Archive for Judas Priest

Great Metal Albums of 1989: Protect the Innocent- Part 1, The First Chapter

Posted in 1980s, Heavy Metal, Heavy Metal and the 1980s, Music, Rock, Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 23, 2024 by 80smetalman

Like I said, I’ve been snowed under with everyone wanting me to do Continuing Professional Development courses, (CPD), that I’m not able to give albums my full attention. In some of my most recent posts, I have made reference to a compilation album which came out in 1989. The album is called, “Protect the Innocent” and you will see what a magnificent album this really is. Because there are 30 blockbuster metal tunes on it, I’m going break it down like it’s done on the record. Therefore, you get side 1 called, “The First Chapter.”

Steppenwolf- Born to Be Wild
Black Sabbath- Paranoid
Deep Purple- Fireball
Motorhead- Ace of Spades
Judas Priest- Breaking the Law
Ted Nugent- Scream Dream
Ozzy Osbourne- The Ultimate Sin
Blue Oyster Cult- Don’t Fear the Reaper

There you have it, enjoy!

Next post: Part 2- The Second Reign

To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com

To sign the petition giving Bruce Dickinson a knighthood, click the link: https://www.change.org/p/special-honours-committees-for-knighthoods-a-knighthood-for-bruce-dickinson

Spoiler- Unfortunately there are no Iron Maiden songs on the album.

Satan’s Plan to Take Over Rock Heaven

Posted in Death, Heavy Metal, Music, Rock, Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 10, 2024 by 80smetalman

In case you missed it over at Mike Ladano’s blog, I am putting on my latest story. Satan plans to take over Rock Heaven and sets his plan in motion. Will he succeed? Read on and find out.

Takeover of Rock Heaven

Part 1- The Plan

Somewhere in Hell:

Satan walked into the room waiting to address the assembled gathering, when he was distracted by a commotion. His security was holding back Adolph Hitler and Saddam Hussein, who were demanding to be let into the meeting. Calmly, he walked over to where the commotion was coming from. “Look,” he said sternly, “I said clearly that you two aren’t coming in here.”

“You need us,” Hitler argued.

“No we don’t ,” Satan returned. “This isn’t a military operation, otherwise Julius Caesar would be here. Even it if it was I still wouldn’t have you two in here. You both demonstrated your military incompetence while you were on Earth.”

“But you have Vlad the Impaler here,” Hitler protested.

“He’s here for a different reason,” Satan explained. “Besides, if we have to kill any prisoners, we have your man Werner Poetsche. Now go before I go back to shoving pineapples up both your asses. “

With that, Hitler and Saddam were marched away and the door was closed. Satan let out an exasperated sigh before sitting at the head of the long table. As he sat down, Vlad questioned, “Why is he here?” pointing to Dave Holland.

“Because I should be in Rock Heaven,” Dave snarled back. “I’m only in Hell because of a bollocks conviction. Fucking Elvis used that to not allow me in, damn him.”

“Enough!” Satan boomed, his thunderous voice shaking the room. It achieved its goal in silencing all. “Mr. Holland is here at my request. He will help us in rounding up all the key members of Rock Heaven and he can get some revenge.”

That’s right,” Dave affirmed. “They’re all a bunch of assholes. They wouldn’t let me in but I bet when that woman beater Tony Iommi dies , they’ll let him in.”

Satan sighed again. “They probably will. Some religions look favourably on men hitting women. That’s another reason why I plan to take over and have summoned all of you here. There should be no Rock Heaven, most of those rock stars should be with us here in Hell. You are all going to help plan my takeover. I have had a mole there since 2003 and he’s been feeding me information whenever he can.”

“A mole, that’s a brilliant idea!” Al Capone complented. “Who is he?”

“You’d be very surprised,” was Satan’s reply. “My mole did get me into Rock Heaven when some mortal went back in time to try to wipe out heavy metal. So, now it’s the perfect time to act.”

“Couldn’t we take our legions and just storm the place?” Vlad suggested.

“It’s not that simple,” Satan explained. “The other side has a fail safe. If we simply invade, we risk all out war with Heaven, I mean the real Heaven. We don’t need that, so we have to be more cunning.”

“Is that why Julius isn’t here?” Caligula inquired.

“Exacty why!” Satan affirmed. “And why we can’t risk an all out war with Heaven. The last time that happened, Heaven’s forces were commanded by George S. Patton who studied Caesar’s strategies and thwarted him at every turn. We got our asses kicked.”

“So tell me exactly how we are going to take over Rock Heaven?” Charles Manson probed.

“Yeah, you know once we act, those two Canadian super-heroes and their companions will try to stop you,” Dave Holland pointed out.

