ESSENTIAL HEAVY METAL

Grinder - Nothing Is Sacred (1991)

2012-02-03T06:25:00.000-08:00

Okay, so this one passed me by back in the day - maybe it was the banal band name or the stereotypical cover, but boy am I glad that I finally managed to lend an ear, because Grinder are quite a shock - in a good way - to the system. I guess I was expecting some type of dull death metal or maybe a mundane thrash fest, and whilst Grinder regularly act out a no thrills thrashy policy there's more to this opus than meets the third eye. At first the vocals seem slightly out of place, and maybe out of a tune in their Gothic abandonment but then suddenly we are hit with a track like 'Pavement Tango'. This is struttin' with the bass and funky with the groove, bringing to mind Mordred and another of my favourite experimental thrashers, Napalm. This is pretty cool metal with a thrash attitude and look, but the band have an uncanny ability of slipping in subtle grooves. 'None Of The Brighter Days' has a mystical edge, giving this such a refreshing angel. There's a smoothness about proceedings that I've not heard in a long time, and I'm wondering how in '91 this slipped under the radar, but it's way cooler than so many bands at the time, and with it's loose, thrashy look this deserves to be a cult winner. Also brings to mind the struttin' thrash of Midas Touch and Paradox. Good stuff. Do not be mislead by that sleeve!

7.5/10

Harter Attack - Human Hell (1989)

2012-02-03T06:18:00.000-08:00

Cult US thrashers with plenty of social comment - spouted by those choppy hardcore raps and angst-ridden guitars. Harter Attack range from id-paced thrashcore (the title cut) to bursts of thrash energy ('Culture Decay') and always with something to say. Imagine a furious mix of DRI and Nuclear Assault, only less convincing. Worth owning if your a thrash head, but I think this one passed a lot of people buy, but still great to listen to many years later which I'm sure will make you appreciate it even more.

7/10

Artch - Another Return (1988)

2012-02-03T06:15:00.000-08:00

I recall being bedazzled by the artwork as a teenage metalhead. This is white hot power metal, released on Active Records. There appears to be a mild thrash influence too, mainly in those buzzing, chugging guitar riffs. Hawk's effortless tones placed these Norwegian metal masters high up the league but their career floundered after two impressive records. A kick-ass (as they say in the US!) Gothically-laced power metal slab full of crashing drums and searing guitars, the title cut a doom-laden affair, but the band refuse to take themselves too seriously, 'Metal Life' a perfect example of the loose cannon Artch were. Olsen and Nilssen's guitar attack is the album highlight, but like similar acts - i.e. Kick Axe, this has so much atmosphere and hell bent for leather attitude, that if you give it a spin today it'll fel like you've slipped into a time machine and been transported back to metal's heyday. 'Power To The Man' symbolizes such macho yet masterly grace. Part Maiden part chilly winter's evening, Artch deserved better than a two album career, but haven't we heard this so many times before.

8/10

Saxon - Call To Arms (2011)

2012-01-28T08:51:00.000-08:00

Holy smokin' metal, this is Saxon's nineteenth record, that's unreal...and despite years in the grunge wilderness, they still keep hammering at the door, and someone has got to let them in. Saxon's last batch of records have been high quality metal, matching their classics from the times of yore, Biff is on steaming form and his band of young upstarts are keen to get down to what they do best - crafting solid frameworks of cold steel. You have no right to slag this type of album off, because with Saxon you know what you're getting, but this isn't the pomp of 'Destiny', this is a cry for war, a march into babylon, and indeed, a call to arms, from that slow burning serpent 'Back In 79' to the full throttle 'Surviving Against The Odds', a track which pretty much sums of the career of these dogs of war. I guess some cynics always saw these guys as the Status Quo of metal but that's not the case, 'Call...' isn't a plodding, dull as dishwater record, the superb 'Chasing The Bullet' is furious but check out the monstrous 'Afterburner' with its thrashing guitars and the doom-laden riffs of 'No Rest For The Wicked'. I'm glad Saxon exist and the beast is somehow getting stronger.

7.5/10

Evile - Five Serpent's Teeth (2011)

2012-01-28T08:44:00.000-08:00

The leader's of the thrash revival manage to bridge the gap between Metallica circa 'Master...' and Slayer, producing a meaty, chugging, and at times ferocious thrash record. Evile are happy to pay homage to the past as long as their own brand of powerage works, the first two cuts on the record - the title cut and 'In Dreams Of Terror' certainly live up to expectation, but I'm finding myself bored by the Metallica, circa 'And Justice...' plod of 'Cult' and feel that Evile are better when the dynamics become faster and more complex, 'Origin Of Oblivion' bringing to mind the Bay Area fury of Exodus. I'm guessing many fans will see 'Five...' as a natural progression but I'd rather not hear Metallica imitation ('In Memoriam') and instead prefer the almost King Diamond melody of 'Descent Into madness'. For me, Evile are indeed the leaders of the new breed but I can take it or leave it, finding myself absorbed for certain tracks then bored by others. I often wonder how these guys would have fared if they'd existed back in the '80s, and whilst that's all rather hypothetical, I don't see hardly any of the modern bands truly encapsulating the '80s thrash dynamics. Evile's debut, 'Enter The Grave' was a much needed rocket up the arse for today's thrash metal, but this isn't as essential as many would have you believe.

7/10

Michael Monroe - Sensory Overdrive (2011)

2012-01-28T08:31:00.000-08:00

Once a rock star always a rock star - shame Nikki Sixx couldn't have enlisted someone like Monroe for the Sixx AM albums, 'Sensory...' is a high octane glam rock n roll stomper as one would expect, no big thrills, just good, ol' fashioned balls to the wall metal, boosted by Ginger's driving guitar and a guest appearance by the mighty Lemmy. Monroe has always had the ability to produce batches of high quality and incredibly catchy tracks, no change here, 'Center Of Your Heart' and 'Bombs Away', classy, short tracks delivered to the maximum. Monroe has always been an underrated musician but his place in metal history was cemented long ago and it's cool that he kinda exists under the radar whilst always putting out strong records. Of course, Monroe shoulda been huge considering the amount of people Hanoi Rocks influenced, but as it is, get your glittery hands on this thirty-or so minute opus and you won't be disappointed. Cool cover too.

7/10

Crucified Barbara - Til Death Do Us Party (2009)

2012-01-28T08:22:00.000-08:00

Good album title, and of course, if the band are on the cover it's gonna be a cool cover too! One of the best, or at least my fave female metal acts, who, like the monstrous Meldrum, have the ability to rock heavy with attitude aplenty and some monolithic riffs which kick straight in on opener 'Killer On His Knees'. Vocally, I love female vocalists who've got a bit of raw oomph and I can't knock Mia Coldheart's aggressive rasp. My only issue about the record is that it has a very clean modern feel, not a bad thing, but I'd love to hear these gals with a rawer, grittier producer who brings out the sleazier side. 'Creatures' and 'Jennyfer' prime examples of this, because although they are solid, heavy rock tracks, in their melody they exist as rather one dimensional, but I'm loving the straight laced, balls to the wall entries such as 'Can't Handle Love' and 'Danger Danger', and that's what CB do best. Always room for improvement, but they have crafted themselves into a nifty outfit.

7.5/10

Loud n' Nasty - Teaser Teaser (2005)

2012-01-28T08:14:00.000-08:00

Okay, so a majority of glam/sleaze bands, especially those today, have godawful names, but in keeping with the '80s hair metal hullabaloo, Loud n' Nasty have kept this dirty enough for it to work. File alongside Crazy Lixx, Crash Diet, et al, for that seemingly sincere and understanding of all the hairspray acts that have gone before. There are some killer guitar solo's on here, all very much nodding to the weightier side of bands such as Crue. Naturally, it can start to grate and will have you putting on your original '80s records, but I've heard far worse and in this day and age of drivel and dross such as Snow Patrol and Coldplay, it's great to hear bands gettin' sleazy and also great that there's a scene too. The biggest issue with this type of revival metal is when it doesn't work - as in the case of so many watery thrash bands and glam bands who end up sounding too pop, but although these guys aren't exactly loud or particularly nasty, it deserves a few spins. Rock on boys...

6.5/10

Peep Show - Out For Blood (2009)

2012-01-28T08:05:00.000-08:00

Hard to believe that these guys are from Scotland - with all due respect, and also hard to believe this is a fairly recent release and not something confined to the grim caverns of the '80s. 'Out For Blood' is a sweating bloodfest of a record that combines the glorious glam gore of W.A.S.P., and the strut of old leathery Crue, and all with elements of class and taste, without resorting to the cheese. This is a pretty heavy record, full of tough riffs, clanking drums and dense vocals, never once relegating itself to overt cliche, but instead being fired up by the true spirit of '80s metal. This sort of stuff seems to be popular in Sweden at the moment with bands like Crash Diet and Nasty Idols bringing it back from the dead as such, but these Scots rock too, pumping out the anthems with razor sharp intensity. 'I Want You', the title cut, 'Teenage Nightmare', and 'A Nice Night To Die' all hail the deadly dungeon master of classic metal. Vicious and venomous this is a debut for all you wicked worshippers who like their glam down and dirty.

7/10

Christy McCool - Lovelier Than The Queen Of England (1991)

2012-01-28T07:56:00.000-08:00

Another early '90s funk-o-metal act succumb to 'badnameritis' disease! Mind you, Christy McCool aren't as bad as most of the funk metal acts I've heard, these guys at times opting for more diverse approaches and without too much cheese, but again, it's all rather light weight and sugary, but a nice touch with the female vocals which combine nicely with Tom Tree's awkward style. 'Mofo' has a breezy Scatterbrain style funkiness - not sure that's a good thing, but again, vocally there's variation from choppy raps to scratchy rasps, but I'm diggin' the dirty fuzz grunge of 'Neal's Deals...' and the mellow acoustics of pot-induced 'Leaves On Trees', whilst 'Mother Mary' plays out like some psych mantra. All good fun without grating on the nerves.

5.5/10

Scary Mother - Tai Laeo (1994)

2012-01-28T07:48:00.000-08:00

Symphonic grunge anyone ? This is an obscure find, and a cracking lil' record if you can get hold of it. Something uncannily sinister about this weirdo-sty;e grunge that reeks of Alice In Chains, My Sister's Machine only with avant-garde orchestration and doom-laden vocals. 'Puke' combines strange, stirring, atmospheric keys with a sincere brooding, those gravelled vocals provide the uneasy edge as do the spooky dynamics. This band live up to their name with a record consumed by mystery - the superb 'Lord Of The Flies' has a killer quagmire doom riff, there are the ominous keyboards and the oddly catchy 'Who Are You ?'. Here is a band with a deep cauldron who like to stir it with an almighty stick, goodness knows what spells will be cast from this hocus pocus, toil and trouble, but witch cult leader Andrew Gillespie clearly proves that Alice In Chains were merely a wet lettuce, Scary Mother instead preferring to loiter in the murky depths of what we loosely call grunge, but instead of opting for the foppish fringe have decided on a dark cloud of English Goth and moody weight. Good stuff.

7.5/10

Powerman 5000 - Mega!! Kung Fu Radio (1997)

2012-01-27T12:29:00.000-08:00

Look past the dodgy album title and the fact it emrged at a time when metal was six feet deep, also, if you're a die hard metal head then listen beyond the choppy rap-rock, and you'll discover a half-decent band who somehow manage to combine the groove monster riffs of White Zombie, the funk out chops and angst of Faith No More, the killer chords of Machine Head, and just about anything streetwise. This is bruising stuff that can lead you in by the way of a lazy, drooled vocal - '20 Miles To Texas...' and then batter you over the head with a barrage of urban angst. Diverse without going overboard, this would have no doubt pleased fans of say Biohazard, but as a record it was too cool to reach any type of heights, instead it wallowed in Coolsville, the place for all the best bands. This record smokes in so many ways, whether through its deep rooted power rock or its almost nonchalant ability to rap. Hard to fully pin it down because whilst it is happy as a beast to combine both styles, it's also more than happy to stick to one style for one track etc. This is the sort of album that would have passed me by if I'd been narrow minded enough to judge it by the image, but thankfully I got my hooks into it and don't find it half as bad as the year it came out suggested it should be. Mind you, it was either this or fuckin' Korn!

7.5/10

Po'Boy Swing - Lite & Sweet (1994)

2012-01-27T12:04:00.000-08:00

I think these guys have been listening to too much faith No More, especially the vocalist who seems to spend most of his time aping the vocally genius of Mike Patton, circa 'The Real Thing'. Unusual to hear funk metal past 1993, and for some reason however much I want to get annoyed with this....I can't, it's actually not bad, but completely lacking originality. The funk-o-metal groove is very much Mordred, Chili Peppers and of course FNM...in fact it's so FNM I can't really write anything else, 'Not Fade Away' has the Patton sway, complete with trigger funky bass, metallic drums aka Gannon Hall and lashings of soul rather than silly moments. Even so, there are the irritating moments, Jamiroquai bubblegum funker 'Baby Make Me Feel', but despite the imitation the guy has a nice sultry tone, but can you handle it ? If this had emerged in the late '80s or around 1990/91 I'd have probably sicked my guts up, but as it exists away from the funk fad I'm willing to give it an extra mark, but there's still no reason for it to exist.

