Exciter, a Canadian speed metal band, was formed in Ottawa in 1978 by Dan Beehler on drums and vocals, Allan Johnson on bass, and John Ricci on guitar. The band changed their name to Exciter in May 1979. Their first demo, featuring "World War III", was released in 1980. In 1983, they released their debut album Heavy Metal Maniac, which sold 25,000 copies. Exciter toured extensively with bands like Motörhead and Accept. The band underwent several lineup changes, notably with John Ricci leaving in 1985 and Dan Beehler stepping down from vocals. Exciter disbanded in 1990 due to declining sales but reunited briefly in the late 1990s. Their later albums include Kill After Kill (1992) and Better Live than Dead (1993).
