Bathory "Under The Sign Of The Black Mark" (1987)

 Continuing another adventure into the music of my youth, Bathory's third effort was one less acquainted with. It had however solidified a memory as being remarkably decent for the time. Well this has been an absolute treat to get back into! Its been so long the experience was practically fresh to my ears! Coming of the back of the overly ambitious The Return..... It sounds like the moment where the stars align. The group shed their prototype skin and bathe in the blasphemy of self actualized Black Metal! Under The Sign Of The Black Mark is where everything they were trying to do works.

We will however start with the negatives. Not everything is exceptional, although the bulk is. The intro and outro tracks seem utterly pointless as their dusky ambience fails to ignite any atmosphere to lead in the satanic metallic onslaught. The final two proper tracks, 13 Candles and Of Doom, both feel a little lacking with the pile of brilliance before it. They do have there moments with musical shifts but the offerings feel like soft rehashes of the genius in the songs heard beforehand.

They stand in the shadow of brilliant songwriting, which is quite diverse and distinct. The record kicks off with Massacre, a thrashing juggernaut of vicious hate, lashing out from the mark as we are plunged into blast beats and vile screams. Its a straightforward but well executed idea. The following Woman Of Dark Desires is unsuspecting until it lunges into an unusually catchy chorus as Quorthorn cries out with throaty strained screams the name of Elizabeth Bathory. The inclusion of evil organs towards the end, foreshadows more brilliance yet to come our way.

Call From The Grave steadies the pace, a mid tempo track with soaring riff work, toying with some dissonance. The approach to this dark music is expanded as the haunting throaty screams roar with menace over the grave atmosphere conjured. Equilmanthorn hails back to the records opening, another plunge into ruthless pummeling that shifts to a half step riff, then slamming in with another catchy hook in the chorus as Quorthon cries out the title track over and over  in memorable fashion.

The song has an incredible guitar solo to see it end on a thrilling climax, which bring me to a point, the lead guitar work which seems to frequent every track is phenomenal. Either creating a Slayer alike barrage of noise or delivering a blaze of evil melodies, everything that was tried before feels mastered here. That includes the screams, the most aggressive and shrill to date yet the temperament and texture is just perfect for what these extremities can achieve in the context of Black Metal.

Enter The Eternal Fire is the last of these incredible songs but for entirely different reasons. An incorporation of atmospheric synth tones and epic mid-tempo setting foreshadows the heritage influenced Bathory sound to come. All in all the record is a stunning maturity in songwriting. The haphazard ideas and sloppy performances of its predecessor blown out of the water. The inclusion of synths lay down foundations for the popular Symphonic element to come in the 90s. I also adore the inclusion of the Funeral Macrbe melody on Call From The Grave. Possibly my favorite moment of many fantastic ones on this truly remarkable and pioneering album.

 Rating: 9/10

Judas Priest "Firepower" (2018)

The legendary Judas Priest return once again, delivering a mighty fine record that pays tribute to their catalog of eighteen albums across a career that's soon to hit a whooping fifty years. At this point I wouldn't be surprised if it isn't their last but it would certainly be a rock solid chapter to close their discography with. After several hiatuses, farewell tours and reunions it feels like the Priest guys just can't give it up and who could blame them? Now approaching their seventies the live shows have been muted for some time but in the studio they rock as hard as ever.

Firepower is a bright, crisp sounding record brimming with the Priest attitude, the triumphant march of Heavy Metal vitality sound potent and vigorous. At an hour and fourteen tracks it paces through its intensities with a few moments break. It starts with its first pumping anthems, loaded with hasty crunching guitar riffs and blazing guitar solos that soar and scale with an electric charge. After marching through a weight of head banging goodness the album steadily winds down the tempo and its slower, thematic songs take hold in the second half as calm, melodic intros set a tone for the more measured and steady lunge of Metal in their arsenal.

Halford gives one heck of a performance, sounding as keen, youthful and on point as ever. At sixty six years young his falsetto scream is as blisteringly sharp, as ferocious as its always been and when dropping in with his more twisted and layered hooks they hit hard! The theatrical nature of Priest and their songs about fantasy driven tales of evil and necromancers has always been a wonderful fit for Halford but this time around the chemistry is ripe, the music firing on all cylinders and he is the icing on the cake.

Initially I wasn't so keen on Firepower. It was a typical Priest album as I would of expected, their style unfaltering. As the quality of the songs quickly grew on me with each listen It became apparent that no one can do it as good as these guys. Sometimes you want band to evolve and grow, try new things but at this stage in their career their is only one thing these musicians want to do and its really reflected in the music. Approaching fifty years as a band they can still write music that will sound fantastic alongside their classics.

