The “The Protect the Innocent” saga goes on with side three, “The Wild and the Willing.” However, there seems to be no let up in the great metal this album has.
Magnum- Start Talking Love
Vow Wow- Helter Skelter
Megadeath- Rattlehead
Saxon- Back on the Streets
Lita Ford- Kiss Me Deadly
Lisa Dominique- Rock ‘N’ Roll Lady
Exodus- Fabulous Disaster
I hope you’re continuing to enjoy. Three sides down one more to go.
Next post: Protect the Innocent- Side 4, The Wanton and the Warriors
To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com
Let’s start with the obvious, yes, Vow Wow’s album is named after a famous Beatles song and the one which can be said was the Fab Four’s contribution to heavy metal. Saying that, Vow Wow’s cover of the song is very good and it does appear on that compilation album I keep going on about. It also gives me another idea which I’ll talk more about at the end of the post.
Another point about Vow Wow, which I’m sure I stated when I posted about their previous album, “V.” They were to England what Loudness was to America, a great Japanese metal band which everyone thought kicked ass. It’s a bit of a shame that either band didn’t seem to get traction in the other country. I guess it proves that the US and the UK are two peoples separated by the same language.
The first two tracks of “Helter Skelter” are decent tracks but I also think they were more oriented for commercial radio. For me, the album doesn’t really kick into gear till the third track, “Spellbound” and no it’s not a cover of the Triumph classic. This is a great tune, my favourite on the album and I guess you could call it the hidden gem. From the kick ass guitar intro you get a good steady rocking with some great vocals and backing vocals and you get a cool keyboard/guitar solo tradeoff between Kyoji Yamamoto and Rei Astumi.
After the title track comes the first of two power ballads, “The Boy.” Genki Hitomi does pour his heart into it but I must say, I think he and Minoru Nihara are cut from the same mold in regards to their vocal styles. This is no way a bad thing. One ever so slight disappointment comes in the form of “Rock Me Now.” This track would have rocked me more if the keyboards had been turned down and the guitars turned up! Fortunately, the next track, “Turn on the Night” does rock out and rocks out totally although it does sound a little Kiss-ish. Kyoji’s guitar solo is top notch.
“Never Let You Go” is the second power ballad and Genki sings it with the same conviction as he does “The Boy.” There is some good drumming from Toshihiro Niimi. Then we get back to some rocking with “Night By Night.” However, the album ends as it began with two more commercial friendly tracks although there is a bit of swagger to the penultimate track and the closer is the perfect choice for the job.
Track Listing:
Feel the Power
Talking ‘Bout You
Spellbound
Helter Skelter
The Boy
Rock Me Now
Turn on the Night
Never Let You Go
Night By Night
You’re the One For Me
Sign of the Times
Vow Wow
Genki Hitomi- vocals
Kyoji Yamamoto- guitars
Rei Astumi- keyboards
Neil Murray- bass
Toshihiro- Niimi- drums
“Helter Skelter” is a solid offering from Vow Wow. Somebody should have suggested a joint tour between them and Loudness, this way we would have had a double whammy of great Japanese metal.
On the subject of the song “Helter Skelter,” there have been so many covers of this classic Beatles song that I propose a post of deciding which one we like most or the original. I formally invite all of you to contribute to a massive joint post on the subject.
Next post: MASS- Voices in the Night
To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com
Shortly after my arrival on British shores in 1986, I was introduced to Japanese metal band Vow Wow. By 1987, I was definitely hooked on them and I had arrived at the conclusion that after hearing first Loudness when I was in the States and then these guys in the UK, Japanese metal was something to take seriously. Now, I am not going to compare and contrast these two bands because they have totally different metal styles and I enjoy listening to both bands. I also realize that I said pretty much the same thing when I reviewed Vow Wow’s previous album, “III.” So, I might be an old man whose mind is going but I doubly stand by it, especially after listening to their album, “V.”
Like I wrote when I visited their last album, Vow Wow incorporates keyboards in their music and do so very effectively. Keyboardist Rei Atsumi doesn’t get the credit he deserves because he is really excellent at his craft. He plays superbly on the second track, “Somewhere in the Night.” On the other hand, Vow Wow can definitely rock and the opening track “Don’t Tell Me Lies bears witness to that. The rocking first track and the more melodic second track fuse together very neatly on the third one, “The Girl in Red.” It is very melodic in parts and very hard rocking in others. Kyoji Yamamoto, (the World War 2 buff in me wonders if he is a descendent of the great Japanese admiral), produces some cool guitar hooks and nails the solo. But he does that throughout the album.
One really hard rocking track, which might have been better as the album opener, is “Breakout.” The pounding chords at the beginning give me much to wonder. However, it does slow down to a more bluesy beat in the middle but the power chords do not relent. Kyoji does play a rather impressive guitar solo on it. Actually, I think this track would have been good in any position on the album. What it does is provide a great gateway to the album’s ballad, “Cry No More.” I’m not sure if it was or not but it should have been released as a single, I think it would have broken into the charts and if not, then it’s down to the Duranies of the UK. If I had owned this album, (I listened to a friend’s copy), I would have used this song to put my then girlfriend and future first wife into a romantic mood. This song definitely hits all the spots in that department with the vocals if Genki Hitomi combined with some intimate piano work from Rei but there are just enough power chords for the males not to think it had gone wimpy.
“Same Town” is a mid temp rocker which has some more excellent keyboard work Mr. Atsumi. It sounds like they use a choir towards the end. Magnificent drum rolls from Toshihiro Niimi begin the bluesy “Born to Die.” Genki’s vocals sound make the song sound like it would be perfect as a movie opener but I never heard any movie opening song that had a ripping guitar solo like this one does. Maybe they should use it for a film. I want to suggest either of my two books but I already have a song in mind should they ever decide to make “Rock and Roll Children” into a film. Therefore, it has to be my other novel, “He Was Weird.” Actually, that might fit!
Things chug along nicely with “Waited for a Lifetime.” This is more a straight ahead rocker but there is an interesting sound of the guitars sounding a little like chimes. It’s Neil Murray’s bass which keeps the song chugging along. The rocking party continues with “Don’t Leave Me Now.” This is the first track with backing vocals and they can be heard through Yamamoto’s guitar solo. “War Man” is the perfect closer for “V.” While it might not sound like one at first, the choir sounding backing vocals make it that perfect choice. Before the song goes out, the members do get to show their individual wares like a great keyboard solo followed by a great guitar solo. What more can you ask for? Like with “III,” Vow Wow save the best for last.
Track Listing:
Don’t Tell Me Lies
Somewhere in the Night
The Girl in Red
Break Out
Cry No More
Same Time
Born to Die
Waited for a Lifetime
Don’t Leave Me Now
War Man
Vow Wow
Genki Hitomi- vocals
Kyoji Yamamoto- guitar
Rei Atsumi- keyboards
Neil Murray- bass
Toshihiro Niimi- drums
I’d like to hear what the ladies think of this song.
After hearing two albums from Loudness and then two albums from Vow Wow, all of the brilliant albums, I can safely say that Japanese metal bands weren’t something to be taken lightly. Both bands wowed many people back in the 1980s.
Next post: Helloween- Keeper of the Seven Keys Part I
To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com
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