Life is good. Life is cool. Especially when Megadeth releases four albums in the last three years, (2 studio, 1 live and 1 greatest hits). The newest album Endgame, (released September 15, 2009 on RoadRunner Records), has made this Metalhead very, very happy. I have been a Megadeth and Dave Mustaine fan since Killing Is My Business… and Business is Good was released back in 1985 and I have seen Megadeth live. Needless to say, Megadeth is without question, one of my core Metal Bands that I am thankful for still being around in 2009 making new music. Dave Mustaine deserves any and all the Metal accolades that may come his way, as I see it, he is as important a figure in the history of Metal Music as anyone… ever. The Metal appreciation that I have for Endgame goes beyond the expectations I had leading up to this albums release… the more I listen to Endgame the more powerful the music feels to me. I am not being bias when I state there is not one average song on Endgame, all eleven songs are tremendous creations of the Megadeth Thrash Metal brand.
The song Endgame is Dave Mustaine’s political statement, he has never been bashful about his political feelings in the past and still gets his point across in 2009. Endgame is one cool song with double cool lyrics too. Dialectic Chaos is the opener to Endgame, a Thrash Metal instrumental that forges itself upon me like a can of Megadeth whoop ass… unreal good is the bottom line here. Dave Mustaine and Chris Broderick trade back and forth solo’s on Dialectic Chaos with complete Thrash Metal shock and awe… the same goes for their guitar playing throughout this entire Endgame album. Due to the Thrash Metal brilliance and total music quality, you would think this Megadeth lineup had been playing together for twenty five years. This Day We Fight! is simply put, a song about kicking some serious butt. This Day We Fight! can be interpreted quite well as a Thrash Metal war song – leading a charge to victory. The big hubbub leading up to the release of Endgame was reading about Dave Mustaine writing a ballad – The Hardest Part Of Letting Go. Honestly, maybe the first and last thirty seconds or so of this song would remotely be considered a ballad by my standards… if this is a ballad then I adore Thrash Metal ballads forever. A very cool song indeed, a diverse and rewarding listening moment on Endgame.
Before Endgame was released, Megadeth had (and still has) this Endgame album streaming in it’s entirety on their MySpace Music page. I chose Head Crusher, How The Story Ends and The Right To Go Insane as my three favorite songs, after listening to Endgame streaming on Megadeth’s MySpace Music page. These songs are still my choice picks, however, the more I listen to Endgame, the more I like every song, especially the brutally intense instrumental Dialectic Chaos. Megadeth is no longer just a great Thrash Metal band with decades of Metal history behind them, Dave Mustaine and Megadeth lead by example with releasing albums of quality material on a very frequent basis and asserting themselves as one of the top dog’s of the Thrash Metal genre. (I cannot bypass Slayer ever). Dave Mustaine has thought enough of the fans to continuously release albums and DVD’s the last few years that are Thrash Metal quality, not quantity. Endgame has to be considered as one of the best albums that Dave Mustaine has ever created with Megadeth. Seek out Megadeth and Endgame, it will serve you right. This has been my Metal opinion.
Megadeth as they appear on Endgame: Dave Mustaine on guitar and lead vocals, Chris Broderick on lead guitar, James Lomenzo on bass guitar and Shawn Drover on drums.
Twisted Sister – Love Is For Suckers was released on August 13, 1987, on Atlantic Records. Back then, as a Metal fan, I was totally engulfed with Thrash and Speed Metal. To make a Metal confession, I never bought this Twisted Sister album, after owning their first four albums. I was not overly impressed with Come Out And Play, (released in 1985), I guess the first three Twisted Sister albums really spoiled me. So, I took in whatever songs MTV or the FM stations were playing from Love Is For Suckers. Seeing the video for Hot Love and hearing it played on FM radio very frequently, back in 1987-1988 was, I thought, the coolest extent of this album. I always liked Hot Love, this song reminds me of some cool times back in 1987-88… and there isn’t anything wrong with that. Hot Love is upbeat and (gasp), commercially catchy in it’s unique Heavy Metal way. A few years ago, I bought Twisted Sister’s Big Hits and Nasty Cuts: The Best of Twisted Sister, it contains several cool live bonus tracks that enticed me… unreal great songs at that. The Metal kicker here, is that there are no songs from Love is for Suckers on this Best of album… I smell controversy. Therefore, my continuation of never hearing more than Hot Love from Love is for Suckers continued… Fast forward to September 18, 2009… Twisted Sister – Love is for Suckers has for all Metal intents and purposes, made a sucker out of me.
