As wave upon wave of death metal acts hit the racks during the late '80s, only few would shine through from the crowd and Pestilence were one of those bands. Despite their later efforts being far more structured and intricate records, the debut album, issued by Roadrunner Records, still remains a mini-classic, even if it borrows heavily from the kings of the genre, Death.As expected the riffs are choppy, the vocals hoarse, and all this played at some speed, but 'Malleus...' is more complex and intelligent than most records, because whilst it still covers all manner of deathly subjects, Pestilence have their own style, attempting a deeper level of thinking, certainly lyric wise.Not the most ground-breaking album you'll hear, but I don't think these Dutchmen set out to do that but simply bombard the eardrums with their own brutality.7.5/10
Critics argued that the death metal genre had always been limited with most bands displaying little intelligence, churning out ghoulish, hyper-fast music and generally having vocalists who spewed out some kind of incomprehensible vomit. However, they'd be wrong, because as Obituary showed on their sickening debut, death metal was more than just pure speed. John Tardy set the tone for extreme vocals, sounding like a possessed man having swallowed a handful of razor-blades, not only that but backed with a set of chainsaw guitars, fuzzed trigger drums and fierce bass assaults.The death metal exploded into the metal arena via greats such as Death and Possessed but during the late '90s Florida spewed out hundreds of bands all seeking to perfect the 'Morrisound' feel created by Scott Burns. Unfortunately, there were many bands who began to sound the same, the scene becoming saturated, and so us metal fans sought originality elsewhere, looking to Europe and back to the old school records, but in Obituary we certainly had a band without rival. Many bands either wimped out, became very complex, or were at times just a blur of sound but Obituary were all of these things and more, very guttural, 'Slowly We Rot', encased within its almost crude cover art is a monstrous record straight from the sewers.Whilst John Tardy gurgled through all manner of growls, most of which were not understandable, it was the sheer weight of sound and actual groove which made Obituary what they were.Unfortunately, like most great debut albums, they are one-offs and after this record the band seemed to become more and more structured and melodic, but if there's one death metal album you need to own, it's this.8.5/10
When Mordred burst onto the scene, via Noise Records, with their debut record 'Fool’s Game', many people in the underground scene, whether press or fans, probably expected just another Bay Area ‘thrash’ record. This wouldn’t have been a bad thing, as during the late 1980’s, the San Francisco thrash scene was blossoming. Bands from New York to L.A. such as Megadeth, Slayer, Anthrax, Testament and Exodus had already broken the heavy metal rules by playing a fast-paced, aggressive style of ‘metal’ that opposed all the ‘poser’ disguises, and relied on a furious, raw barrage of crunchy riffs, growled, seething vocals and vigorous drum blasts. To be a ‘thrasher’ was cool, during a time when metal was either sleazy, ‘glammy’ and leathery, or ‘devil’-induced but almost as corny as many artists waffled on about the dark side, drinking beer and girls, all the while being backed up by a plodding sound that was made world famous by artists such as Ozzy Ozbourne, Motley Crue and Kiss. Thrash was different. But so were Mordred.The Mordred sound was fresh and exciting, despite lacking the true originality of their next effort, 1991’s In This Life. This defining quality was mostly down to the soulful, clear vocal delivery of Scott Holderby, and as time went by he would be put within a bracket of metal singers which ‘cool’ as a description, would be an understatement. Fool’s Game had the vital ingredient for the time; crunch. Riffs supplied by Danny White and Jim Taffer, skin-pounding from Gannon Hall and a grooved bass bellow from Art Liboon, and it certainly was an album of grooves despite having the usual thrash relation, which other bands such as Forbidden, Violence and Defiance took on board. And then there was the DJ! Aaron ‘Pause’ Vaughn who was to eventually become a full-time member of the band when they realised his street-wise scratchings were vital to their downtown atmospheres and industrial raps. On 'Fool’s Game' it was the cover of Rick James’ 'Super Freak' and the colourful 'Everyday’s A Holiday' that set the standard for something very different. At the time ‘funkier’ rock acts such as Fishbone and Red Hot Chili Peppers were only just beginning to get noticed, their ‘sound’ perceived as far too different to melt into the world of heavy metal, so at the time this showed an almost ignorance within the scene and the press who said that ‘crossover’ was a risky business, because at the time, ‘metallers’ didn’t want any kind of rap, funk or soulful influence, but just straight down the line head-melting metal. Mordred suggested otherwise, despite the album’s classic moments coming from the thrash groove of 'State Of Mind' and typical thrash chant of 'Shatter'.Lyrically here was a band shifting from political topics to random fun, all given that extra bite from the surging crunch sound, and Scott’s effortless, soulful croons which could at one moment become spiteful spits and the next, soothing, elasticated funky drools. 'Fool’s Game' wasn’t really a hint as to what was to come, but Mordred had obviously found their niche early simply by risking the inclusion of a DJ, and giving their thrash crunch an interesting groove. It was now a matter of time before the crunch of 'Spellbound', or the pounding of 'Reckless Abandon' would be tweaked into a cutting edge, self-styled groove way ahead of its time. But would the world be ready for Mordred ? Would metal be too restricted, too stale even for a band clearly light years ahead, yet risking being left behind due to lack of conformity ? No-one quite knew, but Fool’s Game was certainly one of the records that began a trend, that made ‘metal’ what it is today.8.5/10
