Veteran New York metallers VIRGIN STEELE have issued the following update:

"Dockyard 1 will be re-releasing the classic Virgin Steele albums Noble Savage and Age Of Consent. Both albums will be re-mastered, and feature previously unreleased bonus tracks, and new full colour booklets with new photos and commentary/liner notes."

Said leader David DeFeis: “The purpose of these re-issues, is not necessarily to have the Fans who already purchased them buy them again, but attempt to reach out to those who have not yet heard of Virgin Steele. I am happy to once again be working with Dirk Putzke and Christine Stephan. I have known them for a long time now, and our association has always yielded exciting, positive results, and been absolutely great! I look forward to a very Magickal year ahead with them.”

Dockyard 1 founder Dirk Putzke, had this to say about the reissues: "The reasoning behind Dockyard 1’s signing, is quite simply to keep these masterpieces and milestones of True Barbaric-Romantic Music alive in print and have them available for new Fans, as well as those long time members of the Virgin Steele audience.”

Virgin Steele adds: "For those of you who already possess these works, fear not… the bonus tracks will be available separately as downloads. The release date is set for February 1st in Germany, and February 4th in all other European territories. Stay tuned to this site for further details."

Virgin Steele session work news: "Lately there has been a flurry of activity. David has recently completed work for a track on the forthcoming Ep from the female fronted Polish power metal band CRYSTAL VIPER. They recorded a cover of David’s song, 'Blood & Gasoline' (from the Marriage Of Heaven & Hell Part 1 CD), and asked him if he would be interested in contributing vocals to it. David not only added vocals, (including miles of harmonies), but also played keyboards and mixed and mastered the track. And he also enlisted Josh Block to play some mammoth seven-string guitar on it as well. The Crystal Viper EP featuring the cover of 'Blood & Gasoline', will be available shortly on Karthago Records.

In other news, Virgin Steele have posted an interview about The House Of Atreus CD, that David did while on tour in Italy. Questions were asked by Elena Liverani, for the educational website Mythmedia. Mythmedia writes in depth essays about the function and meaning of Greek Myth in today’s culture, paring major literary works with musical explorations of such weighty themes as The Illiads, The Odessey, etc…

You can read the interview here.