Vio-Lence Eternal Nightmare Album Review

Vio-Lence - Eternal Nightmare (1988)

Band Members:

Sean Killian - Vocals

Phil Demmel - Guitars, Backing Vocals

Robb Flynn - Guitars, Backing Vocals

Deen Dell - Bass, Backing Vocals

Perry Strickland - Drums

Factoid:

Eternal Nightmare is the debut album by the San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal band Vio-lence. It was released originally in 1988 on MCA Records' Mechanix sublabel. A limited 10" promo single was released, with two tracks 'Eternal Nightmare' and 'Phobophobia'; the release was quite unique, as it came in a sealed plastic cover, containing (fake) vomit.[3] Shortly after, thrash metal innovators Slayer released a single in a similar format, but with fake blood and alternative rock band The Revolting Cocks released a single with fake semen.

The Review:

Dear friends,

- climb in your car or get your bicycle,

- drive to the next record store,

- see a Repka artwork,

- buy the album in a matter of seconds,

- drive home on the shortest way,

- do not say hello to your parents,

- put the vinyl on your turntable immediately and

- start to listen, bang your head and play air guitar.

You guessed it, this is how the eighties worked. One of these albums was the debut of Vio-lence, I picked this one up in '88 based on the cover alone, there was no internet, no streaming, very little radio airplay for this kinda stuff, you pretty much bought stuff based on what it looked like, and the song titles. However back in those days, 9 times out of 10 you would most likely find something to like about an album. But let's move onto the review proper now...

When listening to Vio-Lence's “Eternal Nightmare,” it seems almost as if the band took a giant blender the size of Mount Olympus, packed in as many crazed riffs and shredding solos as it will physically allow, and you, the listener, happened to be dragged in for the ride. While this silly and cheap hyperbole can be applied to a multitude of albums, here it really sticks – because rarely will you hear such a spastic, unabashed riff-fest of a thrash album. Many bands come close, but sometimes they often seem too preoccupied with injecting unnecessary ballads, slow atmospheric parts, catchy vocals, and sing-along choruses into the mix. Unlike some of their more well-known Bay Area thrash compatriots, Vio-Lence never lose sight of what is important.

What should be this album's objective weakness is really its true strength – in that it is really isn't much more but a large pile of riffs; quality riffs that take what came before and build off the next, creating a patchwork of an unrelenting sense of hyperactive chaos and urgency throughout. Although they offer virtually nothing innovative, and do not try to, the band surely does what they do better than most, and their sound is unmistakable. Vio-Lence take the pre-established, gleaming thrash aesthetic of Bay Area bands like Testament and Exodus, inject much more of the raw, hardcore punk influences of the East Coast thrash fair of the likes of Anthrax, Nuclear Assault and Overkill, and slather it with much of the gritty intensity and blinding speed and aggression of Slayer or Dark Angel; though Vio-Lence is arguably as thrashy, heavy, unhinged, riff-dense and interesting as the sum of those bands combined.

Especially for a Bay Area-release, “Eternal Nightmare” stands as a pretty damn heavy album, with much of its heaviness being derived from its pure punk-fueled rage and rather crunchy guitar tone. The album has hit that rare jackpot in which the production seems to fit in that nice valley between unabashed raw authenticity and studio cleanliness, leaning more on the gritty side of things. It can conjure up an aesthetic of what Exodus, Testament, and The Big Four were doing in the mid-late eighties without much of the glitter and polish, though I feel most comparable would be a much heavier version of Anthrax's “Among the Living.” The guitars pack a trebly crunch, though in very few instances I do wish the production were as thick as it is on their follow up album, it would make the more nimble, higher register riffs such as the opening of “Phobophobia” and “Kill on Command” a little more imposing. Dean Dell's bass is perfectly audible and pungent, and drummer Perry Strickland's crazed and gimmick-less bass-snare assault is really fucking loud in the mix, which completely adds to the album's signature sound, and for that I am truly thankful. Some may call it sloppy, I call it amazing. Vocalist Sean Killian's hyper-rapid, punk-injected, syllable-spewing bark fits the music absolutely perfectly, and the lyrics which he re-wrote for the album are especially twisted – some of the lyrics deal with people who are particularly good at what they do, namely themes of sadistic dictators, prolific serial killers, professional government-employed hitmen, and the talents of a gifted coroner on the tracks “Bodies on Bodies,” “Serial Killer,” “Kill on Command,” and “Calling in the Coroner” respectively. None of the songs have sing-along choruses, rather the refrains are often accompanied by hefty gang-shouts by the rest of the band.

Though not overtly technical or progressive, the guitar-work here is fairly complex – primary songwriter Phil Demmel and relative newcomer Robb Flynn employ a fairly wide array of thrash rhythms and styles, often within the same riff or section, ranging from blunt tremolo patterns to more rhetorical hooks, to complicated, rapid shredded styled fretboard riffing gymnastics. The riffs are so excellently put together that most of them are highly distinct and memorable despite their sheer velocity and relative intricacy. Rather than routinely cycling through strict verse-chorus structures with ad nauseam repetition between a limited number of riffs, some parts undergo compulsory rhythmic and textural variations, rapidly shuffling back and forth between a set of riffs within their vast and unpredictable pallet of material, creating a blurred sense of rushing tension and organized disarray. This is best heard within the 'start, stop, then throw your spine out-of-order' nature of the iconic title track, whose opening material takes the simple introductory power chord progression and gradually transforms it into a battering riff array throughout, as well as the band's hyperintense, gang-shouting-clad flagship song – “Kill on Command.”

“Serial Killer” and “Bodies on Bodies” are the more meat and potatoes thrashers of the album, while the band's sheer lunacy is epitomized within the crack-cocaine-infused madness that is the 220+ BPM “T.D.S. (Take it as you Will),” especially with its frenetic, Darkness Descends-esque trilled opening riff and tremolo-picked riff mongering. While the band will on minute occasion slow down with some more mid-paced, muscular guitar-work, the album still, by-and-large, smacks you around with a crazed array of manic speedball riffage. The more down-tempo tracks include “Calling in the Coroner” (which was penned by Flynn during his tenure in Forbidden), and part of the first half of “Phobophobia;” the former showcasing the most heavy, churning grooves on the album as well as gnarly gang-shouts near the end; the later boasting an epic middle section as well as the most spiraling and memorable performance from Killian's fucking glorious, Timmy from South Park on crack styled vocals.

This one is for fans looking for a beefed-up, hardcore tinged, million-riff mayhem ventured within the leagues of 80's Sepultura or Demolition Hammer, with the animated and fun-loving ethos of Exodus or even Anthrax. “Eternal Nightmare” is pure riff candy – a rollercoaster of shredding guitar genius, and it's really hard to believe that the same guitarists who brought you the chugga-chug bro-core you hear on the albums “Supercharger” and “The Burning Red” were once the skilled thrash craftsmen you see here.

