Saxon ~ England

Power & The Glory (1983)

According to RYM, this album was released in March of 1983, meaning I was still in high school. That tells me that I had cut the cord with Saxon even before I graduated secondary school. Only a few months later, Metallica entered stage left, and the metal world would never be the same. That would include my listening approach. As noted below, I only recently picked up Power & The Glory, if only to close the book on their classic era.

Upon obtaining in 2013, I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed the album. Of course at that point it was more of a nostalgic listen than anything enlightening. And that perspective remains with me tonight as I revisit for the first time. True bread and butter NWOBHM, Power & The Glory could be considered a swan song for the entire genre. The metal world was moving on, while Saxon was still releasing charmingly antiquated melodic metal with galloping guitars, sensitive vocals, and predictable sequences. You know, "This Town Knows How To Rock" "Solo!". Sure, why not? Saxon, too, were to change after this, to a more commercial based sound, which proved to be the wrong choice at the wrong time. Based on my own observation of a late 90s work, they were to course correct, long after it may have mattered, but their legacy remains secure.

Ownership. 1983 Carrere France (LP). Acquired in 2013.

11/26/13; 8/12/26 (review)
 

Saxon (1979)

If you look at the listen dates, you'd think I haven't heard this album since I was in high school. I know that's not right, but have I heard it since the late 90s? Nope, probably not.

Saxon's debut was one of the first metal import albums for me to purchase. European imports were very expensive back then, at least for a pauper like me whose sole income at the time came from a summer job working in an industrial warehouse (in Dallas no less - unbearable heat). At minimum wage which was bupkis in 1982. So every dollar spent had to count. I was looking for heavier, faster, and meaner metal on each purchase. And with that cover of a blood soaked sword, I figured I was in safe territory.

Uh, no. What a strange album Saxon's opening move is. Like I say about Manilla Road's early works, this is Saxon before they were Saxon, if that makes sense. With the opening two tracks titled 'Rainbow Theme' and 'Frozen Rainbow', you'd think they were some kind of psychy prog band. And it's not really that far from the truth. It's not until A3 that you hear the first riffs, though definitely more hard rock than anything metal. 'Judgement Day' is another song that has psychedelic overtones, and is my pick for best track, unrepresentative as it may be. 'Stallions of the Highway' is the first sign of the blueprint Saxon were to follow on their next three albums. Mid-paced biker metal with solid riffing and good solos. B4 is another example of this.

This is a very special album to me for the time and place aspect, and the history as noted above. But for musical content, it's borderline passable. I wouldn't give it much credence had I discovered this album for the first time today.

Ownership: 1979 Carrere France (LP). Acquired in 1982.

1982; 5/25/26 (review)  

Unleash the Beast (1997)

I was an early adopter to Saxon, having bought their quirky debut album, followed by Wheels of Steel, Strong Arm of the Law, and Denim and Leather. And that was it for me. Didn't even follow the band out of high school. It was only within the last seven years that I completed their early 80s classic run with a purchase of Power & The Glory (LP). What they did after that, I really don't know. I've certainly read a lot. It's apparent that Saxon made a go at "capturing" the US market, to no avail (as to be expected). And at some point in the mid 90s, got back on their (iron) horse and went about making music in their former early 80s NWOBHM style, but updated to modern heavy standards.

From my perspective, one of the issues that plagues Saxon is their image and moniker. If one didn't know better (and I didn't at first either), you'd think Saxon to be a band similar to Manilla Road, capturing the ethos of Medieval times, and creating mysterious semi-progressive heavy metal. Nope. Saxon are a biker band, through and through. A creative one, yes, but they're very much in your face metal. 

If Unleash the Beast (1997) is an example of what I can expect to hear going forward, then I'm in store for at least 11 more great albums! Band leader and lead singer Byff Byford is now 70 years old, and by all accounts, he hasn't lost a step. And right next him is his trusty aide and guitarist Paul Quinn, of which the same can be said. Right from the get of the title track, you'll know that Saxon are back from the grave, and packing heat! Every track here is classic NWOBHM music: Melodic, yet heavy riffing, with high quality guitar solos. Byford sounds like Byford, his distinctive higher pitched voice soaring peacefully (he's no screecher) over the racket underneath. Unleash the Beast is yet another pleasant surprise. Obviously I need to hang out more in the CD bins to see if I can find more of this! Interestingly enough, this is the only Saxon album I own - or have ever owned - on CD.

Ownership: 2007 SPV (CD). The hype sticker is hilarious: "Bonus Tracks, Unseen Photos, Liner Notes, Original Artwork, New Booklet!" OK, the last two are probably fair. Bonus tracks? Yes, there are two three minute live cuts. Liner notes? A very small paragraph written by Byford. Unseen photos? There's only one photo! lol. Acquired in 2021.

3/7/21 (review) 

Also own: Wheels of Steel; Strong Arm of the Law; Denim and Leather

3/7/21 (new entry)

Iron Maiden ~ England

A Matter Of Life And Death (2006)

As mentioned on The Final Frontier review, I feel like I'm hearing all of these "comeback" albums for the first time. Which is a good thing honestly. I won't rewrite the reviews below, as so many of my thoughts surrounding Iron Maiden have already been captured. More will come out from their 80s works (the ones I have yet to review) which are very special to me. These later works are all objective listens, and so I'll stick to that. Actually - one recent comment. A dear friend, who I grew up with and turned onto Maiden when we were in high school (1980), asked me recently if I was interested in seeing them play live. Nope, I said immediately. Want to preserve the memories and the time / place aspect. Don't need to see them now. No relevancy to my life as it stands today. Different era, different crowd. He agreed. But they were so important to us teens / early 20s back in the 80s. And I continue to treasure those moments.

The album opener is a somewhat perfunctory Iron Maiden track, patented galloping guitars, simplistic, and radio friendly. Seems they wanted to get that out of the way first, so they could get down to serious business on track 2). The first six songs here vacillate between their proggy ambitions and compact rocker stances. And honestly, some do go on longer than they should. The last four tracks, totalling about 34 minutes, shed their self-inflicted inhibitions, and go all in for their prog rock tendencies. We hear this often with Maiden in their post reunion efforts, and it's what makes all these albums so great. Hard to believe I'm reading reviews that the band were "coasting" during this era. One presumes they are listening to the whole album, not just the beginning. These guys are extending their abilities as far as they can, something they continued to do through recent times. Don't listen to a single naysayer. They're not plugged in properly.

A Matter Of Life And Death is yet another essential Iron Maiden album in a library full of them. These guys will be in future history books. Beyond music.

Ownership: 2006 EMI Argentina (CD). Booklet with lyrics, photos, and recording details. Acquired in 2011.

11/5/11; 9/1/15; 8/5/26 (review)
 

The Final Frontier (2010)

Already back into the Iron Maiden collection, very soon after documenting No Prayer for the Dying. Random but timely selection. As noted below, I haven't documented any of the Dickinson reunion albums save their latest Senjutsu. Looking at my database, I didn't get back into Iron Maiden until 2011. So I took a 21 year hiatus from the band after No Prayer. I then proceeded to buy all of their albums (on CD) from Brave New World through their latest at the time, which is the album I'm featuring here. To be honest, I feel like I'm hearing it for the first time, as little registered on initial impact (and a second listen four years later), other than I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The Final Frontier has a very unique opening. Mostly martial and synthesizer atmospheric, very un-Iron Maiden like until about midway through the track. I enjoy the deviation, if maybe a bit too long. Track 2 reintroduces us to the Maiden we all know and love. Galloping guitars (all three of them: Murray, Smith, and Gers) with Dickinson's piercing vocals. Harris and McBrain are always busy, moving the proceedings along at a brisk pace. 

On The Final Frontier, Iron Maiden uses the first five tracks to play to their "compact" side, and the later five to indulge their proggy tendencies. As mentioned on the Senjutsu review, I love that Maiden continues to push the envelope as they age. If you want to hear Iron Maiden in their creative mode, you could program out tracks 2 through 5, and experience a full album in that style.

Other than "The Iron Maiden sound" what else can I listen for? Memorable tracks, like the ones I recall almost verbatim from the 80s. As I listen carefully, I think it's the entire second half (to pick one, I'd go for 'Starblind'). Thinking through this further, if I heard Powerslave on a quick run through, I'd have little to recommend. But we played that album so much then, we knew every note back and forth. If I did similar here with The Final Frontier, I'd probably hold it at the same level. I suspect that many dyed-in-the-wool 80s Maiden fans (like myself) would come to a similar conclusion. But we don't listen to music that way anymore. Too many choices, not enough time. I'm enjoying my extended time with albums like The Final Frontier. Going back to my roots.