5/10

Poison - Look What The Cat Dragged In (1986)

2012-01-27T11:55:00.000-08:00

Seems a long time ago these lady boys hit the scene and I still think this is their best record although I tend to play 'Open Up...' alot more. Now considered one of the most important glam metal acts ever, if not the most important, back in the days thrash metallers and death-heads spat venomously at this hairspray hokum, and yet these guys went on to sell out arena's and sell millions of records, and not just based on image alone. Sure, it was a little lightweight at times, the bubblegum pop vocal twang of blond bombshell Michaels, the rather watery axe attack off C.C. and those alley cat scratching, glam rock poppin', cowboy boot leather struttin' lipstick swaggering song titles. Big on the cheese at times, I much preferred the raw, clattering attack of early Crue, but Poison would spawn a thousand imitators and not many, if any could match the soap opera these guys created. I admit that I still have to turn this up to 50 on the stereo before I start to get any type of oomph, but then again the albums that followed seemed even weaker, which is strange considering this was the bands most toxic in regards to hairspray fumes. 'Talk Dirty To Me' the teenage anthem of backseat love!

7/10

Steel Panther - Balls Out (2011)

2012-01-27T11:41:00.000-08:00

For me, novelty music, in any shape or form, never has the legs to last, but in the case of Steel Panther this, for the moment anyway, is a beast running wild in the streets. In support of Motley Crue and Def Leppard they blew minds, and their brand of '80s inspired party metal is going from strength to strength, and for what it produces in gimmicks, thankfully doesn't outweigh its ability to rock. Steel Panther are funny guys, heavy metal comedians, they have the look and the stage act to woo the girls and rock the boys - made it's more than just Spinal Tap and their success story keeps on raging. They exist as the ideal band to open up a party or any big metal gig, and they can write songs to, but naturally with a huge nod, and the occasional borrowed riff or melody from '80s bands such as Bon Jovi, Def Leppard etc. The lyrics as always are crude, the choruses hair-metal heaven and the image 100% nostalgia, but beneath the cheeky smiles are decent musicians who are not just happy to exist as a joke band. 'Balls Out' is the bands latest offering, party metal to the hilt, boosted by hilarious power ballads, killer riffs and that wicked sleeve. All in all ya kinda know what to expect, but hey, some '80s bands made a living outta this sort of stuff and were nowhere near as good - give me Steel Panther over Warrant or Ratt any day. '...Tiger Woods', etc will rock your cocks off!

7/10

Electric Boys - Groovus Maximus (1992)

2012-01-27T11:30:00.000-08:00

I always enjoyed the sultry, chocolate-covered rock of Electric Boys, but anyone who has words such as 'Groovus' or uses the word funk ('Bad Motherfunker') in song titles needs a reality check. The Electric Boys often produced quality slabs of slightly alterno-rock, one part Aerosmith swagger, the next a touch of say Extreme, and the terribly titled' Groovus...' is no exception. 'Mary In The Mystery World' is a fine example of Beatles-esque swirl, and the best cut on the platter, and with Bloom's voice at the helm it's always going to be a wholesome experience, but at the tail end of metal's reign bands of this ilk were surplus to requirements, the funk metal fad had disappeared up its on arse and any band, such as EB, were always a fading star. As I said, these type of bands always constructed half decent tracks and filling albums, but it's not the sort of stuff you'd play time and time again, or even a few times a year, the funky overdose and its eagerness to mix colours made too many metalheads giddy and those daft album covers drove one too many nails in metal's coffin lid.

6.5/10

Diamond Rexx - Land Of The Damned (1987)

2011-12-28T11:42:00.000-08:00

Another of those forgotten glam sleaze acts who had an incredible edge with those weird vocals and fuzzy kinda basement riffs. Sure, there's lipstick, leather and hairspray but the real glam rock knows how to headbang whilst being dressed up in sickly sweet perfume and bloodied rags. Diamond Rexx play the sort of sonic sleaze that Celtic Frost boldly attempted on the twisted 'Cold Lake' record, the anthemic and sickly 'I Wish I Was Rich' belted out over a black riff, clattering drum and OTT vocal. Sneering and spiteful at times, but too obscure and scum-ridden to break it big. Album cover probably didn't help either!

6.5/10

Witch - Damnation (2008)

2011-12-28T11:36:00.000-08:00

The wonderfully named Witch were a riff heavy '80s sleaze band clad in leather - albeit torn leather - who hardly released a thing and so 'Damnation' belatedly puts together their 'The Hex Is On' EP and a few other choice, rare cuts to make a 20 track compilation that's certainly worth checking out. Goodness how many similar cool bands were overlooked in the '80s whilst lesser talented and certainly more polished and lightweight 'brands' made a headway. I like the obscure nature of Witch, particularly Allen's gargoyle vocals and those fuzzy, dense riffs which give a sinister edge to the sleaze. Some cool tunes on offer from 'Cinderella (In Black Leather)', 'Wet n Wild', to 'Bewitched' and the clanking, Motorhead glam rock puke of 'Blond Alert'. Certainly the sort of band who woulda been quite happy to have smeared lipstick, powder, paint, blood, vomit and shit on the mirror for added effect. All hail the forgotten bands of sickly glam.

7/10

Leatherwolf - Street Ready (1989)

2011-12-28T11:31:00.000-08:00

Not sure if Leatherwolf are ready for the streets dressed like that! This is lightweight power metal - if such a thing exists, Leatherwolf keen to tell us about 'The Way I Feel' and to 'Take A Chance' on that 'Lonely Road' of their 'Wicked Ways'. Yep, it's good fun done in sultry fashion, Leatherwolf throw the fist into the air but the knuckles just happen to be padded out. Subtle amidst the aching power, Leatherwolf can't quit quit the strains of mediocre metal, almost every track laced with a power ballad feel, even when they don't even break into a swooning song. Nice on the ears but may leave you chomping at the bit for something more substantial, especially as it's 1989 already.

6/10

Ignitor - The Spider Queen (2009)

2011-12-28T11:26:00.000-08:00

Mmmm, so, Erika, the queen of vocal pipes flees the nest and now ex-watchtower and metal journeyman Jason McMaster is at the helm - maybe it's Ignitor's way of showing they mean business. Somehow this doesn't seem as effective as the 'Road...' record, but it's still powerhouse metal, this time more inspired by Dio and the runic mayhem of Skyclad. All very mystical and musically sharp, eager to thrash at times, the band clearly experienced at this sort of thing, so the fires are raging hard, but I can't get Dio's wolfen glare out of my head. Something incredibly nostalgic about Ignitor but I can't see it lasting, my lack of faith simply based on the fact that McMaster doesn't seem to stay anywhere for too long but we'll have to wait and see...but I'm more interested in what Erika is doing but it wouldn't surprise me if she's off crooning on some Nordic cruise ship! No prizes for the terrible album cover...nice bum though!

7/10

Agony Column - Way Back In The Woods (1995)

2011-12-28T11:19:00.000-08:00

And so it came to be, like some sprawling yet unseen backwoods terror Agony Column's final record of an absorbing trio ascends from the oily black sky, coats the landscape in fetid filth and is never seen again. This time however, the travelling circus has mellowed - still of course finding time to infect the skin with their brand of deathly rock, but also leaning towards a somehow more sinister yet more laid back country twang. The black humour drenches the record as the twisted hillbilly jog of 'Small Black Toad' bewitches the wife, and 'Flying Sorceress' drenches the bath mat with its grunge infested doom. A few of the tracks are quite welcoming even as they drag on for over 8 minutes a shot, and believe me, these shots don't go down too easily - instead they claw at the back of the throat like some super strength ooze straight from the river bottoms of nowhere. 'Silver Spoon' has a bayou twinge whilst nine-minute chugger 'When The Dark Clouds Return' reminds us why we don't trust Agony Column. The band flirt with the sinister and also the comedic effortlessly, because the laboratory they own is one of macabre yet almost humorous specimens. Riff's can batter you but then caress, lead you astray, into quicksand where the insects are huge and the thought of life is worse than death. Agony Column could probably be friends with Danzig, Masters Of Reality and to some extent White Zombie but the difference with these guys is that they are schizophrenic, quite capable of a boogie but quickly followed by a bludgeon. Don't go in the woods...

8.5/10

Stonewashed - Way Of Thorns (1995)

2011-12-28T11:05:00.000-08:00

Can anyone tell me anything about this band ? The cover suggests a band far removed from metal, in fact during the mid '90s I wouldn't have been surprised if this had been some bloated indie or grunge record. Metal had lots its shine back then and so many cool acts slipped by the way side - not sure if Stonewashed fit into that category because there's such an air of mystery here. A number of tracks breeze in on almost poppy melody that the listener could be forgiven for turning it off should they expect a metal album, or even a hard rock album for tat matter, but give it a few minutes and suddenly Stonewashed are a fully fledged leather winged monster. It's a hybrid of a chugging Iron Maiden fuelled by exotic grunge - nothing truly weird, just a record out of time and place with anything - I'll slot this alongside The Big F, not because it sounds alike, but because it defies completely, existing on its own - not as a weird project, but as something that doesn't add up. Many a beautiful melody slips into juggernaut rock, the soaring 'Jeannie' doesn't allow the listener to peak into what's coming next, 'Train To Nowhere', 'Outta My Brain', et al, what are they ? is it metal ? Course it is, but it's the type of record that would slip by even though it probably features major characters from metal's past - I dunno, I'm just guessing because Stonewashed keep me guessing. It's a good record, but the '90s have carved off its identity and allowed it to slip away...don't know what else to say. It's hard to fathom so give it a listen on You Tube because you'll be hard pressed to find an original.

7.5/10

Ignitor - Road Of Bones (2006)

2011-12-28T10:50:00.000-08:00

When I saw the album cover I thought these guys were from the '80s, or early '90s. I've read several reviews which state that Ignitor come across musically as a mix of chugging Anthrax and Overkill, and in some cases I'd agree, but when the vocals of Erika kick in this is clearly a different metal machine. 'Scarlet Enigma' is a moshing monster but there's an air of mysticism about Ignitor in the classic metal sense. Tales of forgotten lands and magical languages, strange creatures and fiery corners. 'Demon Slayer' is a demon of a track and the crystal clear energy of it all reminds me of Nevermore, especially as the band thrash out a handful of the songs. Sadly, Erika would only last this record - some saying that her vocal style did not suit the metal world, but I disagree. The leather clad maiden more than a match for some of the metal guys out there and great to hear '80s style metal wrenched into the modern ans given a few twists to make it all fit.

7.5/10

Agony Column - Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles (1990)

2011-12-28T10:44:00.000-08:00

Welcome again to the hellbilly cult we call Agony Column, a brutal, warped mixture of so many other bands yet still creating its own hole to reside in. A truly unhinged combo of craziness, the beautifully named Bat Lord, Crow, Redwing Viper and Devil Chicken, somehow reaching a peculiar level of seriousness on this record as they belch out a full metal wallop of a record that nods to everything and nothing else. Somehow the title track buzzes like insane Trouble perched on a Slayer riff like some predatory vulture waiting to strip the flesh from your gnarled bones. 'Crime & Punishment' has a dark thrashing riff and insane vocal sneer whilst White Zombie are left squirming in the oily backwoods wake of 'No Time To Kill'. 'Brave Words...' is an orgy of the damned, a procession of the whacked out and zany but still the band manage to have an accessible appeal, but it never lasts, the listener unsure whether to attempt to last the pace or run and hide behind the garbage cans. Agony Column aren't startlingly original, they just have a knack for the weird and wonderful, and the uncanny ability to inject themselves into the soul like some lethal drug that makes you feel oh so good. White Zombie attempted to put the 'Texas Chainsaw massacre' onto record but they failed due to repetition. Agony Column somehow infect the bloodstream like a video nasty, dragging you in on those maniacal riffs before chewing you up and spitting you out for the dogs.

Half a decade later the band would record their strangest venture yet, but alongside their debut 'God, Guns & Guts', 'Brave Words...' is a formidable record without category and yet one which reminds me of a classic thrash record recorded by the cast of 'Deliverance'. Dangerous and bruising.

8/10

Catt Butt - Journey To The Centre Of... (1989)

2011-12-28T10:34:00.000-08:00

Drenched in fuzz, swamped in down tuned psychedelia, muddy, psych-a-go-go and scuzzy - welcome to another Sub-Pop offering so step into the hazy wilderness and experience a time before the annoyance of grunge - a time when what we went on to call grunge was in fact a dirty brand of rock 'n' roll that crawled from Seattle's back streets. Catt Butt were one of many half cool bands that leapt from the circus bound train and for a brief moment drifted into the metal scene with their woolly jumpers and silly hats. The student crud could be smelled a mile off but those guitars were rich in muck, the vocals as equally swampy, the haywire melodies of 'Maximo' and 'Zombie' bleeding from the speakers with no real pace except to leave a trail of straw on the floor. Blood Circus, Swallow, Catt Butt - for a short time were on a par with Nirvana. I personally thought all these bands were much better.

6/10

Krank - Hideous (1986)

2011-12-28T10:27:00.000-08:00

Hard to knock a band who play such wild, flailing metal. Krank, a great name - if no other metal bands existed! - weave together Accept style rumblings with the fiery leather of Priest, all raging, full fisting fury, riding on waves of volcanic guitars, crashing drums and hellish vocals. 'Head Like A Rock', 'No More Lies', 'Rented Heat', pumping with that same masculinity that dosed up Raven and countless other studded bastards. Pure metal in other words, and whilst a tad predictable the fury alone will keep even the most weary metalheads up all night...and maybe even begging for more. The sort of record that makes you sweat just by glaring at the cover.

7/10

Steeler - Undercover Animals 91988)

2011-12-28T10:22:00.000-08:00

For some stupid reason, one of my fave metal album covers ever - introduced to this platter via the pages of Metal hammer magazine. Steeler have been around for years, originally starting off as a relatively hot band which of course became watered down as the years rolled by. The late '80s seemed to treat most metal bands with the same paint brush, 'Deeper In The Night' typically sultry, Steeler suddenly becoming the archetype '80s metal band, denim, leather, and video's showing the band being whipped up by smokin' winds and neon lights. 'Knock Me Out' and 'Bad To The Bone' rarely live up to their titles, almost every track on offer a mid-paced, middle of the road power metal anthem lacking any real depth of velocity, but even so, 'Undercover Animal' had me under its spell, and once I was drawn in by the cover I was naive enough to fall for the pleasant metal-by-numbers facade that awaited me around the not so dark corners.

