old school heavy metal | Metal Odyssey > Heavy Metal Music Blog

Archive for old school heavy metal

KISS “UNMASKED” ALBUM POSTER FROM 1980 – CHECK IT OUT!

KISS – Back on May 20, 1980, Rock icons KISS released their 8th studio album – Unmasked. I honestly love this album, especially the songs Is That You?, Shandi, Naked City and She’s So European. I posted about how much I adore this KISS album back on September 3, 2009, you can check it out if you like by clicking the header below:

KISS “Unmasked” – 1980 album I listened to all Summer of 2009

This post is about the incredibly cool poster that came inside the album jacket of Unmasked. (Check out the pic below of me holding this KISS Unmasked poster gem). I never measured this poster for it’s exact dimensions, just by looking at the pic below will show you it’s big enough! I want to definitely frame this KISS Unmasked poster sometime soon. I’ve kept this poster safely tucked away within the Unmasked album jacket sleeve, along with the vinyl of course… since 1983!

I obtained this KISS Unmasked album and poster from a trade I made with a high school classmate… back in 1983. This dude wanted my Billy Squier – Emotions In Emotion album in exchange for this KISS Unmasked album! Back in 1983, when this dude requested this trade, I simply said… no problem! Man, it was a no brainer! I already had KISS Unmasked on 8 track… yes, 8 track, hey, this is 1983 we are discussing here. Therefore, my wanting KISS Unmasked on vinyl made perfect sense at the time… plus I knew the Unmasked poster was included with the trade too.

Don’t get me wrong, I really dig Billy Squier, always have and always will. That Emotions In Motion album is pretty solid, in my Metal opinion. Everybody Wants You and She’s A Runner are my two favorite songs from Emotions In Motion. However, this is a Metal trade that served me right!

I never hung this poster up on a wall, sounds crazy, yet I never had enough room to showcase all of my Rock, Hard Rock and Heavy Metal favorites back in the ’80’s. As I look back now, I’m glad I never did hang up this poster, it probably would have gotten ruined from thumb tacks and sun rays beating on it. This KISS Unmasked poster has been carefully preserved within it’s respective Unmasked album jacket sleeve, after all these years.

Here’s what my KISS Unmasked poster looks like:

This KISS Unmasked poster still has a nice glossy sheen to it too.

Here is the front cover to my KISS Unmasked album. There is some wear along the edges and corners of the album jacket, it has has been played/enjoyed many a time over the years!

Here’s what the back cover of my KISS Unmasked album jacket looks like:

LONG LIVE KISS ROCK ‘N’ ROLL!

Stone.

13 Comments »

REVOLVER MAGAZINE’S “THE ART OF HARD ROCK & HEAVY METAL” SPECIAL ISSUE IS WORTH OWNING!

Posted in hard rock albums, hard rock bands, hard rock music, Heavy Metal, heavy metal albums, heavy metal bands, heavy metal history, heavy metal music, metal music, metal odyssey, Music, rock music with tags hard rock album covers, hard rock history, hard rock music, heavy metal album artwork, heavy metal album covers, heavy metal bands, heavy metal history, heavy metal magazines, heavy metal music, metal music, metal odyssey, Music, old school heavy metal, revolver magazine, rock music on April 16, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

REVOLVER MAGAZINE – has put out a very, very, cool special issue: The Art Of Hard Rock & Heavy Metal. This mag is out now and worth every Metal penny to own! Many past regular issues of Revolver, has included an article pertaining to the history behind a classic Heavy Metal or Hard Rock album cover. This history behind these album covers involves the artist and what thoughts, stories and details surrounded the artwork – from concept to finish. I always state… one can never take in enough Heavy Metal or Hard Rock history, this magazine is Metal knowledge that can only benefit me and you.

I came upon this Revolver Special Issue today, as I was grocery shopping at my local supermarket called Weis. Deciding to take a chance as I meandered down the magazine aisle, hoping that maybe, just maybe, there would be a worthy magazine to pick up, that covers the music I love… and I’m NOT talking about Rolling Stone either. That stroll down the magazine aisle served me right! There it was, this Revolver special issue, with Iron Maiden’s mascot Eddie on the front cover… depicted from their vintage 1981 album cover Killers. The cover price for the magazine is $6.99 (U.S.)… not a shabby deal at all for Heavy Metal and Hard Rock history.

A sampling of album covers that are featured in this Revolver Magazine special issue are: Quite Riot – Metal Health, Megadeth – Peace Sells But Who’s Buying, Sepultura – Chaos A.D., Pantera – Far Beyond Drive, King Diamond – Abigail, Motorhead – Motorhead and Slayer – Reign In Blood. Whoa, unreal great and historic album covers all. A huge Metal kudos to Revolver Magazine for unleashing such a spectacular special issue!

If you can’t locate a copy of Revolver’s – The Art Of Hard Rock & Heavy Metal at retail, click on the link below that takes you right to Revolver’s website, where you can purchase it right there on their online store:

REVOLVER MAGAZINE

Stone.

5 Comments »

JOHN OLIVA’S PAIN – “FESTIVAL” THIS DARK SONG IS WORTH A LOUD LISTEN!

Posted in Heavy Metal, heavy metal albums, heavy metal bands, heavy metal music, heavy metal songs, metal odyssey, Music, rock & roll, rock and roll, rock music with tags current heavy metal music, hard rock music, heavy metal albums 2010, heavy metal history, heavy metal music, heavy metal music 2010, heavy metal songs 2010, john oliva's pain festival album, melodic heavy metal, metal music, metal odyssey, Music, old school heavy metal, progressive metal music, rock music on April 8, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

Festival is just one great, dark, heavy and hard album of songs. Jon Oliva added some of his patented Old School touches within the mix as well, lending for an unforgettable listen in his unique music. Jon Oliva’s Pain is back… with a new album – Festival, delivering with a hard and heavy vengeance!

I really, really, really like this song and album. I Really do.

* Check out John Oliva’s Pain myspace music page by clicking the link below:

JOHN OLIVA’S PAIN

* John Oliva’s Pain will be released in the U.S.A. on April 13, 2010!

LONG LIVE JOHN OLIVA’S PAIN!

Stone.

5 Comments »

“LIVE AND HEAVY” CASSETTE FROM EARLY 80’S STILL ROCKS HEAVY!

Posted in classic rock bands, classic rock music, Hard Rock, hard rock albums, hard rock bands, hard rock music, hard rock songs, Heavy Metal, heavy metal albums, heavy metal music, heavy metal songs, metal odyssey, Music, rock & roll, rock and roll, rock music with tags 1970's hard rock bands, 1970's heavy metal bands, 1980's hard rock bands, 1980's heavy metal bands, classic rock, hard rock bands, hard rock music, heavy metal bands, heavy metal cassettes, heavy metal history, heavy metal music, heavy metal songs, metal odyssey, Music, old school heavy metal, rock music, vintage heavy metal albums on April 6, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

LIVE AND HEAVY – I bought this cool cassette sometime back in the early 1980’s. (See the pic of my cassette copy below). I cannot for the Metal life of me, remember if it was 1983 or 1984. It doesn’t really matter. The important thing about this cassette is it still plays! A mixture of Hard Rock and Heavy Metal bands are showcased on Live And Heavy… from Status Quo to Motorhead. (See complete track and band listing below). Each song is a live recording, (of course, why else is it called Live And Heavy?) A very fine aspect of this cassette is the vintage sound of the bands… these songs were recorded almost three decades ago!

I know for certain however, that I bought this cassette while I was in high school. The store where this cassette was found and subsequently purchased you may ask? Why, Bradlees of course. Bradlees was a department store, in the town where I grew up in. A large department store for it’s time was Bradlees, with two floors. The record department had a decent selection of mainstream Rock, Hard Rock and Heavy Metal for the day. Imports and underground Metal were not the norm at this department store. A vast selection of 45 rpm’s were always stocked at Bradlees, I bought a few there, that’s for sure. Still, it is this particular Bradlees where I landed this Live And Heavy cassette… and it is an import!!

Live And Heavy gets started in a fabulous way with track one: Smoke On The Water by the impeccable Deep Purple. I just can never resist classic Deep Purple, especially this song, which really encapsulates all the free spirit and sound of 1970’s Hard Rock. A lifetime favorite song of mine is Smoke On The Water. Sometimes I wonder to myself, just how important and influential Smoke On The Water was/is within the history of Rock and Hard Rock Music.

Whitesnake appears with their song – Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City and David Coverdale’s vocals sound classic. This Whitesnake song can be considered as Rock or Hard Rock… it’s not the Heavy Metal side of Whitesnake, which is still all very good with me. UFO is caught live here too, with Light’s Out In London, a kickin’ Traditional Heavy Metal song if there ever was one. Gillan Rocks out with Unchain Your Brain… a classic live Gillan song to have at that. Ian Gillan is an incredible legend of Rock period. After all of these years, I have never heard any singer sound remotely close to Ian Gillan’s vocals. Ultra Unique are Ian Gillan’s vocals, in my Metal opinion.

Def Leppard cranks out Rocks Off, from their 1980 – On Through The Night debut album. Two more lifetime favorites of mine are on Live And Heavy as well, with Motorhead bashing out White Line Fever and Rainbow playing All Night Long from their 1979 album – Down To Earth. Graham Bonnet is the lead singer for Rainbow on this live version of All Night Long. A supremely vintage and live version of Paranoid from Black Sabbath is the last track on Live And Heavy. Just hearing a younger Ozzy Osbourne sing on this live track is a Metal treat in itself.

Overall, the sound production is not of the highest caliber, still it is good enough for my Metal ears. As I stated earlier, this cassette of Live And Heavy is an import, with “Made In Ireland” printed on both sides of the cassette itself. The only logo to be found on the liner notes designating a record company is EMS. I can barely make out a line of type on the liner notes that reads: “All tracks recorded live on stage”.

