Into the Pit: Tim 'Ripper' Owens

If the list of bands, artists worked with and side projects attached to Tim "Ripper" Owens' name appears longer than the line of metalheads waiting for tickets to a Cardi B concert, well, that's because it is.

The latest offerings for the one-time Judas Priest, Iced Earth and Yngwie Malmsteen power vocalist who also finds himself in Dio Disciples and Charred Walls Of The Damned include a pair of bands coming out with self-titled debut albums Feb. 22. Owens, whose replacing of Rob Halford in Judas Priest in 1996 paved the way for the movie "Rock Star" in 2001 that starred Mark Wahlberg and Alter Bridge frontman Myles Kennedy (ATM interview here), is in power vocal trio The Three Tremors with Cage, Death Dealer and Mercyful Fate collaboration Denner/Shermann singer Sean "The Hell Destroyer" Peck plus Jag Panzer's Harry "The Tyrant" Conklin.

Owens is also in Spirits Of Fire, whose debut release in the realm of Savatage-meets-Judas Priest includes Steve DiGiorgio of Testament (Owens' bassist in Charred Walls Of The Damned), former Fates Warning drummer Mark Zonder and Savatage/Trans-Siberian Orchestra guitarist Christopher Caffery, who spoke with ATM on Jan. 24 (listen here).

The Three Tremors are more than catchy nicknames, however. A vision of Peck's more than five years ago, he enlisted Owens and Conklin for 12 furious power-metal tracks and high-pitched screams that include "Bullets for the Damned," "The Cause" and “The Pit Shows No Mercy.” Having already toured Europe, the group that includes guitarists Dave Garcia and Casey Trask, bassist Alex Pickard and drummer Sean Elg flies the flag for metal throughout the album's track listing: 

1. Invaders From the Sky

2. Bullets for the Damned

3. When the Last Scream Fades

4. Wrath of Asgard (video)

5. The Cause

6. King of the Monsters

7. The Pit Shows No Mercy

8. Sonic Suicide

9. Lust of the Blade

10. Fly or Die

11. Speed to Burn

12. The Three Tremors (bonus track)

The Three Tremors kick off a U.S. tour Valentine’s Day. Although no Texas dates have yet to come forth, that didn't stop the 51-year-old Owens, a native of Ohio, from discussing a wide swath of his influential and renowned career. Click the widget below or here to hear the entire conversation accompanied by an 18-photo slideshow (photos by Jay Nanda/Alamo True Metal; Three Tremors band photo courtesy Dimitris Karageorgiou).

The all-everything vocalist who replaced Rob Halford in Judas Priest from 1996-2003 and sang in Iced Earth and with Yngwie Malmsteen goes "Into the Pit" to discuss his forthcoming new groups The Three Tremors and Spirits Of Fire, other current bands such as Dio Disciples and Charred Walls Of The Damned, his unpredictable choice of favorite cover song he's done, providing San Antonio band Jessikill the opportunity to jam with him on stage and other topics (ATM photo October 2011).

Tim “Ripper” Owens, performing with Dio Disciples at the South Texas Rock Fest in San Antonio in October 2011, went “Into the Pit” with Alamo True Metal on a variety of topics Wednesday.

Sample three songs from Owens’ latest band The Three Tremors by clicking the appropriate links within the article.

Owens tells ATM he continues to feel the emotion every time he sings the late Ronnie James Dio’s songs with Dio Disciples.

Owens headlined an acoustic show at The Rock Box in 2016 in which he then played electric covers of Judas Priest and Iron Maiden with Jessikill, including frontwoman Jessica Alejo.

Owens says he loves his participation on Immortal Randy Rhoads: The Ultimate Tribute album in which he sang eight of the 11 songs on it. But it wasn’t an Ozzy Osbourne or Dio song he singled out to ATM as his favorite cover tune.

The crowd shows Owens its support during his most recent San Antonio visit last June 23 at Quatermain’s Pub in Live Oak with Dio Disciples.

The Three Tremors’ debut self-titled album comes out Feb. 22.

Owens has come out in support of his former Judas Priest bandmate K.K. Downing’s claims of how he was mistreated over his three decades in the band, though Owens tells ATM, “I support them all.”

Owens is also an accomplished solo artist, arguably highlighted by his 2009 album Play My Game.

Owens salutes the crowd at Sunken Garden Theater in 2011 while fronting Dio Disciples only a year and a half after the legendary singer had passed.

“Ripper” sings another Dio classic last summer at Quatermain’s Pub.

Jessikill guitarist Jyro Alejo joins forces with “Ripper” in 2016 at The Rock Box.

Owens stands at the side of the stage checking out Jessikill last year in Live Oak prior to performing with Dio Disciples.

Owens gives the front row of The Rock Box a close-up taste of his powerful vocals in 2016.

Owens also has the debut self-titled album from supergroup Spirits Of Fire coming out Feb. 22, the same day as The Three Tremors record.

Owens said to ATM of Jessikill’s Jessica Alejo: “She’s an amazing singer.”

The 2001 movie “Rock Star” starring Mark Wahlberg was loosely based on Owens having replaced Rob Halford in Judas Priest five years earlier.

Owens revealed to ATM the one living artist with whom he’s never worked that he would like to the most.