7/10

Metal Priest - Bursting Out (The Beast Became Human) 1986)

2011-12-28T10:15:00.000-08:00

Strangely awkward title for an awkward sound band - these German rockers boast wretched vocals that seem a weird, lesser mix of Halford and a tortured Lemmy. A few scorching tracks on offer however which raise an eyebrow, the title track and 'Pyromania' being my personal favourites whilst the slow build of 'Out For Love' struts like AC/DC but the drums pack the punch of a wet sock. Somewhat peculiar in its obscurity and wrapped in a peculiar sleeve, Metal Priest attack like a de-clawed dog that has lost its teeth and yet its appearance still causes concern...where on earth do these bands come from!

6/10

Heretic - Torture Knows No Boundary (1986)

2011-12-28T10:10:00.000-08:00

Another crusty EP makes its way on to the stereo, wrenching itself from a remote basement of doom. Very much trapped in an '80s bubble this type of prehistoric metal has become very nostalgic as metalheads around the world search for trips back into memory lane - although it's unlikely that the seething long haired hordes would have experienced such a neolithic creak! The plodding Jack The Ripper-inspired 'Whitechapel' and slightly more fiery 'Portrait Of...' make for an entertaining listen, hell, the occasional buzzsaw riff and rasped vocal even reminds me remotely of old Exodus, but it's so fleeting, and only remains hypnotic in the sense one would be grappling their way through dense fog!

5.5/10

San Antonio Slayer - Go For The Throat (1984)

2011-12-28T10:00:00.000-08:00

Just because these guys have the word Slayer in their moniker doesn't mean they churn out similar evil to the thrash kings - mind you, this is still pretty much hyper thrash from the '80s and they did co-exist alongside Slayer back in the day. Sadly, fragile vocals are on show here, although 'The Witch Must Burn' shows the band attempting some type of melody before launching into a skull-ripping attack. Trouble is, most of this sort of stuff was recorded in a dank cellar, and with those amateur vocals and scuzzy guitars you can hear why SAS would've made a great, albeit brief cult act but nothing more. The childish yelps which override 'Hell Will Be Thy Name' prove to be the album's major downfall and once the needle pops off the record, even when you're head hits the pillow you'll never escape those nasty screeches. After one or two listens of 'Go For The Throat' you'll be left with a crud-lined needle! Extra 1/2 mark added for the seemingly sinister cover!

5.5/10

Razormaid - First Cutt (1987)

2011-12-28T09:54:00.000-08:00

Cool cover cool record - stompin' '80s metal boasting staggering solo's and swaggering grooves. This escapes the basement which confined so many obscure '80s metal acts, and instead of being stuffy as one would expect it's quite grandiose, awash with Coverdale-esque sultry vocals and lots of lyrics about the night and the streets! However, this isn't some dodgy pastiche of better bands, I sense some intelligence behind its construction, nearly every track rates from very steady to very good, the band knowing how to craft a strong metal machine. 'Victim Of The Night' isn't just formulaic but instead comes across as a powerhouse of a track. I like this sort of stuff - metal that stands on its own two feet even without success. Good on Razormaid for havin' the balls to rock...

7/10

Black Ice - Hot 'n' Heavy (1986)

2011-12-28T09:49:00.000-08:00

Nothin' smokin' about this EP from straight laced Californian metallers Black Ice, who like to surf the Dokken wave with elements of blues driven metal. Competent enough and deserves a whisper of a mention as it's pretty obscure and at times when the band chant "Heavy Metal Warriors" on the track, you guessed it, 'Heavy Metal Warriors', as a metal head teenager I would've probably fallen for it. Sincere no doubt but it was never going nowhere but it's always a buzz to dig this sort of thing out of the coffin.

5.5/10

Southgang - Tainted Angel (1991)

2011-12-28T09:46:00.000-08:00

Bands like Southgang were not in the public eye long - grunge put pay to that. Whilst formulaic Southgang's 'Tainted Angel' boasted a meaty production and a handful of songs decent enough to wrench them from a million strong crowd of similar acts. Sure, it's all big hair and soaring ballads amidst the hip shaking rockier numbers, but when it works it works real well - the title cut a fine hard rock cut combining the more bolshy aspects of pristine Crue and beefier Warrant. It's a hot bed of gyrating acoustics and sultry electrics, especially on 'Aim For The...', a sweeping power ballad typical of the decade previous to Southgang's intervention. Not bad if you can look past the now seemingly dated image.

6/10

Creepmime - Shadows (1993)

2011-12-28T04:50:00.000-08:00

There's something hypnotic about this complicated, down-tuned deathly cavern that calls itself Creepmime. Slots nicely alongside the intricate death metal brigade, a la Despair etc. It's all very bleak at times, doomy in fact as the abrasive guitars graze the face like a Brillo pad, and those hoarse, throaty vocals add extra chills, but deeper within the cess pit I'm hearing addictive echoes, in the same way I became so endeared to Darkthrone's 'Soulside Journey' with its windswept and barbed wire grooves. All slightly monotone and with hints of the cosmic, 'Shadows' is in fact a clever record that exists only as a half-hinted, almost extinct force that long ago slithered from under some rock and then vanished without a trace. All it left in its wake was a rusty residue. There's nothing spectacular about it but there's an awkward feel with those jarring guitars and frozen drums. Creepmime grate the soul then scuttle back into their creepy mine!

7/10

Crisis Party - Rude Awakening (1989)

2011-12-28T04:40:00.000-08:00

During the late '80s Guns n' Roses spawned a thousand imitators - Crisis Party being one of those acts. Terry Date may be producer here but oh for the cheek of it - CP mimic G n' R in every aspect, right down to the Axl-esque vocal which, after the first track get so bloody annoying I'm wondering how on earth Metal Blade records gave them a deal. I understand how bands get caught up in trends and there are always record labels out there keen to cash in on a fad and I'm sure that some of these labels may well have been genuine in their attempts to find the next big thing, but at times this just takes the piss. Crisis Party lack sleaze appeal in every department, so it's no wonder they dissolved into nothing - not fit to lace Axl's boots and I'm sure if he'd left them out on his door step Crisis Party would have stolen them!

5/10

Morgoth - Resurrection Absurd (1989)

2011-12-23T12:45:00.000-08:00

Amidst the waves of US death metal acts Morgoth came marching from the shadows like the spectral ring wraiths from a Tolkien fantasy - hell bent on proving that the dense, black smoke of death metal was not simply an American creation. Although owing a lot of its sound to the likes of Death, and even Possessed, Morgoth had the appeal to slot nicely alongside the Florida bands as well as carving their own niche for their atmosphere grind. This EP provides a handful of sturdy tracks which revel in their intensity and see Morgoth rise above the hordes to establish themselves as a class act. From the thick riffs of 'Travel' to the twisted chords of 'Afterthought', which rides on a clattering drum, 'Resurrection...' puts Germany on the map as a death metal force...cracking vocals from Grewe and cool cover to match the Gothic atmosphere.

7.5/10

Meldrum - Blowin' Up The Machine (2007)

2011-12-23T12:39:00.000-08:00

Get this album any way you can - buy, steal, kill! The second album from Meldrum is proof that there's a female equivalent to Machine Head's 'Burn My Eyes' out there in metal land. This is one helluva furious slab of molten metal - one of the best metal albums in fact I've heard in the last ten years and certainly one of the best records to emerge this side of 2000. Meldrum combine melody and rage to great effect, mainly in the vocal prowess of Moa, a sultry demon who at once terrifies and intrigues, coupled with Meldrum's searing hot riffs this is how metal should exist and they should have been massive if you ask me. Meldrum's sad demise in 2009 robbed the metal world of a great talent but 'Blowin Up...' is a timeless reminder of what great musicians and talents lurk within a field that over the years has been dominated by far less talented hacks. The gargantuan nature of the riffs here is astounding, 'Bite The Pillow', and frothing opener 'Purge' are behemoth cuts, designed to hammer home a weight advantage yet somehow combining the sexual sweatiness of Brody Dalle, and Juliet Lewis. The doom sludge of 'Creme De La Creme' is staggering whilst the flexible 'Scar' sees the band move into a far more melodic state, maybe bringing to mind the jerking ska punk of Skunk Anansie. It's all filth and fury and with Moa gyrating at the front of the stage I see Meldrum as a truly magnificent metal weapon that blasts through walls and move from city to city like some wave of nuclear blitz. At times devastating in its angst and weight, I'm not sure if to strip off, kneel and worship or run for cover as the human debris splats on the pavement around. Meldrum are monstrous and sexy as fuck too...

8.5/10

Meldrum - Loaded Mental Cannon (2002)

2011-12-23T11:28:00.000-08:00

Hold on a minute, where the fuck did this bomb come from ? Meldrum is a mighty metal outfit consisting of a lethal sisterhood including founder member and stunning Michelle Meldrum who sadly passed away in 2009. Meldrum was once part of the bruising all female combo Phantom Blue but Meldrum takes up reins and boy you'd better be ready. This is orgasmic heavy metal straight from the volcano, taking no prisoners it equally grinds and exhales fire to match any record by say, Motorhead. This is one oily fuckin' record of amazing heaviness yet sultry sexiness, enabled of course by the fact that the trio of females present are absolutely stunning and if that's not enough then prepare to be slashed and thrashed by Meldrum's jaw dropping riffs and the dragon breath tones of Moa Holmsten. I haven't heard female fronted rock like this for a while, in fact it kicks like a metal mule, yet is able to present a variety of moods, the melodic 'Feeding The Hope' for example is classic metal but you can take your pick from a number of monsters here and you won't be disappointed. 'The Story Of Junk', 'Through Shattered Eyes' and 'Attackpa', featuring former Thin Lizzy guitar hero Brian Robertson. Don't let it put you off that Europe man John Norum pays a visit to - after all, he is Meldrum's husband. Metal suffered a great loss when Meldrum passed but what she's left behind is a furious legacy that deserves to be heard.

8/10

Malevolent Creation - Retribution (1992)

2011-12-23T11:20:00.000-08:00

The second release from MC provides a wrecking ball to the house of metal and destroys it like it were a house of cards. MC took no prisoners, a battering ram of a death metal act who threw the thrills out with the garbage and decided to hit where it hurts the most - all over! Technically brilliant and truly monstrous, from the drum massacre of Alex Marquez to the sonic guitar attack of riff monster Rob Barrett, this takes all we know and love about death metal and simply screws it in the brain a little further. The brutally ominous 'Coronation....' and the Morbid Angel-esque slab of 'Slaugher Of... which comes with twisted riffs of total chaos. Malevolent destroy whether it's at a breakneck speed or a kid-tempo chug, 'Eve Of The Apocalypse' combining both, complete with piano intro and sadistic riff. Certainly one of death metal's finest acts who've existed through so many trends and yet continued to cast ominous shadows to remind the trendy folk that watching over them is a bewildering force. You can run but you can't hide.

8/10

Child's Play - Rat Race (1990)

2011-12-23T11:14:00.000-08:00

Not sure if this is sleaze metal, it all seems a little too timid if you ask me, occasionally scratching at the back door like a leopard but when you peek through the cat flap it just turns out to be a moggy! 'Wind' may indeed get in your hair as a sultry candle burner whilst a blues injection seems vital for the band to make their record seem streetwise. Came at a time when metal was neither here nor there - Child's Play didn't really latch on to a scene and probably didn't have the ability or swagger to either. A handful of half-decent tracks, 'Day After Night' and the boozy 'Good Ol' Rocking Roll' might get the lads up for a jiggle but if bands like the mighty Love/Hate couldn't make an impact then Child's Play had no chance. Strange album covers almost suggest some lo-fi Brit indie record!

6.5/10

XYZ - XYZ (1989)

2011-12-23T11:09:00.000-08:00

A slightly flaccid offering from a heavily influenced Dokken act who have the rather unfortunate name of XYZ - leaving them not only way down in the alphabet but also low down in the bargain bins probably. Well no, it's not all bad but this record lacks any sort of bite, drifting as an almost standard fare into the realms of mediocrity never to be heard again. Okay so the tracks often appear on You Tube but in today's age everything is on You Tube isn't it ? I think it's worth checking out any metal from the '80s even if this one passes by without effect - I'm hearing a hint of Scorpions in there too alongside the pomp of 'Maggy' and various other faceless cuts. All abit to simple - in fact as simple as A,B,C!

6/10

Brutality - Screams Of Anguish (1993)

2011-12-23T11:04:00.000-08:00

After the Florida scene blew up in the late '80s and early '90s, death metal became a major force in propelling the heavy metal scene to new, murderous levels. Brutality were a fine technical death metal act who were rather underrated despite coughing up this bloody pile of sonic metal which at once had the ability to not only decapitate but also experiment. Chesty vocals accompanied by a mid-tempo pounding groove always works well within this scene but it's not long before the band up the anti with those trigger drums and crushing hyper riffs. 'These Walls Shall Be Your Grave' and 'Spawned Illusion' tear the flesh with ease, but like so many bands of this ilk Brutality, despite the severity of their name, drift effortlessly into cosmic voids too - 'Spirit World' is a haunting acoustic instrumental that would, no doubt, lead your listening grandmother astray before battering her senseless as another bout of aggression lurks around the corner.

Decent death metal indeed, now go and clear up grannies flesh from the carpet.

