The Great Kat, Worship Me or Die (Review)

 

The Great Kat

Worship Me or Die!

Released: 1987

Genre: Heavy Metal, Speed Metal, Thrash Metal

Length: 30:17

Label: Roadracer

Producer: Kurt Shore & The Great Kat

Band Members

The Great Kat - guitars, vocals, violin

Tom Von Doom - bass

Adam Killa - drums

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The Great KAT is one of the most important and known front woman of the 80s. She studied violin for several years (studying at the prestigious Juilliard Academy) and then she became crazy about metal in general (apparently after hearing Judas Priest), deciding to form a band. The result was the “Worship Me or Die!” album which features eleven tracks of pure speed or shred metal (or whatever genre you want to throw it in), honestly though it doesn't matter what you want call it. The main word is speed and it’s all about the pure, fast guitars parts, and deceptively complicated lead shreds.

Since the opener, “Metal Messiah”, we can understand how the whole album will be. The speed is always high and the songs are full of guitars solos intermezzos. They are very fast and can be seen as a bit excessive and annoying in some parts to the uninitiated listener. The twist is that there are solos in several parts that didn’t need such an abundant amount of them, but we get them anyways much to the joy or annoyance to the listener (I personally like them). They are ultimately shred solos with lots of tremolo picking parts in different styles, they can be a bit difficult to break down and ingest at first but in time you will start getting it, unless you are some kind of elitist towards the instrument.

The vocals by this aggressive girl are truly vicious and somehow they reminded me the ones by Nicole Lee from Znowhite. The drums and the bass are competent but are pretty much there just to support the main work by the guitars and everything is a bit centralized in the structure and the mix. The songs lead everywhere as is most of the cases, being conceived as a simple manifestation of anger and impulsivity, yet there is an underlying method in all of them. Yes, the refrains are earworms and become very recognizable, to some that’s not enough to make great songs. However that premature thinking process is where those people are amazingly wrong, there is a lot going on here that takes a few listens to really absorb to appreciate.

The point to this (and subsequent albums) is this is metal from the perspective of a virtuoso, not a simple guitar player with a Yngwie delusion. The tempo changes are a bit weird at times but do fall in line with the concepts and ideals of classical music and its historic composers. The continued lead guitar shredding is a bit erratic at times but it is still based in classical composition and not meathead metal tropes. Now given when this released I am pretty sure everything was made to be excessive and shocking to garner a bit of attention (I remember a small feature in People Magazine regarding her) but the refrain and the vocals on “Satan Goes To Church” are just amusing, and I believe that is the point, you never knew what was coming next. The drum triplets on the track in question are a solid and serve the song well, the most traditional metal sounds come from the palm muting parts on the guitar which makes it a bit more derivative for the time but it is still very solid tonally.

I think my only complaints are 2 fold....first, the songs are really short but that is just personal preference talking. She still creates short songs now which are just as punchy and technically formidable today. Second, the production is a bit thin and coarse, sometimes the highs can really hurt your ears if you haven't adjusted your volume or EQ to compensate for that in advance.

Ok, you want to shock the audience and the people, then do it in a way that isn't status quo of the day. That is just what you have here in this album. Now there maybe several more "serious" and "creative" “metal queens” in the panorama of the 80s at the time with great musicians behind them, but there was and still is only one Shred Goddess, and that was and is The Great Kat. This album is an interesting piece for the collectors of rarities if you find an original copy of it (it is a bitch to actually find it in the wild). For the rest of you, find it any way you can & listen to it eithet for pure curiosity sake or to have something that comes off typical and simple at first, only to drag you down the rabbit hole of compositional madness. It is not a perfect album but in my opinion it is worth the time invested in it....if you are willing to step into the world only The Great Kat can create.

Score: 4/5

Flotsam & Jetsam "Blood in the Water" album Review.

