Traitors Gate - The Devil Takes The High Road [1985] (EP)

It's truly a shame how hundreds of obscurities were buried and lost during the clamorous days of early power/heavy metal (1983-1988) simply because they didn't have sufficient outings to burgeon into bigger, more commercially successful groups. For the collector of rarities, however, scrutinizing this particular era in search as such exemplary specimens like the one I have at my hand, must be a wonderful prospect; and, given the time and effort I've spent to randomly exhume this EP among a heap of other, less interesting gems, it truly is. The name Traitors Gate will probably be a novelty for many readers who are reading this review, and admittedly, they were not known to me until a couple of weeks. The band's discography is painfully short: two demos followed by their sole EP and final release, ''The Devil Takes The High Road'', but I need not say that their finest offering is magnificent, good enough to top most of its primordial contemporaries.

Traitors Gate toys with that flamboyantly oblique niche in between classic NWOBHM and sturdy USPM ambition that makes for the tool of old school escapism. Granted, the riffs are nothing superior or utterly convincing in their delivery, but the overall ambiance and aesthetic preferences weave a sort of resplendent aura, and the production is quite clear too, if not perfect. For such a short EP, the three tracks presented showed an outstanding amount of variation, constantly channeling between vibrant melody lines that plod on somewhat mournful ground, bouncing off the edges of contours of the rhythms, which sway fluidly but with a crispy speed metal attachment. As you may expect, the riff-work is composed simply, but shift in accordance with the song structures with such fluent finesse that you don't give as much as a damn about the sheer simplicity of the patterns. Hugh Jones' vocals are high-pitched at all times and resonate with a wondrously balanced level of reverb - he has the potential to shriek his lungs out with a banshee-induced inflection, but he prefers to put less emphasis on harsh vocal deliveries and focuses on a much more NWOBHM-oriented timbre. Still, this doesn't hinder the quality of the EP, as his somewhat romantic vocal embrace has a terrific tinge to the ear on the chorus of ''Love After Midnight'', which sounds a lot like ''Wasting Love'' by Iron Maiden.

The title track sets the stage from the start, commencing with moody, mid-paced intro and then converting itself into a hooking verse riff, and truth be told, the lyrics are quite memorable:

I see a gleam in your eye,
the time is fast approaching.
You say you're flying high.
Already hit the headlines,
as they pump out the news,
of a new Enchanter,
as The Devil takes the high road,
he calls the passers by.

Come with me and we'll go,
faster, higher than any star.
Come with me and we'll go,
faster, higher than any star.

''Shoot To Kill'', as the name suggests, dives into a more aggressive territory, with sumptuously crunchy guitar tones and classic NWOBHM chugs, swerving with simple but immaculate authenticity. Among all the NWOBHM/USPM obscurities I've discovered over the past few weeks, who would have know that this, perhaps the obscurest one of them all, would have appealed to me the most? ''The Devil Takes The High Road'' is no novelty for connoisseurs of NWOBHM or USPM, but it's certainly one worth a collector's time - my only gripe was that the brevity of the EP (some 10 minutes) forced me to listen to it intermittently until I had fully satisfied myself. Otherwise, from the hellish creature riding on horseback, to the catchy lyrics, this is a jumpy, even elegant discourse in NWOBHM and USPM 101 which you shouldn't miss out on.

Highlights

''The Devil Takes The High Road''

''Love After Midnight''

''Shoot To Kill''

Final Rating

Awesome [8.3/10]

Manilla Road - Out of the Abyss [1988]

If someone were to listen to Manilla Road's pre-2000 output, they would more than likely notice that there was a constant changing in the band's sound, yet Shelton always retained a signature style that immediately let the listener know that they were in for a Manilla Road album. This listener might also notice that the changes in sounds came in pairs. The first two records clung to a proto-metal sound, while "Crystal Logic" and "Open the Gates" would go on to become masterpieces of the heavy metal genre, and the latter two albums "The Deluge" and "Mystification" would inject a healthy amount of thrash into the epic sound. Enter the band's seventh studio album and once again, there is an obvious shift in sound. "Out of the Abyss" is easily the darkest output for the band to date, conjuring up wicked sounds similar to groups like Iron Cross, Satan's Host, Metal Church, etc. 

There are a couple of reasons why "Out of the Abyss" has a much darker edge to the sound, but the main reason is once again, the absolute genius of Mark Shelton. Whether he's using sinister sounding and mysterious clean guitar sections ("Return of the Old Ones") or a much more insane vocal style with gruesome lyrics ("Whitechapel"), the music is undoubtedly more evil than it's been before. It would be a stretch to say that the Shark's vocals improved, but they definitely take on different forms throughout these nine tracks. The man sounds fucking deranged on the opener "Whitechapel" as his vocals perfectly convey the insanity of the man who the song is about (Jack the Ripper). "Rites of Blood" is another track that follows the precedent set by the album-opener, as the palm-muted riffs, catchy basslines and vocals all contribute to a more diabolical sound. Songs like "Black Cauldron" and "Midnight Meat Train" have a similar thrashing vibe to them that songs on the previous records have, and it wouldn't be much of a shock to see fans of tunes like "Masque of Red Death" and "Divine Victim" thoroughly enjoy these tracks. 

