Maybe I'm a bit late with this news, but...

[MorphineChild205]

I found this on Blabbermouth. It seems reliable.

Former HELSTAR Singer Joins Forces With SYMPHONY X Bassist - Aug. 6, 2003

Former HELSTAR/DESTINY'S END frontman James Rivera has teamed up with ex-DESTINY'S END guitarist Eric Halpern (who played a "major role" in the recent HELSTAR reunion shows, according to Rivera) and SYMPHONY X bassist Mike Lepond in a new band called DISTANT THUNDER.

The primarily Houston, Texas-based group are "what I would say is the real James Rivera kind of stuff," the singer says. "I felt there would still be quite a bit of the European fan base who will enjoy what I am best known for."

The band have finished demoing two songs thus far and have posted them online for fans to download. Check them out:

[UPDATE: The files have since been removed]

01. Distant Thunder
02. Lost

"We already have interest from certain labels and it will just be a matter of time before we get picked up and have a full CD recorded," says Rivera. "Another song will be finished this week for the demo to make it a complete three-song demo and soon after I will have physical CDs to send out [to interested parties]."

I really don't know what to make of this. Is it just a side project?

 

[Polyeidus]

Wow. This looks veeery interesting. Keep us informed!

 

[Luis]

I hope that this is only a project just like "The Last Viking" if they are inviting Lepond as guest musican is Ok.

One of the main reasons SymphonyX is my favorite band is that, since "V" the guys seems to be very united, and they have focused their skills and ideas on SymphonyX albums, but i wouldnt like to see the guys making another group with other musicians, because when this happens, the band goes down and they stop making good material. If you dont think so, see what happened with DreamTheater, they used to be an excellent band but, since the members began to form new bands DreamTheater died....

 

[OfSinsAndShred]

I don't know how to feel about it. *shrug* It's no big deal to me, and I look forward to checking it out. If Lepond's on it, it has to be pretty good.

 

[Demonspell]

I don't think that this will have any adverse effect on Symphony X...

 

[MorphineChild205]

I don't think that this will have any adverse effect on Symphony X...

I sure hope not!