Emerald-Voice for the Silent

Metal On Metal Records
2017

Dutch heavy metal band Emerald, originally known as Warrior (under which name a four-song demo was released) and not to be confused with the handful of other Emeralds out there (both active and defunct), is a four-piece group that was initially active between 1984 and 1989. During their first run the group released one LP. That album is entitled "Down Town" and it came out in 1985. It's taken the band some thirty plus years to offer up a follow-up, but as they say, it's better late than never! Having reformed in 2002 and with all four of the original musicians responsible for "Down Town" appearing on this epic comeback (vocalist Bert Kivits, guitarist Allard Ekkel, bassist Essie Zagers*, and drummer Rudy Marissen), "Voice for the Silent" is Emerald's long-anticipated sophomore release. With the additional help of co-lead guitarist Paul van Rijswijk, "Voice for the Silent" is also a nod and a wink to the old school. For anyone that loves eighties heavy metal and the better aspects of the N.W.O.B.H.M. scene, "Voice of the Silent" is a real testament to the glory and power of traditional heavy metal!! Since much of the material was actually written back in the eighties, "Voice of the Silent" has the feel of a long lost classic of yesterday. Of course the analogue production goes a long ways towards making this album sound like a lost gem of the eighties. To that end, "Voice of the Silent" makes for a must-have CD if you are into heavy metal's glory days. It is a nice blend of melodic material and raise your fists in the air METAL! Lead vocalist Bert Kivits sounds as energetic and enthusiastic as he did in 1985 and (musically) Emerald is just so smooth and rock-steady when it comes to delivering the metallic goods. Available on CD and as a digital download (click here for more info), "Voice for the Silent" is geared towards anyone that just loves real, honest to goodness heavy metal. Mad thanks to Emerald** for keeping that flag waving!




*Sadly Essie Zagers passed away in 2016. This album is dedicated to his memory.

**As of this writing the group is rounded out by bassist André Wullems.

Free Metal Monday: Jack The Ripper-"Iron Lady" B/W "Bloodbath (EP Version)"

Heaven and Hell Records
2016

Serving as the last of our three Free Metal Monday offerings for the day (while also being a clear cut case of having saved the best for last!), "Iron Lady" B/W "Bloodbath (EP Version)" is two tracks of devilishly savage traditional/power metal from Columbia, South Carolina-based Jack the Ripper. For those of you who don't know the name (or at least in regards to this cult 80's metal band that was fittingly-enough named after London's most notorious serial killer!), Jack the Ripper is a five-piece band that released the excellent stone cold killer EP "Blood Bath" in 2002* and then followed that highly-recommended recording up two years later with a limited edition LP entitled "Back on the Attack". While I've never heard that particular album I'm going to go out on a limb and assume it's pretty solid all around. When you consider the fact that everything I've heard from this old school metal outfit has been nothing short of wicked cool then it stands to reason "Back on the Attack" would fit that bill! Right? Right! But anyway, Jack The Ripper is still very much alive (and no doubt on the hunt for new victims!) with Heaven and Hell Records having stepped into the picture to offer up the forthcoming album, "Tortured and Twisted". From the sound of things the unreleased "Iron Lady" will appear on said album while "Bloodbath (EP Version)" looks as if it was torn straight from the group's 2002 offering. These two tracks (which can be found over here) are geared towards fans of classic heavy metal/U.S. power metal and eighties metal with each number offering up a different/distinct side of this unheralded American band. The previously-unreleased "Iron Lady" is straight-up/no-chaser heavy metal with some TASTY SWEET  lead guitar work. Meanwhile we find the members of Jack The Ripper** channeling a heavier & faster version of Judas Priest on "Bloodbath (EP Version)". Very close to the sounds of the emerging power metal/thrash scene of the early eighties, "Bloodbath" is effectually capped off with a sinister laugh! Of the two name-your-price*** tracks being offered by Jack The Ripper and Heaven and Hell Records it's easily my favorite cruncher, but "Iron Lady" is excellent in it's own way. As of this writing it does not appear as if "Tortured and Twisted" has an official release date, but I'll be keeping a steady eye out for it all the same!

*Even though it was released in 2000 all of the songs on "Blood Bath" were recorded in 1984.  

 

**Jack the Ripper is: 

 

Max Hernandez - Vocals
Dave Swisher - Guitars
AJ Spiegel - Guitars

Kenny Moore - Bass
Bob Sniegon - Drums 

***Even if these two classic slices of metal are technically free I would still recommend tossing a coin or two Jack The Ripper's way. These classy gentlemen have been at it for a long time and chances are that even with the new deal with Heaven and Hell Records they are still barely making ends meet. How do I know? Well, for one thing a lot of the older metal bands out there never got paid their fair worth in the first part. Second, Jack The Ripper and the like are often in the twilight of their careers. By this point in time they have families with grown children and mortgages to pay. It isn't cheap hitting the road and playing out without the backing of a major label, but it's even tougher when you have kids that might still be in college! While I'm not suggesting you throw a $20 their way for two songs, "Iron Lady" B/W "Bloodbath (EP Version)" is at the very least worth a dollar or two! Really,  "Iron Lady" B/W "Bloodbath (EP Version)" is worth somewhere north of $5.00 as a download, but even if you offer up a measly $1.00 I'm sure that it would help make sure that killer bands like this stick around for the long hall! Either way,  Jack The Ripper's "Iron Lady" B/W "Bloodbath (EP Version)" is custom-build for fans of classic heavy metal and thanks to labels like Heaven and Hell Records such great music will be around for generations to come. I don't know about everyone else, but I find that rather cool to think about!

