Nathan Mahl ~ Canada ~ Ottawa, Ontario

Heretik Volume 1: Body of Accusations (2000)

As noted in the The Clever Use of Shadows review, I was an early adopter to the progressive rock sounds of Nathan Mahl. So when Heretik Vol. 1 showed up, I picked up a copy relatively not long after release. I was very pleased with the contents, shelved, and then subsequently ignored the band for many years. I really don't remember the circumstances as to why I did this, though I suspect I was already becoming cognizant of the "too much of the same thing" phenomena that plagued me for years. It was only later in their career that I reacquainted myself with Nathan Mahl. By then I wasn't too keen on their move to a more modern type of progressive rock, that I largely rejected as a whole. My review of Justify, well, justifies my position. Because of this, I never went back to the second and third part of the Heretik series. While I'll continue to make no serious effort to do so, if I ever do get a chance to nab them on the fly, I'll be happy to check them out.

And that's because Heretik Vol. 1 remains a thoroughly enjoyable listen. The album is chock full of old school prog, and it's Guy LeBlanc's keyboards, both analog and digital, that carry the day. The 70s influences are undeniable, mostly from the bigger name UK prog stars from Yes to Genesis to, especially, Camel. The latter group he was to join in the same year. Not to take away from Mark Spenard's guitar work, which is also noticeably strong. Vocals are a weak point here, delivered by LeBlanc, though they are hardly dominant and the album is primarily instrumental. I do agree vocals are necessary for the purposes of flow and sound differentiation. But a more dynamic singer is needed for the complex compositions. I remember discussions "back in the day" (as in 2001) complaining about the drumming (back then all the prog fans complained - about everything it seemed - which is why I dropped out of the "community"). It's my understanding that LeBlanc had to step in last minute for this duty as well. I think he did an admirable job, and no concerns from me. Keeper this one is.

Ownership: 2000 Mahl (CD). Booklet with lyrics. Acquired in 2001.

2001; 2009; 3/9/13; 8/5/26 (review)
 

The Clever Use of Shadows (1998)

I've always liked Nathan Mahl - or at least the early albums. To this day I think Parallel Eccentricities is one of the hidden gems of the early 80s. After that album it seemed Nathan Mahl were a thing of the past. Which is why I remember being quite pleasantly surprised to hear LeBlanc resurface first with Mahl Dynasty and then again with Nathan Mahl. The Clever Use of Shadows was a great comeback, and due to its relative popularity, Nathan Mahl were to be a fixture of the progressive rock scene throughout the 2000 decade. Like the Odessa album I just commented on, The Clever Use of Shadows is yet another album buried in my collection that I couldn't recall anything about, and yes, it's been about 21 years since I last heard it. But this past week's listen put a smile on my face, and reinforced why I enjoy so much their first two albums. The compositions are dense, yet very melodic. It's mostly instrumental, but never showboaty, repetitive, or dull. Not an easy thing to accomplish, considering most instrumental prog is just that. Guy LeBlanc is no longer with us, but his musical legacy will be around for many years to come, as new generations will discover the quality within.

Ownership: 1998 Mahl (CD). Liners from Guy LeBlanc detailing each track. Acquired in 1999.

1999; 5/10/20 (review)

Justify (2014)

Nathan Mahl's latest album is a mix of instrumental heavy fusion and song oriented rock. The fusion tracks are all impressive in their sound textures and technical acumen, but seem nothing more than a skeleton structure for showboating solos. There's not much in the songwriting department I'm afraid to say. Meanwhile the vocal cuts are of the modern variety with annoying emotive vocals, and boom-boom-bash drumming - all over a slick-as-a-butter-dish synthesized production base. These vocal tracks really pull Nathan Mahl away from what they do best. Not a bad album at all, but disappointing for a band with a legacy such as Nathan Mahl had.

Former ownership: 2014 Unicorn Digital (CD). Acquired in 2014.

8/14/14 (review)

Other albums I own: Parallel Eccentricities

Albums previously owned: Exodus

5/10/20 (new entry)

FM ~ Canada ~ Toronto, Ontario

Direct to Disc (1978)

Funny to watch my trajectory with FM, a band I couldn't be bothered with in my initial foray into progressive rock back in the 80s and 90s. Yes, I had heard all of their albums back in the day, since they were common then too. I had at least one friend insist that I should at least like the album I'm listening to right now, but I wasn't having any of it.

Now I'm a big fan of all their initial four albums. And, yes, Direct to Disc is certainly the most progressive oriented of the lot. There's also a strong electronic component here as well. Cameron Hawkins is completely unleashed here. Vocals are kept to a minimum, and there's no intent for securing a radio hit. In this way, I'm going to categorize the album different then their brethren.

You'd think an audiophile limited edition record, on a small label, would be worth serious dinero right? While certainly this title holds the most value, it's hardly a bank breaker. And for a limited edition, there sure are a lot of pressings out there. Making the premise faulty from the beginning. Ironically I found this for the cheapest price of them all, recently digging it out of a 25 cent bin. My entire FM LP collection cost me less than $5. 

Ownership: 1978 Labyrinth (LP). Gatefold. Acquired in 2026.

4/6/26 (review)

Surveillance (1979)

Musically Surveillance is very much the sound of the aforementioned Black Noise combined with City of Fear. Each album takes baby steps to more commercial realms, but they're proggers at heart, keeping the music interesting throughout. Suddenly I've become a late-in-life fan of FM.

Ownership: 1979 Passport Canada (LP). Acquired in 2023.

10/27/23 (review)

Black Noise (1978) 

Black Noise is an excellent example of proggy AOR music with fat sounding synthesizers, violin, and a strong rhythm section (Cameron Hawkins performs double duty on bass). Fits well in that unique Canadian niche of groups such as Saga, Dillinger, Klaatu, Avalon, etc... A couple of years ago I was pleasantly surprised by City of Fear, and so goes Black Noise. 

Ownership: 1978 Visa (LP). Acquired in 2023.

10/22/23 (review)

City of Fear (1980) 

This is just the kind of album I poo-pooed in my youth. Constantly pushed in my face as "prog", I tended to react negatively. Well it's not Yes, but it's definitely proggy. And over the years I've really been drawn to that late 70s "prog AOR" music. And these Canadians have a great thick sound. Many highlights can be found here. Very much in the Saga, Klaatu mold. 

Ownership: 1980 Passport (LP). Gatefold. Acquired in 2021.