“I know,” Satan conceded. “But I have a plan. Those two super-heroes will be on a wild goose chase and while they’re distracted elsewhere, we will make our move. Besides, once we take over Rock Heaven, I think the town of Thunder Bay will thank us. They’re not happy with those super-heroes or the musicians in Rock Heaven for putting on that concert which nearly destroyed their town.”

Somewhere in Rock Heaven:

Martin Suplee’s head was pounding once again. He hoped he might have had a reprieve this time around. After all, Rory Gallagher and Jeff Beck were more blues guitarists, likewise with Dusty Hill on bass. Even with Razzle on drums, he thought it might not have been the metal he was constantly being bombared with. However, he couldn’t have been more wrong. They turned up the amp and bombarded him with power chords and blistering guitar solos. His head was throbbing by the time the session finished.

The throbbing began to ease as he was escorted back to his cell. In one way, he was lucky. Most of the time, he was subjected to sessions involving Lemmy, Jeff Hannemann and Cliff Burton. Those sessions left him with the feeling his head was going to explode in scanners fashion. “I guess I should be grateful,” he thought to himself as he entered his cell.

He needed no force to go into the cell, it gave him respite from the constant jamming of decesased musicians from the genre he tried to erase from history. Had it not been for this time alone, he would have gone mad ages ago. Several of his hench-persons who had travelled back in time with him urged him to admit that he was wrong in trying to erase metal from history. He stubbornly refused. If anything, constantly being bombarded with heavy metal from dead metal musicians only strenghtened his belief that his cause was right.

Suplee was still thinking this over, at least when he could because even in his cell, he was still able to hear those musicans playing. At that moment, it was Warrell Dane, Eddie Van Halen, Lorne Black and A.J. Pero who were assaulting his eardrums. Suddenly, he was distracted by shuffling at his cell door. Suplee turned and saw a singer, who didn’t sing heavy metal and he admired somewhat, standing at his cell’s entrance.

Before he could say anything, the singer put his finger to his lips and whispered, “I’ve come to get you out.” With that, the singer beckoned and Martin Suplee followed. Stealthily, the pair tiptoed through Rock Heaven and somehow, nobody noticed them. They carried on until they came to a huge door.

“This is the way out,” the singer directed.

“Where will I go?” asked a rather perplexed Mr. Suplee.

“Why, to Hell of course,” the singer responded, trying to keep down the volume of his voice. “Why, if anyone leaves Rock Heaven, the only place they can go is Hell. My boss is expecting you. He will assist you in ridding the world of heavy metal.”

Suplee opened his mouth to ask for more details but the singer had mysteriously vanished from sight, leaving him on his own. Not knowing what else to do, he thought to himself, “It’s worth a try” and pushed the door open and stepped through. As he entered a strange void, all he could think was “Maybe there was still a chance that he could wipe heavy metal from ever existing.”

Back in Hell

Satan waited along with those he assembled as the figure materialised before them. “When it did, he addressed the confused new arrival, “Welcome to Hell, Mr. Suplee.”

Bewildered, Mr. Suplee looked around the room. Why he actually was in Hell! He recognized Satan as he was responsible for him being in Rock Heaven. If that wasn’t enough, he recognized some of those with him, chiefly Al Capone and Charles Manson. Plus the were two other men and a woman, who he assumed was Lizzy Borden, due to her clothing. One man was in medieval dress, the other in a Roman toga. However, the remaining man bothered him. He was dressed in heavy metal attire. Therefore, he sensed a trap.

“Who’s he?” Suplee asked pointing to the metal clad Dave Holland.

“Why, he’s part of my plan to take over Rock Heaven!” Satan laughed louldy sending vibrations around the room. “All those metal musicians should be suffering here in Hell. Don’t you agree?”

Mr. Suplee nodded, “What do you want me to do?”

Satan explained, “What you didn’t know when you went back in time to destroy heavy metal from existence is that when those in Rock Heaven created heavy metal, one of the blueprints they used was Nazereth’s “Hair of the Dog” album. What you need to do is go to this Metalman’s house and steal his copy. You can get your revenge on him as well for his assistance in Tee-Bone Man and Superdekes defeating you. When you steal that album, Metalman will call for the super-heroes and they will come to stop you and you can defeat them.

“How can I defeat them? Last time, I had a special device but they neutralized it. Now I’m just an ordinary human.”

“That’s where I come in!” Satan boomed. “I can give you powers that will help you defeat them.

“Then give me those powers,” Suplee demanded. “And I shall defeat those meddlesome super-heroes and wipe heavy metal from history!” His laughed resembled those from cartoon villians.

