Usurper - Necronemesis (2000)

Necronemesis, the third full length effort from Chicago's blackest (and I don't mean skin tone) band Usurper, would mark a moderate departure from the sound of their previous work. Where before we had a crushing example of post-Hellhammer, we now have a ball fisted, bludgeoning thrash force which more closely resembles some bastard spawn of Rigor Mortis and early Hallows Eve, with the band's fondness for witchcraft, monsters and dark folklore now in full bloom. You can still hear the Celtic Frost whenever General Diabolical Slaughter belches out a 'Hey!', and perhaps in some of the riffing, but this record pays heed to a far wider scope of thrash, death and black metal influences.

To be honest, I thought it was a step back from Skeletal Season, albeit a small one. The band still had the chops to conjure up their morbid walls of atmospheric, thrashing doom, but the utterly crushing tones of a Diabolosis or Threshold of the Usurper are missing here, replaced by some rather average thrash riffs. Granted, they were never exactly virtuosos, and in fact Necronemesis does have some faster fare here than normal like "Full Metal Maelstrom" or "Slaughterstorm", though the latter reminds me in spots of "Necrocult Part 1" from their 1997 EP. The leads here are far more furious, but the overall tone of the album felt a little dry to me, rather than the ominous killing sprees the band had previously committed.

There are several diamonds in the rough, with a dull shine, one of which would be the morose title track, a slowly building, chugging atmospheric thrash exercise with guest vocals courtesy of none other than the great King Diamond himself. Usurper had covered "Charon", and Mercyful Fate's "Black Funeral" on previous releases, so this was undoubtedly a huge moment for the band, to be graced with their lord and savior. "Warriors of Iron and Rust" is suitably warlike and violent, though the lyrics about metal, leather and alcohol were already feeling a little corny as early as 2000. Thankfully, they are an exception here, as most of the bands lyrics still deal in themes of horror and other cult obscurity. "Full Metal Maelstrom" is a head on blitz featuring guest vocals from Proscriptor of Absu, and "Into the Oblong Box" is a slowly bouncing track that feels like it would have been right at home on Hallow's Eve's Tales of Terror.

A decade later, I admit I've never really had the urge to reach for this on the shelf when better options were available, as in the rest of the band's catalog. Something about Necronemesis screams average, though the band might have great taste in guest vocalists and song titles. At the same time, there is really nothing offensive about it. The riffs just fall a little flat, and the atmosphere not nearly oppressive enough to compensate. I suppose if you were adamant about collecting all of the band's works, you might not find this too far a stretch from Skeletal Season, but in my opinion its a rather dull impression on the skull.

Verdict: Indifference [6.5/10] (into darkness, into fear)

http://www.myspace.com/usurpermetal

Usurper - Visions from the Gods (2000)

Thrilled as Necropolis must have been with the unruly beast they had on their hands with the Threshold of the Usurper EP and the ensuing Skeletal Season, they decided that the new millennium should herald the dawn of not one, but two new Usurper releases: the mighty third album Necronemesis, and the Visions from the Gods compilation, which collects together the band's original demo of the same name, and some additional outtakes and bonus tracks that had not previously seen the light of day. In other words, it's a chance for fans who missed the limited run of the demo to now hold in their hands a complete collection of the Chicago bands recorded output.

If you'd been privy to the band's prior releases, then it would not surprise you to hear that their monolithic, morbid tones were already well established for the 1994 Visions from the Gods demo, which is included here in all its unglory. Just compare this to the demo of almost any other cult black or thrash metal act, and come away stunned by how dark and bold they sounded. Two of these tracks, "Deep in the Forest" and "Dusk" had been released also as a part of the debut album Diabolosis, so this runs the risk of some limited redundancy, but if you're deep into some obsession for this band, you probably appreciate having them here in their early form. The other tracks, "Soulstalker" and "Visions from the Gods" are both excellent, simple affairs that run parallel to the debut material, and they've also included a 1996 'upgrade' to "Soulstalker" which delivers and even more forceful punishment.