11/29/21 (review)

4/6/26 (new entry)

True Myth ~ Canada ~ Ontario

True Myth (1979)

---12/14/09

Much was made at the time of release that True Myth's sole album was the first ever all digital recording from Canada. I guess it's ironic, then, that the album remains unissued in digital format. This is obviously a big budget affair, complete with a thick gatefold cover, lengthy liner notes, and a brilliant production. Musically, even though it's from Canada, it has much in common with the US Midwest prog rock scene of the mid 1970s. 1979 was a little late for an album like this, and there's the expected obvious commercial AOR moves. Excellent high energy piano work recalling Festa Mobile, for an obscure reference. A good album that is generally panned by the progressive rock community. But I have a soft spot for this kind of stuff and recommend it to those who like groups such as Ethos, Styx, and Sunblind Lion.

---3/2/26

That entry was for the CDRWL, and shortly thereafter, a CD appeared out of Japan on Belle Antique. The album now makes its debut on UMR. 

Named for keyboardist and principle songwriter Tom Treumuth, the London, Ontario based band were blessed with a large budget. How successful album sales were would be anybody's guess, but there's plenty of supply in the used marketplace. I didn't mention it above, but once again Gentle Giant can be used as a reference here, a very common occurrence for the region. In reflection this album really should have made the big time. It has everything that was expected from the era, including great songs, production, and musicianship. Special mention goes to guitarist Tony Cook who lights it up on more than one occasion. Excellent mellotron on B1. In reflection, the album is more progressive rock oriented than I had realized before. All the short form tracks pack in a lot of ideas per bar.

Perhaps it was just too progressive for its own good, and there really isn't any notable hooks that linger after the listening session has stopped. Which is why novelty records tend to do better in real time, though they rarely age well. A3 was probably their best shot, sounding quite a bit like same era Supertramp.  An impressive debut, but sadly it was to be their last. Though there's no doubt the band would have been forced to adapt to the upcoming New Wave trends or go underground. The latter option would be doubtful.

Ownership: 1979 Warner Bros. (LP). Gatefold. Multi page poster lyric and historical insert made to look like tractor feed printer paper. Acquired in 1992.

1992; 12/14/09 (review); 3/2/26 (update / new entry)

The Spirit Of Christmas / Christmas ~ Canada ~ Toronto, Ontario

Lies To Live By (1974)

Lies To Live By was one of my earliest discoveries of non-English progressive rock. Found the LP at one of the Dallas record shows while still in college (likely the summer since I was in Lubbock otherwise, and I had intern earnings to spend). For whatever reason I have yet to document the album in any forum, so best to get on that.

I wasn't sure what to make of the music back in '86. It wasn't immediately likeable, at least for my tastes then. There was one exception, which I'll cover below. A couple of years later I traded it for something more to my liking, only to obtain it again (brand new as it turns out) in a collection buy in 1994. By then I had secured the CD, and wheeled and dealed a sweet return that I'm sure I still have today (did that a lot from '94-'96). A few years ago I paid handsomely for a super nice original, and that will be its resting place.

Today I hear the album as a bonafide progressive rock classic, so what was the original problem? For one, it does take a bit to get going. A1 and A3 are more in the folk rock vein, though A2 certainly introduces proggy concepts. Today I hear all three as excellent, as they are all subtlety progressive. It isn't until 'War Story' that The Spirit of Christmas gets into The Spirit of Progressive Rock. The way the track is structured, and the mellotron use, recalls the great Kestrel. The latter a band I wouldn't know for some years later. Not sure my brain was around any kind of AOR concepts at that time.

The major exception to my initial ennui was 'Factory'. This is Rush before Rush was Rush. Make sense? That is to say, what Rush became in the late 70s, not how they started. A mixture of hard rock and prog, the track moves in multiple directions with some dynamite guitar and tricky rhythms. A whole album in this style would have likely been labeled an all-time classic by just about everyone. Unfortunately it was the only highlight for me at the time, likely due to its heaviness.

This takes us to the 11:30 minute closer, for which I was expecting an epic closer. And didn't get it. From a flow perspective they probably should have flipped the two B-side songs for a stronger ending. I was younger and more impatient at age 21, so it wasn't what I was hoping. Today, knowing full well the contents throughout, I find it an excellent way to go out. It's more English sounding than North American, and demonstrates the maturity the band possessed at that time. And that was the end of the various incarnations of Christmas. Band leader Bob Bryden went in various directions after this, which he's taken the time to well document.

Ownership: 1974 Daffodil (LP). Gatefold. Reacquired in 2022. First acquired in 1986.

1986; 1995; 11/29/17; 2/23/26 (review)

Once owned both Christmas and Heritage. They were boots and I long sold them off. Need to revisit both at some point.

2/23/26 (new entry)

Rush ~ Canada ~ Toronto, Ontario

Rush were one of the first bands for me to get into, not surprising given my progressive rock disposition, even if I had no clue what that would have even meant in 1978. That year, Rush released Hemispheres and I bought it upon release. I must have listened to that album hundreds of times, pouring over the lyrics, and immersing myself in the instrumental 'La Villa Strangiato'. In addition, as was my pattern, I began to collect the back catalog, including 2112 (my school peers' favorite choice), Caress of Steel, and A Farewell to Kings. A buddy picked up the first two, but I wasn't too much into them back then. When Permanent Waves hit the shelves, I was there on Day 1. Loved it - still do. And a year later came Moving Pictures. Well now, hmmm, yea OK, I like it, kinda, well sort of, maybe not. Maybe. 

Over time, I've reconciled in a big way with Moving Pictures. As it turns out, that is also where I got off the Rush bus. I was entirely disgusted with Signals and even worse was Grace Under Pressure - both albums I've also long reconciled with. By Power Windows I didn't even know who Rush were anymore.

Vapor Trails (2002)

So here we go again with a late era Rush album that I seem to enjoy buying for a couple of bucks - and then panning it - calling more attention to my own (apparent) insanity than anything the band did to earn it. After the group went through some personal tragedies, Vapor Trails arrived six years after Test for Echo. From the beginning I thought I had the wrong disc in the changer. Neil Peart brings out his inner Keith Moon and the guitars from Alex Lifeson are truly hard rock. A very energetic opening for a band that was half asleep for the prior 15 years. Apparently this was their first album to not feature keyboards since their very early days. Essentially it was to be a back to the roots album. But is it? Not really. The music is Grace Under Pressure without the gloss or synthesizers. So it misses the magic of the 80s style and optimism. Vapor Trails is more like a cynical take on the hard rock genre of the 2000s. No By-Tor and the Snow Dog for you. I have no idea why Rush rejected prog rock vehemently back in the early 80s. It's as if they were offended to be called a prog band. At times I could hear Vapor Trails maybe going down the Voivod - The Outer Limits direction. But no such luck. It's not near that creative. Rather than back to the roots, it's more like back to being a dumb kid. Why do that? Why are intellectuals oftentimes embarrassed of their own brains?

