News From 2004-2008

22nd Jan 2009
10 reviews have been added to the discography. Sorry for the delay
adding them. They are much appreciated and I enjoyed reading them.

20th Jan 2009
A New track called Witch Hunt from the forth coming album is currently
playing on
http://www.myspace.com/prayingmantisrock
.

Praying Mantis are confirmed for the Rock Of Ages Festival
on Saturday 20th  June 2009 in Swansea

The quality of the videos on the
audio page has now been improved. Enjoy!

7th Dec 2008
Photos have been added from Hard Rock Hell II

1st Aug 2008
– Photos have been added from British Steel III and Headbanger's Open Air
Festival. The band are currently scheduled to record the new album in November.

1st Aug 2008
Reports from the Headbanger´s Open Air Festival were very favourable.
The next gigs are



Which is almost sold out so be quick!

9th July 2008
– Unfortunately due to personal circumstances within the band Praying Mantis
have had to pull out of the 24th July gig at

Riga Music Bar
. They apologise for any inconvenience this causes.

6th June 2008 – The British Steel Festival gig was a big success for
the band and fans alike and this has had a big effect in getting the band more
gigs. The band have the following dates currently scheduled:

  • Thursday 24th July – Riga Music
    Bar
    , Westcliff-on-Sea, UK.  Riga Live Music is located in
    Westcliff-on-Sea, just outside Southend-on-Sea, and is within easy walking
    distance of Southend town centre.
  • Saturday 26th July – Headbanger´s Open Air Festival,
    Brande-Hörnerkirchen, near Elmshorn, Germany

    http://www.headbangers-open-air.de/
  • Fri 15th August – Bloodstock Open
    Air Festival 2008
    , near Burton On Trent, UK
  • Sat 6th December – Hard Rock Hell,
    Pontins, Prestatyn Sands, North Wales, UK

September is currently allocated for recording the new album. Those of you
lucky enough to catch Praying Mantis on Total Rock Radio will have heard two
demo tracks for the album.

21st January 2008 – The new material is continuing to be developed.
Hopefully the first airing of some of it will be at
British Steel Festival III – Camden
Underworld, London,

Saturday,
26th April – Doors 4:30 – £12.50 adv.
The current lineup is Witchfynde, PRAYING MANTIS, Elixir, Lyadrive, Redline
.
Tickets can be bought from
Ticketweb


4th December 2007 – Writing continues for the new album and it is
looking likely that Mantis will be playing Headbangers Open Air Festival again.
Also that same weekend the band are currently in discussion about playing a
festival in Portuagal. I will give more details when things are confirmed.

Dennis Stration is going to be playing in Italy sometime over 7-8 December.
Full details can be found on
http://www.eddies.it/
. A Brief summary is: The second Eddie's National
Convention, which will take place in Trezzo, near Milan, on December 7, and
Prato, near Florence, on December 8. Both nights will see Dennis Stratton
playing Iron Maiden numbers plus selected memorable rock songs, with The
Clairvoyants and Mike DeJager (Al Atkins, The Denial). There will also be
contests, stands, instruments, meet and greets and other stuff.

19th July 2007 – Praying Mantis are now a full band again and are
writing and rehearsing songs for the next album with great enthusiasm. As can be
seen, promotional shots have been taken and two interviews have been added to
the website. Pictures from last years Headbangers Open Air Festival and this
years Bang Your Head festival have also been added.

It is approaching holiday season so a timescale can't be give but it is hoped
to put a video clip or two from Bang Your Head on the myspace page and open a
shop selling Mantis T-shirts and promo pictures.

8th May 2007 – We hope some of you made it to the Paddy's gig below as
Mantis performed 3 songs: Rise Up Again, Lettin Go and Cry For The New World.
The band decided to drop the keyboards and bring back a 2nd guitar. The line up
for this gig and the next two gigs is: Chris and Tino Troy, Andy Burgess
(guitar), Mike Freeland (vocals), Benji Reid (drums)

UK GIG!Praying Mantis will be performing at
Riga Music Bar on 20 June 2007
between 8.30 and 11. Entry is £6. Riga Live Music is located in
Westcliff-on-Sea, just outside Southend-on-Sea, and is within easy walking
distance of Southend town centre.