The goods do not end here! You get a demo version of the track "Anno Satanas" which appeared on the Headbangers Against Disco Vol. 2 7" (along with Swedish bands Unpure and Nifelheim). Truly a phenomenal song, with a manly, distant chant mirroring Diabolical Slaughter's libation to Tom G. Warrior. Continuing a trend they started with the Threshold of the Usurper EP, you get another cover of everyone's favorite Dane, only here it's his work in King Diamond rather than Mercyful Fate. "Charon" is culled from the excellent Fatal Portrait album, and once again they make it their own, with huger chugging guitars. Does it lose a little of the original's grace? Sure, but Usurper are all about taking grace and shoving it where the sun don't shine. There's also an alternate, super fuzzy version of "Wolflord" from the Skeletal Season album, and a crushing, unreleased track called "Bonefire" which reeks of sheer barbarity, especially when Slaughter erupts into that guttural vocal. Rounding out the grisly festivities, a live track, "Warriors of Iron and Rust" (the studio version would be found on Necronemesis), which, though distant, sounds like the band were pretty tight that night.

Visions from the Gods is not necessarily a complete value, but it's on par if not better than many other compilations of a similar nature, because it does offer a few tidbits you haven't heard before, and in most cases, they are pretty good. I am especially partial to "Soulstalker '96" and "Bonefire", but it's also cool to have the original demo. If you enjoyed any of the band's work up to this point, love Usurper, and don't mind shelling out some money and getting a few tracks you've already heard mixed in with a King Diamond cover, alternate versions and an unreleased tune, then go on and cough it up. Otherwise, the bread is better spent on one of the studio albums, or the Threshold of the Usurper EP.

Verdict: Indifference [6.75/10]

http://www.myspace.com/usurpermetal

Usurper - Threshold of the Usurper EP (1997)

I wouldn't have thought it possible that a band like Usurper could actually get any heavier, but after signing to Necropolis records to produce this follow-up EP to Diabolosis, the Chicago crushers were more than eager to render any such doubts obsolete. What's more, this material bears slightly less of the direct Hellhammer influence found on the debut. It still exists in both the vocals and music, but the band commit such a primal, pulverizing crime against humanity here that they've taken the weight of their forefathers to a new level of extremity. I can only imagine on some grim battlefield, the sound of tank treads tap dancing on human bones would sound somewhat similar to this dense, uncaring, unholy mess.

The bass is thick like a pungent tomb of oppression and despair, and the guitars sound even more punk and hideous than the original Apocalyptic Raids. "Slavehammer" sounds like something that might have occured if Hellhammer had arrived AFTER the death and black metal movements went into full swing, while "Necrocult, Part 1 (The Metal War)" is pretty much a pure, thrusting black blade that caresses the night with the blood of its latest victim. "The Dead of Winter" is a morbid, atmospheric horror with these thick acoustic guitars that reverberate through the dense mesh of chugging force. The band's cover of Mercyful Fate's "Black Funeral" is nearly as creepy and mesmerizing as the original, but made wholly fit to preach upon the heathen pulpit that is Usurper. Lastly, the 14:20 closer "Threshold of the Usurper" ranges from terse, storming doom to rampant, ghoulish black metal and then back again, pausing at its center for haunting atmospherics and samples of vile chanting.

With over 34 minutes of music, Threshold of the Usurper could just as well have been a full length follow-up to Diabolosis and nobody would have complained. There is a reissue of this from 2008 which includes even more material, so if you're on the market you will get more value out of that. Like the debut album, the mix on this material is so mighty that it loses nothing to age, an unrelenting brute of awful anguish and creepy torment. Like the debut debut album, it deserves a place in the collection of any who seek the morbid fascination and cryptic taste of raw, abhorrent musical flesh.

Verdict: Win [7.75/10] (scripture that can't be lost)

http://www.myspace.com/usurpermetal

Usurper - Diabolosis (1995)

There are a number of veteran bands who have carried forth the torch of Hellhammer/Celtic Frost's brand of unique and formative black, thrash and doom metal, with all its massive, sludgy bombast, and Tom G. Warrior styled vocal constipation. Brazil's Apocalyptic Raids are essentially a carbon copy of the Swiss legend; the German tyrants of Warhammer also come strikingly close; and in America, we've got our own tribute, Usurper, who are probably named for the Celtic Frost song appearing on To Mega Therion. Of these bands, I feel like Usurper has always been the most interesting. The influence is immense, and unmistakable, especially on the band's 1995 debut Diabolosis, but even in these waking years I feel like this was a beast who would attempt to channel the masters into new transgressions of sonic barbarity.

