Deathrow - Raging Steel. 1987 Germany

I'm a huge fan of the last two Deathrow albums, a wonderful example of tech / prog thrash. I didn't personally discover this German band until the mid 90s, and don't really remember them from college. I never bothered to go further back in their discography because I was informed these albums were more simplistic. But I didn't want to pass on the original LP especially since it was right in front of me. Well it's certainly true that Raging Steel isn't a dizzying array of riffs and tempo changes like Deception Ignored. But it isn't brainless either, as there are plenty of shifts and turns. Some of the tracks are too fast for their own good, calling on their Teutonic heritage of Sodom and Kreator. It's also not as heavy as the Destruction album I just posted about, but the guitar solos are much better, perhaps as a result of focusing more on musicianship. The vocals are more "metal standard" without the histrionics you often get with the 80s groups. I think the production could have used a boost of oomph. I found it interesting the album gets more complex as it goes, foreshadowing their next move. I really like this band.

Ownership: LP: 1987 Cobra. Single sleeve. Recent acquisition from What's Left.

12/27/24 (first listen / review / new entry)

Destruction - Eternal Devastation. 1986 Germany

Destruction are another band I remember from my college days but never heard until now. Yea, this is one crazy thrash album alright. The riffs are super, non-calculated, and all over the place. Vocalist either spews anger or squeals at the highest register. The only downside are the solos, where he goes a million miles an hour and you can't make out what he's even trying to do. This is not uncommon for the early thrash bands. One can hear the Swiss strain of thrash here including Celtic Frost and Coroner, especially the latter at the time of RIP. Reading some folks complaining about the production. It's raw, thick, and choppy. I wouldn't want to hear it any other way. As with Nasty Savage, I would have enjoyed this album in college.

Ownership: LP: 1986 Metal Blade. Single sleeve. Acquired from What's Left in December (2024).

12/26/24 (first listen / review / new entry)

Nasty Savage - Indulgence. 1987 USA-Florida

I remember Nasty Savage from my college days, but never checked them out. My loss as this is my kind of metal. Mostly it's off-kilter thrash, with riff after riff coming at you from all angles. "Nasty" Ronnie is your front man, and he's quite the character it would seem. A complete showman, part time wrestler, and part time King Diamond imitator apparently. When he's not squealing, he's singing in an aggressive manner typical of the metal acts of the day. Regardless of his stage antics, it's the music that carries the day here. It doesn't really fit any kind of genre norm, which only makes it more endearing to me. Way more thoughtful than you might initially think. I would have loved this had I picked it up real time. Alrighty, 38 years later, it's in the collection.

Ownership: LP: 1987 Metal Blade. Single sleeve. Cool artwork. Acquired from What's Left in December (2024).

RT had the pic disc of this title in his collection, so I grabbed it. Remember that he was an early 60s Greenwich Village folky nut, so it was always fun to find stuff like this. He also collected picture discs, so that's how he ended up with it. I never played it because I figured the audio wouldn't be that great. It was one of those "I'll get to it eventually" albums. And here we are with the original black vinyl, as What's Left bought a great collection of original metal albums. So off goes the picture disc to the record show boxes. 

12/25/24 (first listen / review)

Welcome. 1976 Switzerland

Welcome were a Swiss group who pretty much targeted Yes' Close to the Edge as a blueprint to move forward with. Similarities abound considering vocal harmonies, acoustic guitar breaks, bass work, with keyboard sounds and solos performed on Mellotron, organ, and Moog. Basically we're in the same league as Druid on Toward the Sun, but more stretched out, similar to Yes themselves. Side 2 is a step above, and even recalls fellow countrymen Circus on their own magnum opus Movin' On. What Welcome lacks in their original approach, they more than make up for in enthusiasm and their own special ingredients on a classic recipe. Much like Grandma’s marinara sauce – she didn’t invent it, but damn if she didn’t make a good batch of her own!

Ownership: CD: 1997 Black Rills. Jewel case. Contains a brief history and lyrics.

1997 (first listen); 12/06 (review); 1/23/25 (update) 

Cherry Five - Il Pozzo dei Giganti. 2015 Italy

I bought this a couple of years after it came out, but to be honest it didn't make much of a mark on initial impact. Not really sure what troubled me, though it could have been "too much of the same thing" - at the same time! I was OD'ing pretty hard on newer Italian prog in the 2010s and I think I was reaching saturation point. A long break has helped me to hear these albums with a completely different perspective.

Il Pozzo dei Giganti doesn't have much in common with the original Cherry Five album. That debut is really the anomaly in the Italian prog sphere, with its lyrics in English and a sound similar to Yes, Genesis, and Gentle Giant. Their sophomore effort (40 years on mind you) is more like traditional prog from Italy sung properly in the native language, with plenty of vintage keyboards. The rhythms are from the stop-start school. Only the new guitarist brings a modern touch, though not unwelcome at all. This new incarnation features the non-Goblin members, and three new recruits. Ten years later, it's clear this was to be a one-off reunion. A very good one though, and worthy of collection status.

