Zed Yago - From Over Yonder (1987)

1987 was the year Helloween broke out in a major way with Michael Kiske and their sophomore album Keeper of the Seven Keys Part 1, but they were not the only German band engaged in flights of fantasy lyrics and impressive, accessible melodic hooks that year. Nor was Running Wild the sole German band to explore 'pirate metal' territory through their excellent Under Jolly Roger in 1987. No, it was also the debut of Zed Yago, the new band to feature the vocals of songstress Jutta Weinhold, who had previously performed in prog rock, blues and even some controversial punk metal. Weinhold joins the 'classic' lineup here of Tatch, Gunnar, Bubi, and Jimmy Durand, and together they would produce a pretty stellar first effort.

That's not to say this is their best, because aside from 3-4 of its better songs, From Over Yonder does not hold up quite so preciously as its follow-up Pilgrimage. Still, the style was pretty original for its day...a female fronted fantasy metal band with both the ballsy, traditional NWOBHM chops and what might have been the better production job of their two albums. This is crunchy and clear metal with some great hooks to it, and resonant, scintillating leads that breeze gracefully across the prow as it crests each rolling, rhythmic wave. The appeal is widespread, as I could envision a fan of anything from Helloween, Warlock, W.A.S.P. or Accept to the Scorpions, Bonfire, Dokken and Saxon appreciating what's offered here.

I'll begin this with the creme of the crop, the opening track "The Spell from Over Yonder", which builds a slow, desperate mystique, its primary riff playing out like a melodic metalized alternative to the James Bond theme before the giant, blues balls of the verse riff break forth, and Jutta gives you what was probably your first taste of the best German female front lady of the 80s (at least in traditional metal). I love the way her voice interacts with the chorus riff...such a primal and elegant force, compounded by the subtle surge of the guitars. "Zed Yago" is another of the band's best tracks, with a resounding, simple guitar lick that channels a unique, polished savagery over which a tasteful melodic fill dances like a slave girl at a pirate bazaar. "Rockin' for the Nation" is another showstopper here, reminding me a lot of Saxon, but with firm use of the keyboard player Hansi Kecker, and a lot more depth and appeal than the rather obvious lyrics might suggest. After this trio, I favor "Stay the Course", which feels like a midpoint between AC/DC and Iron Maiden's "Run to the Hills".

The rest of this material does not hold up quite so well for me, but it's solid enough that it doesn't drag down the album if you plan on listening straight through. "The Flying Dutchman" is a bombastic, operatic interlude piece using horns, synthesizers and guitars to introduce the narrative of the band's mythos. "Queen and Priest" had some scorching, slow hard rock rhythms akin t o"Rockin' the Nation", but it isn't as catchy. "Revenge" is a pretty, sparingly climaxing power ballad, but not as powerful as "The Pale Man" from Pilgrimage. "United Pirate Kingdom" is Zed Yago doing what Zed Yago does best, slowly pumping heavy metal with eagle-like soaring vocals, and the addition of cheesy but adequate keyboard 'horn section' presence, but it's not that memorable either. "Rebel Ladies" might have made an impression on Lenny Wolf, because Kingdom Come's "Can't Deny" from the 1991 album Hands of Time sounds very similar to me, at least the big lead-in riff.

All told, From Over Yonder is a solid listening experience, especially if you take into consideration the scarcity of quality traditional metal with female vocals in the mid 80s. It certainly beats out anything Lita Ford would produce in her solo career, and it's the equal to any of Warlock's four albums, but I prefer cutting out the less important songs and playing the rest in a mix with all of the sophomore album Pilgrimage, which is astoundingly good. In fact, on some versions of the Pilgrimage cassette release, a few of the From Over Yonder tracks were included! The album still sounds pretty clear today, and though I don't worship all of its wiles as much as its younger sibling, it remains one of the better efforts in Jutta Weinhold's career, alongside Pilgrimage and the mistreated Breslau record.