Ownership: 2010 UMe (CD). Booklet with lyrics, recording details, and "Eddie" artwork. Acquired in 2011.

7/25/11; 10/2/15; 10/20/25 (review)
 

No Prayer for the Dying (1990)

By 1990 my interest in Iron Maiden had waned. As I continued to burrow into the progressive rock underground, my only interest in metal was coming from the tech thrash side. Iron Maiden was from the old NWOBHM school, which had worn thin by then. I did like that Maiden were experimenting with prog more and more, yet it wasn't enough compared to what I was discovering from the 1970s European scene. And they weren't heavy enough either to draw my attention to them from a metal perspective. Despite all of this, I did go ahead and buy this LP not long after release. It would prove to be the only original Iron Maiden I let go out of the collection. And that was probably 30 years ago (1995). I also stopped here with the band, and ultimately dug back in on their post 2000 reunion albums some 21 years later. Much of which I still need to document.

It also seemed that Iron Maiden's interest in Iron Maiden had begun to wane by 1990. Second guitarist Adrian Smith had bolted and was replaced by Janick Gers. They seemed to be out of gas, and that their spectacular run of 1980s albums were over. Today, No Prayer for the Dying is by far the lowest rated Maiden album (on RYM at least) with Bruce Dickinson (or Paul Di'Anno) as vocalist. Though absurdly Senjutsu is not too much higher. See below for my thoughts under that LP's entry. In any case, a local buddy who gives me great deals on albums, had a newer reissue on hand. It was at a retail price, but I felt I owed him a bit, so why not try it again? If I don't like it, I can resell it for the same price and make my money back. It's been 30 years (at least) since I last heard the album. Is it really that bad? Much has changed in Genius Hans' world since 1990, when I was all of 25. Let's go in with an objective, other-side-of-the-mountain viewpoint.

As side 1 rolls on, it's easy to see why I had dismissed the album from the onset. The band had purposely moved back to a "simpler composition" style, never a good sign. That's ironic in that Maiden in its current form is going in the exact opposite direction, adding more complexity as they get older. Despite being more basic, their sound was also more lightweight. It's still metal, but on the border with hard rock. Seems the band were hedging their bet, and yet it was all the wrong choices for the times. Iron Maiden were trailblazers, the leading light, and here they aren't progressive, heavy, energetic, or particularly memorable. On this latter front, it's hard to discern the differences from cut to cut. The exception being the closer 'Mother Russia', which I recall being the only track I really liked initially.

To my initial question - is it really so bad? Oh heavens no. My rating was entirely too low, based on the emotional state of the time. Somewhere along the line I went from "it's OK" to "it blows". That is certainly not the case. The group sounds on point actually, and the newly paired guitarists are playing some nice unison lines. Harris and McBrain are also in top form from a rhythmic perspective. Only Dickinson doesn't sound right, primarily because he was asked to reign in his air-raid siren voice for something more direct and raspy. Bad decision especially considering that's one of the defining characteristics of the Iron Maiden sound, post Di'Anno. In conclusion, I am now a full 1.5 stars ahead of where I stood years ago. I do think it's a good album, not a toss away effort.

Even with the apologist stance, I would still rate this as the lowest of the Iron Maiden albums I've heard. I did miss out entirely on the rest of the 1990 decade, and I know the Bayley albums aren't held in high esteem. Nonetheless I have since picked up two of the three I was missing from that time period (still haven't heard them), and I'm sure I'll find the other. See the bottom of this post for what I still need to review.

2017 Sanctuary (LP). Lyric inner bag. Acquired in 2025. 

First copy: 1990 Epic (LP). Acquired in 1990.

1990; 1995; 9/27/25 (review)

Somewhere In Time (1986)

As noted often here, I was a big fan of Iron Maiden real time, so all of their albums from the 80s have a special place in my heart. I bought this LP when it came out in my senior year of college, and I saw them live in January of '87 in Lubbock. I found the ticket stub the other day. Considering that Powerslave was burned deep into my DNA, any album coming after that would be tough to absorb. But Somewhere In Time is a great follow up. RYM has it as their 4th highest rated behind their two recognized masterpieces: Powerslave and Number of the Beast. Seventh Son gets the 3rd spot, but I would beg to differ. I'd probably place the debut and Piece of Mind higher myself, but we're splitting hairs at this point. Generally I read that Somewhere In Time is where they embraced synthesizers. I suppose so... but Iron Maiden were always proggers at heart, something I find myself repeating often in these pages. Somewhere In Time is the first Maiden album that I didn't listen to incessantly upon release, as I was very heavy into the 70s European underground by this point in my life. Which in a way is good, as I can still experience musical discoveries here. The Sanctuary CD offers bonus videos. I should actually watch those some day.

Ownership: 

1986 Capitol (LP). Acquired in 1986.

2002 Sanctuary (CD). With video. Acquired in 2006.

1986 Capitol (MC). Acquired in 2026.

1986; 1//06; 8/17/15; 10/23/24 (review)

Senjutsu (2021)

It's nigh impossible to limit the superlatives when talking Iron Maiden. There's really no precedent of a band who has remained true to their sound for 41+ years and continues to evolve and grow in a positive manner. These guys are well into their 60s now, and every album they release is as if they were still in the middle 1980s pushing the boundaries of what heavy metal can potentially be. Most groups with the stature of Iron Maiden would go on to release a perfunctory new album with ten forgettable three to four minute run throughs, then hit the road, and play all the fan favorites from 35 years ago. Not Iron Maiden. How about a triple album with 10 minute plus involved tracks with fun light reading names such as 'Death of the Celts' and 'The Parchment'? And they're so spoiled they have everybody do things for them. Ya know, like singer Bruce Dickinson flying their own 747 around the globe. Who does these things? Whatever the question or challenge, Iron Maiden wins. And yet on forums such as RYM, Iron Maiden is put through the ringer by those much younger with zero perspective. Yes, of course Iron Maiden were never the heaviest - or fastest - or most complex band ever. They are just simply the best at what they did (and do). They are legends in their own time, and that will only grow as the centuries roll on.

As for their 17th album Senjutsu, Iron Maiden continues to bring it. This isn't easy listening metal. And no there isn't anything particularly catchy about it. No different than the prog albums we adore and champion. Iron Maiden is not the latter, but is clearly influenced by the genre, and they make no bones about it either. 82 minutes is a lot to absorb, but if in a patient mood, the listener is rewarded (i.e. I've had this album sitting in the new arrivals box for over six months and just now getting to it). These are albums that are designed to outlive the band. 50 years from now, new serious young minds will want to go beyond whatever is their pop du jour, and tackle something more challenging. Iron Maiden will be one of the early bands they will learn about. On my first listen to the album, I played the first two LPs, and then flipped the 3rd one back and forth for three listens each. Not that I liked it any more than the prior material, it just seemed like a good way to appreciate the album. Honestly I couldn't tell you too much about their Version 3.0 albums starting with Brave New World (2000). This era of the band has far outlasted any other, and all their albums are consistently great. I know their 80s work far better, because I grew up with them - listened to the albums constantly - saw them live a few times - even played soccer with them. They were a huge part of my high school and college years. A soundtrack perhaps. My life post-2000 has been completely different, so I don't relate to Iron Maiden's new music in the same way. But what I do know is that every revisit will seem like I'm hearing a brand new excellent album by Iron Maiden. And that's the exciting part of music such as this.

Ownership: 2021 BMG (3xLP). Triple gatefold. Red and black marble vinyl. Acquired in 2022.

9/4/22 (review)

Iron Maiden (1980)

Iron Maiden's debut actually predicts their future better than the follow up, Killers. 'Remember Tomorrow', 'Transylvania', 'Iron Maiden', and especially 'Phantom of the Opera' are overtly proggy, while 'Strange World' is a fine ballad. The opening 'Prowler' has a strange psychedelic aura about it, though with Di'Anno singing, you're always closer to punk than psych. One track that I've always had near the top - but is widely panned by fans - is 'Charlotte the Harlot'. Despite the rather dumb subject matter, the track features some nice mood changes, and the blistering dual guitar solos coming out of the last break, are some the most pointed and fierce of their entire career. The US version adds 'Sanctuary', a mid-level song that foreshadows Killers. The only track I can do without is 'Running Free'. Iron Maiden are huge English soccer fans, and they had a tendency to slip in a "football styled" anthem every once in awhile, similar to Judas Priest in that way.

Anyway, brilliant album. You already knew that... presumably.