Ownership: CD: 2015 Black Widow. Jewel case. Lyric booklet with photos, artwork, and recording details.

10/28/17 (first listen); 1/9/25 (review / new entry)

Bernard Xolotl - Procession. 1982 France

Sometime in 2004 I wrote:

Very spacious, nice sequencer touches, copious use of violin adds a unique blend. A definite Schulze vibe, circa Dune maybe (minus Arthur Brown of course). Getting better with age.

---1/20/25

Known to his mother as Bernard Jean Louis Jacquet, by the time the CD came out, he even dropped his first name, and simply went by Xolotl. He's one of those deep thinker types, who wears white jackets, pink shirts, and white scarves. And describes himself as an "Holistic Artist". You get the idea. Essentially though, he screws around with electronics and was heavily influenced by the Berlin School masters.

The key to this album really is the other guy: "With Daniel Kobialka". Being a non-socialite rube, I had no idea who he was except the liner notes called him an international violin virtuoso from San Francisco. Well, good. But now that I'm out there digging for Classical music myself, his name turns up. Unfortunately not in the banking department, but my eyes always light up at his name, having been etched in my brain by this album. So there's a temptation to state this is what it would be like had Johanna Martzy* dropped in on a Klaus Schulze session.

The truth is, my scratch off notes at the top pretty much define the album succinctly and accurately. A great way to pass the time on a snowy afternoon.

*-Just showing off. Check what some of her original albums go for when you get a moment. I did find one out in the wilds a few years ago, and I'm keeping it.

Ownership: CD: 1993 Erdenklang. Jewel case. Liner and bio notes. Also features an 18:30 minute bonus track that is very much like the album proper.

Former ownership: LP: 1983 Nada Pulse. I didn't own this very long and switched to the CD early on. The bonus track makes it the easy keeper choice.

1992 (first listen); 2004 (notes); 2009; 1/20/25 (review / new entry)

Aurora. 1977 USA-Texas (archival)

Aurora were from my old hometown of Dallas, and were a fusion band containing violin, guitar, and keyboards leading a traditional rhythm section. With that kind of lineup, want to take a crack at who they were emulating? Yep. Mahavishnu Orchestra. And with violin being the primary over the guitar, you can throw in Jean-Luc Ponty for good measure. And they do cover one track from him, while the other nine compositions are original. Apparently they were to reform when this CD was released, but not much came of it.

In reading the liner notes, some of my earliest music memories were brought to the fore. 1977 is when I really got into FM radio in earnest, and as mentioned here in a couple of places, KZEW was the leader for Album Rock. Therefore, it's no surprise to learn that most of this album is made up of a live recording arranged by the station. The first three tracks are studio recordings, though no better in sound quality honestly. In any case I was still a few years from knowing anything about jazz fusion, and didn't recognize the name Aurora when this CD first arrived onto the collecting scene. Grabbed it not long after release, filed it, and here we are some 25 years later for my first revisit. It certainly deserves more frequency than that.

Drummer Martin Metzgar is more known as Martin McCall. He was the drummer in Hands (later era) along with many other local bands and percussion ensembles. Of personal interest, he was also a guest at our house about 20 years ago after seeing one of his performances with a fellow friend.

Ownership: CD: 1999 Shroom. Jewel case. Contains a full history, photos, and newspaper clippings.

2000 (first listen); 1/20/25 (review / new entry)

BullAngus. 1971 USA-New York

Hudson Valley's finest BullAngus (name stylized as such) broke onto the American stage with a grittier hard rock sound than most of their contemporaries. The dual guitarists are clearly the focus. BullAngus were certainly of their era, and you might find yourself pining for some cowbell. They also brought a few more ideas to the table than what was expected in North America at this time. Great organ work and even a little recorder (those high school private lessons finally paying off no doubt). They've got that Rare Earth and Grand Funk Railroad white boy funk thing going too. They never go off the leash for extended jamming (though there's plenty of solos), preferring to stay close to the song. 

Interesting to note that the producer says "Riff-rock should be played loud." So they called it that, eh?

Ownership: LP: 1971 Mercury. Uni-pak styled gatefold. Found at the Dallas Record show (1993).

No reissues exist as I enter this post.

1993 (first listen); 11//05; 1/7/25 (review / new entry)

The 45 Revolution

As noted in the Happy New Year note, I have a new blog that carries most of my 45 / SP notes. Its focus will be on obscure 45s in genres I like and / or collect.

Check it out!

https://the-45-revolution.blogspot.com/