Ratt – The Atlantic Years 1984-1990 (Atlantic/BMG)

 

Ratt helped to define what became the traditional American heavy metal of the 1980s.  MTV was a new medium at the time, and provided a big break for bands like  Quiet Riot and Ratt.  It was difficult to get away from the Round and Round video clip at the time, and of course many other great clips followed throughout the decade.  Ratt were a very capable band with outstanding musical abilities, and an excellent singer.  The combination of great players, and the ability to write catchy songs was enough to sustain a successful career.

This box concentrates on the albums the band did for Atlantic Records, which was also the most successful and productive time for Ratt.  Out of the Cellar was the first big album for group in 1984.  It produced a massive MTV smash, Round and Round, and quickly elevated Ratt as an arena headliner.  It was a solid record with plenty of great songs.  In many ways, Out of the Cellar, was the album that defined Ratt for years to come.  Invasion of Your Privacy was a solid follow up.  The band was still hot and writing quality material. Lay It Down and You’re in Love were massive hits.  Ratt was a household name in heavy metal at that point.  Dancing Undercover came out in 1986, and it was a much heavier record than the previous two, but still produced some very popular songs.  Dance, Slip of the Lip, and Body Talk were frequently played on the radio, and MTV.  Reach for the Sky was the last Ratt album in the 80s.  It came out in 1988, and produced two great hits, Way Cool Jr, and I Want a Woman.  While it was a great album, it didn’t capture the metal audience as much as the previous records.  It was a also the last time Ratt headlined arenas in the United States.  By the time Ratt released Detonator, things began to deteriorate.  Guitarist, Robin Crosby, was gone after the Japanese tour, and by the time the band hit the road in the United States, the musical tastes started to change.  The age of grunge was upon the heavy metal heroes of the 80s.  By 1992, singer, Stephen Pearcy left the band, and it was all over for Ratt.  The band reformed in 1996, and continued to perform until being put on hold recently.

For this writer, this set of records represents a trip down the memory line.  The time frame captures the high school years, and beyond.  A time where one can be fascinated by such sounds, music, and the overall glamour.  Seeing Ratt t-shirts in high school was a common occurrence.  The band was incredibly popular and appealing to the kids like myself.  These records represent more than just music to anyone who was growing up during those years.  It was a lifestyle, the identity that gave everyone involved a sense of belonging.  Putting that aside, Ratt albums aged well, and they still rock and can be enjoyed by just about anyone who loves traditional heavy metal.  Having that personal experience helps, but it’s not necessary to like the music that stands healthy on its own.

The Atlantic Years 1984-1990 is beautifully packaged box.  The albums are issued as digipacks, which makes the box very handy.  You can take it with you just about anywhere, and rock out to your favorite cuts or albums.  There is also a vinyl version of this box being released simultaneously. These records come from a very revolutionary time in music that could never be repeated.

Mark Kadzielawa

Tygers of Pan Tang – Bloodlines (Mighty Music)

 

Tygers of Pan Tang is a heavy metal band from the early 80s, and you’d think by now they’d have their best years behind them.  Not the case here at all, Bloodlines, is an absolute winner.  The more you listen to this album, the more you want to listen to it.  This is catchy heavy metal at its best.

There were many Tygers of Pan Tang line ups over the years, but there is one common denominator that is constant.  Guitarist, Robb Weir, is the man who is in charge here, and it’s hard not to be impressed with what he’s been doing over the last few years.  There is definitely quality control here, and you know that Weir had something to do with that.  He’s got himself a very compatible group of players who can do justice to the brand.

Jack Meille is a fantastic vocalist, and he makes each song interesting and memorable.  Guitarist, Francesco Marras is credited on many of the tracks included here, as is drummer, Craig Ellis.  The record sounds like a solid team effort, and when you look at the song credits that statement is being reflected.  Tygers of Pan Tang is operating on all cylinders, no stopping this band.

Bloodlines has plenty of great tracks that have hit qualities.  The opener, Edge of The World, is definitely a fire starter.  In My Blood has a great charisma to it, Fire on the Horizon is pumping with vital energy.  There simply isn’t a bad song here.  All of them rock in equal capacity, you just have different favorites on different days. 

Tygers of Pan Tang has a great legacy to live up to, and when you release album this good, it only solidifies all of your previous achievements.  Seeing the band live playing this album in its entirety would be very satisfying, yet you still have to fit the classics from the golden age.  That’s got to be a headache trying to come up with a well-balanced set list, but that's the least of our worries.  Bloodlines is an excellent album from start to finish!