I think about Heavy Metal a lot. I listen to Heavy Metal… a lot. I buy Heavy Metal Music… very often. (Alright, that is a down right lie, I buy Heavy Metal Music – constantly). When I refer to Heavy Metal, just to simplify things here, I am incorporating all the Metal Music Genres in one. Heavy Metal… all things Metal Music. As I sit around towards midnight on this, September 17th going on the 18th… many Heavy Metal thoughts have crossed my Metal mind. Heavy Metal favorites have drifted around my head this late evening, uh, early morning, some unusual ones at that… here they are, enjoy:
My favorite Saxon song ever created is Denim And Leather, found on their 1981 album Denim And Leather. The riff that repeats throughout this entire song is so addicting and memorable for me. I swear that this song could never lose it’s Metal appeal, ever. Each time I listen to Denim And Leather, this song just resonates with Old School Heavy Metal swagger, pride and power. The power is in the Heavy Metal music, the pride is in the lyrics and the swagger is Biff Byford on lead vocals. Denim And Leather is probably one of the very first in a long line of Heavy Metal anthems. (I would not want to take on the task of actually researching which song was the very first Heavy Metal anthem … it does sound like a cool thing to do if I have the spare time in the future though). If I ever make a list of my top 25 favorite Heavy Metal songs of all time, man, Denim And Leather would be right up there. If someone who has never listened to Saxon before, asked me to play them a song from Saxon, Denim And Leather would be choice #1. When this song gets cranked up really loud, it makes for the Metal maximum enjoyable listen.
On July 7th, 1984, Helix released Walkin’ the Razor’s Edge
KISS. I have the fever… it is the addiction to this enormous American Heavy Metal juggernaut that hooked me back in grammar school… the (gulp), 1970’s that is. Over this past Summer of 2009, (actually it goes back to last Winter too), I have ultra consistently listened to the KISS album “Unmasked”… after each listen I am a better Metalhead for it. Unmasked was released back on May 20, 1980, right before I embarked on my High School years. By now, for anyone who reads my stuff regularly, may be tired of my mentioning that I owned 8 track tapes… still, I need to tell the world that I owned Unmasked on 8 track, thank you all for understanding. The memories that get stirred up inside my Metal mind, each time I listen to Unmasked are good ones… the Summer of 1980… going to the UCONN Basketball Camp, collecting odd and evil looking spiders in my backyard and having no worries in the world other than entering a new teenage chapter in my life.
Megadeth. Just the name alone sounds like true Metal. Thrash Metal. The name Megadeth alone, reaches out and stuns the uninformed as to the fact, that this band is seriously heavy about all things Metal. One of the kings of Thrash Metal. Dave Mustaine… a founding father of Thrash Metal and unreal good guitarist, a Metal legend. (Gee, did I leave out any other important accolades here?). Really, any Metal fan has to agree that Dave Mustaine has the Megadeth Metal machine running full tilt… for quite a long time too. I am Metal giddy that “Endgame” is coming out on September 15th… the month of September looks better already, for me. If you do not count today, (September 2nd), there are just 13 days left until the Megadeth Thrash Metal onslaught of new material becomes heard in it’s entirety. That is less than two weeks away. I am Metal psyched. I was fortunate enough to see back in the late 80’s, a Metal triple bill of Savatage, Megadeth and DIO. The New Haven Coliseum was never the same after that show… that structure no longer exists. What a night of Metal it was… Megadeth blew me away, Dave Mustaine earned a fan for life. Dave Mustaine… Thrash Metal Champion. Megadeth shall return… Endgame.
Man, is it just me or does the world, national and even local news stink? Not just lately but for quite awhile now too. I was foolish in watching more news than usual on the television last night… ugh. Ugh again. The norm for me in obtaining any type of news has been to grab a sound bite or headline and be done with it. This is my own filtering process… it works for me. Certainly I will read many a news article, it is just that the messenger(s) of these news articles need to know the meaning of redundant. There is plenty of cool and inspiring news out there to be reported, however, feel good news stories don’t sell. What a shame. So, I have picked a Heavy Metal Song of the Day, for September 1, 2009! This Heavy Metal song is as righteous a statement, regarding the nature of the news as any song I have ever heard. “Somebody Save Me” by the Heavy Metal band – Cinderella. This cool and heavy song is found on the Cinderella album “Night Songs”. The “NIght Songs” album was released in June of 1986. “Somebody Save Me” was released on February 10, 1987… peaking at #66 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart. (The “Night Songs” album peaked at #3 back in 1986… not too shabby). Not only does this song ROCK, the lyrics are right on the Metal money when it comes to the bull crap/hot air that is thrown at us from every direction, courtesy of the mainstream television news networks and/or outlets.
