WJCU 88.7 FM, Auburn Records, The Exchange and Iron Ingo Stührenberg present the seventh annual Cleveland Metal Holiday Food Drive, set to take place Saturday, December 5th at the Beachland Ballroom and Tavern in Cleveland, Ohio. Black Death Resurrected, featuring Cleveland metal legend Siki Spacek on guitar and vocals, will headline.

The billing is as follows: Black Death Resurrected, Bound By Fate, Deadiron, Embalmer, F.Y.P.M., The Great Iron Snake, Olathia, Solipsist, Sparrowmilk, Strong Arm Tactics, Vandallus, Vatican.

There will also be special guest appearances by The Red Hot Heathens outlaw burlesque group, the School Of Rock kids performing a tribute to Black Sabbath and Playboy model Daniella Dior (pictured below). Hell’s Headbangers Records & Distribution will be on hand selling music and band merch. Raffle tickets will be sold for a chance to win great prizes. Doors open at 4:00 p.m. Show starts at 5:00 p.m. Admission is free. Fans attending the concert are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items and/or cash donations to help those in need this holiday season. A donation will be made from the Cleveland metal community to the Greater Cleveland Food Bank and Friends Of The Cleveland Kennel.

"We have an all-star lineup assembled for this show", says event organizer Bill Peters (WJCU/Auburn Records). "All twelve of these bands are local headliners in their own right. We're very excited to have several new additions on board too. Cleveland metal legends Black Death Resurrected will close out the evening with a full one hour set."

"Greetings from HQ, aka Shadowland where we're putting the finishing touches on a set list sure to please black death fanatics here and far", says Black Death Resurrected guitarist/vocalist Siki Spacek. "Swift metal justice will be brought to the Beachland Ballroom on December 5th so come early, stay late, and give a little bit to help a lot! UNTIL WE ROCK!!! AH HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!"

Five bands will be making first time food drive appearances, including Bound By Fate, The Great Iron Snake, Sparrowmilk, Vandallus and Vatican. Vandallus, the brainchild of Midnight’s Athenar and Eternal Legacy’s Jason Vanek, will be playing their first ever live show. The lineup is rounded out by past food drive veterans.

"I haven't looked forward to a local show as much as this one in a long time", says Bound By Fate frontman Dan Cameron. “I'll play at noon on the roof. I don’t care. I'm just happy to be part of this. Bound By Fate look forward to not only participating through performance, but more importantly helping those in need. We’re humbled and honoured to have been invited."

As a special promotional warm-up to the food drive, Deadiron (video below) will perform live on WRUW's Live From Cleveland radio show on Thursday, December 3rd from 10 to 11 PM, EDT. The program can be heard at 91.1 FM in the Cleveland area or streamed worldwide via the Internet at wruw.org.

"Deadiron is both pleased and honoured to be returning to the annual holiday food drive benefit", says Deadiron bassist J. Bennett. "The months following our appearance at the Wacken Open Air festival in Germany last August have mostly been devoted to writing new material. We are excited to return to the stage to perform and support this very worthy cause."

Chris Emig will serve double duty both fronting her own band Olathia and serving as onstage MC host for the evening.

"This event is proof to the vitality of the Cleveland music scene and to our community's spirit of brotherhood with a helping hand", says Emig. "This event, just like metal music, crosses over to many walks of life. It truly brings people together in an crazy outpouring of food and fun for the cause! We're stoked to be a part of this A-list band lineup. You can bet we're going to bring a fierce live show along with a lot of Ramen Noodles and Peanut Butter!"

Iron Ingo Stührenberg is a freelance heavy metal writer and has traveled to Cleveland from his home in Wiesmoor, Germany at his own expense to host three of the previous food drive benefit concerts in 2009, 2010 and 2014. He will not be able to attend this year due to work commitments.

"The number 7 is a magical number so let's keep up this magic for this ever growing event and let's top last year's donations again", proudly states Ingo. "Especially in days like this it's more important than ever to stand together, not stepping back even one single step and keep peace and freedom because it's the most precious thing we're all having. Helping out people and also animals in need is one of the keys of keeping a free and healthy social community. It's also the key to being happy yourself if you're able to bring happiness by giving to help others in need. This is making me proud and happy to be a small part of this event and to call the mastermind behind this great idea belonging to my very best friend in this crazy world and that nobody else than Mr. Cleveland Metal himself Bill Peters! Let’s beat last year’s donation totals for the seventh year in a row my Cleveland friends. GIVE A LITTLE BIT TO HELP A LOT!!!"

"We've dedicated this year's food drive to my friend Jim Konya (Nunslaughter, Schnauzer, Gravewurm)", says Peters. "Jim played drums in many local bands over the years and was an iconic figure in our underground Cleveland heavy metal scene. He passed away last October at the age of 44 after suffering two strokes. Jim was a big supporter of our food drive shows, attending all six, and helped me behind the scenes with promotion. He will be greatly missed this year but still with us in spirit. We’ll be collecting cash donations to help his family."

For those not able to attend, cash donations will be accepted online via GoFundMe for the Greater Cleveland Food Bank (gofundme.com/clevefoodbank) and Friends Of The Cleveland Kennel (gofundme.com/clevekennel). All money pledged online will be added to donation totals collected at the Beachland.

"While fans of hard and heavy rock look to savor every metal morsel served up by the twelve bands who donate their time and talent, there’s nothing bigger than the thrill of helping one’s fellow man and man’s best friend, and that’s really what this drive is all about", says WJCU General Manager Mark Krieger. "Last year’s metal benefit broke all previous donation and attendance records. Let’s turn it up another notch."

"Heavy metal fans are the most generous when it comes to supporting good causes", adds Peters. “We’ve seen this proven time and time again. Working together, we've made our community a better place to live by helping those less fortunate during the holidays with these food drives. It feels really good to give something back. I can't thank the fans, bands and my volunteer Team Auburn production crew enough for their support and devotion to our cause."

The concert will be streamed live on YouTube by Vidz R Us at this location.

The Greater Cleveland Food Bank supplies a majority of the food used in local hot meal sites, shelters, and food pantries. In addition, they provide food to child care centers, group homes, and programs for the elderly. The Food Bank works closely with other Northeast Ohio hunger relief organizations, providing food and nonfood products to hunger centers administered by the Hunger Network Of Greater Cleveland, the Catholic Hunger And Shelter Network, and the Salvation Army, among others.

The Friends Of The Cleveland Kennel is a group of volunteers dedicated to providing the necessary medical and general care for the animals at the Cleveland Kennel in the hopes of giving them a second chance at a good life.

The City of Cleveland Kennel is the most overlooked animal facility in the Cleveland area. It is often confused with the APL or County Kennel, but is an entirely separate facility.

Most of the animals that arrive at the kennel have been abused or neglected. These animals are all very special, but they have not been the given the life that they deserve. It is the goal of the Friends of the City of Cleveland Kennel to provide them hope for a new beginning.

(Flyer design by Claudia von Bihl)

(Cleveland Playboy model Daniella Dior will be donating hundreds of cans of food she has collected at her events throughout the year to the holiday food drive. Photo: Matt Keirsey of mKreative Photography)