First single “Digital Stress” from upcoming 10th album DOWN TO THE METAL
After almost three years, it’s time to bestow a brand new song on your ears. Yes I’ve done some ambient stuff which was necessary but now it’s…
DOWN TO THE METAL!!!
That will be the name of the new studio album (release date TBA) but for now, you can hear the first single “Digital Stress” by clicking on my Bandcamp page. The song will be available for a limited time. When the full album is released, the single will be removed.
I actually wrote this song two years ago but one riff is from 1992. My brain seems to dig deep for these ideas that had a home or not, and now are utilized way better. When I let Mike hear the rough demo, he said “Let’s get movin’!”
To my ears, the main riff reminds me of Led Zeppelin “Communication Breakdown” and Black Sabbath “Turn Up The Night”. Those who heard the five-second clip told me things like “Sounds like early Metallica”, “Reminds me of early Megadeth”, and “I hear a bit of Pantera there.” I like it all! But ultimately it sounds like me 🙂
I hope you like the song. The video will premier Tuesday April 28 at 9a.m. next week on my YouTube. A pre-order link will be up later in the future, not sure when yet.
I wanted some gigs, and boy I got ’em! Last time I played this many shows in one year was way back in 2016.
Breathe deep, Steve…you got this!
Received a Facebook message yesterday morning from Supernova singer Mike McCormick, asking me if I wanted to fill up my dance card for the rest of the year. I expected maybe 5-6 shows, that would have been fine. But THIRTEEN?! I say BRING IT ON!!
Jake over at Strings By Aurora is going to LOVE when I order a healthy amount of sets!!
We’re already lobbying song ideas back and forth, and I tried suggesting 2112 by Rush. Guess that’s not a hit with the ladies? Some of these places I’ve played before, and a few are new to me. I know the shows will be great, we always have a blast. I also cannot wait to do a couple of shows with Rubber Duckie Riot, as those guys are a lot of fun to jam with.
I will definitely have my work cut out for me but this is what I asked for, right?
Oh and the first single is being mastered as I type this 😉
Being a Scorpio is a curse and a blessing. People curse when they see me.
Thank you, try the veal.
But seriously, folks…if there’s one thing I do best, it’s overthink things. I have been trying REALLY HARD to control that and sometimes my brain plays tricks on me.
This past Thursday, I took my car to inspection. What do I do upon entering the inspection station? I OVERTHINK THINGS! “What if this fails?” and “What if I get someone who’s in a foul mood?” I passed though, and was even told by the guy who helped me that I have cool hair.
Glad I never cut it.
This morning I woke up with a very strange feeling in my head: “Will anyone care if I release a single soon?” and “With so many bands overestimating themselves, what chance does my new album stand?” And then I realized something: Mike and I worked damn hard on the songs, yet had the most fun we could recall in a long time. The songs will speak for themselves; no need for me to validate or qualify my work. The production is killer, clear as a bell. The music straddles fences but it’s still a heavy metal album. My guitar playing has elevated and improved tremendously.
So why am I beating myself up?
Thoughts of how ill-received ACT NATURAL was (and I blame myself for the overt lack of caring), I suddenly felt myself pulled backwards into this mind game. Granted, the teaser clip got some people asking me “When’s the new album?” and saying things like “Wow it sounds old school but current at the same time” definitely makes me feel warm and fuzzy. But ask any musician and they will tell you that externally they are proud but internally they are skeptical.
I don’t care if the cd sells out or sells slowly. I just hope people LIKE THE SONGS and the playing between myself and Mike. The hardest part about being a musician is getting people to listen.
At my age, you’d think I’d be kinda done with writing and recording. You’d think the excitement disappears, and a malaise sets in. “Yeah yeah yeah…another album…”
What’s my age again?