If you happen to still collect and listen to cassettes as I do, don’t pass over Live And Heavy if it ever crosses your Metal path. I cannot verify if Live And Heavy was ever released on CD. This vintage live album for certain must have been released on vinyl… I just have never seen one.

Here it is… my cassette of Live And Heavy:

* I find the artwork of Live And Heavy to be Old School. There is a line of type on the liner notes that barely reads: “Design and Artwork: Cream”.

* The printing on this cassette reads below the words Live And Heavy: “See Inlay For Details”.

* Made In Ireland is printed on the left, while legal mumbo jumbo about copying rights are printed at the bottom side of this cassette.

Track & Band Listing For Live And Heavy:

Side One:

Deep Purple – Smoke On The Water

Nazareth – Razamanaz

Motorhead – White Line Fever

Def Leppard – Rocks Off

Rainbow – All Night Long

Side Two:

Status Quo – Roll Over Lay Down

Whitesnake – Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City

UFO – Lights Out In London

Gillan – Unchain Your Brain

Black Sabbath – Paranoid

LONG LIVE VINTAGE HEAVY METAL AND HARD ROCK CASSETTES!

Stone.

11 Comments »

SCORPIONS – “STING IN THE TAIL” DELIVERS THE ANTIDOTE OF HEAVY METAL EUPHORIA!

Posted in classic rock, hard rock music, Heavy Metal, heavy metal albums, heavy metal bands, heavy metal music, metal odyssey, Music, rock & roll, rock and roll, rock music with tags 1970's heavy metal bands, 1980's heavy metal bands, 1990's heavy metal bands, classic rock, hard rock music, heavy metal album reviews, heavy metal albums 2010, heavy metal bands 2010, heavy metal history, heavy metal legends, heavy metal music, metal odyssey, Music, old school heavy metal, rock and roll, rock music, scorpions heavy metal band, scorpions sting in the tail album on April 3, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

SCORPIONS – 2010 has arrived and so has the Scorpions. Again. What can be accepted as the official goodbye studio album from the Scorpions leaves a Metal lump in my throat. Let’s put all the emotions aside just for now and relish the Heavy Metal excellence that Sting In The Tail is really all about. March 23, 2010 shall always be considered by this metalhead as a day of Heavy Metal honor… Sting In The Tail was released by arguably one of the most honorable Heavy Metal bands to ever record albums and tour the globe. It’s not rocket science to listen to this new Scorpions album and realize it is something special. This is one fan who will argue to the end that Sting In The Tail is more than likely one of the best Heavy Metal album to have been released in years. The Scorpions obviously wanted to release a fabulous album of 11 songs to be their last… they have succeeded in my Metal opinion.

The Good Die Young is a Power Ballad and hit’s my emotional Metal button like there is no tomorrow. My God is this a prolific Scorpions song, I cannot express in words just how it really resonates with me. The opening song Raised On Rock is not just THE best song for me on Sting In The Tail, I dare myself to find a better Hard Rock or Heavy Metal song released this year! Or last year too. This song is about what I and anyone who visits Metal Odyssey hold so dearly to our hearts… ROCK. It doesn’t get any better than this, a song glorifying being raised on Rock and Roll.

Lorelei is the second Power Ballad and it seems to lift this anti-ballad Metalhead up and slam him down. I repent! I repent! The Scorpions have made me like Power Ballads again! Well, at least their Power Ballads. SLY is the third Power Ballad and it is Klaus Meine once again proving he can sing his heart out with real emotion… not the fabricated stuff that is flooding the music industry these days. Klaus Meine has been doing this for decades… he is a vocalist for the ages.

Spirit of Rock is my second favorite song on this supremely contagious album. O.k., I can’t find another Hard Rock or Heavy Metal song that is better than this one either… that has been released in 2010 thus far. This song, as with Raised On Rock, flows only like a Scorpions Heavy Metal song can… with such melodic and heightened, heavy exuberance. The Best Is Yet To Come can be construed as a goodbye song from the Scorpions and I don’t want to say goodbye. This song is inspirational with it’s lyrics, I truly hope the best will come from this group of elite musicians, in their future projects and endeavors.

Pointing out the musicianship of the Scorpions on Sting In The Tail is best summed up this way: these are Heavy Metal veterans, despite any lack of a full original lineup over the years, Klaus Meine, Matthias Jabs and Rudolf Schenker are the epitome of Heavy Metal consistency and supremacy with decades of music to prove it. These three musicians are the core of the Scorpions, the mainframe if you will. The dual guitars of Matthias Jabs, (on lead) and Rudolf Schenker, (on rhythm), still have their powerful tones that have been enjoyed by my Metal ears for so many years. Pawel Maciwoda on bass and James Kottak on drums add incredible rhythmic thunder to this Scorpions band, they without doubt, add to the all encompassing heart and soul of Sting In The Tail.

Listening to and then falling in love with an album is all personal… not everyone is going to agree with me on my review of Sting In The Tail. This is an album that will forever lift me up and help me celebrate this ultra-glorious genre I know as Heavy Metal. The Scorpions have not stolen, they have politely taken my Metal soul for 2010 and maybe beyond. If Metal Odyssey handed out Metal’s of Honor… the Scorpions would receive the first. The Scorpions have proven to me years ago they are a Heavy Metal Band for the ages… Sting In The Tail only puts one hundred exclamation points after that Metal thought.

I make no Metal apologies for my Heavy Metal awakening, that the Scorpions have bestowed upon me with Sting In The Tail. I only extend one gigantic THANK YOU to this amazing band that has thrilled my Metal mind for decades, from my dazed and confused teen years to my middle-aged Metalhead life I have now… Scorpions, you have been there for me and countless other fans, now go out and kick some Heavy Metal ass like there is no tomorrow for the next three years!!!

* Metal Odyssey hopes and prays that Ron Keel’s Rock and Roll dream will come true… that the Scorpions will take his unreal great band KEEL out on the road with them sometime very soon!!! Please, Scorpions… Ron Keel is a good dude and KEEL deserve’s it!!

* Tarja Turunen – her beautiful voice can be heard on The Good Die Young.

* This Sting In The Tail CD also came with a cool punch-out card with 4 guitar picks! Once my daughter saw these Scorpions guitar picks, well, she has them for her collection now.

* The track listing on the back of this Sting In The Tail CD does have certain letters highlighted in red, when spelled out it reads: IT ROCKS

Track Listing For Sting In The Tail:

Raised on Rock

Sting in the Tail

Slave Me

The Good Die Young

No Limit

Rock Zone

Lorelei

Turn You On

SLY

Spirit of Rock

The Best Is Yet To Come

* Sting In The Tail was released on Universal Music Enterprises.

LONG LIVE THE SCORPIONS!

Stone.

11 Comments »

HEAVY METAL WARRIORS – 2008 CD IS A POTENT DOSE OF 12 METAL SONGS!

Posted in 1980's hair metal bands, 1980's heavy metal bands, 1980's metal bands, 1990's heavy metal bands, Heavy Metal, heavy metal album review, heavy metal albums, heavy metal bands, heavy metal compilation albums, heavy metal history, heavy metal legends, heavy metal music, Heavy Metal Reviews, heavy metal songs, industrial metal bands, Metal, metal music, metal odyssey, Music, old school heavy metal bands, old school thrash metal bands, rock music, sludge metal bands, thrash metal bands, thrash metal music with tags current heavy metal bands, hair metal music, Heavy Metal, heavy metal albums, heavy metal bands, heavy metal compilation albums, heavy metal history, heavy metal legends, heavy metal music, heavy metal songs, heavy metal warriors cd, industrial metal music, metal bands, metal music, metal odyssey, Music, old school heavy metal, sludge metal bands, thrash metal bands, thrash metal songs, traditional heavy metal music on March 21, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

HEAVY METAL WARRIORS – In 2008, Crash Music released a 12 song compilation of Heavy Metal songs titled: Heavy Metal Warriors. Heavy Metal compilation albums have been around since I can remember, with the Metal Blade – Metal Massacre compilation albums being the very best… in my Metal opinion. There are no liner notes with this Heavy Metal Warriors CD, just the one page that shows the front cover, (the backside is just a track listing of songs with the corresponding band). This CD is a potent mix of Thrash Metal, (Flotsam And Jetsam), Hair Metal, (Enuff Z Nuff) and straight up Metal, (Omen, Dianno) songs. My favorite song on this CD is Straight To Hell by Flotsam And Jetsam, an Old School Thrash Metal song, by a real deal veteran Thrash band in their own Metal right.

New Thing by Enuff Z Nuff is a live version, it is a melodic grabber and has all the vibe of late 1980’s Arena Rock emanating from it’s sound. Cold World by Dianno just flat out kicks Metal butt, I could not be more Metal honest than that. This song is easily my second favorite track on this cool CD. Cold World flourishes with Traditional Heavy Metal greatness, plus Paul Dianno on vocals sounds vintage and solid. Smooth Up is of course, the Bulletboys. This song is listed on the track listing as such – Smooth Up. I always understood this song title to be… Smooth Up In Ya’, however. Regardless, it’s a pretty darn good live version of Smooth Up In Ya’, the guitar solo is psyche out time and Marq Torien’s vocals are decent… as usual.

Dissconnect Massconnect by Transport League is a mix of Metalcore and straight up Metal, with a slight funky groove happening throughout the entire song. The more I listen to this song, the more I like it. Sick by Diamond Rexx is a Heavy Metal riff explosion. Albeit, the lead riff is played consistently throughout this song, still it works it’s heavy groove just fine for my Metal standards. The guitar solo is short and has a 1970’s tone about it on Sick. Diamond Rexx made their album debut back in 1986, with Land of the Damned and are still a current band.

