2012
It was one year ago (give or take a few days) that I covered Dead On's 1989 self-titled debut.
In ever way possible this New Jersey-based heavy metal band was a "Forgotten Gem". The band was know for playing a potent brand of power/thrash and, had fate been a little more kind to them, they very easily could have been more then a cult act if the pieces would have fallen in place. Until now the group's LP fetched huge dollars on the secondary market. Thankfully the metal gods not only heard my prayers for a reissue, but did it up right. This 2-disc set features not only the band's self-titled album, but their 1991 "All For You" EP, a 4-track demo from 1987 ("The Limit") and, to top it all off, the band's previously unreleased cover of "Turning Japanese"! All of that would have been enough (especially as their 4-track "All Four You" EP was impossible to find!), but we are also treated to three music videos and a CD booklet that features pictures, lyrics and a interview with Dead On guitarists Michael Caronia and Tony Frazzitta. Not too shabby at all! This deluxe edition is nothing short of amazing and words alone would fail to convey how excited I was to receive this one in the mail! While I reviewed the band's full-length debut once already (see link below) I will say that it still remains a favorite album of mine. The 1991 EP saw Dead On trying for a more traditional heavy metal style (not to worry as it still shreds!) and the result is fairly solid. These 4-tracks come off as a bit more "adventurous" with interesting time changes and heavy riffs. Overall you just can't go wrong with this new 2 CD set if you are a fan of Dead On already or if you are just looking for a new power metal/thrash act. The album can be found on Ebay for under $20 and is a killer tribute to this cult act.
http://metalmark.blogspot.com/search?q=Forgotten+Gems%3A+Dead+On-Dead+On
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