This being Ozzy's last decent album, although even that's debatable, although this album does rock despite its faults. For me, 'No Rest', has a glossy feel to its production, and for me this takes away any kind of true metal edge that may have existed originally. In Zack Wylde Ozzy had finally found someone akin to Randy Rhoades, and that shows on this album with the crisp riffing which was missing from 'The Ultimate Sin'. However, 'Miracle Man' is no 'Crazy Train', and Ozzy seems a little strained vocally, whilst 'Devils Daughter' seems a little dated, and that's where this album suffers mostly. As the '80s were drawing to a close there were certainly enough bands emerging which, when compared to your average metal act, such as Alice Cooper, Kiss and the likes, made the so-called metal legends a little cringe-worthy. Don't get me wrong, I've always loved Ozzy, but here he shows his limits, especially when you consider Faith No More, Jane's Addiction, Soundgarden, et al, were lurking around the corner.'Crazy Babies' is pretty awful, 'Breaking All The Rules' breaks no boundaries and sounds like a leftover from 'The Ultimate Sin', but album saviour is most certainly 'Fire In The Sky', with its atmospheric opening and slow build into the roof-raising chorus.The musicianship on the record is sharp but it's more of the same from a man who has made his name from this style of rock music, and that's not something he should be persecuted for, but like all good things, they must come to an end, but for the sake of rock 'n' roll Ozzy will just keep on going, like so many others.7/10
Call it what you want, usually 'grunge' in most circles, but Soundgarden were always too immense to be categorised as anything of the sort. Put Zeppelin alongside Sabbath, throw them in a mixer in it may come out a little like this. 'Ultra Mega Ok' was the bands debut but it was this opus which set the ball rolling for them, and their sound just got bigger on every release. In Chris Cornell they had some voice, a guy who could out wail Robert Plant, over riffs which could take from Sabbath but become dirty in their own fashion.At times the Soundgarden vibe is a mammoth plod, or next a screaming juggernaut out of control, big riffs, big beats and a big heart, 'Ugly Truth' building momentum into a Sabbath-esque lament, whilst 'Hands All Over' remains the album classic, six-minutes of drudgery and bludgeoning ooze which pretty much summed up how the 'grunge' scene sounded, or should have sounded. Personal fave is the brooding 'Gun' , the Zeppish 'Power Trip' and sexed up 'Big Dumb Sex' , which writhes sweatily, leaving you naked in its mighty shadow. This is huge.8/10
The Misfits were an important b-movie punk band, and Samhain a step on from that, but Glenn Danzig's third project was far greater, and darker.This debut album, produced by Rick Rubin (who produced Slayer), is black, Glenn bringing with him the nickname Evil Elvis, as he steps into the dark corners to preach his grim gospel. Musically, it's sparse, riffs coming across like a bleak AC/DC, vocally, a dark drool, an arrogant swagger through the demonic wastelands, giving the listener another dose of much needed real metal without the corny imagery.Tracks such as 'Twist Of Cain', 'Possession' and the haunting 'Mother' are very much satanically tinged sermons, and Glenn is very much an imposing figure on record, no need for screams when at times ushered tones are all that is required, as the music drives one way, twists the next and sounds like something more akin to a David Lynch movie.This is a fine record and one which is bathed in darkness, so all metal fans should appreciate such an effort.8/10
The second coming. Literally. 'The Real Thing' was the most explosive happening in rock music since the dawning of the genre. Fact.The band had recruited super-brat Mike Patton of Mr Bungle, and crashed into the metal mainstream with an exhibition of startling music that simply defied the genre, despite the countless number of bands being blurted out by styles such as 'grunge'. Faith No More were a breath of fresh air, making seemingly commercial records yet with the aggression, diversity and sinister obscurity to baffle, amaze and astound audiences across the world. It was from here also that metal took a huge twist, no longer was there a craving for satanic imagery or denim 'n' leather, but instead metal grew up, bands were eager to fill stadiums, but this also produced a negative effect as certain bands began to attempt to change styles and with that, brought a fakery about the genre.Faith No More defied classification, but their cauldron of colourful sound embraced all genres, from deep soul grooves, to raw thrash, and from funky hip-hop crossover to surreal pop, 'The Real Thing' strutted, cavorted, copulated and bounced like no other record, and spawned thousands of imitators and a sickly, annoying genre that would become known as 'funk metal', a bizarre category which became filled with bands who attempted to bring hip-hop, funky bass and a diversity into their sound, it was metal's biggest joke, but Faith No More were part of nothing, they were head and shoulders above the rest.'From Out Of Nowhere' sweeps in on big Jim Martin's metallic crunch and Roddy Bottum's lush keys and suddenly Patton is there, frontman extraordinaire for a new generation, spasticated rock god, ignorant brat, spoilt juvenile, toilet-humoured retard to spooky clown, wrenched from his home town of Berkeley, California, thrust into the public spotlight, his nasal whine a million miles away from Chuck Mosley's one-dimensional rantings from the previous opus. Here we had a singer who could drift effortlessly from Sade-type lounge soul, to rugged death metal, country 'n' western hillbilly and frothing serial murder, these schizophrenic characters peeping between Billy Gould's bubbling bass lines and Mike Bordin's skins, it was like nothing that had come before, a truly eccentric and ground-breaking record, and despite it's success, it was like the in-joke that no-one got but went along for the ride anyway.'From Out Of Nowhere' is sugary, sweet and flippant, it's flamboyancy created in its soaring chorus, but it was second track 'Epic' which blew everyone away.Aerosmith and Anthrax had attempted the rap crossovers to good effect but in 'Epic' we had a thudding, metallic crossover track with Patton's spoilt, child-like grimace flowing into a soul-searching chorus that left all other bands wishing they'd had the idea. Genius. And the tracks kept on keeping, we waited for a bad moment, a rotten egg amongst the smoking chorus lines, the catchy hooks and unforgettable riffs, but it never came, we were thrown, flipped and showered by the swirling colours, the bouncy bass of 'Falling To Pieces', Patton pulling all manner of faces like a naughty child, people at once becoming irritated yet mesmerised by this twenty-something star, who spat in the face of his admirers, whilst the rest of the band made up the strange bag. 