Kill! On Command! Kill! On Command!

Why the hell did the eighties come to an end?

Score: 4.5/5

Anthrax Among the Living Album Review

Anthrax - Among the Living (1987)

Band members:

Joey Belladonna – lead vocals

Dan Spitz – lead guitar, backing vocals

Scott Ian – rhythm guitar, backing vocals

Frank Bello – bass, backing vocals

Charlie Benante – drums

Production:

Eddie Kramer — producer, engineer

Chris Rutherford — engineer

Francis McSweeney, Chip Schane — assistant engineers

George Marino — mastering at Sterling Sound, New York

Jon Zazula — executive producer

Factoids:

Among the Living is the third studio album by American thrash metal band, Anthrax. It was released on March 22, 1987 by Megaforce Worldwide/Island, and was certified gold by the RIAA on July 31, 1990.The BBC has described the album as "arguably their big breakthrough", and "often cited by fans as their favorite Anthrax album". Drummer and principal songwriter Charlie Benante has referred to Among the Living as Anthrax's "signature album". The album was dedicated to the late Cliff Burton of Metallica who died in a bus accident six months before its release.

The cover art, by illustrator and painter Don Brautigam, has been the subject of discussion. It was long believed to depict the character Rev. Henry Kane, antagonist from the film Poltergeist II: The Other Side, while others believed it depicted Randall Flagg, the subject of the album's title track and the antagonist from the Stephen King novel The Stand. Drummer Charlie Benante, who conceived the concept for the cover, explained: "It was just about how much evil there is amongst us. I wanted to show just the same type of person on the cover. The same type of people and then, the one person that was sticking out kind of giving you a wave, like a 'hi!'".

The Review:

"Disease! Disease! Spreading the disease!" The opening lines of Anthrax' third studio full length record aren't only a reference to the vivid predecessor, they also indicate the addicting strength of this thrash metal milestone. On its third output, the band has finally found its very own style. The East Coast quintet has moved away from its original New Wave of British Heavy Metal sound, several classic rock influences and even most of their hardcore punk touch inspirations. "Among the Living" is the band's rawest, fastest and angriest release and it defines the thrash metal genre better than any other album has ever done.

Over the next fifty minutes of playtime, Anthrax is offering nine pitiless tracks filled with fast riffs and unchained guitar solos, angrily pumping bass guitar licks, ferocious yet versatile high-speed drumming and breathless yet powerful vocals that are emotionally over the top but manage to remain catchy and melodic as they are constantly supported by energizing and angry gang shouts. The lyrics vary between angry yet intelligent social criticism and unchained fun anthems inspired by popular culture. The more serious lyrics are related to contemporary issues back in the days such as the outrageous fate of Native Americans, an ongoing Cold War despite a desire for peace and unity from younger generations and a warning that the horrors of war shouldn't be downplayed, forgotten or neglected. The more carefree texts feature ironic statements about complicated interpersonal relationships, unbound lust for life or are simply inspired by fictitious characters from different art media such as Judge Dredd, Randall Flagg or Reverend Henry Kane. Lyrically, this release is an incredibly authentic time document from the mid-eighties but I can still relate to most of the texts three decades later due to their timeless and youthful spirit.

This mixture of mature and juvenile lyrics would become a trademark for the band that was also a guiding line for the next three studio albums. Even though the band found its own musical style on this release, the quintet opted for less urgent variations of that style on the next three records. Anthrax have never been that poignant again as on "Among the Living". Some of their other albums might be more courageous, diversified or intellectual but this release is probably their best due to its emotions, energy and honesty. In my opinion, this is one of the best thrash metal albums of all time.

Apart of one or two less intense minutes in "A.D.I. / Horror of It All" that sounds alien to this release due to its calmer and sluggish approach and an almost epic length of nearly eight minutes, every track on here is an instant hit and still relevant over thirty years later. Just like a disease, this album makes you sing along, raise your fists in the air and get crazy in a mosh pit. If you want to see what this kind of music can do to an adrenalized crowd, go watch the first thirty minutes of the incredible live release "Chile on Hell" where the band plays the five opening tracks of this milestone in a row more than thirty one years later. From the first epic and melodic seconds of the atmospheric, pace-shifting and pitiless opener "Among the Living" to the angry message against media creation of plastic people in the album closer "Imitation of Life" that ends this milestone with heavy and low bass play, brutal mid-tempo riffs and some dystopian distortion, the intensity of this album is indeed spreading like a disease. If you like metal music, no matter what genre might be your favourite, this is an absolutely essential record to add to your collection or to quote singer Joey Belladonna: "Among the living - follow me or die!"

Score: 5/5

Metal History...Vengeance Rising

Vengeance Rising is a thrash metal band from Los Angeles, California in the United States. The band formed in 1985 as Sacrifice but changed their name to Vengeance the same year, until 1987. The band was formed by Doug Thieme and Roger Dale Martin. They would hire Larry Farkas soon after. The band is known for their amazing albums, as well as the controversy that followed in 1992 when Roger Martinez became an "Atheistic Satanist".

History:

This band's history has been said to be the most bizarre in metal history, I would call that a small overstatement but it is a history filled with very weird occurrences and confusing situations...so here you go, the history of Vengeance Rising.

In 1985, the band began as Sacrifice, with the lineup of Doug Thieme (Guitars) and Roger Dale Martin (Bass). The band would then hire Drummer Steve Bertram. However, Bertram did not last in the band long and would be replaced by Michael "Mike" Betts of Neon Cross. The band's name would change their name to Vengeance, due to the already preexisting death metal band Sacrifice.

The band was known for its fascination with violent themes, as reflected lyrically in their first two albums. Their first two albums, before the split into Die Happy, are considered their best. Their debut Human Sacrifice was called "the most radical Christian album ever released" by HM Magazine editor Doug Van Pelt. Their penchant for violence extended to the stage, and the band would graphically portray the crucifixion of Christ at their shows. Extreme graphics also appeared in the cover art of the band's albums. Both Human Sacrifice and Once Dead were censored by Christian bookstores at least partially because of their violent graphical content. Copies of their third release. Destruction Comes, had a censorship sticker covering the male figure, dubbed "Raegoul", exposing half of his body without skin...but I am getting a bit ahead of myself here.