Of course, Manilla Road is a heavy metal band, and what kind of album would "Out of the Abyss" be without some epic songs that hearken back to the days of "Dreams of Eschaton" and "The Ninth Wave?" "War in Heaven" features the familiar clean guitar passages that serve as the perfect backdrop for Shelton's vocals that sing of battles between deities, before the song eventually turns into a distortion-laden one filled with incredible solos and faster riffs. The album closer "Helicon" is a stellar track to say the least, and one of my all-time favorite Manilla Road songs. Mark has one of his best vocal performances on this song, and every other part of the music followed suit to deliver a heavy metal classic. While I don't enjoy "Out of the Abyss" as much as the few albums before it, this record is still an enjoyable listen with some decent to amazing songs, that would only add to the band's legacy as one of America's premier metal bands. 

Highlights

"Whitechapel"

"War in Heaven"

"Helicon"

Final Rating

Awesome [8.5/10]

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]

Manilla Road - The Deluge [1986]

There was a clear evolution in Manilla Road's sound that was first evidenced when their masterpiece "Crystal Logic" hit the metal underground, and they would follow it up with an equally amazing record in "Open the Gates," and only a year later they would release their fifth full-length in "The Deluge." Much like the albums that preceded this record, there was still an ongoing evolution to the band's sound and if you recognize the year this record was released then it should come to no surprise that "The Deluge" embraced the rapidly rising aesthetics of the thrash subgenre to essentially deliver an awesome album that carried on the epic style from its predecessors while injecting a sizable dose of thrashy goodness, without forsaking any of the tenets of what made Manilla Road's earlier output so damn good. It would definitely be a stretch to consider this material thrash, but more along the lines of what the early US power metal bands (Omen, Jag Panzer, Attacker, etc) were doing, incorporating fantasy-themed lyrics with faster and heavier riffs than typical heavy metal bands. 

Much like "Open the Gates," Randy "Thrasher" Foxe lived up to his nickname again on "The Deluge." The opening track "Dementia" immediately showcases the man's intense and sporadic drumming which contributed greatly to Manilla Road's faster and heavier sound. Shelton also took pleasure in kicking the tempo up a notch, delivering thrashy riff after riff. One of the band's most memorable songs "Divine Victim" has upbeat riffs that are incredibly catchy, almost reminiscent of thrash acts like Anthrax or (early) Overkill, not to mention one of Shelton's best solos (and this man has a lot of 'em). "Taken By Storm" doesn't have any complicated structures or span 7-8 minutes, but its the perfect example of what Manilla Road accomplished with this album; it consists of mainly midpaced to fast riffs, yet it still retains the epic vibe that songs like "Witches Brew" or "Crystal Logic" had. "Hammer of the Witches" also proves to be one of Shelton's heaviest tunes yet, featuring crushing riffs and a stellar chorus that shouts "Burn them all!" in his signature voice, which proves to be just as strong as ever, even showing slight improvements from "Open the Gates."

And how could there be a Manilla Road album without a ton of solos and clean interludes? "Shadows in the Black" features Shelton's more soothing vocal stylings over the clean guitar before it eventually turns into another thrashy onslaught, while "Isle of the Dead" uses the clean guitar tone for a more sinister atmosphere that conveys the title of the track tremendously. Then there's the brilliant title track that lives up to the epic songs that came before it, as Shelton conjured up some jaw-dropping solos, magnificent vocals and plenty of memorable riffs that were executed flawlessly. The album closer "Rest in Pieces" is a wicked shredding piece that only furthers Shelton's legacy as a god with the guitar. While "The Deluge" is a notch or two below "Crystal Logic" and "Open the Gates," its still an incredible record worth the time of any Manilla Road fan, and it ranks up there with some of the best metal records released in 1986. 

Highlights

"Divine Victim"

"Hammer of the Witches"

"The Deluge"

Final Rating

Damn Close To A Masterpiece [8.9/10]

Manilla Road - Open the Gates [1985]

I cannot even fathom how difficult it must have been for Mark Shelton to top his previous masterpiece "Crystal Logic," a near flawless album that really defined Manilla Road's epic sound, but it was probably just another day at the office for the band when they crafted this very worthy follow-up in "Open the Gates." This record may not be universally recognized as amazing as its predecessor, but for myself, this album is right up there with "Crystal Logic." In fact, its a regular battle to decide which album I prefer with one being the favorite for one week and the other being my favorite the next. As amazing as the band was on the previous full-length, the effort and results on "Open the Gates" is just as phenomenal, as the epic factor would be kicked up a notch, while also making sure the shorter material was equally brilliant and memorable. 

