Judas Priest "Defenders Of The Faith" (1984)

 

Understanding Judas Priest's legacy through the impact of their extensive discography can be a tricky one. Expressed through classics like Breaking The Law, Painkiller, Turbo Lover & You've Got Another Thing Coming, their brilliance is all to evident. As a point of entry, excuse the pun, British Steel may be a Magnus Opus that says it all but much is to be left unearthed in their now eighteen records. For all my youthful adoration I barely scratched the surface of what Priest had to offer. With Defenders Of The Faith I find Priest in their prime, with an unassuming stance.

Just about every song creeps up on you. The flash and flair of Tiptop & Downing waits in lurking. The edge and thrill of their sharp, metallic Hard Rock riffs and razor blade guitar solos is a treasure rewarded after the steady build of well paced song writing. Such does Halford follow suit, baking in fantastic chorus and hooks fit for a Heavy Metal fans identity deeper into the track. No song bursts out the gate with the bluster of rock and roar. Most sound subdued as they get going, yet all find their stride.

This is Defenders Of The Faith's charm. Its rampant cries of "Rock Hard, Rock Free", "All Fear The Sentinel" and "Some Heads Are Gonna Roll" are Metal anthems without seeming directly intended to be so. They bloom from stable foundations, giving the band an undeniable stature as they chew through sturdy riffs, tuneful licks, piercing falsettos and electrified lead guitars. As Turbo would pivot into the cheese of these tropes, Priest command them with an integrity and intent to endure on this one.

 Its eleven songs march at their own pace. Variety offers up shifts in tempo and tone with Love Bites and Heavy Duty offering up these burly dense guitars alongside the slow crash of reverb soaked snares. Priest have so much swagger and braggadocio in these moments. Their metallic musical beast lurches on with a grin. The latter pivots into the title track, carrying on the slow bass snare groove as Halford is accompanied by a choir of voices gleaming as together they cry the albums name in utter glory.

It honestly feels like a missed moment to build into an unfathomable rock out of epic proportions but alas the ninety seconds of wonder gives way to a harmonious outro. Foiling us with gentle harmonics and lush dreamy leads before shifting into one last blaze of Hard Rock Heavy Metal glory. For all the subtly remarked on, it has to be said Freewheel Burning kicks off with a real blaze of attitude. The opening riff very reminiscent of British Steel however quickly does the record move into a matured and progressed priest, one I never enjoyed in my youth. With two records wedged between this and that, I know exactly where to head next!

Rating: 8/10

Cocteau Twins "Treasure" (1984)

When embarking on this newest musical journey with the Cocteau Twins, it is this record I was itching to write about. Discovering them back in 2011, Treasure was the album to lure me in and I have adored it too this day. Admittedly it doesn't get much rotation anymore but spinning it up again has been a pleasure and with critical ears I love how the stiff fidelity of its drum machine and awkward production were details I never heard before. These songs are so gorgeous and engulfing, that the magic simply glosses over its flaws. As I've commented before though, its aesthetic ruggedness very much works to enrich the slightly esoteric and ethereal vibes.

Stepping away from their Post-Punk roots and into Dream Pop territory, Guthrie's layered guitar experimentation finds refined glory in pivoting to acoustic guitars. Golden plucked strings lavished in reverbs often feature alongside other sparkling instruments that put emphasis on dreamy tones and a warm melodic rises. There are occasional uses of guitar distortion and its tone can sway into the shadows with these ten songs forging a wonderful variety for peering into peculiar places. Its obvious though, much of its instrumental magic is birthed from the expansion of instruments, used subtly in the swells of ethereal sound that gush forth. They play out the colored tuneful melodies the likes of Garlands before it once lacked.

Its all held in place by this clanky drum machine. Rigid and stiff in timing and tone, its repetitive strikes are often soaked in reverb, rattling off with forced punchy grooves that penetrate with a contrasted composure to everything else around it. Somehow, mysteriously, it just works so well. Fraiser's voice is another vector in the chemistry. These three components feel so distant from one another at times, yet together its a wondrous mix. I must say though, it comes in temperaments. The album jumps all over the place from track to track. Persephone may be the biggest example of what I've just described and yet with the following song Pandora it flips to its most cohesive and in tune composition. Notably, two of my favorite tracks as well.