This is a pretty serious sounding record, with a darker theme and tone than some of its successors. The band had not yet entirely embraced their love of kitsch horror and crypto folklore, thus there is a bleaker, harrowing aesthetic to be had here. The guitars of Rick Scythe are wholly primal and crunchy, but he's not afraid to throw in some bizarre, slow grooves to separate some of the denser, metallic riffing. The production is cavernous, and remains strangely vivid and relevant even in comparison to most modern recordings. The band also make use of ritual and horror samples to great effect, and gong like crashing that once again reminds one of Celtic Frost (the best example of this is the closing "Dusk"). It's a monstrous debut, and one that landed them some international attention due to its release on respected underground European label Head Not Found.

Of course, an album like this runs to the risk of being labeled a soulless 'rip off', and at its core, it is hardly some font of originality. But to sell it short would be to miss out on something pretty special, especially hailing from a Midwest scene in the 90s that was almost gouged to the gullet on forgettable, brutal death metal in the vein of Cannibal Corpse and Suffocation. In addition to General Diabolical Slaughter's more grueling take on Warrior, the band also incorporate some black snarls, as in the storming opener "Hypnotic Void". They can take a bleak, dark ambient tangent with "The Infernal Storm", which features some howling samples alongside Jon Necromancer's plump, bone chewing bass tones. But most of the time, they will simply rock your face off with a doomed certainly, using riffs that would take no competent guitarist more than a few minutes to compose, yet slay regardless. I'm speaking of "The Ruins of Gomorrah" with its crushing, sparse muted momentum beyond the 2:00 mark. Or of the ghastly, morbid "Full Moon Harvest", which rolls along with some condensed, bluesy ballast, like a black metal sludge alternative to Danzig. "Nulla Sallus Extra Eccelcium" and "Diabolosis" are others that continue to crush 15 years into their existence.

Usurper was a working band, who gave us well over a decade of disgust without once selling out, once complaining that they weren't somehow more successful, and playing honest and hard when and where they could, with a good number of tours. They are a metal man's metal, in stark opposition to the technical extravagance that many younger artists have forced to 'evolve' their genres. Diabolosis is a great debut that channels the weight of Hellhammer, the grime and blasphemy of Venom, and the punkish violence that spawned Mayhem into a memorable black abyss, and it remains one of the band's most lasting punishments.

Verdict: Win [8/10]

http://www.myspace.com/usurpermetal

Destruction - Release from Agony (1987)

I've always held Destruction's album Release from Agony as a clunky elder sibling to the masterful Malleus Maleficarum by Pestilence. Both were produced by Kalle Trappe, and both have this extremely surgical sound to them which makes them stand out in a unique strata, even among the increasing wave of technical thrash present in the later 80s. In fact, this record is so ambitious and unapproachable to the average thrash fan that it probably did more harm than good to the band, less concerned with breakout hits like a "Mad Butcher" or "Curse the Gods" and more about the level of clinical extremity to which the band could impinge themselves.

They weren't alone in this, as the 1987 releases from Kreator (Terrible Certainty) and Sodom (Persecution Mania), the other thirds of the Big Three also exhibited an increase in the respective bands' artistic proficiency and prowess, and outfits like Mekong Delta were also arriving around the time. But Destruction evoked something here that is quite unique and difficult to penetrate, with walls of precision thrash punch riffing played at high speeds, and dominant, classical shredding that most thrash bands shied away from. They were no strangers to musical talent, as was obvious from the wealth of notation vomited forth on Eternal Devastation or the Mad Butcher EP, but here it is at its most blocky and unchecked, to the point at which it hasn't even been reproduced by this very band since. Cracked Brain would come close, but that album feels like a more accessible substitution, lacking Schmier's vocals (though André Grieder was a close approximation).