Mark Thompson Smith who was vocalist with Mantis for the Only The
Children Cry EP has started singing again after a time out of the music business
and he has a band called Faywray.

22 April 2007 – It has been pointed out to me that

http://www.bang-your-head.de/billing.php
now lists when Mantis will be
playing.

Mantis fans might be interested in the following. It is worth noting the
Paddy's have a myspace site
should you ever want to catch them playing


PADDY GOES TO HOLYHEAD
LIVE @
THE JOHN BULL
590 CHISWICK HIGH ROAD
LONDON W4
On
SATURDAY 28TH APRIL 2007
With special guests, from
Swindon,
THE BOOM DOGS
 
This is also a bash to celebrate
the April birthdays of Rosanna (Tino's daughter) on the 19th, Benjy (our
drummer) on the 21st, our good friend Debbie and of course, our very
own, Tino, both on the 28th.
Come along and help us drink The
John Bull dry!!
 
Admission Free
 

 

 

9 November 2006 – I have created a myspace page for Praying Mantis. It
is only basic but added some extra functionality. Find it at

http://www.myspace.com/prayingmantisrock
.

Praying mantis are confirm for
an appearance at the Bang Your Head
festival in Stuttgart, Germany on either the 22nd or 23rd June.

18
September 2006 –
Chris reports that Mantis have been demoing tracks for the
next album and things are going well.

Dennis Stratton released the following
press statement:

There seems to be a lot of speculation and
silly rumours as to when and why I left Praying Mantis. I would like to take
this opportunity to put the record straight.  
On returning to the UK in May 2004 after playing at the Metal Fests in Florida
and New York, I was told by the Mantis office that Pony Canyon would be
releasing a ‘Best of Praying Mantis’. This was due to the ongoing recession in
Japan and this was affecting our Recording Contract with the Record Company. I
was also told that we may not record again with Pony Canyon.  
 
Throughout the following year, Tino, Chris and I did not discuss the situation
regarding the record company and only spoke once or twice. I was asked by Al
Atkins if I would be interested in a new project called DENIAL. I explained to
Al that I would not get involved in any project while still a member of Mantis.
Tino, Chris or I have never discussed leaving the Band and I have never stated
that I had left the Band.  
 
After nearly 18 months I was told that Mantis would be playing at the Astoria
Theatre in London. The Band knew about this gig two months before but didn’t
contact me until 10 days before the show and in my opinion, did not think this
was enough time to rehearse and perform the songs as well as I know we can and
have done in the past. I did not think we could do the show to its best with no
rehearsals.  
 
I apologise to all the Mantis fans who went to the show and I wish Tino and
Chris all the very best for the future and in whatever they decide to do. I have
had 15 great years with Mantis and thank all of you in Japan and around the
world for making it happen. I hope this clears up the matter once and for all.  
 
P.S. You never know, with a few rehearsals we may get back together for a 30
year anniversary of Heavy Metal Music.  
 
Lots of Love, Dennis Stratton.  
 
For further information regarding Dennis, go to
http://www.guitaristtv.com.

5 July 2006 – It is thought Mantis might go on stage around 8.45pm on
Saturday. I would think it is wise to be there from 8pm just in case things
change though.

3 July 2006 – In preparation for the Headbanger´s Open
Air Festival mention below Praying Mantis are doing a warm up gig in London.
They will be doing a short set before Tino and Chris do a Paddy Goes To
Hollyhead set. They will be playing The John Bull, 590 Chiswick High Road,
London W4 (opposite Gunnersbury tube station on the District line) on Saturday
8th July. Admission is free. The Guest vocalist for this and the German show is
Mike Freeland.

Sorry for the short notice on this I have been slow updating the website.


14 February 2006
– I have more information on the Thessaloniki, Greece gig
on March 5th. The venue is Rock Bottom
Club.
The support acts will be : Roxy Bitch (GR), Sleazy Stings (GR),
Burning Sermons (GR) and Witchcurse (GR).

