Holy Terror - Terror and Submission [1987]

Perhaps the reason both of Holy Terror's albums are considered cult classics today is that their sound deviated greatly from their surrounding peers, and it still feels fresh today. The Californians never once shied from exhibiting their own, versatile influences, and, having an odder spectrum of influences from their counterparts who shamelessly aped Slayer, Exodus, Possessed and Metallica, I imagine they had a hard time coping with their difficulties that arose over the fact their sound was peculiar and the quite thrash machine-gun, especially considering many bands were still at their crude beginnings in 1987. Holy Terror formed in 1986, just one year prior to the release of their megalithic thrash classic, and afterwards, in 1988, they would release a sequel, ''Mind Wars'', also a tempered current of atmospheric thrash, right before disbanding in 1989. Holy Terror is now nothing but an addendum in history books, much like many of the emergent thrash acts that popped up in that period, but they've given us two wondrous classics for a multitude of glorious neck-snapping sessions, the former one being the better.

The Californians had a tight, punchy formula arranged from the start, guaranteeing triumph from the very start. Unlike so many other vile speed/thrash attractions of the time, who filtered the nasty, gritty violence of their chords with insatiable stupor, Holy Terror maintained their control with articulate diligence, and kicked asses just as intensively as, say, Toxik (''World Circus'' era), Necropolis, Blessed Death and other East Coast cults that literally sprinted with their guitar work. Of course, that's not just it. There is a delicious sense of professionalism sandwiched amid a passionate cry towards the glories of the mosh pit, and the five-piece merely play a simple helping of filthy speed/thrash here; the guitars are loaded with atmospheric considerations and can often burst into more epic proportions of thrash metal, somehow similar to the US power metal acts of the time. There is a subtle sense of western ambiance as well, certainly something you don't come across frequently, even in today's standards; a fluid, tempered set of gears motioning in a way as to allure a huge range of thrash aficionados, all rupturing through the static rawness of the core parameters of the recording.

Yes, ''Terror and Submission'' is that good. The rumbling tenacity of the rapid riff progressions are only matched by the accuracy of more complex patterns that are stitched to the broader forms of riffing to render them further interesting. I'm sure that listeners who were only mildly taken by the bulldozing plethora of riffs found themselves deeply immersed in a sea of Keith Deen's spectacular vocal performance. I'm totally going to sound like I'm kissing his ass here, but fuck, his timbre is one of the most original in the field of thrash;  a hoovering range of blessed high-pitched screams that I find to be the principle ingredient to Holy Terror's cult status and atmospheric, almost ''apocalyptic'' touch. Just take ''Tomorrow's End'' as an example; the dual guitars grind their way to the atmospheric pinnacle of the album, showering the listener with a blistering rain of tremolos, all while Deen is vibrating sonorously above them, a completion of the near-flawless tune for the apocalypse. Of course, ''Tomorrow's End'' is hardly my favorite piece here. The title tracks progresses with immaculate speed and efficiency, a viscous ray of melodies constantly protruding from the stomping barrages of base rhythm, an exercise of the traditional power metal formula, practiced upon a speed/thrash basis. ''Alpha Omega - The The Bringer of Balance'' is my favorite tune out the entire 42 minute thing, and having raped the replay button with that one, I can safely say that it's one of the foremost individual speed/thrash pieces out there.

The many evocative aspects of ''Terror and Submission'' transfer a plenitude of moods and imagery into the listener's mind. Yes, it's not so emotionally resonating as an atmospheric black metal masterwork, but it will still conjure portrayals of religious war, the apocalypse and desolation, something that, much like the band's other tenets, is seldom found on other bands. The leads are spurious and unforgiving. They start spurting their content out of nowhere, a delighting discourse through the entirety of the fret board, all of which are courtesies of the two masterful guitarists. I don't see how, after such copious and extensive right hand guitar work, the guitarists still get to keep their fingers, because this is one fucking blistering ride of nostalgia that nobody's bound forget so easily. So angry and forceful and dangerous that blasting this through your stereos on a vigorous car trip with your college buddies would undeniably make someone jump right out of the car, towards escapism and beyond. Yet ''Terror and Submission'' covers a wide enough territory to both decapitate necks and swirl like a controlled, seasoned tempest. It's carefully crafted, the intricacies well applied to the music, and it stands as an enduring thrash classic. Its sequel is also a great record, but the Californians would reach their climax in 1987. Speed and blisters forever.