'Surprise You're Dead' is death metal, Jim Martin, the heavy metal man of the band clanking out a riff that Slayer would've been proud of and then all goes quiet, 'Zombie Eaters' trickles into the ears before building into its chugging chorus, the listener mystified by the enigmatic lyrics that conjure up images we cannot comprehend. This is Faith No More land, where the title cut showcases Patton's versatile croon before 'Underwater Love' shimmy's into the room, 'The Morning After' thuds and the hypnotic 'Woodpecker From Mars' instrumental fuses Sabbath with some early '70s prog rock orgy.Although the vinyl copy at the time ended there, the cd doesn't, smashing you over the head with an immense cover of Black Sabbath's 'war Pigs' and cocktail bar smooch of 'edge Of The World'.There's no review which can truly describe the magic, pleasure, pain and topsy-turvy emotion one gets from 'The Real Thing' but without it, metal would have nose-dived, because this is one of the most important records not just in the history of rock, but music in general.10/10
How could you knock a band who had a record with that name !!? A long story here, but before Nirvana became the most overrated band in history, and were credited with the birth of the mythical music genre known as 'grunge', a more interesting style of fuzzed up punk rock existed. It was often called 'sub-pop', mainly because most of the bands from the scene, who were Seattle based, emerged on the record label called Sub-Pop. The sound was pretty much dirty, fuzzy and loud, lots of distortion, grimy riffs, yet not quite metal, more a fusion of discordant punk and at times a popzoid groove, and there were heaps of bands spilling from the cellars, the big boys were namely Mudhoney, Green River, Catt Butt, Blood Circus, Nirvana, Soundgarden et al, and it was pretty underground and very noisy.Strangely, once Nirvana shed their fuzzy skin and become rock's biggest band, grunge died, and yet in the minds of MTV-obsessed kids it was also born, yet what the scene produced was far more of a polished, commercial scene, bringing with it a shinier Alice In Chains, a bigger Soundgarden and various other average bands such as My Sister's Machine. For me the greatest band to emerge from Seattle were Mother Love Bone, but for me Mudhoney's 'Superfuzz...' remains the true spirit of Sub-Pop.These were bands who could write down and gritty cellar songs but also throw an element of subtlety, check out the pensive 'If I Think' and then the slamming 'Touch Me I'm Sick' for fuzz Heaven.Some of this stuff is not too dissimilar to some of the '60s obscure garage-psych bands, but as the whole genre blew up in the face of society, it was bands like Mudhoney who become swamped and eventually phased out.7/10
Guns n' Roses may have sold all the albums but there was plenty more authentic sleaze lurking around Hollywood and the Sunset Strip, and Faster Pussycat, after their pretty good self-titled debut returned with a boom on this, their second opus for Elektra records. Unfortunately, the band seemed to fade away after one more record ('Whipped') but for me, 'Wake...' reminds me of a time when glam/sleaze metal just couldn't be avoided, a time when the band members did their best to become lady boys and a majority of bandanna-wearing hoodlums spun many a tale of sex, alcohol and drugs. Whether it was all true was another thing, but in Faster Pussycat you could certainly detect an element of mayhemic fun.This is good time rock 'n' roll but not just your run of the mill filler album just to cash in on the G 'n' R bandwagon. Taime Downe was a fine vocalist, his catty rasp perfect for the swaggering grooves, and upon hearing tracks such as 'Poison Ivy', the extremely catchy 'Little Dove' and brilliant porch ballad 'House Of Pain' you could sense a sincerity.Faster Pussycat were one of the best at what they did.8/10
Solid thrash, nothing more nothing less from a band who simply played it down the line, no-holds barred no thrills energy, this being their finest moment for me.As Slayer, Megadeth, Metallica and Anthrax distanced themselves away from the pack to their unrivalled success, it was up to bands such as Nuclear Assault, Testament, Exodus, Sacred Reich, and in Europe, Kreator and the likes, to wave the flag of the underground.These kind of bands play for keeps and aren't interested in selling out, knowing full well that their live shows will go down a storm and from their records you'll always get a meaty package of blazing riffs, plenty of pace and aggression and a few memorable choruses which would no doubt become anthems for the kids.In John Connolly Nuclear Assault had a singer who could rasp full throttle with the best and despite the interesting cover of Zeppelin's 'Good Times Bad Times', 'Survive' remains an essential purchase for any thrash fan.8/10
This is rehab rock 'n' roll, the boys cleaning their noses, enlisting the help of Doc McGhee, and producing their best album since the leather 'n' lipstick glitz of 'Too Fast...'. Despite the hairspray, gold records and success of 'Theatre Of Pain' and 'Girls Girls Girls', they were still very avergae records after the first two classics, so this was certainly an unexpected return to form, albeit a different venture, with the band opting for a more bloated, bombastic sound, but it sure as hell worked.'Dr Feelgood' is a heavy record, a commercial record and possibly an album you wouldn't consider to be a heavy metal classic. When you look at track titles such as 'Slice Of Your Pie' and 'Rattlesnake Shake', you'd think that any self-respecting metalhead would be better off running for his thrash records, or even grabbing his old Crue albums, but '...Feelgood' rocks big time.The production is crisp and clear, the guitars loud, Vince is in fine form and Nikki's tracks are at one cheeky but memorable, without showing the frailty of a majority of tracks that appeared on 'Theatre...'.The album kicks off with a steady intro before kicking into the riffage of the title cut, and straight away you realise this isn't some cheap glam record where the image detracts from the actual material. Whilst Vince still whines like only he can, the music is solid, Lee's drums a consistent pounding backed by Nikki's vibrant bass and Mars, whose fret work keeps the album chugging along brilliantly.Hard to fault any tracks here except maybe the all too sickly 'Same Ol' Situation' which sounds like something Poison would vomit out, but the best tracks are without down the Sweet-inspired glam groove of 'Kickstart My Heart' with its juggernaut entrance built from Tommy's shattering gallop and Mars guitars. Cheeky anthems abound in 'Slice Of Your Pie', 'She Goes Down' and 'Sticky Sweet', and only the Crue could get away with tear-jerker power ballad 'Without You', and then come up with the strutting 'Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)'. Purely pompous and pristine, yet focused rock 'n' roll for the masses.8.5/10