This came out when I was 15, so it's likely my mom took me to the record shop to buy (and it is this exact copy). Just makes me laugh when I think about it. Incidentally, she's still alive and kicking strong. 81 and as feisty as ever. Lives independently in an apartment about 10 minutes from our home here in Colorado. She'd lived in Texas for 51 years straight, so it was quite a change for her. I remind her that she's responsible for my dementia in music. We just crack up. If Mom had it her way, I'd be singing church hymns instead. On another side note, the cover of Eddie here looked like one of our neighbors back in Texas. I digress. 

Ownership: 

1980 Harvest (LP). Acquired in 1980.

1988 Capitol (CD). Acquired in 1990.

1980s Capitol (MC). Acquired in 2024.

1980; 4/28/20 (review) 

Killers (1981)

Definitely the most straightforward of the Iron Maiden albums. The band were at the crossroads here of raw heavy metal and the more elaborate composition style band leader Steve Harris seemed to prefer. Paul di'Anno was always more suited to be a punk rock singer, and the music here fits his style perfectly. That's not to say the music here isn't complex, often times it is, just more compact. Especially on Side 1 with 'Wrathchild', 'Murders in the Rue Morgue', and the instrumental 'Genghis Khan'. Eventually, though, Harris followed his instincts and recruited from fellow NWOBHM band Samson - the Renaissance Man known as Bruce Dickinson - and thus Iron Maiden were guaranteed their place in music history.

On a personal note, I had the privilege of seeing the band on the Killers tour during the summer in my hometown. I still have the ticket stub: June 13, 1981 at Moody Coliseum (Dallas - SMU campus). I was all of 16 and drove another high school buddy there in my old 1973 Chevy Impala. It was originally a three band bill with Iron Maiden opening, Humble Pie, and Judas Priest headlining. An unusual pairing, and I'm sure the promoters felt they needed Humble Pie to help fill the arenas, as heavy metal wasn't really that popular yet here in the States. Right before the show was to begin, we received an announcement that Humbie Pie had to cancel last minute due to an illness. The guy next to me was pissed! And we were elated - what a break! These were the two bands we wanted to see. So we got extended sets from each. I saw Maiden a few times after this with Dickinson, but it was great to see and hear them with Di'Anno this one time.

Ownership: 

1981 Harvest (LP). Acquired in 1981.

1988 Capitol (CD). Acquired in 1990.

1981; 5/24/12; 8/19/15; 4/22/20 (review)

Also own: Number of the Beast; Piece of Mind; Powerslave; Live After Death; Seventh Son of a Seventh Son; Fear of the Dark; Virtual XI; Brave New World; Dance of Death; The Book of Souls

4/22/20 (new entry)

Queensryche ~ USA ~ Seattle, Washington

The Warning (1984)

---11/8/21

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 is the CD on the thrift shop 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.

---2/20/26

I sold off that CD only to get both the LP and CD back in recently. The LP condition wasn't the best, so into the show box it goes. Let's try this album one more time.

I'm also creating a page here, since I know I will speak highly of that aforementioned debut EP whenever I get around to listening to my copy again. And I'll try to be more patient with their more commercial breakthrough albums that were still a few years away (I wasn't too keen on them real time). Two of those titles are here in my vast inventory, so who knows when they will be touched. Queensryche, like Metallica, are a band who has a great following, and then suddenly fell out of critical favor and put out a series of low rated albums (seven straight according to RYM). At least in Queensryche's case it appears they have rebounded nicely in the last decade plus.

When hearing early Queensryche with an Iron Maiden perspective, the music opens up nicely. They had similar approaches during this era, though Maiden were far more advanced with Powerslave in 1984. But if I consider the previous Piece of Mind instead, then we have some parallels worth considering. I mean, seriously, Geoff Tate was something special as a talented singer. As was Bruce Dickinson. The metal quotient, that is the heaviness of the guitars, is somewhat muted. That would be another resemblance with the almighty Maiden. Judas Priest gets thrown out as a comparison all the time, but that was more considering their EP, and Priest were a different (and lesser) animal by 1984 themselves. To tie the Maiden knot is the closing track which is also The Warning's progressive rock statement. One has to remember that in 1984, metal bands had mostly steered clear of prog for fear of losing street cred or whatever image one had to project in those days.

The problem was... Iron Maiden were something of an exception in that era. The metal movement had moved on to heavier realms as Metallica, Slayer, Exodus, and the German contingent of groups were taking everything to the next level. Meanwhile bands like Fates Warning were prepping the world for a true mix of prog rock and metal. Where does Queensryche fit? I read a review where someone felt the band was "holding something back". I feel the same way. Not heavy enough, not progressive enough, not innovative enough. Yet it's a solid effort throughout. From an historical perspective, including my own personal history, I think I should hold onto the CD this time.

Ownership: EMI-Manhattan (CD). Acquired in 2026.

Former ownership: 1984 EMI America (LP). Acquired in 1984.

9//84; 11/8/21 (notes); 2/20/26 (review)

2/20/26 (new entry)

Metallica ~ USA ~ San Francisco, California

Garage Inc. (1998)

It had been my intention to follow up the original Garage Days listen below with the 1998 updated album, as they're both on the same CD. I put it aside, then it got buried under other CDs, and finally forgotten altogether. Eventually managed to find it and put on a listening list, and here we are.

From the below I wrote: "I don't technically like cover tunes, as I see them as something of a novelty. But in the hands of Metallica it somehow seems different." At least that was the case in the 80s lol. Somewhere along the line, Metallica lost interest in thrash, and by the 90s they were more like a bluesy metal band. And their popularity, at least from a critical response perspective, also sank to the bottom as I also noted in the Hardwired review. Though financially, I seriously doubt they felt the pinch. They obviously don't care about their legacy, and so be it. They are a hell of a lot richer than their brethren, but less respected. So is Elon Musk. Each were once worshipped and now derided by many (and loved by others). Big deal, I'm sure they collectively feel.

If there was an album that afforded them a modicum of street cred in the 90s, it was Garage, Inc. Whereas the covers on the 1987 effort were well researched underground metal, here they are a bit more typical classic rock fare. Not sure I need to hear Metallica cover Bob Seger, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Nick Cave. Black Sabbath and Thin Lizzy feel obligatory. Doing punk covers, while actually sounding like a punk band, is beneath them. 

So what does that leave? Yea, the 11 minute Mercyful Fate medley. A really great fit for classic era Metallica, and exactly the type of music they embraced a decade earlier. The other is the intriguing choice of 'Astronomy'. Proggy Blue Oyster Cult meets Metallica? Funny to hear Hetfield try to actually sing. I think it's hard to replicate the atmosphere without the piano, but they did an admirable arrangement job here. Makes you wonder what they would have come up with if covering Yes or Genesis? Embarrassing or enlightening? Hey, I wouldn't underestimate them that much. 

I'll keep this CD in the "extra" category, primarily for the bonus tracks on Disc 2, which is mostly 80s material.

Ownership: 1998 Elektra (2xCD) with Garage Days Re-Revisited. Booklet with extensive liner notes and photos. Plus many bonus. Acquired in 2025.

1/19/26 (review)
 

Garage Days Re-Revisited (1987)

After reading the below, it should come as no surprise I bought this EP on Day 1. I don't technically like cover tunes, as I see them as something of a novelty. But in the hands of Metallica it somehow seems different. They make great songs even better, especially in their 80s heyday. And their choices of songs proves once again that they were quite well versed in metal history. Choosing bands like Diamond Head, Budgie, and Holocaust was next level research for 1987. This was the album that introduced bassist Jason Newsted, and a key transitional moment that Metallica wasn't going to give up after Cliff Burton's untimely accidental death. Another one of those albums I have no documentation of hearing since purchase, though once again I know that's not accurate. 

While I'm here I should cover off on the extended 1984 Garage Days Revisited single that includes the devasting 'Am I Evil?' from Diamond Head plus the excellent NWOBHM Blitzkrieg track.

Ownership:

1987 Elektra (EP). Acquired in 1987.

1998 Elektra (2xCD) on Garage, Inc: Disc 2 - Tracks 1-5 (6-7). Acquired in 2025.

8//87 (first listen); 7/29/25 (review) 

Kill 'em All (1983)

It all starts here. This album. The one that put thrash metal on the map, and perhaps was the jet fuel the entire heavy metal genre needed to survive for the ages. As I noted on Accept's Restless and Wild, they lit the match. Metallica took that fire to the torch and scorched the earth with it.