 

Blood in the Water is the fourteenth studio album by American thrash metal band Flotsam and Jetsam, which was released on June 4, 2021. It is the band's first release with new bassist Bill Bodily, who had replaced Michael Spencer in November 2020. Now despite what their name says, these Phoenix thrashers are far from an expandable waste lost on oceans. Self-titled album brought them back to relevance, giving us such instant classics like 'Iron Maiden' or 'Time to Go'. Hell, they even remade 'Forbidden Territories' from old demo recording of 'No Place for Disgrace'. But it wasn't consistent record, it felt overproduced (with Eric Knutson's vocals being the biggest victim here) and it definitely could've been cut of 2 songs. Meanwhile 'The End of Chaos' was pretty good, but it did feel a bit too monotonous at times, and it also could have cut a couple of songs to make it feel a bit more fluid. This trend sadly continues on 'Blood in the Water', but despite that, it is a great record in its own right.

I gotta tell you, the anticipation for this album was tough. Waiting for months without any interesting premieres in other media, with very few songs released, one could think "what will Flotsam and Jetsam bring to the table this time?". We were all kept wondering "Will it give something new, or will we receive 'The End of Chaos, Pt. II'?", Well, one thing is certain, Flotz' are sticking to thrash, with some heavy and power mixed in.

Even if pre-released 'Burn the Sky' did trick me in its intro that Eric and rest of the band wanted to go back to the perplexing 'The Cold' vibes. But nah, 20 seconds later we're treated to badass riffs and masterful drumming, courtesy of Ken Mary. Eric also sells it all in vocals, going for some high-pitched yelling ('Burn the Sky', 'Brace for Impact'), vocal melodies ('Undone', 'A Place to Die')... Hell, in 'Grey Dragon' (yes, other "mainstream" websites, this song is called 'GREY Dragon', not just 'Dragon', you morons) there are even moments of growling! It's very brief, but it's a nice contrast to the "Ooooh" moments Flotz' loves to introduce and fits perfectly to this bat-shit insane song.

This album is certainly a lot more aggressive than previous releases. Just compare riffs from 'Seventh Seal' or 'Demolition Man' to 'Blood in the Water' (the song), 'Burn the Sky' or aforementioned 'Grey Dragon'. Michael Gilbert and others weren't lying when they said Flotz' is pissed on this record. That, thankfully, didn't detracted them from putting melody to the songs. It's all fun and great when band goes all out on the likes of 'Brace for Impact' or 'Seven Seconds 'Til the End of the World', but it is also important to give some spin to them, not just resort to mindless whiplash. 'Blood in the Water' (the album) also introduces some variety in songs themselves, it's no longer just "medium/bit faster/fast paced" stuff. The albums gives some room to breathe in the likes of 'The Walls', 'Too Many Lives' and 'Undone', keeping it slow, but still heavy. Hell, there is even a ballad! What it would be, 3rd, 4th in Flotz' discography? Well, anyway, 'Cry for the Dead' works pretty well for what it's trying to achieve.

However, 'Blood in the Water' (the album) is not perfect. 'Too Many Lives' and 'Reaggression' are pretty mediocre, and they could have been easily cut out. Bass guitar is lost in the mix, so it's hard to judge how well Bill Bodily fits the band as their new bassist. This album also has some of the more cliché lyrics in entire Flotsam and Jetsam discography. Well, it was never entirely their strong point, but sometimes you wonder how 50 year old guys could have wrote them (just look at 'Brace for Impact' - "If you don't brace for impact there's a chance to die" - kinda corny and by the numbers). Not all of them are bad though, the likes of 'Grey Dragon' and 'Cry for the Dead' would probably be the biggest highlights of this album.

There's also an issue of album structure, not surprisingly (Sorry, but three songs in a row with titles starting on "B"? And all of them being fast and relentless? Come on, man) Meanwhile, I appreciate adding slow songs, but I think the middle part of the album relies on them too much, breaking the flow. The album closes in just 45 minutes, which I think is perfect runtime for an metal album. Even though, it's still the strongest Flotsam and Jetsam have been since debut album and No Place for Disgrace. It's not perfect, but it's a reminder of why I love Flotsam and Jetsam and why they are worth your time to check out as well. As they say, "Flotz' Til Death"!

