Great Rock/Metal Albums of 1989: House of Lords

House of Lords has now made it onto my list of American artists who didn’t crack Britain. Yes, they appeared on the “Protect the Innocent” compilation album but after that, zero. However, when I researched the band and the album, I discovered that they had a rich discography that carried on until 2022! So they must have been somewhat known in the US.

The other surprise came when I watched the video for the single, “I Wanna Be Loved,” which appeared on the compilation. The camera seemed to home in on the keyboards player quite a bit. Now that I know who it is, I’m not surprised. Gregg Giuffria. In the mid 80s, he had is own band, which was named after him and originally this was supposed to have been another Giuffria album, but producer Gene Simmons, yes that Gene Simmons, persuaded him to go another way.

The intro on the opening track, “Pleasure Palace,” sounds as if it could have been a classic progressive rock song from out of the 1970s, ala Yes or Emerson, Lake and Palmer. Gregg definitely has skills on the keys. However, the track develops into a more 80s synth rock song, something you might hear from Survivor but it’s not bad. The track from “Protect the Innocent” is more a rocking track so any thoughts of the album disintegrating into a pop album is quickly erased.

House of Lords really show their worth on “Edge of Your Life.” This is a nicely done melodic rock track with everyone firing on all cylinders. It’s the first track where Larry Cordola is let off the leash and he bangs out a great guitar solo. My personal opinion, this one should have been released as a single. “Looking For Strange” sounds like it might be a little all over the place but the chaos has plenty of hard rock swagger with some cool piano chops from Gregg and nice drum fills from Ken Mary.

Was it a thing in 1989 for bands to have their power ballad at the mid point of the album? It was like that with Femme Fatale and the same happens here. “Love Don’t Lie” is a really tender ballad without being too soppy. James Christian really pours his heart and soul out with the vocals and the rest of the band support with piano, a hard drum beat and a good guitar solo. Well done boys.

“Slip of the Tongue” is the first true hard rock song. They really take things up more than a few paces and rock it out. Just a great metal tune and one Rick Nielsen helped write the song. Still, it has me banging my head at a rapid pace. But it’s the cool intro on “Hearts of the World” and what happens after which convinces me that House of Lords can be considered a metal band. This one too has me headbanging away and while it’s not as fast as “Slip of the Tongue,” the power of metal is there to be heard. This one and its predecessor can both be considered hidden gems.

More 70s sounding progressive keyboards bring in “Under Blue Skies” but this time, it goes into a more heavy metal vibe. Enjoyable but I think the repetition at the end goes on a little too long. Both of the final two tracks could have been closers on the album. Both have that lets end the album in the right way and everybody sing along to the chorus vibe. I don’t see anything wrong with two songs which could be considered closers ending an album on an absolute positive.

Track Listing:

1. Pleasure Palace
2. I Wanna Be Loved
3. Edge of Your Life
4. Looking for Strange
5. Love Don’t Lie
6. Slip of the Tongue
7. Heart of the Worlds
8. Under Blue Skies
9. Call My Name
10. Jealous Heart

House of Lords

Gregg Giuffria- keyboards

James Christian- lead vocals

Larry Cordola- guitar

Chuck Wright- bass

Ken Mary- drums, percussion

Additional Musicians:

Jeff Scott Soto- backing vocals

Well, I’m convinced, I don’t know about the rest of you. I will explore House of Lords further albums.

Next post: Lenny Kravitz- Let Love Rule

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Great Metal Albums of 1989: Dream Theater- When Dreams and Day Unite

Three bands immediately spring to mind whenever the term ‘progressive metal’ is mentioned. One is Dio as they could be called one of prog metal’s founders, the second is Savatage, especially after the “Gutter Ballet” album and the third band is the one I’m posting about today, Dream Theater. They are another band I discovered on the compilation album I’ll be visiting in the near future and like Mammoth, they impressed me. Therefore, it’s only logical that I explored their debut album, “When Dreams and Day Unite.”

Oh yes, to clarify, I can already hear some of you screaming at the top of your lungs, “What about Rush?” I don’t consider them metal and neither do they. Maybe progressive hard rock at best but not metal. In any case, I still enjoy a good Rush album so this whole argument is pointless.