Verdict: Win [7.75/10] (remember all those hungry years)

http://www.zed-yago.com/

Zed Yago - Pilgrimage (1989)

Pilgrimage is the second album from the German heavy power metal band Zed Yago, and in my humble opinion the very best work Jutta Weinhold has ever put her stamp on, with an unforgettable, epic vocal performance that absolutely destroys any other female fronted album of its type in the 80s. About the only thing that comes close here would be Leather Leone's years fronting Chastain, but the fact that this act never caught on while the similar, and less impressive Warlock were able to tour much of the world is shocking. Not that Doro's first success was anything to scoff at, but compare any of those records to Pilgrimage and shudder.

In fact, this is one of the best German metal albums of its type, with a wholly consistent set of breathtaking tunes that carry conventional but catchy melodies, strong guitar rhythms, the precise if primitive drumming of Bubi. It's also the best example of 'pirate metal' I can think of outside of the gods Running Wild, as Jutta presents her concept of Zed Yago, the fictional daughter of the Flying Dutchman's captain, who roams a world embroiled in both adventure and folklore. Weinhold had always expressed a desire to translate famous literary works into the metal realm. It was hardly a novel idea by the late 80s (Iron Maiden had been doing it for over a decade at that point, among others), but evidence that Zed Yago were not simply some stupid band screaming METAL THIS METAL THAT from the rafters. These compositions were built to last, long after the band dwindled away, reformed as Velvet Viper, and never again reached this level of excellence.

Pilgrimage is the best Zed Yago album in EVERY category. It was released through RCA, so for once, the band had some actual money to put into its production. You'll notice the cover art here is actually quite stunning here, a painting of the ghostly lead character in their mythos sitting in some galley or tavern, in the presence of the band themselves (proof that Weinhold and Zed are separate entities, whereas some speculated she was trying to project herself into the character). Though its arguably the weakest point to this record, the production itself was still quite nice, with the typical 80s centrism on the vocal lines. Often on some stereos I feel the guitars get a little lost, which is a shame since they are so lovingly articulate at driving her voice through these forgotten tales, but on others I can hear them clearly. In all cases, the drums crash at an acceptable level and you can hear the bass tones as they thicken the storm, like the waves of an angry, stirred sea frothing at the hull of a wayward vessel.

The lyrics are not even remotely retarded. For example, compare this to any of Manowar's 80s efforts, or Helloween, and you'll quickly see how important the literary influence was to Jutta and the band. Granted, English is her second language, and they may not flow as pure poetry, but I reiterate, this was not a band crafting disposable pop metal for arenas. This was made to last, and its timeless craftsmanship has served me well for over 20 years! So close your eyes, drift off to a realm of fantasy, lightning cracked skies, ports of danger and mystery, and some vivid, rousing, passionate metal of the purest strain!

The "Pilgrim's Choir" inaugurates the record, with some anthem-like German opera metal guitars that are joined by synthesized orchestration. You get the impression curtains are lifting upon some viking or sailor about to lurch into a searing soprano, and as the climax develops into an actual choral section, the guitar feedback rolls into the slowly but surely riffing title track. Graceful, careful melodies carry the day to the savage sounding chorus riff worthy of Rock'n'Rolf himself, while gang shouts erupt from the crows nest around :55. Few bands had this ability to play in such a relaxed pace, and yet still conquer you...the arabesque hymnal of the bridge that precludes the lead section is further evidence. "The Fear of Death" uses this slower pacing once more to superb levels of excellence, a tear jerking, descending melody that Jutta counteracts with a silken, seductive poise. I'm crying right now just listening to it for the millionth time! The things I endure to bring the truth to you folks.

Call the foreign dimension finally to earth
More than we know appears in a dream
Disappears into space a taste of rebirth
Don’t, don’t want to be defeated no...
But we are, but we are in the second we are born...

