Book Review: Swords of Steel Vol. I & II

DMR Books
2016


The excellent "Swords of Steel" and it's worthy 2016 follow-up, "Swords of Steel II", are collections of short stories, poems and even an essay from some of the heavy metal's best writers. They were both sent my way some while back and in all honesty it has taken me longer than I expected to get through them. Given the sheer depth of these two books that is understandable, but even so I would like to apologize to DMR Books for the delay. Of course it should probably be mentioned that by "sheer depth" I am not talking about the overall size of these two paperbacks, but rather the overwhelming quality and in-depth nature of the source material at hand. In book one you have amazing stories from members of Bal-Sagoth, Manilla Road, Twisted Tower Dire, Cauldron Born, Walpyrgus, Funeral Circle and Solstice (to name just a few!) and it is topped off with a great introduction from writer David C. Smith (author of the Red Sonja and Oron novels)! Meanwhile book two features a stand-out short story from The Lord Slough Feg's Mike Scalzi and a solid introduction by David DeFeis of Virgin Steele fame! Some of the same talented authors from book one show up and in book two (E.C. Hellwell, Howie K. Bentley, Byron A. Roberts, and Scott Waldrop!) and that makes for a nice and consistent reading experience. Each volume features tales of "of terror and heroic adventure" (their words) or if you will "sword-play and ass kicking adventures!" (my words!). Again, as far as the quality of these stories and poems is concerned both "Swords of Steel" and "Swords of Steel II" offer plenty of bang for your buck. The fantasy and horror elements that you will find in these two paperbacks are great and the stories are easy to comprehend and follow. In other words they are both highly enjoyable and they make for great reading no matter if you are old or young! I know this because not only did I read through these two well-assembled paperbacks, but so did my two teens! For me at least the only downside was the small print of "Swords of Steel II", but that has more to do with my failing sight than anything else! A better pair of glasses on my end would easily fix that small concern, but in no way WHATSOEVER does that take away from how good these collections are! Hopefully there will be a part three to this series as this is such a great idea. You can find both anthologies by visiting DMR Books Storeny page and as a final word of praise I'd just like to add this little tidbit. These short stories come from artists that have already given us some incredible traditional and epic metal songs so if you like the actual song lyrics of some of these unbelievable bands then chances are you will love what these musicians have to offer as far as storytelling goes.