Trauma-Rapture And Wrath

Pure Steel Records
2015

Best known for being Cliff Burton's band before he went off and joined Metallica in 1983, Trauma is a U.S. power/speed metal band that was originally active from 1981 to 1985 before reforming in 2013. Not to be confused with the dozen plus other bands who have laid claim to the same moniker (or for that matter the other Trauma from California!), San Francisco's Trauma issued it's first recording in 1982 in the form of a three-track demo. While it was really nothing special it is nonetheless worth mentioning that on that particular demo bass duties were undertaken by the late, great Cliff Burton. In addition to releasing the 1982 demo Trauma ended up appearing on the Metal Blade Record's "Metal Massacre II" compilation with the decent enough song "Such a Shame". Two years later this Bay Area band released the full-length debut album, "Scratch and Scream", and while it was a decent enough LP the group's (N.W.O.B.H.M.-infused)  power/speed metal style didn't exactly set the world on fire. Overshadowed by their more successful neighbors the band eventually called it a day in 1985. While another demo cassette did appear in 1984 (one which I have honestly not heard) for Trauma it was all too short of a ride and that might have been the last we heard from the band if not for the folks at Shrapnel Records. In 2013 the band was asked if they would be willing to play out live once more in support of the reissue of their debut album. Quite obviously one thing lead to another as here is 2015 and we are just now getting a good look at the band's proper follow-up to "Scratch and Scream". Seeing as it's been thirty years since this band last released a full-length album you might just be asking if there is a place for Trauma these days. After all a lot has changed since the band first released "Scratch and Scream" and the landscape of heavy metal has undergone far too many transformations.Can a band like Trauma simply walk into a party and shakes things up? Thankfully the answer is a firm yes as "Rapture And Wrath" is not only the proper follow-up to "Scratch and Scream", but a better album through and through! For those of us who were left mostly unimpressed by Trauma's debut album (as I know I'm not alone in feeling that "Scratch and Scream" was merely "OK"*) this new disc almost sounds like a completely different/way more appealing band! While "Rapture And Wrath" sees the return of sole original member Donny Hillier (a high pitched vocalist who was also in Black Sunday Dream) and "Scratch and Scream" contributor Kris Gustofson (a skilled drummer who not only played on "Scratch and Scream", but also plays with the underrated melodic heavy metal band, St. Elmo's Fire) this is really the sound of a completely new band! This is most definitely a band that grew more mature and consistent with time and it is also one that blossomed into a spectacularly fresh unit in the end! It's taken Trauma some thirty years to do it, but they did it all the same! Whether that has anything to do with the stylish playing of guitarist Kurt Fry (guitars) or the contributions of new (as of 2014) and improved bass guitarist Steve Robello** (Dublin Death Patrol, ex-Heist, ex-Rock the Nation (Montrose/Hagar tribute) and ex-Out of Control) isn't so much the question as is where was this band back in the mid-eighties when we really could have used and appreciated them all the more! Maybe it simply is the natural progression of musicians as they age, but lead singer Donny Hillier sounds so much better here as does drummer Kris Gustofson. First off Donny has gone from screeching like a possessed version of Joey Belladonna (Anthrax) to having a voice that is similar to that of Bruce Dickenson! Considering Trauma's long-standing appreciation for band's like Iron Maiden it is a perfect fit here on "Rapture And Wrath". And as for the drumming of Kris Gustofson? One can't help but think that all that time he spent playing in a melodic hard rock band has really paid off. There is a marked improvement in his timing and no matter what type of metal is thrown at him on this 50+ minute recording he is always spot on! Whether it's N.W.O.B.H.M. dressed up as classic heavy metal ("Heart Of Stone" and "Kingdom Come") or a cut that looks to blend the likes of (solo) Dio, Black Sabbath and Pantera together ("The Walking Dead") Trauma's faithful drummer does his duty the best that he can. As this album does flirts with the likes of Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Dio it's only natural that a good guitarist is needed to move things along. Here's where Kurt Fry proves his worth. While Trauma's last full-length release required the services of two guitarists the group's latest release shows everyone how less can be more. The solos on "Pain", "The Walking Dead", "Egypt" and "Don’t Tread On Me" are each splendid in their own way as is the nice Metal Church-like guitar work of "Kingdom Come". Fry does well when teamed up with bass guitarist Steve Robello as the pair make for a formidable tag team. While the mix job of "Rapture And Wrath" doesn't always leave the guitarist of Trauma standing in the right light his playing compliments the four-string rocker standing next to him. With these two one side and the vocalist and drummer on the other side you are left with the sensation that here stands a classic heavy metal four-piece band. As it combines a lot of eighties elements the reference to classic heavy metal foursomes seems about right and if you take anything away from this review at all then take that to heart. The new Trauma disc is most-likely to appeal to eighties purists seeing as it wears those influences rather proudly. From the N.W.O.B.H.M. to eighties metal it's all here and when you take into account it's little winks towards older power and speed metal this new Trauma album actually picks right up where their debut left off! It's not without it's faults of course (see the mix job comment) and it's far ways off from being 2015's top heavy metal release (there's other issues with the production and there sure seems to be a lot of re-used riffs between the ten cuts here), but it's definitely a step up from the band's 1984 debut album and it's a real step in the right direction for these San Fran metalheads! I'm actually looking forward to seeing what's next for Trauma because I have this peculiar feeling that should there be a full-length album number three for Donny Hillier and company (and I truly hope there is one) it will be the one to really set Trauma s name in stone!

* See here and the second review here 

**No, we are are not talking about Cliff Burton. The group's current bass player is a marked improvement over "Scratch and Scream" contributor Lucas Advicula and not necessarily Cliff Burton!Just so that we are all clear on that point!

Lewd Preacher-The Raw Age

Karthago Records
2014

Just one of two recently-released CDs plucked from the expansive catalog of Karthago Records, with the other one being Adrian's lone/cult 1987 LP, "One Step Into The Unknown" (review coming shortly on that one as well), "The Raw Age" is a compilation CD from Marburg, Hesse-based Lewd Preacher. Released as part of the label's Heavy Metal Demo Classics, "The Raw Age" is a collection of Lewd Preacher's two late-nineteen ninety something demos combined in an Exclusive CD Edition that is numbered (limited to only 500 copies), coming with a certificate of authenticity. My copy is number 96 of 500 which means that there are still plenty of copies of "The Raw Age" yet to be acquired by fans and collectors alike. That observation comes across as both surprising (once you've heard this heavy metal/speed metal band for yourself you'll understand why) and encouraging (for those who read this review and hopefully are inspired to pick up this gem!) depending upon whether you've had a chance to hear this cult German metal act for yourself or not! Bio-wise it all might sound like a familiar story when it comes to this short-lived cult collective with the (likely) eyebrow raising name. It's 1985 and teenagers from two separate though equal (as in they both played hard rock) Marburg school bands (Cassiopeia featuring vocalist Tammo Holzhausen & guitarist Christoph Kirsch Stein and Confuse Productions featuring bass guitarist Frank Becker, keyboardist Wolfgang Cloos and drummer Marc Laukel) join forces and (inspired by the N.W.O.B.H.M. and U.S. metal movements and the evolving German and American speed and thrash metal scene) decide that it's about time that they two go forth and spread a little heavy metal mayhem of their own. In doing so Lewd Preacher gave heavy metal fanatics something new and bold to throw their horns at! And it's all been gloriously assembled here in this excellent, well-deserved and (thankfully) digitally remastered offering! And what an offering it is! Especially for those who worship at the almighty alter of dark and mysterious German heavy metal! Lewd Preacher first came into their own with the releases of the 1988 demo tape "The Master Socks the Fuse". Stacked with the tracks "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde", "Wings of Evil", "Knights of Unknown Destiny" and "A Cry in the Night" this eighties' cassette demo should have shook the scene at the time! Of these four tracks it's all for one and one for all (aka: there's no dubs to be found among the bunch as these musicians seeming gave a 100% of their effort into putting out a cult metal classic! ) and if forced to pick one demo over another I'd reluctantly choose this one. And I do say reluctantly as both demos have a crap-load of goodies going for them! The only slight difference being the overall catchy nature of  "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde", "Wings of Evil" and "Knights of Unknown Destiny" on demo number one. That said it's probably best that we expand upon Lewd Preacher's sound right? Or at least try to relay what it is about Lewd Preacher that really makes them kick. Seeing as heavy metal/speed metal is kind of a generic description and all!