For me personally I was looking for a sound. I didn't know what it was, but I needed a place to burn some pent up energy, both mind and body. By 1983, I was a huge fan of Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Saxon, the aforementioned Accept album and a few others. Iron Maiden was the closest to what I was seeking, but they weren't ever really that heavy to be honest. But they had the right idea compositionally with 'Phantom of the Opera', 'Hallowed Be Thy Name', 'To Tame a Land', and many others. According to RYM, Kill 'em All was released on July 25, 1983. That ties to my memory as well. It wasn't until August that I purchased my copy (which I still own) after reading about it in Kerrang. The timing is important because it was only a couple of weeks before I entered college. One of those identity defining moments at a key time in life.

I remember hearing the album for the first time and my reaction to it. 'Hit the Lights' was a perfect opener. A lot of albums back then had a perfect opener. But would it sustain? Then came 'Four Horseman'. And there it was - that was the sound I was looking for! The riffs, the production, the meter changes, everything about it was so perfect. ...And it never let up from there. The album was relentless in its pursuit of heaviness with a bit of brainpower. Some of their best tracks can be found here (including the two openers), especially 'No Remorse', 'Whiplash', 'Jump in the Fire', and 'Seek & Destroy'. 

They were to improve dramatically on their next two albums in the areas of songwriting, technique (including vocals), lyrics, and production heaviness. And yet Kill 'em All was already miles ahead of any perceived competition.

As I stated - it was an album that shaped an identity. As noted here a few times, I attended Texas Tech. That school is in Lubbock, in the middle of hardcore West Texas. Country music ruled supreme and many young cowboys from the area went to school there. I had nothing in common with any of them. I was a city kid from Dallas. There were a few of us like that. It would be three months before I even met someone who knew who Metallica was. Instant friendships were bonded in that way. Long haired, torn denim, tennis shoes wearing metal heads in the world of clean cut cowboys complete with hat and boots. The only downside was that all the pretty girls (and there were many of them!) liked the cowboys. Sigh. 

I acquired this album not long after release at a mall record store as noted above. Funny to think about that too. At a mall store... Probably right next to Men at Work's Cargo.

A true story: One early afternoon after class, I needed to burn off some energy (common theme apparently), and was jamming to 'Whiplash'. Two of my dorm mates were walking down the hall. Imagine 6' 4" tall cowboys, tight jeans, boots, and black hats - walking in lockstep. They saunter past my door. They stop and look backwards into my room and ask in a western twang:

 "What the hell is that sh*t?". 

"It's Metallica, dude" 

"What?" 

"Metallica".

"Well that sh*t SUCKS. Keep it down!"

Ownership: 

1983 Megaforce (LP). Lyric inner bag. Acquired in 1983.

Vertigo Argentina (CD). Two hidden bonus tracks taken from the 'Creeping Death' EP: 'Am I Evil?' and 'Blitzkrieg'. Acquired in 2019.

1988 Elektra (MC). With the same two bonus tracks as the CD. Acquired in 2026.

8//83 (first listen); 1//04; 8/8/15; 8/8/24 (review)

Hardwired... To Self-Destruct (2016)

I got this in a bulk metal buy about four years ago. Just now getting to it. No time like the present. There's so much I could say about Metallica, having purchased Kill 'em All not long after being first released (see above). They were so far ahead of the pack in the 1980s, the whole world was scrambling to catch up. And still couldn't keep up. Their last innovative offering was And Justice For All, way back in 1988. Metallica knew that it would have been impossible to stay on top of emerging trends, so they pivoted to a completely new sound. I dropped out at that time as well. Their 1991 album tends to get a pass today (an album I didn't appreciate until recently myself). And everything else they've released since then comes with a cargo ship full of hate mail. If I were to write a fast thesis, it would be interesting to note the fan trajectory of a peer like Iron Maiden, who today is as highly admired as ever before. Which gets us to Hardwired, an album that I should be saying is their latest, but I piddled long enough for them to sneak a new album in. That new album is taking the same poisoned arrows as anything else they're released since the 80s. I liked Death Magnetic (2008), their first album to consider their own legacy. I couldn't tell you much about it, but I do own the CD. But my guess is I'm holding onto to that for the same reason I'm holding on to this. It's probably temporary in any case for both. So what about the music of Hardwired? It's very good actually. Not extraordinary. No chance taking, no ten minute tracks about Celts and Samurai warriors like Iron Maiden is doing (to mixed reviews, but consider me a huge fan of Iron Maiden continuing to push the envelope). Rather Metallica cusses like a 14 year old juvenile delinquent and isn't even that heavy by today's standards. And they were the trailblazers of the modern metal sound. Nothing was as heavy as Master of Puppets in 1986. But Hardwired is almost like juiced up hard rock. They give you one full disc of music on two, and within all those minutes there is some good stuff. But no heart racers as they did in their youth. In the end, the band has nothing to be ashamed of on Hardwired, but they really gave away their place in history long ago. But those first four albums... Wow. (Jun)

Ownership: 2016 Blackened (2xCD). Triple FOC. Acquired in 2023.

6/30/23 (review)

Master of Puppets (1986)

Presumably I don't need to review this album so you can know how it sounds. But what I can tell you is my own story. I was a junior in college when this was released (and purchased on LP - the copy referenced below in fact), and was probably the most anticipated release I can think of... ever. I had already bought their first two albums immediately upon release, and was subsequently blown away by each. That did not happen here. Make no mistake - my rating in 1986 would have been 4.5 stars had RYM existed then. In fact my opinion of this album has remained unchanged in 32 years of hearing it. I love every minute of it. And yet I couldn't help thinking it was a slight disappointment at the time, and even now. Why would I say such a thing about a universally acclaimed masterpiece? Well... think about the debut and then the follow up. Both were mind numbingly creative for their time. Master of Puppets was more or less a repeat of Ride the Lightning - more perfected sure, and objectively better. But subjectively perhaps not. Gone was the raw creativity, and in was the pure professionalism of it all. From here, Metallica continued in a similar manner - to the point of losing focus altogether. So Master of Puppets was the beginning of the end, though it didn't seem that way at the time. Yes, of course, it deserves all the accolades it gets and I'm one of those positive voters. 

Ownership: 

1986 Elektra (LP). Acquired in 1986.

Vertigo Japan (CD) Papersleeve. Acquired in 2015.

3//86 (first listen); 8/13/15; 7/30/18 (review)

Ride the Lightning (1984)

To truly appreciate Metallica, I think it's important to understand the history. When Metallica debuted with Kill 'Em All, they had rewritten the rules of metal as we knew them. There just simply wasn't any band playing that heavy, that fast, and that clear in those days. Sure it was a bit simple minded, and the lyrics were a little on the bonehead side, but still the album had most young males heart racing faster than Secretariat at the Derby. It was an exciting beginning, and Metallica could've stayed with this style and been heralded as a pioneer much in the same way we view Motorhead and Iron Maiden.

Then came Ride the Lightning. Metallica still hadn't ironed out all of their contractual deals with Elektra, and I happened to be in London at the time of its initial release. Their UK deal was with the relatively minor underground label Music For Nations, and I just couldn't wait and bought the album at HMV. And dragged it with me for another two weeks. It's a decision I never regretted (and still have my well worn LP copy, that will stay with me until the end).

The album opens with 'Fight Fire With Fire', and that track still gets my adrenaline up. James Hetfield's vocals, as Xavier Russell hilariously noted in Kerrang at the time, was more like "Fight Vodka With Bourbon". It's been almost 25 years since Ride the Lightning came out, and tens of thousands of metal albums have copied every note of this album, with better production techniques and STILL I'm blown away by this cut. Consider that there was a time when I would hear this song almost every day! This is followed by the title track, an awesomely mid paced super heavy song, that is as melodic as it is pulverizing. And so it goes through the remainder of the album. One big jaw dropping event. Especially for 1984. The band had improved exponentially on an already impressive debut. The songwriting has an almost progressive rock quality to it. And the band made a conscious decision to take an intellectual Iron Maiden approach to the lyrics. So instead of metal armies, banging that head that doesn't bang, and other testosterone fueled brainlessness, Metallica opted to sing about the ethics of capital punishment, cryogenics, the anguish of contemplating suicide, the Egyptians perspective of Passover, and musical interpretations of Ernest Hemingway and H.P. Lovecraft. WHAT? How could any one band rewrite the rules so fast?

In effect, Ride the Lightning was so far ahead of the curve it would take years for anyone to catch up. One can argue that Master of Puppets is a stronger album, as it took the Ride the Lightning concept and improved on it. But it seemed a little more clinical and less of the moment. By ...And Justice For All, Metallica were reaching for even more creative ideas. But it wasn't right. Their heart wasn't what would later be called a progressive metal group. It was a bit too wooden for their own good, though still a fine album. And their playing of 'One' at the Grammy's was a watershed moment for heavy metal overall. From here they lost their way to the hardcore original fans... and for many others they were just about to be introduced to a more radio friendly Metallica. But back to 1984, Ride the Lightning has to be considered one of the most revolutionary albums ever made.