Since this record came after "Crystal Logic," its only natural for there to be some similarities between the two albums. Both "Road of Kings" and "Witches Brew" provide the catchy headbanging tracks that compliment the more epic material perfectly (like "The Ram" and "Necropolis" did for the album before), as the songs have memorable riffs, vocal passages, drumming, solos and everything in between to create a couple of raging tunes, with the latter song being a Manilla Road classic. "Astronomica" serves a similar purpose as the title track to the previous full-length did, as it perfectly blends catchy riffs with an instantly memorable chorus and plenty of goosebump-inducing moments. "The Fires of Mars" is the answer to "The Veils of Negative Existence," with its haunting, yet beautiful aura. This song is also the proud owner of one of the greatest guitar solos in the known universe as Shelton wails away on his guitar like never before. And much like the previous effort, there are the songs that don't quite measure up to the others (and keep the record from being flawless) but remain a joy to listen to nonetheless in "Metalstrom," "Open the Gates" and "Heavy Metal to the World."

"Open the Gates" isn't an attempt at re-writing "Crystal Logic," though, despite the parallels I've drawn between the two. The music on here has an even more epic feel to the songs and part of that reason is because Shelton's vastly improved vocals that suit the style incredibly well. His singing on "Astronomica" is one of the reasons why I consider the song to be a timeless one, because it exemplifies what has always been the band's greatest strength, and that is Shelton's talent for making every part of the music, whether its the vocals, riffs or drumming (which also significantly improved here), flow together excellently. "The Ninth Wave" is another stunning song that was forged in the same vein as tracks like "The Empire" and "Dreams of Eschaton," only its a little more progressive, but a fucking terrific song regardless. Manilla Road definitely raised the bar for heavy metal with this mind-blowing release and it cemented the band's legacy as one of the premier American heavy metal bands. If you're a fan of the albums that came before this one, or even after then you shouldn't even think twice about listening to this masterpiece. 

Highlights

"Astronomica"

"The Ninth Wave"

"The Fires of Mars"

"Witches Brew"

Final Rating

Masterpiece [9.6/10]

Manilla Road - Crystal Logic [1983]

With two albums under Mark Shelton's belt, it came time to continue Manilla Road's ascent to greater heights with the ushering in of a different and improved sound, and "Crystal Logic" is the vehicle for this advancement of the band's music (and career). After debuting with the awesome "Invasion" and then failing to follow up with another solid release ("Metal"), the Kansas group unleashed arguably their greatest collection of music, taking their proto-metal tendencies from the first two records and morphing them into an epic heavy metal masterpiece. The change in the overall sound for the band was so massive that the drummer at the time left the band because of it, but that's his loss because this is an album that is sure to go down in legend as a magnum opus of the epic heavy metal genre, especially for the Americans who were busy with the glam scene, punk and the spawning of the thrash genre. 

"Crystal Logic" is the execution of the hints of brilliance that were present on "Invasion." The epic "The Empire" from the debut showed what the band was capable of delivering, but not until their third effort, did Mark "The Shark" Shelton and company finally achieve the grandiose, yet entirely catchy sound that avoided Manilla Road on "Metal." The absence of catchy and memorable riffs on the previous full-length proved to be no concern on this album, as this album is a total riff-fest. "Necropolis" is an absolute classic, not only of Manilla Road's catalog, but of the entire genre, as the upbeat, near thrashy riffs keep the listener captivated throughout, while Shelton's trademark nasally-rasp vocals bounce along and create incredible moments like the ever-memorable chorus that screams three simple words repeatedly "Lost in Necropolis!" And the title track is no different as it features headbanging riffs that weave in and out of the ever changing tempo perfectly and much like "Necropolis," there's hardly any chance that anyone can listen to this track just once. 

Of course, the real epic here is the album-closer "Dreams of Eschaton," a masterful song that spans twelve minutes, but retains an amazing level of replay value. Its definitely not everyday that I can listen to a song this long over and over, but Manilla Road is that damn good when it come to creating this type of music. Other songs like "The Ram" and "The Veils of Negative Existence" are terrific as well, as they feature even more fragments of the band's sound. The former track is a catchy headbanger while the latter is almost doomy at times as it slays the listener with its melancholic riffs and lyrics("I will never put my sword down, I will never run away!"). I can't bring myself to utter a single sleight against "Crystal Logic," and had "Feeling Free Again" and "The Riddle Master" been on par with the other classics here, this record would be absolutely perfect, but being damn-near perfect isn't too bad either. It's obvious that this was the release that marked the beginning of something truly special for the band, and nearly thirty years later this album is still a pinnacle of heavy metal, and it will be thirty years from now too. 

Highlights

"Necropolis"

"Crystal Logic"

"The Veils of Negative Existence"

"Dreams of Eschaton"

Final Rating

Masterpiece [9.6/10]

Manilla Road - Metal [1982]

When you choose the name "Metal" for the title of your new record, that implies a couple of things. The main thing that it implies is that the music found on this album should be heavy metal, but the music on Manilla Road's sophomore full-length is still very proto-metal, embracing the same sound that the previous album had, only Shelton and the gang decided to strip the music of its epic qualities and release shorter songs that had more of a "metal" resemblance. This turned out to be a horrible idea that saw the group fall into the "sophomore slump" as this is easily the most mediocre and forgettable album in the band's (Pre-2000) discography. 