Release from Agony is a punishing presence, and a harrowing trip through a malpractice ward, late at night, beneath some city building, where no passersby can hear the victims' cries. Schizoid, frenzied rhythms writhe along before the savage, unforgettable sneering of the front man, your tour guide through this Teutonic lobotomy. The cover art is striking not only for its surreal, human exaggeration, but because that is EXACTLY what you will turn into after you've heard the music. The epic intro piece "Beyond Eternity" visits the threshold of neo-classical shredding over a brooding but wondrous ambiance, all to soon parting for the spiral descent into madness that is the album's title track, ripe with thundering, mute-heavy six string violence, and swift bursts of melodic delusion, climaxing in the obvious but firm chorus. "Dissatisfied Existence" is one of the more striking tracks on the record, with subliminal, cycling riff patterns that collide into another and then spike into your cranium. The leads beyond 2:30 are as demented as they are traditional, and you'll find your attentions bouncing between them as your mind splits vertically into its separate halves.

Is it worth to be alive?
If I ever want to attract attention, it won't be for your affection
I don't know what I really want in my life and I don't remember whom I once believed

"Sign of Fear" is the closest the album has to an 'epic', nearing 7 minutes in length, and slowly transgressing itself with a swell of muddied synthesizer or a flighty acoustic passage, to culminate in a grooving madness around 4:00 that is as sure to drive the last shreds of sanity from you, with its precise, winding streams of muted hostility and Schmier's near whispered ministrations, which I'm sorry to say, will NOT mend the wounds. The song is sick, and should be made illegal! Other striking numbers here include "Unconscious Ruins", which is a desperate rager, yet startlingly morose, coming very close to a classical orchestration made pure thrash. "Our Impression" is competent, does not stand out to me, where "Incriminated" is another example of the band's crashing lapse into madness, with turbulent dynamics and repulsive momentum. The closer, "Survive to Die" is nearly a manic and choppy as "Incriminated", though the way the band explodes into a micro-cover of the swing classic "In the Mood" almost through me out of the beams of the album's paralyzing stare. Like waking up from a nightmare. In fact, if you don't immediately replay the album, that is likely what has just occurred.

I mentioned a comparison to Malleus Maleficarum earlier because it is apt, and I do feel like this album is sort of a 'proving ground' for that one, a testing of the Kalle Trappe waters, though the two bands are not alike vocally and separated by an obvious national border. The Pestilence effort is far superior in most ways, with unbelievably catchy songs, but Release from Agony does function on a more dense and disturbing level. It requires a little more patience and comprehension than the Germans' earlier output like the crude Sentence of Death or Eternal Overkill, so it may not have that much appeal if you're just out for some shit kicking street thrash. This album is also a little under-produced. I feel like the tones get garbled and disjointed, as in a cerebral vortex, and it's not the best sounding of their pre-reunion catalog. Once in awhile, the bassist becomes lost beneath the twisting double helix of Harry and Mike, but not so for his vocals. Those gripes aside, its a mesmerizing and often haunting album, more technically inclined than the fare the band was usually known for, and certainly belongs mentioned in the same breath as other European headfucks like Deception Ignored, Punishment for Decadence, or The Music of Erich Zann.

Verdict: Win [8.25/10] (my refuge will be reality)

http://www.destruction.de/

Overkill - !!!Fuck You!!! and Then Some (1996)

Considering the band's 30 year, massive and uncompromising career thus far, Overkill have taken very few liberties when it comes to their release schedule. Very few indulgences. A ratio of 16 studio albums to a pair of lives and another pair of EPs is not at all bad, and we can probably thank the band for never attempting to rip us off or let us down too hard. That's not to say all of their releases possess the same level of quality, in fact it fluctuates quite a lot, with the band never seeming to step fully back up to the plate where they hit their first few home runs. But as far as touring and maintaining their presence, I can't think of another East Coast thrash band nearly as consistent (that includes Anthrax).

Fuck You and Then Some is on paper a neat little valentine for fans who desire a few of the band's less common EPs in one pressing, and it is for this reason I picked it up. It incorporates the original !!!Fuck You!!! EP from 1987, the 1984 Overkill EP (originally a demo), and some additional live footage not available on its namesake predecessor. Having but a cassette of the original, and not even owning the s/t EP in any format, this made for a great aesthetic addition to the rack, though chronologically it arrived during the bands REAL years of decay, when they they were putting out lackluster efforts like The Killing Kind which brought in outside influences for a less than desirable result.