Highlights
''Alpha Omega - The Bringer of Balance''
''Blood Of The Saints''
''Evil's Rising''
''Terror and Submission''

Final Rating
Masterpiece [9/10]

Helloween - Keeper of the Seven Keys Part I [1987]

Here we have an album that many consider to be one of the most influential Euro-power metal albums of all time, and that wouldn't be an inaccurate statement, only it was influential for a sound that I couldn't care less for. Helloween showed that they were a legit band capable of delivering doses of brilliance in their music when they released the masterpiece "Walls of Jericho," but this album is just... different. For one, "Keeper of the Seven Keys Part I" sees the introduction of Michael Kiske on vocals, and while I have nothing against the man, it's a shame that Hansen could no longer pulled double duty on guitar and as the frontman, because his unpolished and enthusiastic approach to fronting the band was a joy to hear on the debut EP and full-length. Kiske's vocals are on their own outstanding, but they suit a watered down version of Helloween a lot better, and that's really what the band is on their sophomore - watered down. 

It may sound like I'm bashing "Keeper of the Seven Keys Part I," but I do enjoy the album, it's not what I was expecting to hear after listening to the much more raw debut, a bonafide classic, and while this record is considered a classic, it just doesn't live up to expectations. For the most part, the kickass speed-oriented riffs that Kai Hansen and Michael Weikath mass-produced before are gone; replaced by more midpaced riffage akin to groups like Priest and Maiden, which isn't a bad thing, but it doesn't spark the same feeling that amazing songs like "Ride the Sky" and "Victims of Fate" had. It's not all bad, though, as songs like "I'm Alive" and "A Little Time" are great midpaced tunes that show off Kiske's great voice, as well as the non-stop shredding from the guitarists, with the former track featuring excellent solos that are actually some of the better parts of the music at points throughout the record. This album also has one of Helloween's best songs ever in "Twilight of the Gods," an epic anthem with an insanely catchy chorus, stellar guitar playing on both ends, and Kiske's phenomenal vocal performance. 

However, I find myself needing to complain about this album again. It's very short and with only six songs of actual substance, all six of these songs needed to be overly-exceptional, but that's not the case. "A Tale That Wasn't Right" is an acoustic ballad that just falls flat and makes me want to hit the skip button, while "Future World" is another song that just fails to retain anything that could be considered awesome. I don't want to sound like some miserable cunt, but the song is just too damn happy sounding and has no real substance to it. Had these two tracks been cut from the record, "Keeper of the Seven Keys Part I" would've made a terrific EP and another Helloween release that could be considered a major "win." The basic tale of the tape for this record is one that sees the band evolve their sound (which is a natural thing for bands, and one that we as fans have no control over), but not for the better. There are still some great songs here that save it from being a total flop, with "Twilight of the Gods" and the epic closer "Halloween" being worth listening to this record again on their own. This is a band that showed a lot of promise, but unfortunately fell short and it's safe to say this is the last record where I could summon enough fucks to give about the group after they teased me with their fantastic debut. 

Highlights

"I'm Alive"

"Twilight of the Gods"

"Halloween"

Final Rating

Barely Awesome [8/10]

Manilla Road - Mystification [1987]

Talk about being productive. Mark Shelton and the rest of his musical entourage continued to hammer out one awesome album after another, year after year. After releasing another terrific release in "The Deluge," it would come time to hit the grind once again, and the result was Manilla Road's six full-length "Mystification," an epic record that carried on where the previous full-length left off. To be honest, there isn't much of a difference as far as the overall sound is concerned between this album and "The Deluge," as both boast thrashy riffs that make the bulk of the rhythms which serve as the ideal backdrop for Shelton's constantly improving vocals and every fantasy-riddle theme that he could conjure up. 

Once the first song bursts through the speakers (or whatever you use to listen to your music) there's a huge sense of deja vu, as "Haunted Palace" kicks off with basic chords and intense drumming that reminds one of the opening song from "The Deluge," "Dementia" which has an almost exact same sound. The similarities do not stop there, though, as "Spirits of the Dead" blends clean passages and thrashy riffs perfectly to create a very memorable song (Something that this band doesn't lack whatsoever). The title track is another stellar song that takes the listener on a fun ride that starts with the oh-so familiar clean guitar passage and Shelton's instantly recognizable, nasally vocals that are very pleasant sounding on the ears, before it escalates into some thrashier riffs and solos galore. "Valley of Unrest," "Masque of Red Death," and "Death By the Hammer" are all songs that could easily be described as thrash songs, but of course with the signature Manilla Road flavor, which makes the songs much more multi-dimensional as opposed to just another thrashy song. 