Mark Kadzielawa

Night Demon – Outsider (Century Media)

 

Night Demon is back with a concept album!  Outsider is a very intriguing story the band committed to music.  The booklet truly explains the story line.  It is a very cool and mysterious adventure and it reads like a movie script.  It’s a daring move, and an artistic statement from this power trio.  All of it is very nicely illustrated and packaged.

After few spins, it is very clear that it’s the story line that engines this album.  The music is written to fit the emotions with which this story is being told and presented.  The band is not afraid to slow things down to make sure the right feel of expression is achieved.  Artistically, it’s absolutely triumphant in how they pursue their vision.  Also, these guys can play, and are not afraid to show it.

The more you listen to Outsider, the more it gets under your skin.  There are plenty of melodies there that are not evident at first, but creep up with each additional listen.  Also, there is a very cool rock feel that you’d get from the 1970s bands.  And once again, it comes down to storytelling, which in itself is impressive.

Outsider is a bold statement from a band that doesn’t want to stand still in one location.  While the hardcore fans may complain about the reduced heaviness, other may locate it in a slightly different form.  Outsider is an album that grows, and in some cases, it may take years to acknowledge its greatness.  Outsider is a door that needs to be opened, and an adventure that needs to be experienced. 

Mark Kadzielawa

Holy Moses – Invisible Queen (Fireflash Records)

 

Holy Moses is perhaps the longest operating, female fronted, heavy metal band from Germany.  Since 1981, Sabina Classen, leads Holy Moses through decades of metal frenzy.  Sure there were down times, but generally the band was releasing records, and playing shows.  Invisible Queen is said to be the final studio album from Holy Moses, and it's their 12th after all.

Invisible Queen is a very heavy record.  You don’t get the feeling this is their last album.  This band sounds powerful and hungry, and ready to take on the world.  If the plan was to finish in style, they certainly achieved that with this offering.  The new and final album from Holy Moses melts your ears, and stretches your neck bones to the max. 

Invisible Queen has an intense feel from the very beginning.  The production, while clean, has a very dirty feel to it.  It gives it that underground thrash “feel” everyone loves.  The band is firing on all cylinders, and in the middle of it all is Sabina with her harsh growls.  It is one very powerful mix of relentless riffs, and shrieking vocals.  Enough to give you a headache, and trust me, that’s the type of headache you want!

Holy Moses definitely took their time, and got ready for their swan song album.  Invisible Queen presents the band and the absolute top.  This album is strong in every aspect possible.  The performances captured leave you with a lasting effect.  Invisible Queen showcases a legendary band advancing to the finish line, still punching with a bloodthirsty force.

Mark Kadzielawa

Metallica – 72 Seasons (Blackened Recording)

 

Back in 1983, the 14-year-old me got a recorded cassette of Kill ‘Em All from Metallica, an unknown band from California at the time.  It was a revolutionary album.  While Motorhead and Venom, played fast and heavy, no one ever added such precision to metal as Metallica.  I would walk around my little hometown with that cassette and play it for everyone who would listen.  Many converted, some were freaked out, others thought there was something wrong with me.  I didn’t care, I was on a mission.  40 years later, Metallica is still in the game, and releases their brand-new album titled 72 Seasons, and the cycle continues.

72 Seasons is a very special album.  It will never repeat the ferocity of that first record, but this band traveled places since that time, and this is where they’re at now.  The group sounds heavy and focused here.  The songs have complex structures, and it is clear a lot of thought and reflection went into writing and recording this album. 

The NWOBHM influence is still present, and in many ways more visible than ever.  The songs vary in pace, it goes from fast intense speed to more controlled with a heavy approach.  72 Seasons has everything Metallica came to be known for over the years, minus the experimental phase of the mid 90s.  The band focuses on being heavy, and achieves its goals with clarity.  The album is long, but so is the time since release of the last record.  At this point, Metallica does not have to record any new music, they can still draw enormous crowds, but they chose to do that, and one has to respect that.

There are great performances on this album.  James Hetfield still has a massive sound to his guitar, and his vocals once again soar with emotion.  Hetfield by far is the best rhythm player of the genre.  Kirk Hemmett delivers plenty of catchy signature leads throughout the album.  His style is very well defined by now, but it’s cool to see him still taking chances on few of the tracks.  Bassist, Robert Trujillo is in the world class of his own, and you can actually hear his bass.  Drummer, Lars Ulrich, is a very specific player, he definitely holds it all together.  Ulrich’s role within Metallica should never be undermined.