Drummer/producer Mike Sabatini sent me the first mix of a new song, which we both decided would be the first single/video. My eyes widened and heart raced…that Peter Pan feeling woke up. After offering my changes, Mike sent another mix…and then another…and then…well you get the idea. Each one better and better. His friend Jon offered more pearls of wisdom, suggested more EQ options. Mike sent another mix.
THIS IS THE ONE!
Yeah it’s one song so far, but it’s enough to make those butterflies come back. I didn’t think that would happen anymore. Sometimes I like being wrong. I always say that my heart and hair still think I’m 18. And it’s never been more true than hearing the final mix. I went right to work on creating the above teaser clip.
But wait…another one?
This time you hear a bit of the melody along with the riff. But the melody doesn’t sound like a typical guitar lick, does it? Well it is but I added a bitcrusher effect, and unintentionally, it sounds like a tortured saxophone. John Coltrane meets Joe Satriani? I would say so!
We said early on that this album should be about “layering guitars” and we accomplished that. This is the most guitar-dense album I’ve ever done. Sounds strange but true. In the past, some stuff sounded skeletal because I was thinking “How will I play this live?” Since I’m no longer performing my own songs live, this was the prime time to make a bold statement. And it worked.
Mike is taking his time mixing the rest of the album which is fine with me. For once, I’m in no rush to get something out the door. The last album saw me over-eager and far-reaching, and it blew up in my face. I own up to that. The first single will be released within the month and then soon after, I will post a pre-order link. Things need to build slowly, not bash people over the head.
Of course, Joe Lambert will be on-hand to master the album, and he’s definitely one of the best in the business. Other bands have gone to him and they walk out changed people! He makes things sound massive, and yes I’ve seen him work his magic. A simple knob twist here and there, and POW! When my spleen is re-arranged, that’s a good sign.
Though I am very excited, hopes are still kept to a minimum. My confidence has come back, yet humility cushions things as well. Hearing this final mix brings me back to when I heard my first album on playback 23 years ago. All I can think is “That’s ME? I wrote THAT?”
I was not going to write a blog this week. I had nothing to offer, didn’t want to just ramble and take up your time. Then I realized something…
Rambling is what I do!
I was listening to The Metallicave last night on Cranium Radio, and DJJD (as he calls himself) played songs from 1984. I don’t like to reminisce a lot but last night I was trapped in this zone. Hearing songs from Celtic Frost, Dio, Slayer, Metallica, and the like got me thinking about how I loved playing guitar back in the day. The sound of distortion buzzing my ears, feeling the strings come alive under my fingers, and with that came the dreams of guitar god stardom and being up there with my heroes. I knew it would take a lot of work but I was so determined and driven to succeed.
I’d been playing in bands since 1986, each one making me feel like “I’m getting closer to what I am dreaming of.” Every musician worth their salt has those dreams: throngs of fans, huge stadiums, tons of album sales, etc. Very very few get to that level, if you really think about it, but I was focused and ambitious to the point of mania. I drove people nuts, lost friends, had family members smirk at me with “So when are you getting a haircut and selling your gear?” When you’re hyper-focused on the bulls-eye, not even a Mack truck will stop you.
I was definitely out of control with my burning desire to “make it”. I would leave bands, not give a shit, move onto the next one, wash/rinse/repeat. I felt like everyone were holding me back from achieving my dreams. How could others not be as serious as me? To be fair, some probably thought “He has the audacity to think he can make it?” I’ve heard descriptions such as delusional, dreamer, and loser hurled at me. But then something happened that I didn’t expect.
I forgot how to love playing guitar. I loved applause, having my ego stroked, and feeling like I was making serious connections and having a lot of friends. I never sabotaged anyone’s progress but others were hell bent on derailing me. I used to ask why. Talk to anyone who played with me from 1986 to a couple of years ago, and they might tell you that “Steve has talent but he can be a downright prick.” I loved telling people that I play guitar but did I love playing?
No.