Manilla Road's previous full-length "Invasion" was a terrific starting point that showed glimpses of what the band would accomplish in the future, while "Metal" is an album that should not have been released in the form it was, because there are definitely some moments where the band showed they were ready to take their sound to that next level, but for the most part the execution of that ideal sound was nowhere to be heard. "Queen of the Black Coast" is one of the two solid tracks on this album that is worth listening to, as mostly everything clicked on this song. Mark's ability to create music that flows together smoothly was nearly absent on this record, but on this particular song the riffs are rockin' and his vocals are tremendous. And much like the album that came before, the closing track "Cage of Mirrors" is an epic full of acceptable riffs, solos, and compelling vocals that bring a darker edge to the song, something new and fresh for the band. 

That's really where the praise for "Metal" stops, though. The other songs are far too forgettable to even try and re-listen to over and over hoping for them to suddenly grow on me. The songs started to get shorter, something that I have no problem with, but the music lacked anything memorable. The riffs all maintained an amount of rock attitude and fervor, but they don't seem to stick. In fact, I found the bassist's performance to be more acceptable because I can remember the basslines and fills more than the riffs (something that should not be happening). And of course, there's the incredibly misleading title track. While the lyrics are something that any proud metal fan should enjoy, the music is boring and played on a clean guitar (ironic?). This is an album that I probably won't actively seek out for quite a while, especially when the two songs worth listening to aren't even that great when compared to much better material produced later on in the band's career.

Highlights
"Queen of the Black Coast"
"Cage of Mirrors"

Final Rating
Mediocre [7.2/10]

Manilla Road - Invasion [1980]

This is the album that started what was to become an incredible catalog of epic metal at its absolute finest, and it wasn't even a heavy metal album. Still, "Invasion," is well worth the time for fans of Manilla Road's other work, as there are plenty of seedlings for what Mark Shelton and (various different) company would later produce in their career. The six tracks on this record could all be considered proto-metal, as the music isn't too different from what bands like Heavy Load, Legend, Rainbow, etc were doing in the late '70s and early '80s, taking the rock n' roll attitude (and some riffs) as well and blending them with a heavier kind of sound. There are also some bits and pieces taken from the psychedelic bands of the time that could be plucked out of certain parts of the songs, but not enough to consider Manilla Road a psychedelic, flower-power band, because these guys were creating music about war games and mighty empires with songs that featured long, intricate compositions and an epic feel that would stick with the band for decades. 

Aside from the ballad "Centurian War Games," the songs on "Invasion" clock in from five minutes up to thirteen minutes, leaving plenty of room for the Kansas metalheads to leave an impression. There are familiar aspects in just about all of the songs in that they feature Shelton's unique vocal stylings, scores of solos, rockin' riffs and plenty of catchy moments to keep the listener enthralled. The thirteen minute opus "The Empire" is an essential listen for fans of Manilla Road or the epic style in general, as this track set the bar for the longer and more grand style of songs that the band would create later on. Mark Shelton's ability to craft music that flows together perfectly is displayed throughout the album, from the opening "The Dream Goes On," which blends traditional galloping riffage with vibrant rock n' roll styled hooks, to the aforementioned album closer that shifts effortlessly between soothing clean guitars and distorted, uptempo riffs. "Cat and Mouse" is an absolute solo-fest that has probably had many old-timers whipping out their air-guitars, while "Street Jammer" is a fun tune more along the rock n' roll side as evidenced by the riffs. 

"Invasion" is not the defining album for the prolific Manilla Road, but it was a great starting point for the band and their ever-evolving sound. Having the convenience of being able to listen to this group's latter music and then being able to come back to this record has allowed me to appreciate this one a bit more, because the overall sound of the music is obviously different, but the spirit of the music and the same fantasy-riddled atmosphere is present, having never left the fold from song after song and album after album. This album may not be one that strikes the listener upon the first listen simply because of how different the music is and it isn't necessarily "metal," but after giving it a few spins and letting the music digest, I would find it hard to believe that fans of "Crystal Logic" or "Open the Gates" cannot appreciate this record. 

Highlights
"Far Side of the Sun"
"Street Jammer"
"The Empire"

Final Rating
Awesome [8.4/10]

Glacier - Glacier [1985] (EP)

Though Glacier weren’t late comers to the early 80’s power/heavy scene, for some reason they were buried deep in the stockpile of bands that were releasing considerably decent, retro material. The band was born in 1979, and their entire discography is adorned with only three releases, two demos, and this, their Ep. It’s quite obvious that Glacier was not intending on doing heavy, exceedingly fast or intense music, and even if they wanted to, the hindrance that is time would be blocking their way. The Ep isn’t even on par with some of the better, more sophisticated acts like Jag Panzer or Fates Warning, often preferring a light overtone to fit the classically decorated traditional heavy/power texture, with a diminishing raw production quality put on top of that, and overall it becomes obvious that Glacier built their five-track Ep upon some of the more classic sounding aesthetics of the genre.