Now back to Dream Theater and their debut. “When Dreams and Day Unite” starts off with three good tracks, the third one an instrumental and while I say good as they keep me interested, track two, “Status Seeker,” being the best of the three, the throat grabbing track comes fourth, “The Killing Hand.” For me, this is the best track on the album and I can see why it was the one which appears on that compilation album. It’s an eight minute long progressive metal master piece with all the elements required for such a track. What I had forgotten is that it was broken down into five parts. It tells a story of time travel and murder although the writer, John Petrucci, isn’t totally sure himself. Great keyboard work, some nice guitar work, a steady rhythm section and good vocals all combine to make it the best song on the album.

What critics have said, not that I pay attention to them, although there is some truth in the fact that the band were finding themselves as a band and individual musicians. This is not a criticism of the band but it’s something a lot of bands experience with their debut albums. I could have said the same about Mammoth in my previous post. However, what they have done on “When Dreams and Day Unite” is build the foundation for their more successful follow up album, “Images and Words.” Listening to the album, I remember why I was excited about Mike Portnoy filling in as drummer for Twisted Sister and I can add John Petrucci to my list of underrated guitarists. Some have slated Charlie Dominici’s vocals on the album but I find nothing wrong with them and of course, you can’t have good progressive metal without keyboards and Kevin Moore shows he’s the one for the job. While I don’t hear much of John Myung’s bass on the album, I know he lays down a good line.

Not wanting to leave out the rest of the album, I can say that the second half of the album, with the exception of “The Killing Hand,” is better than the first. The standout track of the four is “Light Fuse and Get Away.” It’s another cool track which neatly combines all the elements. Saying that, there seems to be a Rush-Styx influence throughout most of these songs.

Track Listing:

1. A Fortune In Lies
2. Status Seeker
3. The Ytse Jam
4. The Killing Hand- i. The Observance, ii. Ancient Renewal, iii. The Stray Seed, iv. Thorns, v. Exodus
5. Light and Fuse Get Away
6. Afterlife
7. The Ones Who Help to Set the Sun
8. Only a Matter of Time

Dream Theater

Charlie Dominici- vocals

John Petrucci- guitar

Kevin Moore- keyboards

John Myung- bass

Mike Portnoy- drums, percussion

While “When Dreams and Day Unite” is the only Dream Theater album which failed to break into the top 200, it did set the foundation of greater things to come for the band. Still, if you fancy some great progressive metal, then check this album out.

Next post: Pretty Boy Floyd- Leather Boyz With Electric Toyz

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Great Metal Albums of 1989: Lizzy Borden- Master of Disguise

It’s a good thing I now go back and read posts from bands’ albums which came out previous to the band I’m writing about. In the case of Lizzy Borden’s “Master of Disguise,” if I hadn’t done so, then this post might have gone a different direction. When I first listened to the album, I thought that Lizzy was heading in a more progressive metal direction, which the album is. However, after re-reading my post on their previous album, “Visual Lies,” they were heading in that way on the last few tracks of that one.

The only remaining members of the band on the album were Lizzy himself and drummer Joey Scott Harges as long term guitarist and songwriter, Gene Allen, departed the band. Therefore, other musicians were brought in for the guitar, bass and keyboard parts, although Steve Lukather wasn’t one of them. Now and it’s probably me thinking too much, I wonder if there is any relation to Gene’s departure and the new progressive metal direction.

“Master of Disguise’s” progressive sound comes through on the opening title track. A theatrical keyboard introduction welcomes the album in but it’s not long before Lizzy Borden remind you they’re a metal band. The track gets and holds your attention. More evidence of the progressive comes in the form of the ballad like “One False Move.” It’s an acoustic number, less that three minutes but it would fit in nicely on a concept album. After that, we get the intended single, at least there’s a video to it, “Love is a Crime.” Once again, Lizzy Borden have a song which is totally suited for commercial radio play but never got picked up. Further proof that commercial radio has sucked since 1985.

For me personally, the middle part is my favourite part of the album. Tracks four through nine really make this album what it is and could be why it is Lizzy Borden’s highest charting album. Starting the party is the charging straight forward melodic metal tune, “Sins of the Flesh.” This one has me head banging away even through the more prog rock sounding guitar solo. It would have been my choice for hidden gem had it not been for the next track, “Phantoms.”