First thing first. And that would be speed metal and thrash. Bands like Metallica and Megadeth (maybe even the dark appeal of Slayer?) come to the forefront, but that's merely a thin coating upon which Lewd Preacher was able to paint their own portrait. Past that Lewd Preacher (complete line-up featured below) was obviously influenced by the German metal scene in the eighties as they were smack dab in the midst of it! Listen closely and you can pick up on the likes of Gravestone, Stormwitch, Cutty Sark, Iron Angel, S.D.I., Grave Digger, The Hand Of Doom, Living Death, Scanner and Wallop. Oh, and dare we say Bloody Climax? How about Black Fate? Yes, those two cult outfits can be heard knocking around in this band's delightfully devious music meaning there's that much more to love about a band like this one! Quite the list right? The thing is there is so much more about this German band and their music. I'd also suggest that Lewd Preacher's music derives as much from  French acts like ADX, Blaspheme, High Power, Voie De Fait, Demon Eyes, Der Kaiser, H-Bomb, Killers, Satan Jokers, Sortilege, Vulcain and Warning. And then there is the whole N.W.O.B.H.M. influences like Satan, Hell, Demon, Cloven Hoof, Dark Star, Holocaust, Incubus, Rankelson, Shiva and Bleak House as well as anything/everything from solo Ozzy to Merciful Fate! To that mix we add in some Iron Maiden and a little Judas Priest and (trust me here as it works!) some Hawkwind and Uriah Heap! Now we're talking! Or are we? For the wicked thing about Lewd Preacher is how there's all of these different elements going on (fuzzy bass, kitsch keyboards, classic rock guitars and raw, almost-punk at times, vocal lines) within a band that is distinctly heavy. And that's just on the band's first demo! We're looking at a band that might just have been ahead of the times (weird keyboard effects over-top of thrash-worthy heavy metal?) and, judging by their own words in the CDs included interview, it might just have been that fact that proved to be their downfall!  Here was a band that was every bit progressive in nature and with all of these different musicians giving their own input and drawing upon their own tastes it's likely that it all proved to be too volatile! Thankfully they provided the word with two demos and (from the sounds of it) are once more active! But anyway, back to this release (one which features a total run-time of 59:48 and comes with a detailed booklet, colored tray and numbered certificate with hologram!) and on demo number two (1989's "The Fuse Strikes Back") Stefan Boßhammer came on board as vocalist with the result taking the form of  such creative numbers as "Hands From Me", "Borderline", "Sands of Secrets" and "The Other Side". And while I might just prefer the band's first demo, 1989's "The Fuse Strikes Back" has some killer moments all it's own! Can you say epic metal anyone?
Try "Sands of Secrets" which runs over 11 minutes long! This well-crafted number has such a remarkable flow to it that not once do you ever get the temptation to hit next on the CD! That says A LOT about Lewd Preacher and their talents as well as their ability to work so many different genres into one track! Meanwhile both "Hands From Me" and "Borderline" have slowly grown on me (I've listed to this album now about seven times since I pulled it out of my mailbox last week!) and album closer "The Other Side" wraps up what is without a shadow of a doubt one of those most unexpected surprises of the year! The body of this whole CD is remarkable as collective all eight tracks offer interesting twists and turns. Keyboard passages seemingly take their inspiration from 80's horror films like "Hellraiser" and "A Nightmare On Elm Street" as much as progressive rock bands of the seventies while the guitar solos often times switch from heavy rock to speed/thrash in the flash of an eye! Lewd Preacher simply had the right musicians in place for heavy metal like this to work. It's true that the catchy nature of  tracks like "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" and "Knight Of Unknown Destiny" make it seem as if Lewd Preacher should have provided the metal community of the late eighties with one more great act. And yet there's something about this release the feels dangerous as if Lewd Preacher were really meant to be a well-hidden secret after all. One that was kept from prying eyes for a reason. God knows if any of that makes sense, but then again anything having to do with logic gets kicked right out of the front door when you find yourself rocking out to a band that merges heavy metal/thrash with odd things like 70's fuzz, keyboards which are arranged as if they are almost Calypso-like (credit the skills of Wolfgang Cloos throughout "The Raw Age"!) and classic rock guitar parts that sound as if they could have been torn right from the front pages of Rolling Stones Magazine circa the early eighties! In other words this is about the sweetest underground German metal band that I've EVER had the pleasure of reviewing and I wish that I could personal give EVERYONE who digs super creative heavy metal a sealed copy of this wonderful discovery!   Lewd Preacher's line up on these two demos was: Vocals (The Master Socks the Fuse) - Tammo Holzhause Vocals (The Fuse Strikes Back) - Stefan Boßhammer Guitars - Christoph Kirschstein Guitars - Matthias Koch-Schirrmeister Keyboards - Wolfgang Cloos Bass - Frank Becker Drums - Marc Laukel

Interview with Bud Hughes of Craving Angel

Back in the day staring Craving Angel!

In conjunction with my recent review of Craving Angel's compilation album "Dark Horse" (see link below!) I recently had the pleasure of interviewing lead vocalist Bud Hughes. I just want to thank him for taking the time to talk with me about Craving Angel and for helping me to fill in some of the missing pieces in regards to this excellent, must-hear, hard & heavy outfit!  


Andy-For our readers who might not be familiar with the name could you please tell us about Craving Angel?

Bud-Craving Angel is a band out of Minneapolis Minnesota. Formed in the early 80"s by Scott Nelson. Craving Angel  came onto the scene and started recording once I joined the band. We left for L.A. in 1987 and arrived right when glam took over. We played the Sunset strip and surrounding areas and earned the respect of our peers in the music industry. Scott and I went through many incarnations of the band and had some offers for a deal, but either one of the other members had cold feet, or the publishing went to the company. Then their came grunge.Scott and I still write today and continue to do shows.

A-Who influenced you as a band and as individuals?

B-Ozzy, Zeppelin, Iron Maiden, Dio, Sabbath we digested all of it and I think some of those influences comes out in our music.

A-How would you describe Craving Angel's sound to people who have never heard you before?

B-Hard hitting hard rock metal. It was important to make the songs melodic and moving with meaning. To tell a story.

A-What is the story behind "Dark Horse"?

B-"Dark Horse" is a song about the under dog and how it applies to life and your inner confidence and the human soul. It's about believing in yourself. It's one of the first songs we wrote together.,so we chose it for the album title and title song.

A-This is along the lines of the previous song question, but (since there are no indication marks one way or the other as to where each and every song comes from) is "Dark Horse" a collection of freshly recorded material? Old material re-released? A combination of both? Inquiring minds need to know LOL!

B-"Dark Horse" is a combination. Some songs were self-produced and experimental, and others done in a more controlled setting. The recordings span from the mid 80's until the mid 90's. We have a lot more songs unrecorded and recorded that we are looking to release in the future. (Editor's note: Please do as "Dark Horse" is just too cool so we need more and more Craving Angel material to satisfy are needs!!!!)

A-With that said, how did the deal with Minotauror Records come about?

