Queensryche - The Warning. 1984 EMI (CD). Thrift shop find (Oct). I embraced Queensryche at the very beginning with their brilliant Judas Priest styled EP. When word surfaced that their first full length was going to be more "progressive" I could hardly sleep I was so excited. In 1984, progressive rock mixed with metal was still more of a fantasy than a tiresome burden. After buying the LP on Day 1, I was so very disappointed. Some years later I ditched it. OK, there it is on the shelf, let's try it again. Hey, this is pretty good metal actually. Not progressive of course, but not too far off the NWOBHM sound they had perfected a year earlier. Geoff Tate was (is, I suppose) a great singer. The production definitely lacks oomph here. I'm not going to keep this - just have way too much like it - but better than I remembered.
Shotgun Messiah - Second Coming. 1991 Relativity (CD). Thrift shop find (Oct). Shotgun Messiah were essentially a Swedish band emulating the Los Angeles glam movement of Poison, Ratt, Skid Row, and the rest of them. Definitely has a fine groove and cool sounds, but not enough to transcend the genre, if the genre could be transcended at all.
Heavy Pettin - 4 Play. 2020 private (CDEP). Thrift shop find (Oct). And it was signed no less. I wonder how that happens? It's brand new (literally), obscure, and it's signed - and here it is in a thrift shop. I remember Heavy Pettin from the 80s heyday, but never bothered to pursue beyond that. The Scottish based group were a mix of NWOBHM and glam metal - definitely on the lighter, more feminine side of the movement. And this comeback album finds the band playing in fine form, with four new tracks in the older style. Not something I need to keep, but worth a spin for certain. And quite hard to find here in the States.
*Stride - Music Machine. 2001 private (CD). Thrift shop find (Oct). This is the debut from a band that is most known for their Sensory release a few years later. But at the beginning the Houston, Texas based group were an instrumental prog metal / progressive rock hybrid. Typically I find albums like this trivial, but Stride proved to be good songwriters, and there's just enough here for me to qualify it as unique.
*Attacker - The Second Coming. 1999 Sentinel Steel (CD) (1988). From Independent (Oct). About four years ago I wrote about Attacker's debut, and gushed about its contents. And honestly, The Second Coming might even be better than the debut. 1988 was primetime for creative metal, and The Second Coming doesn't disappoint. They have a new vocalist who can high pitch it with the best of 'em. Picking up a bit of Helstar here actually. The older I get, the more I'm really appreciating what they call classic USPM, or US Power Metal. If you had asked me a couple of years back if I liked power metal, I would have flatly stated no. But I was thinking of the European variation, which is much different. There it's more speed metal with gang choruses. Here it's more about the second generation of classic Judas Priest. They really should have more distinct genre names, because they are so different. In any case, this is a fantastic reissue chockful of liner notes, old reviews, photos, memorabilia, and three bonus tracks (demos, but slightly different than what was released).
*Attacker - Soul Taker. 2004 Iron Glory (CD). With the above (Oct). At the time of release, it was a comeback album. And most metal comeback albums in the 2000 decade were a huge disappointment, many trying their hand at modern trendy styles such as Nu and Groove. Not here. Attacker picked up where they left off. In fact they brought back their original vocalist Bob Mitchell who's a real shrieker in the King Diamond mold. Excellent 3rd release from a USPM band that still flies under the radar, even to this day.
Exodus - Fabulous Disaster. 2019 Century Media / Combat (LP) (1989). Turquoise. Trade from What's Left (Aug). I go back to the beginning with Exodus, having purchased Bonded by Blood upon release (1985). I've always had a yin/yang feeling towards that album. Dutifully I picked up Pleasures of the Flesh on day 1 as well (1987), but my interest in Exodus was waning and it went along with Bonded by Blood. And I stopped there. Fabulous Disaster is their 3rd album, and by that time I had moved into a different direction with metal. So two albums in a row with Disaster in the name (the other Molly Hatchet's Flirtin' with Disaster). I fear to say it's also predictive. Well, Fabulous Disaster isn't so bad. It's definitely what I would call good, but for 1989 this is some basic stuff. The riffs are boring to non-existent, and listening to Souza bark all over this is tiresome. From what I understand, this was their big seller, having made a mark on MTV's Headbanger's Ball. When we look at the Big 4, my tastes have always gravitated toward Metallica, whose first four albums are brilliant IMO. Slayer comes in with a highly appealing raw sound, that penetrates to the bone. My appreciation of Megadeth has gone significantly up in recent years, as I enjoy their quirky jazzy nature. And then there's Anthrax, the dumb kid in the class. Exodus is Anthrax in this analogy. The Bay Area was really hopping in the late 80s with bands like Testament, Death Angel, Heathen, and Forbidden Evil - all of them way more interesting than Exodus. Not sure why the band never seemed to progress. Comes in a nice gatefold cover, which the original did not.