I thought for certain, after the first few notes, that I would enjoy this more than Counterparts. But this one fell to the bottom tier of Rush albums for me. Looks like RYM agrees with my assessment.

Apparently many folks were critical of the original mix and that the 2013 remix is much better. If I find it, I'll report back here.

Source: 2002 Atlantic (CD)

8/16/25 (review)

2112 (1976)

When hearing 2112 for the first time all the way through in probably 25 years, I had something of a revelation. That this album may be my least favorite of their studio classic run all the way up through Grace Under Pressure. This or Fly By Night maybe. Which is a strange occurrence when you realize that Rush's progressive instincts were on full display here. The album starts fantastically, as the opening of the side long title track packs a wallop. It veers off from there though, and there are moments of songcraft that seem to go nowhere. Side 2 brings us back to Rush's short form composition abilities, not seen since the aforementioned Fly By Night. And they really aren't the best tunes Rush has to offer. Interesting to note they didn't try their hand at shorter songs again (as a focus) until Moving Pictures many years later. By no means am I suggesting 2112 isn't a very good album, one that I would still argue is mandatory for a complete Rush collection (and I currently own three formats myself). The competition is fierce, and when held in that light, 2112 pales.

Ownership: 

1976 Mercury (LP) Gatefold 

Mercury (CD) 80s pressing

1976 Mercury (MC)

1981 (acquired); 6/13/25 (review)

Counterparts (1993)

As the years rolled on, many of my music buddies were still hanging onto Rush, hoping against hope that they really were still a great band. I can remember the buzz around Counterparts in 1993. I was so hopelessly deep into the underground by then, Rush seemed like a blurry memory of my childhood. I could care less what they were up to, but a friend was thrilled. He proclaimed enthusiastically "It has a couple of good songs!" Down to that are we? A couple of good songs. That's something I've noticed with rabid fans of their favorite groups from their youth. Apologists to the core. Whether it be Yes, Genesis, Pink Floyd, Rush, what have you, as long as they're still breathing, playing live, and releasing new albums, all is OK. Even if those new albums aren't really anything special. So with that, I heard Counterparts for the first time recently. Hey you know what? It has a couple of good songs! lol. I will say it's miles better than Presto to my ears, which isn't saying much. Rush seems to have this irrational desire to be hip and relevant, when their fan base holds them to their past. Their live shows are filled with classics not new stuff. Why didn't they get that? Who knows, but Counterparts is heavier than they've been in a while, and the first couple of cuts are well done. Then off to plastic land they go and the fast forward button gets some use. The great track here (have to wait until #9) is the rare instrumental 'Leave That Thing Alone'. One wonders why they didn't do more of this? According to RYM, Counterparts is their best album between Power Windows and their swan song Clockwork Angels. That doesn't bode well for the others. Though same website has Counterparts better than their debut and Caress of Steel. That's insane.

Source: 1993 Atlantic (CD)

2/27/25 (review)

Hold Your Fire (1987)

Hard rock by reputation only. One wonders what the point of Rush's albums were during this era. They were far removed from their legacy and now their music sounded dated even by 80s standards. Dull. 

Source: 1987 Mercury (MC)

7/2/24 (review)
 

Caress of Steel (1975) 

This is a foundational album for me, having first purchased it in 1979 at the ripe old age of 14. 'The Necromancer' is one of those epics that shaped my musical tastes versus satisfying them. Brilliant in every way, I spent my youth looking for similar sounds. 'Bastille Day' makes for a great hard rock opener, and 'The Fountain of Lamneth' was their first attempt at a side longer. A bit awkward in places, it's still a fine piece. They would later nail the long form composition perfectly on Hemispheres. For the first time ever, I even heard some decent progressions on 'I Think I'm Going Bald', one of their worst early era tracks. After all these years, nostalgia pushed this to a +1 as well.

Ownership: 1976 Mercury (LP). Gatefold.

1979 (acquired); 10//06; 7/26/23 (review)

Grace Under Pressure (1984) 

---Mar 2005

This one came out after I’d pretty much written off the group altogether. So this is really the first time I’ve heard the album with any kind of objective presence. Definitely a continuation of where the band had been heading since Permanent Waves. A more mature, confident, and consistent work than Signals. ‘Distant Early Warning’ is the right kind of radio hit – one that sticks with you in a good way. The transformation from 70’s big idea prog to 80’s sophisticated slick rock was completed here. They would go too far on Power Windows and the long, painful journey to obsolescence had begun.

---7/26/23

I mentioned recently that Signals was the first Rush album for me not to buy real time and that Power Windows was their first for me to outright reject. But what about the one in between those two? I was now three years away from embracing anything new from Rush, but I have to admit that Grace Under Pressure sounded better back then to my ears than its predecessor. Seemed punchier and more melodic. Essentially it was here they had mastered what they had set out to do - release a commercially viable product for the 80s. However by 1984 I wasn't regressing back to the radio albums but was boldly going forward towards the Euro underground. It would be another 20 years before I bought Grace Under Pressure and heard it throughout. Last night I enjoyed a +1 listen and I now hold it at the same level as Moving Pictures. And it's the last excellent album by them, at least of the ones I've heard plus what I've read about those I have not.

Ownership: 

1984 Mercury (LP)

1984 Mercury (MC)

3//05 (acquired); 7/26/23 (review)

Exit...Stage Left (1981) 

Exit...Stage Left makes for a great compilation and setlist, but the music is exactly the same as the studio versions. I saw them live in Dallas in 1981, and even that potential nostalgia pull doesn't happen here. I didn't buy this album real time, and I didn't need to now either.