Meaningful heavy metal in the 80s? Lies! Listen to the solo bridge, with the slowly churning, bad ass blues metal rhythm in the backdrop. Eat your hearts out, Schenker and Jabs! Jimmy and Gunnar were on fire! Following this emotional landscape, the band decides to pick up the pace through the light, digestible speed metal of "Pioneer of the Storm", with riffs just as tasty as anything you'll find on the first few Queensrÿche or Dokken LPs. Once more, the band crafts up a wonderful bridge of sweet leads across a great backing rhythm, and the lower guitar notes wailing off against the final verse is likewise immortal. This is followed by the timeless "Black Bone Song", which pays tribute to the damned crew of the Flying Dutchman from folklore. This is not my favorite track on the album, but it was probably the band's best known title at live performances, with some simple, fist in the air guitars that strut proudly across the bow while Jutta serves up a killer chorus over the slyly inserted, busier axe melodies. She also pulls out some lower, rasping vocals here which show her ability to get down and dirty, and the crew shouts and moans here are pretty cool.

Congratulations, we're still blessed to have over half the album left! "Rose of Martyrdom" is a majestic yet melancholic piece in which the sombering vocals really take the fore, melodic semi-speed metal licks resounding off in the distance. "The Man Who Stole the Holy Fire" has a nice little spin on a Zeppelin meets Def Leppard riff which totally stands out to memory, and "Achilles Heel" is a straight, perfect rocker which will easily appeal to a fan of Warlock, Saxon or other big riff 80s street metal, with an amazing, warlike gang chorus around 1:45. You have just had a sailor's clog stuffed right up your rectum, but the band lets you down easily with a soaring bridge. "The Pale Man" is a slowly escalating power ballad which thankfully engages due to the vocal performance. Had Joey Tempest written this for a Europe record, it probably would have been huge. Alas, Jutta and crew were destined to wallow in obscurity. The remaining songs return to the harder rocking format, though lyrically they depart into other subject matter: the excellent "Omega Child" sounding like it would have fit in on one of Kingdom Come's (highly underrated) early records, and "Fallen Angel" gallops at a similar pace as it tells the parable of some sinful divinity (I like to think it's about Lucifer directly).

Despite all the cards it brought into play, Zed Yago's Pilgrimage was unfortunately lost in a bad shuffle of the deck. 1989 was a busy year, with many bands' careers steamrolling, and the wallets of so many fans already committed to the developing thrash metal titans of the US or the safer melodic power and late NWOBHM fare out of Europe. As such, Jutta Weinhold and her boys were not able to make the same impact as an Accept, Warlock, Helloween or Gamma Ray, and it's a crying shame, since the band would lose their big record deal and she would then disband them. The 'Zed Yago' concept does not end here, of course, because Jutta and Lars would return with some new gentlemen for the very similar band Velvet Viper, but none of that incarnation's output could match the grace and excellence of this sadly neglected slab of memorable mirth and melody. It's not exactly 'perfect', for there are one or two songs slightly less impressive than the remainder (those songs would be "Fallen Angel" and "Rose of Martyrdom"), but it's an enormous improvement over From Over Yonder, and the fact that I still listen to an album so often today that most would consider 'dated' or 'insignificant' only proves its enduring quality.

If it is crushing German power/speed metal that you seek, then seek it on another island. The buried treasure on this will not appeal to you. That's not what Zed Yago were about. They were about dreamy, drifting compositions that resonate far into the ears and imagination, and Pilgrimage conjures such a strong, pale fire of inspiration that its embers still glow today, far brighter than the newer album Jimmy Durand and his wife would put out under the same band moniker in 2005 (Jimmy held on to the legal rights to the name).

Verdict: Epic Win [9.5/10] (try to harness each hour)

http://www.zed-yago.com/

Weinhold - From Heaven Through the World to Hell (2004)

As Zed Yago was quickly to dissolve after a pair of albums, so too was Velvet Viper, bringing an end to the entire 'Zed Yago' concept. Following The 4th Quest for Fantasy, she released one solo album called To be or not... in 1993 which remained within the realm of hard rock/metal music, and then took a long hiatus from the form, instead moving on to blues and other styles. A decade later, her interest returned, and so she assembled a new band with various friends she had on the music scene, and later some members of the band Shokk Machine, including Markus Großkopf of Helloween.