7/10

Circle Of Soul - Hands Of Faith (1991)

2011-12-23T10:59:00.000-08:00

Circle Of Soul kinda emerged as the last embers of funk metal and alterno-metal had dissipated in metal's dying black sky. Thankfully, those who got to listen to COS would have found much to enjoy as the funk trend pretty much spiralled out of control and most of the bands disappeared up their own cartoon arses due to pulling too many silly faces. Circle Of Soul never resorted to the comedy side of things, but instead carved out an almost sultry style of soulful rock that combined the acoustics of '80s hair metal and the more sublime slink of Lenny Kravitz, Living Colour and to a lesser degree the Red Hot Chili Peppers. This was a relatively obscure record never fitting into any trend - not because its content defied musical categorisation - but simply because there was no real interest in this stuff anymore and so it slipped by the wayside. There's a subtle appeal to this record which comes to fruition in the half hinted freshness of a track like 'War' or the breezy hair metal crescendo of 'One Kiss'. Couple that with a Living Colour strut, of say 'Stone In My Shoe', and one finds themself endeared to COS while it lasted.

7/10

Vain - Enough Rope (2011)

2011-12-21T12:36:00.000-08:00

Davy Vain was one of the coolest rock stars never to play stadiums. Vain's debut album 'No Respect' never got the praise it deserved and so what seems like aeon's later, Davy returns with another glam rock punch to the mid section. 'Enough Rope' doesn't need to nod to the late '80s and early '90s because that's where it originated from, a throbbing glam rock dynamic boosted by Jamie Scott's searing guitar work, coupled with Vain's sensual, sexual and sleazy vocal sneer. Effortless rock 'n' roll that proves how this stuff can still exist without being laboured or nostalgic. It's all about the attitude and Vain have it by the bucket load, carving out glittery grooves that lube up the tightest of holes for heavy metal insertion. Motley Crue, Hanoi Rocks, The Cult, it's all here, that pure swaggering feel that some bands are just born with - from the lipstick oomph of 'Cindy' and the sweltering 'Hot Stage Lights', evoking images of strip clubs but also a more intelligent structure. Vain were more than just image, but let's hope that this time they keep the fire burning and carve a career out of those razor sharp anthems. Ratt weren't half as good and yet Vain for some reason always remained in the shadow of weaker acts....but this is their time. Hopefully.

8/10

Reckless Love - Animal Attraction (2011)

2011-12-21T12:29:00.000-08:00

Since the dawning of Steel Panther - a band which I never thought I'd appreciate but do in droves - there seems to be a few acts trying their hand at a cheesy style pomp rock. Some of the bands are doing it for a joke - all well and good but many aren't as musically adequate as SP - and are falling flat on their faces - whilst some of the bands are doing it straight, Reckless Love could be perceived as one of those acts. The trouble is, such a lightweight journey leaves me begging for Steel Panther's...er...steely growl, because Reckless Love have leapt on the Def Leppard bandwagon and are refusing to get off. 'Animal...' is their second opus and it reeks of Leppard, circa 'Hysteria' etc. It borrows so heavily, and also likes to steal one or two Van Halen grooves too, that it becomes a puffy mess of powdery pomp. Vocally it's just the Lepp's Joe Elliot swooning over a collection of fragile mid tempo plodders, from the synth driven 'Hot', the dreamy 'Fantasy' and 'Dirty Dreams' which sounds as though it's stolen various '80s rock ideas. Steel Panther may be crude but they still know how to rock, and if I wanted music like this then I'd simply go and put a Def Leppard record one. Why oh why do bands mimic so heavily ? I guess this sort of stuff doesn't deserve to be on this blog - and alongside so many formulaic and yet allegedly current 'thrash' bands, I'm finding all this 'paying homage to the '80s' metal rather vomit inducing.

4/10

Gama Bomb - Survival Of The Fastest (2006)

2011-11-19T11:27:00.000-08:00

These Irish 'retro thrashers' continuously pay homage to old school thrash with their mediocre brand of chugging speed. Sadly, as I'm finding myself saying time and time again - if anyone is listening - why the fuck is the new scene so vital when it's simply so dire in its attempts to mimic the past ? The humour is here for all to hear, zombies, sci-fi, blah blah, and the usually global warming issues wrapped up in a tepid style of thrash that comes across as a bad version of Exodus, Nuclear Assault and countless others before. I guess if you've never heard thrash before you'll find this great - but for anyone who owns records beyond Metallica this will hit the ears as a rather lukewarm homage to all that's gone before, but why spend forty minutes of your life listening to this bland moshing when you can slap on Nuclear Assault's 'Survive' and thrash real hard. None of this revival makes sense in the slightest, unless it acts as a way for new fans to realise how dire the new breed are compared to the original guys who, in some cases are still going and doing it much better, harder and faster. By keep repeating myself I'm beginning to sound as dull as the riffs that litter Gama Bomb's debut record. It's just not funny anymore...I was there in the '80s, you guys weren't so get the fuck over it.

5/10

Kix - Hot Wire (1991)

2011-11-19T11:20:00.000-08:00

Kix were a reliable band, deserving of the recent album box set release I guess, although I could've thought of loadsa cooler, even thrashier bands who deserve their own box set. Even so, this cheeky mover does it's best, once again, at combining AC/DC ('Girl Money'), sleazy glam ('Luv A Holic') and '80s hair metal pout ('Tearin Down The Walls'). Okay, so vocally it begins to grate after half the songs have settled in - at times it borders on Cinderella for tonsillitis rasps, but it makes the perfect soundtrack to any teen metalhead's bedroom, with enough rebel yell for Hell, albeit slightly out of time by 1991.

6.5/10

Sixx Am - This Is Gonna Hurt (2011)

2011-11-19T10:08:00.000-08:00

Nikki Sixx is my hero, and Sixx Am seems to be a very popular project with music fans in general. I, sadly, can take it or leave it, because whilst I can acknowledge Nikki's songwriting talent and DJ Ashba's guitar wizardry, I'm continuously left cold by the vocals of James Michael. The band's debut was very good in parts but I always struggled to get my ears around Michael's all too subtle - weak, anyone ? - tones. So many times a tune would kick in with killer guitars, a heavy drum, a crushing melody, and then it would be flattened by Michael's almost 'nu metal' croon, and this time around the vocals have just destroyed my faith in Sixx Am. Sure, this is an emotional trip, and Mr Sixx would probably say, well, if you don't like it then fuck you...so fuck me it is, because put another vocalist on this and Sixx Am rocks, but as it stands Michael is a watery mess that brings to mind a cliche of emo bands, his emotional subtle tones just killing every killer riff, grating on my nerves as he soars to the top of the charts...put James Michael in front of My Chemical Romance and his vocals probably work, but not here...not for me. There's no doubting the strength of the songs, 'Lies Of The Beautiful people', 'Live Forever' et al, are good, solid rock n roll tracks, but it's oh so pristine, the edge blunted by the predictable holier then thou vocals from a man that has a voice which suits only some mediocre middle of the road band, and I never wanted Sixx Am to be that type of band, and musically they aren't, but vocally it irritates so much that I just can't sit through another listen. This probably won't be the last we hear of Sixx Am but all the while James Michael is at the helm, I'll have to pass....this really does hurt, and there's nothing more painful than a band whose vocalist sucks. Sorry.

5/10

Anthrax - Worship Music (2011)

2011-11-19T09:57:00.000-08:00

I for one, welcomed back Joey Belladonna with open arms, so lost was I by the bands John Bush meanderings. Judging by sales and reviews, 'Worship Music' is what everyone hoped for and more, the band stomping the stage as part of the Big Four and ready to thrash again. Should we believe the hype ? Well, in most cases yes...it's Anthrax, and for me 'Spreading The Disease' and 'Among The Living' are two of metal's greatest records, even 'State...' and 'Persistence...' were decent affairs, and now we've come full circle, thrash metal is back in a big way, there's lotsa fresh new talent (albeit too many bands paying respects to the past with their sound) and so we always hope we'll never be let down by the original masters...Slayer have always stuck to their guns, as have Megadeth, whilst Metallica for me anyway, have been a disgrace since '88, but can Anthrax enable us to worship the scene again ? There's no doubt that Anthrax aren't just here to make up the thrash numbers, the mighty riff attack of Ian and Caggiano is one that reduces houses to rubble. If there's always been one band known for its chug then it's Anthrax, but this time round there's a refreshing, melodic, yet pummelling chug bolstered by the startling Belladonna and a renewed set of pipes....there's no jokes, no gimmicks, just pure cranium carvery as the five piece hammer home a weighty affair that clearly finds no purpose in reminiscing on the days of mosh! 'Earth On Hell', and the mighty mayhemic 'Fight Em Til You Can't' propel Anthrax back to the top of the league, blessed with amazing melody, this could easily be Sabbath circa Ronnie Dio, and Maiden at it's most sublime, with added velocity. Bello's bass is, as expected, of earthquake standard and Benanate's drums raise the levels of the boom, and that guitar sound is so punishing, lead weight, crushing, devastating, and crisp and clear. Anthrax 2011 isn't necessarily a thrash band - 'Worship...' simply concretes their legend without the need to resort to tried and tested ways. The monstrous 'Judas Priest' and album closer 'Revolution Screams' are titanic in structure whilst 'I'm Alive' is destined to become a timeless metal anthem, the melody an absolute killer. As the album progresses the band does tend to slow, but as I said, Anthrax have no need to thrash anymore, but instead have crafted an album of highly polished metal anthems that never once require bermuda short buffoonery but instead take the classic, cold steel energy of bands such as Sabbath (circa Dio), Priest, Maiden, and their own sense of knowing, to construct a dark rumbling beast. 'In The End' a prime example of how a band such as Anthrax need not worry about the wave of pretenders that have saturated a field they once ruled. Anthrax will always rule, in what ever form they take, but the skin they seem most comfortable in is one that within its fold includes Joey Belladonna. Metallica - listen to this and weep.

9/10

Souls Are We - Let The Truth Be Known (2008)

2011-11-19T09:39:00.000-08:00

Also known as George Lynch's Souls Are We, this four piece are the brainchild of ex-Dokken fret-master George Lynch, and fronted by ex Brides Of Destruction warbler London LeGrande, and what a corker of a record it is. One could imagine this drifting through the air waves in 1992, as it has that type of alternative vibe but it also packs a punch, mainly due to Lynch's rather surprising doom-laden and grunge infested guitars. Admittedly, LeGrande has never had the strongest set of pipes but his rasp someone slots in amongst those swampy guitars, making Souls Are We a pretty infectious debut that weaves a dark path through sweaty bayous and gnat-infested swamps. I was shocked at how instant this record is, and whilst I thought initially that fourteen cuts would be way too long, I became absorbed by the voodoo vibes and startled by how catchy and clever it all is, especially as Lynch's twiddlings do their own thing amid the murky backwater blues. This somehow evokes the likes of Alice In Chains and a more swampy Mindfunk, but it's huge on the grooves and LeGrande is more than happy to provide the swagger - check out the venomous yet languid 'January' with its soaring chorus. At times it's as thick as quicksand but it continues to pull itself free with surprising choruses of infectious quality - 'St Jude' is mesmerising, and almost original as rock tracks go, but the sheer weight the band offer is the biggest and most pleasant surprise - Lynch drags the likes of 'Skeleton Key' and 'Sorry To Say' into Sabbath-esque caverns, but each time the band rescue themselves from the treacle by way of a cool hook or catchy chorus. I never thought I'd find Souls Are We so fascinating, and the well packaged cd, complete with candy skull artwork is a joy to the eye. Hats off to them, I just hope they get some success, because any band that can remain so heavy and yet so cool deserves another shot at glory. My guess is that Souls Are We will just fade away, but if you can grab this record then let yourself become immersed in the sludge because this is fragrant ooze!

8/10

Heaven's Edge - Heaven's Edge (1990)

2011-11-08T09:31:00.000-08:00

There were a lot of people in the metal world who felt that Heaven's Edge should have been massive and that their fire was quickly extinguished by the wet flannel known as grunge. Although I'm of the opinion that Nirvana and many of the dire grungeheads did indeed put a pay to metal in the early to mid '90s, I'm not sure if Heaven's Edge would have been huge, despite the fact this is a quality debut record. When I first about these Philly guys I thought they were gonna sound pretty weak, but I was wrong - this debut is a bolshy affair that has a considerable weight alongside a set of stomping anthems which may have seemed a little out of time. Think Crue's 'Dr Feelgood' for that distinctively crisp production and put together a set of big haired metal acts who never quite made the grade, but give it all a lethal injection of sonic guitars and bombastic drums and Heaven's Edge are the monster you'll come up with. If this had emerged around '86 then things may have been dfferent - if Heaven's Edge had surfed on the same wave as say, Skid Row, or Extreme, then they'd have got the kudos they deserved, but despite some rockin' reviews, this debut scarf waver fizzled out in the Seattle rain. Yes it's hair metal, but it's so huge in its sound and so damn talented, just sit back and be scorched by the guitar attack of Steven Parry and Reggie Wu. And there's those massive sounding drums from David Rath, flying high on a cosmic riser, and fronted by the immaculate Mark Evans, who, with puffed out chest took metal yells to new heights. It's not an album that's rough around the edges - far from it, some will hear a little Bon Jovi, especially in the vocals, whilst others may hear some Dokken fury in those chords, but it's the bands' ability to write a catchy hook that impresses most. 'Play Dirty', 'Skin To Skin', 'Bad Reputation', 'Is That All You Want ?' are all smoking tunes which sound fresh today, but would have surely hit bigger times had the band existed, or released them a couple of years earlier. It's great the album has a reissue because any fan of melodic metal will surely find Hraven's Edge heaven sent, and for the sceptical hard metallers out there, even they'll be surprised by the beefy ingredients this album has to offer. More stomp than pomp...