Source: 1981 Mercury (2xLP)

7/18/23 (review)

Presto (1989)

When I would first hear any Rush album from Power Windows on, I immediately had a dislike for them. And in fact, my recent revisit of Power Windows confirmed my initial findings, but I did think it was better than I originally thought. What about Presto? OMG no. This is just not for me. It's one thing for Rush to have shed all of their hard rock leanings, but the songwriting here is almost non-existent. It's as if The Police decided to release an album of their trademark sound, but without any melodies. No matter how much rationalization I bring to listening to this, I can't reconcile any of it. One wonders if anyone would have paid attention to albums like Presto if it didn't carry the Rush brand? 

Source: 1989 Mercury (LP)

7/16/23 (review)

  

Fly By Night (1975) 

As I stated on the debut, the key to enjoying the early Rush albums is to view them through a mid 70s Midwest hard rock lens, versus a full blown prog act. Now songs like 'By-Tor and the Snow Dog' sound incredible in that context. And a major reason why Rush built a cult audience early.

Ownership: 1977 Mercury (LP)

12/7/11 (acquired); 7/10/23 (review)

Power Windows (1985)

If Signals was the first Rush album for me to not acquire real time, then Power Windows was the first album for me to entirely reject. As with Saga's Behaviour, once you get past the shock of the middle 80s slick-as-a-butter-dish production, the music isn't so bad. The problem here is most of the songs sound exactly alike. I couldn't tell you one from the other even after a headphones listen. So yea, I still don't need this.

Source: 1985 Mercury Germany (CD)

6/22/23 (review)
 

Permanent Waves (1980)

One of those origin story albums for me. Bought this on the day of release, while still in high school (early high school at that). It never transcends the 4 stars I have on it, but I always expect it to. As I said on the Moving Pictures review, it's really amazing how they were able to tap into the future of music without letting go of their principles. I think they finally lost the plot by the middle 80s, but in 1980 this was some stellar music. Thoughtful hard rock with a commercial sensibility. Not their best album (I still go with the predecessor to this) but close to it.

Ownership: 

1980 Mercury (LP). Lyric insert

Mercury (CD). Remastered

1980 Mercury (MC)

1980 (acquired); 2//05; 9/22/14; 1/17/23 (review)

Rush (1974)

Like with many debut's, Rush's entrance into this world was much different than who they became and what they were known for. Though some do not like that I linked Ontario with the American Midwest for my RYM list, the fact remains that the landscape was very similar throughout the 70s. And Rush was very much part of that scene, playing clubs and small venues. Straight up hard rock was the best game in town, and interest in the band was nominal at best. Along with their management, they were able to scrape together just enough scratch to record and release both an album and a 45 on their own (both go for a small fortune today). One of those scarce copies managed to get to Cleveland's WMMS, and a female program director by the name of Donna Halper placed the song 'Working Man' into their regular rotation, figuring it would appeal to their blue collar fan base. Imagine that? She also was able to get the attention of Phonogram, based in Chicago, and the rest is history as they say.

Drummer John Rutsey was not just a tagalong member, but rather he was one of the two founders (along with Alex Lifeson) and was a major part of their original sound. He wanted to stay the course with the driving hard rock the band had established a small reputation for. But Lifeson and Geddy Lee (nee Weinrib) wanted to add prog rock elements and go a different direction. Along with Rutsey's health problems, it was decided a change was needed. Auditions were held, and they selected brainiac Neil Peart as their new drummer and lyric writer. The die was cast.

As a listener, it helps to put your mind into the 1974 landscape (which I did last night resulting in a +1 listen). Wet T-Shirt night and jammin' guitars was the name of the game. The cheaper the beer - the better. More for the merrier, that is to say. In that light, the great tracks here are opener 'Finding My Way', 'What You're Doing', and 'Before and After'. Best of all is the track that Ms. Halper thought would appeal to Cleveland's hard working industrial base: 'Working Man'. This song would remain as the sole representative the band took forward for their live set from their debut. If you don't go in expecting 2112 or Hemispheres, and you like hard rock, then there's a good chance to you might really enjoy Rush's debut.

Ownership: 1976 Mercury (LP)

12/7/11 (acquired); 8/14/22 (review)

Moving Pictures (1981)

On Moving Pictures, Rush were clearly moving away from their 70s prog rock roots and entering the 80s decade. In retrospect, they were pioneers, a band with the foresight and wisdom to predict the mood and whim of the fans. It's Side 1 that everyone knows from the album - 'Tom Sawyer', 'Red Barchetta', and 'Limelight' being instant radio hits. Ones you still hear to this day everywhere. A close study reveals a lot of invention and thought, wrapped around a commercial sensibility the band had lacked prior. The move to synthesizers proved to be prescient. "ygrek ygrek zed" (the Toronto airport of course) was the one track that took me in instantly, and recalled my fave 'La Villa Strangiato' from the beginning of my Rush journey. But in compact form, like everything else on the album  So in recent listens (twice in three years - amazing regularity!), it's been side 2 that requires my focus, as I rarely remember anything about it. Ironically it's the more progressive rock oriented side and has aged incredibly well for me.

I still have the ticket stub of the concert I saw in April 1981 at Reunion Arena in Dallas (funny that it was still a new arena then. Been out of service for over 18 years now), which adds more nostalgia points to the formula.

Ownership: 
1981 Mercury (LP) 

1997 Mercury (CD). Remastered.

1988 Mercury (MC)

2//81 (acquired); 2//05; 7/15/14; 12/20/18; 1/12/22 (review)

A Farewell to Kings (1977)

---Feb 2005

This is in the breadbasket of their classic era. Longest track, the eleven minute ‘Xanadu’, is the template for the classic Rush power prog sound. Many theme and rhythm changes without compromising any heaviness. ‘Closer to the Heart’ was one of the original Bic-lighter swaying songs. Who cares about the next two songs cause who could wait for ‘Cygnus X-1’, perhaps their greatest composition ever and heralded the arrival of Hemispheres, certainly their finest hour. What an ending!

---8/4/19

Rush's 5th studio album A Farewell to Kings represents core music from my adolescent years. Hard to imagine the needle moving much by this point. It's an excellent album that will always be, never to improve or to decline. 'Cygnus X-1' remains my favorite of a great set of tunes.

Ownership: Mercury Netherlands (LP). Gatefold with lyrics in the centerpiece. 