Blue Oyster Cult released “Fire Of Unknown Origin” in 1981, which was perfect timing for me. I already had Kiss, Foreigner, Cheap Trick, Queen, Ozzy Osbourne, AC/DC and Bad Company in my system back then, being wowed by Blue Oyster Cult was my ears next step in branching out into the Heavy Music world. Back in 1981, there was the choice of buying music on 8 track, I bought “Fire Of Unknown Origin” on this medium – thank you very much. (I no longer have this 8 track from yesteryear, the 8 track player is a memory as well). This album is just another example of what melded my Metal and Hard Rock Music tastes at a young age, (I was fifteen years old in 1981). Another stepping stone album, if you will, towards the lifetime of Metal and Hard Rock Music adoration that I behold. In my Metal opinion, this BOC album is an early 1980’s Heavy Metal meets Hard Rock album, that has consistently lured me back for many a listen over the years.
Manowar plays Heavy Metal, their name screams Heavy Metal and they are Heavy Metal with a hundred exclamation points. “Battle Hymns” (released in 1982), was the first album from this prolific and what I consider historic Heavy Metal band. Why historic? Well, the last time I checked, Manowar held the Guinness Book of World Records title for having the loudest live performance. (I always disliked the word performance, especially when it relates to Heavy Metal). Besides being extremely loud, Manowar presented upon the world of Heavy Metal a gloriously lean, mean and heavy album with “Battle Hymns.” All eight songs on this album are laced with forcefully driven guitar leads, riffs and all things sacred to Heavy Metal. The first two song titles say it all – “Death Tone” and “Metal Daze”. What I like most about this album is that there is absolutely not one second of waste to be heard… from start to finish this is muscular, Old School, 500% – Heavy Metal. Of course, this Metal adulation I have for Manowar and “Battle Hymns” is all my Metal opinion, however, this is an album that needs to be heard by todays younger generation of Heavy Metal fans.
You know those moments or days when you experience a song that just seems to arrive or enter your mind, without being invited? It is subconscious for certain, something triggers a particular song to begin playing in my brain, be it secondary thoughts, reflections, images and/or events that happen in the course of a day’s routine. Today, I had the Savatage cover song of “Day After Day” playing repeat in my head. I honestly do not know why. I have not listened to this song from Savatage for many years, possibly a couple of decades. “Day After Day” is a song from the Savatage album “Fight For The Rock”, (released back in 1986). It is a cool song, without doubt a Hard Rock, borderline Heavy Metal cover version, compared to the original 1971 Rock version from Badfinger. I used to have this original “Fight For The Rock” vinyl, heck, I bought it back when it first came out. Over the years, I sold it for some oddball reason or another.
I received in the mail today, a package from my best buddy, Scott. In this package was a CD, “In Rock We Trust” by Y&T. Now, this is the kind of mail that I like receiving… not bills or junk mail, just pure 1980’s vintage Heavy Metal. Talk about a solid Metal reminder of how power grooved this Y&T band was back in the ’80’s. This album was released way back in 1984, (the year I was supposed to graduate High School). I opted for an extra half year of High School back then, yet that is Metal history now. I listened to “In Rock We Trust” in it’s Metal entirety, just minutes after it was unleashed from the bubble mailer that brought it to my Metal safe haven. Every song on this album is a Heavy Metal winner, for me. From the Heavy Metal chorus to the riffs and leads and everything else heavy in between, makes this album ripple with thunderous Metal might. I just have recently been listening to the Y&T album “Contagious”, take my Metal word on this… “In Rock We Trust” out heavies “Contagious”. I have never been a strong advocate for comparisons within a Metal band’s music catalog, I feel each album that is created is unique. There are those times, where exceptions are made on Metal Odyssey. Seriously, if anyone out there is considering to buy some Heavy Metal from the ’80’s, this album I undoubtedly recommend.
