Realm - Endless War. 1988 USA-Wisconsin

For their second album Suiciety I wrote (snippets of): "From a musical perspective, it's an astounding achievement... A word of caution for the newbie - the vocals are an acquired taste, just like all bands operating in this genre. He's an air raid siren for sure, but I think it fits the music perfectly. As with many albums in this space, the compositions tend to spray all over the place... In conclusion, there is simply no other album like Suiciety."

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Well except their debut of course ;-) Jim Bartz is at the controls again, but he didn't infuse this album with electronics like on Suiciety. And honestly the production could have used a boost, all lessons the band learned on their sophomore effort. But as far as the music goes, yep, it's an impenetrable mess of riffs and ideas. Albums like this grow with each listen, and I suspect that will happen here. Realm were simply one of the best at this genre. Apparently they reformed a few years ago. Would be nice to hear them try for another effort.

Ownership: LP: 1988 R/C. Single sleeve. Purchased at Joint Custody in Washington D.C. while there on business (2023).

12/20/23 (new entry)

Voivod - Dimension Hatross. 1988 Canada-Quebec

For my review of the prior Killing Technology I wrote: "It's still not my favorite type of thrash metal - and it is noisy. I think part of the issue I had was the date itself. 1987 is awfully late for this kind of post punky scratchy thrash with screamed vocals. I wanted some muscle in my music! Killing Technology is not heavy in my opinion. But it's definitely still thrash metal. Metallica was already on their 4th opus, and continuing to progress - at least technically. On close listen, Voivod is also technical, but it's lost in the barrage of sound. But I have to give Voivod credit - they just keep coming at you. This album is relentless in its riffing. There are no breathers here. They're going for broke for the entire 40 minutes. I hadn't really given this much thought before, but there are parallels here with the first Coroner album, another band that was a little late to the party, but improved exponentially in a short period of time. I could see this album growing in stature for me, now that I have my mind adjusted to the contents within. Gee, I really need to hear Dimension Hatross sometime..."

And that day finally arrived. Are there many differences to the above? Not as much as I had expected, but yes there are. They're still pretty noisy, but the sound is easier to dissect and digest. The vocals are becoming more softened and melodic. And the music is even more complex. They're still not that heavy - certainly nowhere near where a lot of bands were in 1988, which is clearly emerging as the prog year 1973 of heavy metal. I always wondered where Thought Industry got any of their ideas, their debut album being so unique. But one can hear some similarities here. The Milwaukee band Realm also comes to mind with the use of electronics. I love these make-it-up-as-you-go-along albums. I'm beginning to realize that metal had more of these albums than even progressive rock when it comes to sheer inventiveness.

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In addition to the above, the CD I have includes a full show from Montreal called Spectrum '88 - A Flawless Structure? While normally a live show by a metal band doesn't pique my interest much, I was most curious how Voivod would sound minus the studio dressing. It's most interesting to hear these compositions in raw sound, but in general the music held its own. Sounding more like a progressive Motorhead at this point. Also fun to hear the band bantering with the audience in "street French". Very enjoyable on the whole and worth owning with the studio album.

Ownership: CD: 2017 Noise (Europe). 2xCD + 1 DVD. Triple fold out digi-pak with complete liner notes, a full concert, photos, and a DVD filled with more shows and outtakes. I haven't seen or heard the DVD yet - for another day. It's not easy these days to get me to buy a new CD online unless I find it at a thrift shop. But this one is a no brainer. What a great overall package. It's also likely to prevent me from paying retail at a record store for the original LP, though I could always luck out and find it - I'd keep both then. 

9/24/22 (new entry)

Apocrypha - The Eyes of Time. 1988 USA-Nevada

As the years go by, it becomes clearer that the heyday of metal was in the late 80s and early 90s, before the genre was taken over by groove, nu, rap, death, and everything else that I don't really enjoy much. 1988 in particular was a blow out year, one that I missed real time (for the most part) as I had just started working and was putting my paycheck to rare Euro prog items (a most fortuitous move). So while I made the right decision for certain, I did miss out on some great metal. But with a little hustle, these albums can be attained for a reasonable amount even today.

Apocrypha is one of those bands. Perhaps not the most radical or interesting, but certainly a good mid level entry into what is now known as US Power Metal. There are elements of thrash and progressive rock here - even a little shred - but it's a very interesting album without much conformity. I had dashed off a review of their debut in a roundup back in May, but eventually I'll flesh that out a bit more in the future. With involved tracks like 'Twilight of Modern Man', 'Alexander the King', 'H.G. Wells', and 'Mystic', I think it's safe to say Apocrypha had more on their minds than girls, rockin', pills, and booze. The production is a bit off on this one, and it takes a bit for the ears to adjust. I wasn't completely enamored at first, but it grew on me, just as many other albums of its ilk have. Whether this falls into the "too much of the same thing" category remains to be seen. Not even sure the genre will allow for that.

