The Fury-Sex (2013 Re-Issue)

Minotauro Records
2013

Well now what do we have here? If this LP isn't the surprise re-release of the year (that honor would have to go to Mox Nix!) then it sure as hell must be up towards the top of the list! For Italy's Minotauro Records it sure does seems as if 2013 has been a banner year for the record label as far as re-releases go. And now comes the news that Island Park, New York's The Fury (featuring the one and only S.A. Adams!) will be getting the same kind of  royal treatment that Mox Nix did! It's a well-deserved moment for The Fury as these guys, who were grossly underrated, deserve not only another listen, but such star-studded treatment. Why? Well, we'll get to that point in a moment. First though one last note in regards to The Fury's new home. It's been a case of so far, so good (or at least in regards to 2013) for Minotauro Records and while I only received the music for "Sex" (meaning I haven't seen the finished product for myself) chances are pretty good that whole package will make for a must-own for heavy metal fans. This is one label that does good work and really knows what fans and collectors are looking for. So kudos to them for this signing. Alright, on to New York's own The Fury and why this is one band that deserves to be more then a mere footnote in the annals of metal. Now, I've covered S.A. Adams (who handles both lead vocals and guitars here) before with the 2010 issue of "Unearthed". The link to that review is provided at the bottom of this article. I bring that review up as there are obvious correlations between the recordings that make up "Unearthed" and the music of The Fury. While I'll leave it up to you the reader as to whether or not to read the whole back-story behind "Unearthed" (and how this band was the next step for S.A. Adams before he would go on to embark on a rather successful solo career) there is one connecting point that sticks out. While S.A. Adams had been playing in a Judas Priest/Iron Maiden kind of band (prior to the "Unearthed" recordings) everything would change for him after he went out and witnessed a Motörhead/Wendy O. Williams/S.O.D concert. From that point on he set his mind of forming a new band that was part punk and part metal. The "Unearthed" recordings drew from punk bands like GBH & The Stooges as well as the more "metal" groups of the day such as Motörhead, Exciter, Raven and so. In much the same way The Fury, which first came together in 1987, was a band that drew from both punk (Sex Pistols, GBH, Dead Boys) and metal (Motörhead,Raven and, as pointed out by my contact from Minotauro Records, Gotham City!). And, even if the above art-work for this re-release doesn't suggest that such a band lies in waiting (although it has to be said that it is MUCH better then the original cover which featured what looks like a blow-up sheep sex toy!), the picture of the group right below does paint such a picture I'd argue!

As I'm not exactly sure who played what besides vocalist/guitarist S.A. Adams (the Metal Archives lists both "past" and "last known line-up" band members) I can at least give a run down on the group's whole catalog. After releasing four demos between 1989 and 1990, which might be some kind of record!, the group released the 4-track, 7'' EP "A Dozen Thorns" in 1990 on Network International. Limited to just 400 Copies, and reportedly (per the Metal Archives again) a "poster/pack", it set the stage for The Fury's 1992 (self-released) full-length album "Sex". The only other release was the supposed 1990 VHS, "Reflections of the Unwasted Time" (which reported documented the early years of The Fury). This re-release features bonus material including a copy of live cuts that (I would assume) were pulled from The Fury's live, 1990 cassette tape. While the group was often tagged as just "power metal" the true story is represented not only on the studio cuts, but in the live versions. Here we see a "real" heavy metal band that was very much in vogue with the underground crossover movement. The only difference being that while most crossover acts of the day played over-the-top, lightning-fast thrash, with which there is nothing wrong with, this 3-piece band drew from the more Motörhead side of things. Well, there's that point and then there is the fact that The Fury most definitely had that (then familiar) New York vibe to them! Imagine Neil Turbin era Anthrax (before they went from denim and leather heavy metal to a more stream-lined thrash style) or maybe even a raw, (much more metal then punk) garage rock version of  Manitoba's Wild Kingdom. Along with maybe even The Rods and (early) Twisted Sister those were just some of the New York group's that carried that city's (then) unmistakable vibe. And The Fury, God bless em', were right there in the middle as well just doing there thing as evident by "Sex". During their (far-too) short time together The Fury would go on to support not only bands like Metal Church, Overkill, Blitzspeer and Non-Fiction, but most impressive of all, Manowar! Not too bad for a little band from Island Park, New York right? Sadly "Sex" would be the only full-length album released by The Fury as a proposed follow-up failed to make it from concept to reality. Of course these day S.A.Adams is a more well-known name then back in the day thanks to his successful run as a solo-artist, but that doesn't take away the need for a re-issue like this one. If the idea of a New York band that drew from acts as diverse as Raven and the Sex Pistols scares you (if you are a heavy metal purist through and through) then just look at "Sex" as if it were like Motörhead going through an 80's metal time-warp! The Fury were a cool band back then and, as this inspired collection affirms, they still are. Be sure to keep your eyes out for The Fury's expanded re-issue of "Sex" and if you'd like to see what S.A. Adams is up to these days then be sure to check out his website right below.


http://www.saadams.com/ 

Review of S.A. Adam's "Unearthed"
http://metalmark.blogspot.com/search?q=S.A.+Adams