FIFTH ANGEL has tapped singer Tim Branom as its new vocalist, replacing Ted Pilot. Branom, a Seattle-area native who now resides in Los Angeles, has spent the last decade as a solo artist and as an occasional live musician for former American Idol finalist and current We Are the Fallen singer Carly Smithson.

Branom will make his live debut with Fifth Angel at the Keep it True XIII festival in Lauda-K'nigshofen, Germany, on April 23 and 24, 2010.

"Recreating Ted Pilot's vocals in Fifth Angel brings me back to my roots of metal in the Seattle 1980s music scene where I grew up," Branom explained. "I've known most of the members of Fifth Angel before they all played together. In fact, Ed and Ted helped produce a studio demo of my early music back in the 80s."

In addition to playing with Smithson, Tim played seven years with CLOUD NINE, a Los Angeles-based rock band. In his early days in Seattle, Branom fronted GYPSY ROSE, a popular local Seattle metal band. He is also credited on more than 500 CDs in various capacities including producer. Northwest metal history buffs may remember Branom producing ALICE IN CHAINS' (then called ALICE 'N CHAINS) three-song demo in 1986, which included vocalist Layne Staley and future members of Second Coming and My Sisters Machine.

"We're ecstatic to have Tim in the fold," said Fifth Angel guitarist Ed Archer. "When singing our music, his voice sounds eerily like Ted Pilot's did 20 years ago. Throw in Tim's experience in the music business and he's exactly what we need moving forward to establish Fifth Angel as a force in heavy metal again. We couldn't be happier."

While Branom has served in a variety of capacities in the music industry since his metal days in Seattle, Tim's true passion is singing and he's eager to carry on Fifth Angel's legacy of heavy metal thunder. Trained by Los Angeles' Ron Anderson and the late Maestro David Kyle in Seattle, whose roster of students included Staley, Geoff Tate (Queensr'che) and Ann Wilson (Heart), Branom said he is looking forward to being a part of Fifth Angel.

"I kept in touch with Ed [Archer, Fifth Angel guitarist] over the years, just talking about the old times in Seattle," Branom said, regarding the genesis of his work with Fifth Angel. "Ed started writing new songs and doing test recordings with me over the Internet.

"These songs have much more ear candy, taboo subjects, and cool guitar riffs but all with the flair of previous Fifth Angel albums," the singer added. "More shows will follow and the new album will really surprise the fans!"

Fifth Angel's current lineup is now:

Tim Branom - lead vocals

Ed Archer - guitars

Kendall Bechtel - guitars/backing vocals

John Macko - bass

A drummer is being recruited by the band and will be announced as a decision is made prior to the Keep it True Festival later this year.

For more information on Fifth Angel, visit http://www.fifthangel.com and http://www.fifthangel.net.