After the name change, in 1986, the band hired Sharon to perform vocals. The band, now consisting on Sharon, Thieme, Betts, and Martin would perform for an additional year until they changed their name to Vengeance Rising, also hiring Larry Farkas on Lead Guitars (ex-Deliverance), Glen Mancaruso on Drums, and Glenn Rogers on Rhythm Guitars (Deliverance). Mancaruso agreed to perform drums temporarily until they were able to find and hire a new drummer. Soon thereafter, they would hire Roger Martinez on Vocals and everything fell into place.

Two weeks later, Rogers would depart from the band, after writing several songs structures.

The band, with the new lineup, signed to Intense Records. The band then recorded and released their debut album, Human Sacrifice. The band toured on the album with the lineup. The same year, the band would release a demo titled Vengeance. In 1989, the band was featured on a split album, featuring Sacred Warrior, Deliverance, Bloodgood, Shout and David Zaffiro. The album was released through Frontline Records.

In 1990, the band released their sophomore album, titled Once Dead. A review of Once Dead in CCM found that the cover of that albums depiction of "resurrection from spiritual death" was "grisly". Musically, the album showed an influence of speed metal, with thrash arrangements on some songs, like the cover of Deep Purple's Space Truckin', and "Out of the Will", which reminded one reviewer of One Bad Pig. While the vocals often sounded "like someone gargling with razor blades", the lyrics were found to be "very Bible based," and matched with the scriptural references from which they were drawn. However the band members began to feel a disconnect with Martinez, as he would not tour with the band in the van. After the Once Dead Tour, the members met with Martinez and arranged a way for him to keep control of all debts that the band had, with Martinez agreeing to the terms. The band members would, however, later on be accused by Martinez of thievery and leaving him to handle all of the band's debts. These claims were not true.

In 1991, Martinez hired Lead Guitarist Derek Sean (ex-Mortification) and Drummer Chris Hyde (ex-Deliverance, ex-Holy Soldier) to perform on the new upcoming album, titled Destruction Comes. The album is generally considered to be a failing album, as the first two albums were considered the best. However some fans appreciate it more than others. The album also featured additional guitars and bass by Jimmy P. Brown II (Deliverance), Victor Macias (Tourniquet) and Jaime Mitchel (Scaterd Few).

After the album was released, Hyde and Sean departed from the band. Martinez only hired Johnny Vasquez officially for drums, while the rest of the musical section he filled with live musicians. Martinez and Vasquez recorded their newest album, Released Upon the Earth. The live band, consisting of Guitarists George Ochoa (Deliverance, ex-Recon) and Daniel Cordova (Shades of Crimson) as well as Michael "Mike" Wagel on Bass. After the album released, the band split up. The band released a compilation album titled Anthology.

Roger Martinez had previously been a part of the Pentecostal Foursquare Church and was baptized there. He eventually joined a church near Hollywood, where he became a pastor. However, by the release of Released Upon the Earth, he had left his pastor position to perform music full-time. While there, he began looking into faith healing, which found to be a fraud. In the mid 1990s, Martinez departed from the Christian faith, telling HM Magazine he was a committed atheist in 1997. There was some speculation that he was never a Christian and he just put on a performance. According to friends of Martinez, Scott Waters (Ultimatum) and Steve Rowe (Mortification), Martinez began to record music that counteracted his Christian career. Martinez then began making death threats towards individuals he claimed "stabbed him in the back", including Steve Rowe, whose band, Mortification, Martinez assisted in getting a record contract.

At this point, he began working on a non-Christian album under the name Vengeance Rising, however, with much luck the venture never saw the light of day and Martinez disappeared for a brief time. The band at the time had several musicians formerly of the Christian metal scene, who had lost their faith.

In 2004, the founding members, Thieme and Martin, alongside Farkas and Mancaruso reformed the band with Ultimatum vocalist Scott Waters to play a reunion show at the Chain Reaction in Anaheim, California. However, since the band gave Martinez the rights to the debts, he claimed that he owned the name of the band as well. He threatened to sue the band so the concert could not happen. The band changed their name to Once Dead, so they could play the show. The band became it's own project, rather than continued on the Vengeance name and legacy.

In 2017, the band, with the help of Roxx Records, re-released Human Sacrifice on vinyl for it's 30th anniversary. On August 9, 2017, it was reported that Vengeance Rising would reunite at the So Cal Metal Fest 2, with the original lineup of Thieme, Martin, Farkas and Macarsuo, with Jim Settle of Hand of Fire performing vocals for the show. The band performed the show with no incident. The band is currently signed to unspecified label and is working on new music. Despite being known as Vengeance Rising, the band is changing their name to something else. The band returned to the moniker of Once Dead, with the change of Roger Sampson of Precious Death on Drums.

All in all a turbulent history and a really bizarre story as well. However with all its ups and downs one really can't deny the impact this band made on metal music as a whole. I know musicians in all types of metal bands, from traditional, to thrash, to death, to black, even the most guttural of grind bands who have sited at least the debut album as an influence. It was an amazing band who's legacy goes far beyond the controversies and the conflicts, and exists as a beacon of metal mastery that all interested bands can aspire to.

Crimson Glory Transcendence Album Review

Crimson Glory - Transcendence (1988)

Members:

Midnight - lead vocals

Jon Drenning - lead guitar

Ben Jackson - rhythm guitar

Jeff Lords - bass guitar

Dana Burnell - drums

Factoids:

Transcendence is the second studio album by Florida heavy metal group Crimson Glory, released in 1988 via Roadracer Records (now Roadrunner Records) in Europe and MCA Records in United States. It is considered by many to be their finest work. It was recorded at Morrisound Studios.

The artwork was made by Japanese artist Takashi Terada for the Japanese poster art for the 1985 science fiction film Lifeforce, the artwork was also used on an issue of the popular science magazine OMNI.

The Review:

Ah the sequel album if you will. Just like movies, they can be tricky. Sky high expectations (only to come crashing down) are the main reason for people saying that they can’t hold a candle to the original movie or debut album (which would happen with Crimson Glory’s later albums, but we're not here to talk about that now. But having said all that let me assure you that they absolutely meet all expectations and in some instances I dare say they surpass them. One hell of an iconic heavy metal release right up there with all the Maiden and Priest classics. Think of this album as the debut on steroids as far as sheer intensity and power is concerned, though both albums are pretty much cut from the same cloth. Of course both the debut and Transcendence are classics and I’m sure that no one with a pair of functional ears would even try and argue with that. The cover art is bizarrely questionable but let’s not get into that for the time being.