The rawness of the production renders the music itself sharp and crisp, despite picking on riffs that aren’t so hefty. Though throughout the fire tracks that the Ep offers you’ll find an adequate measure of variation, which, mostly reflects the band’s propensity for catchy, hooking material, churning traditional speed metal qualities with power metal traits, there will be a gradual inclination towards an epic touch, most notably on the first two tracks. It’s not a grandiose feeling, but as many of the band’s proponents, the epic sense of the music culminates in the chorus sequence, flaring a soulful mood in the listener, and once triggered with some backup vocals, the combination becomes truly beguiling, if not wholly indulging the listener in burgeoning elegy.

And interesting fact about the Ep is that it consisted of three vocalists, Keith Flax doing ‘’When Heaven’s At Hand’’, Rex Macnew on ‘’Vandetta’’ and Mike Podrybaou on vocal duties on the remaining three songs. This is an interesting element to add to the music because each of the vocalists espouse somewhat of a different touch to the tracks, varying according to their styles, apparently. Keith Flax sounds totally like Ozzy, which is not something I’m complaining about, and Podrybaou is an efficient singer, as he swipes fluently through the finalizing tracks, which prove to the brisker excursions than the first two songs. I wouldn’t really call ‘’Glacier’’ a mind-boggling release, but it semi-complexity pervades and the structures still remain captivating. ‘’Glacier’’ is not essential by any means, though with its classic fluctuations, deep, minor leads thrilling about and excellent share of melody, it makes for a worthy listen.  

Highlights

''When Heaven's At Hand''

''Ready For Battle''

''Speak No Evil''

Final Rating

Awesome [8.1/10]

Chastain - The Voice of the Cult [1988]

“The Voice of the Cult” is Chastain’s fourth album in four years. After releasing their third assault “The 7th of Never,” you would think that the band might want to start stepping their game up and branching out to achieve a better sound, but that didn’t happen. Instead, this album suffers the same fate that the previous one did. Chastain decided to stick with the same formula that got them where they were, and to be honest, this band just doesn’t have the ability to play the same stuff over and over and be revered as legends. Sure, this release is still awesome and I enjoy re-visiting it when in the mood for some heavy/power metal, but the potential that was found on the band’s magnum opus “Ruler of the Wasteland” was gone, and their chances for topping that album were too. 

If you’ve heard the group’s previous album, then you should have a fair idea of what “The Voice of the Cult” sounds like, as a majority of the music here treads on familiar territory, rarely ever attempting to travel down another path. There’s plenty of shredding and melodies to be found in the midst of the solid riffage and Leather Leone’s amazing vocals, which have not lost a beat at all. She’s still got the range and the power she had on the first three Chastain full-lengths and it’s a reason why she’s always being compared to the legendary Mike Howe of Metal Church fame. Like I said before, I don’t really have a problem with the band’s decision to not try and take their sound to another level and sticking with the formula, because tracks like “The Voice of the Cult,” “Live Hard,” and “Chains of Love” are all worth listening to, but it feels like they could have been on any of the other albums before. 

Of course, not all of the music here sticks to the same old, same old. There are some cool little nuances that separate the great tracks from the good ones. “Share Yourself With Me” is one of the group’s more aggressive tracks, with its galloping riffage and the performance of one of the best front women in metal definitely gives the song some more anger. “Fortune Teller” has a darker kind of vibe to it thanks to the melodies and riffs throughout, harkening back to the band’s best record “Ruler of the Wasteland,” and “Child of Evermore” features some thrashy riffage reminiscent of Dave Mustaine. “Take Me Home” is the closest thing to epic on this album, and while not quite as mindblowing as some of the band’s previous material, it’s still a quality listen. I will give Chastain credit, because they released three very good albums in a row, which is not an easy feat. “The Voice of the Cult” ranks below the last album and this also the last album the band released that I care for, but fans of old-school heavy/power metal should still have no problem trying to sing along with Leather Leone and air-guitaring to the inhuman David Chastain. 

Highlights

“Share Yourself With Me”

“Fortune Teller”

“Take Me Home”

Final Rating

Awesome [8/10]

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]

Chastain - Mystery of Illusion [1985]

Heavy metal in 1985 was still a morphing and always changing landscape, as there were groups thrashing as hard as they could, bands that were taking evil beyond its limits (Bathory and Celtic Frost), and then there were bands like Chastain who wanted to play like their heroes in Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, etc. A lot of American bands who played in this vein were usually a bit faster and ended up pioneering the USPM subgenre, but Chastain played very much like the forefathers on “Mystery of Illusion,” the band’s debut full-length record. Was this band’s rendition of heavy metal as good as the legends before? No, not really, but this album serves as a terrific foundation of what was to come in this band’s future.