Best of all, Fraiser comes completely into her own on this one. I was always under the impression her performance was entirely wordless and I loved putting my own words into her cryptic singing. Reading online lyric sheets does have me wondering. If they are true then its stunning how she pronounces words with such a mystic overcast. If not, its still just as magic but I prefer the later. The inflections and places she carries her voice too with vibratos and what not is endlessly joyous. Sailing high to low and dancing on her way. Every word, or lack of, just oozes with an endearing quality which never fails to cast a spell. Its some of the best vocal delivery you'll ever hear.

 Treasure is a milestone record for the group, an ascension to the spectacular. Its artistic, expressive, magical and stunningly mysterious. Knowing these songs so well, Guthrie's swell of ambiguous sound still spark the imagination. Fraisers veiled voicings always an indulgence. Its only shortcomings are in execution. Some amateurish swells of bass noise occasionally gather in the mix and some of its songs tend to end without direction. Sudden wind downs and lack of conclusion do hinder the odd song but otherwise its a classic, one anyone curious should give a go.

Rating: 9.5/10

Cocteau Twins "The Spangle Maker" (1984)

Knowing whats to follow, The Spangle Maker is a stopgap EP seemingly distant from its surroundings. Its title track is the most subdued song the group have written to date. Its a slow burn crawling to a quiet roar with a swell of layered sound in its closing cycle. With new bassist Simon Raymonde joining, perhaps this was an exercise in integration, becoming accustom with one another in writing and the studio.

 

Either way, its a familiar tale of music that misses the spark. Peraly-Dewdrops' Drops and more so Pepper-Tree have the hallmarks of the groups blossoming sound heading in the direction of Treasure. Somehow, Fraser's timeless singing and the Ethereal persuasion of Guthrie's effect soaked guitar magic just don't click.

 

Pepper-Tree does delivery a gorgeous shadowy acoustic guitar timbre, resonating off its chilling pianos with an eerie ambience. Somewhat of a cornerstone for Autumns Grey Solace's sound. It's also rather noticeable that the bass guitar steps away from that defining upfront presence of Post-Punk music, taking a more subdued roll with a softer aesthetic. All in all its another unremarkable but slightly intriguing EP of which they have a fair few main between releases.

Rating: 3/10

Bathory "Bathory" (1984)

I was listening to Scandinavian Metal Attack, a compilation of Heavy Metal released earlier the same year that the Swedish one man band Bathory featured on, when I realized its been well over a decade since Id last dived into these classic records that influenced the shape of Black Metal to come. Venom coined the name two years earlier but Quorthorn took the cheese out of the equation, sharpening the axe of evil with an aggression, keenly influenced by Motorhead. This self titled debut pushed the pummeling sound further whilst taking the occult seriously, laying foundations for a whole new musical scene to arise, inspired by the taboos of evil.

 With a brittle angular distortion guitar tone and shrieking howls, this dusky record and its simply awful audio fidelity presents an initial challenge. Much of the tone is pushed into the mid to high range with the low ranges being a muddy mess of bass resonance. All instruments have there sloppy moments with riffs falling off beat, drum strikes inconsistent and collisions of noise. Despite this the music overcomes the technical aspects, Quorthorn's throaty shouts and groans are sufficiently menacing for his evil themes of all things occult and taboo to have a sense of seriousness.

For a primitive and somewhat embryonic record the songs hold up well all these years later. The punkish riffing slogging power chords and melody interwoven picking rhythms stand on their own two feet. Without chasing the gimmicks of speed and extremity for extremities sake, Quorthorn uses his guitar to forge a genuine direction often illuminated by the shrill eruptions of lead guitar that dazzle the songs with speedy tapping arriving through a difficult to decipher whirl of low fidelity sound.

Its Intro and Outro songs make light use of thematic soundscapes to embellish the tone. I can't comment much on the origins of such integration in Metal but its almost no surprise to hear it here as many pioneering ideas have roots in Bathory. Another being the abrupt ending of tracks on two songs, something Darkthrone would get a lot of credit for later. Not all the songs are great, a couple drone with repetition but it has its moments. Many year from my last dive into this world, its clear the songwriting prevails and so its aesthetic elements fall into place given the uncomfortable topicality. The influence is obvious, the nostalgia magical but the best is yet to come!

Favorite Track: Raise The Dead

Rating: 7/10

Queen "The Works" (1984)

Far from the glory of their enigmatic origins, Queen keep stylistically challenging themselves with each project. Despite being on a dip in form, these records still throw up a classic song or two. I never thought I'd be radiating in the tone of Radio Ga Ga again. It's a childhood song now heard through adult ears with a birthed appreciation for its spacey keys, subtly Industrial drum beat and robotic baselines. The coldness between its gently simmering synths and Freddie's stunning voice when they drop out hits the reset button on its atmosphere perfectly each time, such a unique song.