To keep things simple, this album is almost "The Deluge" part II with different lyrical themes and different riffs, but the same spirit and structuring are present. I don't mean this in a negative way, because these guys could have kept releasing material that was just a re-hash of what they did before and I probably would still love it. But all of these songs are worth listening to, and some of them I would consider Manilla Road classics. If you're a fan of "The Deluge," or any of the band's earlier metal records, then "Mystification" is a record that should find no problem joining your collection, as this is epic thrashing metal in top form. 

Highlights

"Spirits of the Dead"

"Mystification"

"Masque of Red Death"

Final Rating

Awesome [8.7/10]

Chastain - The 7th of Never [1987]

If you want to talk about being a productive heavy metal band on the rise, look no further than Chastain. After consecutively releasing two full-length albums back to back, the band would not stop. The result of this persistence is the group’s third album “The 7th of Never.” After delivering their best effort yet with “Ruler of the Wasteland,” Chastain needed to hit their next record out of the park. There’s definitely some differences between this album and the predecessor, but the talks of which is better go back to the sophomore, as “The 7th of Never” is just a notch below. 

The overall sound of the band hasn’t changed much on their third outing, as Leather Leone is still wailing away with her impeccable vocals and David Chastain is still shredding like a maniac. Well, he’s even better than before. David’s lead guitar skills have always been one of the reasons why Chastain is so awesome, but he took his playing to another level for this record. The instrumental “827” is really the only evidence I need that this man is a regular Yngwie with the guitar. Luckily, “The 7th of Never” isn’t just a wankfest for David, as he has plenty of substance (riffs) to go with all of his flashy ability. “Paradise” and “Feel His Magic” have some of the best riffs that have made it to a song on a Chastain record. Also, the chemistry between David and Leone is outstanding on this release, especially on the title track where the riffs and vocals just mesh together perfectly, creating some very memorable moments in the process.

One noticeable change that didn’t sit to well with me, though, was the inclusion of pianos and synths. “The Wicked Are Restless” begins with a piano section, which wasn’t so bad in itself, but it added nothing to the music. The synth parts on “Forevermore” also did nothing for the overall product of the music, other than make plenty of metalheads shake their heads in disapproval. Aside from some revamped guitar abilities and a little less of that “epic” feel the band had before, “The 7th of Never” doesn’t gravitate too far from the album that came before, and it left Chastain on a plateau of sorts. This is still an awesome album, though, so any fan of the band’s previous material should have no problem loving this one. 

Highlights

“Paradise”

“The Seventh of Never”

“Feel His Magic”

Final Rating

Awesome [8.4/10]

Artillery - Terror Squad [1987]

After establishing themselves in the metal underground with their stellar debut album “Fear of Tomorrow,” Artillery definitely needed to hit their sophomore record out of the park to even match the preceding record’s success. “Terror Squad” is that second album and despite its godawful album art it accomplishes a few new things for the band, and unfortunately fails to accomplish others, which ended up making the album a notch below the debut. Luckily, this 8-song collection is still strong and saw Artillery treading some new ground and adding some more “weapons” to their musical arsenal. 

One noticeable addition to the sound that was established on “Fear of Tomorrow” was the added variety in riffs. Not a single riff on “Terror Squad” sounds alike, as the structures aren’t just a mix of fast or midpaced riffs and some very well placed power chords. Stutzer’s fingers are flying all around the fretboard for these songs and it’s noticeable on tracks like “The Challenge” and “Hunger and Greed,” both of which feature riffs that could rival acts like Forbidden and Coroner. Of course these Danes could still thrash like maniacs, most noticeably on songs like “Terror Squad” and “At War With Science,” which are violent enough to incite a riot, while the latter also showed some technicality that would later become even more significant in the band's sound. 

Another highlight on this album is the awesome performance by Flemming Ronsdorf, who once again took the entire band to the next level. His gift for hitting incredible highs, vicious growls and beautiful, clean notes is unparalleled in the thrash subgenre. Morten Stutzer also shined with his bass playing, delivering fill after fill, and even being heavier than the riffs at points. The drumming wasn’t amazing, but it was solid and the drummer got what needed to be done to make these songs thrash.  I don't see anyone who enjoyed "Fear of Tomorrow" not liking this album. Artillery definitely made an awesome sophomore record with “Terror Squad,” and while not quite good as the predecessor, it’s still very memorable in its own right.