Weinhold is a pretty natural extension of Jutta's work in Zed Yago and Velvet Viper, with all the added 'perks' of the modern studio era. There is a more progressive and atmospheric edge to this debut than her previous albums. The core is slightly more of a chug fest with simple power thrash metal riffs, above which the keyboards and effects simmer. Though many younger fans who got into metal in recent years might actually find this heavy level of studio polish a boon, I actually believe the album trades away some of the charm of its predecessors, and does not necessarily reap a reward. Jutta layers her vocals here a lot more than the past, and though her performance is still solid, the songs were not as striking as those found on a Pilgrimage. She has always maintained an interest in transforming literature into music, and From Heaven Through the World to Hell does continue that tradition, with tracks that delve into Shakespeare and other influences.

It's also far more expansive than I'm used to from this singer. For example, take the track "Macbeth", in which she creates all manner of vocals to represent characters in the tragedy along side a bluesy big rocking beat. Once she soars off into her chorus and verse lines, all is well, but clearly this new band is not as intent on straightforward metal charms as her old one. There is an interesting combination of styles to be had, like the mix of groove and progressive metal on "My Own Sister", in which Jutta herself shines, or the straight blues rocking of "Wounded Pioneer" which reminds of Def Leppard and AC/DC. "Heaven" is a sweeping rocker in the vein of a "Dream On" via Aerosmith, and "Rock of Metal" is almost entirely classic Zed Yago, and "Nearly a Lovesong" also delivers a direct connection.

A decade is a long time, but Jutta Weinhold did prove with this new project that she still has the range and passion to explore this end of the musical spectrum. That said, I feel this modern material lacks some of the subtleties of the Zed Yago era, and where those olden times would produce everlasting choruses, grace and power, these seem a little too tidy for fulfillment. From Heaven Through the World to Hell is not a bad record, as she is able to match her vocals to almost any musical backdrop, but the riffs here are pretty lackluster, and her voice is really the one part of it I would come back to hear. Sometimes, that's just not enough.

Verdict: Indifference [6/10]

http://www.jutta-weinhold.de/

Breslau - Volksmusik (1982)

If I were to hazard a guess, I would assume that the majority of the (admittedly small) cache of metal fans out there actually exposed to the career of Jutta Weinhold would know her through her two Zed Yago albums. They were the most highly exposed, on a decent label, and thus present on the shelves of many a record chain in the 80s. But Weinhold has had a long career, performing in a number of acts and genres before even developing her interest in metal music. She performed in some blues and progressive rock projects, and she even once toured with psychedelic masters Amon Düül! As it turns out, Zed Yago was not her first metal band, but instead the ill-fated and short-lived Breslau.

Breslau was one of the earliest German metal bands to actually use German lyrics, and since they were not averse to the use of WWII imagery in their cover and lyrics, they were almost immediately branded as some pro-Nazi act by the same sort of delusional, politically correct witch hunt hysteria we still experience 30 years later whenever the subject is broached outside of some super hero or movie action star kicking Nazi asses. If you imagine it's bad here in America, just think how bad it is in Deutschland! The accusations were, of course, not true, but it's a hard stereotype for a band to outlive, and these poor musicians probably did not want to put up with such drama. Thus Volksmusik would be the sole offering we were going to get here...as Jutta left the project shortly after, and the record label ended it.

Fortunately, it would be an enduring one, as Breslau wrote in the solid tradition of a Judas Priest, Girlschool, Motorhead, Deep Purple, Rainbow and Black Sabbath! Pure, old school heavy metal here, with a slight but notable punk pep to it. This younger Jutta was all the rage, with a glaring energy in her native language that would not often translate on her later work with Zed Yago or Velvet Viper. The riffs are your garden variety, driving rock based in blues and rock & roll, and nothing you couldn't figure out on a fretboard in minutes, but all the same, there is a genuine pulse pounding feel to Volksmusik which doesn't sound a day older even when its' almost three decades older!

The title track makes an immediate break for it, with thundering bass and a burning lead, a brittle and vicious edge to Weinhold's vocals, but it's not one of the catchiest tracks here. "Exzess" is quite wonderful, like a mix of AC/DC and The Runaways, which you can bang your fist to while you light a joint in the off-hand. "Kampfmaschine" is a riot, with some simple punk guitars flowing over the bass, and a great chorus with male backup. "Auf der Galeere" is slow and extremely powerful, and "Spinne" makes for some good, laid back cruising rock and roll. Other great tracks include "Ohne Gesetz" and the speedway ready "Held Im Traum", but really, the whole album is consistent from front to back.