The guitar became a tool for helping me reach end goals. I got a deal with Ibanez, which even surprised me, much less those who honestly thought I wasn’t capable of doing it. That was the problem: very very few people really thought I could achieve something. Other musicians would get the love and support but I was always left to my own devices, and fending for myself. (To be fair: the now-former Ibanez rep Angelo Mimmo was the one who put the wheels in motion for my deal!)
I started slowly making a name for myself around the time MySpace was all the rage. Yep, now it’s YOUR turn to feel nostalgic! Before that, it was “Oh you have a demo?” and then it was “Oh you’re on MySpace?” Music could reach people way faster than mailing a Memorex tape. I thought “The stars are lining up!!” Everything was about BEING A GUITAR GOD! Every gig, every album…my thoughts went to “This could be the year” but wasn’t meant to be.
Playing the Stone Pony for the first time back in 2006 was a thrill, as any musician in New Jersey dreams of playing there. I really thought “I can’t lose now, there’s no turning back, I’m on my way!” And then…nothing. One step up, five back. I was Sisyphus with a guitar.
But wait…Feb 2012…I got to open for Uli Roth and Leslie West at Starland Ballroom! PINCH ME! Here’s the rub: a few guitarists bristled at me for taking that gig because they felt they deserved it. Guess what? You don’t deserve anything, you have to work for it. Luck is opportunity meets preparation, and this time the planets were in a row. And then…nothing…again.
Pardon my French but WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?!
More big gigs happened, then I got to play some shows and tour with TM Stevens and TC Tolliver. THIS IS IT!!! Nothing’s going to hold me back, nobody’s going to send me down the garbage chute anymore. After my tenure with TM, I did a LOT of shows with my band between 2015 and 2019. Opening for Lita Ford, King’s X, Joe Lynn Turner…SOMETHING HAS TO GIVE!
I walked away from everything in May 2019 after the gig with Michael Angelo Batio. I couldn’t take the stress of selling tickets, the pressure of cultivating a following, and dealing with “You know what you should do?” The final straw was the promoter saying OUCH to me because I sold 11 tickets. Maybe if promoters did their job.
Oh wait, I made sense. Sorry.
After the lockdowns, I went to work on another album and did two shows to “promote” the album. The final show I performed with my music was back on July 9, 2022 at DJJD’s Metalfest 7 show in Teaneck. Even before I played a note, I said to myself “You can stop driving yourself crazy now” and it was one of the best shows I ever played in my life. People still talk about that show four years on, and with good reason. It was different, unique, and purely about the music.
But people don’t see bands for that reason, and with that in mind, after the last note of “Never Be The Sane” faded…I stepped off stage, changed my clothes, threw my shit in the car and told myself “You can stop trying now.”
Yes I help out cover bands for fun and a few bucks. No pressure, no stress, just hiding behind songs I didn’t write and pocketing some cash. But I’m still creative. I just finished my tenth album. And the strangest thing happened before that…
You can find the blog about my playing the TM Stevens benefit show back in November 2024. In short, Living Colour gave me the validation that I sought for decades. Unless Steve Vai says something about my playing (which will never happen), it was at that very moment that I truly let go of being Steve Bello. Or at least the Steve Bello that I thought I had to be.
Suddenly I enjoyed playing guitar again for guitar’s sake. I no longer picked up any of my guitars and thought “Damn I wish I was famous” but rather “I’m lucky to still be playing as well as I can.” I play better than ever, because my mind is not bogged down with delusions of grandeur. While writing and recording the new album, I even said on occasion that it didn’t feel like a chore anymore. My playing has become more free, more open, and did I ease up on being a perfectionist?
Kinda.
Even Mike told me when I was laying down solos that “you’re not going for note perfection” and that struck me. Of course I cared about what was coming through my fingers and the amp, but now there was this spontaneity that either I forgot about, or never had in the first place. Listening back to the solos, I felt proud in that I truly accomplished one that that was in my back pocket for years…
This was a smooth and easy album to make for myself and Mike.