SCORE: 4/5

Lizzy Borden Love You To Pieces Album Review

 

Lizzy Borden - Love You To Pieces (1985)

Love You to Pieces is the debut album by the American heavy metal band Lizzy Borden, released on Metal Blade Records. The album would produce the song "American Metal" which would later be added to the Metal Blade Records 20th Anniversary box set.

Over the years, I think I've been fairly grounded in my criticism of Lizzy Borden to this point. That could have to do with the fact that neither their debut demo nor Give 'em the Axe were exquisite examples of this band's potential even though they were both very solid, or that I was consciously avoiding doing so to maintain some amount of credibility for when the rave inevitably began, but that all ends here. Yes, I'm a pretty serious fanboy of the band in question, and yes, with Love You to Pieces, all bets are off. Any indifference I may have had early on effectively died roughly three seconds into "Council For the Cauldron" with the intricate and wickedly beautiful guitar melody that erupts into a speed metal riot of the highest order. That would be the first of many, I would come to learn, as this is only the first in a series of anomalously good albums; and while I may prefer the spotless Visual Lies, it's hard to fault their full length debut for not being so absolutely perfect.

First and foremost, we must address the iconic imagery that is the cover. Let me give you some personal background. I lived through the eighties as a teen, so the whole glam image has never seemed as repugnant to me as it might have to those who had to suffer seeing "I'll See the Light Tonight" juxtaposed to "Every Rose Has its Thorn" on MTV. I never disliked most of the music the scene produced (and I absolutely love much of it), but the actual image has always kind of appealed to me in a classic cliche sense. It's almost like fascinating history that raises curiosity and interest because a lot of the packaging of albums from the time still make me scratch my head trying to figure out the intended context of the imagery, if there is any to begin with. However, even with that said, what in the unholy hell is going on here? What could possibly be the benefit of scaring or confusing the target audience of the music with an image that probably emasculated metal fans everywhere and stole the functioning of their ever-scarred eyeballs? But then I guess that is really what makes this imagery so memorable, it's completely discordant with the albums content yet in a way, synchronous with it at the same time.

That was basically Lizzy Borden personified, though. With their ridiculously flamboyant image and questionable yet classic album art, as well as their confrontational attitude when looking at society, they were basically begging not to be liked, they were almost daring you to hate them. Luckily, if this was their mission, they failed miserably thanks to the fact that the actual music is utterly astounding. Granted, they're still quite an acquired taste. Lizzy himself was probably the biggest love/hate factor the band had, for his helium-addled shrieks and wails put quite a pain in the eardrums of many an unwilling listener. I for one love his vocals to death. His purity of voice (which has persevered to this day, he hasn't lost a step vocally) and instantly distinguishable accent never fail to thrill me, as do his high pitched cries and outstanding phrasing. You never forget a Lizzy Borden vocal line. It just doesn't happen, and the lyrics, though somewhat typical and reflective of the time, are made outstanding due to their flair for simplicity and their eternally memorable nature. Themes of rebellion, love, anarchy, and power reign supreme in this vibrant musical setting, one marked by timeless melodies of both the vocal cord and the axe.