“Phantoms,” is the song which completely defines the album. Like the opener, it starts off with a scene setting keyboard influenced intro and then going into an acoustic instrumental after which transforms into a cool metal tune. I really love the guitar solo on this and I would love to know which of the contributing guitarists on the album plays it. Furthermore, Lizzy is at his vocal best with both the lead and backing vocals.

The next four tracks don’t disappoint either, “Never Too Young” has a piano intro before going metal, which would have gotten a thumbs up from Jon Oliva or so I’d like to think. The guitar solo and vocals are really good on it. The coolest intro comes on “Be One of Us.” It is none other than Bach’s “Toccata in D Minor,” which for movie buffs is also the theme song for the 1975 film, “Rollerball.” Again, the rest of the song is pure metal. I would be repeating myself in regards to “Psychodrama” and “Waiting in the Wings,” but who cares? They are both cool tunes.

Penultimate track, “Under the Rose,” is similar to the second track, an acoustic, ballad like number. Closer, “We Got the Power,” sounds like it’s recorded live and the way it’s done, it’s the best way to close the album.

Track Listing:

1. Master of Disugise
2. One False Move
3. Love is a Crime
4. Sins of the Flesh
5. Phantoms
6. Never Too Young
7. Be One of Us
8. Psychodrama
9. Waiting in the Wings
10. Roll Over and Play Dead
11. Under the Rose
12. We Got Power

Lizzy Borden

Joey Scott Harges

Lizzy Borden- lead and backing vocals

Joey Scott Harges- drums

Additional Musicians:

Ronnie Jude, David Michael Phillips, Mike Razzatti- guitar

Mike Davis, Joey Vera, Brian Perry- bass

Elliot Solomon, William Kidd- keyboards

Tim Stithem- additional percussion

Brian Coyle, Jacques Voymont, Jerry Moore, John Chuboda, TJ Santos, Tim Taylor- horns

Black, White and Brown Orchestra- backing vocals on track 12

As stated previously, “Master of Disguise” is Lizzy Borden’s most commercially successful album. Could it be the more progressive metal direction? Possibly or maybe it’s because it’s just a good album. This album puts Lizzy Borden firmly on my list of American artists not to have cracked the UK.

It is now my sad duty to announce the passing of former Cockney Rebel frontman, Steve Harley, who quietly passed away at his home age 73. Rest in Peace Steve.

Next post: Bitch- A Rose By Any Other Name

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Great Metal Albums of 1989: Savatage- Gutter Ballet

A little over a year ago, man how time flies, Mike Ladano and I wrote a joint post ranking Savatage albums from worst to first. In regards to this 1989 album, “Gutter Ballet,” both Mike and I put it near the bottom of our rankings, although my sister Dawn ranked it a number four and my son Jake at five. There are valid arguments for both. What both Mike and I agreed about the album is that the second side does not measure up to the first and is predominantly filler. With that, since I like starting with the ‘not so positive,’ I will begin with the second half of the album.

On another point, do you have an idea stuck in your head that no matter how much you hear to the contrary, there’s no shifting it? Well for me, for over 30 years, I thought the title of the album was “Guitar Ballet” and not “Gutter Ballet.” Silly me. Then again, listening to the album and how it marks Savatage’s shift from mainstream metal to more progressive metal, they carried on what Dio had started, you could say the album actually was a guitar ballet.

“Gutter Ballet’s” descent into mediocrity starts with the track, “She’s in Love.” It’s not a bad track to say the least as another point I will make about the entire album right now is that Criss Oliva’s guitar work is top notch and actually saves songs like this one. It’s a hard and fast song and if it was on the “Fight For the Rock” album, would be one of the best songs on it but unfortunately, it’s not the case here and wouldn’t stand up to songs on albums I view in higher regards.

“Hounds” comes out as if the album is going to get back on track and it does for the beginning and then again at the end. I love the impending doom on the intro combining acoustic guitar notes from Criss and Jon’s vocals before the song explodes in the fashion which typifies Savatage. However, somewhere in the middle of the song, it loses focus, going off into some weird form of tangent which if cut out, would make the track better, especially the way Criss hammers out the guitar solos. He almost singlehandedly saves the second half of the album.