More from the Blackie Lawless theatre, this time adorned in a zoological metal sleeve, Blackie caged up like an animal peering through the bars with his guitar, all very lame in reality, and despite this being the bands biggest seller, I'm still living in the days of the fiery debut record. For me though, this was the bands most average album in the '80s, the follow up, 'The Headless Children' was a decent release thankfully.On here we have the bog-standard, the expected and one or two classics, mainly in the form of the title cut, '9.5 Nasty' and 'Shoot From The Hip', but by now you begin to detect a formula in the rhythms, which is where the predictable 'Mantronic' and 'Sweet Cheetah' come in to the equation.It's all good-time rockin' stuff, but for me the W.A.S.P. circus was becoming unsteady on its tried and tested wheels.6/10
I searched high and low for this record years after it was released and eventually, and thankfully managed to track it down. This is how true heavy metal should be. From the cover alone you can tell Tyrant are pure metal, leather, studs, satanic imagery and a power metal groove to match. As a young metal fan the only thing you wanted from a slab of vinyl was a sinister edge, hopefully created by the musicianship, and Tyrant won't let you down.There's something about the lp sleeve that your mother wouldn't have liked at all, it's pretty inoffensive when looking back but it wants you to believe this is a record worth buying.The introductory atmosphere is a good sign and then it's all Hell breaking loose, pretty heavy riffs, warrior-like vocals growls and a feeling of being in a dungeon, candle-lit and damp, and that's what '80s metal should have been all about.Tyrant are one of those forgotten bands, and as other acts such as W.A.S.P., Twisted Sister, and Kiss sold millions, I'm pretty sure these guys would have faded into obscurity.'Too Late To Pray' is a genuine rock record that attempts to give the listener a high dose of quality metal, and with track titles such as, Beyond The Grave', 'Bells Of Hades', ' Into The Flames' and 'Beginning Of The End' you pretty much find there's a dark theme here.Give it a spin, because in 1987 this kind of record may well have changed some young kids life.7.5/10
Fiery German thrash, Kreator have become a much respected band within the heavy metal genre, always maintaining a solid fan base and producing high quality material.Whilst they never reached the lofty heights of say Slayer, they've remained true to themselves, churning out a dry, coarse lesson in speed metal that's never sold out or succumbed to being melodic.Fronted by sneering frontman Mille Petrozza, 'Endless Pain' remains a cult classic. The sleeve is typically metal in its attitude, a flag-bearing warrior charging through the bodies pf foe he has slain, the portrait accompanied by a sound that never lets up, a full-on barrage of fizzing riffs, tribal drums and vocal rasps.'Tormentor' and 'Total Death' border on black metal grimness, and 'Storm Of The Beast' with its drum roll entrance is pure metal belligerence.Kreator may not offer you thrills and spills, but if its all hands to the pump, no holds barred thrash you're after then spend your cash here.8/10
Classic re-issue from the creaky kings of this seemingly age-old style of dark rock. Pentagram play true 'doom' metal, enshrouded in a Sabbath veil, built upon oaken riffs and sombre simplicity. The band have remained legends within the genre since the '70s and despite many difficulties along the way have continued to released solid records, these two being their finest.Best played in the basement or some musty crypt, expect a no-thrills style slab that never lets you down as each track yawns and creeps steadily painting pictures of sinsiter shadows and sprawling evil.Extremely influential, and with the occasional Ozzy "...oh yeah", thrown in for good measure, Pentagram, alongside Witchfinder General, Saint Vitus and to a lesser extent Trouble, remain essential listening in a genre full of make-believers and wanna-be's, but this is the real deal, and nowhere else will you find antique evil more satisfying.7.5/10
After Black Sabbath, only a handful of bands have so sincerely carried the flag for a style of music that, in metal circles, has become known as 'doom metal'. Call it what you want but that type of music in its truest form shouldn't be labelled as such, in fact 'dark rock' is probably more appropriate because bands such as Sabbath, Pentagram, Witchfinder General and Trouble do not set out to write gloom filled serenades, they are simply naturally gifted at their own brand of this kind of heavyweight rock.Witchfinder Geenral were doing this sort of thing long before the 'stoner' movement of fake 'doom' arrived on the scene, and it's their real, and sincere style of rock that somehow enables them to become kings of their field.The band are legendary, despite only releasing two records, this, and 'Friends Of Hell' and their album covers alone would drag any innocent young metal fan under their spell. Amazingly also, their albums are short, 'Death...' running at only half-an-hour, but once it begins you are swept away by the seven tracks on offer and nowhere else, except on the Sabbath records, will you find such a no-thrills yet heavyweight blend of pummelling rock.This is very much traditional Brit rock, wrapped up in mystical prowess and simplified lyrically yet propelled by its immense riffs. Vocally, Zeeb Parkes is your average guy, he's not pretending to be something he isn't, and this is the magic of this kind of slow motion rock. The title track has a Sabbath-esque plod, but it's no imitation, and that's why Witchfinder General will always remain as cult kings and if you can track these records down, grab one because it's these kind of obscure masterpieces that make metal what it is.8/10