It sets a mechanical undertone for whats to come in a small dose. Tear It Up retains the bold crashing drums of Arena Rock yet executed with a Industrial rigidity that will reoccur however its a moment where Brian May's roaring electric guitar riffs find unison with this mechanized experimental theme the band seem to be leaning into. Once again however, its only fully realized on Machines, a track with gittery synths and digital electronic tones in the vein of a Kraftwork b-side. The reset of the record tends to fall into the typical established styles that Queen like to dabble with.

Man On The Prowl simply sounds like a glossy piano led version of Rockabily track Crazy Little Thing Called Love. To be fair though these other songs bring the energy, Hammer To Fall resurrects the classic Queen sound with a touch of class as once again Brian May's electricity just lands well with his band mates, unlike on Hot Space. It seems that something was brewing among the drumming and robotic use of electronics on this album but it falls into the eclecticism of styles the band hinge on, leaving it short of something defining. It feels routine, despite being really enjoyable.

Favorite Tracks: Radio Ga Ga, Tear It Up, Keep Passing The Open Window, Hammer To Fall

Rating: 6/10

Steve Roach "Structures From Silence" (1984)

Every now and then you stumble on the record you have been waiting to hear, years of adoring ambient music has had me desiring for an experience so simple yet deeply majestic and here it is. American composer Steve Roach's third full length is considered a classic within the genre and it takes one listen to know why. The seventies brought in an electronics revolution thanks to the likes of Kraftwerk and Progressive Rock outfits who embraced synthesizers. Brian Eno emerged at the forefront of this musical movement with his Ambient record series, brandishing the term and laying down foundations that would inspire many artists to come.

One of them is Steve Roach, who on this record focuses much of his efforts into the texture of his synthesizers, which at the time were big old clunky machines that had lots of knobs, dials and cables to manage. Working them was a true craft that would of taken Steve much time to achieve the gloriously soft and airy tones heard on this record. That may of made it sound like a novelty of sorts but the power and magic of these finely tuned instruments gives tremendous weight to stirring an enchanting atmosphere that's stood the test of time.

In terms of its composition, many sounds are temporal and devoid of any obvious melody or structure. These three songs, thirteen, seventeen and almost thirty minutes long focus on the arrival, duration and departure of astral synths that find chemistry with one another in their passing encounters. The length of one note bleeds into another an in some instances their unions persuade with the power of a chord but its temporal nature diverts the pace and measure required for melody to emerge, giving enigmatic influences to the instruments ability to memorize with its aesthetic.

The atmosphere and visions it conjures may be rather personal. Its smooth, calming persuasion and gentle pace is undoubtedly relaxing and soothing but the places it takes you may differ from one listener to the next. For me a feeling of immersion in a moment takes place. Time stands still and one can gaze their eyes upon the details that a slice of time has hidden in its arcane mystery. Color and cosmic wonder cross the mind in what to many might be star gazing music, to look up and ponder, to look inwards and reflect. Steve's compositions put the mind at ease and subsequently opens a door to deeper thoughts locked in the crevasses of the mind.

Rating: 9/10

Echo And The Bunnymen "Ocean Rain" (1984)

The stirs of emotion flatten as an orchestral expansion does little to spice up what feels like a blander collection of songs in comparison the lively dazzle of "Heaven Up Here" and the crowded sensations of "Porcupine". Their next release "Ocean Rain", is English Post-Punk band Echo And The Bunnymen's fourth album recorded in Paris with the inclusion of an orchestra who are sometimes pushed out of the limelight, under utilized and when brought to the forefront sound like a commodity of the moment, with exception to the opening two tracks that make sombre use of the string sections.

Ive read its their best, so I found myself hyped and excited but now rather underwhelmed and disappointed with a record that does not seem to click for me. The energy of the guitars rattle disappears into the backdrop as the various elements in the composition seem to merge in the records foggy production. With focus and attention one can pick apart the instruments and hear a variety of fruitful melodies emerging from the orchestra. Without such dedication it becomes an unspectacular blur that drifts through the motions and finds many of the songs succumbing to the sound of themselves.