B-Glenn Wrigley (Editor's note: When it comes to PR, Glenn is probably one of the nicest and down to Earth guys out there!) approached me on Facebook about another band I was in back in the early 80's before Craving Angel that had an album out. The guitar player owned all the publishing and wouldn't sign the deal. At the same time Scott and I were getting all of our material together that we recorded through the years and I presented it to Glenn and we did the deal. Very cool....Thanks Glenn and Marco!

A-What was the scene like back in the day when you were first active?

B-L.A. was just going glam when we hit. Very cool though. The strip was one big party with band flyers as the confetti...Had some great show's and lived that kind of rock-n-roll lifestyle. Very cool.

A-Speaking for myself here (although I'm willing to be many fans fill the same way!), but it really should have lasted longer for you guys. Craving Angel should have been larger and more revered especially seeing as your sound just about perfectly bridged hard rock and heavy metal! But, it is what it is. So, as the last question and all could you tell us what the band members have been up to in the intervening years? 

B-Scott and myself continue to play and write with each other as well as other artists in the Twin Cities. The original rhythm section is back in Minnesota doing other projects. Other contributors  are scattered and I don't know where they are.

A-Thanks Bud and good luck with all! 

For our readers, if you haven't read my review yet of the stellar "Dark Horse" then be sure to click on the link below!

http://metalmark.blogspot.com/2014/03/craving-angel-dark-horse.html

Craving Angel-Dark Horse

Minotauro Records
2014

Originally self-released in 1987 and containing four tracks ("Match The Power", "Dark Horse", "Lust For Lust" and "Craving Angel") out of the thirteen that make up this recently-released career-retrospective from Minnesota-based hard & heavy outfit Craving Angel, the initial demo offering from this four-piece collective ended up becoming a bit of a favorite pastime for collectors of U.S. metal. Or at least that is what I would come to find out while I was doing my initial research for the collection "Dark Horse". Prior to hearing back from lead vocalist  Bud Hughes (with an interview to follow, Craving Angel should no longer be such a hidden secrete for many...or at least I hope so!) it was all such a mystery. Just who was Craving Angel exactly and why was it, despite the overall strength (and well-received nature of) of that initial four-track demo, that this U.S. metal act seemed to just vanish in thine air? While the previously mentioned interview will fill in a few more pieces to this puzzle (at least when I get around to posting it later today or sometime tomorrow) here's at least a brief rundown on the who, what, where and why of this White Bear Lake-based band. Formed back in the early part of the eighties by guitarist Scott Nelson, with bass guitarist Joe Zimilich and drummer Phil Coffman rounding out the ranks of Craving Angel, the band, at this junction now fronted by ex-Dungeon member (and all-around cool lead vocalist who sometimes sounds like a grittier Stephen Percy or, as an early review of the band's 1987 demo pointed out, a cross between Ronnie James Dio and Rob Halford!) Bud Hughes, hit the ground running with that 1987 demo. During this time other material was recorded and the band even did a video for the cleverly-named hard rocker (and somewhat Mötley Crüe-like) "Lust for Lust"! A move from Minnesota to L.A. became an essential strategy if this band had any hope at all of making it, but as to why they didn't in the end? Part of it would have to be the whole grunge-onset deal again while the other part, which is just my guess here, would have to be that when it came to Craving Angel they fell into that grey area where they were too heavy to really be considered a glam metal or sleaze metal band and they wee too light to be considered a full-fledged metal outfit. Too be fair to the band though, "Dark Horse" (or rather the material on this collection which was recorded between the mid eighties and mid nineties) is FAR from lightweight fair as the band drew as much from the likes of Dio, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and Ozzy (both solo and with Black Sabbath!) as they did bands such as Ratt, Dokken and Mötley Crüe! Style-wise quite a bit of ground is covered on this compilation of course, but tracing this one track-track and recalling when and where each number was done would prove to be a hell of a chore so let's just hit "random" and see where the chips fall shall we? "Rein Again" opens this comp. though so we should try our hand at that one. Imagine a bit of Judas Priest/Iron Maiden eighties metal as interpreted by a young and hungry Dio-obessed four-piece and you would be on the right tack! "Match The Power" then carries a bit of the same energy although there are certainly a few hints here that the band might not have been that unfamiliar with the N.W.O.B.H.M. sound even if they were from a place like White Bear Lake, Minnesota! "Sorrows and Pains" for some reason reminds me of a more straight and narrow Twisted Sister while the ballad "Anybody Home" (as like "Say Your Prayers") comes across as equal parts (solo) Ozzy, Britney Fox, Kix and Faster Pussycat if (and only if!) they were more of a street-living, rough and ready rock outfit! Then there's "Suicide City" from 1992 or so where this act channels Hanoi Rocks and Guns N' Roses as much as they do AC/DC, but in a way more chilled fashion then any of those acts could ever be imagined indulging in! All of which brings us to what I LOVE about this collection. Under one umbrella (which we'll call "hard & heavy" and "L.A.-interested traditional heavy metal" just to keep things with an eye on the prize and all that jazz) the band Craving Angel created a ton of material that ranged from solid ("Green Eyed Lady") to down-right excellent ("Rein Again") and they did without anything really in the way of  serious financial backing! This collection (which should be heard in it's entirety to get the full benefit of everything this act had to offer!) showcases a band that had everything from actual skills to looks that would have been needed to take it to the next level. It's just that they seemed to show up at the wrong point in time. Still, it's better late then never when it comes to highlighting these kinds of (long-thought lost) acts and, as per usual, Minotauro Records does a bang up job when it comes to "Dark Horse". Sure, the album art does bare a slight resemblance to a few other albums I have in my collection (Sleepy Hollow's "Skull 13" coming to mind almost immediately!), but the way in which Minotauro Records has packaged this 13-track release speaks volumes as to the commitment they have to the bands on their roster. I'm going all in friends when it comes to recommending this one for all lovers of (eighties) hard and heavy acts! Especially as hearing is believing and "Dark Horse" has more then enough solid material to appease both fans and collectors alike!

http://www.minotaurorecords.com/#!craving-angel/zoom/mainPage/image9mv

Sultan-Check & Mate (Deluxe Edition)