Reincarnate - Take It or Leave It: Demos & Rarities. 2020 Splattered! (LP). Trade from What's Left (Aug). Not really a commodity but a new archival release from an unknown 1982 NWOBHM English act who managed to put out one 45 in their career. This set includes that single plus 4 other demo tracks. I picked this up in trade after hearing the single. I should have done more homework. The single is excellent for the style, but the demo tracks are from a wobbly old cassette tape, and are at best bonus material. Cut at 45 rpm, there isn't enough material here to warrant a full release. In the not-so-distant-past, I may have held onto this, but I can't justify it today. Comes with obi strip and a small poster.
*Helloween - Walls of Jericho. 1986 Combat (LP). From Independent (Jun). This US press came a few months later than the German original. The only album I've ever owned prior by Helloween is the next one Keeper of the Seven Keys Part One (on CD). Over time, I did tire of it, and sold. But I was informed long ago that Walls of Jericho is much more raw and unpolished. Which is more appealing to me. And that's exactly the case. There's nothing too revelatory here, and there aren't any great riffs, but I found myself drawn to the overall sound. I kind of like Kai Hansen's shrieking vocals, as he attempts to outdo Rob Halford. No such luck, but it's fun to hear him try. Hence, they added a more seasoned vocalist after this.
Exciter - Long Live the Loud. 1985 Combat. From Independent (May). I had heard the Canadian band Exciter (named after the iconic Judas Priest song) real time while in college, but their brand of metal didn't capture my imagination back then. I was pretty excited (so to speak) to hear this one, especially after finally getting my ears around Killing Technology. No bueno. This is what is technically known as speed metal. It's not heavy at all. It's a scratchy light guitar sound with screaming vocals. There's absolutely no bass - no heft whatsoever. Unlike Voivod, there are no riffs either. So it just kinda lays there - every track going 100 MPH without melody or chord progressions. It's not terrible or anything, it's definitely what I would call "good", but I'm not drawn to any of the contents within. I'd still be willing to hear anything they have put out, but not going to spend "wall money" on them. And how about that cover, eh? No stereotyping here of course...
Malice - In the Beginning. 1985 Atlantic (LP). From Independent (Apr). When researching In the Beginning, you won't get too far without reading that Malice are very much patterned after Judas Priest. After hearing the album, I was strangely reminded of... Judas Priest. It's just that obvious. If I were to put what era of Priest, I'd suggest British Steel. Relatively generic for the era, but definitely well produced and played. There's just enough meat on this bone to keep for the short haul. This was the kind of metal I wasn't pursuing in real time, as it seemed rather cliché by that point. It won't be too long that I'll be thinning the collection herd again (after we finish the boxes of other stuff we have here). I suspect this will be an early target. Whether it grows in stature or not, that remains to be seen (ed: I sold it not long after).
---2020
Rogue Male - First Visit. 1985 Elektra (LP). From Indepedent (Nov). The opening track 'Crazy Motorcycle' sounds like classic Motorhead. This is followed by 'All Over You' which recalls classic Saxon. And there's your story line: Motorhead meets Saxon. So it's more on the simple side of British metal. Which is fine (I enjoy both bands from their early periods), but the problem here is that the genre had moved on by leaps and bounds by 1985. This kind of album would have had impact in 1981. Apparently the critics loved it (of course they did...), but the buying public wasn't impressed. Good album for what it is, but not something I need to hold onto.
*Loudness - Lightning Strikes. 1986 ATCO (LP). Finding any kind of heavy metal at a thrift shop is pure luck. If the workers aren't taking them out the back door, then the first person who sees it - buys it. And that's probably what happened for me in this case (Oct). But it's hardly a great score. Probably could find one at a record store for $4.99. I'm telling you - that's just no fun! "Roudness" was a known quantity when I was in college and I bought Thunder in the East upon release. I was very disappointed and traded it back not long after. Not recalling that album at all, Lightning Strikes is really quite good - but it's not really a metal album, which is probably why I was disappointed at the time. What it reminds me of is early Van Halen - a high energy hard rock that borders heavy metal. In this light, the album works better. So yes, I'll go ahead and hold onto this one for now.
*Great White. 1984 EMI (LP). Thrift shop find (Oct). Talk about an album I was excited to find... for resell. $15 markup easy. But I never in a million years thought I would like it! Great White were one of the emblematic bands of the hair metal scene and I just figured the music would follow suit. That is to say, music for late inning teenage girls looking for trouble, and the blend would be a mix of insincere ballads and obligatory party hard rockers. But like Motley Crue before them, Great White worked hard for their success, and this debut shows the band laying it all out there to judge. There's a great energy here that holds up well 35 years later. And it's also a bit gritty. It appears the image followed the success, but didn't instigate it. Pleasant surprise.
* - Keeping for the collection
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