Sometimes you have to be reminded of history to understand bolth where you come from and why things are the way they are today.
Thanks to Brian Slagel and Metal Blade Records various Metal Massacre compilations, we’re able to gain a greater glimpse of the Metal landscape as it was at that time; a sound that was slowly transitioning from hard rock into what we know and love as heavy metal.
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Metal Massacre II Compilation
(Released January 1983)
ARMORED SAINT: Lesson Well Learned
Definitely has that old school “limbo” sound, somewhere between the hard rock and metal space…kinda like old school Quiet Riot and Dio, but with more intensity.
(2.52) 3rd STAGE: Mind Invader
Someone heard this and told me “It sounds like Church music and Wanna-Be Satan Music”. I have to agree; it sounds like the beginning of Dungeons & Dragons Fantasy metal, like Yngwie Malmsteen in the mid-80’s. And also, kinda like Dio. We’ll say bolth.
(6.40) SURGICAL STEEL: Rivit Head
Sounds like Judas Priest. Like a LOT like Judas Priest. Like Judas Priest with a different name. Maybe a little more shred in the guitar solos. The speed has a Motorhead kinda feel. It’s definitely cool; almost has that same intensity as “Screaming for Vengeance”. But yeah, they sound a LOT (just) LIKE Judas Priest.
(9.44) OBSESSION: Shadows of Steel
Kinda has that driving, Judas Priest/Highway Metal vibe. Lots of reverb and delay on the vocals. Early 80’s production, you’ve gotta love it! Nice twin guitar action (like taking Judas Priest a step beyond, kinda). Don’t deny the power of Judas Priest’s influence on METAL! You can certainly tell that the early 80’s was that time when hard rock was making the metamorphosis to heavy metal. And bands like this were helping to shape that sound.
(14.18) SAVAGE GRACE: Scepters of Deceit
I guess Judas Priest had a REALLY big impact on early 80’s early metal. Although this one isn’t quite as Priest-like as the prior two tracks. It does have that Motorhead, hard driving thing going on. I’m guessing the singer was trying to bridge the gap between Rob Halford and King Diamond, and it seems like he did a pretty damn good job, all things considered.
(17.58) OVERKILL: No Holds Barred
Trying to figure out if this is Blitz and the Boys from Jersey or a different Overkill. I’m thinking perhaps it IS a different Overkill. The dominating bass at the beginning does have that D.D. Verni kind of presence, but I’m pretty confident this is NOT our Overkill.
(22.16) WARLORD: Lucifer’s Hammer
Gimme that cowbell!! Almost like a heavier take on old school, Dio-era Rainbow. Oooh, and there’s KEYBOARDS! It’s definitely got that 80’s feel. Definitely some 80’s guitar shred going on, with some twin guitar harmonies thrown in.
(25.36) TRAUMA: Such A Shame
Makes me wonder if this is the same Trauma that one Cliff Burton used to play bass for before joining Metallica. The guitar solos sound like early Metallica and Motorhead.
(28.31) DIETRICH: It’s Alright
Someone said this sounds like David Hasselhoff. I almost feel like that’s a slight against The Hoff. This sounds like typical early 80’s hard rock; lyrically it’s as complex and mystical as any KISS lyrics you’ve ever heard. I liked the intro with the drums, but it went downhill from there.
(31.58) MOLTEN LEATHER: Inversion
The drums remind me of old school Mitch Mitchell (think Jimi Hendrix’s Fire). Actually, the music sounds like a heavier version of old school Jimi Hendrix Experience with some old school Aerosmith grittiness thrown in. The guitar solo also has a very Tony Iommi, multi-tracked vibe.
(36.03) HYKSOS: The Kings
The riffs sound like Mercyful Fate, and the singer sounds like he’s going for King Diamond vocal territory. There’s a nice little Rush sounding breakdown toward the middle that has that dark & creepy Caress of Steel meets Don’t Break The Oath sound. And then it comes back in like old school, Paul Di’anno era Iron Maiden.
(42.13) ALOHA: Heavy Metal Virgin
Double bass, angsty guitars. Okay, THIS sounds like metal. I’m not really sure if that singer is a girl or a guy. If it’s a guy, I’m guessing he’s a eunuch. So, I’m thinking it’s GOT to be a girl. Cool riffs, cool solos. It definitely has that “next wave” sound, caught between 80’s hard rock and heavy metal.
JOIN US as we turn off the Coleco Vision and pour another bowl of our favorite relaxers and time travel back to the early 80’s and peruse through Metal Blade’s Metal Massacre II.
Show Notes:
(00:00) – Wait…WHAT!? / #HAIL2TheDuke / A word Laryngitis Oldrich / A Metal History Lesson: Metal Blade’s Metal Massacre II / NOT “our” Overkill
(07:17) – Wait, WHO wore the loincloths!? Armored Saint or Manowar!? Codpieces vs Loinclothes and #cosplaymetal
(11.11) – The Tracks: Lesson Well Learned (Armored Saint) / 3rd Stage (Mind Invader) #D&DMetal #dungeons&dragons and early prog metal (similar to the early work of the Savatage Brothers)
(17:57) – Surgical Steel (Rivit Head) sounds like a KILLER Judas Priest cover band with just a drop of Motorhead and Mercyful Fate for good measure / #anythingbroccoli / Obsession (Shadows of Steel; more Priest influence in the riffage)
(24:42) – Savage Grace (Scepters of Deceit aka Magic Stiq of Deceipt) / Who needs the BIGGEST scepter? King Halford or Rob Diamond? / Overkill (No Holds Barred; not No Holes Barred); definitely NOT the Jersey version (#ehhhhhhh) #noteven close / Warlord (Lucifer’s Hammer, and the never ending #cowbell) / And then we go off the rails into a conversation about KISS and the lesser known characters from KISS) / #kitty #beak #beaq
(35:05) – Trauma (Such a Shame), #foreshadowing of the future #thrashlegend #cliffburton Pre-Metallica) Heavy Hasselhoff? Dietrich (It’s Alright) / #davidleehasselroth / Molten Leather (Inversion) #heavyHendrix
(42:04) – Hyksos (and the meaning of the name, as read by Russell (The Kings)) Mercyful Fate meets Rush #dontdenythepowerof #metalnerderyASMR / Aloha (Heavy Metal Virgin), pre-Cacophony pre-Megadeth Marty Friedman / #smartness / #dontdenythepowerof #judaspriest coming up on a #future #episode
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