9 January 2006 – 3 gigs in Europe have currently been confirmed.

23 December 2005 – Time Tells No Lies
is now available in Germany again. Oliver Klemm has done a really good job
repackaging the album. I liked the previous High Vaultage release but this
one contains a 20 page colour booklet with a career history by Malc
Macmillan author of the "New Wave Of British Heavy Metal Encyclopedia". The
catalogue number is RB-1003. The Barcode is 4030554003031. Amazon will have
the album but if you want to order it direct from High Vaultage send an
e-mail to

info@highvaultage.de
. The sound is pretty much as it was in 1996 but a
couple of minor things have been tweaked.

8 Nov 2005 – The gig
happened and what a treat it was! See pictures and my personal view
here. The band really gelled together as a group and they have just been
offered a worldwide record deal for the next album. This will be for the first
time since the 80's. The band are very interested in hearing from Promoters and
fans alike about possible venues to play in the near future.

1 Nov 2005
– I have received a lot of questions about this Friday's NWOBHM gig at the
Astoria, London. According to the
Diamond Head website Mantis
are due to take to the stage at 6.50pm. I would therefore aim to get to the gig
well before then just in case of last minute changes.

For this gig Mantis have
Damian Wilson guesting on vocals. He
has a good pedigree having been Rick Wakeman's
singer of choice for many years and also recording and touring with Arjen
Lucassan on his Ayreon and Star One
projects.

Leon Lawson will be back on Keyboards and on drums will be Benji
Reid was in the John Lawton band

13 Apr 2005 – A GIG! Yes Mantis will
be playing a show later this year. They will be playing the Astoria in London on
Friday 4th November as part of a 25th anniversary of NWOBHM show. Other bands on
the night are expected to be Jaguar , Bronz, Witchfynde And
Diamond Head
. Tickets are £15.

26 Mar 2005 – Antonio Brito
pointed out on the message board that
www.classicrockrevisited.com
has a Paul Di'anno interview. In it he really insults Dennis Stratton in
particular but also Praying Mantis. It is well worth a read if you enjoy
alternative points of view!

There is no news on the Mantis front at present. I
would keep an eye out as there has been mention of at least one gig towards the
end of the year. Fingers crossed!

16 Oct 2004 – That good chap Tim has
now sent me a cartoon he drew of the band. I have create a page in the fan
section called Fan Fun for it.

You might also be interested in checking out Michael's
Paddy Goes To Hollyhead
site which features Tino and Chris.

9 Aug 2004 – Tim tells me
www.powermetal.de

is reporting "Dennis was injured while playing a concert. A loudspeaker above
him was falling down so that his hand was bruised. The website wrote that Dennis
will not be able to play his guitar in the near future." I have just checked
with Dennis and he is fine now. It just meant he had to miss a gig in
Birmingham.

Since I am doing an update I will mention Tony O'Hora is now playing with
Bruce in Statetrooper as well as The Sweet. Statetrooper now has 3 ex-mantis men
in them since Gary Barden is lead vocalist. Tony apparently provides backing
vocals and bass.

There is no activity on the Mantis front sadly.

4 March 2004 – I have updated the discography to include the new "Best
of" Album.

1 March 2004 – As was kindly reported on the message board a Praying
Mantis Best Of album is to be release in Japan. I am still chasing details on
this.

There has been no progress on the European release of the "Captured" DVD. I
believe it is still hoped for though.

Dennis Stratton is making two American festival appearance. On Sunday March
7, 2004 at Sun n' Steel 1st Annual Florida Metalfest,
Pinellas Expo Center – Pinellas Park, Fla and on Friday March 12, 2004 at
March Metal Meltdown VI Cricket Club, 415 16Th Ave. Irvington, New Jersey. For
full details see http://www.metalfest.com.
Dennis is appearing with Jess Coxx (Tygers of Pan Tang) and Al Atkins (Judas
Preist) in an N.W.O.B.H.M. ALL STAR BAND. According to the web site there will
be a meet and greet at some point in the day so you can get Dennis to sign your
stuff.

Bonus Items

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Fan Fun