As many would expect, the songs on this album are dominated by midpaced riffs and a lot of melodies, which is made apparent on the first track “Black Knight,” which consists of the aforementioned riffs and a decent melodic intro. The melody that opens “I Fear No Evil” is definitely an ear-catcher and the riffs later on also follow suit. Unfortunately, Chastain wasn’t very consistent and songs like “When the Battle’s Over” and “I’ve Seen Tomorrow” tread along a mediocre path due to derivative riffs and a lack of proper execution that was seen on other memorable tracks like “Mystery of Illusion” and “The Winds of Change.” Another track that just didn’t stick well at all was “Night of the Gods,” a sludgy song that had plenty of St. Vitus and Black Sabbath influence, but this clearly isn’t the style of music that Leather Leone and the crew excel at. 

Speaking of Leather Leone, she is one of the highlights on this album with her beautiful voice that possesses an insane range. Her singing on “Endlessly” is soothing and pleasant, but she can also hit the high notes and bring a bit of aggression to her vocals as well (“I Fear No Evil”). Another bright spot on this full-length is the lead guitar work of David T. Chastain. There are of course the aforementioned melodies that show off his skill, but this man can absolutely shred and this is noted in just about every song. His solos are brilliant, there’s a perfect mix of melody and technicality in every one, adding something to remember on even the dullest of songs. “Mystery of Illusion” isn’t the greatest heavy metal album that you’ve never heard, because there are plenty out there that are better, but it’s still a quality listen from a stellar band who would later go on to unlock their real potential with their next release. 

Highlights

“Mystery of Illusion”

“I Fear No Evil”

“The Winds of Change”

Final Rating

Mediocre [7.8/10]

Halloween - Vicious Demo [1990]

After releasing their well-accepted debut record "Don't Metal With Evil" in 1985, Halloween wouldn't release anything new for five years. That new release was this five-track demo entitled "Vicious Demo." The title of the demo is a little misleading because Halloween plays some catchy heavy metal, but I would never describe it as vicious. Once you get past that, though, there is some top-notch music to be found throughout this 20 minute demo from the Detroit headbangers. 

The first song on here is "I Confess" which is definitely the standout on "Vicious Demo." The riffage is solid, but the vocals and guitar solos really take this track over the top. The chorus is incredibly catchy and it's sure to be burn inside the listener's head (even if it is kind of a love song). Next up is "Vicious Lies," which actually lives up to the title as it's the most vicious song on here (it's still not very vicious). The midpaced riffs throughout are heavy and the faster moments are terrific too. "Evil Nation" is easily the weakest song on the demo, but the next track "Agony" more than makes it up for it with some fantastic vocals that soar over the top with higher pitch yells, as well as some beautiful singing done in the chorus which has some brilliant riffs. "Black Skies" is a more epic song with its cool buildup that features stellar lead work that ends with some catchy riffs and more general awesome from Halloween. The main strengths of "Vicious Demo" are absolutely the vocals and guitarwork and that's why these songs are as good as they are. Not to knock the rhythm section of the band, but the overall product wasn't taken to another plateau or made worse by them either. If you're a fan of heavy metal, then Halloween and this demo deserve your time and if you're not a fan of heavy metal, leave the hall!

Highlights

"I Confess" 

"Vicious Lies"

"Agony"

Final Rating

Awesome [8.4/10]

Stormtrooper - Armies Of The Night [1985] (EP)

The early and primitive aesthetics of many metal sub-genres were reached their climax during the time where they were first born, and no matter how much you enjoy the brickwall superiority and contemplating complexity of modern power metal bands, you can’t deny that the genre was at its best during the early/mid 80’s when it was dominated by pure raw energy, and the USPM scene always mustered some of the best metal around, brisk, tight, catchy, and even bedecked with carnivorous evil at times. Iron Cross’s sequential debut album is the best example to the early, evil-tinged power metal, and their fellow countrymen Stormtrooper is an act even more obscure, yet just as deadly and vigorous.

The year is 1985, and the USPM power metal classics have just been unleashed, with many more to come, and Stormtrooper’s debut Ep, ‘’Armies Of The Night’’ proves to be an especially original (for the time) five track barrage of early thrash savagery mixed with an energized portion of USPM a la Jag Panzer, and a dose of NWOBHM, since many genres haven’t culminated at that time. The production quality is also surprisingly clean, rendering the instruments audible, but a gritty tone is naturally unavoidable.  Stormtrooper even exploit a bit of punk to add some steam and intensity to the foray of riffs, but there’s also plenty of melody, not just bland chords played in an inexorable attitude, but a fresh breath of air every time another song kicks in. Another record that definitely contributed in the main structure of ‘’Armies Of The Night’’ is undeniably, ‘’Kill ‘Em All’’, but the music here is slightly more epic shrouded in fog than the genre defining masterpiece, and you can also be sure that’s it’s not as sordid, since this is after all power metal.

