FIFTH ANGEL Biography Now Available For Pre-Order
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Hailing originally from Bellevue, Washington, Fifth Angel has been a cult favorite of heavy metal fans for almost 40 years. But while the band’s powerful music attracted a congregation of enthusiastic disciples, Fifth Angel’s tale of success, downfall, and rebirth has never been fully told, until now.
Breakdown Room Publishing, LLC, will release Wings Of Destiny: The Story Of Fifth Angel, on Tuesday, October 21, 2025. The book shines a spotlight on one of the most promising bands to rise out of the Pacific Northwest. Written by Brian J. Heaton, the biography provides a comprehensive look at the band’s earliest roots, their elation at signing a major label deal with Epic Records, Fifth Angel’s disbandment in 1990, and ultimately the group’s reformation and current activities.
A limited, author-signed and hand-numbered paperback edition of Wings Of Destiny: The Story Of Fifth Angel can be pre-ordered now, exclusively at nwmetalworxmusic.com. A standard paperback and a Kindle eBook will be available via Amazon.com on the book’s release date. All existing and most former members of Fifth Angel were interviewed for the book, with guitarist Ed Archer penning the foreword.
Wings Of Destiny features photographs taken throughout Fifth Angel’s history, including candid shots from the band members’ personal archives. Also included in the book is a comprehensive list of the band’s live appearances, personal anecdotes and stories from the group’s members, memories of Fifth Angel experiences from fans and media personalities, and much more.
Heaton was a spokesperson for Fifth Angel and ran the band’s social media channels from 2009-2010. In addition, he briefly managed Fifth Angel following the group’s debut live performance on April 24, 2010, at the Keep it True festival in Lauda-Königshofen, Germany. His experiences gave him a unique perspective to draw from as he wrote Fifth Angel’s biography.
“I’m very grateful to all the guys in Fifth Angel for taking the time to discuss the band and its music with me,” Heaton said. “Fifth Angel’s history has been a literal roller coaster of a ride, with so many starts, turns, loops, and stops, which made the story exciting to write. But first and foremost, I’m a fan, so I did my best to give everyone from the casual reader to the hardcore Fifth Angel follower, something to dive into and enjoy.”
Heaton left no stone unturned while crafting the book’s narrative. Some of the historical nuggets covered in Wings Of Destiny include why lead guitarist James Byrd didn’t continue with Fifth Angel after their first record and signing with Epic Records, the real reason behind original singer Ted Pilot’s decision not to join the band when they reunited in 2009, lead guitarist/singer Kendall Bechtel’s abrupt disappearance following the release of The Third Secret in 2018, and what fans can expect from Fifth Angel in the future.
“Fifth Angel is a classic tale of a band that was destined for greatness, but for various reasons, weren’t able to get there,” Heaton said. “The changing music scene in 1990 certainly played a role, but frankly, the band also couldn’t get out of its own way. But here we are in 2025, and Fifth Angel is still making new music and playing shows around the world for fans who know every word of their songs. It’s a success story that I’m honored to tell.”
Brian J. Heaton is the author of Jason Slater: For the Sake of Supposing and Roads to Madness: The Touring History of Queensrÿche (1981-1997). He also co-wrote Building an Empire: The Story of Queensrÿche, the first biography on the band.
Brian got his start as a professional writer in 1998, reporting on the military sports and fitness industry for two trade magazines. After earning his Juris Doctor in 2003, Brian entered the political communications realm for a decade, before returning to journalism in the 2010s. He spent several years as a senior writer covering public sector technology, law, and policy for various news outlets.
A proud native of Long Island, New York, Brian now resides in Northern California with his family.
Breakdown Room Publishing, LLC, was founded in October 2024. The company publishes books and other media primarily focused on the hard rock and heavy metal genres of music. Learn more at breakdownroom.net.
(Source: www.bravewords.com)