A cult record in many instances, but who would've thought that such a band would go on to become one of the most original rock bands of all time.'Introduce Yourself' is one half punkoid hardcore, the next unpredictable rock stomper made all the more original by the peculiarly named Roddy Bottom's sweeping keyboards and Chuck Mosley's nasal whine, add this to Jim Martin's Metallica-isnpired riffs and you have almost a heavy metal record yet one which slips between funk rock, hip-hop swagger and colourful yet spasticated groove which never seems happy whatever style it takes on.This record shouldn't really be rated alongside the band's later efforts, because the introduction of the immaculate Mike Patton on vocals after Mosley left turned the band into a global phenomenon. However, 'Introduce...' has much to offer, an almost casual, nonsensical plod, mainly in cult classics 'Annes Song', anthem for the deranged, 'We Care Alot' and thrash freakout 'Introduce Yourself'.In the bubbling bass and song structures there's a deep promise, in the crunchy guitars an appeal that would enable the band to slip quite easily into the metal genre. And boy did the band do that.7/10
Only Celtic Frost could come up with an album as unpredictable as this. After the primal 'Morbid Tales' and ominous 'To Mega Therion' the three-piece some how come up with this macabre yet avant-garde masterpiece that blows thrash metal out of the water.Despite the likes of U.S. monsters Slayer, Metallica, Anthrax and Megadeth releasing classic thrash records, the European competition remained far more enterprising consisting of a number of bands who remained extremely original with their sound. Kreator, Coroner, Voivod and Celtic Frost were certainly at times raw and thrashy and their technical ability second to none, but these bands also had an eye for the unpredictable whether it meant conjuring up screaming punk, tribal seething or in the case of 'Into The Pandemonium', everything from warped rock to dance-grooved oddness.CF will always go down as one of the most diverse and innovative bands of all time and this record certainly could have alienated many of their fans. Opening track, a cover version, is the freakish 'Mexican Radio', extremely catchy but surely not a Frost track ?! Well, listen to the clubby 'One In Their Pride' and ask yourself again, how can a deathly thrash act release such an absurd outing ? Easy. CF have no limits or boundaries and still manage to fuse their experimental expressions into their dark and sinister style of heavy metal. This of course is actually made simpler by warrior's warped vocal growls which twist and turn in between the riffs.This is a genuinely odd record, like so many other Celtic Frost records, in fact they get away with murder here, throwing in some incredibly eerie female vocalisations, namely 'I Won't dance', as well as other haunting atmospheres, 'Tristesses De La Lune', making this record an uncomfortable ride for some.However, anyone expecting the CF ride to be smooth must surely be mistaken because these guys carved themselves a niche and to this day remain symbolic within the genre and true cult innovators who have no peers.'into The Pandemonium' is a classic record wrapped in a sinister and bleak sleeve. You'd be a fool to miss out on this treasure trove of nightmarish vision.8.5./10
Bathory may have cast away the satanic shackles, but on 'Blood...', they vent a black fury like no-one else.This is their 'Reign In Blood', their magnum opus as such, an orgiastic and bombastic record of Nordic myths, a sweeping, tyrannical cauldron of epic proportions, pure Viking metal breathing fire from stormy skies, booming like Heaven's thunder and crackling under the fizzing glow of lightning. This is one noisy record, yet the listener cannot prepare for the din as he is lead through the forest of mist by the haunting introduction being 'Odens Ride Over Nordland' which crashes into the holocaustic 'A Fine Day To Die', a black metal classic if ever there was one.The landscapes created here are of bloody battles, and harsh horizons, think Venom but far bigger, alot scarier and swaggering through the woods, swords at the ready, all dying in its cursed wake. Quorthon is still on hideous form, his ghastly vocalisations only this time echoing through the zenith like some tortured messiah.'Dies Irae' does bring back those basement days of evil black metal, but the whole atmosphere created is one of stormy triumph, roaring seas and dew-damp woodlands, only this time the horror is not from some red-eyed demon but instead a greater force.8.5/10
Believe you and me, there aren't many bands who go get away with combining reggae with thrash, and soul with metal, but Bad Brains did it with alarming ease.Somewhat a cult act, the line-up on 'Quickness' being their strongest, these guys somehow fused streetwise grooves with the hardcore fury of bands such as Anthrax.they'd been on the circuit for many years previous and during the late '80s when there was an explosion of metal bands trying to be different, Bad Brains were sited as being originators, and you can hear that originality on 'Quickness'.Only Fishbone and Mordred have managed to just as casually fused so many styles, but Bad Brains remain unique.'Quickness' is refreshing, pulling in a variety of styles, and managing to keep Jah-related topics in with thrashy riffs and high-speed hardcore workouts. Impressive stuff.Top cuts are the impeccable 'Soul Craft', the soulful breeze of 'Voyage Into Infinity' and quirky 'Don't Blow Bubbles'.Bad Brains have a great sense of humour but this kind of blend needs to be taken seriously because if it wasn't for these kinds of bands the whole crossover scene would have faded into obscurity.6.5/10
Rather oddly, this is my favourite TS album, despite it's commercial appeal and heavy metal cliche's.Dee and company, shedding the theatrical skin as such, opt for a more radio friendly flavour, casting aside the horror dynamics of tracks in the past such as 'Captain Howdy', instead concentrating on shining glam stompers, 'Hot Love', 'I'm So Hot For You' and the title cut prime examples of this kind of lollipop rock, and in 'Tonight' and 'You Are All That I Need' we get the TS power ballad treatment, and for some reason, I like it, and would certainly rather a dose of this than sickly Kiss.Twisted Sister broke no boundaries but for good time metal, and there was much around in the '80s, this is still worth paying a few quid out for, even if what you get in return is more of a sugary tongue.7/10