Many unsuspecting glam fans lured in by the cliche ridden pictorial hook were probably taken aback by the sheer amount of instrumental talent involved here. The group still had its most dynamic duo of guitarists at this point, with both Tony Matuzak and Gene Allen at the helm. In flurries of rollicking NWOBHM riffing, blue collar US power influences, and quick spouts into early speed metal (see "Godiva") these guys pave a complex web of guitar-work that remains accessible and even slightly radio-friendly. The latter factor would become prominent as the band consciously moved into more commercial territories and acquired a crystal-clear production, but that can be traced back to tunes like the excellent "Save Me," whose simple hooks, melodic leads, and swinging chorus instantly engrave themselves into the memory. Look elsewhere to find unforgettable pieces like the galloping "Warfare" and "American Metal." I would deem the latter as one of the best metal anthems ever composed, soaring high and marching triumphantly under the star-spangled banner. Usually I find any song involving the US to be a pandering and ill-advised propaganda campaign, but the passionate delivery, gang-shouted chorus, and piercing vocal summoning all create a spine-chilling serenade to the music we love.

Overall there are just too many highlights to name, like the inspiring balladry of the title track, which never goes stale. I really like the production here, which plays rough for the style but remains clear enough to discern each element in the mix. This was band with a vision to share and to cherish, and a sound strong enough to permeate all the hairspray and makeup and leave a permanent impression in the mind. The sudden leap from their somewhat plain traditional metal beginnings to a true force to be reckoned with can seem quite dumbfounding, but the music here proves to be just as sharp as the blades on the band's legendary logo. Listening to this, it's hard to believe Lizzy Borden would only hone their songcraft further and serve up an even better platter of melodic perfection just two years later. The rest, my friends, is history.

SCORE: 4.7/5

Personnel Credits:

Lizzy Borden Band:

Lizzy Borden – lead and backing vocals

Gene Allen – guitars, backing vocals

Tony Matuzak – guitars

Michael Davis – bass, backing vocals

Joey Scott Harges – drums, backing vocals

Additional musicians:

Jon Natisch, Mark Benson, Tony Copozzi – backing vocals

Production:

Randy Burns – engineer

Eddie Schreyer – mastering at Capitol Records, Los Angeles

Brian Slagel – executive producer

Tom Baker – 2001 remastering

A 10 question interview with Rik Fox

 

A 10 question interview with Rik Fox

(I originally did this interview via E-mail back in late 2019....then technology had its way with me and I thought I lost it. Managed to salvage it a few months ago but being in a pandemic with always changing rules and finances....well, it slipped my mind again, life happens. Finally at long last here it is in its entirety. The 10 question interview with Rik Fox, bass player for such bands as Steeler, SIN, & W.A.S.P. among others. Enjoy.....)

Greetings

Welcome to the first random installment of 10 Quick Questions...

This is a casual review spot that is conducted with musicians and bands over messenger and E-Mail. I set up the questions 5 Random Questions and 5 Career Influenced Questions. The artists are on their own time as to when they get back to me and then I post their answers here as they wrote them...no editing, no censoring. Now let's begin....

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The first candidate in line for this new site feature is the one and only Rik Fox...a musician that has in my honest opinion gotten the short end of the stick in the business...however in spite of this he still has a great list of credentials under his belt with various bands in the New York and LA music scenes (among others) his most recognizable was the band Steeler where he played along side the likes of Ron Keel and a young Yngwie Malmsteen. He was also the Co-Founder of LA shock rock legends W.A.S.P., even going as far as naming the band...but that claim is mired in controversy among musicians and fans alike. But....as we say on this site all too much....Let's Do This!

Random questions...

JW: Any awkward school years stories?

Rik: All school years stories are awkward, aren’t they? However, I’ve always been a pretty transparent person, and this is beyond awkward, and, extremely difficult to talk about, but I was sexually traumatized by my Parochial School Third Grade Nun. It was a very terrifying experience of humiliation and degradation. If I can ever eventually get my book finished, the Catholic Church is going to be reeling from the fallout. Jaws will drop, I assure you. Hell of a way to open an interview, eh? I bet you weren’t expecting that salvo.

Well....no I wasn't. Thank you for being so open about that, it is a shocker...especially since I have known you for as long as I have. That took a bit of courage to bring that up and I respect that. (EDITORS NOTE: I want to take a moment to urge the readers of this to please keep any and all comments that may be in poor taste to themselves...they will be deleted from the comments if I see any. Thank you.)