Tribunal Records/Divebomb Records
2014

I'm really got to hand it to the folks over at Tribunal Records. These guys sure know how to pick 'em when it comes to re-releasing classic and/or cult recordings. Case it point "Check & Mate" from Geneva's Sultan. Originally released in 1990 on Zar records (and containing classic heavy metal that fans of Fifth Angel, Leatherwolf and Riot should simply love!) this "one and done" LP was preceded by a 1986 vinyl single entitled "Rebel Fire" (included here as a bonus) and stands as a testament to the fact that far too many good bands simply never got their proper-due. Tracing their roots back to the mid-eighties (before disappearing around 1991) this Swish five-piece had one hell of a front-man in Dragi Majstorovic* whose voice was perfectly suited for the straight-ahead heavy metal gold that this lot provides on "Check & Mate". Stating the obvious here, but the sound** is superb as always (Tribunal Records and their division Divebomb Records really does wonders when it comes to re-mastering this long-lost gems!) while the songs (other then the slightly lame ballad "Mary") simply rock! Along with the original/long out of print album this re-release includes the aforementioned "Rebel Fire" single and what's interesting about the title cut there is (according to the Metal Archives) the fact that besides producing the number, Norbert "Nono" Krief (of Trust and Shakin' Street fame) plays the final guitar solo on the track! Pretty sweet right? But then again this whole re-release is simply sweet anyway! Taking their cues from not only traditional heavy metal (hence the references to the likes of Fifth Angel and Riot!), but also the N.W.O.B.H.M. movement (think along the lines of a more hard rock version of Saxon and/or a band like Salem) the band Sultan really should have done more, but it is what it is. Plagued by line-up changes early on and a every-changing music scene Sultan just couldn't keep it together. Thankfully labels like Tribunal Records/Divebomb Records remain diligent about their mission to provide solid re-releases. While I only have the digital version of this cool little rocker I can tell you that the CD version will come with an 8-page booklet including pictures and a interview with drummer/founding member Fabian Ranzoni! That would be the route that I would go when it comes to "Check & Mate" and, hopefully when I'm first able to do it(!), that is what I intend to do-add this bad boy to my personal CD collection! For fans of Fifth Angel, Leatherwolf and Riot (as well as other similar-sounding traditional heavy metal outfits) a release like "Check & Mate (Deluxe Edition)" should be welcomed with open arms and I'd feel like I was keeping this gem all to myself if I didn't recommend it!

*The 7" single "Rebel Fire" features vocals from one "Wils". 

** Per the promo material: "New mastering by Jamie King + Layout/Restoration by Adam Peterson (WATCHTOWER, EPIDEMIC and SOLSTICE)"

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

French Metal Friday: Sultan's Seed

First known as Synthèse, who, having formed in 1981, released a single called "Black Ghetto" in 1984 before releasing one full-length studio album entitled "Prisoner" two years later, the French act Sultan's Seed remain another one of those long-lost, one and done bands. Their sole-release, "Aimin' For Victory", which, like "Prisoner" before it, was released in 1986 and stands as a solid heavy metal/speed metal release, seemingly came and went with little in the way of fanfare which seems a shame. Despite outward appearances (see horrific band photo above!) Sultan's Seed, which carried the same exact line-up over from Synthèse (making one wonder if the there was actually that much of a style-changed or if the moniker change was simply an attempt at having a more Americanized name?), was fronted by the capable Marc Dura and rounded out by skilled guitarist Gerard Jendrzejewski and the none-too-shabby rhythm section of bassist Pierre Blanchet and drummer Philippe Blanchet (brothers?). Musically (at least for Sultan's Seed) an album like "Aimin' For Victory" falls squarely into the heavy meal/(near) speed metal category that was all the favor a few years prior to this album's release although there are moments when the band almost comes across as a (raw) eighties metal version of Van Halen like on "Spread Your Wings" and "Hot Rock'n Roll"! Elsewhere tracks like the title cut showcase a real maturity and the understanding that much can be achieved by perfecting the balance of hard rock rhythms and traditional heavy metal solos. The only downsides to Sultan's Seed lone album would be the under-produced nature of the record and the dreadful inclusion of a number like "Let Me A Chance". Obviously the band was trying their hand at writing a commercial power ballad (something that really took off towards the late eighties/early nineties in all of it's nauseous glory!), but the track crashes and burns shortly after takeoff leaving no survivors! Thankfully it's the only track of it's kind on "Aimin' For Victory" and, with the invention of the fast-forward button on most modern day stereos, it can be easily avoided! After this particular eight-track release the band issued two demos (in 1987 and 1988 respectively) before (seemingly overnight?) disappearing. Current whereabouts remain unknown....   

Picture-Eternal Dark + Heavy Metal Ears (2014 CD Re-Issue)

