FORGOTTEN GEMS: ANNEX-POWERS THAT BE

Powergame Records
1990


Just the other day I caught myself yearning for true blue American power metal. Nothing fancy mind you. Simply power metal in the Mox Nix sense. I have my friends at Strapp's site to thank for this little goodie. Annex was formed in 1976 by vocalist/guitarist Jeff Wamsley (when he was just 14!) in Point Pleasant, West Virginia. Before Powers That Be was released in 1990 the group had the Breaking Ground 6 song EP (released in 1986) as well as an unreleased single(Unity of Sages) in 1988. If anyone has either of those I would be most interested to hear them! Back to Powers That Be though. As I said this is just classic American power metal. While I do hear some progressive metal moments and a bit of mid-period Metallica/Megadeth (as well as maybe a pinch of Judas Priest?) the fact is that this is just solid power metal. I love the heaviness of tracks like "Etched Images", "Users & The Used" and "Deal With It". "Mind Over Money" starts the album off with bang and catches your attention with some fancy guitar work not unlike a cross between Megadeth and Rush. "Watchful Eye" sounds like a better hard rock version of Metallica. By the time you hit the album closer "Out Of Place" you'll have been treated to power metal crafted with care and love for the genre. What became of these guys after this who knows? Whatever the case this is an overlooked gem from the early 90s and worth looking for.