The rough, croaky delivery of the vocals is perfect for the music under it, raw, evil-natured and frantic, and even raspy when he tends to shriek out, a bit like Millie in his early days. But even though it’s raw and gritty, ‘’Armies Of The Night’’ is surely not dissonant and devoid of harmony, and ridiculously catchy, at that. Unfortunately, it Stormtrooper did last long, and shortly after this, their sole, release, the band disbanded, leaving us with only eighteen minutes evil power/thrash. Perhaps the Ep may not be on par with its peers that helped shape the genre, but it’s an Ep that any resident USPM fan should be zealous about.

Highlights

''Armies Of The Night''

''Steamroller''

''The Beast Within''

Final Rating

Awesome [8.3/10]

Chastain - Ruler of the Wasteland [1986]

Just by glancing at the album art, you can probably tell what you're getting yourself into when it comes time to listen to "Ruler of the Wasteland." This is epic heavy/power metal of top form with plenty of Judas Priest and Maiden worshiping going on. Chastain is a band that is for some reason, not as popular as they should have been. I rarely ever see mentions of this band on the internet and I stumbled across them by accident myself, but I'm fucking glad that I did. The band's first record "Mystery of Illusion" honestly isn't anything worth writing home about, as it's solid, but it just can't compete with this greatly improved sophomore album, a record boasting epic atmospheres, catchy hooks and fantastic melodies throughout. 

"Ruler of the Wasteland" starts off with the title track and immediately the listener is grabbed by the shredding solos and the catchy Judas Priest-inspired riff that follows. But then the vocals come in, and I'm sure if I didn't tell you or you didn't look it up yourself, you would never guess that Chastain was fronted by a female in Leather Leone. Her vocals are plenty aggressive (well, as far as power metal goes. Think David Wayne of Metal Church), but there are also plenty of moments where she hits the real high notes and she does so with the greatest of ease. The range of Leone's vocals is a definite highlight on this album, as it provides the listener with some added variety to the already varied music. Some of the tracks are typical power metal tunes that feature typical riffage and shredding solos galore, with "One Day to Live" and "Fighting to Stay Alive" being the main ones to follow this archetype. Tracks like "The King Has the Power" and "There Will Be Justice" travel a more unorthodox route, using the bass as the focal point of the music at points and mixing in the acoustic sections with the rest of the music, but the songs are fine nonetheless. 

Of course, I said Chastain has their epic material and that's really when they're at their best. "Angel of Mercy" is the best track on "Ruler of the Wasteland" with its chilling intro, terrific riffs, stellar melodies and solos, and of course the soaring vocals that top everything off. I guarantee this song will be stuck in your head for a while. "Living in a Dreamworld" and "The Battle of Nevermore" are also pretty epic in their own right, though they just can't measure up to the brilliance of "Angel of Mercy" (Then again, that would be asking too much). "Ruler of the Wasteland" is just another awesome album that came out in the year where so many masterpieces were released that it unfortunately got lost in the shuffle, but that's no reason to doubt the top-notch material here, so check out Chastain immediately or heads will roll...

Highlights

"Ruler of the Wasteland"

"Angel of Mercy"

"Living in a Dreamworld"

Final Rating

Awesome [8.6/10]

Iron Maiden - Powerslave [1984]

There's not a single metalhead out there that hasn't heard of Maiden and at least a few of their most essential songs, if not whole albums. Going strong and growing stronger with each release, Maiden forged an unbreakable barricade of classic albums, consecutively releasing five albums within just five years, starting from 1980's infamous ''Killers'', to this, their eternal and timeless classic, ''Powerslave'', an album so majestic that it's condemned to stay a virgin for infinity. Maiden already found the sound that would use for the next 9-10 years with ''The Number Of The Beast'', but on Powerslave, everything is established perfectly and every single detail is worked out masterfully; from Steve Harris's bumping, groovy bass line, to Nicko's simple yet balanced drumming, to the beautifully worked out harmonies and eccentric leads and melodies, to Bruce's dominating voice that soars over everything.

The songs are nothing extremely intricate really, but they're displayed so extravagantly that's its hard to omit them. The clean, warm atmosphere and production quality provides viability for the riffs and renders them clean, and melodies sound sharp and vigorous as they're calm and melodious, beautiful. Most verse sections of the songs are driven with power chords and typical NWOBH gallops and chugs, but an occasional narrating melody also seems to be prominent during certain passages. The luminous effect of the melodies is what makes this album so special, but the delivery is also fantastic as the songs never lack life energy or any sort of garnishment to improve themselves. The music is as soft as it can get, so there's really no need to add anything decorative into the mix, and as mellow tides of harmonious melodies effortlessly, swiftly roll into a catchy little gallop, you'll be too concerned with the efficiency of the music to give a fuck.