These guys sure as hell realize the importance of a killer opening track and honestly what better choice can there be other than the fist-pumping epic “Lady Of Winter”. The way he screeches “LAAAAADYYY OF WINTAAAAAAR, TUUUURNING TO RAAAAIN!!” plus the catchy-as-hell opening guitar lick of the song itself makes it an instant winner right from the very first listen itself. It has to be noted that this stuff is addictive. Yeah don’t worry, I’m still talking about the song here folks. If you're looking for the more straight-up heavy metal cuts on this album, "Where Dragons Rule" (with an amazing catchy chorus riff), "Red Sharks" (with some super-awesome high pitched vocals) plus the killer riffage of "Eternal World" will suit you just fine not to mention prime cuts like "In Dark Places" (ignore the slightly cheesy lyrics) and "Masque Of The Red Death" have a mid-paced/doomier and more varied twist on the usual template of heavy metal that really makes these guys stand out from the pack. Plus the epic title track has an almost oriental intro with the clean picking and acoustic rhythms. Very interesting indeed and one heck of a grower after the first couple of listens. The riffs are pure gold with sublime lead harmonies, reminiscent of what makes the genre of heavy metal so amazing. Just like Queensryche and Judas Priest, these guys can also rip it on the ballads with absolute class and finesse without sounding cheesy or overbearing in the least. Kindly listen to "Painted Skies" and "Lonely" (A sublime melancholic touch with an inferno of a solo to boot) to see what I'm talking about. The latter ballad actually reminds me of Queensryche's epic "I Don't Believe In Love"(ironically released the same year). The thing that really set this band apart from other bands was their obviously endless talent and of that talent their singer Midnight (John Patrick McDonald), a vocalist who was so gifted and poetically esoteric that it made his vocal phrasing seem  effortless and emotionally charged, he was the anchor of this bands very unique sound. Sadly with Priest, Maiden and Queensryche mainly leading the charge in the 80s, these guys seem to have fallen through the cracks, which is a bit of a shame really, because in later years as this album has been discovered, it has really influenced a whole legion of power metal bands all over the world trying to capture that lighting again.

If you read the last sentence of the previous stanza properly, you clearly need to remedy the situation and get this album if you haven't already. A heavy metal classic with amazing diversity and absolutely mandatory for every fan of metal across the board. It's just as simple as that.

Score: 5/5

Tourniquet Stop the Bleeding Album Review

Tourniquet - Stop the Bleeding (1990)

Members:

Ted Kirkpatrick – drums, bass

Guy Ritter – vocals

Gary Lenaire – guitars, vocals, bass

Mark Lewis – lead guitars

Factoid:

Stop the Bleeding is Christian metal band Tourniquet's debut album, released originally in 1990 on Intense Records and remastered/re-released independently in 2001 on Pathogenic Records. The re-release includes new artwork, an expanded booklet, and several bonus tracks including demos and live versions featuring then-lead vocalist Luke Easter.

The Review:

After 2+ decades of delivering punishing metal to rabid fans, Tourniquet's first release, Stop the Bleeding, is often dismissed as merely being a spring board for their later efforts. It' uniqueness is commonly overlooked, and is implied by some as being a bit outdated. Though it is quite true that a lot has changed in metal since 1990 (not all for the better), this is still an album that offers more sonic intricacies than most - past and present. It is also bone crushingly heavy!

The band recorded Stop the Bleeding at Mixing Lab A & B studio in Garden Grove, California. The band's line-up consisted of Ted Kirkpatrick, Guy Ritter, and Gary Lenaire. Session musician Mark Lewis played nearly half of the album's lead guitar solos.

Prior to the album's recording, during an "Artists vs. Label" softball game, a label executive accidentally ran over drummer Ted Kirkpatrick's foot (his main kick foot) while rounding second base, requiring Kirkpatrick to record the album under a great deal of pain. The band faced other recording obstacles as well, such a power failure that forced the producer to mix the songs over again.

Musically, the album was said to be "unlike anything else on the market at the time" and incorporates classical music to 1980s-inspired speed and thrash metal riffs. Guy Ritter's vocals on the album, which he said were inspired by glam metal vocalists, shift between low-baritone and high-falsetto vocals, although they were performed higher on the demo versions.

A common grievance though is the shrilling falsettos of Guy Ritter. This style of singing was more commonplace during this era and comparisons were usually made between him and King Diamond. For some, this may depreciate the originality. But set against the blistering background, these vocals create a musical ambience akin to no one else. His unrelenting shrieks on "Ready or Not," for example, resemble the howls of a frail yet hideous creature crawling out of a tomb.

Though there was no official bassist (they were essentially a trio), the work that was laid down in this respect is crunchy and more than functional. The bass work on "Harlot Widow and the Virgin Bride" is particularly prevalent and works well in this fashion. The guitar work is pristine and hints at the technical progressions that will emerge on later albums. Needless to say the drumming is extraordinary as Ted Kirkpatrick introduced his signature beats. One can literally be transfixed into the drum work alone.

This album shines ten metallic gems that don't let up. Highlights are the melodic "Test for Leprosy" containing one the coolest bridges ever, the epic "Tears of Korah" that successfully conjures the setting of the subject matter, "Arc of Suffering" which delivers merciless riffs along side lyrics about the mistreatment of animals, and the infectious whirlwind that is "Swarming Spirits."

In conclusion, Stop the Bleeding is worth any metal fan's time - be it to reminisce or to ponder Tourniquet's timeless musical innovations.

Score: 5/5

Morbid Angel Blessed are the Sick Album Review

Morbid Angel - Blessed are the Sick (1991)

Members:

David Vincent – bass, vocals

Trey Azagthoth – guitars, keyboards

Richard Brunelle – guitars, acoustic guitar

Pete Sandoval – drums

Tom Morris - engineering, mixing

Factoid:

Blessed Are the Sick is the second studio album from death metal band Morbid Angel. It features an overall slower musical sound, although containing very fast riffs, and reveals another side of the band, with classical music undertones (main composer Trey Azagthoth would dedicate this album to Mozart). Tracks 9, 10 and 12 are re-recorded songs from the 1986 demo Abominations of Desolation. The cover painting is "Les Trésors de Satan" by Jean Delville.

The Review:

I grew up in the Tampa Bay area having moved there as a child in 1981 and staying there until 2007 when I moved to California. I was there in the infancy of the Death Metal scene and I was playing in my own band at the time as well as helping the others in the scene as we all did back in the day. As one of death metal’s earliest practitioners, Morbid Angel always appeared larger than the hell-spawned genre they helped create. They just always possessed a more profound understanding of what death metal could become – even if the initial vision wasn’t theirs, through the eyes of Trey Azagthoth and his cohorts Morbid Angel demonstrated the difference between taking a genre to its limits and playing as if the limitations didn’t exist. An unconventional band in an unconventional genre, Morbid Angel’s inherent weirdness was not only the means that separated them from the growing boom of death metal in the early 90’s, but it was also why they led it. Simply put, Morbid Angel was and always will be a cornerstone band for extreme metal, an awe-inspiring institution of how perseverance, practice and vision can see you doing the supposed impossible.