“Very well,” Satan chortled. He pointed his trident at Mr. Suplee and the transformation began taking place. Suplee let out a long blood-curtling scream as large black wings began growing from the middle of his back. However, he took the pain as a new aura overcame him. When the wings had fully grown out, his clothing mysteriously changed to black robes. A few seconds later, the transformation was complete and Suplee felt different.

“Arise,” Satan commanded.

Mr. Suplee stood tall. He spread out his new wings fully, nearly knocking into Al Capone.

“Your transformation is now complete,” Satan informed. “You can know go and destroy Tee-Bone Man and Superdekes.

“Yes, I will have my vengeance on those two,” Suplee snarled before he mysteriously vanished.

Once Suplee had gone, Caligula asked, “Do you think he’ll succeed?”

Satan mischievously replied, “He doesn’t need to. All we need is for him to keep the super-heroes busy long enough so we can make our move on Rock Heaven.”

I hope you enjoyed. Once again, I’ve been covering a lot of colleague sickness at work so I haven’t been able to post as usual. Hopefully, that will change soon.

Great Metal Albums of 1988: Bitch- Betsy

Posted in 1980s, Heavy Metal, Heavy Metal and the 1980s, Music, Rock, Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 22, 2023 by 80smetalman

One dilemma many rock and metal bands had back in the 1980s was the question of risking losing their hardcore following in order to gain mass appeal. That’s why many bands, Iron Maiden and Judas Priest included, did things like add synths to their mid 80s records. While the band Bitch didn’t add synths to their album, “Betsy,” they did drop the “Bitch” and went for a less harder sound in order to gain mass appeal and like so many bands who tried this formula, it didn’t give them the commercial success they were hoping to achieve.

While the Duranies of the world paid no attention to the album, I can testify to the fact that “Betsy” is a cool melodic metal album. Betsy, (real name Betsy Weiss), has a great voice and she should be included whenever you talk about such great female metal vocalists from the 1980s like Lee Aaron, Doro and Lita Ford. I think her voice is that good. Furthermore, she has a great band behind her. Guitarist David Garruth cranks out some really amazing guitar solos on this album and David and Betsy are supported by a very competent rhythm section in Ron Gordy and Robby Settles.

Now onto the songs. The best ones on this album are “Devil Made You Do It” which takes the mick out of the anti-metal Christian brigade but it’s done with a cool guitar solo from David while singing about Satan and pentagrams. “Rock ‘N’ Musician” has a Led Zeppelin vibe to it with lots of swagger and some great opening riffs and shall I sing the praises of David’s guitar playing again? Why the hell not! Speaking of opening riffs, those which open “Cold Shot From the Heart” are probably the best on the album. The rhythm on this song is pure metal.

Whether or not it was the case, I speculate that “You’ll Never Get Out” was the intended single. It is more commercial sounding that the rest of the album, although it’s still a decent song. The rest of the album is basically how I described it before, a very good melodic metal album with some great riffs, vocals, rhythm section and cool guitar solos. Ron Gordy does lay down a groovy bass line on “What Am I Gonna Do With You” and “Sunset Strut.” In short, it’s everything one would expect from a heavy metal album. So my question is: Why isn’t this album spoken about more in the heavy metal world?

Track Listing:

  1. You Want It You Got It
  2. You’ll Never Get Out (Of Here Alive)
  3. Devil Made You Do It
  4. Rock ‘N’ Roll Musician
  5. Cold Shot to the Heart
  6. Flesh and Blood
  7. Turn You Inside Out
  8. What Am I Gonna Do With You
  9. Stand Up For Rock
  10. Sunset Strut
  11. Get Out

Bitch

Betsy Bitch- lead vocals

David Garruth- guitars, backing vocals

Ron Gordy- bass, backing vocals

Bobby Settles- drums, backing vocals

“Betsy” could be one of the best forgotten albums of 1988. This is a great metal album that somehow got lost along the way. I think it’s time to rescue it from the forgotten realms and have a good headbang to it.

Next post: Napalm Death- From Enslavement to Obliteration + Scum

To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com

To sign the petition to give Bruce Dickinson a knighthood, click the link: https://www.change.org/p/special-honours-committees-for-knighthoods-a-knighthood-for-bruce-dickinson?redirect=false

Great Metal Albums of 1988: Judas Priest- Ram It Down

Posted in 1980s, Heavy Metal, Heavy Metal and the 1980s, Music, Rock, Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 15, 2022 by 80smetalman

There has been much negative talk over the years in regards to Judas Priest’s 1988 album, “Ram It Down.” I agree that it doesn’t reach the heights of colossal albums like “Screaming for Vengeance” and “British Steel” nor does it even come close to two very underrated albums, “Point of Entry” and “Defenders of the Faith.” “However, I must give the album credit where credit is due, I thought it was better than “Turbo.”