“The Unholy” is a track that sort of comes and goes with little notice. It’s okay to listen to at the time but right after, it fades from memory. It could be the fact that it is followed by the best track on this part of the album, “Mentally Yours.” This is Savatage doing what Savatage do best. A good slow intro before exploding but unlike “Hounds,” it stays on a steady course. On a personal note, reflecting back to my childhood, I can identify with, Jimmy, the protagonist in the song.

Jimmy went out to play with the friends he made

Why did they send him away?

It made his mommy mad, drove his daddy bad

They didn’t understand.

At the end, I find another minor criticism about the album and that’s because I originally got it on cassette. On vinyl, the closer is “Summer’s Rain” and as a closer it is very good. It’s melody guides the album out in the right way. However, on cassette and CD, the track, “Thorazine Shuffle” is added but a good closer it does not make. Now, I know that these two tracks along with “Mentally Yours,” were part of a three song conceptual suite but I still think “Summer’s Rain” should have closed out the album on vinyl, cassette and CD.

Now onto the very positive! The album opens with “Of Rage and War” and it great opener it DOES make! I love how Jon’s shrieks of terror bring in the song with some great riffs from Criss and credit more credit should be given to the rhythm section of Johnny Lee Middleton and Steve Wacholz. Like a good opener, it gets the blood pumping and the listener ready for the rest of the album. Criss’s solos shape what is to come in regards to his guitar playing for the entire album.

“Of Rage and War” is immediately followed by the title track and that is such an awesome song, period. It came in at number five in my rankings of top ten favourite Savatage songs and it came in at number two on Mike’s list. There is so much to like about this song that I would only be repeating myself if I were to put it down here. Just such a fantastic song.

Another thing Savatage do very well is instrumentals and you get two on the album. The first one, “Temptation Revelation,” really showcases what Criss Oliva can do on the guitar aided some good progressive bits thrown in and how they join together at the end. The other instrumental, “Silk and Steel,” is just as good. You get a little acoustic guitar tinkling from Criss but he does such a great job on it. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, if Criss’s life hadn’t been so tragically cut short, he would have been counted along with the many guitar gods. That’s why he joined Ronnie James Dio up in Rock Heaven. In any case, both instrumentals are less than three minutes a piece but you definitely remember them.

Saving the best for last, “When the Crowds Are Gone” is not only the best song on the album, it’s my favourite Savatage song of all time! In fact, when I do depart the mortal realm, it is in my will to be played at my funeral. Hopefully that won’t be for quite a few more years. This song is simply magnificent. Starting with Jon on the piano with his vocals bringing the song in perfectly before Criss comes in with that guitar and we get a total party. It just gets the adrenaline rushing through my body.

Track Listing:

1. Of Rage and War
2. Gutter Ballet
3. Temptation Revelation
4. When the Crowds Are Gone
5. Silk and Steel
6. She’s in Love
7. Hounds
8. The Unholy
9. Mentally Yours
10. Summer’s Rain
11. Thorazine Shuffle

Jon Oliva- vocals, piano, keyboards, bass and drums on “Gutter Ballet”

Criss Oliva- guitars

Johnny Lee Middleton- bass

Steve Wacholz- drums

Chris Caffery does not appear on the album but is credited in the liner notes for guitar and keyboards

“Gutter Ballet” may not be Savatage’s best album but it does help them make the transition to more progressive metal and does so very well. There are some amazing tracks on the album and with Criss, you can call it a guitar ballet.

Next post: Danger Danger

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A Joint Post With Mike Ladano: Our Top Ten Savatage Songs

After our successful joint post at the beginning of the year where Mike and I, as well as my sister and eldest son, ranked Savatage albums, we decided to make another joint post declaring our top ten favourite Savatage songs. Hopefully, the posts will come out together.

For me, the first three songs were already set in stone but it was a fun challenge ranking and deciding the rest of my list. Four to seven wasn’t too difficult but the last three were a little more challenging. Plus, there were five songs which were considered but didn’t make the cut. I might cite them in an ‘Honourable Mentions’ post some time in the future.

Savatage’s ability to be hard hitting and theatric, sometimes within the same song is what drove me to them. I just love these songs, period. I feel I need no reason to explain why because I can’t do so in a way that makes sense. Like I said, I love these songs. The only possible exception would be for the one which is number 2 on the list. That particular song helped me cope with the break up of my first marriage. Anyway, enough of my prattling on, here’s my top ten Savatage songs, followed by my sister Dawn and son Jake.