Taker-It Is Finished

Roxx Records
2014

When this promo landed in my mailbox it took me awhile before I remembered where I had heard the name Taker before. Searching through my old memory banks (which are overdrawn by the way!) didn't help so I hit the web to find out more about this Virginia-based act. Lo and behold here I find out that the band appeared on Regency Records' 1988 compilation "East Coast Metal" alongside acts like Believer, Rage Of Angels and The Lead. Taker contributed the songs "Yesterday, Today and Forever" and "Living By Faith" to said compilation which were recorded at Morningstar Studio with Doug Mann (Attitude Adjustment, Believer, Living Sacrifice, Vio-Lence, Sacrament, Rage Of Angels, etc.) sitting in the producer's chair. It had been a very l-o-n-g time since I last heard that compilation so hearing those two cuts again was actually more like hearing them for the first time (and for the record "Living By Faith" is I.M.O. the better cut of the two) and, in the context of this anthology, it's really rather fascinating how wide-ranging this Christian band's sound was. Oh, I didn't mention that this U.S. metal band was Christian? I would have thought that the art-work and then the album's title (the last words that Christ said before he died on the cross) would have been enough of a hint, but if not then yes, Taker was a band that wasn't afraid to wear their faith on their sleeve. Lead at the time by Kevin Potter the band, which was first formed in 1987 and ended up stepping into the studio in May and June of the same year with engineer Mark Miley to record their first demo (presented here as the first four tracks with tracks like "He Is The Light" having a kind of Dio meets Judas Priest vibe), was never shy about their faith and now (some 27 years after they first started cranking out their tuneful take on hard and heavy traditional metal) pretty much everything that this band had laid to tape has been collected here for the enjoyment of fans and newcomers alike! Re-mastered by Sid ‘Ysidro’ Garcia (Deliverance, Ultimatum, Crossforce) this ultimate collection starts at the band's humble beginnings (the 1987 demo which, incidentally, is also known as "Matthew 11:12") and closes with the group's "Blood" demo from 1989. You can see the complete track-listing for this well-assembled compilation below, but needless to say Taker covered a lot of ground from start to finish. By the time the band appeared on White Throne Magazine's "White Metal Invasion" compilation (a recording which really should be re-mastered and re-released if anyone at Roxx Records is reading this!) with "Look Into His Eyes" they were firing on all cylinders. Falling into the grey area known as "hard & heavy metal" Taker (seemingly) combined the likes of Judas Priest, Dio, Ratt, (early) Accept, Dokken, Kiss and U.F.O. and in much the same way as fellow Christian acts like Bloodgood and Saint they provided proof that white metal could be loud and proud while still serving Jesus! With smoking guitar solos courtesy of Robert "PJ" Bussy (Attic Symphony, ex-Armageddon, ex-Crown of Thorns) the band had a hot sound that should have propelled them all the way to the top. For whatever reason though other projects called and the band ended their all-too-brief run with 1989's "Blood". By that point Rob Kreiner had stepped in as vocalist and while the rest of the band remained the same (besides Bussy there was bassist Dan Wilkinson of Attic Symphony and Armageddon fame and drummer Charlie Osterhoudt) the slight change seemed to push Taker towards more of a (all things from Rainbow and Black Sabbath to solo, self-named band) Ronnie James Dio direction with the end results speaking for themselves! Even if "The Message" doesn't quite hold up (execution-wise) with some of Taker's earlier material it's still a bit of (dark) rocker and sure does seem as if it's nodding it's head in appreciation towards the likes of Metallica! Along with the heavy hitter (lyrically and musically) "Blood" it's a reflection of how creative this is act was and it makes this collection quite the recommended product! All told "It Is Finished" is another home-run for the folks over at Roxx Records and for collectors of Christian heavy metal this one seems like a no-brainer!  Now, as I promised earlier, here is the complete track-by-track listing for Taker's anthology and I just have to say that I really enjoyed this collection and that the intricate nature of "Into The Throneroom/A New Song" is the perfect way to end things!

TRACK LISTING FOUR SONG DEMO [MATTHEW 11:12] (May/June 1987) Recorded at Glass Hand Studio. Falls Church, VA, engineered by Mark Miley
1 - Open Your Heart
2 - He Is The Light
3 - Yesterday Today and Forever
4 - 11 O’ Clock News

Rehearsal Song (Recorded Live) in between the release of the ‘Matthew 11:12’ EP and before the Image Records Recording Sessions in preparation for the opening slot on the very first White Cross East Coast tour. Note: Mark Miley filled in on drums for Charlie Osterhoudt (FALL 1987)
5 – Living by Faith

IMAGE RECORDS RECORDING SESSIONS (NOVEMBER 1987) Recorded at Alive Studios, Harrisonburg, VA, Produced by Dorn Repport

6 - Look Into His Eyes (Released on ‘White Metal Invasion’ compilation)
7 - He is the Light (Re-Recorded)
8 - Open Your Heart (Re-Recorded)

EAST COAST METAL (1989) Recorded at Morningstar Studio, Produced by Doug Mann
9 - Living by Faith
10 - Yesterday, Today and Forever

BLOOD EP [FIVE SONG EP - FEATURING ROB KREINER ON VOCALS] (SUMMER 1989) Recorded at Bias Studios, Springfield, VA
11 - The Measure
12 - Blood
13 - Overcomer's Anthem
14-Into The Throneroom/A New Song