A hardworking band when it came to every aspect of their early years together (changing their own bus tires on tour, non-stop rehearsing, etc..), the members of Morbid Angel approached everyday life with the some vicious intent as they did music, very much living a “death metal” lifestyle. With these blue-collar ethics in hand, the progression between the band’s first album, Altars of Madness and their sophomore record Blessed Are The Sick is absolutely immense, a progression in every sense of the word. As intense and forward thinking as it was, Altars of Madness was still very much shackled to the thrashy-bounds Morbid Angel was founded on; Blessed Are The Sick forcefully discards these restraints, freeing the band and paving the way for Azagthoth’s bizarre genius to finally take fruition, pushing death metal in the abyss beyond reach forever.

Whereas Altars of Madness was crafted during a time when death metal was still all about achieving an undeterred terminal velocity by 1991 and the release of Blessed Are The Sick that air had cleared, allowing for a major growth to take place within the still fledgling genre. Far from a straightforward affair, Blessed Are The Sick finally started to display the hidden glut of Azagthoth’s influences, allowing elements of psychedelic and classical to permeate the album’s unwaveringly dense infrastructure. Finally implementing the “trippy” sound he really always desired, Blessed… is noticeably slower than its predecessor, but is in return more dynamic, exploring the contrasts between faster and slower sections and truly unorthodox song structures.

An apocalyptic wasteland decimated by the gargantuan riffs of Lords Azagthoth and Brunelle, Blessed… fully unearths the wizardry of these guitar sorcerers, showing the two summoning more and more hellfire-tinged riffs and solos as the album progresses. A Musician’s musician within a musician’s musicians community, Trey’s guitar style (first truly seen here) is one of Morbid Angel’s most distinguishing traits; the man invoked pure chaos, skewing conventional guitar arrangements to create a nightmarish glimpse of the many boundaries death metal had still yet to break. While thrash undeniably resonates from time to time (which can mostly be attributed several rerecorded songs originally from Abominations of Desolation) Azagthoth’s compositions are frightening looks into the past and present; vestiges of thrash will always remain in death metal music, but now they are contorted and deformed, a true display of just how far death metal’s ambitious spirit has pushed heavy metal into hideous extremity.

Adopting a doomy, slower groove-based edge, there are very few moments on this album where you won’t be compelled to bang your head; improving greatly on the tinny production of previous records, Blessed Are The Sick’s ball-sagging heavy sound provides the rhythm sections tormented playing greater weight, a true asset when it comes to having ambitions of being the heaviest band out there. Perhaps to match the growing heaviness of the music, David Vincent’s once raspy bark has been replaced by thick, pronounced gutturals, decipherable but still malevolent enough to ensure your little sister WILL NOT be picking this up for a casual listen anytime soon. It’s almost hard to believe that when Pete Sandoval first joined Morbid Angel in 1988 he was unable to perform double bass beats - by 1991 he was not only one of the most technically proficient, but also creative drummers in death metal. Whether he knew it or not at the time though, that was his fate since his decision to join the band; with off the wall guitar-playing like Azagthoth’s, Sandoval’s evolution was undoubtedly forced upon him, in a do-or-die situation of keep up or get left behind.

Of the first David Vincent era of the band only Domination gets overlooked more than Blessed are the Sick. Their aforementioned debut and their third release, Covenant, constantly garner great attention for different reasons; the debut for its no holds barred approach and the latter for their ability to change speeds on a dime. Blessed toes the line between albums quite well, much like Slayer’s South of Heaven bridges the gap between Reign In Blood and Seasons In The Abyss. The band experiments with slowed tempos on the album’s first track “Fall From Grace,” also shifting gears without a moment’s notice.

Flashes of Altars enter into the fray on “Abominations;” Trey Azagthoth skewers all comers with his fretboard flourish, delivering the fastest song on the entire album. Vincent’s vocals imbue much more of a guttural style than in the past, and this sound continues to develop and become more fully fledged on Covenant.

Tracks like “Doomsday Celebration” feel like a leftover from a King Diamond album; a classically themed interlude that also could double as Castlevania or Super Metroid music from Super Nintendo. Morbid Angel experimented with these bumper tracks on Blessed and made them more fleshed out on Covenant. Seeing as this kind of in-between track would likely be played by a live orchestra these days, it shows just how poorly the synthesized sounds have aged over time.

Often remembered as one of the group’s best efforts, it’s in an album like Blessed Are The Sick that the extreme metal world has gained an undying respect for; pushing the limits during Its time, Morbid Angel’s second record was a groundbreaking release for death metal, giving it a clear dynamic perspective that few had yet to give it credit for. Released during one of death metal’s most successful periods, if 1991 was the year of memorable death metal albums, Blessed Are The Sick is just a bit more memorable than most

Score: 5/5

Metallica Double Album Review

Metallica - Ride the Lightning (1984)

Members:

James Hetfield – vocals, rhythm guitar

Kirk Hammett – lead guitar, production

Cliff Burton – bass, production

Lars Ulrich – drums, production

Factoid:

Ride the Lightning is the second studio album by American heavy metal band Metallica, released on July 27, 1984, by the independent record label Megaforce Records. The album was recorded in three weeks with producer Flemming Rasmussen at the Sweet Silence Studios in Copenhagen, Denmark. The artwork, based on a concept by the band, depicts an electric chair being struck by lightning flowing from the band logo. The title was taken from a passage in Stephen King's novel The Stand. Although rooted in the thrash metal genre, the album showcased the band's musical growth and lyrical sophistication. This was partly because bassist Cliff Burton introduced the basics of music theory to the rest of the band and had more input in the songwriting. Instead of relying heavily on fast tempos as on its debut Kill 'Em All, Metallica broadened its approach by employing acoustic guitars, extended instrumentals, and more complex harmonies. The overall recording costs were paid by Metallica's European label Music for Nations because Megaforce was unable to cover it. It was the last album to feature songwriting contributions from former lead guitarist Dave Mustaine, and the first to feature contributions from his replacement, Kirk Hammett.

The Review:

Released in 1984, Ride the Lightning is Metallica's second studio effort. Often sandwiched between the mighty Kill Em' All and Master Of Puppets, I feel that the album is the proverbial "middle child" of the Metallica discography, slightly ignored and somewhat under-valued compared to its siblings.