It was plain from the opening title track that Judas Priest was determined to put their synthesized previous album behind them and get back to basics. “Ram It Down” comes out of the blocks at 500 mph with the determination of pounding your ears into submission. It also host the first of a number of great guitar solo tradeoffs between KK and Glenn. Then with “Heavy Metal,” following an interesting guitar intro, they try to recapture the formula which made those great albums mentioned in the first paragraph what they were. This track sounds a little like the bastard child of “Better By You, Better Than Me” and “Some Heads Are Gonna Roll.” There are many cool guitar riffs, hooks and solos in the song.

Judas Priest continue their all out assault over the next two songs starting with a cool drum solo to start, “Love Zone.” The chorus on the song is quite catchy and does bring back memories of their former glories. While critics said that the album brought nothing new to the table, on this track, it didn’t need to. Instead, they remind you of what they did to get you listening to them in the first place. I can pretty much say the same on “Come and Get It,” although that has a cool guitar intro and great riffs and solos throughout the song instead. Then we come to the hidden gem, “Hard as Iron.” Not only does this track capture the glory days, it does so without sounding like you’ve heard this all before. That chorus blows my mind away and the solo tradeoff is damn cool.

The second half of the album starts off with the more progressive metal sounding “Blood Red Skies.” The way out intro lets you know that this is going to be more than an assault on the ear drums. The acoustic guitars and Rob’s more sombre vocals stamp it as fact. The only problem is that after the intro synths and drum machines reminding you of “Turbo” do threaten to put one off the song. However, the guitars and Rob’s falsetto vocals spear any thoughts of a return to the previous album. Actually, the track is well placed as the change up keeps the interest and thought it’s nearly eight minutes long, it never gets boring.

If you want a song which is pure traditional Judas Priest, then I give you “I’m a Rocker.” While slammed for being nothing new, it is a great reminder of something old and after “Turbo,” I think this was what they needed. Following on is a cool cover of the Chuck Berry classic, “Johnny B. Goode.” This appears on the “Greatest Hits” album and I can see why it would be there. One question I ask about a lot of albums is why least strongest track is used as a penultimate track. AC/DC did this a lot and I have to say it’s the case here. “Love You to Death” isn’t a bad track but is the one which sounds a bit tired. However, “Monsters of Rock” closes the album out superbly. The song may have an impending doom feel but tells you that Judas Priest weren’t finished yet.

Track Listing:

  1. Ram It Down
  2. Heavy Metal
  3. Love Zone
  4. Come and Get It
  5. Hard as Iron
  6. Blood Red Skies
  7. I’m a Rocker
  8. Johnny B. Goode
  9. Love You To Death
  10. Monsters of Rock
Judas Priest

Rob Halford- vocals

Glenn Tipton- guitars, synthesizer

KK Downing- guitar

Ian Hill- bass

David Holland- drums, drum machine

Some people were ready to give up on Judas Priest after “Turbo” and even after this one. Fortunately, most of the masses didn’t and they are still out there blowing people away. “Ram It Down,” while no where near those classic from the late 1970s and early 80s, it was a step back in the right direction after what many called a misstep.

Next post: RATT- Reach For the Sky

To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com

To give Bruce Dickinson his knighthood, click the link: https://www.change.org/p/special-honours-committees-for-knighthoods-a-knighthood-for-bruce-dickinson?redirect=false

Great Metal Albums of 1988: Saxon- Destiny

Posted in 1980s, Heavy Metal, Heavy Metal and the 1980s, Music, Rock, Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 21, 2022 by 80smetalman

Writing the 80smetalman blog for nearly 12 years, (God, has it been that long?), I have come to this conclusion about British NWOBHM band Saxon. While they never achieved the commercial success of their contemporaries Iron Maiden or Judas Priest, (should I include Def Leppard here?), Saxon was a band who was well known throughout heavy metal circles on both sides of the Atlantic. Ask any metalhead around at the time and they would be able to tell you that Saxon was a great band. So, today’s question is: Does there 1988 album, “Destiny,” measure up to what I have just written?

My quick answer is, “Yes.” First, I will freely admit that listening to “Destiny” doesn’t want me to put more noted albums like “Denim and Leather” or “Wheels of Steel” on the shelf, it’s still a good album where Saxon does what they have always done. And no, this isn’t simply the case of an established band using the same old tired formula, they sound as fresh as they always have. The irony is that the album starts off with a cover of the Christopher Cross classic, “Ride Like the Wind.” Naturally, Saxon put their own spin on it and their version sounds really good. While I won’t waste typing fingers comparing the two versions here, I will say that it’s definitely worth an “Original vs. Cover” post, if 2Loud is willing to do so. If not, I could always do it.