If it's your first exposure to the legend, then I would highly suggest you skip this and check out their first two albums Feel the Fire and the immaculate Taking Over, which have yet to be surpassed decades later. "!!!Fuck You!!!" is a novelty track, really, an obscure cover of The Subhumans, taking an immortal gesture and expression, and then pasting it on the front of an album when many still wouldn't dare. It was the perfect tune for some meathead angry at his boss, his girlfriend, his family, or especially in the 80s, the PMRC or other activists who were essentially trying to shut down the controversial end of the musical spectrum. Really, it's applicable almost anywhere, because that's the safety and novelty of it. Thrust a middle finger and exclaim "FUCK YOU". We've all done it. Sometimes, it made us content. Sometimes, it was deserved. Other times, we were just being pieces of shit, flinging our wrath and poo where it may not have been needed. Musically, it fits right in with the Feel the Fire era material, due to Bobby Blitz and his endless, concentrated testosterone (and I'm not poking fun, I truly envy this guy's ability), but it IS a punk song, so the riffs can't really be expected to impress on the same level as the band's original work.

The live tracks from the original EP are all present here, recorded in 1997 during a heatwave in Cleveland, Ohio. Taking Over was news then, so the material includes some timeless numbers like "Use Your Head" and "Electro-Violence", the latter of which is a personal favorite. In addition, they perform "Rotten to the Core", "Hammerhead", and "Fuck You" here, and between the tracks on the CD, Blitz works the crowd a little. It's the same drill Overkill have always insisted upon, an honest interaction with their fans and very little heady, arrogant bullshit. As to the sound, well, other than the fact the guitars often get a little overpowered by D.D. Verni's bass, it's not that bad. The vocals, in particular are quite good. Since this is a new edition of the EP, the guys have tacked on two more lives from a 1990 performance. One is a cover of Black Sabbath's "Hole in the Sky", which makes sense, since they were a huge influence on this band, as we have discovered from some of their less impressive, doom heavy offerings in the 90s. Blitz gives it his all, but I can't say I really love the track here. The other new live is "E.vil N.ever D.ies" from the band's most recent album at this time, The Years of Decay, and it's not bad.

Last but certainly not least, we have the original Overkill EP in all its glory. This includes "Rotten to the Core", "Fatal If Swallowed", "The Answer" and "Overkill". Three of these tracks appear on the band's first two full lengths, and "The Answer" is a slow, doom song with a huge Black Sabbath influence that gradually picks up the pace, though I've always found it lacks the serious riff skills of the other material here. At any rate, this is probably the coolest portion of !!!Fuck You!!! and Then Some to have handy when you're on an early 80s thrash kick, but if you've already got their first few albums, there's nothing really superior about any of the EP versions that you'd need to go out of your way for aside from some authenticity check.

So, is this package worth the scratch? If you're an Overkill addict, and have no access to the original material without succumbing to collector gouging, then have at it. If not, there's not much reason to bother with it, and you should instead buy a studio album. This is far from a failed fan tribute, but "!!!Fuck You!!!" was never that great to begin with, and even less poignant now, though nostalgia aside, I'm sure the devoted will froth and frenzy when it's performed in a set today. Just over 2 minutes of rebellion. The band also has full live records, which sound a little better than the offerings here, so that's not really a major selling point either. Really it's just a matter of having that s/t EP on a CD which makes or breaks this...

Verdict: Indifference [6/10] (call us fearless, call us crazy)

http://wreckingcrew.com/Ironbound/

Einherjer - Odin Owns Ye All (1998)

Einherjer has never been the most complex of Viking metal advocates, preferring instead to write base melodies with mead swigging, mug slamming rhythms that can immediate cause every white male of North European descent between the age of 18-60 to beat his chest in tribute to his distant ancestors. Regardless, they were responsible for Dragons of the North, a pretty thundering effort, far more accessible than something like the vengeful album Frost by Enslaved, or Helheim's raging Jormundgand. For whatever reason, though, the band decided to make some changes for the following album, due out through Century Media, and brought on a cleaner singer named Ragnar Viske.