Ownership: 

1984 Music For Nations (LP). Acquired in 1984.

2010 Vertigo Japan (CD). Papersleeve. Acquired in 2015.

8/17/84 (first listen); 6/25/09 (review); 8/10/15

Other albums I own and need to review: And Justice For All; The Black Album; Death Magnetic

6/25/09 (new entry)

Savatage ~ USA ~ Tampa, Florida

Poets and Madmen (2001)

I wasn't planning to revisit the Savatage catalog so quick but the random number generator thought differently. As noted on Hall of the Mountain King, I have almost no history or recollection of Savatage's material outside of the 1980s. At this stage of their career, they're all in for storybook albums, and what is loosely called rock opera. Or metal opera. None of which appeals to me really, as lyrics have never driven my appreciation level all that much. And classical styled chorus' are also not something I cherish to listen to. As for the music, I'm pleasantly surprised by the fat and creative riffs, a hallmark of the Savatage sound. Piano and synthesizer add-ons are much welcomed too. Jon Oliva doesn't sound quite the same here, though age I'm sure has something to do with this. 

As I catch up on Savatage's history, it's interesting to read that band leader Jon Oliva says that Savatage without brother Criss (who died tragically in 1993) doesn't really sound like the band. I know what he means, though I'm not sure even the early 90s material have resonated with me either. They're not bad at all, just they fall out of my interest area. Seems Savatage will always be a band of the 80s for me, more specifically a band that existed solely in my college years (1983-1987). Even though I bought a sealed modern LP reissue of Edge of Thorns, I may sell it and eventually grab a cheap CD for a revisit if I see it. I owned it before on CD, and moved it out. I doubt my viewpoint has changed that much in the last decade honestly.

Poets and Madmen was to be the end of the line for Savatage. However it appears the story isn't going to end just yet, as they are working on a new album called Curtain Call, to be released this year (2026). Of course Savatage have gone through various fits and starts in the last 25 years, so who knows? Perhaps this will be their Coroner moment.

Former ownership: 2001 Steamhammer (CD). Box set with sticker and poster. Booklet lays out the story, and includes lyrics plus a photograph of a pretty lady associated with the story. Acquired in 2017.

4/7/17 (first listen); 1/5/26 (review)
 

Hall of the Mountain King (1987)

I stayed loyal to Savatage despite their last effort being the dreadful Fight for the Rock. And I was also losing enthusiasm surrounding Power of the Night, since reconciled as noted below. The reviews of the era stated emphatically that Hall of the Mountain King was a strong return to form. So I plunked down what few remaining dollars I had left by my last semester in college (the defense contractor intern money from 85-86 was gone by then). I'm pretty sure this was the last LP I bought before graduating. A good way to exit. Indeed, Savatage was back. Crunchy guitars, shrieking vocals, and the heavy bottom end are all in full force. And the band began to embrace the progressive, something they seemed reluctant to do, though they'd circled the concept early in their career. The songwriting is strong here as well.

Hall of the Mountain King arguably saved them from disintegration, and opened a lot of doors for the future. Today it is considered their masterwork, though I remain loyal to their initial couple of releases, given the time and place context. 

Nonetheless I stopped here with Savatage, and didn't check out any of their later albums until the last ten years or so. None have really wowed me, though revisits are in order.

Ownership: 1987 Atlantic (LP). Acquired in 1987.

10//87 (first listen); 7/20/13; 12/16/25 (review)

Sirens (1983)

I've mentioned Sirens on plenty of posts in the past but have never featured or written anything about it directly. I purchased this on the same fateful January 1984 day that I acquired Manilla Road's Crystal Logic while still on winter break from college. Neither album had much initial impact on me. They were both slow growers. Today I consider Manilla Road's album close to the top tier, whereas Sirens remains merely excellent to my ears. Primarily that's because there isn't any one track that makes you sit up and proclaim "did you hear that?" That is to say, there is no 'Dreams of Eschaton' here. But what Sirens did bring was a superbly crafted traditional heavy metal album. Fantastic bass heavy production with crunchy guitars and Jon Oliva's unique snarling and yelping vocals. Not a dud track among the nine songs on display. Though the band were to later incorporate progressive rock and opera themes, I prefer this earlier incarnation of the group. I think they were to peak on The Dungeons are Calling EP before experimenting with more commercial music and then onto the aforementioned progressive rock ideas of Hall of the Mountain King. Sirens is slower and heavier than the bands it's often compared to such as late 70s Judas Priest, same era Iron Maiden, and early Queensryche. It fills a unique space inside of an obvious context.

Ownership: 

1983 Par (LP). "Legal rights" on the label version. Acquired in 1984.

2002 Metal Blade (CD). Silver anniversary edition. Liner notes written by former drummer Steve Wacholz. Features three relevant bonus tracks likely taken from the same era (though not documented). Acquired in 2013.

1//84 (first listen); 1/21/13; 9/28/19; 9/21/23 (review)

Power of the Night (1985)

I bought this when it first came out, but by the 90s I had become tired of this kind of traditional metal sound. Though fortunately the first two Savatage albums (including the EP) still resonated and have continued to become legend in my mind (as noted here). Both are treasured parts of the collection. In retrospect I can see my initial dissatisfaction with Power of the Night, as the album is more straightforward and it wheezes out at the end. But I love the way Savatage brings those big riffs and Jon Oliva yelps his lines. And that heavy bottom rhythm. Keeper for now.

Ownership: 1985 Atlantic (LP). Acquired in 2023.

6//85 (first listen); 7/15/23 (review)

The Dungeons Are Calling (1985)

The Dungeons are Calling is Savatage's second effort, and is a blistering set of six traditional metal tunes. Easily Savatage's heaviest album, I would have to disagree this constitutes nothing more than leftovers. There are three absolute monster tracks here: 'City Beneath the Surface' sounds like Sabbath's Sabotage album taken to the 3rd power. The title track and 'By the Grace of the Witch' are crushingly heavy, but also melodic and memorable. Jon Oliva is really belting them out here with the best of them. And brother Criss' guitar sound is exactly it. Even the weaker tracks are no slouches. 'Visions' sounds like many a Mausoleum type European rumbler, while 'The Whip' could have been lifted straight from Judas Priest's Defenders of the Faith session.

Ownership: 

1984 Combat (EP). Acquired in 1985.

2002 Metal Blade (CD). Silver Anniversary with bonus tracks. Acquired in 2004.

3//85 (first listen); 12//04; 2/2/16 (review)

Once owned the following: Fight for the Rock; Streets; Dead Winter Dead; Edge of Thorns

12/4/16 (new entry)

Heir Apparent ~ USA ~ Seattle, Washington

Graceful Inheritance (1986)

Heir Apparent were one of many great bands buried on the French cult label Black Dragon, a label I was keeping a close eye on given that's where Manilla Road resided. Despite this, I completely forgot about the name Heir Apparent until recent times, if I knew them at all. I don't recall seeing their album in the college record store bins nor seeing writeups in the metal mags I followed at the time. Even if I did flip the record over at some point, I doubt I would have given it much thought, seeing 13 (?!) tracks and short time durations. The longest song here is 5:06, so it doesn't appear they were stretching the boundaries of heavy metal, which is what I would have been looking for.

And now that I'm hearing the album for the first time, I can attest to that last statement. Not groundbreaking at all. That said, I find the music on Heir Apparent's debut very pleasing. It doesn't take long to figure out that the band bears close resemblance to that of same era Queensryche. That's not a coincidence given they often interacted with each other and both were from Seattle. Long before the nihilistic grunge movement was to take over, bands all over the US were more influenced by the fantasy driven NWOBHM groups of the era. Right from the off, you are greeted by Paul Davidson's high pitched yet soothing voice. Sounding every bit like Geoff Tate in his prime without the histrionics. Guitarist Terry Gorle brings a lot of the 70s decade with him, especially in his use of the wah wah pedal on his solos. His tone isn't particularly heavy for the era, so the band relies on melodicism. And it's here that Heir Apparent shines greatest, as it's apparent (had to do it) they spent quite a bit of time both writing and arranging these songs, including the instrumentals.

The greatest part about discovering albums like Graceful Inheritance is that I know I missed tons of excellent metal albums from the mid to late 80s and early 90s. I didn't have much money in college, and once I was released (haha - yea, released) I was way deep into putting paychecks to global prog albums.

Ownership: 1986 Black Dragon (LP). Lyric inner bag.

Also own and need to review their follow up One Small Voice.