Tribunal Records/Divebomb Records
2014


Having just reviewed the other Picture CD re-release on Wednesday of this week I will know turn my attention to "Eternal Dark + Heavy Metal Ears". Up front let's clear up one thing. The cover album is not a  proper reflection of the album artwork for this re-issue. Instead it's the same deal. It's only posted to highlight the fact that these two albums, which were released in 1983 and 1981 ("Eternal Dark" and "Heavy Metal Ears" respectively), appear on this one CD. Now, someone (on the side) asked me about bonus material. No, there is not any bonus material on either of these sets. Instead the "bonus" features that are attached to these two separate sets, which can be picked up at the link below, include: 1) Improved sound 2) A fabulous booklet with bio, (what are most likely to be exclusive) pictures and lyrics and 3) They are being made available on CD for the first time ever in North American! Tack on the fact that they are reasonably priced at $15.00 a set and you could actually stretch that out to 4(!) bonus features folks! For someone like me, for whom the previous CD re-issues are wildly out of reach (price-wise) and, as a result, have (admittedly) only had the (slight) comfort of second-hand burned copies, the previously mentioned items are bonus enough! Especially when hearing "Eternal Dark" (for what seemed like the first time despite having this one in my possession for well over 10 years!!!) is all of it's crystal-clear, heavy metal glory! But, we are getting a little ahead of ourselves so we will get to that aspect in a few as, unlike last time around, I'm going to cover "Heavy Metal Ears" first. On the CD said album is actually on the tail end of "Eternal Dark" which means that these particular numbers run 11-19. Still, giving the huge jump (style-wise and sound-wise) between 1981-era Picture and 1983-era Picture it's probably best to cover "Heavy Metal Ears" and then move forward. In hindsight, having "Diamond Dreamer" to break up the flow and all (what with it's Ronnie James Dio fronting Judas Priest-like vibe), "Eternal Dark" was probably a (somewhat) logical step style-wise. But, "Heavy Metal Ears" (which, although being released back in 1981, still remains a relevant release/modern source of inspiration as bands such as Serpent and Spikes have covered it's title-track!) sees this legendary Dutch heavy metal act not only hearing the battle cry that came from Saxon's 1979 debut, but also acting upon it a if following the same path that lead their British comrades from an album like "Saxon" all the way to "Denim and Leather"! It shouldn't be seen as all that much of a surprise then that Picture actually toured Europe with Saxon in 1981! Opening with the classic title cut, "Heavy Metal Ears" moves effortlessly through numbers like "Spend the Night with You" and "Unemployed" (a surprisingly heavy cut even for an album like this!) before truly hitting it all out of the park with cuts like "Night Tiger" and "No No No"! By the time the album's closer comes calling (the 7+ minute epic "Rock & Roll / Under Your Spell") you've been treated to Saxon-style rockers like "I'm Just A Simple Man" (Motörhead and AC/DC influences anyone?) and even the oddity of a track like "Funky Town" (No, it's not a cover song!)! For classic heavy metal and N.W.O.B.H.M. fanatics Picture's "Heavy Metal Ears" should be a given! So, what of "Eternal Dark" then? By 1983 Picture was leaning on yet another new lead vocalist Pete Lovell. On the plus side this one would stay the course and even appears on 2012's excellent exceptional "Warhorse". The downside though would seem fairly obvious to anyone paying attention to the band dynamics of Picture during those early eighties years. With Pete Lovell the band was on the third lead singer in as many albums. Not only that, but guitarist/keyboardist/backing vocalist Jan Bechtum, whose distinct style of playing had anchored the previous three albums, was suddenly gone as well! In his place came Henry van Manen and Chris van Jaarsveid. Two guitarists to replace the one lone guitarist/keyboardist who had made Picture into the band they were? It could never work right? And yet it did! Maybe it's not as well-loved and worshiped as "Diamond Dreamer", but in it's own right it's a damn fine heavy metal platter especially for when it was released! While the early Saxon-vibe can still be found on album number four with two guitarists in the fold the band went all in! Along with the Saxon (and Judas Priest/Dio experimentation of "Diamond Dreamer"!) the band's latest sound seemed ripped straight from the pages of N.W.O.B.H.M. 101! Listening to "Eternal Dark" now, with more then a few years of musical experience behind me*, I can pick up on the Blitzkrieg elements as well as how bands like Chariot and Chateaux influenced Picture's new direction. Toss in the likes of Dio-lead Black Sabbath, Manowar, solo-Ozzy, Accept, (early) Mötley Crüe, Iron Maiden and some cult bands of the day like Faithful Breath (try on "Hard Breath" and "Gold 'n' Glory" if you are looking for new titles to add to your eighties hard rock/heavy metal collection), Heavy Load and Dark Wizard (who actually came about, or at least released their first, highly-recommended mind you, EP, "Devil's Victim", in 1984!) and you've got a decent idea of what "Eternal Dark" has to offer! Of course it wasn't just the band's style that changed with album number four or even their line-up. With "Eternal Dark" the band dove head first into fantasy/Dungeons and Dragons territory as evident by "Griffins Guard The Gold", "Battle For The Universe" and "Flying In Time"! No doubt there were more then a few of the Picture faithful who were scratching their heads when this album was released! For 1983 though it's fairly typical theme-wise. Music-wise it is also fairly typical as this was the dawning of eighties metal (stylized by all things Priest/Maiden in nature) when bands were suddenly applying dual lead guitar solos and the distinct "galloping" song-structures that made for many a great classic!  Still, "Eternal Dark" seems to be the one early Picture release that people either love or loathe. While the band gets (unfairly in my mind) knocked for the sudden change by a lot of modern day metal fans I've always had a soft spot for this album and, as a stand-alone piece, I find it charming. It's heavy when it needs to be (the soul crushing "The Blade") while it also features great Iron Maiden/Dio-like like rockers in "Flying In Time" and "Into The Underworld" and "Tell No Lies". Meanwhile that (early) Mötley Crüe reference point (as well as the solo-Ozzy bit and Accept mention) shines through in the likes of "Power Of Evil" and "Make You Burn". Listening to the album again (as I type this review) brings up another "interesting" reference point that I never noticed until now (and yes, I'm well aware of how crazy this one sounds!). Could there be a little bit of the punk-vibe of (early, as in first two full-length albums with Paul at the helm) Iron Maiden and even a bit of the sleazy/street-wise attitude of early-Twisted Sister running wild through "Eternal Dark"? Quite possibly yes! All of which means that album number four in Picture's back catalog needs to be heard to be fully appreciated for what it has to offer! Again, I simply cannot express how refreshing it is to hear these early Picture releases presented like this. With improved sound (and the bonus of a killer booklet with bio, pictures and lyrics!) both "Eternal Dark" and "Heavy Metal Ears" come off as fresh and vibrant! For fans of this killer Dutch heavy metal outfit I cannot think of a better way to celebrate these early albums than with this set as well as the "Diamond Dreamer + Picture 1" offering! Samples to both sets can be found by going through the Tribunal link below and it is worth noting that, while supplies last as there were only 100 of these made available, if you buy both sets at the same time you can receive a rather nifty Picture logo magnet! Of course that is only while supplies last and, seeing as there were only 100 of these made and all, I can't imagine they'll last long!      .


http://tribunalrecords.bigcartel.com/product/picture-eternal-dark-heavy-metal-ears

Review of "Diamond Dreamer + Picture 1" Set:
http://metalmark.blogspot.com/search?q=Picture-Diamond+Dreamer+%2B+Picture+1+%282014+CD+Re-Issue%29+

*When I first heard "Eternal Dark" some 13 years back I was in my late twenties and had not yet rediscovered the joys of the N.W.O.B.H.M. scene. I had a young daughter and a job, working in a (now-closed) screen printing shop, that required long, tiring hours. Many early hour mornings (three or four AM) were spent (working by myself in the screen-prep area) listening to this album and marveling at it's raw, early eighties metal appeal and it's fantasy elements. As I worked with the motto of "Do it for her", with the her being my (then) young daughter Haley, "Eternal Dark" allowed me a measure of escape from a job that I had found broke my spirit as much as my body!

