Founded in 1984, Heir Apparent issued a pair of groundbreaking albums between 1986 and 1989. The music of this Seattle-based band spans a range from progressive speed metal to acoustic-driven power ballads, fused with melodic and intelligent lyrical themes, and respected for their intense and emotive live performances. Heir Apparent reissued their albums in 2000 and reunited to perform at Germany’s Wacken Open Air Festival. Since 2006, Heir Apparent has returned to Europe for several festival concerts. In 2018, the lineup of Terry Gorle (guitar), Ray Schwartz (drums), Derek Peace (bass), Will Shaw (vocals), and Op Sakiya (keys) released the third album from Heir Apparent.