1979 (first acquired); 2//05 (review); 2/7/15; 8/4/19 (update) 

Also own and need to review: Hemispheres; Signals; Test for Echo

Owned previously: All the World's A Stage

8/22/20 (new entry)

Nightwinds ~ Canada ~ Ontario

Nightwinds (1979 / 1991)

Nightwinds were a Canadian prog band from the late 70s who recorded an album but didn't get a chance to release it, and off into the netherworld the group went. Rescued by The Laser's Edge, it would be 12 years (recent by archival standards) before the album made its debut. Ironically its arrival came a bit late for me and my running set of the era. We were all "Genesis'd out" by then. One of us bought the album and we all sampled it, but another band going down the Gabriel-era Genesis road was not what we were looking for at the time. Back then we bought just about every prog album that was released, but I decided against this title. By 1991 I was deep diving all over the world looking for the best prog albums ever made or were being made. Nightwinds wasn't where my dollars were going. Besides I was still mostly an "LP only" guy. Mostly from a financial perspective rather than for audiophile reasons.

It wasn't until 2009 that I finally sat down and heard the album all the way through. By then I was open to hear any good album, as my exhaustive searching for prog nirvana had reached its logical conclusion (not that I had heard everything, just the quest had leveled off). And yea, Nightwinds is really good actually. By that time Nightwinds was years out of print, and copies were selling for top dollar. It's OK, I'll wait.

And here we are 16 years later from that event and I've finally secured the CD at a reasonable price. One of those extremely rare times (these days) where the album arrived in the mail, and I popped it into the changer immediately (and listened to it twice in a row, another anomaly). That's exactly how I used to do it back in 1991. Not stacks of albums that sit waiting for their day on the turntable or in the player. So it's fitting to transport myself back to the era in which this was released.

So what of this music that Nightwinds plays? Would you believe it reminds me of Genesis? Haha. Of course it does. Actually it reminds me most of Florida's Babylon, another band that was ahead of the neo-prog curve by about three years. And that's the storyline here - it's a more compact and accessible form of early Genesis, just as IQ, Pallas, Marillion and the rest of them would bring forward in the 80s. Germany had other like-minded groups operating in similar fashion such as Neuschwanstein, Sirius, Ivory, Touch, and others. Take Wind and Wuthering, add Peter Gabriel back in, and modernize the sound. There's certainly nods to same era Rush and Saga, both hailing from Ontario and no doubt an influence here. But Nightwinds aren't as hard rocking as Rush nor as modern as Saga. Interesting to note that bassist Mike Gingrich came from the excellent Amish, one of my CDRWL staples.

In reflection, the late 80s and early 90s were an exciting time to be a hardcore progressive rock fan, which I most certainly was (and still the case - despite my constant forays into other genres). Back then new bands were sprouting everywhere, and the possibilities seemed endless. Plus I had a paying job (pennies really but happy to have it, and paved the road for the future), was still a single lad in my 20s, and allocated an inordinate amount of money to my hobby. That an album like Nightwinds was met with a yawn indicates the sheer amount of quality new product available to us at the time. Saturation was to come. But not yet.

Ownership: 1991 Laser's Edge (CD). Lyric booklet.

2009 (first listen); 5/5/25 (review / new entry)

Triumph ~ Canada ~ Toronto, Ontario

  

Allied Forces (1981)

OK, now we're getting to the heart of the matter. I would say their four albums from 1977 to 1981 are where I'm going to have the memory synapses firing off. I owned all four on LP, most purchased real time or shortly thereafter. As noted at the beginning of this post, I hadn't heard the debut prior though I thought I had. Looks like Allied Forces was released in September, so this would be the beginning of my junior year of high school. The tail end of my interest in this kind of commercial hard rock. Per their protocol, they start with a rather mundane try for a radio hit. Next is 'Magic Power'  which has more than a slight resemblance to Rush, a parallel one can make throughout their respective careers. Then the title track gets us to where we want to be with Triumph: Barn burning hard rock with a few more ideas than your garden variety bonehead act. Then back to boogie rock, which is always dull. Their proggy heritage comes out again on 'Fight the Good Fight', another Rush-like number, with a killer mid song riff. They continue to keep their brain switched on with 'Ordinary Man'. The album closes as it starts, a hedge bet to keep the label execs happy. 

Source: 1981 RCA (LP)

3/8/25 (review)

Never Surrender (1983)

On my review for their 1976 debut, I proposed that I might be in for a Triumph renaissance. Even their 1987 album Surveillance had me looking upwards (though not enough to keep, mind). This one I thought would grab a nostalgia pull since it was released at the second half of my senior year of high school, a bit late where such occurrences might happen. So did it? Sort of. Like with Rush, Triumph had started to become toothless as the 80s rolled on. They didn't go synth pop like their Canadian contemporaries, and stayed with power pop rock. Their prog heritage does show up here and there, but not enough for me to stick in a tape drawer. Still, I'm rating this higher than I had prior. 

Source: 1983 RCA (MC)

1/30/25 (review)

Surveillance (1987)

Keeping with my promise below, I'm starting my retrospective of Triumph. Eleven years from their debut, and after many years of radio success, what could Triumph possibly offer at this late date? Def Leppard apparently. Naw, it's better than that band's later works but it's essentially the same kind of juiced up commercial hard rock. Kind of a last hurrah from Canada's other finest trio (Rush being the other of course...). By 1987, Triumph were irrelevant, but at least they gave it a respectful try.

Source: 1987 MCA (LP)

10/14/24 (review)
 

Triumph (1976)

Triumph's debut is one of those odd albums where the beginning of each side is the dud track, and each song thereafter is better than the last. Somewhere along the line I thought I'd heard this debut back in the day but I hadn't. This album was never released in the US. Some of the songs were via the Rock & Roll Machine compilation (which I did hear), but not the album itself.

Even if I had heard it, my tastes have changed to really appreciating this type of hard rock. The inauspicious openers are party rockin' bar n' roll. No thanks. After that though, you'll hear influences such as Pink Floyd and Jimi Hendrix (Frank Marino probably). But perhaps most relevant is fellow Toronto heroes Rush. By the end of each side, Triumph shows a proggy heritage, with both 'Street Fighter' and 'The Blinding Light Show' being the highlights. Plenty of synthesizer on here too. It's time for me to revisit all of the Triumph works. I suspect my viewpoint will be far more favorable than it was in the 80s.

Ownership: 1976 Attic (LP). Blue label original. 

