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Maryland hard rock veterans, GASTEM, is celebrating its 40th anniversary. To mark the milestone, Eonian will reissue GASTEM’s long out-of-print albums, Catch The Flame (1985) and Do It Like Wild (1986), in newly remixed and remastered editions. The new releases will feature previously unreleased bonus tracks, rare archival photos, original and updated artwork, and exclusive track-by-track commentary from the band.

The celebration doesn’t stop there. Eonian Records also plans to release a companion album, recorded during the GASTEM III sessions, slated for Fall 2025. The upcoming release builds on the momentum of 2024’s GASTEM III and highlights the band’s continued relevance and raw energy.

Widely regarded as one of the defining acts of the Mid-Atlantic hard rock scene, GASTEM emerged in the 1980s with a sound that packed clubs across Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia. The band’s return offers fans both a nostalgic look back and something entirely new to celebrate.

THE LEGACY BORN IN THE MID-ATLANTIC SCENE

GASTEM is an ’80s-era hard rock band originally formed in Damascus, Maryland, in 1985. The core lineup includes Rob Galpin (lead vocals, guitar, piano/keyboards), Craig Stegall (drums), and Mark Schenker (bass, piano/keyboards, Taurus pedals). GASTEM was active between 1985 and 1989 and earned strong support and respect throughout the vibrant hard rock scenes of Baltimore and the surrounding region.

A DEFINING MOMENT: JULY 13, 1985

July 13, 1985, holds special significance for the band, as shared with Stephen Craig of Eonian Records. As the world tuned in to the now-legendary Live Aid concerts, a global broadcast from Wembley Stadium in London and JFK Stadium in Philadelphia aimed at raising funds for Ethiopian famine relief, something much smaller but no less meaningful was unfolding in a suburban backyard just outside Washington, D.C. While Live Aid played on a nearby television, the members of GASTEM were gathered around a barbecue, beers in hand, celebrating a milestone of their own. Just the night before, they had finished shrink-wrapping 500 copies of Catch The Flame, their debut album. The cassettes were stacked, sealed, and ready to be delivered to Tower Records and Kemp Mill Records warehouses the very next day, marking the band’s first official step into the music scene.

THE RETURN: GASTEM III… AND BEYOND

After a decades-long hiatus, GASTEM reunited in early 2024 to record their first album in 34 years, III. Released via Avalon Street Records in October 2024, the album received critical acclaim and topped the Sentinel Daily “Weekly Top 30” chart for five consecutive weeks 

The project, however, was nearly abandoned before it began. As the band was preparing to reunite, tragedy struck as the original bassist Mark Emon passed away suddenly from a heart attack.

“When Rob got the news that my dear friend Emon had died suddenly… I had to pause,” recalls drummer Craig Stegall. “We were going to scratch the whole idea.”

Despite the loss, the surviving members, Rob Galpin, Craig Stegall, and longtime friend and bassist Mark Schenker, came together to honor Emon’s memory. After heartfelt discussions with Emon’s family, they made the decision to move forward. Schenker, recently retired after a 23-year run with Platinum-selling rockers KIX, stepped in to contribute bass on the album, a role he embraced without hesitation.

The result was III, a record that not only captures GASTEM’s signature hard rock spirit but also serves as a tribute to their late bandmate. More than three decades after their last release, GASTEM returned with a renewed sense of purpose, determined to finish what all four members had set out to create together. GASTEM III marked the official introduction of Eonian Records as the album’s distributor and the band’s label partner.

BAND REFLECTIONS ON THE ANNIVERSARY AND REISSUES

Rob Galpin, vocalist, “We didn’t set out to make something that would last 40 years, we just threw down what was real in that moment. Hearing these songs again, cleaned up and brought back to life; it reminds me why we started the band in the first place.”

Craig Stegall, drummer, “If I could count the times that I’ve been asked over the past 34 years about ‘where to get a copy of the old GASTEM albums’ I’d certainly qualify as a master mathematician. Thankfully, Eonian Records saw something in those albums as well, and not only did they provide the solution by releasing digitized remasters of both; I can finally drop this master mathematician ruse!” 

Mark Schenker, bassist, “I’m so happy that our reissues are coming to life. Over the years, I’ve had so many KIX fans come up to me and say ‘Hey, you should re-release the GASTEM stuff! I love those original cassettes, they were great!’ And that was always nice to hear, that fans kind of stick with you through your musical evolution and have a real interest in something you were a part of almost 40 years ago. We were just dumb kids, but we knew we could play, and we were teaching ourselves how to be recording engineers while also teaching ourselves to write songs. It was a fantastic time, and I can’t wait to see our releases.”

Craig Stegall, drummer, “The only thing missing from this being a perfect 40th Anniversary is the fact that our brother & bandmate Mark Emon wasn’t here to celebrate with us. We miss him very much and know he’s as proud as we are of how fondly remembered our music is all these years later.”