Not Ozzy's best album by far, but there are certainly some moments of note here and the musicianship is extremely tight, aided by the crystal clear production.The album lacks the mystical presence of say 'Diary...', instead focusing on more political issues alongside the usual anthems of rebellion.'Shot In The Dark' is the album's most famous track and was a popular single at the time, although it remains a rather cliched attempt, as does much much of the record which slithers between lightweight rock and commercial pomp.It's not a heavy record, and remains inconsistent, although Ozzy puts in faultless performance and Jake E. Lee, as always is impressive on the leads.'Secret Loser', 'Fool Like You' and 'Never Know Why' certainly won't go down as rock classics or be remembered as Ozzy's monumental episodes, in fact the whole album kind of drifts by without leaving any lasting effect, with 'Killer Of Giants' and 'Never' only really rising above mediocrity.However, I've always had a soft spot for the album, the cover alone screaming classic heavy metal, even if what is contained within is rather watered down, and sees Ozzy bereft of satanic magic.7.5/10
The genre within 'metal' known as 'doom' has spawned many Black Sabbath imitators, but in Sweden's Candlemass we have one of the most original bands within the scene.This is ultra-heavy music, blessed by the vocals of Johan Langquist who in my opinion forever remains in the shadow of the bands next wailer, Messiah Marcolin. There has always been a beauty in the bands sweeping, epic songs, despite the preachings of sorrow and teachings of eeriness, solitude, and menace. Candlemass plod with the best, but this is epic to the extent of never becoming bland or over-indulgent, in fact they flow with a majesty and pounding gloom, and despite only six tracks on offer here, this remains a vital debut record, a cauldron of bombastic splendour and dark foreboding.7/10
Chicago's finest return with another meaty slab of epic doom, kinda Sabbath but very much on its own, gloomed up by Wagner's wails of doom and the ear-shattering funereal riffs, straight from the grave.'Pray For The Dead', pure Armageddon in the riffs, as catchy as hell but raining down upon you, whereas 'Fear No Evil' picks up the pace, and then 'The Wish' slowing things down with its eerie acoustic intro, and Wagner's hushed tones, this is 'Stairway To Heaven' but not for the faint-hearted, melting into monolithic riffs that crumble concrete, you can just see it now in the pits, thousands of metal fans bangin' away to these lumbering sounds of fury, Wagner's teachings echoing across the foggy horizon.Final track 'The Skull' is my favourite here, wallowing in mystical majesty, the riffs plodding up the hill of solitude.If Sabbath never happened I'd still like to think that Trouble would have still sent the message.8/10
The kings of weirdo-thrash return with a record that slightly moves away from the early black vents of frustration and into a cyber-psychedelic kingdom of confusion, raw-edged primal punk and tribal sharpness. It's still recognisable as Voivod, from Away's classic demented artwork to Snake's vocal sneer, and there's no mistaking the metallic clanking of Piggy's guitar strains, but from here, the band would break from their militant wasteland chants and transform into psych rock gods, still maintaining that heavy dose of oddness and creeping radiation.'Killing Technology' is still Sex Pistols meets Slayer with a sprinkling of Pink Floyd's surrealism, 'Tornado' is very much 'thrash' Sabbath with its wild solo's and Away's shuffling drums, but 'Too Scared To scream' is more disorientated rock 'n' roll, but album high notes are the superb 'Ravenous Medicine', the gloomy beginnings of 'This Is Not An exercise' and thrash-out ''Cockroaches'. Not the band's greatest album, lacking the savagery of the first two records, but the early Voivod remains essential listening. 8/10
Arguably Slayer's greatest, darkest triumph, many fans arguing for hours whether it should be slotted above the ghastly 'Reign In Blood', or below, but either way, 'South...' dressed in its horrifyingly over the top sleeve, is one of the greatest heavy metal records of all time, drenched in crimson and splattered by bone fragments, a black commentary on all that's wrong with the world, tackling political issues, and the usual harsh realities.Only Slayer, Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman, in particular, could get away with the frantic fretwork they continue to bleed through the speakers, but in Dave Lombardo they express one one of the genres greatest drummers, his beats extremely original and distinctive as they rise, shuffle and boom behind the screams, yowls, and dark echoes of Tom Araya's vile vocalisations.'South Of Heaven' is a mutilated mixture of Sabbath's darkest, most woeful tidings, adorned in psychotic structures similar to 'Reign In Bloods' aggression and hate but slowed down a notch, this time oozing from the speakers like a black tide.Lyrically, there was no match for Slayer, unfortunately Araya's morbid prose were often cast aside by King's war torn ramblings which, in my opinion, spelt trouble for the band.The title track builds with menace, a descent into Hell, that only heightens with the chorus, but throughout remains a potent, hideous and arrogant machine, a well oiled killing machine that decimates with ease. 'South Of Heaven' is so huge and serpent-like, it writhes, wrapping all in its leathery coils, standing alone like some luciferian deity amongst a world of smoking rubble and bloody rivers. 'Silent Scream', a charging warhorse, 'Live Undead', another slow, eerie build up that melts away into the hellish 'Behind The Crooked Cross', and at once we have forgotten the gored pleasures of 'Reign...' and are becoming tainted by this new abysmal void of blackness.'Mandatory Suicide' is the classic cut, a brutal insight into a wretched war zone where innocent men are sent to die, wrapped up by Araya's bleak and alarming narrative.There's not a weak track on here, 'Ghosts Of War' opening with discordant riffing, bursting into flame and uglied by the despicable chorus. Even more impressive is the cover of Judas ''Dissident Aggressor', a slow-paced, creeping serial killer of a cut that lurks, slinks and then moves in for the kill, pretty much the whole theme behind this never wavering trip into the very annals of horror, death, destruction and social disgust.This glides into the Top Ten of all time on black, leather wings, but whether you survive the strike is what remains to be seen.10/10