Highlights

“Terror Squad”

“At War With Science”

“Decapitation of Deviants”

Final Rating

Awesome [8.4/10]

Sarcófago – I.N.R.I. [1987]

You will be hard-pressed to find a fan of underground extreme metal who doesn’t acknowledge or respect the influence of the late 80s/early 90’s Brazillian scene. Bands such as Sepultura, Holocausto, Mutilator, Chakal, Impurity and so on made a global impact on death and black metal that is undeniable. Today, I am going to focus on Sarcófago’s legendary debut album “I.N.R.I.”…

Released in August 1987 following a few demos and the legendary “Warfare Noise I” split (also featuring Mutilator, Chakal and Holocausto), “I.N.R.I.” still stands today as one of the most primitive and evil albums ever recorded. Most songs plow ahead at full speed; chock full of blast beats that smack you in the face like a nail board to the fucking face, intense tremolo riffs that cut through the soundwaves like a mad chainsaw killer unleashed from a mental institution hidden deep within the South American jungle, bass that’s only semi-audible yet still beats you over the head every now and then, and the sickest, most evil vocals ever; imagine “Obssessed by Cruelty” era Tom Angelripper experiencing a psychopathic break and you’ll come pretty close to how Antichrist sounds.

The production is raw and ugly, and may take a few listens to get used to, but once it sinks in you won’t regret spending so much time with this record. Some of my favourite tracks are; “Satanic Lust” which opens the album and instantly goes for the throat, “Nightmare” where the band decides to slow the speed down a notch at the beginning leading up to a barrage of intense madness at the end, “Christ’s Death” which contains some of the most inhuman vocals of all time and is an extremely twisted track in itself, and finally “Deathrash” which contains the ultimate South American battle cry of “if you are a false don’t entry”.

To say that this album is just as important as early Sodom, Bathory and Hellhammer would be a fair statement, in my opinion, if you haven’t heard this gem of sloppy and imperfect brilliance, you really are missing out.

Highlights:

Nightmare
Christ's Death
Deathrash

Final Rating:
Masterpiece 9.5/10

Sanctuary - Refuge Denied [1987]

First off, fuck Nevermore. I've never been a fan of that band and probably won't be anytime soon, especially when I can just listen to "Refuge Denied" whenever. The relationship between Nevermore and Sanctuary is basically the same as the one between Machine Head and Vio-Lence. Both Sanctuary and Vio-Lence are bands that are highly respected in the underground while bands made up of former members go on to shit on the bands they once played in by making very lackluster music that panders to the mainstream. It's ok though, because "Refuge Denied" and "Eternal Nightmare" are always there to listen to endlessly. 

Anyway, back to Sanctuary. These guys played some great power metal that really took influence from Judas Priest (A very heavy influence I might add) and the early thrash bands of the eighties. Quite a few of the riffs have K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton written all over them, with the catchy melodies intertwined, most notably on the songs "Ascension to Destiny" and "Die For My Sins." Some of the riffs were a lot faster and could have fit well on a speed metal record. Tracks like "The Third War" and "Battle Angels" in particular, as both songs have an almost anthem-like feel to them, making them perfect songs to charge into war to. 

While the aforementioned songs are all terrific, Sanctuary was really at their best when they were successfully blending those elements with clean and acoustic sections. The intros to "Sanctuary" and "Veil of Disguise" add an epic atmosphere to the overall product, especially when the vocals come in. The combination of the chilling clean/acoustic interludes and Warrel Dane's "Marcolin-esque" vocals are damned good, and even better once some heavier riffs come in and Dane's vocals start to resemble Rob Halford. The song "Termination Force" is another great track from "Refuge Denied" that features the clean guitar passages, but throughout the song and not just the intro. 

It's definitely a shame that Sanctuary never got the attention that they deserved, but that's all part of being an underground legend I guess. It's clear that the work the band did on this record was influential as it can clearly be heard on albums by bigger bands such as Iced Earth on their "Night of the Stormrider" album. "Refuge Denied" is a must-have if you're a fan of great music and if not, then enjoy listening to your Nevermore. 

Highlights

"Die For My Sins"

"Sanctuary"

"Veil of Disguise"

Final Rating

Masterpiece [9.1/10]