Ownership: LP: 1988 Shrapnel. Single sleeve. Picked up from my local seller friend, and at his usual cut rate price.

9/6/22 (new entry)

Fates Warning - No Exit. 1988 USA-Connecticut

Fates Warning's 4th album is most noted for two things: 1) The introduction of new (and current) vocalist Ray Alder and 2) The introduction of the sidelong track to prog metal. Hello... Yes! Concerning the former, I think universally everyone has accepted and admired Ray Alder. He's more than an accomplished singer, and he's proven to be the perfect front man for the band. For most of their existence by this point. Personally I prefer the rawer, more amateurish John Arch, but you can also put me in the pro-Alder camp. As for the latter, the hype sticker is hilarious: "Features the epic 'Ivory Gate of Dreams' a twenty-one minute metal musical journey that makes rock history". Isn't that... cute? I mean technically each new album makes rock history, but I feel confident that the sidelong track had been done prior. Even in metal (Venom anyone?). But yea, I was super stoked metal was going in this direction too. The aforementioned side-longer isn't really a full composition, but rather 8 separate songs / interludes under one umbrella. I remember bristling about it at the time, rather than embracing the whole idea of the future of metal. Typical overcritical youthful perspective. Fates Warning were really the pioneers of prog metal, and I've always preferred their rougher Iron Maiden-ish take versus the more professional and sleek Dream Theater, though there's plenty of room for both in my world. I also happened to see the band live during this era at a small venue (November 1989, Dallas City Limits), so objectivity yields to nostalgia. Rates excellent in my book.

Ownership: LP: 1988 Metal Blade. Single sleeve with lyric insert. Recent online acquisition. Something of an outlier here. I first bought this at a Sound Warehouse in Dallas upon release. Kept it forever, and was part of my "silted port" metal collection. No way would I ever sell their first 3 LPs, but I felt this one was expendable and sold it off a few years ago. Ehhh, maybe I should not have done that. The only way I buy it back is if the new copy is better than the old one. That's going to be tough, because it was in super condition. But yes! Found one still in shrink, with hype sticker, and played maybe once (or not). Perfect. Paid the same price as what I sold the old one for. OK, good save. Whew. Honestly that rarely happens anymore, as I'm pretty guarded about what LPs get sold from the personal collection, but this came with a satisfying ending.

1/6/22 (new entry)

Spectral Incursion - Anthology. 1986-2010. USA-Massachusetts

And the hits keep on coming. Add Boston's Spectral Incursion to the ever growing list of unknown late 80s American metal bands that were pushing the creative envelope beyond its wildest dreams. Originally known as Graven Image, Anthology captures every song the band ever released + unreleased demos and newly recorded material. Like Slauter Xstroyes, the music is not particularly heavy, but it certainly belongs to metal. And the songwriting is as random and nutty as the aforementioned SX. In fact, I think their earlier material when they were still Graven Image may have been their peak, at least in terms of creativity. But by 1991, the band were clearly a honed in professional unit. It's a tragedy they never could get past the private cassette stage. If tech thrash, or what we used to call technical metal, is your bag then Spectral Incursion is an easy recommendation. File along with first album Sieges Even, Watchtower, and the rest of them.

Ownership: CD: 2011 Stormspell. Recent online acquisition. Great 2 CD set chock full of liner notes and music you aren't going to find anywhere else. Originally released as a numbered edition of 500 copies, the label apparently went for a repress, as my copy is not numbered, nor is there space to place a number. As such, the CD is still readily available. I can't imagine that always being the case, so grab it while you can.

Blind Illusion - The Sane Asylum. 1988 USA-California

Blind Illusion were yet another Bay Area metal band who featured two members that later were to form Primus. The Sane Asylum is an album I bought upon release based on the overwhelmingly positive reviews, promising a highly creative thrash metal effort. At the time it did not click with me, and a few years later I parted with it. Recently I had another opportunity to pick an original up at a reasonable cost, and this time I'm enjoying considerably more. So what was the original problem and why is it more appealing now? It's the production - or lack thereof. It's incredibly thin, and you really have to crank up the stereo to get any kind of impact. In 1988 I would have been looking for more crunch and heaviness. Today that isn't as important as the compositions themselves, which really are wildly all over the place - within each song. I've always enjoyed this era of late 80s metal when bands were making it up as they went along. Controlled chaos. Still, this is no prog album and there's no question of its metal heritage, but the impact is diminished by its production.

Ownership: LP: 1988 Combat. Recent online acquisition.