As important as encompassing aspects are, it's obvious that its the real musicianship here that makes the music special and the perfect adjustment of the delivery that disables any nitpicking. Seriously, how can a band be so effectively balanced and coordinated... and Maiden aren't even trying to be pretentious here. It's hooks are gripping yet so polite that you'll basically allow them attach themselves to your flesh, doubtless just another piece of meat out of many, many others who have fallen into the hooks of ''Powerslave''. The epic side of Maiden kicks in substantial amounts of time on this album, which is another difference from all the other albums, because on ''Powerslave'', copious amounts of riffs are choruses are driven into epic territory, and we have Bruce's amazing vocal work to thank for that. Take the chorus on the title track for example. A  canorous quartet of back up vocalists murmuring, while Bruce's voice soars on top of the main material, which is basically three durable power chords. Three fucking power chords, two back up vocalists and one, ear piercing tone soaring with resonance. Three fucking chords, people! It's absolutely perfect yet so simple, and you can't top that, no matter how hard you try.

The durability of the album keeps renewing itself as the album progresses, and you even keep the enhancement as you will be too baffled a listener to even notice. ''Aces High'' is an exceedingly robust start for the album, wherein thundering melodies of swiftly channel in and forth, as if moving on butter. Yes, butter. And its chorus has to be one of the best metal choruses ever written both music and lyric-wise.

''Run, live to fly, fly to live, do or die
Won't you run, fly to live
Live to fly, Aces High''

''Two Minutes To Midnight'' is a glamorous 70's metal flick, its swaggering array of bluesy riffs and excellent bridges never failing inconsistent, as well as pumping the old metal spirit up. ''Losfer Words ''(Big 'Orra) is a basically a beautiful churning of an abundance of melodies, sharp and is crisp all the time. ''Back In The Village'', ''Flash Of The Blade'' and ''The Duelists'' all embrace the catchy momentum of classic Maiden songs, each flailing out a nifty riffs with a slightly different demeanor of its own. The title track is dripping with mystery and cryptic hints of heavy metal, and most importantly, it stands as the first ever song to entwine with Egyptian subjects, hinted in both the lyrics and the music. The title track is dotted with tiny segments of groove laden arabic riffs and scales, and even Bruce's voice has adopted a sort of mystical, ominous tone to accompany the music. And the journey ends with a rather long exploration into the ocean with ''Rime Of The Ancient Mariner'', guiding its hefty body and over thirteen minute structure most delicately, swaggering with mid paced riffs, attached to each other with subtle melodies, right before breaking into a brooding, queer hiatus. Such a classic an timeless album this is, and there's no way it can lose its virginity, not in this world. You cannot call yourself a metalhead without listening to ''Powerslave'', this is the quintessence and essence of heavy metal, responsible for influencing a large amount of the genre. It will never die.

''Tell my I had to be a Powerslave
I don't wanna die, I'm a god,
Why can't I live on,
When the Life Giver dies,
All around is laid waste,
And in my last hour,
I am a slave to the Power of Death''

Highlights
''Powerslave''
''Flash Of The Blade''
''Rime Of The Ancient Mariner''
''Two Minutes To Midnight''
''Aces High''

Final Rating
Legendary [10/10]

Warlord - Deliver Us (EP) [1983]

When people think of Los Angeles and metal, it's usually the glam scene that people think of. Or just a little later down the line, people may think of Megadeth, Dark Angel, Evildead, etc, but what about the power/heavy metal group, Warlord? These guys might not be the greatest band to ever come from LA, but they definitely deserve more recognition than the little they have, because the music on their debut EP "Deliver Us" is solid to say the least. And when you consider that this EP was released before power metal classics like "Metal Church," "Ample Destruction" and "Battle Cry" that surely has to serve as another reason why these guys should have been bigger. 

"Deliver Us" came out before the aforementioned power metal classics, but I wouldn't call this EP straightforward power metal as it definitely leans towards heavy metal and even classic rock at points, but there is absolutely no denying that some of the music here sounds like Omen or Savage Grace. The track "Lucifer's Hammer" is a catchy, midpaced number that was more than likely a live favorite, and "Deliver Us From Evil" takes a little more of an epic approach with melodic choruses featuring soaring vocals that sound a lot like some of the Euro-power bands that would pop up later. "Child of the Damned" is some grade-A Judas Priest worship that comes complete with the melodic, upbeat riffage and opening screams, while "Winter Tears" is a melodic song that perfectly conveys the emotion of the lyrics while retaining a great amount of memorability. 

Unfortunately, the second half of this EP just doesn't live up to the first and that drags down the overall quality of this recording. Had "Penny for a Poor Man" and "Black Mass" been on par with the earlier tracks, this would have undoubtedly been a masterpiece, but the lack of catchy passages and the unnecessary keyboards which made the band sound more akin to a band like Rush or Boston (Not that I have any problems with those bands, but I prefer it when keyboards stay the fuck out of my metal) rather than the very capable heavy band that they were. Luckily everything else on "Deliver Us" is terrific, from King's stellar vocals that are highly soothing to the ear, to the fantastic drumming, all the way to the solos. This comes with a high recommendation if you're into any of the other bands that were mentioned earlier on, and if you don't find yourself enjoying this then you might want to slip into some spandex and head out to a Motley Crue show. 

Highlights

"Deliver Us From Evil"

"Winter Tears"

"Child of the Damned"

Final Rating

Awesome [8.4/10]