A lack of distinction holds some of these songs back but between its better moments a fair few choruses and ideas lack the fire they had in their music before. "Thorn Of Crowns" descends into an unfiltered stitching of ideas as singer McCulloch stutters and groans his way around a disenchanting guitar tone. This moment and a couple of others soured a record that just didn't seem to find consistency. The inclusion of an orchestra seemed to work fantastically in some moments, lining the tracks with complimenting melodies. In others like "The Yo Yo Man" the guitars and bass drop out for the strings to take over but they punch in with a striking difference of tone. Too often the instruments get muddied the range of sound, a bland and uncharacteristic production lets this record down where it already comes across like a hit and miss of ideas where songs failed to make a lasting impression.

Favorite Tracks: Crystal Days, The Killing Moon

Rating: 5/10

Dead Can Dance "Garden Of The Arcane Delights" (1984)

Released later in the year of their self titled debut record, Australian duo Dead Can Dance make an important distinction of ideas, moving away from their Post-Punk, Gothic Rock roots on two of these four tracks. Its with singer Gerrad that the leap is made to rid themselves of imposed restrictions and follow inspiration. Her voice is primed with character, ethnicity and mysticism as ancient cultural vibes are conjured through her vibrant singing. She leads the way as the percussive instrumentation weaves itself between different instruments, a continual beating of tribal, human drums and plucking of dense melodies.

In the other two songs Perry sings along to numbers that still have echos of the Post-Punk baselines and dreary gothic guitars heard before. More so "The Arcane" sounds like a left over from the debut, very much in the same vein as most of the music on that record. Production is a little clearer but with four tracks there isn't much to marvel, however with the two we hear the important steps towards their greatness first taken, and it should be said they are no primitive inceptions but rather bright, shining embers of spirit and imagination.

Favorite Tracks: Carnival Of Light, Flowers Of The Sea

Rating: 4/10

Dead Can Dance "Dead Can Dance" (1984)

Going back to the roots of Australian duo Dead Can Dance, we find an interesting debut record that makes much sense of their future linage, yet is firmly rooted within a Post-Punk sound. It has come to be one of the most interesting genres for me in recent years, although a broad term it captures the creative freedom and artistic diversity that came after the DIY Punk scene changed the rules for popular music. On the record we hear hints of whats to come, however it is masked by a rather gloomy Gothic Rock overtone and an Ethereal touch that makes it easy to indulge in.

Mood, tone, atmosphere, very much the charisma of this record without being overt or overly ambitious, its mid tempo, calming, indulgent and far from a lull but without any big, memorable moments it can pass you by. The dissonant guitars murmur through tonal riffs, steadily droning in the background with a fuzzy tone that never lets the life it has really jump out or create much of an impact. Often they dial it down to a more acoustic tone but even then it feels so subdued.

These are typical Post-Punk ideas, provided we are talking about the same niche, guitar riffs that focus on tone and mood rather than rhythm and melody. Bouncy baselines rumble underneath and the drumming is simple, repetitive, Industrial in some cases. The drums are the first noticeable instance of their future direction to come. The opening track "The Fatal Impact" and "Frontier" have tribal sounding drum patterns, hinting at Medieval or historical themes.

These ideas are yet to flourish and the two's singing voices are barely dissimilar from future trajectory. Its obviously is a big thinking point for me with this music and maybe being blind to it, something different could of emerged but the reality is its a reasonable record, enjoyable but not riveting. It has one burst of light with "A Passage In Time" however the repetitions in song structure really unwind the power of the music given the rather quiet, meek and passable production that makes for quite a bland sound where the music itself is clearly more deserving.

Rating: 5/10

Dio "The Last In Line" (1984)

Dio are an American Heavy Metal band fronted by Ronnie James Dio who passed away in 2010. Named after their singer, ther band are very much defined by his soaring vocal presence, a powerful and melodic voice that can hold notes with an unrivaled tenacity. Being a metalhead of the 90s and 00s eras there are many 80s bands that are beyond my scope, but how Dio evaded me all these years is a mystery. The band have sold over ten million records and have a sound about as definitive of Heavy Metal as it gets, fitting in alongside the greats of Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Ozzy Osbourne.

The record starts with the fist pumping, anthem-like sing along "We Rock" setting the tone for an energetic foray of arena rock Heavy Metal that never slows down. From start to end its just classic fist pumping, head banging Heavy Metal with rattling drums, big grooving baselines and heavy chord driven guitars. The records tempo slows at times with elements of Ballard rock. The occasional use of synths fit in well but for the most part its a pretty traditional approach executed with a spark to define it as Dio.

