This year, Los Angeles traditional metallers, Heretic, have released a box set of vintage band material, From the Vault … Tortured and Broken, on Metal Blade Records. It is a A 28-song, 2-CD, 1-DVD set that spans the band’s early career. The set includes 1986′s Torture Knows No Boundaries EP, 1988′s Breaking Point, and bonus material such as the song “Impulse” on Metal Blade Records’ compilation Metal Massacre VII and the live classic cover “Born To Be Wild.”

The DVD itself is an extra-special bonus. It includes two Los Angeles shows, one from 1985 and another from 1986 (the latter opening up for Megadeth), which are both fine samples of the glory days of the traditional heavy metal scene. And some of the songs on the live footage are previously unreleased material.

Like other Metal Blade acts Liege Lord and Savage Grace, Heretic bordered that fine line between traditional metal and thrash, usually defined by metal connoisseurs as “power metal.” Heretic broke up in 1988 and singer Mike Howe went on to front the band Metal Church. And, in a weird twist, Heretic guitarist Brian Korban and bassist Dennis O’Hara then went on to create the band Reverend with former Metal Church singer, David Wayne.

Heretic reformed in 2011 with one-time vocalist Julian Mendez and shortly thereafter released the full-length A Time of Crisis on Metal Blade Records.

The following Powerline questions were answered by original member/guitarist Brian Korban:

Do you think the inclusion of the song on Metal Massacre VII helped the band a great deal as far as recognition? Were there ever-unreleased demos beforehand?
Brian Korban: Doing the MM7 compilation was a great start for the band. The song “Impulse” was played on local radio stations and got our name out there a bit, but it really didn’t lead to much commercial success. When we recorded the song, it was the first time any of us had been in the studio. None of us had a home studio back then, so we never made demos of our songs.

Did Metal Blade Records support the band well enough back then?
Korban: Sure. Founder Brian Slagel and our A&R rep William Howell were really in our corner, and we had good relationship with the label. We changed singers twice, so it was probably hard for them to promote the band. The fact that Heretic never really got off the ground was our fault, not Metal Blade’s.

How did the change of vocalists in such a short period of time change the dynamic of the band?
Korban: It made it hard for the fans to settle in on one line-up, and I can’t blame them for that. One of the reasons why I am so set on the current group we have now, is that we realize how important it is to find chemistry among musicians. But all that comes with maturity.

Were there any hard feelings from former vocalists? How did Mendez come back into the fold?
Korban: Being asked to leave a band has to be hard for anyone. Julian took the high road and remained close friends with the band after he was replaced. Julian formed a fantastic band named Stone Soldier who made their mark on the LA scene. Julian is like a brother, so I supported any project he was working on throughout the years. When Julian came to me in 2011 asking about reforming Heretic for a few local LA shows, I was all in from the that moment on.

Metal Church plays a great part in the destiny of Heretic’s musicians. How have you felt about that over the years?
Korban: Honestly, the Heretic side of the family has drawn a lot more interest, possibly because of the band’s short history. Metal Church/Reverend questions are slowly creeping in, which I don’t mind. Mike Howe is a stud of a singer. David Wayne is metal gold. But Julian is the antinomy of the metal vocalist. I’ve been blessed with several god-like voices to write for.

Explain the unique quality of the new boxed set. What would you like your fans to get out of this set? Is the live footage (both audio and video) newfound material or has the band been sitting on it?
Korban: The release of the box set was to re-introduce the band to the world. The old LPs were very rare, so we wanted to our fans to be able to access the older material. We released our comeback CD A Time Of Crisis in 2012, so this was a great way to incorporate new and old and let everyone know the band is back in full force. All the old bonus footage is simply that: bonus footage. If it weren’t for old dear friends, the old tapes would have vanished in time. The DVD portion is very rare footage, so I hope everyone enjoys seeing the band in its ’80s heyday.

What are some bonus tracks from the box set that you especially like?
Korban: Julian and I personally like the song “Master At Her Game” from the Country Club show [1985 show]. It’s a great metal song that I’m sure we will bring back to life on one our future releases.

Why were some live songs never recorded in the studio? Were certain songs being tested live?
Korban: Back in the ’80s we didn’t have home studios, so we never demoed our songs. Every new song I wrote was always my favorite, so sometimes great songs were tossed aside. It wasn’t ’til we watched the old live footage that we were able to find a few of the forgotten treasures.

Which bands did you enjoy playing with during the ’80s in LA?
Korban: I have to say we bonded best with our classic metal brothers Armored Saint. They were a big influence. I was front row at every Saint show, so believe me I was taking notes.

Do you still keep in touch with many of those musicians from back then?
Korban: It’s funny, we’re all a bunch of old men reforming, and doing what we do best. Every show we play, we see an old friend from back in the day. It’s a small world, but the love for Metal music has kept the bloodline flowing. It’s up to the new generation — my two sons, Jacob and Samuel included — to keep the flame burning.

What’s next for the band in terms of new material?
Korban: Heretic plans on releasing a new CD in 2014, as well another trip to Europe and scattered tour dates throughout the states. We intend to add to the band’s legacy for as long as we can, so “Don’t Turn Your Back.” Check out our videos and merchandise at Hereticusa.com, or on Facebook at Hereticusa.