Manta Ray- Visions Of Towering Alchemy

Divebomb Records
2013

For this entry into Divebomb Record's "Bootcamp Series" we must step inside the WABAC machine and return to another time period. While it might not seem as if it was all that long ago, as we're only talking about 20+ years having passed, the fact is so much has changed (from our day to day lives to the world in which we now we come home) that it might have been a 100 years ago! Long before the internet made us all slaves to technology, and the best albums (usually only to be found on cassette tape and vinyl mind you!) could still be had by going to your local Mom and Pop store down the street, a young band named Manta Ray released their one, and unfortunate as it would prove to be, only release in "Visions Of Towering Alchemy". The exact time (1990) and place (Dallas, Texas) are recorded in the pages of history (or Heavy Metal History that is), but what has been previously laid to paper in regards to this young band is woefully inadequate! The band Manta Ray, which had formed one year earlier and was lead by guitarist/vocalist (and recent Hollywood Musicians Institute' graduate) Lance Harvill, issued this (originally) four-track EP that, despite being less then twenty minutes in length, told the world everything that they needed to know about the band's long-term potential. Unfortunately for every good album that came out that year (Death's "Spiritual Healing", Annihilator's "Never, Neverland", Judas Priest's "Painkiller", Prong's "Beg To Differ", King's X's "Faith Hope Love", Mother Love Bone's "Apple" and Social Distortion's "Social Distortion") there were more then enough train-wreck releases from likes of  Poison, Warrant, Slaughter, Don Dokken, Firehouse and Dread Zeppelin (God, remember them?) to derail the hopes of any up-and-coming band. And of course lost in the shuffle of a dying heavy metal scene was this young Dallas act. At the time this should have been just the starting point for a promising career. While the Lance Harvill might not ring any bells now there was some serious talent waiting in the wings as far as Lance's cohorts. Standing beside Lance was guitarist Mike Morgan (ex-Hell Church, ex-Seventh Gate) and two gentlemen who would go on to have quite the successful careers (bassist David Harbour and drummer John Luke Hebert). While both of these individuals would go on to play with Chastain, Leather and King Diamond (!) it would be David, whose exceptional bass playing was obvious from the very start of his career, who really took after Manta Ray's far too brief existence! Not only did this talented bassist find himself with Chastain, Leather and King Diamond (and not to mention the ambient act Equimanthorn), but he was also involved with solo projects from the likes of David T. Chastain and Michael Harris. All of which is fine and dandy I hear you saying, but what about this particular band and the re-released "Visions Of Towering"? I'm glad you asked as "Visions Of Towering Alchemy", which was originally laid to tape at Dallas Sound Lab Studios (Pantera and Rigor Mortis), showcases a young band that had so much to offer a scene that was in desperate need of earnest heavy metal like this. Early Queensrÿche would be one good starting point as far as references are concerned. Anything from the "Queensrÿche" EP up to "Rage for Order" would be in order. But, "Visions Of Towering Alchemy", having now been expanded to a six-track EP thanks to the inclusion of two bonus cuts in "Guilty" and "On My Own" (both from the 1991 demo "Die Hard"), would likely be a welcomed addition to those who count Sanctuary's "Refuge Denied" and Dio's "Lock Up the Wolves" as part of their personal heavy metal collection. Along with a little maybe a little Crimson Glory ("Transcendence"-era), Lethal (their "Programmed" album), Fates Warning (only up to their "No Exit" album though) and Mainiax & Ray Gunn (two cult 80's metal bands who sadly only released one release apiece like Manta Ray!) and there you have it! Six (slightly) prog-leaning heavy metal/power metal tracks of exceptional quality. That is what this particular "Bootcamp Series" release from Tribunal Records' offshoot label, Divebomb Records, has to offer. Here's the thing though (and this is one thing that I really like about Divebomb releases). You don't just have to take my word for it. Nope. You can actually listening to samples of this cult re-release at the link below! How sweet is that! Just be forewarned though of one tiny little detail. As with the other release in the "Bootcamp Series" this one is limited to just  500 copies! So, you know the drill then right? You snooze, you lose! It's as simple as that folks! Personally I'd suggest that you not miss out on this one, but that's just me! Still, at a mere $7.00 this one seems like a real no-brainer my friends. I'm just saying....

http://tribunalrecords.bigcartel.com/product/manta-ray-visions-of-towering-alchemy

Forgotten Gems: Defiant-Can't Give It Up

I've got the fabulous site Boneyard Metal to thank for this discovery. Released in 1985 on the (fun-named) label Rad Elmo, which may or may not have been a homemade record label of the band's own making, this five-track EP was most-likely only released on vinyl. Featuring Sylvia La Mar on lead vocals, with Kenny Williams (guitars, keyboards), Tracy Wright (bass) and Clark "Moose" Johnson (drums) rounding things out, this was the one and only "official" release from this Hollywood, California act. Mind you that's if you don't count the group's self-titled cassette demo from 1987. That's neither here nor there though when we're talking about this heavy rock-leaning act with sultry and seductive lead vocals!  This female-fronted heavy metal act, which should not be confused with the other Defiant that hailed from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and released "Hear The Laugh" in 1995, gets extra points for Sylvia La Mar alone....even if the rest of the band members present here were no real slouches either!Maybe this one is not up to the standards of similar-themed hard & heavy acts of the mid-eighties (or for that matter some of the female-fronted rock and roll artists that were shinning on a spot-light on how well the leading ladies of the time could compete with their male counterparts!), but as a stand-alone piece it's a fun EP with straight, no-filler numbers and smoking hot lead vocals! Definitely worth downloading if you're into female-fronted heavy metal or the more rock-oriented sounds of eighties metal!

Nitro-Volatile Activity

Blood and Iron Records
2014

Hot on the heels of  2013's "Lethal Dose", Pennsylvania-based heavy metal act Nitro, who (of course) are the only Nitro that matters, offer up the limited-edition*, vinyl-only "Volatile Activity" on Blood and Iron Records. This LP, which will come with a glossy sleeve and color insert featuring biography, lyrics and rare photos, gathers together material that was recorded in 1987 and would have been included on the planned follow-up to Nitro's 1984 twelve-inch release, "Lethal+II". Given the fact that ten out of the eleven tracks on "Volatile Activity" originally came from pre-production tapes, with track number eleven, "Uranium"** (which Nitro previously released as a digital single in 2013), serving as a bonus cut, this release sounds quite remarkable! Of course that just goes to show how far we've come with modern technology as even material like this, which had been (regrettably) sitting around for FAR TOO LONG collecting dust, can be given a nice once over enabling it to take on another life. With that being said, this LP is far from a modern day hard rock/heavy metal release. Or as far as style goes. Even with it's superb mastering, which is excellent make no mistake about it, the material here serves as a fairly accurate snapshot of what was going on in America in the mid-late eighties. While the promo material goes out of it's way in saying how this LP ends up "Sounding like early Twisted Sister, Wild Dogs, early Anvil, The Rods, etc." the reality is "Volatile Activity" (or at least the first ten tracks) has more in common with the L.A. scene of the day. For those of you who already know the score, or have (in other words) had the pleasure of experiencing "Lethal Dose" and/or the original "Lethal+II" an album like this could be construed as shocking (what with the dramatic change of direction/wide left turn that Nitro seems to make a few of these cuts), but there is still PLENTY to enjoy about this LP (especially if you just know where to look!). Let's start with the positives moments since there are plenty of those to go around! Opener "Take Me Higher" starts things off in righteous style. It's a very cool Sweet-like number if, and only if, Sweet had been influenced by early Mötley Crüe (although there is no way in hell that "Walking Dead Corpse" Mick Mars could compete with Nitro's John Hazel in the guitar department!). Meanwhile "Wanted Alive" is seventies hard rock meets nineties alternative (which yes, is weird considering when this was originally recorded and everything!) and shows that Nitro's songwriting abilities were still strong and still sharp! "Faking It" is Ratt meets Mötley Crüe and Guns N' Roses although both "Faking It" and a cut like "Shark Lady2" owe debts to the likes of Kiss. That's not a bad debt to find yourself a slave to though right? One of my personal favorites is the swagger-rock/teaze-metal "Tuff Life" which may or may not have run on the same set of rails as the likes of Poison, Mötley Crüe and Twisted Sister, but (and this is a big BUT!) late eighties hair metal/sleaze metal never sounded so well pieced together or "tough"! Yes, that was bad I know. Cheesy pun aside, "Youngblood" (another clear favorite) could have easily been written by Van Halen! It's not the only cut where guitarist John Hazel shows off his stuff (see: "Rule the World"), but seldom does it seem as obvious that the ball was badly dropped on the part of record companies back in the day as it does on "Youngblood"! Lead vocalist Dana Confer shows off the diversity in his voice by offering a bit more grit (as opposed to the absolutely Steven Tyler/Mick Jagger strut that he does on "Tuff Life"!) while the remainder of Nitro (guitarist John Hazel and the severely underrated rhythm section of bass player Brad Gensimore and drummer Tim Wilson) assures future listeners that heavy metal, yes kids, true heavy metal, still pumps through their veins! Here suggestions to the fact that the band sounded like "Twisted Sister, Wild Dogs, early Anvil and The Rods" don't come off as all that absurd. I mean one could easily make that kind of argument if "Youngblood" was blasting it's way out of a good set of stereo speakers! And really this LP would be worth the price of admission for that track alone. Well, that track plus "Tuff Life". Oh, and then there's the fact that the very cool "Uranium" (seriously, this one-time single is awesome heavy metal!) is included here. So yes, I could easily recommend this limited-edition LP based on those few tracks alone. Still, I would be lying if I said every cut here was golden. Take "Boys Will Be Boys" for example. Here's one number that sounds like a leftover Mötley Crüe track! A much better take on this would have to be "Do It". Also, "Pretender" is just a so-so track. It's not bad or anything, but it doesn't exactly light up the hemisphere either. Granted that's only 2-3 tracks out of 11 so this one is most certainly falls more on the side of must-have then pass-up. It's just a case where even if I do love Nitro, and I REALLY DO, not everything they release (or in this case dig up from the past vaults) is going to absolute floor me! If anything it just shows that Nitro are capable of greatness while still having some hiccups/human faults just like the rest of us! Whatever the case "Volatile Activity" still makes for a must-have as stated. Whether we're talking about Nitro fans or heavy metal collectors in general, or for that matter someone who falls into both categories like I do(!), picking up this LP at your earliest convenience is a given! With that there's only one last thing to be said. A release like "Volatile Activity" should  push the door WIDE OPEN for this Penn-based, traditional heavy metal at it's finest,  four-piece to release NEW MATERIAL in 2014! If there is really and truly a GOD OF ROCK N' ROLL then please let something like that! The world is always in need of real heavy metal from real gentlemen of the scene and what better way could there be to make 2014 really awesome then to have a band like Nitro (the only Nitro after all!) release a brand new album? A guy can dream right?

