Riot (band)

Riot V
Riot V at the Headbangers Open Air 2014
Background information
Also known as	Riot (1975–2012)
Origin	New York City, New York, U.S.
Genres	Heavy metal, power metal, speed metal, hard rock
Years active	1975–1984, 1988–2012, 2013–present (as Riot V)
Labels	Fire Sign, Capitol, Elektra, Quality Records, CBS Records, Sony Music, Zero Corporation, Rising Sun Productions, Metal Blade, Toshiba-EMI, Metal Heaven, MARQUEE/AVALON Records, LongHouse Music (Reale self)
Members	Mike Flyntz Don Van Stavern Todd Michael Hall Nick Lee Frank Gilchriest
Past members	See below

Riot V, formerly known as Riot until 2012, is an American heavy metal band founded in New York City in 1975 by guitarist Mark Reale. Reaching a peak in popularity in the early 80s, the band has continued a long-running successful career.

Riot has toured with AC/DC, Molly Hatchet, Sammy Hagar, Kiss, Vandenberg, Black Sabbath and Rush among others.

Riot's sound initially started out as straightforward heavy metal, but since their 1988 release Thundersteel their musical direction has been more along the lines of power metal.

In 2013, Riot V, a new iteration of the band, was launched by the surviving members, post the passing of founding member and band leader Mark Reale.

Riot was formed in 1975 in New York City, New York when Kon-Tiki guitarist Mark Reale and drummer Peter Bitelli recruited bassist Phil Feit and vocalist Guy Speranza. The line up recorded a four-track demo, which they hoped would be included in a proposed compilation of new rock bands. While waiting for the project to get off the ground, they added Steve Costello on keyboards.

Reale took the various demos to New York based producers Billy Arnell and Steve Loeb, who also owned Greene Street Recording Studio and the independent label Fire-Sign Records. Arnell & Loeb turned down the compilation proposal but signed Riot. The band added second guitarist Louie Kouvaris, replaced Feit with Jimmy Iommi and recorded its debut album, Rock City. After a promising start and support slots with AC/DC and Molly Hatchet, the band were unable to maintain momentum, and were on the verge of breaking up for good by 1979.