Single Bullet Theory rages with Murder Machines, a damned good Metal song it is. Murder Machines is heavy as molasses and slick as an ice covered road… (man, that description sounded corn dog). Here is a Metal song that ranks as my third favorite track: Eternal Black Dawn by Omen. Omen is one fine Metal band, there is no doubt in my Metal mind about that. Omen traces their Traditional Heavy Metal roots back to 1983 as a Metal Blade Records signee, with this track coming from their 2003 album – Eternal Black Dawn. Soil brings their in-your-face Metal with Triple Sixs, this song I recommend being played extremely LOUD.

Ashes Of Your Enemy lends the track – Surrender. The lead vocals are a growling and snarling bounty of Metal joy, the music Rocks heavy… only the chorus is what doesn’t do it for me, too damned mellow. All I Had I Gave is from the legendary Sludge Metal band – Crowbar. Man, would I love to down a case of beer with these guys before I hit the age of 90. Kirk Windstein of Crowbar is a powerhouse on vocals and guitar… a modern day riff master of heavy greatness. Twin Method concludes this Heavy Metal Warriors CD, their Industrial Metal meets Alternative Metal sound is all over their song – The Abrasive, from their 2006 debut album, The Volume Of Self.

So, there you Metal have it, Heavy Metal Warriors is as diverse a blend of Metal songs as you can ask for. I am not bashful one bit in recommending any Metalhead to get a copy of this CD. It’s still in print and available at most of the online music sites out there. If Heavy Metal Warriors has proved anything to this Metalhead, it’s that recurring reminder… Heavy Metal F’n Rules!!

* Thanks go out to – Best Metal Buddy Scott Coverdale for landing me this fine Heavy Metal CD this last Christmas of 2009!

“A WORLD WITHOUT HEAVY METAL WOULD BE A QUIET, TIRED, UGLY, CONSTIPATED AND TERRIBLE PLACE.”

Stone.

2 Comments »

RONNIE JAMES DIO – A TRUE HEAVY METAL WARRIOR!

RONNIE JAMES DIO – The prolific and ultra legendary lead singer for bands: Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, DIO and currently Heaven & Hell. A Heavy Metal warrior is Ronnie James Dio… in my Metal opinion. I grew up following Ronnie James Dio, as countless other Old School Metal fans did as well. Without question, the Heaven And Hell and Mob Rules albums from the Dio fronted Black Sabbath are Heavy Metal benchmarks, never to be duplicated and only to be revered. Thanks to these two albums, 1980 and 1981 were a time when Heavy Metal shed away any identity crisis and made a lasting mark on the world. Ronnie James Dio, through his vocals and lyrics, gave Heavy Metal a new found darkness that I couldn’t resist, from Man On The Silver Mountain to Lady Evil to Mystery.

A new DIO album always incited the Heavy Metal psyche within me… the anticipation of hearing Dio’s vocals once again, on all new songs. I could probably carry on for another five thousand words, explaining just how personally important Dio’s vocals and lyrics have meant to me, throughout the decades. As the years have gone by, I never have taken for granted any of my favorite bands or musicians. I couldn’t think of it. I always feel lucky when I get to see a band I like, live and onstage. Seeing DIO years ago at The New Haven Coliseum was a Metal thrill, (seeing Savatage and Megadeth open up for DIO made it a triple Metal thrill too). Best Metal Buddy Scott and friend Rob should remember that evening… they left me stranded in a dark, cold and foreboding New Haven alley while I was taking a leak, after the concert. Gee Metal whiz… no pun intended. I found my way home though… fellow Metalheads are always eager to lend aid to one another in time of need.

There isn’t a week that goes by, where I don’t listen to part of or a whole album that Ronnie James Dio is lead singer on. It’s just been that way… and I hope it never stops.

What makes Ronnie James Dio so special is his ability to connect through song… his lyrics come to life if you let your Metal mind wander. Plus, Ronnie James Dio is a fighter… that’s what being a Metalhead is and always will be about.

I always and forever will love the DIO album – The Last In Line, (from 1984), especially the title track. Yes, the video for The Last In Line may have been outdone over the years with newfound special effects and video technology… still, this music video brings back some very cool Metal memories for me. I hope you enjoy this unreal great DIO song as much as I do… if so, crank it up LOUD and raise the horns to the air!

LONG LIVE RONNIE JAMES DIO!

Stone.

6 Comments »

RIOT – “RIOT LIVE” EP FROM 1982 IS A HEAVY METAL VINYL FIND!

Posted in 1970's hard rock, 1970's heavy metal, 1980's heavy metal albums, 1980's hard rock bands, 1980's heavy metal bands, 1980's heavy metal music, 1982 heavy metal music, 1990's heavy metal bands, Album Review, antique shopping finds, collecting heavy metal albums, collecting rock music, current heavy metal bands, hard rock bands, hard rock music, hard to find records, Heavy Metal, heavy metal albums, heavy metal albums 1982, heavy metal bands, heavy metal history, heavy metal legends, heavy metal music, heavy metal music 1982, heavy metal on vinyl, heavy metal records, metal odyssey, Music, old school hard rock, old school heavy metal, rare heavy metal albums, rock music, vintage heavy metal albums with tags 1970's hard rock bands, 1970's heavy metal bands, 1980's heavy metal albums, 1980's heavy metal bands, 1980's heavy metal ep's, 1980's heavy metal vinyl, 1990's heavy metal bands, hard rock music, heavy metal albums 1982, heavy metal finds, heavy metal history, heavy metal music, heavy metal music 1982, heavy metal roots, heavy metal vinyl, live heavy metal ep's, mark reale guitarist, metal odyssey, Music, old school heavy metal, old school heavy metal bands, rare heavy metal albums, rhett forrester vocalist, riot, riot hard rock band, riot heavy metal band, riot live, riot live ep 1982 on March 2, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

RIOT – RIOT LIVE, was sitting there, on vinyl no less, in a pile of other vintage albums from years long past. In the middle of this antiques mall, there I staked claim to a rare and never seen by my eyes before, RIOT EP… and it was a live EP too! I decided to take a look around this antiques mall this past Sunday, not knowing what I might come across for Metal treasures. For five bucks, (U.S.), I did not hesitate to take this piece of Heavy Metal history home. The funny part of finding this RIOT album is that a Telly Savalas – Who Loves Ya, Baby? album was resting right against it! Whoa, that’s funky stuff… God rest Telly Savalas’s soul. Another funny part of this whole scenario is… someone out there will eventually buy that Telly Savalas album and be just as psyched about their find as I am about mine. Beauty is in the eye of the respective music beholder, in my case it is Old School Heavy Metal vinyl… that is rather… rare. It’s no secret that I own a turntable, uh, a few of them. Buying these Heavy Metal Vinyl Classics are to be enjoyed, by dropping that old needle down on those aging grooves.

These songs are live alright, they are Old School raw too. As I played this album for the first time, I could here the excitement resonating in the air during these live RIOT songs. I can understand that excitement, RIOT has always been a respected Hard & Heavy band, regardless of lineup changes through the years. RIOT has that early years of Metal vibe happening on this EP, I can hear and feel the roots of Heavy Metal from these songs. Despite the NWOBHM sound that was swarming across the Atlantic back in the very late ’70’s and early ’80’s, RIOT was American made. This was a RIOT band with four studio albums under their belt as of 1982 – Rock City (1977), Narita (1979), Fire Down Under (1981) and Restless Breed (1982).

Swords And Tequila is from the studio album the 1981 studio album – Fire Down Under. The other five songs on RIOT LIVE are from the 1982 studio album – Restless Breed.

The Track Listing For RIOT LIVE from 1982:

Hard Lovin’ Man

Showdown

Loved By You

Loanshark

Restless Breed

Swords And Tequila

* RIOT LIVE was released on Electra Records.

* You can hear Restless Breed from RIOT LIVE and many more RIOT songs from their catalog of albums, streaming on the RIOT MySpace Music Page by clicking here: RIOT – MySpace Music Page

Here is what the front cover of this album jacket for RIOT LIVE looks like:

* The bottom line of type on the front cover of RIOT LIVE reads: Limited Edition – Manufacturer Suggested List Price $4.98. That’s cool… I paid 2 cents more than it’s original 1982 price. (Granted, the condition of this vintage vinyl that I acquired is no longer mint).

Using an iphone to take this picture of my RIOT LIVE EP, the black background with the bright red type made for difficulty in clarity. The album jacket itself has worn edges and a few worn spots, that’s o.k. by me, it goes to show this RIOT EP was once loved hard by some other fan. Despite these imperfections of the album jacket, I still am Metal pleased to have found a copy of this RIOT LIVE EP. The album jacket’s back cover is a solid black, with the Elektra Records logo on the bottom center. Taking a pic of this back cover would not make much sense for it’s blankness. (In other words, there’s nothing to look at with the back cover).

LONG LIVE RIOT

9 Comments »

HELIX “DEEP CUTS THE KNIFE” – 1985 HEAVY METAL SONG THAT STILL SOARS!