8/10

Magnum - Kingdom Of Madness (1979)

2011-09-29T13:06:00.000-07:00

I'm sulking because the cover here is nowhere near as great as my vinyl copy - Magnum once again enticing the listener into an alleged realm of fantasy - even if the album on the whole lacks the magic one would expect and succumbs to too many wanderings down keyboard drenched pathways. Sadly, the electronica bestowed upon the album prevents it from being even a half-decent rock record, the band clearly talented and effortlessly churning out gargantuan epics, but it's the more simple cuts such as 'Baby Rock Me' which remain refreshing, driving the same type of strut as a hard edged Queen whilst side two opener 'All That Is Real' I've often described as a bright and breezy pile of niceness! For me this is watery rock, with added cheese, 'Lords Of Chaos' a prime example as another no good piece of funky bubbly soup. Strong guitars are all too fleeting, the band opting for the wistful and at times too quirky to have any effect. I guess Magnum are not every one's cup of tea but I'd rather drink tea than sit through 'Kingdom Of Madness' again, because like 'On A Storyteller's Night', this flatters to deceive and hides behind a fantastic cover when the reality is it's like sucking a sponge full of water!

6/10

Masi -Downtown Dreamers (1988)

2011-09-29T12:56:00.000-07:00

What the hell does opener 'God Promised A Paradise' remind me of ? Is it a metal version of Belinda Carlisle's '80s pop hit 'Heaven Is A Place On Earth' or some Bon Jovi-cum-Dave Lee Roth hair metal vomit ? It's all kind of mesmerisingly bad! Full throttle on the guitars - courtesy of said guitar wanker Mr Masi - vocally the chap named David doesn't have the beef as Bernie K who impressed on 'Fire In The Rain', but it's all still the same straight '80s metal evoking images of city lights and distant highways. 'Thunder & Lightning' - can it get more cheesy ? is enveloped in frazzling solos, a watered down Dio to some extent, and as Coverdale mimic Fefolt croons "I'm a lover...", and some sad decaying bimbo runs her fingers through his jungle of chest hair, we are reminded why this type of metal made the '80s so great but also why metal eventually got left behind when the serious grunge heads invaded. 'Foggy Day In Hollywood' showcases Masi's talent - just in case we'd forgotten, whilst 'hellraiser', 'State Of Rock' and 'Movin On' are token rockers perfect for every '80s metal pool party.

7/10

Deep Purple - The House Of Blue Light (1987)

2011-09-29T12:36:00.000-07:00

I feel like I should downgrade this record just because it's a mundane, late '80s DP record - so fitting of its time, I can just imagine this being promoted on Tommy Vance's Friday Rock Show! So, it's not a masterful record, and if you ask me none of their records were genius despite the acclaim given to some of the early records - and I've always found Gillan's voice soothing rather than hellbent on metal fury, but, there are some very cool moments on this record, for one, the killer riff to 'Hard Lovin Woman', pure Blackmore magic. The organ drenched 'Mitzi Dupree' showcases the smokey, blues atmosphere we've come to expect from the band over the years whilst 'Dead Or Alive' is a galloping rider of the darkest night! At times there's a maiden feel, and it's always typically mid to late '80s in its feel which is fine by me, and whilst I've always taken DP and their records with a pinch of salt, on certain nights of the year 'The House...' can be quite an absorbing experience.

7/10

Saxon - The Eagle Has Landed (1982)

2011-09-29T12:29:00.000-07:00

Yep, it's Saxon and it's a live album. So what ? Ten tracks recorded across the valleys of Europe in 1981, showcasing the bands finest moments, 'Heavy Metal Thunder', 'Wheels Of Steel' etc. Not many live metal albums were spectacular...this isn't, but then again we don't expect gimmicks from Biff and company so if you like Saxon then just listen to it, and that's that. Bye!

7/10

Virus - Lunacy (1989)

2011-09-29T12:26:00.000-07:00

A bruising slab of mosh metal that combines the hard hitting attack of early Suicidal Tendencies with a more urban, downbeat toughness. Heston's strained vocal delivery adds extra gravel to the baseball bat effect this record has on the bones - Anthrax on steroids ? Massive chugging assaults on opener 'Seeing...' followed by the Testament-like construction of the title cut, bolstered by McFinlay's raging guitar and those clattering Kaylor drums. 'Lunacy' doesn't set out to dazzle but as long as the kids are going mental in the pit and the sweat is flying then you know Virus have made a solid record.

7/10

DBC - Universe (1989)

2011-09-29T12:22:00.000-07:00

Long before I listened to DBC (Dead Brain Cells in case ya don't know!) I always thought they were some type of moshing crossover act in the DRI vein, but after just one listen of this record one can't help be blown away. 'Universe' is a complex concept album of cosmic proportions that sounds as fresh today as the time it was made - a riveting experience with titles alone that suggest a mature, intricate dosage of jerking thrash. Opener 'The Genesis Explosion' wouldn't seem out of place on a Voivod record - DBC shock the ears with their almost original brand of technical moshing that mostly bewilders but always stays fresh in the mind. Dakin's choppy vocals make the listening experience even more jarring as the band pulverise the senses with myriads of rhythms and sprawling webs of intrigue - the jagged guitars of Shahini and Oullette take thrash to new levels, hardly headbanging material as it cavorts like some star-crossed dragon in contorted flight. This may appear somewhat alienating to those without an ear for such mesmeric meanderings, 'Heliosphere', 'Estuary' and 'Phobos &Deimos' all complex slabs of metal mastery that take more than a few listens to sink in. When I first heard this record many years ago I didn't expect the masterclass of precision metal that bewildered every sense - the perception and experimentation of the band enabling them to slot alongside Anacrusis for magical yet at times isolating listening. The Gothic swirls of 'Primordium' create visions of celestial stardust, DBC create their own universe not a million miles away from the dabblings of deathsters Pestilence or Voivod. 'Universe' may well have been one of the records the government employed as part of their space programme in order to contact extraterrestrials. How the fuck bands come up with this sort of stuff is beyond me, but if you want further proof that nu-metal shite like Slipknot is music for children, then grab a copy of 'Universe' and experience the equivalent of musical alien abduction. Brain frazzling!

8/10

Stevie Salas Colorcode - S/T (1990)

2011-09-29T12:12:00.000-07:00

As the funk metal wave swept through metal city, far cooler bands carved their own soulful niche. Fishbone, Living Color, 24-7-Spyz and Stevie Salas were more than just imitators or cartoon punks. They never attempted to be metal - they weren't, but their hard driving levels of funk and soul just happened to get noticed by those fans eager to snap up the latest rock trend that was far removed from death, glam or straight edged metal. These bands seemed to deliver fresh messages although their words were fleeting. Stevie Salas and his band of merry funksters had enough funk to even make the likes of Prince proud, and then there's the lashings of Parliament, Lenny Kravitz, and that Hendrix groove going on. And not forgetting the darker stains of Living Color. Packed full of promise, this is a debut that rocks hard and cavorts like a serpentine mother ship, hell bent on simply creating dynamic funk with cutting guitars and steely chorus lines. There's so much sunshine soul on offer that any self respecting fan of bands ranging from Thin Lizzy to the already mentioned Prince, will find much to freak out to, or simply laze in the rays of this groover if you wish. 'Caught In The Middle' is pure pop rock, 'The Harder They Come' is cool funk with a Chili Pepeprs twist and personal fave 'Indian Chief' reeks of Hendrix. However, when one throws so many cool bands (okay, not including the Chili Peppers) in the mix, the influences are naturally going to shine, so if you fancy something far removed from '90s metal but still hard edged then this is a record to take you there.

7.5/10

Skyclad - The Wayward Sons Of Mother Earth (1991)

2011-07-27T15:59:00.000-07:00

After his shock departure from UK thrash gods Sabbat, Martin Walkyier set up his stall at the carnival bizarre with Skyclad. Another truly brilliant and mesmerising thrash act of medieval stature and with the wise nature of an ancient owl, essential not only for Walkyier's demonic growls but those amazing structures, filtering through a menagerie of instruments from flutes to violins, all the while encased within a speedy, sinister cacophony of thrash. Way ahead of its time, very British, oaken and majestic, and every bit as poetic. All one needs is a roaring woodland fire and an imagination, because Skyclad is every bit as fantastic and elven as Sabbat, casting grim spells and spinning a myriad of yarns. Not once falling for cliche, this is the perfect background to Tolkien's march of orcs. This is pure molten metal but it exists beyond the dreams (and nightmares) of a majority of other bands, so gifted is it its medieval madness. 'The Sky Beneath My Feet elevates Walyier as a songwriter, placing him in his own magical realm, untouched as those guitars speed around him like Gothic doves. 'Our Dying island' and the spectral 'Mongleam And Meadowsweet' are like nothing I've ever heard before, so intricate and interwoven by melody and fantasy, one hardly gets time to drawn breath before they are enveloped by another gleaming forest glade or entangled in the crawling roots of a vampyric tree.

I still prefer the first two Sabbat records, but Skyclad and Sabbat are two very different bands, and to them, annually we must forever offer a gift in worship.

8/10

Onslaught - The Sounds Of Violence (2011)

2011-07-27T15:44:00.000-07:00

In the '80s British thrash was given a hard time and never reached the dizzy heights of the US and some of the European bands. Now however the UK scene is a real force, and veterans Onslaught, with their last two albums, this, and 'Killing Peace', have really found their niche and simply blow away anything the new wave of US thrash acts are doing at the moment. There is something so monstrous about the strains of 'Born For War', and the nuclear 'Hatebox', a furious mix of clear production, fiery guitars and aggressive vocals. If this was an American band it would be up there with the last batch of Exodus and Overkill albums, the monolithic 'Code Black' showing how Slayer should have thrashed in the '90s, hell, even Pantera sneak into a few of the riffs and vocal growls. It's great to hear the bands of old showing the new kids how its done, and that initial groove on 'Godhead' is pure maniacal magic with a lashing of thrashing Slayer. Violent sounds indeed. "Children of good you're fucking eviiiilll.....AAARRRGGGHHHH!"

8/10

Hour Of 13 - Hour Of 13 (2007)

2011-07-27T15:32:00.000-07:00

For those of you who've been fortunate enough to experience the cult that is known as Pagan Altar, may find similar spells cast by Hour Of 13. Imagine a more polished Ozzy, over a buzzing, grey riff, and you might have an idea what Hour Of 13 are about, but of course, it's much more than that. Hour Of 13 create spooky gloom by their simplicity, providing great atmosphere and lyrics which the likes of Ghost could only bore with. the massive 'Call To Satan' evokes images of strange shadowy figures and fog-ridden graveyard's, always hinting towards the Sabbath megalomania, but then again, it's so hard not to, but the tone and tempo is then lowered for the grimoire 'Hex Of Harm'. Hour Of 13 are a pair of warlocks happy to reside in some dusty woodland cabin and conduct clandestine rituals whilst a dirty, stormy riff directs proceedings from the distance.

7.5/10

Vektor - Black Future (2009)

2011-07-27T15:22:00.000-07:00

Well, this is a turn up for the black books. Vektor, like Bastardator, have no time for the retro thrash revival, instead they seem intent on crawling back to the toxic lair of Voivod, Destruction, and the likes and creating a mind boggling factory of black fumes and intricate evil. fans of Anacrusis and the likes will lap up this formidable assault of black thrash, propelled to even greater charcoaled insanity by the vocal rasp of DiSanto whose throat must be shredded after this! Rumour has it these guys are immense live, the black and white sleeve hinting at what holocaustic nightmares of thrash these guys can construct. Complex indeed, nothing simple on offer, just an array of jerking rhythms and jolting structures which paint pretty little pictures of alien worlds besieged by chaos and murderous frenzy. Some may find the violent dynamics of the title cut a little too 'black metal', and the parched 'Oblivion' has no interest in trends, marching through the ash-caressed streets like some armour-plated dog of war hellbent on thrashing beyond comprehension. The punkoid noise is refreshing on my eyes, the wondrous 'Destroying The Cosmos' drips into the room like oil seeping from a sunken rig before those jarring guitars trigger epileptic drums of grim fury. Immense stuff that blisters the fingers in its unrelenting arrogance. 'Black Future' buzzes like a titanic pylon in a world ending storm.

8/10

Gothic Slam - Just A Face In The Crowd (1989)

2011-07-27T15:11:00.000-07:00

No joke thrashcore from New Jersey laced with angst toward a depressive society, which comes across in the pretty furious, albeit slightly mundane music, except for those punchy choruses and heavy guitar crunches. Certainly not a stereotypical mosh assault, the angry 'Who Died And Made You God' being the album 'hit', although personal faves being the mellow 'Demented Obsession' which leads into a mid tempo chuggernaut, reminding me of Metallica, and the five minute 'Battered Youth' which gallops in on a thunder bass and heavy riff. Somehow this type of stuff was so appealing and I find myself even more intrigued by it many years later, maybe it's the hint of groove and the sincerity of it all.

7/10

Noisy Mama - Everybody Has One (1991)

2011-07-27T15:02:00.000-07:00

Terrible album cover and name, doesn't really enable the listener to grasp what this is about, but delve beyond the flaws and you'll find this a cracking little sleaze album, elevated by the oomph of the vocal wheeze. Sounds like Faster Pussycats Taime Downe with a bad case of asthma! The superb 'Long Way From Home' is a lazy, bluesy stroll through the desert, reminds me of War Babies in its effortless glide, cool stuff indeed. 'Little Brown Jug' starts with a Zeppish jig, supplying the ears with a Black Crowes/ Rolling Stones swagger and a most definite nod to AC/DC, whilst 'Dirty Dog' and 'Heart Of Stone' keep the bluesy metal flag flying. So many bands have tried this party rock and usually end up a pale, watered down version of their heroes, but Noisy Mama, despite the dodgy cover and band name even give Dogs D'Amour a run for their money with that gravel voiced drunkenness. All a bit of a mystery to me, but so sownright infectious, it'll make one want to smash up a few hotel rooms. Sadly, almost out of its comfort zone, but again, like War Babies, kinda stands alone. I wouldn't trust these guys!

