Savage Grace - After The Fall From Grace (1985)

The cover says it all...but is it one of those great covers that hides a shoddy record ? Thankfully, no. Savage Grace hit the ground running, tour de force of a band who combine New Wave Of British Heavy Metal with a more melodic style of power metal. Epic, raging guitars, bolshy drums and lordy vocals that scream the place down. Despite only being just over thirty minutes in length, 'After The Fall...' is a speedy record in so many ways, from the solid icy opening 'Call To Arms' right through to the mystical closer 'Tales Of Mystery,' this is right up there with some of the best '80s metal. Christian Logue is an accomplished vocalist and a solid guitarist too, showcasing his talents on the thrashy 'We Came, We Saw, We Conquered' which comes complete with shouty, militant chanted chorus and reminds me of the Euro Gothic styling of Helloween. It's the sort of record that really sturs the dank dungeons and a record that belongs in most hardcore metal-head collections. 7.5/10