JUDAS PRIEST's 'Desert Plains'. The band appeared on the bill of the 'Heavy Oder Was?' magazine organised 'Bang Your Head' festival in Tübingen, Germany in September 1997.

In 1998 the stable line-up of DeFeis, Pursino, DeMartino and Gilchriest finally embraced perhaps the inevitable and produced their first full-length Rock Opera titled 'Invictus'. Originally titled 'A Season In Purgatory' it was also billed as 'Marriage Of Heaven And Hell Part III' by DeFeis. The lengthy album released on the T&T label, tells the tale of heroes, epic battles and stands as the bands heaviest work to date.

The 1999 album 'The House Of Atreus: Act I', recorded at Media Recording in Bellmore, New York, is an ambitious concept based on Greek mythology. DeFeis toured this in Europe as an ambitious stageplay. With the release of the second part of the concept 'The House Of Atreus Act II' in 2000 VIRGIN STEELE took to the road in Europe as guests of HAMMERFALL to open the new year. DeFeis lent his talents to EDGUY mainman Tobias Sammet's adventurous AVANTASIA eponymous project album the same year.

'The House of Atreus Act I & II' was to be the bands tour-de-force, a sprawling three-disc set clocking in at two hours and 45 minutes. The story itself is a musical and lyrical interpretation of the popular Greek myth of King Agamemnon and his son Orestes as it traces their fate in the years following the Battle of Troy. The band even supplemented the project in 2000 with the release of the long EP, 'Magick Fire Music', which tied in to the concept with a few new songs and alternate versions.

Although VIRGIN STEELE has not recorded a new studio album in almost six years, the band has certainly not been inactive since 2000. To mark VIRGIN STEELE's 20th anniversary in 2002 the act planned a greatest hits package entitled 'Hymns To Victory' and a further affair billed as 'The Book Of Burning'. The latter would comprise of early material culled from both 'Virgin Steele I' and 'Guardians Of The Flame' re-recorded by the current VIRGIN STEELE line-up in addition to no less than eight unreleased bonus tracks.

During October it emerged that DeFeis was making ready two ambitious musical ventures for 2003, one based upon the myths of ancient Sumeria. During December the band recorded and filmed their show at The Downtown in Farmingdale, Long Island for a live album and DVD set. The singer put in guest sessions on the 2003 solo album 'Raise Your Fist To Metal' from erstwhile METALIUM and SAVATAGE guitarist JACK FROST prior to embroiling himself in the production of another leviathan VIRGIN STEELE release billed as 'lilith'. Drummer Frank Gilchriest would also prove industrious, retaining his band membership he also sessioned for RIOT, GOTHIC KNIGHTS and HOLY MOTHER.

In May of 2004 VIRGIN STEELE's David DeFeis, Edward Pursino and bassist Josh Block united with former EXORCIST drummer Geoff Fontaine and keyboard player Lynn Delmato under the billing of CARNIVAL OF SOULS to perform a one off covers gig in aid of the South Shore Music Foundation.

Announced live work for 2005, including dates at Germany's 'Bang Your Head' and Finland's 'Nummirock' festivals in June, would be cancelled with a statement revealing David DeFeis was undergoing medical tests. As it transpired, VIRGIN STEELE's solo European concert would be as headlining act at the November 5th 'Keep It True V' festival at Tauberfrankenhalle in Lauda-Königshofen, Germany alongside JAG PANZER, RAVEN and RUFFIANS.

VIRGIN STEELE's appearance the March 10th 2006 'Atarfe Vega Rock' festival at Nave Medina Elvira in Atarfe, Granada, Spain proved historical when the group performed an entire set, including encore, without drums. Band drummer Frank Gilchriest missed his flight. VIRGIN STEELE cut a new album, 'Visions Of Eden (The Lilith Project - A Barbaric Romantic Movie Of The Mind)' suitably clocking in at an epic 79 minutes, for release in September.

On 31st October 31 2008 the German Dockyard 1 label re-issued the albums 1992's 'Life Among The Ruins', 1994's 'The Marriage Of Heaven & Hell Part I' and 1995's 'The Marriage Of Heaven & Hell Part II' in Europe. Bonus tracks for 'The Marriage Of Heaven & Hell Part II' album consisted of two live performances recorded in Germany, while the 'Life Among The Ruins' bonus cuts comprised several live acoustic tracks that were recorded in the living room of David DeFeis' house during rehearsals. 

2009 saw the compilation of a VIRGIN STEELE tribute album, entitled 'By The Gods: A Noble Tribute to Virgin Steele', assembled by Matthew Knight from ETERNAL WINTER. Featured bands included Norway's TOMORROW'S OUTLOOK and CYCLOPHONIA, Poland's CRYSTAL VIPER, Italy's NOBLE SAVAGE, Greek act CRUSADE OF STEEL and US outfits ARMORY, ETERNAL WINTER and POSEIDONS ANGER.