What else is there to really say about this masterpiece of an album ? 'Ride The Lightning' showed all the magic, mature promise with its intricately structured thrash epics, but 'Master...' really raised the staked, and put the band out their in their own field, away from the usual imitation crunch thrashers. Slayer did the say, releasing a monstrous opus to make them untouchable, and 'Master...' was simply one of those one-off moments constructed by a bunch of guys who'd outgrown their rawer punkier thrash roots and sought something far huger.The only blot on the landscape here was to be the death of bassist Cliff Burton, an integral part of the four-piece who, on 'Master...' became heavy metal kings.Only the opening battering ram of 'Battery' hints at the thrashier past, from then on its wonderfully orchestrated thrash rock big enough to fill arenas and shake the stereo. The sheer arrogance to create a monster instrumental such as 'Orion' epitomised the band's confidence, at a time when heavy metal was at a peak but still shrouded in mystery and theatre.Metallica were pretty much no thrills in their outlook, but 'Master...' displayed an overwhelming intelligence, each track a lengthy journey into alienation, rebellion and technical brilliance.The riffs here are gigantic, not mere plodding dinosaurs re-inventing Sabbath, but instead earth quaking works interwoven with mellower, subdued genius and ominous chanting.It's difficult to pick a top track, the title cut is a booming epic from its mind-numbing orchestration to the pounding chorus, whilst 'The Thing That Should Not Be' displays a gloomy darkness with Lovecraftian inspired lyrics.Personal favourite is the haunting 'Welcome Home (Sanitarium)' a memorable rock soundcsape fuelled by Hetfield's growls and Ulrich's precise drumming. Flip over and become bewitched by the thrashier 'Disposable heroes' with its sneering lyric, the relentless 'Leper Messiah' end track 'Damage Inc', it's breathtaking heavy metal, leadweight riffs, crisp production and eight songs that make for one of the greatest rock albums of all time.10/10
Raw, primitive Brazilian thrash, hardly the sign of things to come from Sepultura, as this record didn't really stand out from the crowd and certainly lacked the power of bands such as Slayer and Death.It's pretty much formulaic death metal, not overly heavy, reasonably heavy, more so by Igor's potentially threatening drum beats and Max's vicious vocal assaults.'Troops Of Doom' remains the cult favourite, but from the haunting 'Intro' through to 'War' and 'Funeral Rites', this maintains an unhealthy level of aggression that all thrashers would have gagged for during the mid-1980s.6.5/10
Live metal albums are generally always worth a purchase because such bands always put on fine performances, and 'Talk Of The Devil' is no exception. Recorded in the September of 1982, with musicians Brad Gillis, Rudi Sarzo and Tommy Aldridge, 'Talk...' reamins one of Ozzy's finest moments in my opinion, blessed with a typically over the top sleeve, as Ozzy leers from a runic frame, spewing out what looks all the world like strawberry jam.This is a double album showcasing many of the classic tracks Ozzy did with Black Sabbath. What's the point of such an album, I hear you ask ? Well, just fun I guess, Ozzy proving just what Sabbath were missing when he left.We get the usual Sab' slabs, 'War Pigs', 'Iron Man', 'Paranoid', The Wizard', Snowblind', 'Black Sabbath', etc, no surprises here, and with Ozzy screaming a million "I Love Yous" to the crowd, it remains an essential purchase.8/10
Many followers of the bands classic boogie rock were not only shocked by the death of band frontman Bon Scott, but moreso by the band's rapid return to action. There were the sceptics who trashed idea of such an immediate album, but in 'Back In Black' AC/DC pulverised their audience and in Brian Johnson had found a singer with a rasp, not to match Bon, but to be worthy of carrying the flag for the band.'Back In Black' doesn't have the lazy, sneering drool of the last few classics, but it has anthems that will live forever, even in their cartoon pomp of sex, parties and rock 'n' roll.Many loyal fans argued that the band would lose their edge and become a parody of themselves, bereft of Bon's drunken growls, but what happened on this hugely successful record was something akin to the world being blasted by a new band, a re-invented combo with razor blade edge and new ambition.You only have to scan the track listing to admire how the band once again churned out the classics, timeless heavy metal numbers. 'Hells Bells' is an AC/DC classic, and Brian Johnson takes on the riffs with his throaty wheezes, 'You Shook Me All Night Long' and the title cut are just gargantuan tracks, and there's the cheekiness in there also, 'Given The Dog A Bone', which had the feminists foaming at the mouth, and 'Let Me Put My Love Into You'. It's typical AC/DC, but then again it isn't. It's Angus and his three-chord genius, it's sharp, melodic rock 'n' roll, that is a fitting tribute to Bon Scott, but also an important record in keeping AC/DC perched at the top of the game.8.5/10
Considered a heavy metal classic in many a circle, and probably a local pub, this is real metal in its purest form and in Ronnie James Dio, a true metal vocalist. This is the stuff which got many a teenager in the '80s into metal, from its typically glorious cover, to the opening drudgery of 'Stand Up And Shout' you just know this is going to be anthemic, fantastic and tight musically. 'Holy Diver' is a mesmerising epic that builds slowly, Dio's voice an immaculate and distinctive yell, where in one instance he's a full blown metal god on 'Gypsy' and the fire flickering 'Rainbow In The Dark', the next a wizard-like storyteller on 'Don't Talk To Strangers', his mellow tones eventually swept up in the stunning solo's.Whilst the early Dio albums do have that timeless quality, they also bring back a time when trolls lurked outside the window of every inquisitive metal who was eager to search for the monsters in the closet too.8/10
Now this is some serious swagger rock, dressed in fanciful, indie-orientated sleeve and daubed by the rains of Gothic abandonment and desolation, this is hip-shaking, soul-quaking rock 'n' roll, built on AC/DC riffs, and adorned in semi-mystical Doors-esque vocalisations and lyrics, Ian Astbury the man at the helm, wolf child and hippy-love god, produced by Rick Rubin of Slayer fame, and jangling all the way to the Americanised shore.'Wild Flower', classic swaying sex groove, 'Peace Dog' more of a stomping war-chant but 'Lil Devil', sits on the tongue and jives, this is full steam ahead rock n' roll. It's a cauldron of wasted punk, glitter glam and kick-ass fire, and whilst opinion seems to differ on the production values, Rubin here taking the band and sound to more bloated heights, this has an appealing shine and attitude that Brit-rock always welcomes with open arms. Lap it up.8.5/10