    The album opens with the beautiful classical guitar introduction of "Fight Fire with Fire". After about forty seconds, the band unleashes an all-out metal attack. Like "Children of the Grave" by Black Sabbath, the song is a very "gloom and doom" look at the military-industrial complex that hangs over us in the modern world, very apocalyptic. A classic Metallica song to say the least, with fantastic drumming from Lars, one of his best drum parts in my opinion. The title track "Ride the Lightning" shows Metallica moving away from the break-neck speeds of Kill Em' All and more to a focus on developing melody. A strong condemnation of capital punishment, the song shows Metallica at their most political. Kirk Hammett is a revelation on the song, and you can start to see his solos moving towards a very melodic playing style, more refined than the "in your face" guitar attack on Kill Em' All. The song is one of the first "epic" Metallica songs, preparing us for what will come on the next album. Not as technically complex as the song "Master of Puppets", but a progressive step in that direction. In any case, a fantastic song.

   "For Whom the Bell Tolls" is an absolute beast of a song. I have always loved the lead bass guitar introduction, delivered by arguably one of the best bass players of all time, Cliff Burton. The lyrics are based on the Hemingway novel of the same name, and concern the experience of war, and all of its horrors from the perspective of a soldier. Lars keeps a solid and pounding beat throughout, and Hetfield delivers his best vocal on the album, and one of the best of his career in all honesty. But the highlight for me is the lyrics and bass-work of the very missed Cliff Burton, the heart of Metallica. A great song, and one of my favorites on the album."Fade to Black" is likely the most famous song on the album, and has largely survived in the modern Metallica set-list. Gorgeously classical, the song is a very heart-wrenching tale of hopelessness and suicide. The riffs are crushing and bear the mark of Black Sabbath, very heavy for the band, but somehow softer due to the acoustics throughout. A great song, one of Metallica's best.

     "Trapped Under Ice" is a fan-favorite, a deep album cut. More like something off Kill Em' All, it is the fastest song on the album. I really like the song, but I would not say it's a perfect song, just more thematically and musically in line with their first album, a bit of a "refugee" on this album. Lars' drumming is an obvious highlight, and the lyrics are pretty stark and bleak, but not a classic "Tallica" song for a lot of fans. "Escape" is another deep cut. A classic metal tale of not following the rules, the song feels a bit hollow lyrically, an all-too common theme explored during 80s metal. I honestly don't completely care for the song, sounding positively slow motion compared to most tracks off Kill Em' All. The whole song feel anti-climatic, like a demo fleshed out to fill the length requirements of the album, which in a lot of ways that matter, it really was.

    "Creeping Death" is an obvious favorite of many on the album. Like a cold shower, the song wakes us from the coma that "Escape" put us in. The best song ever written about a plague, I love everything about this song, it is the sound of Metallica beginning to approach their creative peak that would culminate on the next album, part of the symbolism in this track is biblical in nature and references the following [Exodus 12:22 - And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip [it] in the blood that [is] in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that [is] in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning.]. Lars is like a freight train running down the tracks, and I can't understand why he has some many detractors, he's a solid drummer. One just need listen to this song to hear his talent. Hammett and Hetfield both deliver killer guitars, one of the best Metallica riffs to ever exist, absolutely punishing. The album closes with the Cliff Burton track "The Call of Ktulu". Inspired by the H.P. Lovecraft story, I like the song, and I especially love the bass leads of Cliff Burton, bringing back the bass sound he explored on "Anesthesia (Pulling Teeth)" from Kill Em' All. Hammett's leads will make you green with envy, and will make you ask the question, how can someone be so proficient in their early 20s? A true showcase of his talent, as well as all of the other members of the band.

   "Ride the Lightning" is a very good album. I prefer the much-lauded "Master of Puppets", but consider this album a close second for my pic of best Metallica album. Despite a couple filler songs, most songs are metal classics, songs that many bands only wish they could write. The sound of a band hitting their stride, ascending to the top of the rock world, and what a sound they made on their way up.

Score: 4/5

Metallica - Master of Puppets (1986)

Members:

James Hetfield – vocals, rhythm guitar, solo on "Master of Puppets" and "Orion"

Kirk Hammett – lead guitar

Cliff Burton – bass

Lars Ulrich – drums

Factoid:

Master of Puppets is the third studio album by American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released on March 3, 1986 by Elektra Records. Recorded at the Sweet Silence Studios with producer Flemming Rasmussen, it was the first Metallica album released on a major record label. Master of Puppets was the band's last album to feature bassist Cliff Burton, who died in a bus accident in Sweden during the album's promotional tour. The album peaked at number 29 on the Billboard 200 and became the first thrash metal album to be certified platinum. It was certified 6× platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in 2003 for shipping six million copies in the United States. The album was eventually certified 6× platinum by Music Canada and gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).

The Review:

What is there to say about this album that has not already been said? Metallica's highly-praised third album is often considered to be the greatest album ever released. Do I agree? Let's take a look...

    Released in 1986, "Master of Puppets" was released during the golden age of metal. Stepping away from the satanic and demonic lyrics of most metal bands of the day, on Master of Puppets, Metallica showed that metal had something much bigger to say. Basically a sort-of concept album, "Master" concerns the military-industrial complex that churns out soldiers only to see them thrown away like trash after wars are over, if they survive at all. Countless imitators would follow over the years but none have come close, and this album basically set the scene for thrash metal for the next 20+ years.

    The album begins with "Battery". Anyone doubting the drum-pounding skills of Lars "Napster" Ulrich, needs only to listen to this song. An absolutely manic song, it was with Battery that thrash metal perfectly blended speed and melody. Classic song. Next is the titular "Master Of Puppets". What can I say about this monster. The most epic metal song of all time, "Master" is a great majority of Metallic fans favorite song. I have nothing other to say than if you have not heard this song, listen NOW!. "The Thing That Should Not Be" comes next. Never one of my absolute favorite songs but it's not a bad track either, the riff is ultra-heavy and the drums kill, but it lacks the epic progressiveness and time changes of most of the other songs on the album. Next is "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)". One of the best "Tallica" songs ever, it is similar in structure and lyrically content to the more famous "One" from "And Justice For All". I love the solos on this song, and Kirk Hammet lays down easily his best guitar work in my opinion. Bonafide classic.

      "Disposable Heroes" continues the theme of the album. About soldiers heading into the slaughter, the song is brutal and raw.  Much more straightforward musically than other songs on the album, it lacks some of the progressive complexity that most of Master has. Certainly not a bad song, but not a real standout track for me. 

   "Leper Messiah" is a hardcore fan favorite. I find the verse somewhat repetitive and hard to distinguish musically from any other Metallic song. But, the instrumental break-down of the song is what keeps me coming back. Lars is a beast on this song, and I love his "double-bass" drum work at the end of the song. Very good, but not a classic in my opinion, but hey...it is a great way to use a David Bowie lyric as a title.