Posted in 1980's hair metal bands, 1980's heavy metal albums, 1980's heavy metal ballads, 1980's hard rock bands, 1980's heavy metal bands, 1980's heavy metal music, 1980's heavy metal songs, 1985 heavy metal music, cool album covers, current hard rock bands, current heavy metal bands, hair metal bands, hard rock bands, Heavy Metal, heavy metal album covers, heavy metal albums, heavy metal albums 1985, heavy metal bands, heavy metal bands from canada, heavy metal history, heavy metal music, heavy metal music 1985, heavy metal songs, metal odyssey, Music, old school heavy metal, old school heavy metal bands, rock music with tags 1980's heavy metal albums, 1980's heavy metal ballads, 1980's heavy metal bands, 1980's heavy metal songs, brent doerner guitarist, brian vollmer vocalist, canadian heavy metal bands, daryl gray bass guitarist, deep cuts the knife song, greg hinz drummer, hard rock music, Heavy Metal, heavy metal ballads, heavy metal bands, heavy metal from Canada, heavy metal music, helix, helix 1985, helix heavy metal band, helix long way to heaven 1985, long way to heaven album, metal odyssey, Music, old school heavy metal, paul hackman guitarist, power ballads on February 20, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

HELIX, one of Canada’s greatest Heavy Metal Bands ever, released their fifth studio album – Long Way To Heaven, (on Capitol Records), back on November 9, 1985. My favorite song from this really cool album is Deep Cuts The Knife, a mid-tempo power ballad. (Check out the song below, if you like). I always had a tough time hearing Helix being labeled… Hair Metal. Not in my Metal opinion… Heavy Metal is Helix, pure and Metal simple. I remember buying Long Way To Heaven at my local Caldor Department Store back in ’85… the vinyl was warped! Believe this or not, this album still played fine… albeit looking rather funky, as it spun around the turntable! Yup, this is just another fine slab of Heavy Metal vinyl that I no longer have. CD’s took over my Metal psyche and now I have remorse for trading and selling away those treasured vinyl albums of yesteryear. It’s alright… I’ll land Long Way To Heaven on vinyl once again… down the Metal road. Deep Cuts The Knife may no longer be relevant to me lyrically, however, the Heavy Metal of Helix and this song’s melodic power always will be! Today, this great song just stuck to my brain like Metal glue… so I just thought I’d share it with the world. Hopefully you enjoy Deep Cuts The Knife as much as I do. In the event you never heard this song before… then passing along some Helix shall be my Metal deed for the day!

LONG LIVE HELIX!

CRANK UP DEEP CUTS THE KNIFE LOUD – AND BE GLAD YOU DID!

HELIX, as they appeared on the 1985 album Long Way To Heaven:

Brian Vollmer – lead vocals

Paul Hackman – guitar and vocals

Brent Doerner – guitar and vocals

Daryl Gray – bass and vocals

Greg Hinz – drums

3 Comments »

CHARRED WALLS OF THE DAMNED – DEBUT ALBUM IS FULL BLOWN METAL!

Posted in Album Review, cool album covers, current heavy metal albums, current heavy metal bands, current heavy metal music, hard rock music, Heavy Metal, heavy metal album covers, heavy metal album review, heavy metal albums, heavy metal albums 2010, heavy metal bands, heavy metal bands 2010, heavy metal history, heavy metal music, heavy metal music 2010, heavy metal musicians, Metal, metal music, metal music albums, metal odyssey, Music, new heavy metal music, old school heavy metal, old school heavy metal bands, power metal albums, power metal bands, power metal music, rock music with tags charred walls of the damned, charred walls of the damned debut album, current heavy metal bands, heavy metal album review, heavy metal albums, heavy metal albums 2010, heavy metal bands 2010, heavy metal music, heavy metal music 2010, jason suecof guitarist, jason suecof record producer, melodic metal music, Metal, metal blade records, metal music, metal odyssey, Music, old school heavy metal, Power Metal, power metal bands, richard christy drummer, steve digiorgio bass guitarist, the howard stern show, tim ripper owens vocalist on February 19, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

Charred Walls of the Damned released their self titled, debut album on February 2, 2010 on Metal Blade Records. Cutting to the Metal chase here, my ears are telling me Charred Walls of the Damned are not just a supergroup, they are an excellent Metal Band… period. There are many shades of Power Metal found within this debut album from Charred Walls of the Damned. How many dozens of American bred Power Metal Bands can you name? Europe outnumbers America in the Power Metal category, thus anytime a North American band even sounds remotely close to Power Metal, it peeks my Metal interest. That is why I am rather excited that founding member and drummer, Richard Christy, decided to embark on an Old School Speed Metal meets Power Metal adventure like this band. Shaking loose from the confines of The Howard Stern Show to create a legit and convincing Metal album is what Richard Christy has done. After listening to Charred Walls of the Damned several times, I’ve come to the Metal conclusion that Richard Christy could probably quit his day job. Then again, it’s not too shabby a gig, to be part of The Howard Stern Show either.

Richard Christy and Tim “Ripper” Owens played together as members of Iced Earth, from 2003 to 2004. Bass guitarist Steve Digiorgio has built his Metal legacy as a founding member of Sadus, while also playing for Death, Testament, Iced Earth and Autopsy… there are a few more, yet the Metal point is made here. Throw in the fact that Richard Christy was also the drummer for Death, from 1996 to 2001 and you have Metal credibility oozing from the Metal seams here. Legendary Metal producer Jason Suecof takes the helm on guitar and of course, producing Charred Walls of the Damned. It is in my sincerest Metal opinion, that Tim “Ripper” Owens does not have to look upon himself as ever being that other lead singer for Judas Priest… never again. Charred Walls of the Damned spotlights the Ripper’s vocals, while he clearly magnifies the power and emotion of each song with Metal conviction.

Truly, an album that has no dog for a song is rare during any era of Metal Music. Charred Walls of the Damned is just that album… from Ghost Town to Fear In The Sky, the unrelenting Metal assault that is unmistakably power charged, comes at you like an out of control heat seeking missile. Jason Suecof demonstrates his guitar appreciation with unreal great confidence and clarity. The Metal leads, riffs and solos rage throughout Charred Walls of the Damned, Jason Suecof can play. If I sound over zealous about this debut album, it’s that I’m only extremely psyched that these four Metal players have combined their skills and minds to deliver a quality Metal product.

Overall, these songs are built on speed, blended with the Power Metal vocals of Ripper and thunder struck by Steve Digiorgio on bass and Christy on drums. Charred Walls of the Damned teamed up to tinker with the traditional brilliance’s of Metal. Oh, did they tinker… the end result is the Metal parts are just as great as the Metal sum with their debut album. I really hope this is just the beginning of a long line of albums, from this “new” Metal Band they call – Charred Walls of the Damned.

For more about Charred Walls of the Damned, click here: Charred Walls of the Damned – myspace music page

CHARRED WALLS OF THE DAMNED – Track Listing:

1. Ghost Town

2. From The Abyss

3. Creating Our Machine

4. Blood on Wood

5. In a World So Cruel

6. Manifestations

7. Voices Within the Walls

8. The Darkest Eyes

9. Fear in the Sky

9 Comments »

EARLY MAN – “BEWARE THE CIRCLING FINS” EP IS CAN’T MISS METAL

Posted in cool album covers, Heavy Metal, heavy metal albums, heavy metal bands, heavy metal music, independent record labels, Metal, metal music, metal music ep's, metal odyssey, Music, old school heavy metal, rock music, speed metal, thrash metal album review, thrash metal albums, thrash metal bands, thrash metal music, thrash metal music 2008 with tags beware the circling fins ep, current heavy metal bands, early man, early man heavy metal band, early man metal band, early man thrash metal band, heavy metal albums, heavy metal bands, heavy metal eps, heavy metal music, metal music, metal music 2008, metal odyssey, Music, old school heavy metal, speed metal music, thrash metal bands, thrash metal music on February 15, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

EARLY MAN. Beware The Circling Fin is an EP of 4 songs, only don’t be fooled, these songs are can’t miss Metal. I only wish Early Man had slapped down a few more tracks for this EP, their Metal is that good. Early Man is no newcomer to the Metal world, they released back on April, 5, 2005, the Early Man EP, which contained 3 songs. Early Man then signed on to Matador Records and released their first full length album – Closing In on October 11, 2005. Beware The Circling Fin was released on October 14, 2008, on independent label The End Records. I find Early Man to be quite the Old School Metal Band, (Traditional Metal, if you will), with total disregard for all things commercial… I like that very much.

Beware The Circling Fin was produced by Jack Endino, who has worked with Nirvana, High On Fire and Mudhoney, to name a few. Early Man hooking up with with a producer of this caliber is not too shabby, in my Metal opinion. Back in 2005, when Early Man first hit the streets with their debut EP, the Thrash Metal revival was heating up. Revival aside, Thrash Metal, (all Metal for that matter), never crawled under a rock… it has only grown stronger. With veteran Thrash Metal Bands making valiant returns, (hello Testament), while other veteran Thrashers like Slayer and Megadeth never relented, younger bands like Early Man can only solidify and bond the Metal cause all the more. (That’s another Metal opinion of mine).

Beware The Circling Fin EP has been my starting point… venturing into the Early Man brand of Metal. One characteristic of this EP that I like is the overall rawness that seems to creep around each song. I’m not talking demo raw here, just good ol’ Metal. Amongst this trio of Early Man, I don’t here one overpowering the other… the vocals and Metal Music seem to gather steam together… another good quality.

Suck Me Dry tends to sway away from total Thrash, this song borders on the Punk side… with it’s play time of 1:31, it’s aggressiveness wrapped with attitude and especially the vocals of Mike Conte. Is that bad? Uh, not for me. Beware The Circling Fin has Mike Conte reaching for the high notes vocally, sounding credible and reminding me of vintage Rob Halford of Judas Priest. The riffs, leads and all encompassing sound of Coiled Like A Snake has me feeling Early Man knows a thing or two about Metal’s founding fathers. Sinking The Blade is for me, the heaviest and fastest song on this EP. If Thrash is Early Man’s forte, they proved it with Sinking The Blade – in my Metal opinion. Early Man has shown they can intertwine their sound from Thrash to semi-Punk, what’s in between these songs is all the stuff I’ve always admired about Metal in the first place.

EARLY MAN as they appeared on Beware The Circling Fin:

Mike Conti – vocals, guitar & bass

Pete Macy – guitar

Adam Bennati – drums

* Tim Ramage is listed as the current bass guitarist, as seen on the Early Man myspace music page.