6/7/24 (review)

6/8/24 (new entry)

Saga ~ Canada ~ Toronto, Ontario

Silent Knight (1980)

Saga's third album demonstrates the gradual maturity of the band. The songwriting continues to improve and the playing is crisp and tight. The melodies tend to stick longer but they never let go of their progressive rock tendencies. 'Don't Be Late' was one of the group's signature tracks. This was to be Jim Gilmour's debut with Saga, and his keyboards were the final piece of the puzzle. Silent Knight didn't break Saga but their exposure continued to grow, playing live with other Canadian notables. Their next album World's Apart broke them out globally and they were to be one of the defining rock acts of the early 80s.

Ownership: 1980 Maze (LP). Lyric inner bag. 

1992 (first acquired); 6/28/24 (review)

Behaviour (1985)

By the time Behaviour was released I was an entrenched Saga fan. World's Apart and especially Heads or Tales were (and remain) very important albums in my collection. As mentioned many times here already, 1985 was a pivotal year for my musical development, and I consider it the time I began my deep dive into progressive rock. So when I saw the new Saga at the record store, I looked at it closely, and said no way. It just didn't feel right. 38 years later, I grabbed one for a buck at the Austin Record show to see if I had made a mistake all those years ago. Nope - it ended up sounding exactly what I thought it might sound like. My instincts proved correct. The production is completely overdone and Gilmour's keyboard tones are awful. And Negus sounds like he's drumming echoed pillows. Only Michael Sadler sounds the same, bringing his unique vocal style to what sounds like an Atari soundtrack. I found myself enjoying Side 2 more than the first - perhaps the shock factor had worn off by then. These guys could still write decent tunes even at this point, so it's a good album overall. Not enough to keep. And while I can be apologetic about it today, 38 years ago I would have abhorred it.

Source: 1985 Portrait (LP)

6/17/23 (review)

Saga (1978)

When I started crate digging again in earnest four years ago, I had my sights set on obtaining the first three Saga albums. Like just about everyone else, I discovered Saga on Worlds Apart. I tell that story on that entry, and I was a senior in high school when they broke big. That album along with the even better Heads or Tales sold gobs of copy, and are found in just about every record store. But the first three - similar to Styx in that way - sold enough to stay alive but weren't blockbusters. So they're far more elusive in the wilds (though not expensive if mail ordering).

Parallel to this is the music appreciation of these albums. I had been told - and I think many experienced this as well - that Saga started as a prog band. That they weren't near as commercial as they were to become. Well hot damn! I already really enjoyed Worlds Apart (more now than back then), so these must be magnificent. Ehh... no. Not no in that they aren't very good, but no in that they aren't any different. Which is the great storyline here. For 1978, Saga was predicting the future of music by at least four years. This isn't the Midwest pomp of Styx or Kansas, but rather the global AOR / MTV sound of 1982. Way ahead of their time, Saga were already using punchy guitar lines and synthesizers crammed into compact radio friendly tunes. And they were always good at adding a touch of sophistication to their compositions, going far beyond pandering to the masses. Which is their secret sauce and makes them so endearing all these years later. There's even a dash of Gentle Giant especially when you consider the counterpoint vocal lines. The verdict? This is exactly what I'd hoped to hear. When I first heard them in the late 80s I was mightily disappointed, mainly due to the poor expectation setting. Had I known that these early albums were very similar, I probably would have passed back then. But now I hear it as one more great album in their repertoire. 

Ownership: 1978 Polydor (LP). Lyric inner. 

3/25/23 (review)

Worlds Apart (1981)

Worlds Apart was my introduction to Saga, and I'd guess it was many American's first exposure to this fine band. I have so many fond memories of this album. I would go so far as to say that it defines the fall of 1982 for me, the first semester of my senior year in high school. Saga perfectly captured the era in which it lived. It's punchy and catchy, and the production and sound textures are early 80s all the way. Meanwhile they added just enough prog to keep it interesting for deep dive listeners like myself. I dubbed my LP copy onto cassette and used to play it in the car all the time - turned on many friends to Saga back in those days. I wonder if they remember that as well? Seriously doubt it. To reminisce on the car driving aspect, I listened to the CD around town while running errands. Good times. 

Ownership: 1981 Maze (LP); Portrait (CD)

9//82; 7/14/14; 2/12/22 (review)

House of Cards (2001)

Saga is one of those time-and-place bands for me. I'm not sure they would have registered at all had they not been part of a great time of my life. Worlds Apart is one of many albums that represents my senior year in high school. And Heads or Tales does the same for my freshmen year in college. Instincts told me to avoid Behaviour when it came around (1985), and it appears that was the right move (ed: confirmed in 2023). And that was it for me and Saga. A few years ago, I bought a CD collection that included Full Circle (1999). It was pretty good, but it didn't have the magic. It was still in the sell bin (gone now), and I thought to myself I should hear it one more time. Nope. It's just not there for me. For whatever reason I decided to pull for House of Cards anyway, since I saw it going for cheap. It's only two years later, how much better can it be? A lot. This is the Saga I know and love. They really recaptured the magic of 1981 to 1984. Maybe not every song is great as it was in the past, but mostly it has that staccato guitar, cheap synthesizer sound, and excellent melodies thing going on. And Michael Sadler sounds exactly the same. Made me feel 18 again. If you're like me and early 80s Saga is in your strike zone, and you forgot all about them since, this would be a good way to spend your loose change.

Ownership: 2001 Steamhammer (CD). Hardbound cover.

5/12/20 (review)

Other albums I own and need to review: Images at Twilight; Heads or Tales

5/12/20 (new entry)

Ascension ~ Canada ~ Ontario

Jazz Rock Fusion for the New Millennium (1992)

Bassist Grant Whatford had reached out some time ago and asked me to check out his band's outing from 30 years ago. I dawdled longer than intended, but I finally lent an ear. The album exists out on many platforms, and you can also buy the CD from Wayside for only ten bucks. I chose YouTube for my source as I'm in downsize mode (with exceptions of course...). From London, Ontario, Ascension offers up a fiery fusion highlighted by superb guitar solos, woody bass, and complicated rhythms. They're a trio and they create a storm of sounds! They were at the vanguard of the new wave of fusion that was to become more prominent in the 90s. Guitarist Mike Schiffman can shred with the best of them, and has no mercy for those not prepared to be pummeled. There's some nice atmospheric interludes as well recalling David Torn. I also enjoy Whatford's bass style, offering far more than keeping the pace. As you can imagine, the 12+ minute 'Rabbit Backwards Romp' closes the album with a burning jam. Some fellow era artists that leaped to mind here are Groon, Contrevent, Mathematicians, Fire Merchants, and Dark / Mark Nauseef. If you like action packed, energetic, instrumental jazz fusion, then Ascension will certainly satisfy.