This was their big break, and well, I feel like they very much dropped the ball. First, the title of the album, Odin Owns Ye All, is kind of catchy, if a little silly, especially when you are staring at that obvious cover art carving of old One-Eye, Hugin and Munin. This leads one to believe that the band were aiming for some theoretical My First Viking Metal Album™ crowd. Indeed, it sounds as if the album were written to lull the babes of LARP gamers and SCA advocates in their cribs, while mommy and daddy played Arwen and Legolas, flinging packets of sand at one another or engaging in lewd acts while dressed in anthropomorphic animal costumes. The album is simply too festive...it sound likes a bunch of eunuch clowns dancing around in tights, serving fruits and honey to some flamboyant jarl, while slapping each other firmly on the rump.

Here is the formula underlying the majority of the material here: mid paced, plodding guitars chug along while saturated in flighty keyboard lines, with Viske trying his best to add traditional, manly vocals with just a bit of an edge. There are very few interesting riffs on this album, and even at its best, which I'll call "Remember Tokk", or the depths of "The Pathfinder & the Prophetess", you get a few throwaway melodies, a subtle grace to the standard palm mute triplets, and some acceptable backing shouts. I'd almost call this Gothic Viking metal, if that makes any sense, and unfortunately, it really doesn't work, to the point where the listening experience feels pretty awkward. Even on a bad day, with a sever hangover, a band like Thyrfing or Finntroll makes this feel like fluff by comparison, and though the ultimate goal of Odin Owns Ye All was to create a festive, cheery atmosphere that followed a particular set of traditions, I wouldn't even use this as background music when my chaotic dumpy level 63 dwarf berserker is hanging by the local tavern.

Perhaps the one thing here that did not eventually grate upon me were the lyrics, which seem to directly speak through the spirit of the Eddas, with a straight narrative dowsed in the native poetry of those tales. Unfortunately, the halls are alive with such gaiety here that it becomes impossible to place the fear of the gods, the doom of Ragnarok and the scars of cold and bloodshed into the thoughts of the listener. I realize these ancients times in question weren't completely resigned to a grim doom each waking moment, but that's the way I like to dream of them, and by the great cudgel of the Gods, that is what I will listen to when dreaming!

Verdict: Fail [3.75/10] (all men are mortal)

http://www.myspace.com/einherjermusic

Shiva - Firedance (1982)

Every now and then you make a connection with some early piece of aural obscurity, something you've long toiled over but never quite molted with. Suddenly, the realization of genius becomes so clear, as if it were staring at you through a mirror all along. Firedance is one of situations. Far ahead of its time, and almost unheard of by anyone outside the diminishing circle of NWOBHM collectors and old metal explorers. One can only marvel that Shiva were not a raging success. After all, they struck at a time when the waters were right for progressive rock and metal, with bands like Rush and Yes topping the charts and British metal and hard rock exploding into the next big thing.

Shiva possessed both of these characteristics. One might even imagine them the perfect coupling of Rush and the American band Riot, with superb songwriting skills that put the majority of their NWOBHM peers to complete shame. But perhaps this band was just too smart for the period in which it arrived, and tragically resigned to the status of a non-entity, while bands like Judas Priest, Def Leppard and Iron Maiden would soar past them. The tragedy is that they probably gave up too soon. A few more albums like Firedance and it would have been nearly impossible for anyone to ignore them, and with progressive metal labels springing up in the 90s like Inside Out, they would have undoubtedly found a reliable home. But all we have to remember them by are a few demos, a compilation of unreleased material, and this one near masterpiece of a debut album.

Shiva was a power trio by definition, and by that I mean each of the members possessed enormous talent at his given instrument. Chris Logan was a skilled drummer, but never over indulgent here, and Andy Skuse has a beautiful, popping bass tone that never rolls over to play dead for the guitar. Speaking of the six-strings, the true center of the band must be John Hall, who performed both the vocals and guitars, and has quite a good run with each. His tones were sweet, clear and smooth, characteristic of many peers but not so sharp or piercing as a Kevin Heybourne (from fellow NWOBHM power trio Angel Witch). No, he reminds me quite a lot of Geddy Lee from the 70s Rush recordings, and his selection of notes is always teeming with life, perfectly married to the cycle of classic metal riffing and bluesy leads that lie beneath. The result is an album, Firedance, which would appeal far beyond the core metal fan of the day, to the lover of blues, progressive rock and perhaps even folk rock. Fly By Night meets Fire Down Under? Sign me up.