* Early Man’s myspace music page has their current location listed as Los Angeles, California. You can check out the Early Man myspace music page by clicking here: EARLY MAN – myspace music page

* An eagerly anticipated and forthcoming new studio album from Early Man is titled – Death Potion. This info can be found directly on Early Man’s official website: EARLY MAN ARMY.com – Official Website of EARLY MAN

* Lead singer and guitarist Mike Conte has his own blog, click the link below to check it out:

WHIPLASH HEAVY METAL – Early Man’s Mike Conte blog

McAULEY SCHENKER GROUP – “SAVE YOURSELF” 1989 ALBUM REVISITED

I have forever and always will be an admirer of Michael Schenker, the lead guitarist of The Michael Schenker Group, McAuley Schenker Group, UFO and of course, an original guitarist for the Scorpions. Michael Schenker has also released numerous albums through a solo career and side projects. McAuley Schenker Group – Save Yourself, was a choice Metal pick of mine today… I reached for this CD and let it’s Heavy Metal engulf my ears. Released on October 25, 1989, Save Yourself was an instant Metal favorite for me since it’s release. Always the impeccable Metal guitarist, Michael Schenker, through his signature sound, is such an amazing standout figure in the history of Heavy Metal… in my Metal opinion. Is this the greatest Michael Schenker guitar led album ever? Not necessarily, yet Save Yourself does come across with it’s melodic Metal power – amazingly well for my liking. This is an album that I have never grown tired of, nor ever will. Is Robin McAuley my favorite vocalist on a Michael Schenker album? No, Gary Barden is, that is not an insult to Robin McAuley, it’s just my personal choice. I really like the vocals of Robin McAuley, Old School and never overreaching.

Metal Odyssey Warning: There is NOT one bad or sub-par song on Save Yourself, in my Metal opinion. Seek out this album and listen to it at your own Metal risk… you just might find yourself liking this album a great deal.

I Am Your Radio is a prototypical 1980’s Heavy Metal anthem. With its heavy stomping and power driven rhythm section, accompanied with a backdrop fused with all the electrifying guitar leads and riffs you can ask for… throw in a climactic solo for good Metal measure too. Can this song be construed as ’80’s corn dog? Not in my Metal mind… especially when this song is played LOUD, like it was meant to be heard. What We Need is an engaging Heavy Metal song, strong vocals from McAuley and muscular guitar licks from Schenker abound. Shadow Of The Night is rich with it’s Heavy Metal chorus, a true ’80’s melodic anthem, a sing-along for MSG die hards!

There Has To Be Another Way is the lone instrumental on Save Yourself. This is not Michael Schenker showing off, no ego is prevailing here… just a bitter sweet sound of emotion being spoken from his flying V. (As fine of a mellow/Metal guitar instrumental I’ve ever heard). Get Down To Bizness has the attitude and flamboyancy that late 1980’s Heavy Metal was so notorious for. Combine the vocals and solo of this song and you have a molten ball of Heavy Metal, raging with all the greatness of this era’s heavy music. Anytime is a power ballad THAT I EQUATE TO HEAVY METAL GREATNESS. That is correct… a ballad that I revere!! Wow, there really are Heavy Metal ballads that get Metal recognition on Metal Odyssey after all! Simply put, Anytime with it’s lyrics, melody, tempo and complete musicianship… is an all time favorite song of mine… period. Anytime gives me salamander bumps up and down my arms and across my face, each time I hear it. (Don’t repeat this to anyone… you all MUST Metal promise!).

Bad Boys gets the adrenaline flowing on high, it’s not a knock you out song, it’s just a song that has bite with raw undertones. Besides, Michael Schenker makes good on his guitar solo on Bad Boys, regardless of how shortened it is. Save Yourself as the album opener, opens with Michael Schenker letting it be known he is THE guitar god on this album and with his band. Save Yourself is arguably the heaviest song on this album. Take Me Back is the last song on this album, it is almost like Robin McAuley and Michael Schenker wanted to save one of the best for last… for Take Me Back IS one of the best songs on Save Yourself. A commercially accessible song is Take Me Back, still it is Heavy Metal with Michael Schenker leaving his signature – guitar stamp of approval all over it. Steve Mann, not to be ignored, plays alongside Michael Schenker on this album and my ears hear his credibility throughout, both on guitar and keyboards.

Check out and listen to the power ballad – Anytime… this song just gets better for me with each listen:

McAuley Schenker Group as they appeared on Save Yourself:

Michael Schenker – lead guitar

Robin McAuley – lead vocals

Steve Mann – guitar and keyboards

Rocky Newton – bass guitar

Bodo Schopf – drums

Track Listing For Save Yourself:

Save Yourself

Bad Boys

Anytime

Get Down To Bizness

Shadow Of The Night

What We Need

I Am Your Radio

There Has To Be Another Way (instrumental)

This Is My Heart

Destiny

Take Me Back (bonus track)

Save Yourself was originally released on Capitol Records.

5 Comments »

SCORPIONS – A METAL THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC AND MEMORIES!

SCORPIONS. Legends of Heavy Metal, Hard Rock and Rock History. Really, what can I truly say about the inevitable retirement of the Scorpions, that has not already been said today, across the world? All I can say, from my very own personal, Metal perspective, is THANK YOU. Thank you Scorpions for the albums of songs, the videos, the tours, the loyalty to the fans and for just knowing that you were THERE for me to listen to as a young teen, all the way through adulthood. With three years left to go before the official Metal curtain falls… I will make every Metal effort to say goodbye at a live show. There is still three more years of Scorpions memories to be had. Plus, with the new studio album Sting In The Tail coming out this March, there has never been a better time than 2010 to celebrate a true Champion of Heavy Metal – SCORPIONS! I actually have duck bumps going up and down my arms as I write this… it’s like I am saying thank you and goodbye to a good buddy. In the grand Metal scheme of things, yes, the Scorpions were always my buddy… one of my core Heavy Metal bands to turn to for inspiration, enjoyment and of course… partying, (when I was a young lad and could stay up all night).

A fan becomes a part of a band, whether or not that band knows it or not. The Heavy Metal community is family and it’s a day like January 25, 2010, when this realization really sets in. Just like when a favorite New York Yankee of mine retires or gets traded, it leaves that notorious lump in my throat. Well, I have that lump in my throat today… only it’s a Metal lump. To commemorate this iconic Heavy Metal Band, I have compiled a list, a Metal roll call if you will, of the musicians of the Scorpions – both past and present. I thank each and everyone of them. I also have blabbed about my Metal adoration for the Scorpions a few times on Metal Odyssey, during my short time in doing this blog gig. Please check out these three posts if you feel like it, just click on the headers below the Scorpions roll call.

Scorpions – Present:

Klaus Meine – vocalist

Rudolf Schenker – guitarist

Matthias Jabs – guitarist

Pawel Maciwoda – bass guitarist

James Kottak – drummer

Scorpions – Past: (In no particular order)

Michael Schenker – guitarist

Ulrich Roth – guitarist

Francis Buchholz – bass guitarist

Herman Rarebell – drummer

Wolfgang Dziony – drummer

Lothar Heimberg – bass guitarist

Jurgen Rosenthal – drummer

Achim Kirschning – keyboardist

Rudy Lenners – drummer

Barry Sparks – bass guitarist

Ralph Rieckermann – bass guitarist

Curt Cress – drummer

Ken Taylor – bass guitarist

Ingo Powitzer – bass guitarist

(And of course, the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra too)

* Please note, if I happened to overlook any former Scorpions musician from the past, please let me know through a comment and that respective musician shall be added to this list. Any Metal oversight is wholeheartedly unintentional on the part of Metal Odyssey and I apologize now in case this was to happen.

From the 1972 studio album release of Lonesome Crow to the highly anticipated Sting In The Tail studio album of 2010, with every single studio and live album in between, the Heavy Metal from the Scorpions will live on for future generations to embrace and enjoy.

LONG LIVE SCORPIONS HEAVY METAL!

SCORPIONS – “SAVAGE AMUSEMENT” 1988 ALBUM FLASHBACK

Scorpions “World Wide Live” – 1985 album revisited

Happy Metal Birthday, Klaus Meine – Scorpions vocalist

4 Comments »

SAXON – “BACK ON THE STREETS” APPLE SHAPED PICTURE DISC FROM 1985!

Posted in 1970's heavy metal, 1970's heavy metal bands, 1970's heavy metal music, 1980's heavy metal music, 1980's heavy metal picture discs, 1980's heavy metal songs, 1980's metal music, 1985 heavy metal music, 1990's heavy metal bands, cool album covers, current heavy metal bands, feel good stories, Heavy Metal, heavy metal album covers, heavy metal albums, heavy metal albums 1985, heavy metal bands, heavy metal history, heavy metal music, heavy metal on vinyl, heavy metal picture discs, heavy metal record finds, heavy metal records, metal odyssey, Music, new wave of british heavy metal, old school heavy metal, picture discs, power metal bands, power metal music, rare heavy metal records, rare picture discs, rock music with tags 1970's heavy metal bands, 1980's heavy metal albums, 1980's heavy metal bands, 1980's heavy metal picture discs, 1990's heavy metal bands, back on the streets picture disc 1985, biff byford vocalist, current heavy metal bands, heavy metal finds, heavy metal music, heavy metal picture discs, innocence is no excuse album 1985, metal music, metal odyssey, Music, new wave of british heavy metal, nwobhm, old school heavy metal, paul quinn guitarist, rare heavy metal records, saxon, saxon apple shaped picture disc, saxon back on the streets picture disc, saxon heavy metal band, saxon live fast die young song, saxon picture disc 1985 on January 25, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

SAXON – Back On The Streets, (die-cut), shaped picture disc FIND! This past week, I entered yet another antique mall and I stumbled upon this unreal great Saxon picture disc! I was in Metal glee, upon my eyes becoming affixed, to this piece of Saxon vinyl memorabilia. The price I paid for this Saxon find was $10, (U.S.), Metal money worth spending. I don’t know the actual value of this picture disc on the open Metal market, yet I have a funny feeling it is worth more than the $10 I spent on it. Looking around the world wide web, I did not find one dealer/site that has this Saxon picture disc for sale. (Now, can I honestly say it is not available anywhere on the internet? Of course not… I just have not seen one just yet). I will have to think, with Metal certainty, that this Saxon picture disc must be scarce. Oh, the feeling of making a Metal score like this! Why I feel so psyched is that this is a picture disc from 1985, it’s not as if it’s a current/newly released picture disc. Plus, the sheer fact that this is a Heavy Metal band that I really do like makes it only better.