10. Edge of Thorns

9. Conversation Piece

8. Strange Wings

7. This Isn’t What We Meant

6. Handful of Rain

5. Guitar Ballet

4. Hall of the Mountain King

3. This is the Time

2. All That I Bleed

1. When The Crowds Are Gone

That’s my list, now for Dawn’s.

7. Christmas Eve

6. Guitar Ballet

5. One Child

4. Edge of Thorns

3. Hall of the Mountain King

2. Dead Winter Dead

1. Handful of Rain

Now for Jake’s

Starting left and going clockwise: Me, my eldest Jake, my younger son Will, his fiancee Ela and my stepson Teal. A true metal family!

10. Tonight He Grins Again

9. Follow Me

8. Summer’s Rain

7. When the Crowds Are Gone

6. If I Go Away

5. This Is The Time (1990)

4. Back to a Reason

3. Alone You Breathe

2. Not What You See

1. Believe

Here’s our top ten Savatage songs and I’m sure many of you will want to contribute your own, feel free. First, check out Mike’s.

Go Beyond the 1980s?

When I first began 80smetalman’s Blog way back in 2011, my purpose was to highlight the music from what I called the ‘Golden Age of Heavy Metal,’ also known as the 1980s. The other purpose was to boost sales of my book “Rock and Roll Children,” which hasn’t panned out the way I had originally hoped. In any case, I have had a lot of fun doing so and it has been a learning experience for me as much as many of you.

Now I’m about to enter the final year of the golden decade and decisions have to made. See, it was my original intention that once I have written about the last album of 1989, that my mission would be accomplished, that I would not carry on past the golden decade. Oh, I would still write posts, I have many ideas for top ten lists and other relevant material and I would continue to report on any concerts I go to and other happenings. For example, many of the great rock and metal artists will continue to leave the mortal realm for Rock Heaven but the history tour would be over.

Since I have stated this, some of you out there want me to carry on into the 1990s and beyond. Let me say that I am truly flattered. Part of me wants to carry on but there is a huge part of me that has reservations about it. After the 80s ended, my lust for great music took a back seat as I had what some people might call ‘real responsibilities.’ A wife and newborn child will do that to a person, especially as my then wife told me that I should stop being a prat and grow up, her exact words. As a result, my musical knowledge of the decade isn’t very good. I know there were many good albums, my sister would send me tapes of songs from different bands every Christmas and birthday right up to 1997. Therefore, I could do it.

Let me dispel one myth that many of you don’t know about. Back then, some people wrongly assumed that my seeming lack of interest in music was down to my conversion to the Mormon faith in late 1989. That could be nothing further from the truth. When I was investigating the church, I came right out and asked the missionaries that if I joined, would I be expected to burn all my AC/DC albums. One missionary responded, “No, but if you feel so inclined, you can give them to me.” But that’s all irrelevant. Besides, I went completely off the rails for a little bit when my marriage ended in 2000 and as a result, I was excommunicated.

Therefore, I am asking all of you, my readers, as to what I should do. Shall I keep posting about albums beyond 1989 or shall I just leave it with the great memories of the golden decade? As I try to put out two posts a week, I could cut it down to one post or even three posts every two weeks. That might take some of the pressure off. Again, your input is needed here.

Let me say, that I have always felt welcome here in the blogging community. I have enjoyed reading your posts and gaining new knowledge and insights into music. This is why I am asking your opinions as they do matter to me.

With that note, thanks to Mike Ladano for telling me how I can upload videos I took at concerts, I will leave you with three I took ages ago. I apologize in advance for the poor quality in sound from the two Download videos.

Kreator- Download 2018

Ozzy- Download 2018

Hannah Wicklund, Bristol UK, 2019

Next post: Original vs. Cover- Aerosmith and Testament

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Great Metal Albums of 1988: Crimson Glory- Transcendence

Crimson Glory need to reform and play one concert with me in attendance. The reason, as I explained when I posted about their debut album, I saw the band support Metal Church and Anthrax and was totally unimpressed. In fact, I said after seeing that gig that Crimson Glory need not have been there because Anthrax and Metal Church were that brilliant. However, now that I have heard the debut album and now their 1988 album, “Transcendence,” I am beginning to think that the reader from when I posted about the debut album was right and that it was simply an off night because both of their studio albums, “Transcendence” especially, are really good.