DIO, Ronnie James Dio, my Heavy Metal vocal savior, when I served time in High School, back in the 1980’s. (I know I use that punch line about High School often, regardless, it is just the plain truth). The lyrics of DIO’s songs were motivating, captivating and always exhilarating for me while I was growing up in my late teen years. For Metal sake, DIO’s lyrics were influential to me while I was in my early twenties as well. What I took from the lyrical creativity of Ronnie James Dio so many years ago, I no longer take hold of as strong. As I grew up, (well, I think I matured somewhat since the ’80’s), the lyrics of DIO seemed to take on a more entertaining feeling… lyrical interpretation has changed for me over the years, based on life experiences. Seriously, when I used to listen to the song “The Last In Line”, back in High School, well, I equated the lyrics to my being the last in line. I was a typical authority hating – know it all as a teenager, therefore, totally normal for a Metalhead back in the 1980’s. Fast forward to 2009, I equate the lyrics as inspiring still, only I do not dwell on myself and always being the victim, (as I did as a teenager). Plus, being a middle aged Metalhead, I now respect or tolerate authority, depending on the situation. The Heavy Metal of DIO and many, many other Metal bands from decades past encouraged and instilled a strong feeling of hope for me, when I was young… I shall never forget this. The escapism of DIO’s Heavy Metal was the elixir that worked for me years ago… this escapism still works for me now. That is why this 1984 album from DIO “The Last In Line”, will last my Metal Music lifetime.
Motley Crue really did it for me with their Heavy Metal ballad – “Home Sweet Home”. Since it’s release on the “Theatre Of Pain” album, (June 21, 1985), I still gravitate to this song. When I first heard it, (back in 1985), I was semi-surprised at the mellow side that Motley Crue had taken with “Home Sweet Home”… it only took one listen for me to get hooked for life. Mellow or not, Motley Crue in my Metal opinion, created an instantly memorable song that I could never grow tired of. The “Theatre Of Pain” album, (originally released on the label Elektra), is one strong Heavy Metal album at that. “Home Sweet Home” was written by Nikki Sixx, Vince Neil and Tommy Lee. (Mick Mars, of course, plays guitar on this song, I just have never read his name in any writing credits for it). I just always have been struck by the lyrics, there have been countless moments throughout my life where I have adhered to this song for inspiration. When I bought this CD twenty four years ago, little did I know, that there would be that one song, that would resonate such strong feelings inside of me.
I always thoroughly enjoy the Metal musical intricacies that quality Power Metal embellishes. Yngwie J. Malmsteen “Trilogy”, (released in 1986), has the rich and textured heavy musical elements, that make this album an all time favorite of mine. If you embark on a listen of “Trilogy” and are unaware of Yngwie Malmsteen’s guitar virtuosity, then your ears and senses are in for a Metal treat. (If you hold total disdain for the Speed Metal genre that meets Power Metal, well this album is not for you). “Trilogy” is a Metal album for me, containing some of the most melodic Power Metal songs I have ever encountered. Certainly, the classical trained Yngwie Malmsteen takes Metal center stage, with his glistening guitar skills on this album, however, lead vocalist Mark Boals captivates my Metal attention just as well. Both the musicianship and vocals compliment each other in the highest of Metal fashion on “Trilogy”. In my Metal opinion, Mark Boals vocals adds a dimension of harmony that magnifies the song writing, lyrics and melodious brilliance on this album. Metal truth be spoken… this is my favorite Yngwie Malmsteen album ever. Each time I listen to these songs, I am sincerely amazed at how gifted a lyricist and song writer Yngwie Malmsteen is. I am not fibbing when I declare, that this is not one of the – run of the mill, 1980’s Heavy Metal albums out there. In fact, if I was to compile a list of must have 1980’s Heavy Metal albums, “Trilogy” would have to be on that list.
Iron Maiden released their fourth studio album, “Piece Of Mind” in 1983. An amazing Heavy Metal album it was and forever will be. I bought that album back in ’83… stared at the front cover for hours, which in fact, probably equals out to actual days. I have always been mesmerized by artist Derek Riggs artwork of mascot Eddie. This album does not contain the cover song of “Cross Eyed Mary”, instead, it was released as a “b” side to the single “The Trooper”, taken from the “Piece Of Mind” album. To the best of my Metal research, “The Trooper” single was released on June 20, 1983. I frequented a small and independent record store on an almost daily basis back in the ’80’s, (I won’t divulge the name of this store for personal reasons), upon a daily stop there… there it was… Iron Maiden “The Trooper” Maxi Single on vinyl no less!! My Metal memory is very vivid about this moment… I stared this beautiful Iron Maiden rarity down, bought it and have kept it pristine ever since. Plus, this was the only copy this store had, I never saw this Iron Maiden single on vinyl again. (Certainly, there has to be more out there in collections or online today, I just never happened to come across one in person). This Iron Maiden Maxi Single as it is called, again, is on vinyl that is the actual size of an album -(an EP if you will), it plays at 45 rpm.