14 - Into The Throneroom / A New Song

D.D.T.-Let The Screw...Anthology

No Remorse Records
2013

This 2CD anthology from Canada's cult heavy metal act D.D.T. was released over the summer mere days after my 40th birthday.  How it escaped my radar then I'll probably never know, but seeing as the band's original 1984 EP, "Let The Screw...Turn You On!" has been on my wish list for years now I really dropped the ball as far as keeping an ear out for this 2013 compilation. For most people D.D.T. is either an insecticide or a wrestling move (I'm talking about you Jake "The Snake" Roberts!), but for more then a few of heavy metal's faithful (incl. hardcore collectors!) this five-piece band was something else all together. Formed in Magog, Quebec in December of 1979 the band was spearheaded by three brothers in the form of vocalist François "Frank" Tougas, bassist/vocalist Pierre "Pete" Tougas and lead/rhythm guitarist Paul "Moko" Tougas. Early on the band mixed in original compositions with cover versions of songs from Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, AC/DC, Led Zeppelin and even the likes of Eric Clapton and The Police! With over 70 cover songs available for set lists and an ever-expanding and maturing sound that seemed inspired by not only Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, but bands like Mötley Crüe, Ratt and AC/DC this Canadian band seemed poised for success. After two early recordings (1983's "Violence" Demo and 1984's "Scarecrow" Rehearsal Tape) the band recorded the "Let The Screw..." EP in the Spring of 1984. Strictly limited to only 1,000 vinyl copies, it would go on to become a highly sought after collector's item and ended up being bootlegged by Revenge Of True Metal Records (Greece) in 1993. That split CD "Outstanding Metal Gems Vol. 05" not only features D.D.T.'s EP, but Madd Hatter's lone 1984 self-titled album as well as the self-titled 1984 EP from Dark Knight. Thankfully this double disc collection will now give this band there proper due and allow D.D.T. to profit from their own music!  Besides the sleazy take on Judas Priest which is the EP's cool title cut (incidentally the track "Let The Screw..." also appeared on 1985's "Moose Molten Metal Volume 1" compilation which was, at one point, actually available on iTunes!), the band's 1984 EP features the raw (80's Judas Priest meets early Mötley Crüe) "Bitches" as well as the (eighties heavy metal done right) cuts "Metal On Ashes", "Wasted" and "Where Were You?". While the title cut is probably the best of the bunch on the EP (especially as it is one of the better eighties metal songs out there!) the whole 5-track is just great. It  pretty much (spot-on) defines eighties heavy metal and is an absolute killer recording even after  all these years! François "Frank" Tougas has a bit of a Rob Halford vibe going for him while the music, which yes, is prime Judas Priest gone dirty rock and roll worship, is just a stone cold chill! Besides Judas Priest and Iron Maiden (aka: eighties heavy metal in a nutshell!) this was a band that could have been seen as a combination of all things loud and proud from that same time period. Bands like AC/DC, Mötley Crüe, Ratt, Twisted Sister, Dio, Black Sabbath, solo Ozzy Osbourne and even Motörhead all walk in and out of this excellent 1984 EP and this collection would be a worthwhile addition for any heavy metal fan just for those 5 tracks! No Remorse Records though has pulled out all the stops with this anthology though so besides the inclusion of the "Let the Screw..." EP you get various demo recordings and 5 live tracks! The only downside is that the anthology stops at the "Sons Of Freedom" demo from 1989. It would have been cool to have the two other demos (which may or may not technical be D.D.T) included, but it is what it is and this 2CD set is still extremely impressive all around! The anthology comes with a nice booklet featuring extended liner notes with complete recording information provided by D.D.T.'s own Pierre "Pete" Tougas. Besides that there are plenty of photos and even an interesting interview with the band! All of which makes for a fun read while you sit back and enjoy this cult Canadian heavy metal band do there thing! For those who are interested I've provided the actual track listing for this 2CD set after this article and I would definitely encourage fans of real hard rock/heavy metal and eighties metal to check this group out. You can find clips featuring their 1984 EP on YouTube and this CD can usually be found for under $20.00 including shipping!

CD 1 features:
1.	Let The Screw...
2.	Bitches
3.	Metal on Ashes
4.	Wasted
5.	Where Were You?
6.	The Encounter
7.	Back in the Street
8.	Violence
9.	Children of War
10.	The Whip
11.	Scarecrow
12.	Cheap Thrills
13.	All the Way
14.	Bitches (live)
15.	Get Ready (live)
16.	I Don't Wanna Be Like You (live)
17.	The Number (live)
18.	Violence (live)
CD 2 features:
1.	In the Name of God
2.	The Number
3.	Loose Brains
4.	Rocks Don't Rust
5.	Rumors of War
6.	Burning
7.	White Lies
8.	Fist
9.	Rock n Roll Dreams
10.	Under the Moonlight
11.	Victims
12.	Wall Street Rats
13.	Against All Odds
14.	No Fool
15.	Going Down
16.	Sons of Freedom
17.	River of Love
18.	Sleeping with the Dog