Volksmusik holds a place in my heart for its sincere tones, though its been far displaced by time and a limited public memory. The language barrier is the most obvious, but it's possible some blowhards might pass on the record simply because of its undeserved controversial stature. You may find a slew of instant hit material here, and in fact the record might not shine so brightly as the myriad of stars that exposed themselves in the metal cosmos through the 70s and early 80s. It's a damned shame they were cut so short of their prime, because despite the serious lyrics, this was party metal that should immediately evoke nostalgia in all but the most jaded of 80s hard rock worshipers, whether you speak German or not!

Verdict: Win [8/10]

Velvet Viper - The 4th Quest for Fantasy (1992)

While the cover to Velvet Viper's s/t album was bad, nothing could prepare me for this outrageous fucking eyesore. Seriously, how does a cover like this pass customs? I can understand laxness. I can even understand procrastinating until the last possible moment and having to come up with some desperate substitute to a real album image, but this is truly terrifying. One glance at its sloppy coloring book aesthetics and I want to dive beneath my bed and never come out. Fortunately, Jutta Weinhold has not lost her chops on this, the fourth album in what you might consider the 'Zed Yago' quartet (beginning with Zed Yago's From Over Yonder and Pilgrimage, and continuing into this newer incarnation/band.)

This is a more face rocking, forceful effort than the s/t Velvet Viper, and perhaps part of this is owed to the lineup change. Both guitar players and the drummer from that album have departed, and here they are replaced by a pair of gentlemen from the short-lived Bubi the Schmied project, which featured none other than Bubi (aka Claus Reinholdt), the Zed Yago drummer who did not appear on Velvet Viper. He is joined by his Bubi mate Roy Last on guitar, and surprisingly, as a 4 piece this sounds a lot more frontal than its predecessor, though it continues to walk that fine line between classic 80s hard rock/traditional metal and the power metal scene that Accept, Judas Priest, and Helloween had erupted across Europe.

Yes, the key word is 'power', and almost all of The 4th Quest for Fantasy involves an interesting, well crafted attention to heavy rocking that would sound superb with Jutta's voice soaring across the top of an arena-sized audience. The cornball opera intro "The Valkyrie" seems a little dopey, but after that it is (mostly) smooth sailing. Tracks like "Forefather", "Modern Knights" and "Horsewomen" all move at a similar, slow rock pace, but they also tear the roof out, with sledge hammer guitars, Bubi's simple but effective warlike kit pummeling, and just a sense of fun and energy that was slightly lacking on the previous album (which just felt like a loosely knitted extension of the Zed Yago efforts). In fact, if this album suffers, it is because too many of the songs use this same, plodding tempo: "Highland Queen", "Mother of All Voices" and "Stella" are all further examples. The closer "Trojan War" is a nice shift from a mellow intro ballad to a good steady rock with glorious chorus, and "Ancient Warriors" is what might occur if Jutta started getting creative with a Judas Priest cover band, but I did feel like the album could have only benefited from a wider range of speeds.

Still, if you can ignore the cover art, or better yet, INCINERATE it at the next available opportunity, and shut your brain off for some big sounding heavy metal with one of the finer female singers the genre has ever borne, you may very well squeeze some enjoyment from The 4th Quest for Fantasy. It's not at the level of Pilgrimage, as the riffs and vocals do not combine at the same level of memorable quality, but one could imagine some of the material here mixing it up quite well with the older songs in a set list. For 1992, an age in which this genre was all but interred at the local cemetery, I can think of far worse examples of torch carriers!