7.5/10

Piece Dogs - Exes For Eyes (1992)

2011-07-27T14:52:00.000-07:00

Mmm, very much groove based metal I guess, I'm thinking a dense version of The Organization, lacking thrills, packing beef. Could be a bit of Alice In Chains, but also Bad Brains circa 'Rise' but without the alternative takes. Maintains a hold without ever adjusting its stance, packs a punch as a meaty, early '90s record, losing itself in a stoned Mindfunk mire mixed with a darker Anthrax chug. Don't know an awful lot about it but sums up metal from the time, because anything that wasn't crushed by Nirvana may have lacked direction, so it's no surprise that Piece Dogs sound pissed off and indeed they do like to snarl and wave a baseball bat. Kinda cool without being flashy, and exists for no real reason except to remind us that there was a heartbeat beneath the grunge fluff.

7/10

Razor - Violent Restitution (1988)

2011-07-27T14:46:00.000-07:00

Probably one of my favourite thrash records ever, Razor were simply a great band who never received the accolades that so many other bands did. Even so, in a way this makes these Canadian guys even cooler. Let's face it, vocally, there aren't many guys who can match Razor's Stace Mclaren, especially in that opening scream on 'The Marshall Arts', a ferocious introduction for anyone who has never experienced this band before. Razor have mastered the art of violent thrash and refuse to let up even as the choke hold renders one dead. Criminally underrated this may be, but the anger and fury that seethes from this record is second to none, a tour de force of terror that completely obliterates all in its wake. There is no time to inhale or exhale, 'Eye Of The Storm' and 'Out Of The Game' massacre the senses as Carlo's guitar plays havoc with the brain cells. This really is hyper thrash that dazzles in its ferocity, at times touching on early Slayer but this is constantly fast, brutal, bone slicing and cold in its execution. The musicianship is extremely tight, and it makes a rather bad example of the thrash revival, because this type of speed is untouchable and very much of its time. It may cause a lot of blood loss...

8/10

Whiplash - Ticket To Mayhem (1987)

2011-07-27T14:32:00.000-07:00

When I first got into metal, bands like Whiplash were always a terrifying prospect. Although Slayer would certainly enable metalheads to appreciate underground thrash, when all this stuff was new to the ears, there was a real obscure, underground feel to it, and somehow the cover to 'Ticket...' seemed sinister! The content of such a record wasn't to disappoint either because Whiplash were a vicious assault to the throat, combining a powerful and seething black thrash with an alcohol-fuelled madness. There was always a sense of foreboding buying this type of record, knowing that any acoustic passage, of say, 'Last Nail In The Coffin' would provide a false sense of security as the listener would soon be bludgeoned by that sledgehammer of guitar and bass and those thrashing drums. To me, bands like Whiplash were real thrash heroes, and tracks such as the evil 'Snake Pit' for the original forerunners to the apocalyptic black metal scene - this grim pile of sewage sitting alongside Bulldozer and Venom as a metallic yet rusty knife to the guts. And then there's that killer riff on 'Burning Of Atlanta' and the echoing vocals of Portaro, cavernous to the extreme. Cult in every aspect, a band that must be owned by an self respecting thrasher. Who needs to mosh when you've got a ticket to mayhem.

8/10

Despair - Decay Of Humanity (1991)

2011-07-27T14:11:00.000-07:00

Old school...or easily just as new school, German thrash, when you consider how talented these guys were. Nothing better than complex, dry, caustic thrash, and Despair were the epitome of that style of with those intricate drums, aggressive vocal sneers and no thrills frenetics. Euro thrash always had a colder edge than the US relatives, combining mid-tempo mechanics and unexpected changes, difficult to headbang to indeed, but instead bands of this ilk were masters of their trade. The opening title cut a complex web chord shits, trigger drums and bubbling bass, melting into the immense 'Cry For Liberty'. This is the sort of stuff we need back battering the eardums, not countless buffoons attempting to recreate that moshing chug. Some fine vocal arrangements here, whether as a death grunt, thrashy rasp or echoing soar, the record always maintains an air of the unexpected. The reality is, after hearing tracks such as 'Radiated', that European thrash was always the king, always remained a cult, and boy could those guys play. Deadly serious mechanics and metal for the intelligent.

8/10

Electric Boys - Funk-O-Metal Carpet Ride (1990)

2011-07-27T13:11:00.000-07:00

For me this is a massive sounding alterno-rock record, combining the more lush elements of Aerosmith with a Zepp swagger whilst hinting at a psychedelic funk that made the likes of KikTracee and Saigon Kick so beautiful. 'Funk-o-Metal Carpet Ride' may be one of rock's worst album titles, but what lies within is indeed a multi coloured magic carpet ride of splendour, grace and gargantuan grooves, a kaleidoscope of layers caressed by Conny Bloom's chocolate flavoured tones. Funky in the sense of its soul rather than any irritating twangs, the likes of 'Captain Of My Soul' exist as mercurial mosaics of spiritual abandonment, whilst 'All Lips And Hips' is a swaggering, sleazy joint with tassels on. Not sure how popular these guys were but three albums spilled from their loins and what amazing fruits that blossomed. Glorious as a Technicolour dream, and big sounding in every way, whether its the soaring horns or lava-lamp swirling guitars. All very smooth and as intoxicating as a burlesque dancers boudoir. Plenty of incense makes the heart grow fonder and I'm getting higher every minute. Somehow luxurious and flowery but not once does it travel bereft of weight.

8/10

Hericane Alice - Tear The House Down (1990)

2011-07-27T11:47:00.000-07:00

I expected a lot more from this band, and am amazed to see copies of this being sold at astronomical prices on the net. Any buyer must surely be an avid fan...if there is such a thing, because musically this is all rather standard. Sure, Danny Gill is a fine guitarist but I'm hearing a typical, middle of the road Whitesnake style of rock, complete with floozy ballads, 'Too Late', and the more uptempo melodic rockers, 'Wild Young And Crazy', 'I Walk Alone'. This sort of stuff is best suited to a late night radio station because at least then the listener only has to sit through one track, but as an album 'Tear The House Down' makes me do exactly what the title suggests, because all this is frustratingly mundane, to the extent that I'm running out of words to describe it...

5/10

Lisa Dominique - Rock & Roll Lady (1989)

2011-07-27T11:42:00.000-07:00

Lisa Dominique was an example of how some women in rock were all boobs and no brain. I'm sure this rather sexy looking mistress adorned many a metalheads wall, but unlike Lita Ford, Joan Jett, Femme Fatale, Vixen, Lisa Dominique doesn't have the ability to rock, and instead, or so it seems, her lacy bra and tight jeans were used as the selling point. This is very bland boogie rock that boasted the awful 'Jealous Heart', a lightweight, ballroom boogie in which Lisa seems terribly out of tune over a mild tinkering of tragedy which I'm sure she may have called metal. I guess some metalheads may have been bewitched by Miss Dominique pouting on the cover, but throw that aside and all we get are weak and dire 'rock' tracks that barely rise above a pop plod. The title cut steals a Bolan riff and then transforms it into a barn dance. This is cheesy pop, confirmed by the atrocious video's of Lisa cavorting around like an '80s Page Three model. Too much of a "Grab ya partners by the hand..." if you ask me, and only gets a mention on this blog to dispel the notion that this album was metal...Nice lips, shame about the music.

2.5/10

Femme Fatale - Femme Fatale (1988)

2011-07-27T11:35:00.000-07:00

When Femme Fatale emerged on the metal scene in the '80s some people mocked. Metal acts fronted by rather gorgeous looking women were often the butt of many a joke whilst sceptical metalheads still thought it was okay to drool over the front-woman. However, Femme Fatale were one of the few bands to rise above the mockery and belted out a rather solid metal sound that enabled the band to shift over 200,000 copies...Lorraine Lewis was the voice, a hearty soul who not only adorned the walls of many a metalhead, but a woman who had balls and whose voice stood up to the music. Femme Fatale were not startlingly original, but like Chrissy Steele, this was all about the songs and this record boasted quite a few decent numbers which gained airplay and of course enabled Lorraine to display her form on MTV. The big hit was bubblegum stomper 'Falling In And Out Of Love', whilst 'Waiting For The Big One' was a hot, searing rocker, easily contending with the likes of Lita Ford and Vixen whilst hard rocker 'Touch And Go' boasted the line, "Do it to me all night long..." which I'm sure would have had a few teenage boys salivating!

Femme Fatale were proof that that bands fronted by a woman could rock the airwaves, it's just a shame they never got the recognition they deserved.

7/10

Wolf - Legions Of Bastards (2011)

2011-07-27T11:27:00.000-07:00

You can't really go wrong with Sweden's Wolf. With the last few years being swamped by the retro thrash revival, Wolf symbolise '80s metal at its finest and most sincere, and rather than irritate with their repetitive nods to the past, they still are able to move with the times and rock. Wolf have shed a few albums now, each one burning brighter than the last and boasting an array of energetic metal anthems for anyone not only interested in the '80s scene, but also new fans seeking something in the modern climate to get their teeth rattling. 'Nocturnal Rites' is the stand out track, a cut of menace and vigour that exists on a doom laden riff and sneering vocals. 'Scull Crusher' has a classic Maiden gallop and 'tales From The Crypt' gets a dose of Priest savagery. there's nothing corny about Wolf, they play the metal game for real and certainly wouldn't have been out of place back in the '80s and yet maintain a cutting edge to see them move into the future. Wolf are a prime example to any band who wish to wear their influences on their sleeve but not become too besotted by the past.

7.5/10

Adrenalin Kick -Bad Reputation (1991)

2011-07-27T11:22:00.000-07:00

Another band the '90s passed by. I always thought Adrenalin Kick were more Skid Row than Kik Tracee, but before I heard them I hoped they'd impress like the latter. Instead, this is a pretty noise, one that attempts to swagger and breeze but at times drags slightly. The band aren't afraid to throw in a few chugging riffs, 'Beware The Stranger' boasts soulful vocals and a sharp riff, and 'She's Got Me Running' is a Cult/Hanoi hybrid. I can see how this record may have been thrown in with the alterno-metal crowd, but it lacks the breeze of say Law And Order and doesn't change its colour enough to satisfy. 'De-Humanizer' is a swaggering heavy glam cut but for the whole record lacks the glitz I anticipated. The rather dour album cover sums it all up really.

6/10

Havok - Time Is Up (2011)

2011-07-27T07:16:00.000-07:00

Havok's return to wax sees the band up the anti and deliver a more aggressive style of thrash since their last outing (also reviewed elsewhere) but, like Merciless Death, it leaves me aching for something more original. Okay, so these thrash acts of today are eager to bring back that '80s feel and design, but if I want that then I'll go and put my Nuclear Assault, Defiance et al records on, and believe me, they thrash far harder than the acts of today. Havok immerse themselves in the '80s but seem so obsessed that they are forgetting to find themselves, instead reliant on those riffs which I've heard countless times before on Testament records, but Testament and the likes weren't simply derivative, they were monstrously talented and still to this day sound fresh, whereas bands such as Havok and Merciless Death, despite their hunger, drive and aggression, are, sadly, nothing more than pretenders, but respect to them for striving to re-enact a time I experienced, but it's just not the same.

6.5/10

Merciless Death - Evil In The Night (2006)

2011-07-27T07:09:00.000-07:00

The thrash resurgence sees bands such as California's Merciless Death enlisting the artful talents of Ed Repka. The negative aspect to this frothing scene is the rather formulaic feel to it all, band after band taking that retro approach and giving not an ounce of freshness to a scene which, in the '80s, was extremely potent. Whilst it's wonderful to see thrash back in a big way none of the bands are fit to lace the boots of the bands they cite as influences. Merciless Death have released a fairly standard record that zips by at quite a pace yet with no real effect. 'Exumer', 'Command Death', Ready To Kill', all reek of Slayer, but never once come close to lightning the candle of the thrash titans. Torres' vocals are reasonably aggressive, but the riffs which litter each track don't exactly jump out, making this short platter seem like one long track. Back in the day there were so many different bands to experience, whether it was the Bay Area thrashers with their quality crunch, or the alien environment of say Voivod or Coroner, and then there were the UK bands, with Sabbat at the helm, and of course seminal acts from Kreator and Sodom, to Anthrax and Death Angel. Thrash is healthy today, but bands such as Merciless Death can barely even hint at those magical times. For me, this nod to the '80s is interesting but there is a possibility that fans could become swamped in very average thrash metal.

6.5/10

Bonded By Blood - Feed The Beast (2008)

2011-07-26T11:50:00.000-07:00

Despite the fact I'm being swamped by the new wave of thrash bands doing the rounds, and at times being engulfed in the banality of it all, Bonded By Blood are one of the better chuggers in the recent charge of the mosh brigade. My only real issue being that not one of the current bunch, and I mean not one of many, has been able to produce a classic thrash record, because in such genre, the modern bands seem unable to produce the originality which came in the '80s. Looking back, the Bay Area had an original crunch, then in Europe there were the creators of avant-garde thrash such as Coroner, but in today's metal market there seems a great ability, of that I have no doubt, but the bands seem to have the inability to escape the past. Sure, it's great to wear influences on one's sleeve, but every album I've heard in the last six or so years is all too keen to take so many Testament, Exodus, Overkill and Slayer riffs, whereas the original purveyors of thrash had a unique sound. Bonded By Blood do sound a lot like Exodus, but without the immense quality, bit even so, 'Feed...' does offer a sturdy set of thrashers, fave's being the title cut, the moshing chant of 'Immortal Life', the pulverising 'Mind Pollution' with its immense riffing and the sonic crush of 'Vengeance'.

