According to Markreale.com, RIOT guitarist Mark Reale has contacted BraveWords.com with news that Sony Music International Japan are set to reissue the albums Thundersteel (1988) and The Privilege Of Power (1990) with bonus tracks.

Each title will be digitally remastered to their highest quality. Further updates to follow.

As previously reported, Riot have reunited their Thundersteel line-up: Mark Reale (guitar), Tony Moore (vocals), Don Van Stavern (bass), Bobby Jarzombek (drums), and Mike Flyntz (guitars). Marko Syrjälä and Jarno Huovila from Metal-rules.com spoke with Reale recently about a number of topics recently. A few excerpts from the chat follow:

Metal-rules.com: What were the reasons to reunite with this lineup specifically?

Reale: "Because it's the most original lineup possible... it was a very popular, but very brief period with Tony. We were doing well, we were like on a roll and then he left and then he disappeared. Tony has been out of the industry basically for twenty years, so really it's difficult for him, he's accomplished a lot because to come from twenty years of not singing and performing, is something you have to build up again. The thing is this is an original lineup, the two records that we made at that period in time were popular and this is the oldest living RIOT lineup basically. The original "Fire Down Under" lineup is still around except for Guy, I have been speaking to his wife actually recently about a company that wants to use some of the original RIOT songs for a video game. So being that everyone of the "Thundersteel" lineup is still around and able to do it, we decided it was the right time to do it."

Metal-rules.com: You recorded six albums with Mike DiMeo, why did you end things with him?

Reale: "Mike's cool, he's still comes around my house. He's great, just a totally different kind of singer, I love the way he sings, he's more of the David Coverdale kind of thing, which I personally love a lot. But he's fine with it, it's hard to survive in this industry now. Again it's nostalgia for us to get together again, it's not just trying to make it a financial thing, it's just a lot of fun to work with these guys again. I think that's what happens a lot, many bands are reuniting now and it's partially maybe a financial thing, but I think everybody also wants to capture their youth again and that [reunion] kind of brings it back again."

Metal-rules.com: Are there any plans to record and release new material with this reunited Thundersteel lineup?

Reale: "Oh yeah, we absolutely have. We actually played one song earlier today that is new, we have tons of songs. I have been going back and forth to Texas working with Don and Bobby. We're gonna do a festival in Spain on June 20th and then we're going to start recording after that. We are supposed to go to Japan in October, so we're going to try to have something out before that. There are a lot of good ideas, it doesn't feel like there's been twenty years inbetween. The creative process with this originally was because we came from certain backgrounds and when you stick those things together and mix it up, it's not just hard core metal or pop or anything. I like a lot of hard music, but I also like pop music a lot and then you take somebody like Don who comes from a more hard core metal thing. You put those elements together and that's kind of what I think created music that had a lot of energy to it but also had a song in all of that. So we have a lot of stuff and so far it's pretty reminiscent of those two records (Thundersteel and Privilege of Power), maybe a little bit more sophisticated, but along those lines."

Read the entire interview here.