FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Streaming on everything: https://lnk.to/k0SJOkh5
Phoenix, AZ – Heavy metal fans, buckle up. Jupiter Cyclops has officially launched their debut album “Age of the UFOnaut” , now available via Rockshots Production . Blending 70’s proto-metal, NWOBHM energy, and modern heavy rock flair, the album channels influences like Black Sabbath , Iron Maiden , and Crobot , while forging a sound that’s unmistakably their own.
Formed in Phoenix by scene veteran Aaron Peltz (Downthesun, On a Pale Horse) after leaving Southern California in 2019, the band quickly evolved from a two-piece doom project into a four-piece powerhouse. Guitarist Dustin Lyon (formerly of Opiate for the Masses) brings searing riffs and solos, Jake Melius (Big Wheel Stunt Show) provides thunderous bass, and drummer Sam Callendar (She the Killer) drives the band with precision and power.
“Age of the UFOnaut” takes listeners on a mind-bending journey through UFOs, witchcraft, apocalyptic visions, and more, all delivered with a dose of humor. Heavy yet melodic, the album offers ripping riffs, groovy throwbacks, and infectious hooks that demand to be played loud. Fans of vintage metal, classic rock, and energetic hard rock will find themselves hooked from the first note.
Having already torn up stages across the Southwest, Jupiter Cyclops is ready to bring their cosmic metal journey to a global audience.
Listen to “Age of the UFOnaut” today on all streaming platforms https://lnk.to/k0SJOkh5
Follow Jupiter Cyclops:
https://www.facebook.com/
https://www.instagram.com/
http://www.youtube.com/@
https://jupitercyclops.
https://open.spotify.com/
https://music.apple.com/us/
The two piece project started out mostly because I didn’t know anyone in Phoenix since I moved there. Around that same time I was singing in an Iron Maiden tribute band and met Dustin who was one of the guitarists. I was playing guitar in the two piece project and thought if I could bring in Dustin I would switch to bass. He’s a much better guitarist than I am for sure. I found out pretty quick that he isn’t a doom player and is more of a thrash and uptempo kind of guy. Being a classic metal and nwobhm fan I figured that would be a good mid ground for us to transform the project. He also let me know right away we need to speed things up.
Aaron, you left Southern California’s scene in 2019 before forming Jupiter Cyclops in Phoenix. What impact did that transition have on both your creativity and the sound of the new band?
Well, since I was in a doom project when I moved I just kept on playing what I had been playing when I got to Phoenix. The move gave me a chance to explore a new sound though and start fresh.
The lineup includes veterans from Downthesun, Opiate for the Masses, Big Wheel Stunt Show, and She the Killer. How did your individual musical histories blend once you all came together?
For me, Iron Maiden is my number 1 band so I knew between Maiden, Sabbath, and other classic and proto metal influences this would be a comfortable spot for me. The other guys add their own styles and approach to the concept and we are able to create our own take on it.
Classic heavy metal themes influence the lyrics and also topics I’m interested in writing about. I have to be into the topic or it’s extremely hard to write.
How would you describe the album’s tone to someone who hasn’t hit play yet—dark and heavy, tongue-in-cheek, cosmic, or all of the above?
You are going to get straight up no bullshit heavy metal with big choruses.
What track on the album best represents Jupiter Cyclops and why?
I would say probably UFOnaut as it has elements of NWOBHM and more early metal like Rainbow. That’s our wheelhouse.
Sabbath, Maiden, Deep Purple, Thin Lizzy, Rainbow, and Metallica to name a few.
None of those are surprising, but Maiden is probably the most accurate. Especially the first two Maiden albums.
The instruments we play with the classic metal give us authenticity. Fender Strats and a Flying V into old Marshall’s is a good recipe. We do use protools and record ourselves so it’s quite a more modern production. Someday it would be killer to record onto tape, but it’s so expensive to do that.
For us, music always comes first. The initial riffs and putting the song together. Then vocal melodies comes next and then lyric concepts.
It was more of trying not to take it to seriously. I might write some really dark lyrics for one song and then something that’s completely opposite next. For example, Sinful Ways is influenced by the movie/series What We Do In the Shadows. A total comedic movie. Chemical Voodoo is comparing the rituals of black magic to the rituals of addiction. A very dark topic. Probably depends on the mood I’m in.
UFOnaut for sure. The main riff is from a 10 minute long doom song from when we were a two piece. When the idea of changing the sound came about that was the first riff that we based the whole concept around.
He’s a thrash guitarist first and foremost, but also loves bands like Deep Purple, Thin Lizzy, etc. So you’re going to get high energy classic sounding riffs from him. I told him the other day that he plays like Michael Schenker, but he never really even listened to him.
Jake’s a monster player and really is the backbone to everything we do. He has the green light to get wild and can totally jam out. He loves locking in with the drums and really makes us sound huge.
Sam’s our savior really. We were looking for a guy like him for a while and he has amazing work ethic. He can really bring the groove or get fast, whatever we want to do.
I’ve always been into the great mysteries and the occult. From reading books or watching documentaries. Most likely it stemmed from listening to bands like Slayer, Sabbath, Celtic Frost, etc when I was a kid. I kind of associate those things with heavy metal.
In a way it’s similar to Iron Maiden’s approach. Take an album like Powerslave with album art that has an obvious Egyptian influence, but besides the title track they sang about WWII fighter planes, sword fights, and other topics. In a case UFOnaut was the only song we wrote about aliens, the rest are all different subjects. Our next album, which happens to be all done, flows in the same way. All different topics, but one song will influence the album cover.
There was a book I read that influenced that song called “The Secret Cipher of the UFOnaut”. Kind of occult/alien connection.
We are a pretty raw, stripped down band. High energy, loud, hard rock and metal. I gimmicks or tricks just us in the moment getting after it.
I’d say probably UFOnaut, Between Worlds and Sinful Ways. The jam at the end of Sinful is killer to play.
Do you have plans to bring the album to festivals, tours, or international audiences?
We sure hope so!
When we first started we were one of many doom and stoner bands around Phoenix and we wanted to do our own thing so we can stand out more. That being said,there’s not much of a scene for what we do with our classic metal approach.
There’s not a lot of traditional heavy metal bands. We probably fit in with the NWOTHM scene and we are doing straight up heavy metal. This is music we grew up listening to and are influenced by so it’s not really us trying to be a throwback band.
We’ve already finished recording our as of yet titled album. It’s a next level type album for us. It’s super diverse, with some songs that have more of an 80’s vibe. We are even doing a big power ballad which we are really excited about. It should be out early 2026.
Strap in, buckle up, and join us on our journey between worlds!