Not to be confused with the band Gargoyle Sox or the San Francisco punk band the Gargoyles, this Gargoyle was an obscure heavy metal band from Portland, OR. Gargoyle, whose forte was a forceful yet melodic style of fantasy metal along the lines of Ronnie James Dio, Iron Maiden, Queensryche and Judas Priest, was formed around 1982. That year, guitarist Kevin Sanders and drummer David Kendall started working together, and in 1984, bassist Doug Smith came on board. After spending a few years looking for a permanent lead vocalist, Gargoyle hired Tim Lachmann in 1986. Gargoyle landed a record deal in 1987, when it sent a demo to New Renaissance--a small, L.A-based metal label that was founded by Hellion singer Ann Boleyn (who named herself after the wife that King Henry VIII of England sent to the guillotine). New Renaissance released Gargoyle's self-titled debut album in 1988; unfortunately, the album didn't sell--and Gargoyle never received the recognition it deserved. ~ Alex Henderson