And have to give CJ Scioscia credit for engineering on the first day of recording…way back on January 16 this year. Hard to believe, huh? And even before that, Mike and I put our pedal to the metal and rehearsed our brains out from October last year until the week before recording.
Yet this was the most relaxed batch of sessions we’ve ever done.
Today, on the first day of Spring, I laid down solos for eight songs in two hours. Yes, two hours. Yes I make a big deal about that. Mike and I are very efficient musicians, come prepared to do battle, and can look back with a huge sigh of relief. A good sigh though.
As for the solos, I was working on ideas at home of course. Playing with modes, finding notes that fit (and didn’t). But then a video that I came across on a YouTube short gave me a jolt of inspiration. And who provided it? Joe Satriani? Steve Vai?
Trey Azagthoth of Morbid Angel.
Yes, you can scrape your jaw off the floor now.
This video was about the making of their breakthrough album BLESSED ARE THE SICK (and trust me, it’s great!) A producer said that he purchased an Eventide H3000 Harmonizer rack unit, the same one that Steve Vai popularized. He said that Trey was playing with various patches and decided to have a different sound on each solo. Phase/delay on one, flanger on another, and whatever else peaked his interest. I thought to myself, “Self! Why not do that?”
I brought this up to Mike and he said, “Sure, do it!” And just in time, I purchased a used Flamma FS06 Modulation Pedal from Guitar Center. I have the smaller green one but this one is yellow, bigger and programmable. And since I like making funny noises (human and otherwise), I programmed some wacky sounds ranging from helicopter effects to liquidy nonsense. And with these sounds, my solos took on a new dimension.
Was I ever an innovative, ground breaking guitarist? No but I tried. And while I’m not reinventing the wheel here, I made it a bit rounder. Along with my plethora of noisemakers on the pedalboard, we began committing solos to tape…well, wav file. One solo was done in one take and I expected that. A few I did some re-takes, as either Mike or I would say “Nah”. Mike even surprised me when I used the wah pedal as a filtering effect ala Randy Rhoads/Michael Schenker. He said “It cuts through well so use that.” Roger that! And when I employed whatever nutjob sound I had on the Flamma, Mike would say “That’s perfect” or “Dial it back a little, sounds too mushy.”
In the past I would have bristled. But I learned to put my ego aside, as well as my pride, and listened to his advice much better. And he was more open and receptive to whatever hair-brained solos I conjured up. Most of my solos were mapped out at home, but I always leave room for any last-minute ad-libbing or a “happy accident”. Mike even said that my solos aren’t typically “note perfect” as I usually do, but more of a vibe, a feeling. Of course I aim to sound GOOD, right? But also I shoved my perfectionism in the glove compartment, and let it rip.
I would let Mike hear something quickly and he’d offer tips or agree that it worked. One solo goes from Ritchie Blackmore to Eric Johnson (?!) Another is pure speed, with a lot of glitchy sounds (think Joe Satriani and Vernon Reid jamming). Yes I am saying some bold things but I can back my words up. Yet in the end, everything sounds like me. Oh and there’s one song where the solo is…get ready…Kerry King meets Tom Morello.
You thought you had me all figured out, huh?
Even I surprised myself with what flew out of my fingers. I think of the guy who’s stranded on the island with Bugs Bunny: “Gee…did you say that?” I obviously have a good amount of quick playing going on but it’s also tempered with unique phrasing. What’s wrong with me?!?!? But Mike and I are both pleased with not just the solos, but the album as a whole.
Mike will wait two weeks before mixing so he can approach things fresh. I can dig that. Plus I am nowhere near ready to get it mastered. Hoping for more cover band gigs and private students. I’m not broke but not close at all what Joe Lambert will charge me. I’m in NO rush at all and that’s the best part. No stress, no fuss, no muss. This is why the vibes were flowing, the energy levels were high, and the music was a breeze to record.
While I’m on fumes this morning, it’s best to do my usual blog about a gig I just did and post various photos. Otherwise I might sleep the day away.