Source: YouTube

2/14/24 (review / new entry)

A Foot in Coldwater ~ Canada ~ Toronto, Ontario

All Around Us (1974)

I've had this title kicking around the collection for a few years, starting with the Wounded Bird CD. Seems I play it every year in an attempt to understand the contents. I always heard just enough goodness to keep it around, but couldn't grasp as to why. My notes from two years ago simply stated: A Foot in Coldwater offer up straightforward hard rock with organ, with AOR and prog overtones. Not going to floor anyone, but there's at least four excellent tracks here including the title song.

Not the most compelling notes I've ever penned. But last night's listen confirmed the higher grade. So what is the magic here? The review above does a decent job of capturing side 1. It's side 2 that we need to focus on. Sounding every bit like Rush, before Rush was Rush, you know what I mean? Haha - that is, Toronto's A Foot in Coldwater is predicting Caress of Steel, not the self-titled 1974 album. Also, if you can compartmentalize this, listen to All Around Us with a singles 45 mentality. There's some really good hard psych material here too, a throwback to a fuzzier time. This album looks both forward and to the past. The back cover indicates good times AOR. They fooled us all.

Ownership: 2008 Wounded Bird (CD). Acquired in 2017.

1/4/17; 6/18/20; 10/23/21 (notes); 4/23/22; 8/3/23 (review)

The Second Foot In Coldwater (1973)

A Foot in Coldwater's second album is a fine example of the early 70's North American hard rock landscape. Guitar and organ lead the instrumental parade, and the vocals have that rough and tumble "tough guy" edge, with just the right amount of sentimentality. The two part opening track 'Coming is Love' (double entendre?) is the highlight, and makes one think they may have stumbled onto a monster of an album. 'Suzy', 'How Much Can You Take' and 'Sailing Ships' are other notably excellent tracks. Unfortunately A Foot in Coldwater had this bad habit of slowing things down for balladry and whining, and the album falls short of excellent. Still there's 23 minutes of killer material here that should be heard by all.

Ownership: 1973 Daffodil (LP). Textured sleeve. Acquired in 2017.

12/8/17; 5/4/19 (review)

5/4/19 (new entry)

Nucleus ~ Canada ~ Toronto, Ontario

Nucleus (1969)

---9/18/13

I'll be the first to admit I'm not the world's biggest "psych" fan. I absolutely adore psychedelic influences in my progressive rock, but actual psych rock tends to be too straight for me in most instances, and rarely lives up to the genre name. But when an album is truly psychedelic in both sound, and composition, then I take notice. Nucleus is that album. In fact, at times it's a bit too disjointed to get into. It's really a strange phenomena they have going here. They seem to be jamming, but in odd time signatures ---- for each member. Perhaps it's pure incompetence, and no one band member can keep up with the other. Maybe. But I doubt it. It sounds intentional to me. It's downright disorienting at times. Which, almost by definition, is psychedelic. There's some incredible Hammond organ and acid guitar on here, with all sorts of screamed, distant, and... well... melodic vocals. Damn, this album is just flat out cool honestly.

---12/22/22

That remains my understanding of this most unique album. Because of this creativity, I bumped it a +1 into the masterpiece category. As the years ago by, it's albums like this that standout as truly interesting. I listened to it twice in a row and I couldn't really pinpoint what they were doing. That's a plus. And the sound is delicious, all the right textures. A stellar album.

Ownership: 1969 Mainstream (LP)

Reissued on CD by Sundazed (11/28/25)

9/18/13 (acquired / review); 12/22/22 (update / new entry)

Moxy ~ Canada ~ Toronto, Ontario

Moxy (1975)

I had a good friend in college named Gary. He was your prototypical Odessa urban cowboy. 6 foot 4, thin as a rail, perfect male specimen in every way. But he was lost in this world. Despite looking like a model on a Marlboro billboard, he would bitch and moan to me constantly that he can't find girls to go out with. If the two of us would walk the mall together, the girls would put their eyes on him and practically stare at him, mesmerized they had just met someone from Hollywood. I would notice such things, and the girls made sure to divert their eyes from moi ('tis true, though I got the last laugh, for those who know my beautiful wife of 25 years). So it gives you an insight into the muddled mind of Grr (that's how he pronounced his name - Grr). 

As for music, since he was a good friend, he had to endure my tastes. At that time I was deep diving into prog, but also thrash metal, and a variety of underground rock styles. He primarily liked country (George Strait, that sort of thing) and rootsy rock like John Cougar Mellencamp. But he had a taste for hard rock. One day, while sitting in my apartment, Grr came over (as he often did, lived in the same complex in Lubbock) and we'd start chatting (about girls I'm sure) over my music. And then he blurts out of nowhere: "You know the best hard rock album ever is by a band called Moxy". Who??? Even a blind squirrel finds an acorn every once in awhile. Some friend had played it for him, and that's how he knew about it. I never saw that album in college, and more or less forgot about them. 

Until some years ago, a cheap copy came about online and I nabbed it, recalling the story above. I didn't take the time to absorb it properly. This really is a great Canadian hard rock album, with a little bit more thought than your average bonehead band. Apparently Tommy Bolin was hanging out in the studio nearby, and provided some guidance and licks to the proceedings. The album starts off a bit slow, but once it finds its groove, it's a heavy rocker for sure. It's not a stretch to say that Moxy could have been Rush's second album, had they continued along the path of their debut. Another easy +1 listen. Looks like my self-fulfilled prophecies came true. Imagine that.

Ownership: 1975 Polydor Canada (LP). Acquired in 2025.

First copy: 1975 Mercury (LP). Acquired in 2014.

2008; 1/26/14; 8/25/21 (review) 

9/26/22 (new entry)

Max Webster - Mutiny Up My Sleeve. 1978 Canada-Ontario

Interesting that I just listened to Rush's debut, when Max Webster's Mutiny Up My Sleeve showed up at the front of the LP listening box. In the US many of us associate Max Webster with Rush because they were usually the opening band. Until now I hadn't really understood the connection beyond both were from Toronto. But after hearing Rush's opening move it does make sense. I hear Mutiny Up My Sleeve as a possible route that Rush themselves would have taken had John Rutsey remained in the band. It's a solid mix of hard rock, boogie, AOR, and yes, even some proggy bits. I hear some Saga in these grooves as well. There's some really strong and mildly complex compositions on this album, much more than I expected. Great melodies too. Some of the good times rock n' roll and straight rock segments take it down a notch.