JW: What is your favorite odd food?

Rik: “Odd”? I can’t think of anything ‘odd‘, although I’m something of a chef in the kitchen, I create all sorts of interesting concoctions, including healthy, and cancer-fighting combinations. I contributed one of my recipes to a book of Rock Star Recipes to help fight Autism, I’m extremely honored an humbled to be included among the performers in the book. I’m pretty much a traditional ‘comfort food’ kinda guy, although I watch my health more these days and don’t overdo anything.

JW: Any words of wisdom that you have for those reading this?

Rik: Well, based on my experience in this business, I’m not too sure that there’s that many people who really care about anything I have to say, (and you, personally, have been a witness to some of that). But I will say, that at the end of the day, follow your dream, and, if you can make a positive difference in the life of just one person, then you’ve done your job. If you force-multiply that by many more, and make a positive difference in the lives of others, then you can take that with you and your reward will be waiting for you in the afterlife I guess. It’s good for the soul. It’s all about the energy of Love, especially with animals. Always watch your ‘six‘, and your friends backs too.

JW: When was your first concert and who was it?

Rik: At the age of about 12 or 13, I was taken to see Richie Havens. I guess I was a little too young to get all that acoustic political message stuff, so I really don’t count that. I was always into more up-tempo, popular, or heavy rock. So, I’d have to say that my first ‘official’ concert while in high school, was the legendary night of Grand Funk Railroad and Humble Pie at Shea Stadium in Queens, New York, I believe it was 1970.

JW: Do you have that one go-to album that no matter how many times you listen to it, it never loses its joy for you?

Rik: That’s a tough one, because there’s SO many influences that hit me in my formative years in high school. Honestly, I really can’t nail it down to one album. However a short list would be Steppenwolf, Uriah Heep, Grand Funk, Mountain, Humble Pie, Angel, KISS, Alice Cooper, Captain Beyond, Mott the Hoople, Slade...lots of 1970’s heavy English bands.

Now that we have gone through the lighter section of questions, time to get into the meat and potatoes of this interview...

Career related questions...

JW: How old were you when you started on the road to being a musician, and what set you on that road?

Rik: About 12 or 13. Most definitely hearing my first two albums; The Beatles, ‘Rubber Soul’ and the first Steppenwolf album in December of ‘68. Then, seeing Steppenwolf on TV sealed the deal. I guess seeing bassist Nick St. Nicholas wearing a fringed buckskin jacket and black leather pants looking cool with his Rickenbacker or Gibson EB-3 bass was the ‘IT’ moment for me.

JW: Is there one song or album in your career that you wish you could either fix or forget? If so, what?

Rik: Really listening and practicing to the bass lines of Uriah Heep’s Gary Thain really helped improve my playing style, so, probably, my bass tracks on the STEELER album. I’d love to go back in and re-record my tracks, because I know much better lines now then I did then. I wish I knew then what I know now. It’s too bad there’s no real clear good quality version of that first W.A.S.P. demo I recorded on in 1982, my bass grooves on ‘School Daze’ were really swinging and jazzy.

JW: Being a musician has its bad days, any career horror stories you would like to share?

