Angel Bartolotta has spent the past few years touring with some of the biggest names in heavy metal.
But when his latest project, the industrial metal outfit Team Cybergeist, takes the stage Saturday at Bourbon Street in New Port Richey, Bartolotta has no idea if anyone will show up.
"So far, this project's never done a live show, so I have no idea what's going to happen," Bartolotta, the drummer for metal band Dope, said with a laugh. "We could be playing to a sold-out house, we could be playing to the bartenders and security."
Through the magic of the Internet, Bartolotta recruited friends from groups like Kittie, Stone Sour, the Genitorturers and Morbid Angel to record a Team Cybergeist album, How to Destroy Something Beautiful, which is currently being mastered. In all, he estimates some 60 musicians from bands around the world had a hand in the making of the disc.
"It started out as just a studio project, just something for me to do to get my own music out there," said Bartolotta, 28, who grew up in Tampa and lives in North Port.
An alumnus of a slew of metal and industrial bands — including the Genitorturers, Crossbreed, Switched and PIG — Bartolotta has been with Dope since 2006, around the same time he started writing under the Team Cybergeist moniker. He posted his songs to MySpace, and slowly attracted fans.
When Dope toured the country this spring with Sevendust and Black Label Society, Bartolotta said fans with Team Cybergeist tattoos came up to ask him when his solo project might make its live debut.
"It all started because of MySpace, pretty much," he said. "Everybody was like, 'I can't wait to see you guys ... play live!' I was like, 'I'm not. I can't. I've got 60, 70 people on this thing. How am I going to do it?' "
Finally, he thinks he has an answer. This week, Bartolotta will sit behind the drums, with members from Crossbreed, PsyKill, the Genitorturers and the Kidneythieves filling out the band. After that, he'll finish mastering How to Destroy Something Beautiful.
"If you're into this style of music," he said, "it'll be an all-star thing."
Team Cybergeist
Angel Bartolotta's Team Cybergeist, featuring members of Crossbreed, PsyKill, the Genitorturers and the Kidneythieves, will play with Human Factors Lab and Culture of Greed at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Club Bourbon Street, 4331 U.S. 19, New Port Richey. $10. (727) 843-0686. For more info on Team Cybergeist, see myspace.com/cybergeistmusic.
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