“Transcendence” begins with some progressive metal with “Lady of Winter” and immediately jumps to the power metal of “Red Sharks” and they do it without breaking any sweat. In fact, there is a strong Helloween vibe with the second song, not a bad thing. But both tracks stamp the album’s authority and sets you up for the cool power ballad that is “Painted Skies.” This song extends the all the band member’s capabilities to the limit and the band delivers. Great guitar work, both lead and rhythm, a good bass line, great drumming and some magnificent vocals. It also helps that I am a sucker for a good power ballad.

Not wanting you, the listener, to get bored, Crimson Glory change things up yet again with the near thrash metal sounding “Masque of the Red Death.” I know very little of lead singer, Midnight, but he can easily fit his vocals into whatever the band play. Furthermore, upon listening to him, I am not surprised at the comparisons to Geoff Tate which were going around at the time. Also, I must add another under appreciated guitarist to that ever expanding list. I’m very impressed with the six string wizardry of Jon Drenning.

Things sort of plateau at the midpoint of the album. “In Dark Places” is a solid tune which walks a fine line between the power and progressive metal which Crimson Glory were known for. It’s a good song but not as good as the first four and if a gun was put to my head and I had to choose a song classed as filler, then it would have to be “Where Dragons Rule.” Fortunately, there is no gun at my head and I can say that it’s not filler but a decent song which keeps the album ticking along.

History has said that “Lonely” was released as a single and did fairly well. I can’t say because it never made it to the UK but I can understand why it would have been released as a single as it meets the criteria. It has an ear catching acoustic hook at the beginning followed on by ballad like vocals from Midnight. There is a haunting feel to things with a bassline which suggests impending doom before things liven up. It’s not too heavy but heavy enough but with some more great guitar work from Jon.

Progressive metal returns with “Burning Bridges,” which like the preceding track, starts with an acoustic intro and foreboding bassline. It too goes into a more traditional metal direction and it sounds good, especially the guitar solo. With the keyboard backing, it too could have been a single but I still prefer “Lonely.” Unlike many other albums, the penultimate track here isn’t the least strongest. “Eternal World” comes in with strong power chords and lead guitar work. This one is more speed metal and it rocks, waking you up after two slower songs.

If you need further proof of Crimson Glory’s talent and versatility, then the answer comes in the from of closer “Transcendence.” This track captures and recreates everything done on all the previous tracks and lays it all out before you. There’s progressive parts, power parts and even acoustic bits, which serve to end the album as it should.

Track Listing:

1. Lady of Winter
2. Red Sharks
3. Painted Skies
4. Masque of the Read Death
5. In Dark Places
6. Where Dragons Rule
7. Lonely
8. Burning Bridges
9. Eternal World
10. Transcendence

Midnight- vocals

Jon Drenning- lead guitar

Ben Jackson- rhythm guitar

Jeff Lords- bass

Dana Burnell- drums

Additional Musicians:

Jim Morris, Lex Macar, John Zahner- synthesizer programming

Janelle Sadler, Tim Morris, Jim Morris, The Killing Crew, The Red Death Mob, The Dragon Beast- additional backing vocals

Note to self, don’t judge a band from one off night because it must have been that when I saw Crimson Glory in 1987. “Transcendence” proves this point.

Next post: Lilian Axe

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Great Metal Albums of 1988: Fates Warning- No Exit

I knew the name Fates Warning back in 1988 and might have seen one or two of their records at some record store but that was all I knew of them. In fact, if I hadn’t been tipped off, they would have totally passed me by, which is sort of sacrilege from a metal point of view. It’s bad enough that I missed their pre-1988 albums on this tour of the golden decade of heavy metal. Fortunately, I get to at least talk about the last two albums of the decade, starting with “No Exit.”

Everything about this album screams, “concept album,” but there is no evidence of that in the history. It could be the case with the second half of the album, a song titled, “The Ivory Gate of Dreams,” which is twenty-one minutes long and broken down into eight parts but there is nothing to support the claim. In any case, whether it’s a concept album or not is irrelevant because it’s a good progressive metal album, before that label became a thing.