Rik: Well, right off the top, actually ‘being’ in this business is, in and of itself, a horror story, depending on your POV. I think every band has had it’s ‘Spinal Tap’ horror story in one form or another. I guess the main ’horror story’ that comes to mind is never really having been accepted or respected by a lot of the other players in the business. Especially in Los Angeles. It would be nice if Blackie Lawless finally came clean on the truth about my being one of the original co-founders of W.A.S.P. and admitted that I created the band’s name. But, as we all know, there’s tons of insecure, and jealous players out there and for some reason, people just couldn’t get past my image and really listen to what I was playing, despite knocking out of the park onstage. Personally, I’ve found that a lot of guys really don’t like it if you look cool or dress cool, so they say shit about you behind your back. These days, much of that 80’s image is all gone and it comes down to the music. In 2018, I recorded a couple of tracks on an album called ‘London Fog’ by a guy named Jim Crean, out of Buffalo, NY, and he’s got a laundry-list of top A-List talent on his albums, like myself, all playing guest tracks. He asked me, so I recorded on the album single ‘Broken’ with Dio/Sabbath drummer Vinny Appice, and Jack Russell’s Great White guitarist Robby Lochner and Paul DiAnno guitarist Steph Honde, and another track of an Angel cover with Frank DiMino. Although the album is really good, Honestly, for my part on it, at the end of the day, nobody really gave a shit, especially in trendy Los Angeles. A lot of guys get celebrated when you play with industry heavyweights. But not me. Nobody cared. But, I think, if you listen carefully, you’ll hear some pretty cool bass lines I laid down there. Nowadays, I’m starting to get a small percentage of that acknowledgement from guys I really respect, like The Master; Billy Sheehan, and Badlands bassist Greg Chaisson, and they’ve actually taken the time to listen to how I play and have complimented me, for which I’m honored and humbled. Some people think my time in STEELER playing with Malmsteen was a horror story. But I’ll tell you what, I’m the first bassist on U.S. soil to go toe-to-toe on a daily basis with Malmsteen and I didn’t sweat that kid one minute, I survived. LOL!

JW: As a song writer we get inspired by all sorts of things outside of our genre and even our field, What inspires you musically in your career?

Rik: Good question. I’m pretty well-read. All kinds of topics, all kinds of fields. If you watch Ronnie Dio’s interviews, he says the same thing. That’s where you draw a lot of creativity and inspiration from. Sci-Fi is always a great source, I’m a student of military history, and so, that’s a great source. Look at Manowar and Sabaton; great songs about glorious historic battles. I’ve got the legendary Polish Winged Hussar knights in my ancestry, so that’s very inspirational right there. Channeling your emotions and even anger, is a great way to pour it into song lyrics.

JW: What have you not done in your career that you still want to do? The thing that would put the cherry on the top of your already amazing musical legacy.

Rik: Well, I thank you for even considering my musical career a ‘legacy’ let alone ‘amazing’...From your lips to God’s Ears. That’s extremely very kind of you to say that. The Brass Ring has always seemingly eluded me, and not by my choice. Always the bridesmaid and never the bride I guess you could say. I’ve watched the parade of friends go by on many occasion and nobody reached out to say ‘come on and join in.’ At least I’ve got a few great industry people behind me for which I’m very grateful, like Sola Custom Guitars for my upcoming (by the time you read this) Rik Fox signature “Thunder Eagle” © Bass, DR Bass Strings, Babicz/Full Contact Hardware Bridges, EMG pickups, Pro Player Art Custom Amp Screens, Sew Perfect Custom Patches, Dunlop Picks, and the never-ending support of my wife Tamara, who’s saved my skin on more than one occasion. I’d always like to record on more albums, of course, and, at my age, do at least one arena tour. But it’s getting far too dangerous out there now for that, on top of which, there’s a lot of irresponsible, ineptitude in the booking and promotions end of the business, and, even that godforsaken, stupid, greed-driven ‘Pay-to-Play/Buy-on concept which really takes all the traditional fun out of the whole thing. All the egos out there? Decades later, ‘same shit’ different decade.’ Thanks for having me as your interview subject. As Ronnie would say: “Good on Ya.”

And thank you so much Rik. From here on is some recommended content and artist links for you to check out. I ask the artist if they have anything in particular to share and this is what they give me. Please enjoy these links and their content, the artists I tend to reach out to are ones that I truly believe are worth your attention...thank you for taking the time to read this content...and stay true.

His website:

rikfoxbass.wix.com/rikfox

His reverberation page...

https://www.reverbnation.com/rikfox

"I'm not in the  video but I'm on the track with Dio/Sabbath drummer Vinny Appice, and guitarists Robby Lochner from Jack Russell's Great White and Steph Honde of Paul DiAnno/Hollywood Monsters."