I have to get my live chops back!
Last night was my first gig of 2026, and honestly it shouldn’t sound like such a big deal. But after spending months in rehearsals and recording my latest album (which as you know is going exceedingly well), my brain had to readjust to live mode. Thought it could be analogous to riding a bike but it felt more like being run over by said bike.
Of course, the gig was with Supernova and we always have a blast! We played Mason Street Grille in Lake Hopatcong and while parking there sucks, once inside, we got down to business with setting up and rocking out. Last time I played with them was back in November 2025, and in my mind I thought “Pick up where I left off.”
I left my stage energy at the Thirsty Farmer apparently.
Don’t get me wrong: the band sounded great, the place was pretty crowded, but by the second set, I was on auto-pilot. First set, I thought “Yeah this is awesome” and by set two, that rigor mortis started creeping up. Was I getting too used to going to be earlier? I cannot be that old…right?
After downing a few Cokes (the drink, people) I started feeling good again. Some new tunes were added by Lenny Kravitz, Judas Priest, and while we were supposed to do a couple of Irish tunes for St. Patty’s Day…OOPS! We forgot!
Singer Mike McCormick told me before the show that he would not play as much guitar, would focus more on singing. Some songs he strapped on his Strat but otherwise I was left to my own devices. Fortunately, I know how to sound like two guitarists with my myriad of pedals (plus having seven strings works too…tee-hee!) I think he enjoyed walking around the stage without a guitar around his neck. Even got to put his foot on the monitor ala Iron Maiden.
I could have said Dokken but…let’s stick with Maiden.
By set three, I was done. Felt like “Wow, do I have it in me to perform any more?” I enjoyed playing, no question. I was and still am concerned that the live chops suffered, yet of course “the crowd doesn’t care”. Yet I do. The next show isn’t until May 29 with Rubber Duckie Riot, and I’m almost done recording the new album (doing guitar solos next weekend). If more shows emerge, then great. I will have to prep myself better, simple as that.
At least the hot pink sneakers with the glowing laces were a hit!
Yesterday and today (March 7th and 8th), I got to record guitar melodies and like the other sessions before this, everything is going very smoothly. Doesn’t even feel like we’re making a new album.
I can dig that.
Of course what would a session be without its hiccups and gremlins in the machine? Yesterday we had to content with grounding issues from one of my pedals. Today we fixed it but as always, the show must go on. Friday saw me lay down five of the eight melodies in three hours, and that’s damn good. Today I finished up the remaining three in two hours. Again, not bad, eh?
This time around, Mike and I experimented with harmonies and at one point, he said “Do something weird” with one of the songs. HUH?! Preaching to the choir here, man! If he asked me to do something normal, I might have fallen over. I got to use the Flamma Mini Modulation pedal (the green one that’s not on the board) and dialed up some CRAZY sounds. I’m good at that. But if that wasn’t “weird” enough…
You might recall that I wrote a song that sounds like a cross between 80s Rush and 5150-era Van Halen. Now you can add Allman Brothers to it. WTF?! Certain harmonies lend themselves to particular eras. Most think of Thin Lizzy/Wishbone Ash and of course IRON MAIDEN! But…Allman Brothers?!?! REALLY?! Well as I always say, I get out of the way of the music, and let things come to me. I didn’t plan it to happen, much like I didn’t plan to combine Rush with VH. Yet in the end, it all still sounds like…me.
We listened back to the tracks and we’re satisfied for sure. Things are going incredibly well, and shouldn’t making albums always be like this?
Next weekend I am performing with Supernova at Mason Street Grille (Lake Hopatcong, NJ) and then back in the studio the following weekend to do…wait for it…GUITAR SOLOS! Yes, I get to make funny noises and play too many notes per square inch. I excel at those WHEEEEEEEEEEEE!