9/27/25 (acquired / review)

Naikaku ~ Japan

Wheel of Fortune (2003)

---1/17/07

An aggressive and complex instrumental rock with the leads being shared by heavy guitar (not metal) and a contrasting flute. I was reminded of the obscure US group Atavism of Twilight, a sound that disappeared practically before it started. It’s more complicated than Argentina’s Tanger, but not too far off the mark. Kenso is another reference, but Naikaku aren’t as symphonic.

---8/18/25

I wrote the above for their next album Shell, which I heard first. That synopsis can certainly apply here to their debut as well. I obtained Wheel of Fortune about five months later in 2007, and that was my last listen. The opening of Wheel of Fortune might as well put an exclamation point as the final word on what aggressive guitar and flute can sound like. It sounds like Happy Family for the flute rock crowd. The music can sometimes veer off into a looser jazz motif. Only to return back to super tight heavy instrumental rock. And the guitar tone can get to the heavy metal point. Come to think of it, I hear some Praxis in their sound. It's more focused and less electronic oriented, but the guitar playing and jazz backdrop is what triggered the thought. I really enjoy the contrast between the beauty (flute) and the beast (guitar). The rhythm section is no slouch either. They're quite active and push the proceedings to a more kinetic level. Final track is a cover of Focus' 'Hocus Pocus' which fits their sound like hand in glove. And the instruments they use to imitate the yodeling is hilarious.

The titles are in Japanese and some are quite bizarre. Someone made an attempt on Discogs to translate. 

Here's track 2: 'In Short, You've Just Changed "Point Of View", Don't You? It's Only A Superficial Part, Right? Modern? Or Post-Modern? We Don't Care. Go Home! Go Back To That Sea!'. 

And track 4: '629 Items In Trash Can And Using 380.1MB. Want To Delete These Items?'

Ownership: 2003 Freiheit (CD). Booklet with artwork and recording details. Acquired in 2007.

6/14/07; 8/18/25 (review)

Also own Shell.

Naikaku were a short-lived group who only made two albums. And one very obscure undated cassette according to Discogs

8/18/25 (new entry)

Witch Blade ~ Sweden

Månsken (2022)

For whatever reason, I'm finding more and more new LPs at deep discounts at record stores here in Colorado. To me it does signal that the LP boom of the last decade, and especially the pandemic, has subsided. That generation has now grown up and have other responsibilities. So those of us who hopelessly never stopped collecting vinyl can scoop them up for cheap. And then probably get stuck with them for the rest of our lives... But does it matter?

With that prelude out of the way, what does Witch Blade musically bring to the table? Old fashioned early 80s styled heavy metal. At that point where hard rock bands were adding muscle and some fantasy themes. Oftentimes proggy in nature but not compositionally so. A non British NWOBHM as it were. The other endearing aspect of Witch Blade is the group sings defiantly in their native Swedish. And they make a big deal out of that. I love native languages in music, so sign me up. Don't expect too much here. Eight solid workmanlike tracks, all easy on the ears if you are familiar with the NWOBHM style.

Witch Blade takes me back to an exciting time in the late 80s and early 90s when new vinyl LPs were coming out with a distinct look backwards (I'm thinking of the Colours label as but one example). The packaging of the LP is addicting: Great cover art, a well made but primitive booklet, poster, postcard, sticker, and probably something else I can't remember (album is filed).

Ownership: 2022 Dying Victims (LP). Details above.

7/1/25 (review)

Jacobs Dream ~ USA ~ Columbus, Ohio

Theater of War (2001)

Theater of War is the second album from Jacobs Dream and is sandwiched between the two I've documented below. Musically it is very similar to both. Next-gen early Queensryche with plenty of progressive sensibilities. I'll also add another Seattle band into the influence bucket: Sanctuary. Some bands have that right sound, and Jacobs Dream possesses it. David Taylor's vocals are incredible. He never screams, and maintains melody at the highest registers. A little bit like the operatic Messiah Marcolin of Candlemass. Much praise should go to the guitarists here as well. They not only riff (with a deliciously distorted tone) but their solos are soulful rather than gymnastic. Theater of War extends the compositions more than their debut, calling on their progressive tendencies. And an obvious admiration for Iron Maiden. 

Ownership: 2001 Metal Blade (CD). Lyric booklet. Acquired in 2018.

11/19/18; 5/15/25 (review)
 

Drama of the Ages (2005)

Until late last year, I had never even heard of the grammatically incorrect Jacobs Dream. A few years ago, I bought a pile of metal CDs (all new or barely used) for $1 to $2 each, and stuck them in a drawer. Somehow I ended up with the first three Jacobs Dream albums. After hearing and enjoying the first one, I pulled the other two out for a higher priority than "tossed in a container forever" status. Of the CDs from that pile, some were hardly worth the pennies I paid. But Jacobs Dream is exactly the gem in the rough I was looking for.

As I noted on the debut, Jacobs Dream takes the premise of the Queensryche EP and runs with it. They are much heavier than our friends from Seattle were to become, and on the first two albums, singer David Taylor did a fine job at emulating Geoff Tate - himself imitating Rob Halford to an extent. For Drama of the Ages, Taylor is gone and Chaz Bond has taken the mic (cool name, eh?). His vocals are a bit disorienting at first, lower in register than Taylor, but still the Tate-isms are in play. Musically Jacobs Dream remain similar. They are not really progressive metal, but they have progressive elements, similar to the older vintage metal bands. The music is certainly heavy, and there are twists and turns within each track - and some sparse synthesizers. Miles away from the gymnastic Dream Theater school, Jacobs Dream provides you plenty of room for good old fashioned headbanging. Lyrically the band is becoming more and more overtly Christian. You would never know it by the music though. This is not praise-be-to-the-heavens hymnal work. But rather a different subject matter than what you might initially think hearing the music only.

This ended the three album run on America's preeminent heavy label Metal Blade. The fact that you can still find sealed copies for under $5 tells me the band weren't a big seller, despite the high quality and consistently great reviews from metal critics. From here the band began to self-release and later joined the Christian metal label roster of Retroactive. If any of these albums roam past my wire for a good price, I'm buying.

Ownership: 2005 Metal Blade (CD). Lyric booklet. Acquired in 2019.

2/7/19 (review)

Jacobs Dream (2000)

The summer of 1983 was an exciting time for us young metal fans, and one of the great new hopes was a band from Seattle named Queensryche, who had just released their eponymous debut EP on their own private 206 label (area code for Seattle). It was exactly the right kind of metal I was looking for, a pre sell-out Judas Priest type album with incredible songs, heavy riffage, and a gifted high-pitched singer. Unfortunately they were never to repeat this sound again, though whatever they did decide on was immensely popular, but it wasn't for me.

Enter Jacobs Dream, a somewhat obscure band from Columbus, Ohio, who are still toiling to this day. This - their year 2000 debut - is the album I was waiting for from Queensryche - and I didn't hear it until 2018. So I'm 18 years behind the times, and Queensryche is 34 years overdue. This is just the kind of traditional heavy metal I like, with real songcraft, excellent riffs and guitar solos, a little bit of progressive, but not overtly so. And vocalist David Taylor is really quite accomplished, reminding me every bit of Geoff Tate in his prime. You'll hear snippets of other groups as well such as Number of the Beast era Iron Maiden, Fates Warning circa The Spectre Within, and even Rush (listen to 'The Gathering' to see what I mean here). The music is not pitch perfect and is rough around edges - just the way I like it. Easy recommendation for those where the above time and place resonates.

Ownership: 2000 Metal Blade (CD). Lyric booklet. One bonus track. Acquired in 2018.

9/28/18 (review)

As noted above, these are the only albums I've heard by Jacobs Dream. Hopefully I'll discover more while digging in the wilds.

9/28/18 (new entry)

Deathrow ~ Germany

Raging Steel (1987)

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: 1987 Cobra (LP). Acquired in 2024.

12/27/24 (review)

Deception Ignored (1989)

I was a little late to the party regarding Deathrow. It wasn't until the mid 90s that I got a hold of Deception Ignored on CD. But once in possession, I knew I had a lasting winner. There's a type of progressive (or technical, if you prefer) thrash that I truly enjoy, and Deathrow play it. Very much in league with the early Psychotic Waltz albums. Incredibly dense, yet still melodic, and freaking batshit crazy on the rhythms. It's a nonstop assault on your senses. It wasn't until recent years that I purchased their 4th album Life Beyond (which is relatively similar to Deception Ignored). And to this day, I have yet to hear their first two albums, though I understand them to be more straightforward thrash. I'm sure I'll hear them at some point (ED: see above)

Ownership: 

1989 Noise (LP). Acquired in 2017.

1989 Noise (CD). Acquired in 1996.

1996; 5/13/12; 4/15/20 (review)

Also own Life Beyond.