Video for "Broken" by Jim Crean


Video for "Don't Take Your Love" by Jim Crean

(Links will open in a new window)

My personal recommendation is the debut album from Steeler. A nice chunk of 80's hard rock and a joy to listen to, especially considering the talent on the thing. It can be purchased in various ways....check your favorite online music distributor to get your copy today.

Anvil - Legal at Last Album Review

Anvil - Legal at Last (2020)

Released on AFM Records & Ward Records (Japan)

With cover art and an album title double entendre that I can hardly keep a straight face over, Anvil rolls out its 18th studio full length effort. After an relatively consistent decade, which started off strong with Juggernaut of Justice, one of my favorites that they'd put out since the 80s, one would think it's a little difficult to build up any sort of expectations for whatever is going to happen next (especially with the mega solid 2017 offering "Pounding the Pavement"). The Canadian trio are survivors, I'll give you that, whether their hit documentary film spurred them on through the 21st century or not, Still, their output kinda fluctuated a bit but even at their most 'meh' they weren't all bad, 2016's Anvil is Anvil was a fun enough outing, and Legal at Last offers more along those lines, a dozen tracks of primitive, meaty heavy metal which offers no surprises whether you've been following the band for 4 weeks or almost 40 years...but then again, you won't need any.

As you've guessed from the title, this one's going to have a handful of Anvil's crushing sonic love letters to the marijuana, but despite the silliness with which their lyrics are often imbued (you would be shocked as to how many don't actually get it), the music itself is no joke, just some energetic heavy metal, starting out faster with the title track, and then going into one of their loping, mid-pacing, burning metal numbers "Nabbed in Nebraska" which will slightly remind you of fare like "Metal on Metal", "Concrete Jungle" or "Forged in Fire" only not nearly so legendarily catchy, but still a stand out among those tracks. But Robb Reiner's drums sound really powerful throughout, and they pull off a nice lead bridge and some backing vocals heavily reminiscent of old Twisted Sister. Other fun numbers include "Chemtrails", the rumbling "Gasoline" and the twisting "Talking to the Wall", a cool, darker, menacing cut which reminded me a lot of some of my favorite Anvil stuff on discs like Pound for Pound or This is Thirteen. Great riffs here, with a steady mid-paced tremolo picking and Lips sounding as bent ass angry as he gets these years. And the hits don't stop coming there, in fact there aren't really any tracks here that I'd consider weak, and the vast majority of the material is hard hitting and memorable enough that I've been enjoying repeat listens since it released.

Honest, blue collar heavy metal with a monumental rhythm section. The Lips/Reiner/Roberston lineup has really solidified over the last few years and they make this all sound effortless, not that it's particularly technical or nuanced (but that has never been the point of this band) for the genre but they clearly sat there and managed to come up with a dozen ragers at varied tempos, with no real filler. Hell, they even save the heaviest track "No Time" for the end, another one that throws me back to their darker sounding stuff from the past, and another killer lead sequence. Anvil has a distinct sound in their field, instantly identifiable, and this one plays to all of their strengths without ever drifting off into some of the issues that have affected more than half of the records they've put out since the early 90s. Should satisfy the long term audience as well as younger folks just looking for some bar-busting, catchy heavy metal with zero pretentiousness anywhere to be found. You might not be able to hammer out an effective weapon or tool on that glass mascot bong, but they'll certainly club your ears in with this record before fleeing town with your old lady and a bag of ganja.

And to think, because of the current pandemic we will be getting more from these guys this year... can't wait.

Score: 4.5/5

TECHNICAL INFORMATION:

Anvil

Steve "Lips" Kudlow – vocals, guitars

Robb Reiner – drums

Chris "Christ" Robertson – bass

Production

Jörg Uken – producer

Martin "Mattes" Pfeiffer – producer