SAXON – Back On The Streets – Shaped Picture Disc Specs:

Side A: Back On The Streets

Side B: Live Fast Die Young

* To the best of my Metal research, Live Fast Die Young has never appeared on any Saxon studio album. Maybe it has appeared on a Saxon bootleg? Anyone with further info on the song Live Fast Die Young is welcomed to comment. If this is to be the only Saxon recording that Live Fast Die Young is found on, man, that makes this picture disc all the more Metal important.

* This is a U.K. import, the picture disc code, (found at the bottom of Side B), is: RP 6103.

* Directly below the picture disc code is a small logo witch reads: Parlophone.

* Other text found at the bottom of Side B, reads: SAXONGS CARLIN MUSIC CORP., (and), 1985 Original Sound Recordings Made By EMI Records LTD., (and), 1985 EMI Records LTD.

The single Back On The Streets is from the Saxon album Innocence Is No Excuse, (released in 1985).

Saxon, as they appeared on the 1985 album Innocence Is No Excuse:

Biff Byford – lead vocals

Paul Quinn – guitarist

Graham Oliver – guitarist

Steve Dawson – bass guitarist

Nigel Glockler – drums

This super fine picture disc is shaped like an apple, with the stem actually protruding out at the top! Here is what this Back On The Streets – shaped picture disc looks like:

Side A:

Side B:

I thank my wife for taking the pics for Metal Odyssey… she is quite a Metal asset for me in more ways than I can count, I honestly don’t know what I would do without her… that is a Metal fact!

KROKUS – NEW ALBUM “HOODOO” RELEASES ON FEBRUARY 26, 2010!

Posted in 1970's heavy metal bands, 1980's heavy metal bands, 1980's heavy metal music, 1990's heavy metal bands, 1990's heavy metal music, Album Review, classic heavy metal, collecting heavy metal albums, cool album covers, current heavy metal bands, hard rock music, heavy metal albums, heavy metal bands, heavy metal bands 2010, heavy metal from switzerland, heavy metal history, heavy metal music, heavy metal music 2010, metal music, metal odyssey, Metal Reviews, Music, new heavy metal music, old school heavy metal, old school heavy metal bands with tags 1970's heavy metal bands, 1980's heavy metal bands, 1980's heavy metal music, 1990's heavy metal bands, chris von rohr bass guitarist, current heavy metal bands, fernando von arb guitarist, freddy steady drummer, hard rock music 2010, heavy metal albums, heavy metal albums 2010, heavy metal bands 2010, heavy metal from switzerland, heavy metal music, heavy metal music 2010, krokus, krokus 2010, krokus heavy metal band, krokus hellraiser album, krokus hoodoo album, krokus rock the block album, marc storace vocalist, mark kohler guitarist, metal odyssey, Music, old school heavy metal on January 1, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

Here is an album from a Heavy Metal heavy weight that I am counting down the days for… Hoodoo from KROKUS! Yes, my fellow Metalheads, Krokus. The Heavy Metal legends from Solothurn, Switzerland, are releasing Hoodoo to the Metal masses on February 26, 2010! It appears that the Metal year 2010 is going to kick into maximum Heavy Metal gear, once this album is unveiled. I will be making every Metal effort to purchase this new Krokus album on it’s release date. Metal source for the February 26, 2010 release date is: KROKUS – Official Website

My Metal anticipation is high for Hoodoo, I am looking forward to some Old School Heavy Metal meets 2010 heaviness. The memories of basking in the Heavy Metal sound of Krokus, back in the early to mid 1980’s, will never fade away for this Krokus fan.Upon my first listen to Metal Rendez-vous, all those years ago, with Headhunter solidifying my Krokus allegiance and The Blitz and Change Of Address strengthening my loyalty to this band, I am Metal smitten Krokus is back with their classic lineup. Sure, Krokus took a commercial route in the mid-late ’80’s… only it was damn good for my Metal ears. Rock The Block from 2003 and Hellraiser from 2006 reminded the planet that Krokus was not just lurking in the Metal woods… they made two back to back Metal legit studio albums. (You can check out my review for Hellraiser by clicking here: KROKUS – HELLRAISER – my review for Rock The Block is a click away on the header directly below:

KROKUS – “ROCK THE BLOCK” Has Rocked My Heavy Metal World

KROKUS IS HEAVY METAL… THE PAST IS BACK TO KICK OUR ASS!

KROKUS IS:

Marc Storace – vocals

Chris Von Rohr – bass

Fernando Von Arb – lead guitar

Mark Kohler – Rhythm Guitar

Freddy Steady – Drums

IRON MAIDEN – “KILLERS” STILL REIGNS AS A KILLER OF A METAL ALBUM

Posted in 1980's heavy metal albums, 1980's heavy metal bands, 1980's heavy metal music, 1980's heavy metal songs, 1980's metal bands, 1980's metal music, 1981 heavy metal music, 1990's heavy metal bands, Album Review, classic heavy metal albums, cool album covers, creepy album covers, current heavy metal bands, essential heavy metal albums, guitar legends, Heavy Metal, heavy metal album covers, heavy metal albums, heavy metal albums 1981, heavy metal bands, heavy metal bands from england, heavy metal drummers, heavy metal guitarists, heavy metal history, heavy metal music, heavy metal vocalists, metal music, metal odyssey, Music, old school heavy metal, progressive metal, rock music, scary album covers, vintage heavy metal albums with tags 1980's heavy metal albums, 1980's heavy metal bands, 1980's heavy metal music, 1980's metal music, adrian smith guitarist, Album Review, classic heavy metal, clive burr drummer, dave murray guitarist, Heavy Metal, heavy metal albums, Iron Maiden, iron maiden 1981, iron maiden heavy metal band, iron maiden killers album, iron maiden killers album cover, iron maiden songs, killers album 1981, metal odyssey, Music, old school heavy metal, paul dianno vocalist, progressive heavy metal, rock music, steve harris bass guitarist, the ides of march song on December 12, 2009 by Metal Odyssey

As decades pass and thousands of Heavy Metal albums are released, there will always be those select titles that are still left standing tall. Iron Maiden Killers is one of those select albums that reigns as a killer for me… 28 years after it’s June 1981, U.S. release. Killers epitomizes Old School Heavy Metal, plus Iron Maiden legitimizes the single word – Metal, as it’s very own sub genre. Whenever I think of “Metal” the first band that comes to my mind is Iron Maiden. I sometimes debate myself senseless, asking why isn’t Iron Maiden my favorite Heavy Metal band of all time? Then, I ease my confusion by just knowing that Iron Maiden is and forever will be a “core” band of mine. Killers essentially was faster and harder than many traditional Heavy Metal albums of it’s time… the great part is that Iron Maiden was just beginning to “touch upon” the progressive side of Metal Music, an attribute they became so legendary for.

Back in 1981, the Thrash Metal movement was the welcomed storm on the horizon… Iron Maiden was the baddest and heaviest outside of just a select group of their peers. Motorhead, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Scorpions and Accept come to mind, when deciphering which Metal bands were as hard and heavy as Iron Maiden, back in 1981. Still, outside of Motorhead, Iron Maiden was about speed, the songs on Killers are overall – fast. Exceptions do exist, Prodigal Son is a slower paced Iron Maiden song without a doubt. The tempo being dictated by the acoustic guitars only magnifies the slender tempered sound of Prodigal Son. (Going back to the debut Iron Maiden album, Remember Tomorrow signified the flirtation with somberness that this legendary band would revisit in future albums, Prodigal Son carry’s over this assertion).

Backtracking to the intro of Killers, The Ides Of March, I insist that this was the sign of all Metal things to come on this prolific album. The Ides Of March is heavy, it is melancholy, dark and foreboding… in essence, a Metal prelude or warning if you will, that Iron Maiden was not fabricating or pretending. Twilight Zone is the song from Killers, where I feel Paul Di’Anno is at his giant best, vocally. Certainly, it is my personal opinion, as is the case with this entire article. Genghis Khan is the Metal instrumental that catapulted the musical identity of Iron Maiden, the trademark sound of this soon to be – historic Metal band. My eyeballs still pop open wide, to this very day, each time I listen to Genghis Khan.

When it comes down to musicianship, what honestly can be nit picked here? Iron Maiden as a unit on Killers made layering famous and vogue – basically instigating Progressive Metal from it’s dormancy. I cannot and never will find a fault with this legendary Iron Maiden lineup, Paul Di’Anno was the lead singer for this band in 1981 and a damned great one too… Metal case closed. Even back in the mid 1980’s, I never gave a damn about comparing Paul Di’Anno to Bruce Dickinson… what’s the point? Any seasoned Metalhead knew then and should know now, that these two lead singers are worlds apart with technique and range. In my Metal opinion, one is not better than the other, they are both unique and stylistically genuine. Paul Di’Anno gave the songs on Killers a mysterious tone, his vocals created a fog invading sound scape that bordered on macabre.

Murders In The Rue Morgue is my favorite song on Killers. Again, it’s speed, hard and heavy that this song illuminates. Paul Di’Anno never needed to hit the highest note on the planet to make Murders In The Rue Morgue an Iron Maiden classic, instead his fiery swagger is not just heard vocally, it is felt. Dave Murray and Adrian Smith unleashing their duo guitar leads proved that there was another one-two Metal guitar punch out there… alongside Metal guitar legends Glenn Tipton and K.K. Downing of Judas Priest. Clive Burr on drums was not an enigma, he was THE drummer for Iron Maiden during the most important years of their maturation. And then, there is THE bass guitarist for Iron Maiden. To better accentuate my Metal point here, what Babe Ruth will forever be to the history of baseball, what the Mona Lisa will forever be to the history of fine art portraits, Steve Harris will forever be of equal importance to the history of Heavy Metal and Metal Music. Go ahead, listen or re-listen to Iron Maiden Killers… then listen really closely to the bass guitar playing of Steve Harris, hopefully you might just understand what I mean.