Metal Odyssey > Heavy Metal Music Blog 
Why I feel KISS gave Rock n’ Roll back to America and other KISS points too
Posted in 1970's classic rock albums, 1970's classic rock bands, 1970's classic rock songs, 1970's hard rock bands, 1970's hard rock, 1970's heavy metal, 1970's heavy metal albums, 1970's heavy metal music, 1970's Rock, 1970's rock music, 1980's classic rock bands, 1980's heavy metal albums, 1980's classic rock, 1980's heavy metal bands, 1980's heavy metal music, 1990's heavy metal bands, classic hard rock, classic hard rock bands, classic hard rock music, classic heavy metal albums, classic rock, classic rock albums, classic rock bands, classic rock music, classic rock songs, current heavy metal music, essential classic rock albums, essential heavy metal albums, Gene Simmons, glam metal music, Heavy Metal, heavy metal albums, heavy metal bands this decade, heavy metal memorabilia, heavy metal music, heavy metal this decade, Metal, metal music, metal music today, metal odyssey, Music, old school heavy metal, Rock, rock & roll, rock and roll, rock and roll hall of fame complaints, rock music, rock music commentary, vintage hard rock albums, vintage heavy metal albums, vintage heavy metal bands with tags 1970's classic rock music, 1970's hard rock music, 1970's heavy metal music, 1970's rock music, 1980's heavy metal bands, ace frehley guitarist, american rock and roll bands, bruce kulick guitarist, classic heavy metal music, classic rock, classic rock music, eric carr drummer, eric singer drummer, gene simmons bass guitarist, Heavy Metal, heavy metal music, history of rock and roll, kiss albums, kiss army, kiss hard rock band, kiss heavy metal band, kiss rock band, mark st. john guitarist, metal music, metal odyssey, Music, paul stanley guitarist, peter criss drummer, rock and roll hall of fame, rock and roll history, rock and roll music roots, rock music, rock n' roll music, roots of rock and roll, the british invasion of rock and roll, tommy thayer guitarist, vinnie vincent guitarist on August 28, 2009 by Metal OdysseyKiss being introduced to the world in 1974 may have had more of an impact than some Rock historians think… The Grateful Dead, with their extremely loyal and abundant following with unmatched touring was American – I will never disagree with this bands unique impact on Rock Music history. However, Kiss was not about peace and love… this was the loudest band in the land Dressed To kill, singing about girls that are Hotter Than Hell, partying, Makin’ Love, God of Thunder, a Love Gun and all things against the norm in ways that were not quite presented before in Rock Music history. What Rock Band from the 1960’s used Pyrotechnics like Kiss? How many Rock musicians could spit up blood and still play the bass and sing? Who used such an elaborate and eye defying stage show before Kiss? Kiss not only made Rock n’ Roll powerful, they (gasp) made it fun and entertaining too. The marketing blitz of items that portrayed the Kiss logo and band were everywhere during the 1970’s… if you look around today, these same items plus new products bearing Kiss are around us. Any Kiss tour during the 1970’s was nothing to ignore, the Kiss Army was never just a fictitious entity… it was and still is real.
After Kiss broke all the Rock n’ Roll rules, more Rock bands than I could ever mention here took their lead and emulated Kiss either musically, with make-up, through stage shows and/or marketing. When I stop to think about it, what other Rock or Heavy Metal Band garnered more media attention during the 1970’s than Kiss? With their all around power of Rock, Kiss let it be known, through their albums, that they were not fooling themselves or the fans all along. Kiss is setting the stage again, ready to unleash their brand new album Sonic Boom onto the masses… October of 2009 should be quite the month in the life of this middle aged Metalhead, for Kiss shall return… giving back their brand of Rock n’ Roll to us all again. That is why, in my Metal opinion, Kiss gave back Rock n’ Roll to America back in 1974, they are now only going to remind us as to why their music lives on.
It is high time for the so called Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio, to stop playing nonsensical games and induct an American Rock Band that redefined American Rock n’ Roll history through their music and pop culture impact, Kiss over the decades has become an American institution. Since I am on the topic, I could care less about the voting process or who votes at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, all I know is that the ignorance is growing by leaps and bounds over there in each passing year of it’s existence. I do have one word of advice for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, (if you can consider this an actual word), DUH? I would guarantee this… more fans will go to this Hall of Fame to see Kiss than than anyone could ever imagine. Once again, this is my Metal opinion and I am steadfast about it.
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