Nitro-Lethal Dose

Skol Records
2013

The long wait for Nitro fans is finally over! After some 29 years, during which time fans, friends and family of Pennsylvania's Nitro never gave up hope, 1984's "Lethal + II" LP is FINALLY getting a proper CD release! All I can say is that it's about time! When I first covered Pennsylvania' traditional heavy metal act Nitro back in early June of 2012, which was part of my "Forgotten Gems" series in which I covered their excellent "Lethal + II" LP,  I mentioned that "This is another release that I would love to see get a proper re-issue with pictures, history, lyrics, etc.". At the time I honestly can say that I had no idea just how self-prophesying those words would be! Here it is 2013 and yes, after all these years, the good folks at Skol Records are re-releasing "Lethal + II" in grand fashion! Before we get to all of that though let's rewind a bit. When the band originally released a 10" EP titled "Lethal" in 1982 (thanks to financial backing from drummer Tim Wilson's father) they began a long journey that would first lead them  to a deal with Mausoleum Records, who would end up re-releasing "Lethal" in 1984 as "Lethal + II" (so titled because of the addition of 2 bonus tracks), then to the release of their first new music in years (the 2013 single "Uranium" which is not a part of this collection, but can be found on iTunes, etc,) and then finally to this well-deserved deal with Skol Records. As I've already covered "Lethal + II" in great detail (which you can read in the link below) I'll just say that this anthology CD is worth buying just for those 7 original tracks. As I have both the original LP of "Lethal + II" and the (rather plain and skimpy) CDR re-release of "Lethal + II" I can honestly say that this new CD version, in no small part thanks to the excellent re-master job from Bart Gabriel (owner of Skol Records), is the best of the bunch. This is how I always imagine that "Lethal + II" would sound. Everything is crystal clear and the band's straight-up traditional heavy metal sound just rolls out of the speakers like it owns the world. So yes, I would suggest this limited-edition re-release just for the updated sound of their original material. Here's the thing though. Not only does the "Lethal Dose" CD include all 7-tracks from the original 10" and 12", but it also comes with 9 previously unreleased studio tracks that were originally recorded by Nitro back in the 80s! As these additional 9 tracks were early outtakes/demos they are not as smooth or as polished as the material on "Lethal" or "Lethal + II". In fact they were not finished so these demos and outtakes, which do have a overall rougher quality about, are mostly suited for die hard fans of Nitro. In some instances you can actually hear lead vocalist Dana Confer yell out "one take" as the group works their way through cuts that were slated to appear on the follow-up to "Lethal"/"Lethal + II". If these cuts are to be believed then Nitro's next album, which had the working title of "Volatile Activity", would have been more in tune with the music of the day. While Nitro always strove to rock out their way and their way only, which, at least on the "Lethal" releases, meant hard and heavy metal (early on band's sound seemed to draw from the likes of AC/DC, Riot, Van Halen, Judas Priest, Black Sabbath, Alice Cooper, Iron Maiden, solo Ozzy, Kiss and more along that line of thought), some of this material sounds kind of toned down. Moving beyond the obvious implications that come from these tracks being unfinished and/or outtakes, which means it's a bit hard to get a grasp on the full direction that this group was headed, it does seem as if their next album might have been slightly more "mainstream" in nature. In essence it's more, shall we say, in keeping in touch with the likes of Bon Jovi, Mötley Crüe, Whitesnake, Europe (before the release of that God-awful "The Final Countdown"), Ratt, Alcatrazz, and other similar rock-based/hair-teased bands. That being said it's not all like that, as there are a couple of heavy metal neck snappers hidden amongst these bonus cuts, and it's not like Nitro was suddenly going to be dressing or playing the part of some Hollywood hair metal band. No, Nitro was still Nitro just as they are still Nitro today. Even more so some of the bonus cuts that do suggest a more melodic outlook are quite good and come packed with a lot of promise. There's little sense in covering all nine of these cuts so I'll just say that among these bonus cuts I particularly liked the heavy rocker "Saddle Sore" while my least favorite was "All For Love". That's just my two cents and other people might walk away with a different take on these tracks. That's fine. In the end "Lethal Dose" is still a must-have for not only fans of Nitro, but also fans of  80's hard rock and heavy metal in general. With it's nice packaging this is one re-release that I highly recommend! With a sweet booklet that features not only a brief history of the band, but also comes with lyrics and pictures this is the ultimate way to hear the original and real Nitro! Be aware that this CD is a limited-run though. There are only 500 copies so don't sleep on this anthology as it's simply too good to pass up folks. To pick up your own copy of this excellent compilation be sure to head over to Skol Records and you can find out more about Nitro at the group's Facebook page (both links below).
http://www.skolrecords.com/
https://www.facebook.com/usanitro?ref=br_tf
http://metalmark.blogspot.com/2012/06/forgotten-gems-nitro-lethal-ii.html