The booklet features up close photographs of the band members without any touch ups.  You can see the years taking its toll on these guys, but you also see the strength and determination in their eyes, and that is an important aspect of this album and the band.  Metallica went through a lot, and they still stand their ground, and make a record that confirms their vitality.

It would be easy to try knock down Metallica off their pedestal, and many try with their senseless and hateful comments.  Today’s world dwells on negativity, and loyalty is scarce.  This album is way too good for any of that, and so were the last two.  40 years as a recording artist is very impressive and calls for certain amount of respect.  All Metallica is doing is asking you to celebrate with them.  By the way, I wonder what had happened to that old cassette from all those years ago?

Mark Kadzielawa

Sortilege – Apocalypso (Season of Mist)

 

Sortilege is a classic heavy metal band hailing from France.  They made some really great records back in the 1980s, released both in French and English.  Many musicians found them to be very influential.  One such follower was Chuck Schuldiner of Death, who loved their riff structures and melody lines.

Sortilege returned few years ago, and now they are back with Apocalypso, and album full of original material.  Vocalist, Christian Augustin, is the only returning original member.  Augustin put together a very impressive band that is still able to channel the Sortilege spirit.  Being a Sortilege fan back in the 1980s, this writer is quite surprised how impressive this album sounds, and how catchy these songs are.  Of course, the purists may argue about this or that, but to these ears this sounds like Sortilege. 

Apocalypso is a very traditional sounding album.  It has a very classic feel, and it’s fully delivered in French, as it should be.  The French language delivery gives it more of an exotic feel.  Great to see the band still honoring this tradition.  Instrumentally, both guitar players, Bruno Ramos and Olivier Spitzer, set the tone here.  Those two players are very inventive, and carry Sortilege with pride.  Bass player Sebastien Bonnet, and drummer, Clement Rouxel, provide a very solid and dependable bottom end.

The album consists of 10 tracks, and it’s a great listen all the way through.  There are some cool surprises like the middle eastern section in Verriere les Portes de Babylone ,  the tribal feel of Le Sacre Du Sorcier, or the epic nature of the title song.  There are many melodies that jump out of nowhere, and it’s easy to hum along to these songs for variety of reasons.  It appears the album was written by Augustin, Spitzer, and Ramos, and Spitzer is credited as the producer.  That’s definitely a tight unit of players who got this task accomplished!

Sortilege still sounds like a band with a purpose, and Apocalypso is a great way to reintroduce this unique group to a wider and younger audience.  They orchestrated certain aspects of their sound, but it’s actually to the benefit of the band and the songs.  Sortilege is still continuing on their path from the 1980s, nothing was reinvented here, but it’s exactly as it should be, and that’s the bottom line.  In many ways, that’s also the miracle of it all.

Mark Kadzielawa

Aftermath – No Time to Waste (Zoid Entertainment)

 

Aftermath strikes again with yet another intriguing album.  No Time to Waste shows another face of Aftermath.  In some ways there are connection to previous phases, but it’s really a trip into the unknown musically.  No Time to Waste is full of mathematical rhythms, and various sonically induced sounds.  In some ways this album feels like an electro-shock therapy.

No Time to Waste finds Aftermath exploring new territories, and takes heavy into new direction.  The album has a feel like it’s written around a movie script.  It is driven vocally, and supported by variety of sounds that add to its almost insane feel.  It’s actually very impressive what they were able to achieve.

What Aftermath is doing nowadays is completely outside of their comfort zone, and that's what makes it so unique.  Instrumentally, these guys are hot.  Incredible performances from Steve Sacco, Ray Schmidt, and George Nektarios Lagis.  Each of these players had truly reached an amazing level of expression instrumentally.  Also, the band includes three out of four players this writer originally met back in 1985.  The only difference being in the bass department.  They were always incredible players, but now it feels as if they found their voices within the music. 

Lyrically, there are some hard topics the band is attacking.  They are facing the negative and grim aspects of today’s world with a very positive attitude.  Some great truths can be taken away from these songs.  Vocalist, Kyriakos “Charlie” Tsiolis, is a man with a vision, and he’s bringing it to life here.  Aftermath is not taking an easy way out here.  They confront the world at a face value, and give some good advice.  After all, we can do this together! 

No Time to Waste reaffirms Aftermath as a very inventive force.  This record sounds incredible, and for 40 minutes takes the listener into another dimension.  The album concludes with reimagined version of John Lennon’s Give Peace a Change, and no song better sums up the overall build up.  This is an offering of calm and rage, with a forged plastic surgery thrown in between.

Mark Kadzielawa