Convict - Go Ahead...Make My Day (1985)

One glimpse at the cover and you'd be forgiven into thinking that this is a mighty power metal album. In some aspects it is, especially in those gravel vocals, but musically it lacks weight despite the attitude and imagery. These Canadian's only existed for this album, which is a shame because there are some good songs on here, particularly the basic plod of 'metal Warriors' with its cliched lyrics, and the mid-paced 'Bite The Hand...' Trouble is, the guitars and drums seem too much in the background, giving the album a rather watered down feel. A track like 'Don't Turn Away' exhibits itself like a mediocre '80s hard rock track, and I guess that's all Convict are. There's nothing going here in the sound that suggests pure metal, but if you like catchy heavy rock with deeper vocals then Convict might be your thing, especially if you hear a track like 'Evil Eyes' which has a darker edge. Apparently Convict were simply the side project of a chap named Gord Kirchin who, allegedly, doesn't like to talk about this record! 6.5/10