The guitar work is solid, a great balance of thrashier picking rhythms and drawn out power chords that are elevated thanks to an excellent set of baselines courtesy of Jimmy Bain. They hammer and groove with a warm and bold tone that's high in the mix without overpowering the over instruments. Its often the focus of the energy alongside Dio's powerful voice commanding every note he hits. On the front of theme and execution everything here is pretty typical of 80s Heavy Metal, however nothing is corny of cheap, this is pure quality from start to end and made for the live audience with each song feeling fit for a stage in front of thousands.

Favorite Tracks: We Rock, Mystery

Rating: 7/10

Metallica "Ride The Lightning" (1984)

Sooner or later I knew this time would come, a day to write about "Ride The Lightning", Metallica's second record, and one that changed my life forever. It feels almost blasphemous to write about a record my words could never do justice for but in a moment of inspiration it feels like now is a better time than never. As a young teen searching for something different to MTV's narrative I found a show listing great records on VH1. Two caught my attention, N.W.A.'s "Straight Outta Compton" and this one. "Fade To Black" swept over my hears as the dark acoustic, sombre guitars evolved into a racket of furious energy controlled by Hetfield's masterful rhythm guitar and youthful, slightly out of depth voice, the track evolving into a flood of serene, pensive color as each note of Hammet's enigmatic solos fall like drops of rain. I was blown away, and couldn't put this record down. I used to play it back to back with AC DC's "Back In Black", it was always my favorite of the two, and the excitement it gave me then I still feel today fifteen years later. It posses an interesting question about the bonds you make with the music your first exposed too, but that could not dismiss the stunningly imaginative and down to earth record this is.

Now legends, then a band with a fair amount of attention releasing their sophomore album, RTL came at a time when Speed Metal was seen as a passing fad and the glory days of Heavy Metal were over, but alas this record would set them on a path to bring Thrash Metal to huge audiences but for Metallica this is an ever so important part of their evolution, shedding the Speed Metal scenes aesthetic, attitude and traits of "Kill Em All" and taking their speed and technique to a dynamic, structured dark sound met with deep and meaningful lyricism that gave their Metal music a very grounded, relevant and emotional basis to relate to, as opposed to the heavily thematic and fantasy driven styles of past. This was the first album where Hammet was involved in the songwriting, his distinct leads giving their sound a whole new dimension as well as Hetfield defining his direction as a rhythm guitarist, stepping away from the Mustaine's style so dominant on the predecessor.

Where RTL gets faster, it also broods and molds as riffs find a relation to the bigger picture. Fast and thrashy tremolo picking finds its place with slower chord driven moments to create songs with a lot of direction and meaning. As the dark, fast pounding numbers thrash onwards they create a menacing soundtrack for Hetfields apprehensions with judicial systems, suicide and biblical slaughter. His voice forceful and vibrant, yet pushing himself in ways that leave a slightly sheepish undertone in the moments that stretch his ability, its a charming performance, haunting on "Fade To Black" and one that shows he can fill big shoes.

The record doesn't loose its focus for a moment before ending with the lengthy instrumental progressive climactic "The Call Of The Ktulu" showcasing the records aesthetic through cold, punishing guitars, Hammet's lightning leads and Burton's monstrous distortion bass rocking under riffs that lead to a mighty finale fit with lightning strikes and a riff that will always leave you yearning for more. As much could be said for every track on this record which makes its mark with such unique, undefinable qualities in the songwriting and structure that have helped the band build an audience of fans who simply can't stop screaming "Die!" to "Creeping Death", a song played at practically every concert.

Although RTL feels like the perfect record, there is one qualm I always have, Ulrich, certainly not a prolific drummer, his sloppy bass pedals and sometimes struggling performances have a certain charm to them, yet there is rarely a moment where his drumming stands aloud and grabs your attention. He is far from inadequate, and compliments Hetfield well, but often leaves me wondering if someone else could of done it better. Its not a criticism, just a curiosity, and with that said I do enjoy his choices, especially the bass and cymbal thump to the punch moments of the guitar. It will forever be a record I love, and one with a true air of magic and experience that can't be expressed with words. Its cathartic for me, an album that opened me to a new world of music, one that I couldn't do without. Metallica have been massively influential on fans and musicians around the globe, and for me "Ride The Lightning" is where their genius shines its brightest.

Rating: 10/10