What is interesting about “No Exit” is that there is only one song which stands out and only barely at that. That happens to be “Shades of Heavenly Death” where the band incorporate bits of thrash metal combined with their more progressive style and it works a treat. The other songs just carry you on from one track to the next in an almost hypnotic heavy fashion. Singer, Ray Adler, who joined the band for this album, has a rough but yet melodic voice which fits the music perfectly. Guitarists Jim Matheos and Frank Aresti hone their craft very well on all the songs. Whether it’s the scorching guitar solo which opens “Anarchy Divine” or the acoustic intro to “In a Word” or the thrash power chords of “Shades of a Heavenly Death, these two deliver the goods and more. Speaking of the standout song, you get treated to a short but memorable bass solo from Joe DiBiase and you can’t leave out the drumming of Steve Zimmerman.

Track Listing:

1. No Exit
2. Anarchy Divine
3. Silent Cries
4. In a Word
5. Shades of a Heavenly Death
6. The Ivory Gate of Dreams

i. Innocence

ii. Cold Daze

iii. Daylight Dreamer

iv. Quietus

v. Ivory Tower

vi. Whispers on the Wind

vii. Acquiescence

viii. Retrospect

Fates Warning

Ray Adler- vocals

Jim Matheos- guitar

Frank Aresti- guitar

Mark Castigilone- keyboards

Steve Zimmerman- drums, percussion

Joe DiBiase- bass

Finally, Fates Warning get the just dues I should have given them ages ago. For me, “No Exit” has given me the motivation I needed to go and check out their earlier albums.

Next post: Crimson Glory- Transcendence

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

To give Bruce Dickinson his much deserved 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: Riot- Thundersteel

In most cases, bands who try to be all things to all people on an album, usually fail on all accounts. People like putting things into nice little pigeon holes and if they can’t then it’s ignored. However, in the case of Riot’s “Thundersteel” album, they did that very thing successfully. The band intentionally took parts of everything metal had to offer in the 1980s, put it all together on one album and the result was a smashing album.

Riot took a long break in the mid 1980s. “Thundersteel” was their first album since the 1983 “Born in America” album and maybe that worked to their advantage when recording the album. The reason for the band’s five year inactivity isn’t known but Riot was one band that always seemed to be one album away from achieving superstardom, which always seemed to allude them. So, it can be speculated that since Riot had no label put on them, there was no pressure on them to sound a certain way.

What Riot did was pay attention to what was going on in the metal world and take all the best pieces of everything and put it on the album. The album kicks off with a very thrash metal sounding title track which definitely gets the blood pumping and lets you know that in no uncertain terms, Riot are back. An example of doing things right on the album comes in the form of the second track, “Fight or Fall.” Unlike some bands who might stick a ballad after the thrash metal, (yes, fools) “Fight or Fall” is a very strong power metal song and I do emphasize the power.

Next comes not only the best song on the album and proof that Riot knew exactly what they were doing, “Sign of the Crimson Storm.” Not only is it the best song on the album, it’s my second favourite Riot song of all time. Number one goes to “Swords and Tequila” from the “Fire Down Under” album. On this track, Riot successfully combine power and progressive metal. You get power chords and melodic parts together and Tony Moore’s soaring vocals add the right kind of spice to it.

You get speed metal on “Flight of the Warrior” only slowing down for the choruses. The rhythm section is spot on here and shows you can have a bit of fantasy with some speed and that speed carries on with “On Wings of Eagles.” The chorus isn’t as melodic as its predecessor but it doesn’t have to be as the drums and guitar riffs totally beat you to death. Then we come to the hidden gem, “Johnny’s Back.” A groovy bass line starts it off and then Riot show why they are considered by many as a power metal band. There’s power galore in this tune from start to finish and a very interesting guitar solo from Mark Reale.

After six songs, one might be wondering if Riot incorporate everything, where’s the token ballad? Well, the closest they come is on the very soft acoustic intro on “Bloodstreets.” However, that intro is short lived as things go into early Judas Priest territory and I think Riot would have made Priest proud on this one. They stick to that formula with penultimate track, “Run For Your Life.” In fact, Tony Moore’s vocals are very similar to Rob Halford’s on this one. “Thundersteel” closes with a very progressive “Buried Alive (Tell Tale Heart)” which is the longest track at over eight minutes. It starts with a funeral and then some more spoken words backed up by a cool lead guitar riff. All right, if I haven’t done so in the past, I will add Mark Reale to my list of great under appreciated guitarists. The song goes way out there in the progressive concept world. It’s a take on Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Tell Tale Heart” and Riot put a good metal spin on it, making it the perfect closer.