4/15/20 (new entry)

Granmax ~ USA ~ Kansas City, Missouri

Kiss Heaven Goodbye (1978)

---11/7/07

For 1978, Kiss Heaven Goodbye rocks hard and has some riffing that you may have only found on a Judas Priest album (think Stained Class) at this early date. Pretty much nonstop heavy rock, and no pub and boogie rockers to drag it down as is typical for albums such as this.

---9/16/24

It was a long time in the making, but finally Granmax's heralded second album has been reissued. Long a sought after item by hard rock collectors, prices soared to unattainable heights.

There have been a few more late 70s private hard rockers I've discovered since, but Kansas City's Granmax belongs in that top tier discussion. Heavy rock was more and more prominent in the late 70s Midwest landscape, and American males everywhere were looking for an outlet to burn their pent-up energy. Borrowing from Judas Priest, Rush, Blue Oyster Cult, Budgie, Grand Funk, Kiss, Black Sabbath, and every other A-lister heavy band of the era, Kiss Heaven Goodbye was the answer to a lot of young dude's wishes. In the same way the first Van Halen was. Not every track is a winner, but even among the more mediocre tunes resides a creative riffing sequence. Granmax were ahead of their time and well positioned to go to the next step. They were auditioning for Polydor and then they disappeared without a trace. The liner notes mention it as an abrupt occurrence but do not give us details. It's easy to see how Granmax could have been peers of a group like Manilla Road, eventually going all in for heavy metal. They had the talent, the fantasy lyrics, and the masculinity to pull it off. One more tale of woe in the hard rock annals of American history.

The CD includes three bonus tracks taken from a concert of the era. These songs show the band moving more to the center, though maintaining their heaviness, demonstrating they had a desire to rise in the charts.

Ownership: 2024 Cult Metal Classics (CD). Contains history, perspectives, photos, lyrics, and recording data.

11/7/07 (first listen); 9/16/24 (acquired / review / new entry)

Existence ~ Germany

Reign in Violence II (1990 / 2004)

I often state that I like my heavy metal a bit on the messy side - highly creative, unusual, quirky, and unpredictable. Let me introduce you to the latest band I've heard in this category: Existence. From the first notes, I knew this was going to be in my wheelhouse. The riffing and solos are excellent, the vocals are somewhat normal, and the music is all over the place. Now on this latter observation, I'm not a fan of genre hopping or avant garde dissonance. It's none of that, rather it's a very familiar sound but off-kilter. In the end it sounds like Iron Maiden playing the music of Manilla Road with a side of early Fates Warning. The vocals and NWOBHM's heritage recall Legend (UK). Competent and creative, but not pitch perfect, not even close. Existence defies their German heritage and sounds like a band that could have emerged from the garages of West Virginia. And 1990 was the height of these bands rising to the surface. Most received no press coverage and were a memory of but a few that saw them in the dingy clubs of the era.

As if to prove their quirkiness, Existence's existence (as it were) is also murky. Their debut Reign in Violence was recorded in 1990 but not released until 2001. To add to the weirdness, that debut only came out on LP. In 2001? So they missed the cassette and tail end of the LP era only to release an LP in the middle of the CD era. OHKaaay. Their next recording wouldn't be until 14 years later, the cd-r only Ventricular Fibrillation. By then the few that did know Existence had long forgotten them and this oddly titled release didn't get them any further notice. They did release one more CD in 2008 which I haven't heard.

To take the strangeness one step further, the privately released Reign in Violence II compilation features the above two albums. Neither in full (first album is missing one track and the latter is missing three), but the oddest part is the way the tracks are presented. Every other song comes from one album or the other. And while their musical approach didn't change at all in those 14 years, their sound did. So it's a rather jarring contrast going back and forth. One from a 1990 era tech metal production album to another 2004 production, which has an almost industrial sound to it. It's just bizarre really. The booklet doesn't help, providing lyrics to only the Reign in Violence album while the other you would think might be instrumental (it's not). The back cover color codes which album each track comes from, but they don't provide a key to the colors. And just to put the final nail in the insane grave, they inserted one 15 second uncredited instrumental in the middle, so even the track numbers don't match for the latter two thirds. What a mess.

Ownership: 2005 private (CD)

8/4/24 (review / new entry)

Scorpions ~ Germany

Savage Amusement (1988) 

To my ears not really any better or worse than its predecessor Love at First Sting. Pop metal with a handful of big riffs trying to capture the radio market. Good for what it is. But not necessary at this stage for me. I had long given up on the Scorpions by this point.

Source: 1988 Harvest Germany (LP)

7/28/24 (review)

Lonesome Crow (1972)

For Tangerine Dream's Electronic Meditation review I wrote: "As noted here many times I became something of a fanatic for Tangerine Dream starting in 1982, and began to track down any album I could. One of the albums that had proven elusive was their debut, Electronic Meditation. Finally I secured a copy at the tail end of 1983. Got home, undid the shrink, and put the LP on the turntable. I most certainly wasn't expecting this. I didn't even know where to turn. I had no reference points for what I was hearing. But I was completely captivated by it. It took me months to even hear it properly, parsed to where I could even understand it. Like trying to master a foreign language in that way. "

Exact same situation here, even the same record store! Replace Tangerine Dream with Scorpions - and go back in time three years earlier. Scorpions debut was an elusive title for me until I got my driver's license in 1980 - and you can read more about that whole scenario in the Electric Sun - Earthquake review (they were purchased together).

Clearly we are talking two entirely different expectations though. With Tangerine Dream I was expecting an electronic album. With the Scorpions, I was expecting hard rock going into metal. I did own Fly to the Rainbow, so there was some idea at least of what I was getting into.

I was careful on the Electronic Meditation review to not say that was my first Krautrock album, which would have otherwise fit the narrative perfectly. Nope - in fact Lonesome Crow was. I would not have known what the term Krautrock meant if you hit me over the head with it. And I did not have any idea that's what Lonesome Crow was either. Not for many years actually. It was, in fact, Electronic Meditation that introduced me to the idea of what the Krautrock music genre meant. It was then that I learned that Lonesome Crow was the first album on the legendary Brain label. And it all came together for me.

I had one likeminded friend in high school who I borrowed this album to. He said to me "I don't about you, but I'm really curious about the other albums on the back cover." Me too! This was the Rock On Brain issue, and per their protocol, they would advertise five other records from the series. Those monikers sure do sound intriguing: Embryo, Birth Control, Jane (is it a lady singer?), Guru Guru, Satin Whale. Of course it would be only a few short years later while in college I begin to find albums by these groups, with Satin Whale coming last (after college) in 1989 (fortunately it was the original Desert Places too).

As for the album Lonesome Crow, as noted in the opening, it really took me some time to get into this album. But I most certainly did enjoy it, just not at the level I eventually would. Today I consider it a masterpiece, a band clearly operating at another level than their peers even at this early stage. It has all the Krautrock elements of psych, jazz, hard rock, and general freakishness. The title track was my favorite upon first listen, and remains that way today. It's really a pity they couldn't keep going in this direction for longer, though Fly to the Rainbow introduced Uli Roth to the band, so at least they maintained a psychedelic disposition for much longer than they needed to (commercially speaking). From an economic perspective, Scorpions did absolutely the right thing and used their talent to rise to the top of the charts. But artistically they were never as good as their debut. Not even close.

Ownership: 

1972 Brain (LP). Gatefold. Green Metronome label. Acquired in 2023.

1980 Brain (LP). Titled: Action. Rock On Brain series. Orange / blue label. Acquired in 1980.

1982 Heavy Metal Worldwide (LP) picture disc. Acquired in 2020.

2005 Brain Japan (CD). Papersleeve gatefold. Includes the Repertoire booklet with liner notes in English. Acquired in 2005.

1989 Rampage (MC). Acquired in 2024.

Might seem obsessive but each of the above have a different and unique purpose and I have no intention of selling any of them.

9//80; 6//05; 11/18/14; 1/9/24 (review)

Blackout (1982)

---10/14/15 

The Scorpions' last stand before completely selling out. You get some empty calories with the title track, 'Now!', and 'Dynamite', which like Big Mac's are great on initial impact, but maybe not so much later. 'Can't Live Without You' has a decent melodic line, and we enter song title hell with 'No One Like You', 'You Give Me All I Need', and 'When the Smoke is Going Down', all about as deep as their namesakes. 'Arizona' is the only true skip over here and a harbinger of things to come. 'China White' is the one composition with heft, and the only decent legacy the album really has. I bought the LP new when it came out, and I was finishing up my junior year in high school - certainly the best of times. This was one of many soundtracks of a great era in life.