Megadeth - So Far, So Good... So What! 1988 USA

As noted on my scribbling about Peace Sells, Megadeth is a band I largely ignored during their classic 80s thrash years. As I began to research this title, it became apparent that the general consensus is So Far is the weak link between their two recognized lauded titles Peace Sells and Rust in Peace. This comes as a surprise to me, as I hear the album no better or worse than the others. The opening two tracks alone set the table quite nicely. 'Into the Lungs of Hell' is a fully developed instrumental -  an unusual opening move - which then segues into the brilliant 'Set the World Afire'. I found the riffs here to be inventive and exciting. 'Mary Jane' is another highlight which adds in a distinct psychedelic element, not surprising given the title. Not sure I can name too many tracks from the 80s thrash era that incorporated 60s psych into the mix. The one track that seems to escape criticism is the slower and heavier 'In My Darkest Hour' (dedicated to Metallica's Cliff Burton). But if there's one thing I've noticed about thrash albums, it's the slower tracks pack more punch because of the setting. The constant fast pace takes a toll on the ears after awhile.

So what seems to be the problem here among the fan base? One common criticism is the production. It sounds perfectly fine, crisp, and thick to me. But then again I'm listening to the 2004 remaster and not the original. I'm left to guess then that much of this was improved upon. Or not, and folks still don't like it. Then there's the cover of The Sex Pistols' 'Anarchy in the UK'. It seems everyone loses their mind here, as they want to dis the album, and this gives them the ammo they need to do so. It's a pretty straightforward cover, and yes I'd agree it's entirely unnecessary. The problem is it's an awful song by an awful group. Not to say The Sex Pistols don't have their place in history, but songwriting isn't what they built their legacy on. One 3 minute skip track doesn't ruin the whole barrel.

For me, coming to this album some 31 years later, with no preconceived notions nor any kind of peer pressure, I thought it excellent. Lucky me I guess.

CD: 2004 Capitol

Excellent reissue with Mustaine's notes, photos,and lyrics.

Architectural Metaphor - Odysseum Galacti. 1988 / 1994 USA-Massachusetts

The early 90s were an exciting time for us fans of unhinged space rock. After years of dormancy, the style was beginning a new renaissance, and bands were coming from all corners of the Earth to display their unique talents. Enter Boston's Architectural Metaphor, a band that continues to operate today in one form or fashion.

I had purchased this CD not long after it first became available, on the promises of a modern Ash Ra Tempel and the like. As was often the case back then, disappointment ensued, as this is quite a ways from the original cosmic Krautrock sound. Dutifully I picked up their second album Creature of the Velvet Void some three years later, and filed both away. At some point not long after that, while doing some weeding out of the collection, Odysseum Galacti came up as a candidate, listened - and decided to sell. Gone. And that was my Architectural Metaphor story...

...Until three years ago when the aforementioned Creature of the Velvet Void was rediscovered hiding deep in my collection. I was mightily impressed, and grateful I'd kept it (notes under that entry). In addition I re-added the band to my ever growing want list for the off chance a bargain copy of any of their other CDs would waft under my nose. And that day has come.

So what of Odysseum Galacti and did I let a monstrously great album slip through my fingers in a fit of housekeeping? Well... no. I can understand why I let this one fly. However, my lower rating was considerably off, probably a rationalization of my actions back then. So let's get to the music here (that would be good of you, Genius Hans). The majority of the album was actually recorded in 1988. It's pretty sludgy stuff when one considers the fuzzy guitars and synthesizers and not-so-great production. Then there's the small matter that most of the percussion is of the drum-machine variety. Eck. Still, not all is lost here, and some of these tracks jam rather nicely, especially the final two 'Anu' and 'We've Come For Your Children'. If looking for comparisons here, I'd say Milwaukee's F/i would be a good starting point. The best is saved for last though, as the two live tracks are both from 1994, and the pared down trio has improved leaps and bounds, and real drums are now in play. Deb Young is gaining confidence behind the kit, and her space whisperer voice is becoming more crucial to their sound. One can easily see why their sophomore effort was so much better. 

Ownership: CD: 1994 ArcMet. Jewel case. Booklet with recording details and photos.

1994 (first listen); 2/15/19 (review / new entry); 10/21/24

The Bevis Frond - Triptych. 1988 England

Triptych is The Bevis Frond's 3rd proper studio album not counting comps and the like. The deal with Nick Saloman is he brings forth 2 distinct types of music to most of his recordings. The first is what I'll call "straight songs". While ostensibly from the neo psych school, I've found the music to be more toward the alternative/indie/college rock sound of the 80s. The singing tends to be flat and monotone, missing out on the wonderful harmonies of the 60s. Not to mention a lack of melodies in general. The music just sort of lays there, strumming chords, and plowing through each song, each duller than the last. The other side of The Bevis Frond is the jam element. And it's here that Saloman and Co really shine. He has a real knack for providing intense solos where needed, or creating the proper Kosmiche atmosphere - with a creaky old organ no less - so as to set the table for these solos. In effect I think he's a masterful psychedelic guitarist, more of the early 70s school... ...and a very generic songwriter. I realize not everyone will agree with me here, so for those of you who have a similar disposition to mine, then the albums you want to seek out are the ones with the most instrumental impact.