Dio-The very beast of vol. 2

Niji
2012

We all know about Ronnie James Dio's life and his death. He gave a lot for decades no matter what band he was working for at the time. In addition to the many studio and live albums that he was part there have also been numerous anthologies dedicated to his work over the years. This one is a follow-up to the 2001album which spotlighted the band Dio's work from 1983's Holy Diver through to 1993 "Strange Highways. So this volume covered from 1996's Angry Machines onward. Now anyone whose favorite Dio comes this later time period would definitely be in a majority. Clearly the better albums were the earlier ones including "Holy Diver", "The last in line" and in my opinion the frequently underrated "Dream Evil". There were some decent albums from this time period like "Magica" and "Killing the dragon", but even at his best from this time Dio was repeating what he had done better in the 80's. The collection presents some very likable songs from this period including "Push", "Better in the dark" and "Along came a spider". Unfortunately also included are "Fever dreams" and "Feed my head" which represent Dio at his most tedious and unimaginative. Those last types of songs didn't happen  much in Ronnie's long career, but when they did it was mostly on some his later albums. This disc also includes some rarities including "Electra" (which was previously part of the "Tournado" box set) as well as "Prisoner of paradise" and "Metal will never die". "Electra" is probably the most interesting selection from that batch. Ronnie James Dio was always one of the most powerful and consistent vocalist going so hearing him sing anything is always pleasing to some extent. There are some good tracks on this album, but there are some throwaway songs too. I love the album cover and was glad to listen to some of these that I have not listened to it a while. Really this collection is just for die hard fans.