Favorite Tracks: Lightning Strike, Evil Never Dies, Necromancer, Rising From Ruins

Rating: 7/10

Havok "Time Is Up" (2011)

American Thrash Metal band Havok from Denver Colorado are part of the Thrash revival scene that's emerged in recent years. I caught them at Download Festival and picked up this, their second record, based on the inclusion of "D.O.A", dead on arrival, a song I remembered from their impressive live show. Just like you might wish for, Havok are a band that in the two decades since the genres peak haven't strayed from the path. They have however let modern production and Metal sound influence their aesthetic in terms of quality and clarity but when it comes to the music its as Thrash as it gets. Those years gone by have picked out the best attributes, techniques, riffs and thrown them together in what would undoubtedly been a masterpiece if released in the 80s. With crisp crunchy guitars and punchy drums Havok bring the best of the genre in what sounds to me like a cross between Slayer and Testament.

Starting with "Prepare For Attack" it doesn't take long for a blitz of base pedals and choppy temperate guitar riffs to raise the energy and create an atmosphere fit for circle pits and intense moshing. No messing around and straight to the point this album is forty minutes of pure Thrash and no filler! Without faulting from this path no song is particularly stands out or becomes truly remarkable, its strengths are in its continual consistency, never leting its foot of the gas. If you've got the iTunes edition there's an extra treat in store as the bonus track is a cover of Slayer's "Raining Blood" played with flawless precision at a higher tempo, a level of adrenaline maybe matched by the menacing riffs on "No Amnesty".

Each element at work is full throttle, the drums crisp, bold and punchy the snares gorgeous tone bursts through with a solid snappy punch and the pedals pack a meaty momentum as they loudly whirl swiftly like a mechanical backbone of brutality. They work intertwined with the palm muted and open string chugging guitars to create energetic momentum in the rhythm department. The guitars tone sounds squeezed with distortion as the fast choppy guitars shred away at fast speeds, when they break for cleaner leads the tone shows a softer side and I would say the lead guitars are most reminiscent of Megadeth guitar solos and sometimes vocally too. Singer Sanchez's narrow, throaty and slightly nasal voice has a classic vibe and in one song mimics the classic bellowing and high pitched scream of Tom Araya from Slayer.

In its purity the record often echos familiarity with classic bands of the era without encroaching their identity and the only thing besides production that sounds like a step forward are the gang shouts which slide into the fold brilliantly. All other aspects of the record are classic, no guitar technique or riff sounds far from the era but the recreational aspect plays it out to a stunning level. Extremely enjoyable record, as I said, would of been a classic if released in the 80s.

Favorite Tracks: No Amnesty, D.O.A

Rating: 8/10

Judas Priest "British Steel" (1980)

Pounding the world, like a battering ram! British Steel is English Heavy Metal band Judas Priest's sixth album released at the beginning of a new decade for the band, the 80s, and would be their most definitive and celebrated record. Having pioneered a heavier, unique and charismatic style in the 70s with records like "Killing Machine" it was this record that it all came together to produce an anthemic collection of songs that paraded the hard metal and leather niche of Heavy Metal they had created for themselves. I was lucky enough to have found this record at a young age around fifteen years ago and time and time again its been a go to record for getting the adrenaline pumping with Heavy Metal fever.

Singer Rob Halford's unrivaled vocal range leads the charge with a commanding and fearless attitude through a forceful strength in his voice which despite being relativity smooth and audible has the grit and clout to enhance the bands heavy attitude. Alongside him the guitars blaze a trail like the sirens of Heavy Metal, assaulting the listener with crisp, metallic tones, dynamic and powerful as they combine a sense of melody and rhythm together in a power chord led offensive of endless tunes to hum along to. The bass takes a tamer roll, often mirroring the guitars but sounding solid and bold. The drums have a mighty tone, a rounded, cutting snare and a thudding bass kick that arrives in the higher ranges gets a workout with double pedal techniques cropping up on occasions. Considerably heavy and progressive for the time and holding up as sturdy backbones for the songs.

Nearly every other song feels like an anthem, or one of importance. The radio hit "Breaking The Law" probably needs no introduction. "United" a true spirited sing along that combines the groove and grit of metal riffage with a shoulder to shoulder chorus of unity. "Red, White & Blue" sounds like an alternative, metallic version of the American anthem and was actually a popular live song when they toured there. Each song has its own reason to be great and my favorite might just be "The Rage" for its genre bender intro which could pass as a piece of Reggae or Dub before crashing in with a thunderous beast of a riff, excelling into a ferocious atmosphere led by Rob's vocal foray.

Its the moments where Rob unleashes the high end of his range that are truly riveting. The power, speed and pitch is mighty and unrivaled as he broods his way through songs, ready to unleash his climatic falsetto at the given moment. Even more impressive is the length he can hold these notes for, reaching mountainous heights and holding his breath longer than the listener. The guitar solos also leave a lasting mark on metal with a slightly chaotic flair that would influence bands like Slayer. They erupt and explode with an energy that illuminates with a frenetic momentum that could go in any direction. The whole thing is an absolute treasure and for its time you can't find a flaw with it. Its stood the test of time and as much as it did for them then, its still a Metal classic.

Favorite Songs: Grinder, United, You Don't Have To Be Old To Be Wise, The Rage

Rating: 10/10

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