Of course, the new wave of thrash bands have kind of proven that there is now a limit within the genre, and so instead to bands are sticking to their guns in order to churn out an almost no thrills version of their favourite carnage. All well and good if it works, and thankfully Bonded By Blood do have that quality needed do rise above the mediocrity, but it still remains light years away from the original titans who plied their trade back in the '80s and '90s. There's no need for Exodus and the likes to give up their day jobs yet.

7/10

Tesla - Twisted Wires (2011)

2011-07-26T11:40:00.000-07:00

The majestic Tesla, who for me were always alterno-metal without realising it, emerge with a breezy acoustic collection of stirring numbers for quiet summer evenings. From the mercurial 'Caught Up In A Dream', the beautiful '2nd Street', and the magic 'Better Off Without You', Tesla bring tears and smiles and so many emotions in between. Lyrically perfect, and always eloquent, they breathe fresh air into cover versions, yet always maintain an element of rawness, naturally in those gravel vocals which enable the cuts to exist as almosy sleazy in their form. Their cover of the Climax Blues Band's 'I Love You' a fitting and emotionally charged example of Tesla at their most sublime.

7.5/10

Accept - Blood Of The Nations (2010)

2011-07-26T11:21:00.000-07:00

Whilst Morbid Angel may have sold their fans short (no, I'm still not over that chuck of disappointment!!), Accept come rushing headlong from the metal vacuum and hit you in the face like a truck. Some may say that such metal lacks any type of originality, but hey, Accept aren't alterno-metal, they are a face-ripping metal act, and they stick with that intention, and kudos to them for it. 'Blood...' is a quality heavy metal album of high craftsmanship and cold steel that not even Megadeth could stick with during the late '90s. The title cut is a marching anthem, Accept are at the front, in the trenches of blood and dirt, with gritted teeth, 'Rolling Thunder' seethes with angst, a horseman of war leading the troops into battle on a Motorhead buzz. Impossible to discredit such a force, and as 'Shades of Death' cracks the clouds and spears the ground with lightning, one realises as to how such original warlords can never be mastered by hew pretenders. New thrash and metal will always be a good thing, but there's no beating the original gods of war and thunder, and Accept are among those, gargantuan titans still capable of crushing all opponent's whilst glancing back proudly at their immense back catalogue of burning fury.'The Abyss' and 'Beat The Bastards' simply confirm that metal is a fortress beyond destruction.

8/10

Blue Murder - Blue Murer (1989)

2011-07-26T11:12:00.000-07:00

After the dire techno-noise of Morbid Angel, I'm refreshed by a piece by a piece of late '80s hard rock. Fluid, middle of the road, Whitesnake-esque metal, of big voice, big drums (Appice) and a whole load of smoke for atmosphere. Plenty of brooding atmosphere's and sultry love songs ('Out Of Love') as well as vibrant mid-paced rockers, 'Riot', even if they are a tad overlong. Slot this alongside the already mentioned Whitesnake, and the likes of Baton Rouge, because it's all very fleshy and masculine although I must admit I prefer the Blue Murder guitar sound when it gets going. 'Save My Love' and 'Black Hearted Woman' being my fave cuts, the former a misty, swaying late night track with some cool crooning courtesy of Sykes.

6/10

Morbid Angel - Illud Divinum Insanus (2011)

2011-07-26T11:03:00.000-07:00

The sighs of disappointment can be heard from here to Hell. The mighty Morbid Angel, Florida's answer to all fevers and plagues, return with arrogant devil king David Vincent at the helm, and yet the fans are heckling, in fact they are stoning the idol in disgust. The horror is that despite the gap between Vincent-fronted albums, MA have returned with a less than invigorating sound, one which is using all too many industrial samples and completely losing its fan base, despite the occasional twisted riff of Azagthoth still finding its way among the withering coils. Naturally, Vincent's voice lacks the menace of the early classics, but the record as a whole is so bereft of malevolence and swagger, that this return is even more disappointing than that of Pestilence. Without a shadow of a doubt 'Illud...' is one of metal's biggest disappointment's that can only be rectified by the band running back to the studio, because this record is not much heavier than a Rob Zombie record, displaying all too many attempts at experimentation, which at once destroys any hopes we may have had of a death metal classic. The decent stuff is few and far between, 'Nevermore', a track which many have known about for a while, misleads us into thinking this is another twisted record of carnage riffing, but no, steadily the records declines, littered with techno excrement that doesn't even have the ability to challenge the mildly intense industrial bands - in fact it's as if the band have no love for death metal, instead injecting their deathly veins with watered down blast beats and the like. there is nothing here that invokes Satan, in fact I'm sure he left the building years ago, knowing full well this alleged return of the titan would crumble to ash.

The fact that Morbid Angel have gone groove-based isn't the only horrendous ingredient, the biggest shock is how timid this record really is, reeking of an ego that has disappeared up its own cavernous arsehole. Whatever the band members are listening to of a night should not reflect on the fact that Morbid Angel used to be a pulverising death metal band, but incorporating a hip-hop beat here, and an almost nu-metal groove there, is simply blasphemy. Those who find this record even half-decent deserve to be crushed under the rock these guys recorded this opus. Slipknot fans may hear this and set up a mosh pit of personal issues, but death metal fans will be reaching for the exit, and by the time 'Radikult' has puked its final dance beat, the area will be a ghost town of caretaker's and event staff, sweeping up the piles of shit from the stage that were thrown at the band. This really is a bad record, a record that pushes the riffs to the back, in favour of some kind of cyber-rock darkness, the type of cold, boring sound that was injected into the black metal scene a few years back. Fans are setting fire to their vinyl and cd's rapidly, and the band must surely take not at such actions, but it wouldn't surprise me if Vincent and co' produce another lump of this puerile crap just as a middle-finger gesture, but that's fine by me, because when they churn this excrement out live, not only is it going to give the classic cuts a band name, but I'm hoping that fans of any sense will be walking out the door. This is NOT Morbid Angel, this is not how to experiment within your genre, and lyrically it's offensive in that it's so poor. The thousands of negative reviews on the internet speak for themselves, but if you don't believe how bad this is, just try and steal it from somewhere because it's not worth the paper it's printed on.

I'm interested to see where MA go from here....I'm thinking the dustbin. Rest In Peace, you're lucky to get a '3.5'.

3.5/10

Ghost - Opus Eponymous (2010)

2011-07-26T10:38:00.000-07:00

Abit of a mystery this one...many music fans finding much to rave about in this brooding cauldron of eeriness. I'm not so convinced...for a start, any band that dresses up as monks on stage is going to find it hard to be taken seriously, and the whole occult ethos breaks new ground, some in fact are saying that Ghost are nothing more than Mercyful Fate/King Diamond imitation. I tend to agree, because despite the atmosphere it creates, i.e. that of a cult congregated in a castle, this record begins to bore quite rapidly. 'Con Clavi Con Dio' is a dark, majestic track of chilling chords and creepy bass, and with an ominous build up 'Prime Mover' disappoints with its lightweight drone. And that's the big problem. Ghost promise sinister echoes, but fail to deliver in the repetitive strain injury of those dire riffs which seem regurgitated track after track. And then there's the vocals...imagine a simply mellow and less evil King Diamond, and that's the sort of demon preaching we have on offer. It's all rather wistful but I'm struggling to realise the chills, even as the stormy, macabre 'Ritual' shuffles in and the creeping 'Satan Prayer' shuffles out. Considering this record was named as the third best album of the decade by a Swedish Magazine, I'm left completely baffled by the hype, instead preferring to flick through my old Dennis Wheatley novels for a more genuine glimpse of darkness.

The band are clearly determined to create some type of mysterious aura about themselves, the vocalist, Papa Emeritus having a tendency to adorn himself in cardinal costume for the gigs. But, as the history of metal has told us, such imagery and satanic influence doesn't necessarily mean quality of music. Don't get me wrong, I love metal with atmosphere, but 'Opus...' begins to drag too quickly, boring me in the same way as Blue Oyster Cult and that '70s occult influence. Sadly, Ghost have the effect of the supernatural form they are named after, in that whilst they clearly are able to spook for the first few minutes, they quickly become no more harmful than Casper, the friendly ghost, the cut 'Elizabeth' a prime example of such Gothic yawning. The whole thing lacks weight and one call to 'Ghostbusters' and this one is quickly exorcised. Extra half a mark for the decent album cover.

6.5/10

Black n Blue - Hell Yeah! (2011)

2011-07-26T10:13:00.000-07:00

My oh my, the once prolific hip shakers have returned with a belter...the four albums of the mid to late '80s now a distant memory, because this is damn good rock 'n' roll for the soul. Hints of cheeky Dave Lee Roth with serious Kiss, this is a breath of fresh air considering it's nothing at all new, but as the title cut saunters in on a cool riff, there's that typical '80s vibe but taken into the modern. This stuff is timeless and far from the cheesy innuendo many believed back in the day, the ultra cool 'Candy' a prime example of that cheeky, pompous sway, whilst 'Falling Down' has an almost Ozzy intro with that acoustic breeze and vocal drool. 'So Long', with its infectious chorus, 'Target', and 'Hail Hail' follow suit as real earth shakers. Black n Blue are proof that this formula of metal is still relevant today and you'd be a fool to miss out...

7.5/10

Autopsy - Macabre Eternal (2011)

2011-07-26T10:00:00.000-07:00

One of my fave extreme metal acts of all time. Autopsy, the kings of doom-laden gore metal return with another dirty, droning, bubbling, infected noise that, with delight, pulls teeth, desecrates graves, and fucks the dead. Whether it's the doom sludge chaos of 'Always About To Die', or the quicksand dirge of the title cut, Autopsy continue to drag seeping corpses through the mire into their own fetid realm. Vocally morbid, musically gloomy yet so Gothically eerie. there's no mistaking Autopsy, in fact their foul stench can invades the nostrils from miles away like some steaming grave. The hideous 'Bridge Of Bones' writhes like some massive slug of doom from a lair of fog, as the downtuned guitars make way for Reifert's glum tones. Autopsy have always bridged the gap between death metal and doom I guess but still manage to create their own horrible rumble. No gimmicks, just sordid stories from Hell's most rotten nook.

8/10

Bastardator - Identify The Dead (2009)

2011-07-26T09:55:00.000-07:00

Finally, a new band don't seem intent to resurrect the sounds of old, but instead where their influences on their sleeves, grab a kg of beer, and thrash til' death. Bastardator are a violent, buzz saw mix of early Voivod, Motorhead, Darkthrone, Bulldozer, Venom, Destruction et al. Instead of being caught up in the new school thrash trend, 'Identify The Dead' exists as a barbed wire rake to the heart. That tumbling bass on the title track is pure Voivod punkoid mayhem whilst 'Conquistador' has a classic metal feel with its '80s Euro groove. Pretty venemous stuff, spitting, spiteful vocals over a clanking noise of rattling solo's and crashing drums - envisioning a nuclear wasteland of toxic thrashing. 'God On Their Side' has a bassy, thrashy Motorhead feel, and also pukes out a Sodom vibe. Y'know what I'm trying to say - basically, if you like your thrash spiky, apocalyptic and bereft of American chug, then Bastardator will provide the whiplash to the flesh you require. War has begun!

7.5/10

Holy Terror - Terror And Sumbission (1986)

2011-07-17T10:28:00.000-07:00

Holy Terror will delight any thrash fan looking for something just a little different. The cover art alone suggests a band with an almost European stance to their gothic meanderings, and musically it's chaotically tuneful, particularly in Deen's vicious vocal delivery which is complimented by the killer guitars of Kilfelt and Alvord. This is no predictable chug-a-chug-along but a twisting, cavorting red hot poker of a record that would see the band gain cult following and yet nothing more. The demonic intro of 'Black Plague' transforms into a searing, deathly blow to the senses one of HT's biggest positives being their decent lyrics. 'Evil's Rising' has a black, punky edge and this is where the band find their noisy niche. Quite happy to travel at speed, the melodies are blasted by triggers of vigour and crashing drums, and whilst this could be early Metallica, the band then show their ability to reveal a flip side, a technical, juddering strain of Euro-goth metal, indicative of bewitching speed metal from the time. I could listen to this stuff all day, as the cloaks of 'Mortal Fear' and 'Tomorrow's End' draw round, Holy Terror refuse to mess around with thrash, but instead create a stark, unbidden world that would reveal more of its secrets on the next record, being my fave, 'Mind Wars.'

7.5/10

Exodus - Fabulous Disaster (1989)

2011-07-17T10:13:00.000-07:00

I recall my cousin Jez buying this back in the day and we scribbled the words 'Good Friendly Violent Fun' on his hallway wall and as the killer track 'Toxic Waltz' detonated, we spent the entire day leaping on to his bed pretending we were in a mosh pit! Great days indeed. 'Fabulous...' is probably by fave Exodus platter, although originally my opinions on the band changed with the weather - i think at first it was the vocal attack I couldn't grasp, but over the years, as Exodus have become a heavier machine, I've appreciated their old school thrash records even more. 'Fabulous...' is a clattering, battering ram of a record that never lets up, on any occasion and smoulders long after you've turned the stereo off and retired to bed. Ten blistering, chaotic cuts that sum up the whole thrash ethos - it charges, rage, spits, thrashes, flails, and hurtles at a relentless speed, bolstered by the crunching guitars and vicious vocal delivery. Whilst humour is only at a smattering, Exodus have a wonderful ability to always keep it aggressive, even when tomfoolery takes over, and this is exemplified on the thrash anthem 'Toxic Waltz', but the title cut is equally monstrous with those frenetic drums and the infectious chorus. Exodus have always had the ability of social commentary, opener 'The Last Act Of Defiance' and 'Like Father Like Son' being prime example's, but they aren't afraid to thrash, and that's the most important aspect. 'Cajun Hell' may lyrically read like some dodgy slasher film, but the searing musicianship and constant assault on the senses means that any subject the band cover must still slash the ears like a razor.