Warlord-Anthology

Arkeyn Steel Records
2012




There are some bands who are destined for greatness from the word go. These bands seem to be riding with lady luck if you will. Everything they do makes their audience grow and suddenly they are the biggest band in the world. Or at least they get the props and fans they deserve. One such act would be Motorhead. For all their hard work and long fought battle within the music industry they have become legends. They deserve every bit of glory and praise that is heaped upon them. Some band though (Warrant for example) become huge, sell millions of albums and end up rich and famous. And for what? Artificial bubblegum pop metal? It remains a mystery why some bands made it big despite any lost-lasting appeal or influence on modern music while other bands create influential and epic material while ending up little more than a cult curiosity. For every truly dreadful pop metal millionaire band of the eighties there was dozens of hardworking and talented real heavy metal bands that ended up as nothing more than a small footnote in the history books. Thankfully many record labels today have dedicated themselves to the preservation of these unsung heroes. If ever there was a unsung band that deserved much more success and fame than they ever got it would have to be heavy metal/power metal act Warlord. Formed in 1981 this Los Angeles, CA group could be called an essential eighties metal band. Warlord flew the flag of traditional heavy metal/power metal with pride and talent to spare. There were many unsung bands to come out of the eighties, but few stack up to this heavy metal/power metal act. One could easily make the argument that if there was any band that came out of the LA scene of the eighties who deserved more recognition it was Warlord. Some have called Warlord the sound of eightis heavy metal in a nutshell and I couldn't agree more. Their sound was hard and heavy although they knew how to use melodic metal to their advantage. Warlord combined elements of hard rock, traditional heavy metal, progressive metal and power metal. So in a way they took all the flavors of eighties hard rock/heavy metal and created a heavenly treat. Most people I know who have heard of this group mention the two Metal Massacre compilation tracks, "Child Of The Damned" and "Mrs. Victoria". Both are killer cuts but beyond those two numbers they have remained somewhat of a mystery for many. It seemed from day one the band was destined to be nothing more than a cult act. One reason for that is the fact that their discography is a mess. The other reason is that said material has been out of print and therefore far too pricey for the casual listener to afford. With this 2 CD release the band has gathered everything in their catalog and with a top notch re-master job presented it in a package that is damn near perfect. This collection is nothing short of a miracle for die hard fans and casual listeners alike. For those who have longed to hear Warlord at their best this collection will not disappoint. The remaster job is simply unreal. It makes everything sound so crystal clear and clean. As I listen to this digital promo now it is like I am discovering this band all over again. The little extra touches are made all the more clear and this recording ends up as an instant classic without sounding dated. I'm just starting to see who Warlord really was and the care they took in crafting their music thanks to the almost perfect re-master job. The melodies and technical skill aside Warlord was a band unlike any other. They played classy, border line power metal with such energy, enthusiasm and grace. This band has influenced legions of epic and power metal acts and this limited edition 2 CD collection should be in every serious collectors hands. Be warned though that this is a limited edition run. Only 1000 hand-numbered copies of this double CD have been produced. Needless to say I snagged my copy the first chance I got! This anthology truly does represent everything the band ever did. It includes the band's entire back catalogue: The "Deliver Us" Mini-LP from 1983, the "And The Cannons Of Destruction Have Begun" album from 1984 and the "Rising Out of the Ashes" album from 2002. On the second disk you get some superb bonus material. It consists of the "Mrs. Victoria" track from the Japanese edition of "Deliver Us", the Out Of Print "Lost And Lonely Days / Aliens 12" single, the "Hands And Feet (Thunderchild's Farewell)" instrumental from the "Thy Kingdom Come" compilation, plus the "Lost and Lonely Days" track from the Japanese edition of "Rising Out of the Ashes". Like I said everything this band has done is here and you couldn't ask for a better package job than this one. Every song has been fully re-mastered with loving care. The double CD will have exclusive artwork, photos, lyrics and information on the band. All for the glory of Warlord. True heavy metal fans already know what Warlord meant to the scene. It's time for the rest of the world to find out! You can pre-order this must have at the link below.









PRE-ORDER HERE: http://www.arkeynsteel.com/

Top 5 favorite metal best ofs/greatest hits/anthologies

Now I am definitely a whole studio album kind of guy. I feel like any metal band that's worth their weight recorded their studio albums for you to hear and take in all of those songs in that order. That's why best ofs/greatest hits and anthologies don't appeal to me so much. However back in my younger days when I was just getting into bands these kind of albums were a great way to be introduced to a band and there are several of these albums that really made an impression on me. Here are my top five in no real order.

Motorhead-No Remorse
The anthology came out just as the band was putting together the four man line-up that would record "Orgasmatron" two years later. For this album we got a great blast of Motorhead's then relatively short past plus a couple of tracks with the new line-up. Killer anthology.

KISS-Double Platinum
KISS had plenty of faults, but this collection had a lot of their best songs on it. They have always been about making a buck, but at least back then they at least sounded like they were having fun and brought us along for the ride.


Ted Nugent-Great Gonzos! The best of Ted Nugent
This one was frequently found in the bargain bins of most department stores in the mid-1980's and because of that reason it became my introduction to one of the craziest performers of our time. Great collection that I still play fairly often.

Black Sabbath-We sold our soul for rock 'n' roll
Black Sabbath lasted for a long time through numerous lione-up changes and they churned out many albums. However I hear the name Black Sabbath and I think of the first six albums because they are essential Sabbath. This collection pulls songs from those classic albums.

Alice Cooper-Alice Cooper's Greatest hits
Like with Sabbath and KISS, Alice Cooper had a short period that was definitely the peak for this band. For Alice it was with original band and lasted from Love it to death through Muscle of love. It has some of their more accessible songs and less of the quirky and odd tracks, but it's still a fine collection with a great cover to boo.

***Be sure to add in any that you like.