Whilst not a necessity, I purchased this on record one boring, rainy Saturday many, many years ago for around £3.50, and it saved my day at the time.It's a ten-track 'best of' record, which in reality, should have been far more adequately prepared, although its saving grace is the wonderfully grim cover depicting hordes of skeletal figures slaughtering a coastal village.There are so many cuts that could've been on here, but what we do get are the usual monsters, from 'Paranoid', to 'War Pigs', to 'Sweet Leaf', 'Iron Man', 'Sabbath Bloody Sabbath', et al, with the only surprises being 'Tomorrows Dream' and 'Laguna Sunrise', but then again, these kind of albums come along pretty frequently now, but none of the modern day regurgitation's will have the same effect this album had on that dismal Saturday afternoon.8/10
Gloomy, sinister, punky, primal, chaotic, doomy, thrashy, deathly metal. This was the beginning and the end for this band who would go onto become Celtic Frost, but this record, once described by one sceptical reviewer as "horrible"', has to be one of the most influential. It cannot be classed as black metal despite its satanic imagery and creepy atmospheres because the riffs here are everything from warped punk to minimalistic metal, the production is rough, making the record quite a devilish spin, and Tom G. Warriors throaty expressions are also hard to pin down, it's essentially a very dark metal record, but with all the evil clanking of early Venom, a dirty, snarling thrash assault on the senses. An important record should you class yourself as a collector of extreme metal. 7/10
Could Trouble be the greatest metal band of all time ? Well, they certainly could be one of the heaviest, and like Sabbath, Zeppelin and Slayer, have carved their own niche into which a categorisation for their sound is nigh on impossible. To call them 'doom metal' is too simple, and it would be like calling Sabbath 'doom' too, when the reality is, bands such as Trouble are simply natural genius, born into a world where they bestow upon us lucky souls their own brand of bleak fury, dark teachings and crushing us with continuous slabs of molten HEAVY metal.Would Trouble have happened without Sabbath ? Well, that's something we'll never know, but what we do know is that Trouble, hailing from Chicago, have that same magical air and mystery about them which Sabbath exuded so long ago.Trouble began in '79 and at the time of writing this review (2007) remain as consistently brilliant as early Sabbath.'Psalm 9', also known by fans as 'Trouble', despite the bands fourth album actually being self-titled, is a suffocating, bloated earthquake, not droll or sluggish like quicksand, but instead a rising behemoth, not even hinting at what greatness was to come, yet shining oh so darkly in its gargantuan domain.In Eric Wagner there's a more gritty Ozzy, and a more sinister Robert Plant, warning the Earth, yet screaming through the catacombs, breaking the clouds and steamrolling all of God's creations. This is real rock 'n' roll, real heavy, heavy metal, blitzed by 'The Tempter', pounded relentlessly by 'Bastards Will Pay' and stampeded by the Sabbath riffage courtesy of Wartell and Franklin.This is the beginning...8/10
Another piece of black Hell on record, despite the leanings away from the caverns of Hades and diverting to a more mystical stance, this still reeks of evil fumes and dampness, pure Bathory.'Under The Sign..., complete with full-on metal cover, is a heavy, grinding, churning, burning record of Nordic flame, Quorthon gurgling through the fuzzed speakers as the clanking drums rattle like the march of Tolkien's ugly orcs across the bleak wastes. This is still pitch black metal, a scary ride into the musty pits that descend into unthinkable quagmires of rancid, despicable cacophony.Lyric wise it's less of the satanic and slightly more majestic, with only '13 Candles' delving into the darkness, elsewhere there is more of a battle cry, a call to arms, and in 'Of Doom' a hail to the fans, almost in Voivod fashion, but personal fave has to be the monstrous 'Equimathorn', a real spitting gargoyle of a track that crushes all in its wake.Bathory prevail once again.8/10
The cover simply screams 'metaaaaal', and this was the Ozzy album that really enticed me, despite it being bereft of Randy Rhoads who died after 'Diary Of A Madman' (see review for 'Tribute').'Bark...' is a mystical Ozzy classic, sharpened by Jake E. Lee's stunning fret work and the eerie atmospheres of Don Airey's keyboards. Opening track is the title cut, a solid slice of heavy metal theatre, with Ozzy howling like the werewolf he'd become on the cover, as the full moon blazes behind smothering clouds. But this album, just like 'Diary...' is more than just a fancy cover, and despite just offering eight tracks, there's not a weak moment on here, and each track is as memorable as the last.Looking back on the record now you can still feel the cold breeze of night, and hear the precise musicianship of the band. Whereas 'Blizzard...' opened slightly weak with 'I Don't Know' although there's no denying its a rocker of a track, 'Bark...' and 'Diary...' kick in immediately, setting themselves upon the listener with its dark edge, and Ozzy's theatrical yowls.And, 'You're No Different' somehow slows things down, but maintains that airy edge, a classic rock semi-ballad that builds nicely into the chorus, and it was that kind of song that typified Ozzy back then. Whilst metallers on the whole thought they were alienated by society, it's quite strange to see how Ozzy too was considered the dark lord whilst all the time simply writing songs about his own frustrations instead of Devil worship. This is also echoed in his wonderful slow mover 'So Tired', but favourite tracks here have to be 'Rock n' Roll Rebel', the swirling 'Forever', strangely later to appear as 'Centre Of Eternity', and the spooky 'Waiting For Darkness'. The vinyl also featured the ghoulish, creeping 'Spiders' although recent versions of the album feature 'Slow Down'.8.5/10
As wave upon wave of death metal acts hit the racks during the late '80s, only few would shine through from the crowd and Pestilence were one of those bands. Despite their later efforts being far more structured and intricate records, the debut album, issued by Roadrunner Records, still remains a mini-classic, even if it borrows heavily from the kings of the genre, Death.