   Next is one of my favorite Metallica songs. "Orion" is a gem, and showcases not only the band's talent, but the talent of the late "four-string mother-fuc***", Cliff Burton. Instrumental, I believe the lack of lyrics only adds to the greatness of the song. Ominous, brutal, skull-crushing, are just a few of the words I would use to describe this song. Anyone who plays rock bass has surely taken something from this song, even just one note. Amazing. Last up is "Damage, Inc". I have always loved the keyboard sounding intro, very different sounding. After chilling you out, Metallica takes a proverbial baton to your head with a super-tight riff that echoes military marching bands turned up to 11. Insanely fast, manic, and drilling, the song is a perfect closer to Master. Great song.

    "Master of Puppets" is a great album. There is no doubting its genius and impact. But, is it the greatest metal album of all time, I don't think so. A close contender and definitely up there with the greats, but I can think of a list of several of albums that exceed this moderately overrated album. Great, but not the greatest album with the word "Master" in its title.

Score: 4.5/5

GWAR Scumdogs of the Universe Album Review

Gwar - Scumdogs of the Universe (1990)

Members:

Dave Brockie (Oderus Urungus) - lead vocals

Dewey Rowell (Flattus Maximus) - lead guitar, backing vocals

Mike Derks (Balsac the Jaws of Death) - rhythm guitar, backing vocals

Michael Bishop (Beefcake the Mighty) - bass, backing vocals; lead vocals on "Cool Place to Park"

Brad Roberts (Jizmak Da Gusha) - drums

Danielle Stampe (Slymenstra Hymen) - backing vocals

Chuck Varga (Sexecutioner) - vocals on "Sexecutioner"

Don Drakulich (Sleazy P. Martini) - vocals on "Slaughterama"

Factoid:

Scumdogs of the Universe is the second album by satirical shock rock band Gwar. The album is their first album on Metal Blade Records and was released on January 8, 1990. To date, it is the band's best-selling album.

The Review:

“I’m on this planet, I’m running amok, I should give a shit, but I don’t give a fuck!”

Metal, as a genre, is at its best when its bands aren’t taking themselves too seriously. Certainly there is room for topics of gravity; in fact, every musician should be encouraged to explore these for themselves. But in the realm of heavy metal, it is rarely a good idea to completely abandon its less-serious façade, as it is that “fun,” head-banging, beer-drinking element that has united the great majority of metal’s fans the world over. However the reverse is also true. Never should a so-called “joke” band devolve to the point that there isn’t anything to gain from listening to it (see: The Great Kat, a lot of grindcore) other than a brief chuckle. It is for this reason that I usually abstain from the legion of travelling comedy troupes posing as musicians: I want to listen to music, not a slapstick routine. However bands that have a theatrical edge to me are very enjoyable, but that's a different story than this one.

GWAR is a pretty notable exception. With their over-the-top stage antics, elaborate costumes, and filthy, juvenile humor, they demand to be noticed. And with their infectiously catchy riffs and punk-inspired recklessness, the demand to be listened to also. Though their catalogue wavers in quality, their second album, Scumdogs of the Universe, is an essential tableau of one of the most musically proficient shock-metal outfits in all of history.

Scumdogs sees the intergalactic space misfits refining their punky spatter into catchy, coherent heavy metal of all shapes and sizes, delivered in a crude packaging that is as entertaining as it is offensive to the faint of heart. Full disclosure: anyone who knows me knows why Hell-O is not my favorite album of theirs and could tell you that a primary reason I dislike that album (the band’s unsavory sense of humor) is one of the exact reasons that I enjoy Scumdogs. Hypocrisy, perhaps? I'd like to think it's a bit deeper than that, because while Hell-O was a dirty, repulsive punk album, Scumdogs is nothing less than dirty, repulsive HEAVY METAL, where I’m willing to allow a little gimmicky gross-out tomfoolery to occur as long as the band is metal thrashing mad. It’s like hearing the same joke told by two different comedians: the words may be the same, but the delivery makes all the difference.

In this case, the better musical delivery for the GWAR mythos is obviously metal. And in Scumdogs’ case, it’s basically thrash metal, with a side of punk. And not hardcore punk: this is directly descended from the Ramones/Sex Pistols style punk. 

Just listen to some of the vocal harmonies and the various “ooh” and “ohs” delivered by Oderus. But otherwise, it’s mostly mid-paced thrash brilliance, riffs like those of “The Salaminizer,” “Horror of Yig,” or “Maggots,” M.O.D. would kill for, and even Exodus would probably be a bit envious of them. For an unserious, marketing experiment, GWAR are surprisingly adept musicians and formidable metalheads. And while their mid-era albums would be marked by experimentation and parodies of other forms of music, here it’s pretty consistently awesome riffage, with the only stylistic variation occurring in some doomy sections, like those of “Love Surgery” or “Sexicutioner” (hilariously sung by Sexicutioner, one of the many characters in the GWAR universe), Oderus even commenting on the mood of the former during one particularly grim moment (“Ooooh scary!”). Another ‘different’ track is “Slaughterama,” sung by the band’s manager Sleazy P. Martini and itself more of a skit than a song in its comically violent lyrical presentation, but it still rules. Unlike most of GWAR’s other albums, there isn’t a weak track in the lot.

“But what good is all the violence in the world, unless it is tempered with limitless sex? Bring on the limitless sex object!”

However, the true brilliance of the album is how, despite the extreme vulgarity in the lyrics, every song is as infectiously catchy as venereal disease. Which, as it happens, is common subject matter throughout the album. Take a sample line like “Your socks they smell, your feet they stink, you never take a bath!” from their anthem “Sick of You.” Could you ever imagine yourself singing along to such a corny lyric? From any other band, probably not, but I assure you, with GWAR you pretty much haven’t a choice. Same goes for raunchier tunes like “Black and Huge”(a track redone from their debut...and done much better by the way)and “King Queen,” so if you’re one of those who absentmindedly find themselves singing in public places, you might want to think twice before listening, lest you belt out “Gay apparel! You put it on, put it on!” in mixed company. And sometimes it’s not even that it’s simply catchy music, sometimes it’s just that it’s freakin’ epic. The bridge bit of “Sexicutioner” has a dramatic slow part with female vocal harmonies which would sound great no matter what band was playing it, but here, with the ridiculous lyrics (“I am from France, and when you are in France, you pull down your pants!”), the result is something so beautifully absurd that it defies all logic. Joke bands aren’t supposed to be this musical. Quality musicians aren’t supposed to be this hilarious. I haven’t heard a band yet that captures this balance in quite the same way GWAR does.