Anyone new to the thrash genre as a fan must surely be introduced via way of several special records, and in my opinion 'Fabulous Disaster' is one of those major league maulers. Still sounding as fresh as the day it hit the racks, it never fails to explode in your face and leave human debris all over the street. Pick any track at random and watch the flesh fly.

8/10

Britny Fox - Boys In Heat (1989)

2011-07-17T09:44:00.000-07:00

Predictable as hell but good time boogie down party rock full of cliche's but what the hell, sit back and take a swig. Think Cinderella, right down to the vocal rasp, cowboy boots, spandex, big hair, lyrics about roads...yep, it's the late '80s and Britny Fox are on the march and are doing a better job than most if you ask me. 'Dizzy Dean may have the pipes from hell at times, but he's backed up by more than an adequate band and as a bunch they have the ability to write quite beefy and memorable tunes - 'Standin' In The Shadows Of Love', 'Livin' On A Dream', only 'Stevie' makes me cringe, but the rest are admirable during a time when bands of this ilk were two a penny. It was never about being original are who had the biggest hair - they all did - but if you had songs that didn't irritate I guess you were on to a winner. Britny Fox succeeded simply because they concentrated on the music as well as the bars and women.The hip-shaking, whiskey-swigging, hairspraying genre may not have lasted that long but it was a golden time, so hats off to Michael Kelly Smith, Billy Childs, Johnny Dee and the chief rasper for being part of it.

7/10

Quick Change - Circus Of Death (1988)

2011-07-17T09:39:00.000-07:00

Pure American chugging, moshing thrash. Anthrax, Overkill, Laaz Rockit, etc, etc, it's all here, the only downside being the band's constant strays into humour, but then again thrash was always considered "good friendly violent fun"!! Wrapped in a cool cover, 'Circus Of Death' gives us twelve solid, fat tracks moshed up by the twin guitar attack of Mccarthy and Anderson. Whitehead's vocals are a tad weak, bit it kind of fits the mid-tempo chugging...strange how so many moshing thrash acts have similar style vocalists...When Quick Change get serious we are pleasured by some decent thrashin' cuts, from the trudging 'Show No Mercy' to 'Injected', but there's almost a loony smile waiting round the corner, 'Leave It To The Beaver' a fine example as to how humour sprinkled '80s thrash. Still, it's relatively heavy, also touching upon the likes of Nuclear Assault and D.R.I., so the influences are decent ones to have, even if it all lacks identity.

6/10

Stryper - Against The Law (1990)

2011-07-17T09:31:00.000-07:00

The strutting Stryper bounce back bereft of the yellow and black costumes and finally realise it's time to move with the times and get with the '90s. God decides not to appear on backing vocals and the band decide not to include a handful of heavenly hymns for us to choke on, but instead 'Against...' is a cheery, crystal clear rock record, given star dust appeal by Sweet's almost helium infected voice which soars over the percussion. Ballads and anthems unite, but it's not as overtly cheesy this time round, 'Two Time Woman' could belong to the Warrant catalogue and 'Rock The People' is third-rate Kiss, but a band like Stryper, which clear;y has limitations, cannot exist as anything else, so there's no point picking on such an opus, instead one has to appreciate it for what it is. It's pomp rock made of candy, and oh so nice that several tracks, in their naivety somehow work, i.e. 'Not That Kind Of Guy', although the lyrics are hilarious in their stupidity. Mind you, it's Stryper, so what else was you expecting ? Overwhelmingly harmless!

6/10

Shotgun Symphony - Shotgun Symphony (1994)

2011-07-17T09:21:00.000-07:00

I know bugger all about these guys but as the fluted keys swirl on album opener 'Highway To Tomorrow', I'm sensing this is full blown AOR, hair blowing in the wind, satin sheets and feminine vocals courtesy of a guy named Tracy! If you've always wondered what hair metal really is then bands such as Shotgun Symphony will explain, because it's all about the almost power ballad type feel the album invokes, the lovey-dovey tracks, lush production and those swishing keyboards which grace the guitars like an ocean brushes the sand...Thankfully the band aren't too shy on the riffs, 'What Happened To Love' is a little beefy but all too quickly swamped, once again by the keys, but it's all very nice, generally sweeping through the room with no intent. For 1994 it's a record way out of any comfort zone, but much respect for spraying this stuff out at a time when grunge was the only music on everyone's lips. Shotgun Symphony clearly had no time for trend and so frizzed the hair, prepared the pose, and created a handful of sauntering smoochers, from 'Turn Around' to 'She's In Love'. Satan won't be happy!

5.5/10

Honeymoon Suite - Racing After Midnight (1989)

2011-07-17T09:14:00.000-07:00

Thrashers, leave right now. Y'know the band shot on the cover suggests a real lightweight style of rock, and you'd be right, because Honeymoon Suite are strewn with keyboards and bubblegum guitars. Run of the mill is an understatement, but I paid £1.99 for this so I'm gonna review it ha! This is pomp rock bliss for anyone seeking something catchy but that rarely becomes audible above a whisper. 'Lookin Out For Number One' is infectious indeed, Johnnie Dee croons all over this as he becomes awash with synths, courtesy of Pruess. The twinkling 'Long Way Back' has a Bon Jovi feel, in fact, the whole record has a chart-orientated feel, never once becoming a metal record, but instead a rock record of polished production and mullets of supreme quality! Not a lot to say, but deserves a review because not much of this stuff litters this blog, but there may some people out there in cyberspace eager for this type of wimpy rock.

5/10

Baton Rouge - Shake Your Soul (1990)

2011-07-17T09:09:00.000-07:00

File this middle of the road, keyboard laced rocker alongside Danger Danger, and the more commercial Alice Cooper, especially with that chorus on album opener 'Doctor'. Pretty predictable but mildly entertaining and a record that sways very much in the direction of Whitesnake ('Walks Like A Woman') combined also with the airs and graces of a beefier Def Leppard. All quite macho and big haired, 'It's About Time' is a sultry Van Halen-esque (circa Hagar) heart wrencher, whilst high school pomp rocker 'Baby's So Cool' flutters the lashes. Similar to so many other bands but endearing for its time. I've heard a lot worse.

6/10

Kiss - Lick It Up (1983)

2011-07-17T09:01:00.000-07:00

Free of make up, Kiss hit a form that suggests there's some life in the glam rock dog yet. The second album to feature Vinnie Vincent, 'Lick It Up' is a stripped down rock 'n' roll record that in the past they've struggled to make. I'd rate this as one of their best, especially in the sense that gimmicks are few and far between, even the title cut struts with that infectious chorus, but it's the likes of 'Exciter' and 'All Hell's Breakin Loose' which score points. Even Gene Simmons elevates himself to more than just bass player with long tongue, rumbling through a set of ballsy cuts, such as 'Fits Like A Glove.' Still incredibly overrated as a phenomenon, it's a shame that Kiss are so sporadic in releasing decent records, instead their past is littered with so many half-hearted platters, but thankfully 'Lick It Up' isn't one of them, so lap it up!

7/10

Agony - The First Defiance (1987)

2011-07-15T11:11:00.000-07:00

Cool album cover, this bucket of Euro thrash throws the guitars in your face immediately, the production values not allowing the vocals or percussion to rise above a wishy-washy whisper, but in its primal rage there's something endearing about the naivety of it all. Eight tracks, straight from the late '80s cavern, lacking any type of direction, the whole seemingly amateurish cacophony melts together as Lundstrom's average vocals are lost in the mix of again, those clanking, buzzing guitars. Nothing spectacular about it at all, but it doesn't bore me and seems very much of its time but of course the competition at the time was formidable, but bands such as Agony clearly existed on their enthusiasm alone. Strom and Sjolin's twon guitar attack seems to over run the record, but it's a steady mess that is leagues below the likes of Kreator and Coroner, but has a basement quality which at times can be cute, as long as one doesn't succumb to too much of it. The image on the sleeve means the band flatter to deceive greatly, but many a thrash head probably owned this slab of primal rage.

5.5./10

Xentrix - Shattered Existence (1989)

2011-07-15T11:05:00.000-07:00

The band's 'Kin' opus left me cold, 'Shattered...' tries tow arm the cockle's but still grates as another Metallica mimic, mainly in the form of Astley's irritating vocals. Whilst Bay Areas spawned so many cool acts Britain struggled to spew out a hatful of decent thrash bands, only Slammer, D.A.M, Deathwish, doing any damage and even then it was all rather low budget, only Sabbat rising above the hordes with their bewitching metal. 'Shattered...' is a predictable, lifeless record that rarely shifts pace from that monotone thrash chug, all the while Astley becomes more and more irritating in his Hetrfield's impression. The likes of 'Balance Of Power' and 'Position Of Security' seem timid in their attack, if you can call it that, and I'm left wondering, once again why I've spent forty minutes of my life listening to it. As interesting as dish water I'm afraid. Shattered patience.

5/5

Onslaught - In Search Of Sanity (1989)

2011-07-15T10:59:00.000-07:00

Onslaught were UK thrash hopefuls yet confused from the very start. My fave record of theirs, being the dungeon dampness of 'Power From Hell', was lampooned by many, and so from there the band transformed into a more raw, thrashy outfit and recorded 'The Force'. However, album three sees the band bring in chief warbler Steve Grimmett of Grim Reaper fame, and now they are on the quest to become the English Metallica. 'In Search...', for all its attributes, is a timid 'Ride The Lightning' imitation, disembarking on an Americanised route, which at the time was probably advised condisering the lack of fortune among British thrash acts. The guitar attack of Rockett and Trotman is sufficient enough to compliment Grimmett's tones, and the band show their promise on the lengthier cuts such as 'Blood Upon The Ice' and 'Welcome To Dying', which are structurally impressive although again they reek of that style Metallica made their own in the late '80s. 'In Search...' of sees a band striving to find an identity, and yet three albums in they still seem uncomfortable despite their ability. The sound is polished, the only stain being the cover of AC/DC's 'Let There Be Rock', but the gods are casting great shadows over these type of bands who failed to up their anti and so found themselves being crushed under the weight. The Bay Area scene may have harboured many bands with a similar crunch but when UK acts strive for that type of sound it doesn't bound well. Even so, 'In Search Of Sanity' is a half-decent record, but would have been better titled 'In Search Of Self.'

7/10

Infectious Grooves - Grrove Family Cyco (1994)

2011-07-15T10:51:00.000-07:00

Suicidal Tendencies vocal loon Mike Muir must be commended for taking a stale, irritating heavy metal trend - funk metal - and breathing some life back into it. Long after the fad had seemingly died, Muir wasn't content to see it as a short-lived phenomenon and so brought the funky ass bassline back and merged it with a metal crunch, and of course, his soulful, choppy raps. Clearly, the more angst-ridden hardcore sound of Suicidal Tendencies wasn't suited enough to this type of Parliament meets metal chug, and so 'Groove Family...', being the third Infectious opus, is rolled out as more than just a goofy side project. Of course, the whole issue of the funk metal trend was it's oh so sickly image and cartoon style, which does of course litter this record, but instead of being a weak-ass attempt at a myriad of styles, 'Groove Family...' shifts towards a wondrously heavy and often sublime groove, even if I'm not really concerned with lyrical content and the like. Stick with it and you may find something of note, but...and this is a big BUT, if you became quickly ill at the late '80s, and early '90s funk metal trend, you may find this too vomit inducing, but still, kudos for Mike for doing his own thing, but for me the listening experience would be a couple of times a year if that.

6/10

Great White - Great White (1984)

2011-07-15T10:42:00.000-07:00

I recall seeing these cowboys on one of the Hard 'n Heavy video volumes, making complete prats out of themselves singin' 'Wasted Rock Ranger'. This major label debut however is by far the best record they ever made, quickly sliding down the greasy downhill slope afterwards. This drives straight into action with the sizzling 'Out Of The Night', a ballsy, infectious record that brings to mind the purity of Fastway as Jack Russell attacks the riff of Kendall. There's a distinct '70s feel at times, but always rip roaring (apart from the unnecessary cover of The Who's 'Substitute'), but again Great White lick the flames with the chug groove of 'Stick It' and 'No Better Than Hell.' Sad that Great White became a parody, because this debut smoke's enough to set the fire alarm off, and as 'Bad Boys' and 'Streetkiller' spears from the sky like fork lightning, one has to wonder how it went wrong so quickly...but forget the decline and slap on 'Great White' and you'll find yourself rockin' till your heart's content.

7.5/10

Shotgun Messiah - Second Coming (1991)

2011-07-15T10:33:00.000-07:00

SM's second opus before the industrial reinvention that was 'Violent New Breed'. This has all the usual sleaze rock trappings, from Skold's raspy vox and the driving, dirty rhythms- at times better than average, but often mundane when you consider what quality was around at the same time - too many bands refusing to move with the times signalled the end for a genre. Sub-standard G 'n' R grooves, 'Living Without You' could pass for Green Day in today's climate - that's not a good thing, whilst elsewhere it attempts to grab its crotch but never exists beyond a catty, scratchy fever that begins to irritate. Nice work if you can get it I'm sure but I've heard it all before guys.

5/10