Ownership: LP: 1978 Anthem. Single sleeve with lyric inner. There are 3 Canadian pressings with different label layouts. Mine is as shown. Interesting to note that all the lyrics have been translated into French, which you'd expect more from a Quebec based group. I picked this up a few weeks ago (2022) at a thrift shop.

8/20/22 (new entry)

Savage Steel ~ Canada ~ Toronto, Ontario

Yet another late 80s technical thrash band I was unfamiliar with. I'm beginning to wonder if I was there at all, with so many of these under the radar thrash bands cropping up in my world, some 30+ years after the fact. Savage Steel were a Toronto based group who released 2 albums before disappearing. As I sat down and prepared myself for the onslaught to commence, the first notes were a shock to the system. This didn't have the production values associated with 1988, but rather it sounded like a crude demo from 1982! Somewhat surprising given that this was released on a relatively large label (Frank Marino was one of their label mates). But once the ears adjusted, the music flowed perfectly from there. Everyone complains about the vocals, but to me that's the same thing as complaining about Italian prog rock vocals. The high pitched shrieks were "of the era" and "of the genre". Certainly more appealing than Sieges Even's original vocalist, and I enjoy his as well. It goes with the music. There's some great riffage on Do or Die, and the tracks go all over the place, per protocol. There are no surprises here or epic moments, but it's all solid fare with no weak spots either. Not the place to start if getting your feet wet in prog thrash, but definitely a good late inning pinch hitter.

Ownership: 1988 Maze (LP). Acquired in 2022

1/13/22 (review / new entry) 

Rob Carroll Trio ~ Canada ~ Toronto, Ontario

Rob Carroll Trio (1983)

Rob Carroll is a Toronto based guitarist who pulled together this unknown trio for one album, and who also put out a couple of solo albums. Joining Carroll on this venture is bassist David Piltch, who plays a prominent role, and drummer Mike McClelland. The music can be simply described as all instrumental light fusion, with driving bass, and electric jazz guitar. Carroll never wails or gets psychedelic, and stays in his lane for the most part. Overall a very good, atmospheric, pleasant, and constrained release. A nice one for quiet nights.

Ownership: 1983 RSM (LP)

No reissues as of 3/29/25.

1/5/22 (review / new entry)

Small Wonder. 1976 Canada-Ontario

I can't remember the exact circumstances of how I learned about Toronto's Small Wonder, but I think I may have been searching for mellotron on ebay, when this album showed up. Never heard of it. I went over to the ever reliable Planet Mellotron, where Andy had four T's on it, which is a very significant amount. He wasn't fond of the music, but since the album was being offered for something like $2, I figured what the hell. This was back in 2014, long before my thriftin' days. But this isn't something you'd likely find in that scenario either (and it would probably cost more - like $3 lol). A portion of my original scratch off notes stated: "Small Wonder's debut is a straightforward mid 70s AOR album. The songwriting is pretty good, the vocal harmonies are in the higher register similar to many bands of the era (think a very poppy Yes for example), and there is some real talent displayed on the instruments. It's very much like half the albums that came out in 1976, and were played on the radio incessantly. How Small Wonder didn't catch on can only be explained by the sheer glut of albums that were similar." On reflection, that's pretty accurate. I would take it a step further and suggest that it reminds me of Starcastle's Citadel without any prog rock epics. But it sounds like a prog album. The instrumentation includes woody bass, violin, and an arsenal of analog keyboards, most notably the aforementioned Mellotron along with copious amounts of Moog. Obviously these guys were prog heads, that showed up way too late for the party, and had a go at AOR instead. The tunes are well written, and honestly they should have made a mark in their day. I find myself enjoying this one much more than on original impact.

Ownership: LP: 1976 Columbia (Canada). Single sleeve. Online acquisition (2014).

3/7/14 (first listen); 6/2/21 (review/new entry)

Fable - Get the "L" Outta Here. 1975 Canada-Ontario (archival)

Canada had a similar rich tradition of grassroots hard rock just as we did here in the States. Throughout the country, bands were sprouting like weeds and toiling in the local clubs, hoping to get noticed for the big time. Fable were but one of those outfits, a group who didn't manage to get anything out real time. The review for this one will be easy. Fable plays a type of psychedelic hard rock, where the ghost of Jimi Hendrix looms large. It's a favorite style of mine, and for the 3 sides of this album, every track is a winner. No slow ballads to endure, no lame tries for radio hits, no proggy epics, just kickin' out the jams brothers and sisters. Their peers are two of Canada's greatest treasures: Frank Marino and Mahogany Rush and Walter Rossi and Charlee. You dig those bands, then you'll want this. Easy recommendation.

Ownership: LP: 2005 RecordPlex. 2 LPs in a single sleeve (copy #103/500). 3 sides of music with one side blank. Recent online acquisition. From a documentary standpoint, not the best archival release I've ever seen, that for sure. There's an insert, but it lacks detail. And I've never been a big fan of stuffing 2 LPs into a single sleeve. That reeks of the cheapo 80s. Reminds me of Metallica's In Justice For All, the only LP by them I actually replaced with a CD (to no regrets). But what matters most is the music and the sound quality, and for this, it's well worth it. This is one of those albums where the LP proved easier to get than the CD. As long as this website stays up, you can read more about Fable.

Embrace ~ Canada ~ Toronto, Ontario

Coven the Eternal (1996)

I love discovering albums such as Coven the Eternal. Especially these 1990s albums that were released to an audience of no one in particular. Completely under the radar, without hype or praise to be found anywhere. Embrace were a band from Canada who are ostensibly part of the doom metal genre. The music is primarily slow paced, with female vocals and even some atmospheric keyboards. And crunchy metal guitars of course. The cynic in me says that doom metal is a great entry point for those still learning to play their instruments. But it's this kind of amateurism where the allure lies. Especially in the composition department, as who the heck knows what they will come up with, even if it's within the tight confines of the genre. Embrace are sincere, but not overly earnest as some of the more unintentionally comical metal bands can be. Something to be proud of years later to share with your kids and grandkids ("wow Grandma was a total subversive!"). There's nothing here that screams must own, but if it happens to waft by on some random sale list, grab it - especially if bands such as Saint Vitus and Candlemass are to your taste.

Ownership: 1996 private (CD). Acquired in 2019.

11/28/19 (new entry / review)