Of course, not everyone has a sense of humor, and there’s a fairly good chance that someone (read: pussies) could be offended by taking the band too seriously (or in this case, even the slightest bit seriously). After all, every GWAR album is a learning experience even for fans and it takes time for the band’s music to really adhere to your tastes. But Scumdogs is the most immediately palatable and the most consistently enjoyable of their albums, as well as one of the most quotable (seriously, read them lyrics). It’s the place to start if you want to know what all the racket is about.

Score: 5/5

Megadeth Peace Sells...But Who's Buying Album Review

Megadeth – Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying? (1986)

Members:

Guitar, Vocals: Dave Mustaine

Guitar: Chris Poland

Bass: David Ellefson

Drums: Gar Samuelson (R.I.P.)

Factoids:

“Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying?” is the 2nd studio album by American thrash metal band, Megadeth. Although, initially handled by Combat Records who released Megadeth’s debut album, “Killing Is My Business… And Business Is Good!” a year prior, the album was released by Capitol Records in November 1986. Produced by Randy Burns and Dave Mustaine, “Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying?” received critical acclaim and praise from fans and critics as well help put Megadeth on the map.

PSBWB has been regarded as a milestone and a masterpiece of the American thrash metal movement and an instant and mandatory metal classic. ”Peace Sells” along with Metallica’s “Master of Puppets” and Slayer’s “Reign in Blood” all of which were released in 1986 are considered pivotal in giving prominence to extreme metal.

This is the 2nd and last album to feature Chris Poland on guitar and Gar Samuelson (R.I.P.) on drums who were both let go not long afterwards for selling megadeth gear for crack money. This was the first incarnation of Megadeth.

Review:

This album is another of those watershed albums for the genre. I feel that by in large it is primarily responsible for the mass recognition of more extreme styles of metal thanks in part to heavy rotation on MTV with the videos for "Wake Up Dead" and the title track "Peace Sells", the later having that famous "This is the news" part that even made its way into a few station ads. Megadeth as a whole are a unique breed of band since they were formed out of Dave's firing from Metallica, and in all honesty, I always preferred Megadeth over Metallica. But we aren't here to compare bands, so let's break this beast out and see what it's made of....Let's Do This!!!

The album kicks off with the mega-classic known as “Wake Up Dead” which is, to this day, a staple in the band’s live performances. An absolute classic piece of thrash featuring some of the best and classic Mustaine riffs to date. It also features blistering solos by Mustaine and Chris Poland.

“The Conjuring” follows and it’s ultra-heavy, furiously dark, and devilishly evil. Another song that showcases Mustaine’s brilliance of writing fast, extremely heavy, intricate thrash metal riffs.

It’s then followed by one of Megadeth’s most famous songs “Peace Sells,” a fan favourite and an all time metal classic.  The song begins with a thumping bass line from David Ellefson, which was part of MTV News broadcasts for many years. Not the fastest song of the bunch but nonetheless intelligent, thoughtful, heavy, and catchy as hell – a headbanger’s delight.

“Devil’s Island” opens with a monstrous dark banging riff that is soon accompanied by a ripping guitar lead from Dave Mustaine. Right before the song kicks into its verses, Ellefson delivers a short bass interlude. The song rips hard, the song rips fast, the song makes you want to bang your head hard and furiously. You can’t help but scream along to the choruses. More fast, intricate, headbanging, mouth-watering Mustaine riffs in this one with great guitar leads from Mustaine and Poland.

Then what follows is the fan favourite “Good Mourning/Black Friday” which in my opinion really showcases the talents of both Chris Poland and Gar Samuelson. The album is known for its “twists and turns” as Anthrax’s Scott Ian put it. The song starts off with the “Good Mourning” portion of the song, slow and soft but still really dark. This part showcases the guitar chops of the talented Chris Poland. “Good Mourning” ends and goes right into a maniacal thrash assault with “Black Friday,” once again the intricate rhythms written by Mustaine on full display. What also is on full display is the phenomenal drum work by Gar Samuelson and his brutality laced jazzy drum fills.

Then the listener is hit with “Bad Omen,” another banger. The song slowly but surely builds into a thrash bombardment of epic proportions. David Ellefson’s pounding bass line combined with the brilliantly talented drum work of Gar Samuelson and the ferocious complexed guitar work of Mustaine and Poland gives way to a lesson in technical musical theatre. And before you know it, the band is going mach 10 and the listener is doing some serious damage to his or her’s neck.

Next is a cover of Willie Dixon’s “I Ain’t Superstitious” which is a blues song but done the ‘Megadeth’ way. Considering that Megadeth were “a jazz band that played metal” to a lot of people and that guitarist Chris Poland and drummer Gar Samuelson both were jazz musicians, the cover really isn’t that much of a shock. It actually makes a lot of sense. All of the solos in the song were performed by Chris Poland who definitely felt a lot more in his comfort zone I would imagine. And the same for the Gar too. For much of the song it is what is, a blues song done by Megadeth… and I am not saying that in a bad way either.  The final minute of the song goes into a speed metal frenzy, a frantic rush to the finish.

And the last song on this epic masterpiece is “My Last Words,” which in my opinion is one of the most underrated Megadeth songs. The fabulous bass playing from David Ellefson really shines through in this song as does the work of Samuelson behind the drum kit, the rhythm section really on full display. The song near the end really picks up its intensity and before you know it, Dave Mustaine unleashes one of his all time best face-melting, blistering guitar solos over a side-splitting speed metal riff.

This is a masterwork of (thrash) metal. Indeed, an all-time classic and one of the all time greatest records to ever see the light of day. Influential beyond belief, a timeless and unforgettable work of utter brilliance. And it was an album written and recorded by heroin junkies, go figure huh? They managed to craft a technical masterpiece that has influenced an entire generation and a lot of metal acts today. The album ended the way it started – guns blazing. The album without a doubt stands at the top of essential metal albums and to this day, over 30 years after its release, still has an impact on its listeners. The album is timeless, the album is classic, the album is a must listen, the album is a must have, the album simply will never get old.

This was the first Megadeth album that I ever got and looking back I would have never thought it would have had such a major influence on me as it does and has. “Peace Sells”  not only was it one of the reasons why I picked up the guitar myself but it’s one of the reasons why I dove into the whole Megadeth catalog. This album changed my life, it really did. Megadeth is one of my favorite bands. I own all of their albums and I have listened to all of them countless times over the years. I can recite practically any lyrics from any song and that’s not an exaggeration either. In retrospect, if I didn’t receive “Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying?” when I was 16 years old, Megadeth wouldn’t even be in discussion for my favorite band list. PSBWB changed my life… I probably would be a completely different person without this album and the band.

You’re not a fan of metal or thrash metal if you haven’t listen to this album. If you wanna start getting into metal, “Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying?” should be one of the first places to start.

Score: 5/5