2 Comments »

HEAVEN – 1983 HEAVY METAL ALBUM “WHERE ANGELS FEAR TO TREAD” REMEMBERED

Back in the early 1980’s, I would buy just about any Heavy Metal album that had a cool or scary cover. I also would buy a Heavy Metal album just based on the bands name alone… if it was interesting enough. Usually, I was lucky with my choices, although there were those duds that I picked over the decades, (I won’t lie about that). Buying duds happens to any fan of any music genre, I would surmise. Not listening to an album before buying it was, (and still is), a risky Metal proposition, especially if you never heard the respective band before. Step in… Heaven. This Heavy Metal Band was not a dud.

Heaven, a Heavy Metal Band from Australia, released three studio albums during their brief career, (1982-1985), on a major label being RCA. I used to own one of the three Heaven albums – Where Angels Fear To Tread. I bought this album at a Caldor department store, back in 1983. Caldor had one really fine album/records department for a large retail store. Caldor went belly up years ago, it was a shame to see, especially when it was responsible for my having such an array of Heavy Metal albums back in the ’80’s. I bought this Heaven album without ever hearing a single song from it… the bands name being Heaven, along with the front cover logo and artwork was too good to pass up. Plus, the backside of this album had a very large photo of the band, looking real tough, (Heavy Metal tough). In this photo, lead singer Alan Fryer is shown holding a leash with a black panther attached to it. (That is to the best of my Metal memory when describing this back cover photo, if I am in error in any way, please feel free to comment with a correction).

Back in 1983, this was all I needed to see to make a blind Heavy Metal album purchase. I believe the only Heaven song I ever heard on mainstream radio was on WCCC or WHCN, (on the FM dial in expensive Connecticut), the song was Rock School. Quite honestly, I remember really liking this album, yet it was not the Heavy Metal thunder of a Def Leppard, Krokus, Accept or even Helix from that time period. Nonetheless, Heaven was heavy and good enough for me to even be looking back upon, in 2009. Where Angels Fear To Tread was a Heavy Metal album that fit right in during 1983, still Heaven obviously never caught on with the Metal masses… for reasons that I may never know. Let’s face it, I never bought their first album – Twilight of Mischief/In The Beginning, nor did I buy their third album – Knockin’ On Heavens Door, so my Metal loyalty to Heaven was not up to task back in the early ’80’s. What was I supposed to do? There were literally tons of Heavy Metal Bands coming from all sides back then, from Vintage and Classic Rock bands to the birth of the Thrash, Black and Death Metal genres. Heaven just fell victim to choice, when it came to my album purchasing decisions.

As I look back, I really wish I kept Where Angels Fear To Tread, however, it does not appear to be in print on CD. From scoping out the world wide web, it seems that this album is unofficially in print and is referred to as a bootleg version, with five live bonus tracks included. I would be Metal smitten to land a copy of this Heaven album, especially on vinyl once again. Getting ahold of this CD seems to be doable, regardless of any low quality from it being described as a bootleg.

This might sound a tad strange when I state that my favorite song from Where Angels Fear To Tread is the cover song Love Child. Yup, that famous Love Child song originally done by The Supremes. Metal truth be told, Heaven made this song heavy and it Rocked for me back in good ol’ 1983. Aw heck, this entire Heaven album would sound good again for my ears, 26 years after it’s release. It would be interesting to see, with the current Heavy Metal revival ongoing, if Heaven was to resurface in some shape or form. As the old Metal saying goes… you can’t hold onto everything in life, this Heaven album on vinyl is a great example of that, for me anyways.

A quick Metal note: There was another band named Heaven… this particular band goes back to the early 1970’s. From everything I have researched, this Heaven band does not have any association to the Heaven Heavy Metal Band of the early ’80’s. I have never listened to this band, they are categorized as a Rock band and have an album titled: Brass Rock 1, released back in 1971 on Esoteric Records. (See pic of album cover on the left of this paragraph). I found this other Heaven band and Brass Rock 1 album on http://www.fye.com, yup, it was out of stock. This same Brass Rock 1 album is in stock on http://www.bestbuy.com, however, Best Buy categorizes this 1971 Heaven band as “Metal”… go figure. This other Heaven band’s Brass Rock 1 CD is priced at $20.99, U.S. dollars, a bit too pricey for me to take a gamble on. Plus neither f.y.e. or Best Buy offer music samples for this other Heaven Band’s CD, Brass Rock 1.

Here is the front cover for Where Angels Fear To Tread, by the early 1980’s Heavy Metal Band – Heaven. This cover does scream early ’80’s Heavy Metal with it’s color and artwork, the Heaven logo I feel was well done. This cover is nothing too fancy, nor is it uncool, in my Metal opinion.

1 Comment »

W.A.S.P. COVERS THE DEEP PURPLE CLASSIC “BURN” WITH HEAVY METAL PRIDE ON BABYLON ALBUM!

Posted in 1970's classic rock bands, 1970's classic rock songs, 1970's classic rock music, 1980's heavy metal bands, 1980's metal bands, 1990's heavy metal bands, Album Review, classic rock cover songs, cool album covers, creepy album covers, current heavy metal albums, current heavy metal music, current heavy metal songs, essential heavy metal albums, essential heavy metal songs, heavy metal album covers, heavy metal album review, heavy metal albums, heavy metal albums 2009, heavy metal bands, heavy metal cover songs, heavy metal guitarists, heavy metal music, heavy metal music 2009, heavy metal vocalists, metal music, metal odyssey, Music, new heavy metal album, old school heavy metal, rock music, scary album covers, spooky album covers, spooky metal album covers, vintage heavy metal bands with tags 1970's hard rock bands, 1970's hard rock songs, 1980's heavy metal bands, babylon album 2009, blackie lawless vocalist, burn hard rock song 1974, current heavy metal songs, david coverdale vocalist, deep purple burn album, deep purple burn song, deep purple hard rock band, doug blair guitarist, heavy metal albums 2009, heavy metal bands, heavy metal cover songs, heavy metal music, heavy metal songs 2009, metal music, metal odyssey, Music, old school heavy metal, rock music, W.A.S.P., w.a.s.p. albums, w.a.s.p. babylon album, w.a.s.p. burn cover song, w.a.s.p. heavy metal albums, w.a.s.p. heavy metal band on November 10, 2009 by Metal Odyssey

W.A.S.P. has me burning up with an extreme Heavy Metal fever. Their new studio album, Babylon, is the total Old School Heavy Metal package. I am so excited about this new W.A.S.P. album, I need to calm down. Alright, if you have never purchased a W.A.S.P. album in your life and you are into Metal, do the right thing and buy Babylon. Veteran W.A.S.P. fans should understand why I am pumped up about Babylon… it is the quintessential Heavy Metal album for 2009. Am I saying it is the best Heavy Metal album of 2009? I am sure leaning in that direction for certain. Remember, this is Heavy Metal, no strings attached. Blackie Lawless has proven once again he is not about to back down, cow tow or change for anyone. Blackie Lawless has my total Metal support and praise for his convictions, which he so eloquently states within the liner notes of Babylon.

In a perfect Heavy Metal world, Blackie Lawless would be my choice for President and Chief Commanding Officer. For now, I can live with Blackie Lawless being the living Heavy Metal legend he is. I now hereby declare, that it is very difficult to hide my appreciation for the Heavy Metal of W.A.S.P., I am damn proud of it too. I have been listening to and enjoying the Heavy Metal of W.A.S.P. for too many years now, to give a hoot about what anyone thinks of my admitting my adoration for Blackie Lawless and his band. Hey, it is light years better than admitting to being a follower of an uptight dude, named Keith Olberman, who whines all night on MSNBC.

Get ready – for this will be the first in a series of rave Metal reviews I will be doing regarding this W.A.S.P. Babylon album. It is that unreal great. Oh well, I have to listen to the boss at Metal Odyssey and he says I have to do it this way… that boss is me. Isolating songs from a great Heavy Metal album like Babylon and writing about them, is more of a deserving tribute to a Metal accomplishment by Blackie Lawless and W.A.S.P., in my Metal opinion. The only song I will comment on, in this first edition of W.A.S.P. Babylon reviews, is the cover song Burn. This 1974 Classic Hard Rock song from the ultra incredible Deep Purple, is now also an unbelievable Heavy Metal classic, courtesy of Blackie Lawless and his band. I listened to this W.A.S.P. cover of Burn at least six times repeatedly… it blew my Metal mind. Blackie Lawless on vocals is Metal mesmerizing, I can hear the love and passion he truly has for this song… very loud and very clear. W.A.S.P. signs, seals and delivers Burn in powerful Heavy Metal style, nothing formal, no black tie required.

Deep Purple "Burn" small album pic I will always believe, that it is extremely hard to cover a song of this magnitude, without tripping up somewhere along the way. Nothing beats a Hard Rock Classic, especially one from Deep Purple. David Coverdale will forever have the notoriety of originally vocalizing Burn with Deep Purple. David Coverdale’s vocal signature on the original version of Burn, plus his historical importance to Heavy Metal is immeasurable, in my most honest Metal opinion. Fast forward to 2009 and Burn is resurrected from the archives of Hard Rock history, thanks to W.A.S.P.. Blackie Lawless maintains the signature keyboards of Burn, reestablishing the importance this instrument has within this song. Doug Blair on lead guitar, cements himself as an asset, to the Heavy Metal identity that is W.A.S.P., on this amazing cover song. Burn returns and rises like a flaming phoenix, with Blackie Lawless unleashing this song’s power and exposing it’s grandeur for all Heavy Metal time.