And Triptych is that album. In fact I'd say the very best of his entire catalog which is quite extensive (at least of those I've heard, which is most). Tracks like 'Into the Cryptic Mist', 'Phil Exorcises the Daemons', and 'Tangerine Infringement Beak' are great examples of this. There's even one fine "straight" song this time in 'The Daily Round'.

If you're looking for the right place to start with the Frond, and your background is more of a "head" who enjoys psychedelic in the cosmic Krautrock sense of the word, then I suggest you start right here with Triptych.

Personal collection
CD: 2001 Rubric (USA)

My first copy was the original US LP on Reckless purchased upon release. But at the time I didn't appreciate the contents and moved it out rather quickly. Many years later I picked up the CD. Which is the way to go as it features 6 very good and relevant bonus tracks.

Deja-Vu - Baroque in the Future. 1988 Japan

It all starts here for keyboard wizard Motoi Sakuraba, the famed video game composer from Japan. His debut solo album Gikyokuonsou is among the very best progressive rock albums from the fertile late 80s and early 90s Japanese scene. Deja-Vu was his rock band before going solo, and with that comes the advantages and pitfalls of a group setting. In general I'm of the mind that the synchronicity of a group usually outweighs the monolithic viewpoint of the individual. But in this case, I have to say the band is something of an encumbrance. Sakuraba is the primary songwriter, and fortunately most of the album is made up of instrumental work. And here Deja-Vu shines, though some of the synth tones are a bit too much late 80s if you know what I mean. One of the best tracks is 'Byzantium', the only song Sakuraba ported over for his debut, and is instantly recognizable. The downside of the album is when the band goes for traditional songwriting. The vocals are weak, and the songs tend to plod without much direction. They appear to be nothing more than a distraction until we can get to another cool instrumental section. So put Deja-Vu somewhere in between Social Tension, Providence, Gerard, and Outer Limits. Very much a product of the late 80s Japanese progressive rock scene. The beautiful cover cinches it as a keeper, but this isn't the best place to start either.

LP: 1988 Made in Japan

This is one I bought real time, and I probably hadn't heard it in 20 years until now (like a lot of my collection unfortunately).

July 22, 2019 update: Sold LP

Sieges Even - Life Cycle. 1988 Germany

Let's make it two in a row. What I said about Starcastle could apply here. Two entirely different genres, same beef. If you were looking for a technical metal album in 1988, you could seek out Watchtower... or Sieges Even*. Watchtower was first, therefore Sieges Even sucks. Huh? Nonsense of course. I'm a huge Watchtower fan, but for my Deutsche Marks, Life Cycle is the superior album. The compositions are just as dense, but the sound is heavier and the breaks are catchier. Sure lead singer Franz Herde shrieks like a zoo animal in pain, but that was the expected style-of-the-genre. It's not like Alan Tecchio sounded like Tony Bennett. It actually adds to the overall vibe of the organized chaos. I bought the LP not long after release, and it remains one of my all-time favorite metal albums. It's aged very well. The band were to change dramatically from here, never really regaining a foothold into tech metal again.

*It was actually called "Technical Metal" back then (not Tech Thrash). Check out some old Metal Forces mags if you don't believe me. I was a fan of the style from the get, so I was most interested in other bands similar.

Ownership: LP: 1988 Steamhammer. Single sleeve. Acquired from a friend in Florida (1990)

CD: 1988 Steamhammer. Jewel case.

1990; 12/10/16 (new entry)

Dark - Tamna Voda. 1988 Germany

Dark definitely has an Inner Mounting Flame burning on Tamna Voda, their second and final album. Guest L. Shankar has the spirit of Jerry Goodman flowing through his strings, while guitarist Miroslav Tadic emulates Mahavishnu John as much as possible. All the while, band leader Mark Nauseef keeps it all together with his ferocious drumming. Additional percussion keeps the party alive. There's the fire, water, earth, and air that was classic Mahavishnu Orchestra. David Torn is on board as well, and his atonal guitar contributions are obvious (and welcome), and the atmospheric pieces recalls his own Cloud About Mercury. The album loses momentum towards the end, but overall a very fine fusion work. It's modern and heavy, but the style clearly points to the early 70s. A long forgotten album that I think many fusion fans would enjoy.

Former ownership: CD: 1988 CMP. Jewel case. Simple booklet with recording details and a band photo.

2006 (first listen); 8/17/16 (new entry); 5/23/24