“Ride Like the Wind” was released as a single and if you believe Wikipedia, it’s the only single from the album. This is not the case. What caught my attention in regards to the “Destiny” album was while watching “The Chart Show” on British television, during the show’s “Rock Week,” was the video for the song “I Can’t Wait Anymore.” For me, this track was better single material than the Christopher Cross cover anyway. It’s a mid tempo ballad and I love the lead guitar intro. Biff puts his soul into the vocals and the rest of the band provide the ground support. “Where the Lightning Strikes” makes a good bridge between the two singles.

The middle of the album is what distinguishes it as another great Saxon album. No nonsense power riffs launch “Calm Before the Storm” This is a pure cooker, guaranteed to get your head banging along to it. The keyboards at the chorus do nothing to change that fact as the power chords rule. I don’t know which guitarist cranks out the solo here but it’s damn cool. Next, they go a bit prog-metal, before it was a thing, on “S.O.S.” It begins with ocean sound effects before some heavy riffs kick in. I can’t be sure but I think it’s about a distressed ship but the backing vocals and bass line stands out particularly. It ends with a foghorn so I hope the ship was rescued.

Saxon change it up again on “Song for Emma.” The title and the mellow keyboard intro and soft first verse makes you think that this is going to be another ballad but the guitars kick in and the track takes off. Even though the second verse slows down, it can no longer be thought of as a ballad, it just kicks too much ass. It gets my vote for hidden gem, especially with that guitar solo. We can say that “Song for Emma” is definitely a climax but not a conclusion as the remaining tracks are quick to remind you. No, “For Whom the Bell Tolls” is not a cover of the Metallica classic but it’s a good song in its own right. However, I am reluctant to have the two songs in a “Songs with the Same Title” competition because as much as I like this Saxon number, it doesn’t quite measure up to Metallica. Then again, I could let you all decide.

Things go more 1980s with “We Are Strong” with the keyboards in the song. Maybe they needed one song which sounded contemporary and it’s a good song, if unspectacular. Biff’s unmistakable voice and the guitar hooks let you know that it’s definitely a Saxon song. However, they return to more mainstream metal with “Jericho Siren.” A straightforward metal tune and a cool penultimate track to set up the closer. With that, “Red Alert,” I wonder if Saxon were in the CND movement. This isn’t the only nuclear war song they’ve made. “Fire in the Sky” off the “Denim and Leather” album is another one. Still, it’s a great way to end the album.

Track Listing:

  1. Ride Like the Wind
  2. Where the Lightning Strikes
  3. I Can’t Wait Anymore
  4. Calm Before the Storm
  5. S.O.S.
  6. Song for Emma
  7. For Whom the Bell Tolls
  8. We Are Strong
  9. Jericho Siren
  10. Red Alert
Saxon

Biff Byford- vocals

Graham Oliver- guitar

Paul Quinn- guitar

Paul Johnson- bass

Nigel Durham- drums

Additional Musicians:

Steven Laws Clifford- keyboards

Dave Taggart, George Lamb, Phil Caffery, Steve Mann- backing vocals

Throughout the 1980s, Saxon kept cranking out great albums, it’s just a shame they weren’t more commercially successful. They definitely are a great band as “Destiny” proves.

Next post: Anthrax- State of Euphoria

To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com

To sign the petition to have Bruce Dickinson knighted, click the link: https://www.change.org/p/special-honours-committees-for-knighthoods-a-knighthood-for-bruce-dickinson?redirect=false

Great Metal Albums of 1988: Slayer- South of Heaven

Posted in 1980s, Heavy Metal, Heavy Metal and the 1980s, Music, Rock, Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , , , , , , on November 7, 2022 by 80smetalman

For some, Slayer’s “South of Heaven” album was controversial back in 1988. Some of the die-hard Slayer fans were put off because it was slower than the previous three thrash-fest albums while others were impressed that Slayer was able to slow it down a bit. Reading a little of the history, I can see where the band was coming from when they recorded this album. They didn’t want the album to sound exactly like their previous “Reign in Blood” album, no matter how fantastic that album was. Therefore, they slowed it down quite a bit.