---12/3/22

Funny enough, I hear this album better today than the above review implies, but my rating stays the same. You have to hand it to the Scorpions - they were able to make heavy metal mainstream. That is to say, more popular with the general populace than the usual down-market angry white male audience (you know... like me). Def Leppard also accomplished similar. And whereas I recently noted that the Scorpions seemed to miss their chance on Animal Magnetism, they caught themselves here. So the metal tracks pack more wallop and the commercial oriented songs have more hooks. Other than 'China White' it becomes clear that the Scorpions were no longer interested in artistic legacy, but rather cashing in at the local bank. Can you blame them? They were in the right-time, right-place. They were to take this philosophy even further on their next opus Love at First Sting. An album I bought real time but never really liked. I'm sure I'll find one eventually and we'll see if that remains true or not. And then the Scorpions were no longer relevant after that - desperately trying to make hits when no one was interested in an old grizzled German band (or so it seemed to the new incoming youth). Today, the Scorpions don't have the same historical admiration that bands like Judas Priest and Iron Maiden enjoy.  And any new product is met with skepticism, fair or not. That's the price you pay when you make a deal with the corporate devil.

Ownership: 

1982 Mercury (LP). Lyric inner bag. First acquired in 1982. Latest acquisition: 2026 (hype sticker)

Mercury (CD). 90s press. Acquired in 2005.

1982; 6//05; 10/14/15; 12/3/22 (review)

Lovedrive (1979)

Picking up the story where I left off with the bookends to Lovedrive: Tokyo Tapes and Animal Magnetism. As stated there, Lovedrive was my introduction to the band. Now that they got Uli Roth out of the way, it was time to focus on adding some muscle, and to be a pioneer in the upcoming heavy metal movement. But they're still not all in, and so this could also be looked at as a transitional album, though the psychedelic aspects are now long in the rearview mirror. And Brother Michael Schenker is on board to assist with a three guitar attack, mostly on the heaviest numbers. The album opens somewhere in the middle of their heavy sound at the time with 'Loving You Sunday Morning'. 'Another Piece of Meat' is really where they threw the gauntlet down that they are to be taken seriously as a metal band. 'Always Somewhere' introduces us to what would ultimately make the Scorpions rich: the power ballad. Though, in this case, it's an obscure song in their canon. 'Coast to Coast' is a killer instrumental that best utilizes the three guitars on hand. 'Can't Get Enough' is another true metal piece. And I certainly had to agree with the title at the time - I wanted more metal like this! The title track is the other heavy song here with its galloping rhythm. That leaves the two oddball tunes. 'Is There Anybody There?' is like a weird metal reggae mutant, and quite unique I must say. 'Holiday' is almost, dare I say, proggy. There's something the (modern era) Scorpions won't ever be accused of. It's sort of an acoustic moody folk number before it breaks into a cool metal riff with a haunting chorus and closes with mourning distant electric guitars. One-of-a-kind in their catalog that's for sure, and one of my all-time favorite Scorps tracks.

I purchased my first copy upon release in 1979 at a department store - Best if I recall right (not Best Buy, different store). It was - of course - the censored cover with the scorpion on the cover (long sold off). There was no chance the original cover would have passed the censors in those days. Especially in Texas. So it comes as a big surprise to learn that there are indeed original US pressings with the cover as shown here (fairly scarce). Europe, of course, had no such issues with bare female breasts. In a way, though, I'm glad they censored it. Because I was only 14 when this came out, which means I relied on my Mom (usually) to get me to a store that would have records (not a record store either). And there's no way I would have been able to purchase this. Blue Oyster Cult were hard enough to get past the parental censors lol. In any case, the original cover is pretty stupid, like most of their covers save Fly to the Rainbow and the Japanese releases of Taken By Force and Tokyo Tapes. But I wouldn't want it any other way. I mean - it's the Scorpions!

Ownership: 

1983 Fame (LP). Acquired in 2021.

1979 Mercury (LP). Sealed with all red shrink to hide the racy cover. Acquired in 2025. Never see this.

First copy: 1979 Mercury (LP). With the censored cover. Acquired in 1979.

1979; 12/18/12; 10/20/20; 1/1/22 (reviewed)

Tokyo Tapes (1978)

Tokyo Tapes represents the swan song for Uli Roth as a member of the Scorpions. He was always a square peg in a proverbial round hole anyway, but for my tastes, he was the most creative member of the band. He was also the final link to their psychedelic past. Not surprisingly, the majority of the material comes from their RCA years, most notably Taken By Force, Virgin Killer, and In Trance, with a nod to Fly to the Rainbow and one track from Lonesome Crow (the least representative unfortunately). The album opens with the unreleased 'All Night Long' which is in the now-patented straightforward hard rock sound that Klaus Meine and Rudolf Schenker had adopted by then. Then a couple of Virgin Killer run-throughs gets us to one of the highlights of Tokyo Tapes: 'Polar Nights'. As I've said many times before, live albums are pretty useless if you play the studio versions verbatim. This is the one place that Roth gets in some improvisation - especially the opening. One wishes for it to go another ten more minutes, it's so awesome. And he really lets loose on the solos later on in the piece. The other Roth great moment is the stinging intro (see what I did there...) to 'Dark Lady'. Other highlights includes the psychedelic oriented 'Fly to the Rainbow' and 'We'll Burn the Sky", the B-sider 'Suspender Love', and the hard rocking 'Speedy's Coming'. All one can do is imagine how awesome this live set would have been if it included other Roth penned tunes like 'Drifting Sun', 'Hell Cat', and 'Sails of Charon', with the latter omission being almost criminal since it was on the preceding Taken By Force.  Honestly though, take Roth out of the mix, and this album becomes unnecessary. For their part, the Scorpions were ready for the next chapter, when they hired on guitarist Matthias Jabs to replace Roth, changed labels to Mercury, and muscled up for the oncoming heavy metal onslaught. Uli Roth went on to form the also excellent Electric Sun.

Ownership: 1978 RCA Japan (2xLP). Gatefold. Acquired in 2021.

First copy: 1978 RCA (2xLP). Acquired in 1980.

1980; 6//05; 11/5/11; 12/26/21 (review)

Animal Magnetism (1980)

I bought this album when it first came out. I was already an established Scorpions fan, having seen them live, and was most excited about their new album. It didn't disappoint. Nor did it enthrall. I wanted more from the Scorpions by this point (1980). Now I appreciate more the music on hand. 

In retrospect, the Scorps really missed an opportunity here from an underground perspective. They were adored by hardcore metal fans, even though they really weren't such a beast. If they were going to lay down the gauntlet, Animal Magnetism should have been that album. Established band with street cred, and a heavy sound, this was their time. But instead they had other ambitions, which did pay off for them in the end. But with a different crowd. You're not going to get too far into a discussion about 80s power ballads without mention of the Scorpions. But Animal Magnetism doesn't really have power ballads either. Their one attempt 'Lady Starlight' doesn't suck, so you know they hadn't mastered it yet lol. Mostly this is dog and butterfly, with an emphasis on the dog. And that's why the album works. And the final two tracks give the album its quality reputation in the underground. Or I should say, allowed them to keep their reputation. 'The Zoo' and the title track are heavy dirges that just pulverize the listener. It was the opposite of the fast pace I was looking for at the time, but both have proven to transcend time, and provides a fascinating 11 minute close to an otherwise normal metal album. And besides, 'The Zoo' has the most talk box outside of Frampton Comes Alive. 

Ownership: 

1985 Mercury (LP). Reacquired in 2021. First acquired in 1980.

Mercury (CD). 90s press. Acquired in 2005.

1980; 2005; 11/20/15; 8/4/21 (review)

World Wide Live (1985)

Post Uli Roth / Tokyo Tapes live album, where each track was culled from Lovedrive or later. Basically this album comprises of the studio versions plus much crowd noise. And lots of "ebebybody habing a goode tiimm-eh?" "YEAAAA - Weeeee" chants the crowd. Proving we were all pretty much dumb in 1985. Sure, I went to concerts then too, and went "YEAAAA - Weeeee". All the same, one does wonder what the point of such an album like this is? The performances are quite spirited, though the improvisations (scant as they may be) are pretty much worthless ('Dynamite' ending and 'Six String Sting', par example). Oh, and they butchered 'Holiday', one of the great tracks from Lovedrive.

11/07/15 (review)

Source: 1985 Mercury (2xLP). Gatefold

Also own and need to review: Fly to the Rainbow; In Trance; Virgin Killer; Taken By Force

11/07/15 (new entry)