Shiva never forget that they're a metal band first and foremost, and tracks like "How Can I?" and the amazing "Wild Machine" display a strength in creative, accessible riffing that moves beyond some mere mutation of Judas Priest, Sabbath and Deep Purple. Not the sinister groove that hangs at the end of the verse of "Wild Machine", before a robotic voice heralds a most glorious 'silent chorus' riff. "Borderline" shows a little more of a roadster spin, as if it were Shiva's take on something like "Living After Midnight". The vocals are superb, and they'd be alluring enough without the excellent guitars. But you are gifted with both. "Stranger Lands" journeys further into the realm of progressive rock, with a carousel of Skuse's wonderful lines. "Angel of Mons" is drifting and desperate, and "User" burns with the heat of molten, classic metal. The band's namesake "Shiva" is another impressive offering, with a crazy synthesizer break near the finale that immediately lifts the imagination above some creative percussion.

The band accomplishes all of this without the inflated, excess song structures that many prog rockers were often guilty of. This is no Tales from Topographical Oceans, it's constantly aware of its status as a hard, driving rock record, but one of a positive life affirmation more than morose infatuation. It's not so mystic as to become psychedelic, but its sure to deliver the goods that a Rush fan demands from anything that band carved out in their initial decade of output. Well worth tracking down if you fancy other prog/NWOBHM crossover acts like Saracen or Budgie, and though it nears 30 years in age, its highly enduring.

Verdict: Epic Win [9/10]

http://www.shivauk.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/index.html

Krank - Hideous (1986)

Like most other people, or rather, the few people that can actually remember the band, my first exposure to Krank was due to their appearance on the Best of Metal Blade 2 compilation, which I happened to own on cassette. The song "Rented Heat" was almost laughable as far as the lyrical content, and yet, I found it a strangely compelling, blue collar, no nonsense statement of rebellion and unrest. Tracking down their debut Hideous was no easy chore, for it seemed like a half dozen Earthlings at best seemed to recall or even care for their music. I was really taken in with Frank Tyson's vocals, which were like a higher pitched John Bush (Armored Saint), but had this streak of cruelty to them which still remains distinct.

Musically, the band are probably best compared to Twisted Sister, with a heavy, blues tinged motif that can transition from the bold power chord crunch to the sleaze of the strip club rest room with a flick of the wrist. Image was a pretty important component of this band's approach, and one glance at the cover art will reveal tight animal pants and hair that probably opened holes in the sky. As a result, like so many other bands that flirted along the edge of the glam realm, the music does feel like it often suffers, taking a back seat to the attitude. There are a few standout tracks that deliver both catchy, balls out front riffs and fun lyrics, but the rest feel like so much filler we've heard before from a large number of 70s and 80s hard rock outfits.

Of course, "Rented Heat" was selected for that Metal Blade compilation for good reason...it's the very best song on this record, and having heard the more recent Ugly Gift album in 2003, it's the best of their career. An extremely catchy, nastily paced slow metal riff in the vein of Def Leppard or Twisted Sister, dowsed in a highly charismatic vocal performance, both the lead and backups. I jest not. This song could easily have been at the level of a "Burn in Hell" or Quiet Riot's "Bang Your Head", had it reached a similar level of exposure. The solo is great, the cautionary melody that develops around 3:10, as the track is winding to a close beyond the third verse, and the lyrics extremely entertaining, like a Motley Crue, WASP or Skid Row:

They hauled my ass into city court, wouldn’t even say what I’d done
I was supposed to be judged by my peers, I didn’t see one...
The lawyer said my client was the victim of abuse
That judge looked me in the eye and said there’s no excuse!

It really is a fun track, and had the rest of the material here been as well conceived and delivered, this album could have developed a pretty massive profile. That's not to say that any of the songs are really 'bad', and in fact a number of them have at least a solid vocal performance, like "No More Lies", "Evil" and "Nasty Habits" (which wins the bronze medal here after "Rented Heat" and the surging "Power"). The real problem is the predictable, and generic blues swagger that infests so many of the riffs. Even in "Nasty Habits", the guys are easily forgotten until the chorus picks up the speed. But, take something like the thudding bass and fun hot summer scorch riffing of "Power"or "Hideous (Heavy Metal Havoc), and then compare it to some of the more sallow, everyman riffs and you can count the peaks and valleys.