That slow down comes through with the opening title cut. Doom metal wasn’t a thing back in 1988 but if doom metal bands wanted something to base their music on, then the song “South of Heaven” provided the perfect blue print. In spite of it being many miles an hour slower than what Slayer fans were used to, it has this hypnotic vibe which you can’t help bobbing your head along to. While not as slow, the best known song from the album follows along this path. However, the fact that they played “Mandatory Suicide” three of the four times I saw them live and they might have played it the fourth time but I only caught twenty minutes of Slayer at Download 2017. The post on that day explains why. Anyway, while not quite as slow as the opener, it still draws you in with those hypnotic chords and while it might not sound like thrash metal Slayer, the lyrics let you know that it is indeed a Slayer song. Not many other bands would sing about such topics back then. While not as spectacular as “Mandatory Suicide, ” “Live Undead” is in the same vein although the speed does increase in places, especially at the end.

With everything said, Slayer don’t totally abandon the sound which made them a household name in thrash metal. “Silent Scream” bears witness to that and while I wouldn’t call “Behind the Crooked Cross” a thrash song, it is still faster than many of the other songs and it’s a good metal tune in it’s own right and the King-Hanneman guitar solo trade off is fantastic. They do go more full thrash on “Read Between the Lies,” which is another song which takes a dig at TV evangelists. Well, they made themselves a prime target for metal bands. I do love the guitar work on this song and Dave’s drumming is noteworthy here as well.

Now it’s time for the song which I not only consider the hidden gem of the album but the hidden gem of the entire Slayer discography. I’m talking about “Ghosts of War.” Most people associate anti-war songs with a hippy type playing an acoustic guitar but Slayer proves that you can use thrash to get your point across. “Ghosts of War” is the thrashiest, headbanging song on the album and I love everything about it. From the cool intro to the pounding chords, Tom’s vocals being as good as ever, the guitar solo tradeoff and even when they slow the song down toward the end, that power is not lost. Okay, it’s my all time favourite Slayer song and I admit that I was a little disappointed, (I stress a little), when they didn’t play it any of the times I saw them live.

For me, the final three songs, while all good song, aren’t as strong as the rest of the album. Saying that, “Cleanse the Soul” has a cool intro before going more traditional Slayer thrash metal. Following that is a cool cover of Judas Priest’s “Dissident Aggressor.” They do it justice. The album closes on a slower note with “Spill the Blood.” It opens with a very un-Slayer like acoustic intro before heading back into the realms of doom metal. Believe me when I say that it’s a smashing way to end the album.

Track Listing:

  1. South of Heaven
  2. Silent Scream
  3. Live Undead
  4. Behind the Crooked Cross
  5. Mandatory Suicide
  6. Ghosts of War
  7. Read Between the Lies
  8. Cleanse the Soul
  9. Dissident Aggressor
  10. Spill the Blood
Slayer

Tom Arraya- vocals, bass

Kerry King- guitar

Jeff Hanneman- guitar

Dave Lombardo- drums

Here’s a little hint when listening to “South of Heaven:” Forget “Reign in Blood” or any of their previous albums and listen and judge it on its own merit. While not a thrash fest, I think it’s a great album, even if Kerry King doesn’t think so.

Next post: Mass- Take You Home

To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com

To sign the petition to give Bruce Dickinson a knighthood, click the link: https://www.change.org/p/special-honours-committees-for-knighthoods-a-knighthood-for-bruce-dickinson?redirect=false

If You Have Netflix, Then Watch This Movie!

Posted in 1980s, films, Heavy Metal, Music, Rock, soundtracks, Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 21, 2022 by 80smetalman

My stepson, Teal, recommended the film, “Metal Lords,” to me and in the past few weeks, I’ve seen it twice and now I’m going to plug how good the film is here. Without spoiling the entire plot, “Metal Lords” is about two socially displaced high school kids, Hunter and Kevin. Hunter is a total metalhead who dreams of hitting the big time as a great metal guitarist. Kevin, the drummer, although not a metalhead in the traditional sense, follows Hunter’s lead because Hunter saved him from a bully in third grade. Together, they form the band, Skullfucker.

All the heavy metal cliches are in the film but the thing was, I don’t care because they are all the truth. There’s the being picked on by the jocks, singled out by teachers and late in the film, Hunter’s father has him committed to a clinic because as we all know, only insane people listen to heavy metal. In addition, Kevin gets a girlfriend, Emily, who plays the cello. With the band still not able to find a bass player, Kevin tries to pitch Emily but Hunter rejects it saying that the cello is not a metal instrument. This eventually leads to a falling out between the two friends and Kevin joining the bubble gum pop band, Mollycoddle. It all leads to what some will call a predictable ending but it’s all done a great metal form.

My strange ability to pick out the small details in films, I found it amusing that when Kevin is in Mollycoddle, he finds playing the drums to their songs a lot easier than being a metal drummer. Even if he does nail, “War Pigs.” Then there’s my favourite scene when Kevin is in the pool and about to cheat on Emily, he is visited by Scott Ian, Tom Morello, Kirk Hammett and Rob Halford who all (Rob even more so) remind Kevin what a great girl Emily is and he shouldn’t cheat on her. Then again, if those four Gods visited me, I would do anything they said. One last point, “War Pigs” sounds excellent played on the cello.