W.A.S.P. "Babylon" large album pic #2

3 Comments »

U.D.O. – “DOMINATOR” Unleashes Potent Heavy Metal

Posted in 1970's heavy metal music, 1980's heavy metal bands, 1980's heavy metal music, 1990's heavy metal bands, Album Review, classic heavy metal, collecting metal music, cool album covers, current heavy metal albums, current heavy metal bands, current heavy metal music, essential heavy metal albums, Heavy Metal, heavy metal album covers, heavy metal album review, heavy metal albums, heavy metal albums 2009, heavy metal bands from germany, heavy metal music, heavy metal music 2009, heavy metal solo vocalists, heavy metal songs 2009, heavy metal vocalists, Metal, metal music, metal music today, metal odyssey, Music, new heavy metal album, old school heavy metal, rock music, vintage heavy metal bands with tags 1970's heavy metal bands, 1980's heavy metal bands, 1980's heavy metal music, 1980's metal music, 1990's heavy metal bands, accept heavy metal band, Album Review, Heavy Metal, heavy metal album review, heavy metal albums, heavy metal albums 2009, heavy metal from germany, heavy metal lead singers, heavy metal music, heavy metal songs, heavy metal vocal legends, heavy metal vocalists, metal music, metal odyssey, Music, old school heavy metal, old school heavy metal bands, u.d.o., u.d.o. dominator album, u.d.o. doom ride song, u.d.o. heavy metal band, u.d.o. heavy metal songs, u.d.o. the bogeyman song, udo dirkschneider vocalist on October 31, 2009 by Metal Odyssey

U.D.O. is another justified example as to why I consider Germany the worlds greatest exporter of Metal Music outside of the great United States. U.D.O. does not stray from their Heavy Metal norm on Dominator, (released on October 6, 2009 in the U.S.A., on AFM Records). The first two songs on Dominator are like smash mouth football… Old School and punishing. The lyrics are not meant for NASA academics, they are meant for the Metalheads of the world who take pride in their Heavy Metal Music and bands. The Bogeyman and Dominator are song titles with lyrical content that follow a simple rule of Heavy Metal… thou shall not conform. Vintage Heavy Metal, baby. No political statements or hard to decipher words to be found. I love this stuff. I live for this stuff. Black and White is song three and glorifies the elegance of Heavy Metal guitar, not to forget Heavy Metal chorus as well. Udo Dirkschneider on lead vocals sounds as great as ever, anyone who states otherwise is simply jealous of this ageless Metal icon. Udo Dirkschneider has forever forged his legacy twice in Heavy Metal history, both with U.D.O. and Accept. Heavy Metal lightning does strike twice, Udo Dirkschneider is living proof of that.

Listening to Udo sing on Infected, I imagine him atop a high mountain, looking down upon a land of chaos and condemning all to hell. Udo’s vocals are more than steely and mean streaked, they encompass Heavy Metal theater. Cast me off into damnation for having imaginary thoughts while I listen to Heavy Metal Music, that is how my mind reacts and I’m damn proud. Anyone who says they do not create their own mental imagery to music is either a liar or a cyborg. Doom Ride takes the more consistent approach of Old School Heavy Metal, no real blazing guitar licks or profound moments. Still, Doom Ride gets it’s doom message across and that is Metal enough for me. Stillness of Time is a (gulp), U.D.O. ballad. Well, a fast paced ballad it is. Udo has his unique vocals for sure, he pulls me into Stillness of Time, like a glazed over Old School loyalist that I am. Having a piano included into any U.D.O. song is quite the diverse moment and I admire that. Stillness of Time just might be the best kept secret on Dominator.

Devil’s Rendezvous has me itching to get up off my butt and… do some wacky dance. You know, the kind of dance that drunk people do at weddings. Or, the kind of spastic dance that you can only do in the privacy of your own home… with the blinds shut. Quite the Metal surprise is Devil’s Rendezvous, U.D.O. put some fun into this Dominator album. Crap, did I just use the “F” word? This is starting to become a semi-habit of mine… I must be be too happy or something. Speed Demon is the fastest song on Dominator. No, no, no, it is not because the word speed is in the song title. Speed Demon really does crank up the Metal meter a few bars and it kicks. To sum up my Metal feelings on this U.D.O. Dominator album, it rightfully cements all things great about Heavy Metal… Old School Heavy Metal that is. Dominator is a standout Heavy Metal album for 2009, no Metal questions asked. I thank my best Metal buddy Scott for steering me to Dominator… a Metal referral that is incredibly appreciated.

U.D.O. "Dominator" large album pic

1 Comment »

BADLANDS – 1989 Heavy Metal Debut Album Still Reigns Supreme

Badlands was a Heavy Metal band that I caught onto the instant they released their debut/self titled album – Badlands, (on Atlantic Records), back in 1989. I purchased this Badlands cassette at Strawberries Records & Tapes, located right around the corner from Central Connecticut State University on New Britain Avenue. I was a student at CCSU back in 1989, very much broke to the Metal wind. Therefore, my Heavy Music purchases were not abundant, I chose quality over quantity. With so little funds to buy music as a college student back then, being choosy was a necessity. Badlands with their classic and ultra talented lineup of musicians became a necessity for me. From the very first listen through of this album, (in my case cassette), to say that Badlands left an earthshaking mark on me is the understatement of the decade. The Heavy Metal onslaught of cool and psyched out vibrations, that this Badlands album gave me back in 1989, has once again reintroduced me to that same experience this past weekend.

My best buddy – a.k.a. – best Metal buddy – a.k.a. – Scott, well, he remembered just how much Badlands and their debut album resonated with me back in the day, therefore Scott landed me a CD copy of Badlands. Scott was my roommate at CCSU, my best man at my wedding and if anyone knows my Metal tastes and background… it is him. Thank you Scott, for this Metal gift of Badlands this past Saturday. Getting Badlands on CD in the mail was like experiencing Christmas Day on this cold, dank and rainy day in October. F’n unbelievable surprise.

It is an unreal great feeling to have this Badlands CD finally in my collection. I have never let go of my Badlands cassette since 1989… and I never will. To the best of my Metal research, this Badlands CD is extremely hard to find at retail. Out of print perhaps? Badlands is definitely one of my favorite Heavy Metal albums that I have ever listened to. I only wish this band was able to stay together forever, yet lead vocalist Ray Gillen was called to heaven a little early, on December 1, 1993 at the age of 34. The unreal great guitarist – Jake E. Lee and Ray Gillan on vocals may be the two main musical focal points of Badlands, yet Eric Singer on drums and Greg Chaisson on bass make for an ear bending and jaw dropping rhythm section – stuff of legend. Anyone that knows and enjoys Old School Heavy Metal can certainly identify with Badlands, this band is from that mold. Jake E. Lee proved with Badlands that there was definitely a Heavy Metal life for him away from Ozzy Osbourne.

The eleven songs on Badlands encompass the melodic driven side of Heavy Metal enormously, with the late Ray Gillen’s unique vocals surpassing many of his peers of that time, when it came to harmony and range. I include the late Ray Gillen in with Tony Martin, Jeff Scott Soto, Gary Barden, Jorn Lande and Joe Lynn Turner when it comes to lead vocals status in Old School Heavy Metal. He belongs with this select group of singers. (I definitely left out some names here, yet I think my point is made). If not for his passing away at age 34, I am convinced Ray Gillen would have been a top tier Heavy Metal and/or Hard Rock vocalist to this very day. With so many new vocalists coming out of the woodwork in all of the Metal genres since the 1990’s, too many of them sound like each other or have little regard for originality. This is why I can never tire from the late Ray Gillen’s vocal talent.

My favorite song on Badlands is Dreams In The Dark, I played it six times over, very loud the other night and it served me right. Yes, I acted very silly jumping around in my basement like a psyched out kid, while this song and the rest of Badlands cranked. As the ultra great Blackie Lawless would say… I don’t need no doctor. All I need is to delve back into the Metal world of Old School Heavy Metal, (on a very consistent basis), turn on some Badlands and let the bull crap of the world around me, wallow in it’s own decrepit stank. I don’t look back upon Badlands as a supergroup, instead I look upon them as a fabulously talented Heavy Metal band that was too short lived. Long live the legacy of Badlands – their Heavy Metal still reigns supreme for me.

Track List For Badlands:

High Wire

Dreams in the Dark

Jade’s Song

Winter’s Call

Dancing on the Edge

Streets Cry Freedom

Hard Driver

Rumblin’ Train

Devil’s Stomp

Seasons

Ball & Chain – (this song is not on the vinyl record version of Badlands)

BADLANDS "Badlands" large album pic

9 Comments »

	Metal Odyssey on Goodbye 2025 – My Metal…
	Metal Odyssey on Goodbye 2025 – My Metal…
	Heavy Metal Overload on Goodbye 2025 – My Metal…
	80smetalman on Goodbye 2025 – My Metal…
	Metal Odyssey on Goodbye 2025 – My Metal…

Archive for old school heavy metal

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Contact Stone:

Follow Metalodyssey on Twitter

Metal Odyssey Subscription

Metal Odyssey – STONE

Recent Posts

ALBUM REVIEWS ARCHIVES

CHARITABLE SITES THAT ARE VERY COOL!

Cool ROCK Blogs

FOLLOW THIS GAMING BLOG!

Heavy Metal & Rock 'N' Roll Related Websites!

METAL & HARD ROCK BLOG-SITE WARRIORS!

Metal Odyssey Interview Archives!

Metal Odyssey's Rock, Hard Rock and Heavy Metal Hall of Fame! These Are The Rock And METAL Legends Wrongfully Ignored By "The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame"

Some Band Websites To Check Out:

WordPress Links

Recent Comments

Archives

Meta