As for the mix, I love it. Pure 80s sound which felt warm on cassette or vinyl, and loses nothing important through a CD or digital file. The guitars have this nice, light distortion to them that mirrors a lot of the hard rock and 'fluff' metal of the period, and the drums crash with abandon. Tyson is the centerpiece, with enough charisma to place him among the Dee Sniders and Kevin DuBrows of the world, and I can only imagine how cool this guy could come off over a heavier set of riffs. I absolutely recommend that anyone who enjoys fun 80s metal check out the song "Rented Heat", and maybe the entire album if you're so inclined. Don't mistake me here, Krank were better than about 90% of the glam crap MTV and other major sources were pushing, and far heavier. I would take this band any day over Nelson, Firehouse and Winger. But as a whole, the band simply didn't not stand head and shoulders above the pack, instead tucked snugly within its folds, and at best this could have been one of those lucky bands that got an occasional opening slot for the L.A. Guns, Warrant or Poison, put on a thoroughly entertaining show, and then sadly forgotten the next week by the big haired interlopers who were more focused on Bret Michaels package and CC Devile's dwarf-like dancing than the superior opening act.

Verdict: Indifference [6.75/10] (son you got something to hide)

http://www.myspace.com/krankusa

Eldritch - Blood Breed Calls My Name (1993)

Japan was never a massive thrash metal scene, but what they did produce was generally on the side of quality. Bands like Outrage, Jurassic Jade, Aion, S.O.B., Sacrifice, Gargoyle and Doom were more or less the bulk of the roster, but they were later joined by a few more, short lived acts. Eldritch was one such entity, and their sole full-length Blood Breed Calls My Name showed a wealth of promise, combining a tasteful melodic speed with the charismatic crunch of both US and European styled thrash. One could think of the band as an Anthem or Loudness taken to the edge, as they maintain the soaring, shrill chorus vocals that dominated the more traditional strains of metal.

Blood Breed Calls My Name has a high level of polish, a professionally rendered mix that would equal or exceed many of the band's peers. The guitars are crisp enough to deliver their complex rhythms, whether a muted frenzy or a glorious rush of speed/power chords, and the rhythm section is far from complacent, with a loud bass presence and a drum performance worthy of almost any speed or power metal record from Europe of the time. The vocals of Yuichi Sato are probably the one spot where some listeners might stumble, as they cycle through a wide range of emotional, syllabic bursting that best corresponds them with their Japanese peers.

I've found that the faster and more aggressive this band operates, the better the songwriting. For example, the songs that sandwich this album make for some of its best material. "Shadow Fire" begins with a brooding, brief intro before the eruption of an incredible riff one might expect from either Artillery or a harder edged Priest-like power metal act. The speed of the track is tempered by an endless array of melodic infusions that one might expect from the more recent efforts by Anthem, complete with adequate solo shredding proficiency. Closer "Dog Eats Dog" is another rager, with some angry speed/thrash lines, gang shouts and a very Megadeth pacing.

Tucked between, much of the album's remainder is tightly written, but you've gotta dig around for some of the better riffs. There are straight laced power rockers like "Pig Blood Blues", "Massacre Song" and the lengthy, aggressive "Valis", all oozing with style and attitude, but very few money shot riffs. The title track is another 9+ minute track, and has another clear influence from Megadeth, but it's one of the better interior set pieces here. The classical instrumental "Lost and One" is rather dainty, and "Moon Hawk Project" is a fine, melodic number with some weight, taken from the band's first demo (along with "Massacre Song").

Blood Breed Calls My Name is an impressive outing, and leaves me wondering how successful this band might have been had they decided to stick it out. The production standard is high here, and the band's style would have likely been a huge hit had this album dropped a few years prior. By 1993, of course, thrash and power metal were fringe genres, far clear of the day's trends of grunge, alternative radio, and the growth of hardcore and death metal, so there was very little chance of Eldritch appealing outside of a select few loyalists. Not every song on this album screams of high replay value, but several of them kick serious ass, and the album plays quite smoothly as a whole. If you've ever craved a midpoint between Loudness and Megadeth, this is probably one of the few places to find it.

Verdict: Win [8/10]

http://eldritch.fc2web.com/