I was supposed to go to the studio this Friday to do guitar melodies. Mike asked if we can push back to next weekend and I was 100% fine with that. Rather than do one day this week and wait another week, it makes sense to do Friday and Saturday next weekend so we can flesh things out.
Works for me!
I have some pretty solid ideas for melodies, and a few where I will ask Mike for his input. I had to learn over time to not be so wedded to my ideas. I have a strong vision and hated having it squashed in the past. I’ve taught myself to loosen up over the past few years. It’s not been easy! Dave Mustaine of Megadeth once said years ago, that “when I run things, I ruin them.” Clever wording on his part! And it makes perfect sense. I can say with great confidence that the melodies that I feel are strong will stick. The others might either be re-worked, or as Mike said last time, “We might do a lot of ad-libbing.”
Again, works for me!
And as you can see in the above banner, I’ve been working on the cd cover. I showed Mike my idea a while back and he said it was great. No I won’t divulge much else aside from that’s the “new logo” for 2026. Hell, if Motley Crue and Joe Satriani never had a steady logo, neither will I!
Of course, I have some gigs lined up starting March 14 with Supernova. Two more with that band will happen much later this year, as well as a Rubber Duckie Riot show in May. The gigs are spread apart, and that’s fine. I’m sure more will fill in the gaps as time moves on. I can’t wait to be on stage with my revamped Orange combo. You may recall that back on December 30, my CR35 amp died on stage. First time that had ever happened to me in my million years of playing shows. So with the help of my friend Steve Nani, he helped me get a brand new Jensen speaker and installed it a bit ago. The original Orange speaker was great but this takes it up a few notches WOW! So the retooled Orange will make its debut on March 14.
Tune in next week when we head back to Bandmother Recording…
I will never profess to be a great bass player. I am competent enough to play my own songs. After all, I wrote them, yes? For a bass player, I’m a really great guitar player.
When Mike and I talked about who would play bass on ths new cd, we both agreed that I should do it. I’ve done it on four of my (almost) 10 albums: TWISTED METAL, LAYERS OF TIME, MOOD SWINGS, and this one which has a title but am not revealing it. I can’t afford to have ideas stolen anymore, not since 2005.
Even though I was mapping bass lines in my head, and had a good amount of time before committing them to tape (well, computer), that feeling of “Can I really do this?” washed over me. So what’s a guitarist to do? Play lines that I envision other players doing. Seems simple in theory.
Although I can play bass with fingers, we agreed that using a pick (gasp!) was the best plan of attack. Kept things more consistent but…did I slap and pop on one tune? Oh do tell!! I will later on.
One song had me channeling Deep Purple’s Roger Glover of(his bass lines are more complex than you realize), and another got me in Chris Squire of Yes mode (his bass lines are just friggin’ COMPLEX!) If a song only needed straight grooves to hold down the fort, I did just that. I did resort to the teenage 8th note that some guitarists do at times; threw in some little melodic ideas, to which Mike quipped “Okay there, John Entwhistle!”
So what’s this about slap and pop?
A certain song was begging for a tasteful yet syncopated slap/pop lick. I rehearsed it at home of course before going to the studio. But the studio does funny things. At home, I sounded like Larry Graham. In the studio, I sounded like Larry Hagman. But I showed Mike what I had in mind and he said “just try it”, and after a few takes, I got it where it sit in the pocket yet jumped out of the speakers.
Oh and there’s another groovy tune where I pulled a cool Verdine White-type lick.
Wait…this is a metal album, right?
Why yes it is but you know me: I mix things up, keep people guessing. Nothing generic or predictable about anything I do. And even if you think you got me pegged, think again. If I’m going to play bass on an album, it better be interesting. Or at least mildly amusing.
So on February 14, Valentine’s Day 2026, I banged out eight bass tracks in two hours. And had time for a bowl of chicken noodle soup at the Bayonne Diner, now that Miss America Diner is no longer.
OFFICIAL WEBSITE FOR 7-STRING GUITARIST STEVE BELLO 
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