Track Listing:

1. Thundersteel
2. Fight or Fall
3. Sign of the Crimson Storm
4. Flight of the Warrior
5. On Wings of Eagles
6. Johnny’s Back
7. Bloodstreets
8. Run For Your Life
9. Buried Alive (Tell Tale Heart)

Riot

Tony Moore- vocals

Mark Reale- guitar

Don Van Stavern- bass

Bobby Jarzombek- drums

And because I didn’t put this one on the post when I posted about the “Fire Down Under” album, I’m including it now.

In Riot’s case, maybe the five year layoff was a good thing because they came back with a blinder of an album in “Thundersteel.” While it still didn’t propel the band to superstardom, it’s still a great album.

Next post: Armoured Saint- Saints Will Conquer

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

To sign the petition giving Bruce Dickinson a well deserved 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 1987: Lizzy Borden- Visual Lies

This time, there is no debate on whether “Visual Lies,” compliments of Lizzy Borden, is an EP or an LP. Nine songs covering a time of forty-one minutes gives the answer to that. Going back to reality, one of my goals when I started writing this blog was to encourage people to get out their old records and listen to them again. Okay, my main goal is to sell copies of “Rock and Roll Children,” but that’s not the point here. A great side effect of this is that it has got me to do the same. I never bought a Lizzy Borden album back in the 80s because I knew people who had their albums and play them and since they weren’t well known in the UK, I hadn’t listened to any of their music for three decades. So, you can say that I am making up for lost time.

“Visual Lies” can be broken down into three chapters. Chapter one is the first two songs which are the more commercial radio friendly tunes. Both have that radio friendly melodic vibe to it but not anywhere close to making a hard core fan think they’ve sold out. The metal is present in both of the songs. Lizzy’s vocals are straight up and there are cool guitar solos. Saying that, I do think that White Stripes ‘borrowed’ the intro off the opener, “Me Against the World.”

Chapter Two is where the band goes more power metal spanning four tracks. Even the track, “Outcast,” which is close to being a power ballad has more power than ballad. The same holds true with the melodic harmony of the backing vocals on the choruses. Sure, the melody is there but it doesn’t lose any of the power and of course, there are some great guitar solos. While “Outcast” is my pick for favourite track, the guitar solo trade off clinches it for me, no intensity is lost on the other three tracks. “Den of Thieves” brings the most power of the three as it comes close to being speed metal but all four of these tracks just totally rock!

“Visual Lies” goes progressive metal in its third and final chapter. “Lord of the Flies” is probably what Yes would have sounded like if they had gone heavy metal. The song has a great progressive melody but backed up with some great power chords. It’s probably my imagination but Lizzy does sound a little like Jon Anderson here. Even the guitar solo sounds progressive. While not as intense as “Lord of the Flies,” the remaining tracks are in the same vein. Nice progressive sounding melodies with some hard power chords and in the case of “Voyeur, I’m Watching You,” a rather flowery guitar solo.

In the months between “Terror Rising” and this album, Lizzy Borden went through changes in guitarists. It seems that Tony Matuzak only played on the EP and Alex Nelson departed as well. Two guitarists gone but only replaced by one, Joe Holmes. It’s not a catastrophe because Joe seems to fit right in with Gene Allen as they do some amazing trade offs on their solos. On another note, 1,000 80smetalman points to Armand Rosamillia and 500 to Aphoristical for the assist for identifying the accompanying vocalist on “Don’t Touch Me There” from “Terror Rising.” Singing along with Lizzy was Betsy Bitch, real name Betsy Weiss.

And here she is

Track Listing:

1. Me Against the World
2. Shock
3. Outcast
4. Den of Thieves
5. Visual Lies
6. Eyes of a Stranger
7. Lord of the Flies
8. Voyeur (I’m Watching You)
9. Visions

Lizzy Borden

Lizzy Borden- lead vocals

Gene Allen- guitar

Joe Holmes- guitar

Mike Davis- bass

Joey Scott- drums

Well, I’ve made up a little for not listening to Lizzy Borden in thirty years and with these two albums, I sort of regret what I’ve been missing.

Next post: Bitch- The Bitch is Back

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

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