http://www.bloodandironrecords.webs.com/
 *500 copies (400 black, 100 blue)

**http://metalmark.blogspot.com/2013/03/nitro-uranium-single.html

Forgotten Gems: May-Linn's "May-Linn"

Uninspiring name and album art aside, Belgium's May-Linn's lone 1988 album is about as fine of a traditional heavy metal/power metal release as there is! Or at least in regards to one that you've probably never heard of before. Initially this unassuming 8-track release was issued on Shark Records, but thankfully a CD version was released by No Remorse Records in 2010. Opening with the cut "Soldier", which is about as close as one can get to real power metal while still waving the banner for homegrown heavy metal, the release works it's way through one track after another of solid heavy metal while lead vocalist Steen Nielsen breathes life into cuts like "Joey Don't Care", "Breakout" and "Dangerous Games". This Forgotten Gem can be looked at as a great snapshot of the late eighties power metal scene especially in regards to what was going on in Belgium at the time. Along with the likes of Ostrogoth, Crossfire and Warhead this is one of my more favorite "under the radar" type bands that most collectors probably know of, but probably not casual listeners. As a straight-up eighties power metal/eighties metal release this one is hard to pass up and seeing as it can usually be had for under $20 it's one album that I like to recommend for those looking for something new from heavy metal's heyday. The only draw-back to this release (or rather to the 2010 re-release by No Remorse) is the bare-bones booklet. Make that more like a simple inlay as there is literally nothing to it! That's a small nit-pick item though and in no way should it sway you away from adding this golden nugget of eighties metal to your personal collection!  

August-August

Arkeyn Steel Records
2013

Move past this album's unassuming and (frankly speaking) uninspiring cover art (and forgive the fact that this band hails from the musical wasteland that is known as Hollywood, California) and you're likely to discover that sometimes, yes sometimes, the best heavy metal can be found in the most unlikely of places. And in this case it can be packaged with such simplicity (as far as this ones presentation is concerned) that, unless you somehow knew the real treat hidden under it's wraps, that you'd be excused for walking past it. Of course you should know where I'm going with this recently-released, limited-edition compilation (1,000 hand-numbered CD copies) from California's August. Arkeyn Steel Records is another one of those record labels that always seems to have their hands on some real gems of the 80's underground metal scene and August, which was formed in 1988 by two former students of Musicians Institute of Hollywood, California (guitarist Mike Moore and bassist Houston Thad Cranford), is no different in that regard. As was the case with the prior 2013 releases from Xcel and Alloy Czar (both of which come highly recommend and have ended up in my private collection) this collection of August material has been painstakingly re-mastered and the result speaks for itself. The nine tracks here are clean and clear and the ever feature of this band, which also featured lead vocalist Tony Russo (R.I.P.) and drummer Andy Shea, sounds damn near perfect! Now, despite hailing from the land of big hair and even bigger egos the heavy metal on display is of the progressive/U.S.power metal variety. If that (somehow) has you thinking about early Queensrÿche then you my friend win the golden prize! Thankfully this four-piece decided early on to push themselves and what resulted was a sound that (besides the early, 1983-1984 or so, Queensrÿche reference point) should appeal to fans of Crimson Glory, Heir Apparent and Lethal! Throw in a little mid-eighties Judas Priest to even it all out and there you have August. And yes kids, it is a beautiful thing. Wait, what is it exactly that is "a beautiful thing" I hear you asking? Well, being able to discover new gems from heavy metal's glory days like August You'll have to excuse me while I wax nostalgic a bit, but those (the eighties/early nineties) really were the days. Other then maybe the early eighties (when I would have been only 9-10 and had not yet discovered what would eventually become one of the great loves of my life) the mid to late eighties was an exciting time to be a heavy metal fan. New bands were cropping up pretty much overnight and it seemed as if every area of the U.S. had it's own set of (hometown pride) heavy metal heroes! When bands like August made the scene you could feel the love and passion these acts had for their music and (even more so) their fans! It was a time when the floodgates came open and, despite never making it past the demo stage for a lot of these young acts, they still gave 100% and the scene was on fire! Of course there are still local bands doing the same thing and playing music for themselves and for their fans. But in a way it's all so different. The Internet has made it so a lot of bands don't need to build up a local and loyal fan base and these kind of well-love demo recordings have been replaced with digital downloads. Between that and the fact that this kind of U.S. power metal doesn't really exist anymore it's a different world entirely. Still, with recordings like this you can relive those moments while also supporting traditional heavy metal/power metal acts who, while quite deserving, just didn't make it to the next level for whatever reason. While I can't comment on the booklet that comes with this one (as it's a "digital download" promo kind of world anymore kids) from the sounds of it this one should be just as sweet as both the  Xcel and Alloy Czar ones were. Along with a bio and unpublished photos the CD will include lyrics so that with each track you can read along while you rock out! That's always a good thing! Obviously this one is recommend for collectors of all things eighties heavy metal as well as fans of Queensrÿche, Crimson Glory, Heir Apparent and Lethal!

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