Kevin being visited by Scott, Tom, Kirk and Rob

Of course no metal film would be worth its weight if it didn’t have a killer soundtrack.

  1. Skullflower- Machinery of Torment
  2. Judas Priest- Metal Gods
  3. Iron Maiden- The Trooper
  4. Avenged Sevenfold- Hail to the King
  5. Judas Priest- Painkiller
  6. Metallica- For Whom the Bell Tolls
  7. Black Sabbath- War Pigs
  8. Mastodon- Blood and Thunder
  9. Judas Priest- Grinder
  10. Ozzy Osbourne- Dee
  11. Motorhead- Ace of Spades
  12. Metallica- One
  13. Pantera- Cowboys From Hell
  14. Metallica- Master of Puppets
  15. Zeal & Ardor- Trust No One
  16. Guns ‘N’ Roses- Since I Don’t Have You
  17. Metallica- Whiplash
  18. Pantera- I’m Broken
Performance of the song in the film

I urge everyone to watch “Metal Lords.” It may be a little predictable but with all of that metal, who the hell cares?

Next post: Original vs. Cover

To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com

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Great Metal Albums of 1987: Judas Priest- Priest…Live

Posted in 1980s, Concerts, Heavy Metal, Heavy Metal and the 1980s, Music, Rock, Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , , , , , , on January 21, 2022 by 80smetalman

Damn my Swiss cheese memory! A few years back, I posted my top 15 live albums and for some reason, “Live…Priest” wasn’t on said list. This is particularly shameful as I have seen the mighty Judas Priest live three times and I know how good they are in concert. This live album totally catches the essence of this legendary band.

“Live…Priest” was recorded live in Atlanta, Georgia the previous year when Judas Priest were touring for their “Turbo” album. However, many songs from their previous albums are represented too and only three songs from “Turbo.” For those who had disliked that album, this wasn’t a bad thing. Of course, they play “Turbo Lover” but they also play the more metalized “Parental Guidance” and they knock that one out of the park. The third track is “Private Property” and again, it sounds a hell of a lot better when played live that it did on the album. It helped that the crowd was singing the chorus along to Rob. Then again, you can count on Priest to nail any song live.

Needless to say, all of the best known Judas Priest songs of the time appear on the live album but they do sound so much better. “Breaking the Law,” one they always play live comes in as the fourth track and it’s well placed after “Metal Gods.” Another boring point in the life of 80smetalman is when I saw them live in 1986, I don’t remember them playing “Love Bites.” They more than make up for it here! And of course, they play my second favourite JP song of all time, “Some Heads are Gonna Roll.” By the time this song comes around, I am wanting to break out the cigarette lighter and hold it high.

Now I could go on with the remainder of the songs on the album but they are all classics which any Judas Priest fan, casual or hardcore, will know anyway. Let’s talk about the band’s performance instead. The album sounds like Judas Priest were on fire that night and they had the Atlanta crowd eating out of their hands. Robert Halford’s vocals sound fresh all through the album and he shows what a great frontman he has always been. Of course, Glenn and KK weald their axes with precision and there are some great guitar solo trade-offs between the pair. So many, I can’t choose a favourite. Dave Holland provides some brilliant drumming as well but in regards to Judas Priest, I don’t think Ian Hill gets the accolades he so richly deserves. When I saw them, he stood at the back and I was glad when I saw them again in 2009, he was allowed to join the others at the front. On this live album, I can hear his bass plugging along, providing that crucial rhythm the band depends on.

Track Listing:

  1. Out in the Cold
  2. Heading Out on the Highway
  3. Metal Gods
  4. Breaking the Law
  5. Love Bites
  6. Some Heads are Gonna Roll
  7. The Sentinel
  8. Private Property
  9. Rock You All Around the World
  10. Electric Eye
  11. Turbo Lover
  12. Freewheel Burning
  13. Parental Guidance
  14. Livin’ After Midnight
  15. You Got Another Thing Comin’
Judas Priest

Rob Halford- vocals

Glenn Tipton- guitar

KK Downing- guitar

Ian Hill- bass

Dave Holland- drums

Honestly, did you expect anything less from a live Judas Priest album? I can’t believe how much I ignored this album for so many years. I’m rectifying that now.