Verdict: Win [7.5/10]

Velvet Viper - Velvet Viper (1991)

Perhaps it was just a blond thing, that the public at large will always associate female fronted 80s metal with a Lita Ford or Doro Pesch. Perhaps it was the commercial success of their former associations. In either case, Jutta Weinhold has long been the unheralded songstress of her German metal generation, to date having partaken in four metal projects (Breslau, Zed Yago, Velvet Viper and her newer Weinhold solo projects). I'm not going to lie. I'm a sucker for brunettes, but my attraction to this woman's work has always had a lot more to do with her piercing, harpy-like pipes, and it's easy to see why. Jutta has NEVER sold herself upon sex appeal, but by the strength of her voice alone. You can imagine this was a breath of fresh air in a period when both men and women were selling themselves upon hair products, hollow glamour and super-sexualized stage posturing.

My favorite of her works was certainly Zed Yago's Pilgrimage in 1989, a graceful power metal album with a good balance of slower and mid-paced power metal albums that really stood out, and continue to do so whenever I'm in the mood for something akin to Running Wild with a mellower attitude. For whatever reason, Jutta put that band to rest after just two albums, and then reformed it a few years later under the new name of Velvet Viper. Not quite as catchy, in my opinion, but clearly the two Velvet Viper albums are kindred spirits to From Over Yonder and Pilgrimage, and even the 'Zed Yago' female adventurer/pirate mascot character makes an appearance here in the largely Arthurian lyrics. Thus the four albums from 1987-1992 all serve as a sort of loose continuity, and the two bands' logos are nearly the same.

Musically, this is a direct continuation of the style found on Pilgrimage. If anything, you could consider it more expansive, with a heavier classical/folk music influence and a studio production that was arguably superior to the predecessor. This is user friendly, fest hall heavy metal music with all emphasis placed on simple riffs, effective leads, and the cutting, accented voice that stands astride the instruments much like the character on the extremely lame cover (yeah, that art truly sucks). This is hardly the forceful, heavier rocking of a Running Wild or Grave Digger, instead centered on a drifting grace. Jutta is joined here by Zed Yago bassist Lars Ratz (also of Metalium), guitarists Dave Moore (Skyclad) and Peter Szigeti (Warlock, U.D.O.) and drummer Franco Zuccaroli (of the German Steeler), all seasoned and talented but not in the least interested in showboating, so you get this very laid back, classy style which is unlikely to appeal outside the field of 80s appreciators.

As I mentioned earlier, some of the lyrics here revolve loosely around the folklore of King Arthur and his Knights of Camelot, with Jutta inserting her 'Zed Yago' character briefly into the opener "Merlin", a big beat hard rocker paced akin to the previous incarnation's "Black Bone Song". Other tracks following this topic include "Percevel", a moody piece with some pumping bass presence and good leads; the medieval metal anthem "King Arthur" which sounds very much like something Running Wild would write (how about a Rock'n'Rolf, Jutta Weinhold duet? Would that rule?); and "Parsifal", a snippet of Richard Wagner re-arranged here into an organ/electric guitar piece with some male chorals. Beyond that, there are tracks like the great, rocking "HM Rebels" which tracks back to the 'metal pirate' concept, and "Brainsuckers: Thommyknockers" (apparently Blind Guardian were not the only German band fascinated by the King story). I found one of the more interesting pieces here to be "Lost Children", with Weinhold's layered mantras flowing across some percussion that seems to echo off the mountains and clouds as rays of sun shine through. This is not a metal song, and the guitars only maintain a faint presence ringing alongside the drums. The Accept/Saxon-like fortitude of "Icebreaker" and the driving "Millstone of Rage" represent the better of the metal fare.

There are certainly some areas in which we could have expected more out of Velvet Viper. The cover art is really awful, even for 1991, and the track layout could have been streamlined to have all the King Arthur lyrics in one clump, or even dominating the entire record. It seems a little disjointed to switch in and out of the theme. The music is generally at a good standard, but there are some songs which are easy to pass over, unlike Pilgrimage which was all around beautiful. I also don't see why this could not be a Zed Yago album. It makes little sense to have two bands so close in style and aesthetic and then use the separate names, but I'm assuming there is some valid reason for the change (business, respect to previous members, whatnot). It's not a favorite of mine, even from Jutta, but I was at least satisfied to have another Zed Yago effort (in spirit at least).

Verdict: Win [7.25/10] (good enough is never enough for you)