Next post: In memory of Meatloaf’s passing. Meatloaf- Live at Wembley

To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com

Great Metal Albums of 1987: Helloween- Keeper of the Seven Keys: Part I

Posted in 1980s, Heavy Metal, Heavy Metal and the 1980s, Music, Rock, Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 6, 2021 by 80smetalman

Back in 1987, there weren’t so many subgenres of heavy metal. Sure, there was glam metal and there was thrash. Anything in between was considered simply to be mainstream metal. While all these subdivisions normally send my head into a spin, in the case of Helloween and their album “Keeper of the Seven Keys: Part I,” the term ‘power metal’ fits perfectly. Some called them thrash back then because they did play faster than mainstream metal bands such as Iron Maiden or Judas Priest. However, they weren’t in the same area as Slayer or Anthrax either. Plus, their image would have been more in line of what is considered the traditional heavy metal look. Therefore, I can say that this album was the first power metal album I listened to.

After short introductory opener in line with their previous album, “Walls of Jericho,” the album goes speeding through the next three tracks. The question of how new singer, Michael Kiske, would sound on the album is quickly answered. He was brought on board because Karl Hansen stepped away from vocal duties as he found it difficult to sing and play guitar at the same time. On a separate note, that explains why good shredders such as Dave Mustaine and Mille Petrozza demoted themselves to rhythm guitar. Anyway, those songs cast aside any worry that Kiske wouldn’t be up to the job as his vocals are just superb. Another positive from Karl stepping down from vocals is his being able to solely concentrate on guitar results in some great solos, especially on “Twilight of the Gods” where he and Michael Weikath do a cool guitar solo tradeoff.

Helloween must have recognized that we the listeners needed a short break after those opening songs as things slow right down for the ballad, “A Tale That Wasn’t Right.” It’s a decent power ballad but not totally mind blowing. The band do everything right here, vocals, bass line and a cool guitar solo but it doesn’t catapult it into greatness as far as great power ballads go. However, following “A Tale That Wasn’t Right” is the best song on the album, “Future World.” Lyrically, it sounds like a song for kid’s show and with some of the laser sound effects in the middle, it sounds like it even more. But with the great power chords and massive guitar solos, it is a phenomenal song.

What I hate about listening to the album on Youtube is the fact that the only the cut for video portion of “Halloween” is played. Therefore, eight minutes are cut from this thirteen minute long blockbuster. Fortunately, I have that full length version of this great song elsewhere, which makes up for it. Even though “Halloween” is so long in length, the constant changes in tempo and swirling guitar solos as well as the power chords make it no less interesting. The other good thing is that after such a long song, the album goes out very appropriately with a closer that is less than two minutes long.

Track Listing:

  1. Initiation
  2. I’m Alive
  3. A Little Time
  4. Twilight of the Gods
  5. A Tale That Wasn’t Right
  6. Future World
  7. Halloween
  8. Follow the Sign
Helloween

Michael Kiske- vocals

Karl Hansen- guitar, backing vocals

Michael Weikath- guitar, keyboards and backing vocals

Marcus Groskopf- bass, backing vocals

Ingo Schwichtenberg- drums

I figure that if “Keeper of the Seven Keys: Part I” was my introduction to power metal, then I have had a great introduction. Thank you Helloween.

Next post: Black n Blue- Nasty Nasty

To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com

An Early Happy New Year

Posted in Heavy Metal, Music, Rock, Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 30, 2020 by 80smetalman
Not a bad haul. I must have been a good boy this year.

I hope everyone had a good Christmas! As you can see, Santa was good to me this year. Not only did I get the new AC/DC album, I got a few albums I wasn’t expecting. The Metallica, Ozzy and Thin Lizzy, which for some reason isn’t in the photo, were upgrades as I had all of these on either cassette or vinyl. FTR, the Thin Lizzy was “Live and Dangerous.” Anyway, I hope all of you had good hauls as well.

Repeating what many other people have said, 2020 was a bust. Fortunately, I had my music and a lot of music which many of you have shared on your blogs. We all seemed to pull together and help each other get through, which was good to see and although there is still more shit ahead, the end might be insight. This past year was the first year since 2014 where I didn’t go to any live gigs. The lockdown meant that Hells Bells couldn’t come to town and my plan to go to Bloodstock for the Sunday was also put on hiatus. However, the good news about Bloodstock is that most of the line up planned for 2020 will be there for 2021. That means Judas Priest will still headline on the Sunday with Saxon on right before them! Additionally, and this has me considering coming out of retirement and going to Bloodstock for the full three days, Mercyful Fate is now headlining on the Saturday. Devin Townsend headlining the Friday makes it even more tempting.

Since, I will be working over the New Year’s period, I would like now to wish all of you an Happy New Year and may your 2021 be a joyous one.

Next post: Vyper- Afraid of the Dark

To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com