Destruction – Birth of Malice (Napalm Records)

 

Destruction is back and more pissed off than ever. “Birth of Malice” is one angry record! Musically, it delivers one killer riff after another, all at breakneck speed; lyrically, it points out what’s wrong with the world in 2025. Despite the advanced age of its main creator, this band is beaming with youthful energy and uncontrolled anger!

“Birth of Malice” is the second album of the current Destruction lineup, and it appears to be even more refined than its predecessor. Every riff appears to be worked out with microscopic detail, and there simply isn’t room for mistakes. Destruction was and is a state-of-the-art classic thrash metal band. Vocalist/bassist Schmier found people who share his vision, and he’s proving once again that Destruction is no joke! This is a heavy album with very catchy riffs delivered at multiple speeds. It’s sincere, exactly as it was meant to be.

Lyrically, Schmier offers a lot of social and political commentary. The world is definitely moving in a chaotic direction on either side of the Atlantic and beyond. Destruction is here to call the shots and point the fingers. The bottom line is that if you were a scumbag, the Devil is waiting for you, and you can interpret that in any way you want.  

Destruction maintains its classic edge as well; after all, they are one of the originators of the style. The album is a quick and refined listen, and there are plenty of tracks that simply stay with you. The group is experiments with tempos, and it’s very enriching to the songs. “Birth of Malice” is definitely an album that should be swallowed as a whole, but don’t be surprised if it swallows you first!

Mark Kadzielawa

Humble Pie – Hallelujah: 1973-1983 (HNE Recordings)

 

In the early days of their existence, when Humble Pie was on, they were perhaps the most dangerous rock band on stage. Their live performances were simply outstanding. The free-form approach and improvisation elevated them to heights very few reached in those days.

This box concentrates on the second part of their career, perhaps the less known time, but still interesting and somewhat creative. This 5CD retrospective covers both live and studio recordings from Humble Pie. With the exception of the Live at Winterland from 1973, everything else centers around the band’s 1980s run.

After a four-year break, Steve Marriott reforms Humble Pie in 1979 and releases On to Victory in 1980 and then Go for the Throat in 1981. Neither record was a great success, but the musical climate was changing drastically, and a jam rock band could no longer do what it did a decade earlier. Listening back to these albums now, they do maintain a certain feel and give off a rather positive energy.

The box is completed by three live recordings from 1981, 1982, and 1983. When it comes to Humble Pie, this group was an undisputed live band. The performances are still great, but nowhere close to the infamous Fillmore show. It’s still a great treat to be able to follow a band through their recordings. As a whole package, this feels like a complete picture in the latter days of Humble Pie.

Hallelujah: 1973-1983 is the missing link in the complete history of Humble Pie. It’s a beautifully put-together collection. Some of these albums are out of print, and some of these live recordings are probably seeing the light of day for the first time. All in all, a great effort in bringing some vital history out of the shadows.

Mark Kadzielawa

Move – Message from the Country (Esoteric Recordings)

 

The Move was a band that eventually morphed into Electric Light Orchestra. This is their fourth and last album, released back in 1971. Now back in print and ready to be rediscovered. In addition, there are plenty of bonus tracks attached to this release.

Message from the country was in many ways done to fulfill the record contract. Electric Light Orchestra was already formed, and the band members were far more excited about the future, as opposed to the past. The band members vary in opinion when it comes to this record; some rate it as their best, others dismiss it completely.

Musically, Message from the Country continues with the path already established in the past. Jeff Lynne, Roy Wood, and Bev Bevan were involved in completing this record. It’s a very transitional-sounding album, especially when compared to Electric Light Orchestra’s debut, which was being recorded at the same time. Roy Wood and his saxophone certainly stand out.

The album aged well, and despite the circumstances in which it was created, it has its own personality. It is a great representation of how the music was viewed in the late 60s and early 70s. That spirit is definitely alive here!

Mark Kadzielawa

Castle Rat – Reggie’s, Chicago, Illinois 3/25/25 (images by Janet Lapinski / text by Mark Kadzielawa)

Castle Rat is a fantastic up-and-coming band that combines doom metal with theatrics and fantasy. It seems like every little aspect of this band and its live presentation was outlined, detailed, and worked out. Their shows are gaining momentum, and the audiences seem to embrace the group with enthusiasm. Chicago certainly welcomed the band and turned out in large numbers to witness this one-of-a-kind spectacle.

As the opening sounds of “Dagger Dragger” began to fill the room, you could just feel that something unusual was about to take place. The band was wearing costumes, masks, makeup, you name it. It felt surreal, and then there was The Rat Queen in the middle of it all, with her guitar and piercing voice. Her outfit is also very distinguished and thought provoking, definitely larger than life! It feels like it’s a spiritual spectacle for her, and her whole body just responds to the vibes from the crowd.

Castle Rat certainly knows how to “Feed the Dream,” which also happens to be one of their songs. Their show was able to elevate certain energy the audience found very easy to respond to. Not only were they playing, they were telling the story and acting it out as the show went on. Every member of the band was a character that added something special to the overall show. The main exchange, however, was between The Rat Queen and The Plague Doctor (bass) and the very evil The Rat Reaperess. At one point a battle between the good and evil developed with swords and all. The beloved Rat Queen was lost for a bit only to be rescued by The Plague Doctor. It needs to be seen to be believed; the words can only project so much.

The musical aspect of the Castle Rat is very fitting with what they do on stage. One may question whether it’s the music or the theatrics that drive this band forward. The real answer, however, is that it’s the combination of both, and it’s a very strong mixture. Castle Rat has this balanced quite nicely; you don’t even feel it.

The band brought a sense of doom and some incredible theatrics to Reggie's last night. The audience certainly showed them a massive amount of support. Chicago is definitely a Castle Rat county! Castle Rat is a band with the ability to take you somewhere else. When they play, your mind travels along with them, and you feel transformed. Good or bad, but that’s the whole idea of being entertained and getting away from your regular 9 to 5 routine, isn’t it? In this very case, Castle Rat completely succeeds.

Mark Kadzielawa

LINK:

See the full Chicago performance from Castle Rat.

Satan – Reggie’s, Chicago, IL 3/25/25 (images by Janet Lapinski / text by Mark Kadzielawa)

Satan came back once again to bring a taste of hell and roast Chicago! This legendary NWOBHM band had been releasing great records and delivering some outstanding performances. While they may not enjoy the status of Iron Maiden or Saxon, they are absolutely one of the best classic heavy metal bands from Britain. In many ways, Satan might be the best metal band you’ve never heard of, but luckily there is a very dedicated army of fans who are quite aware of the group’s outstanding recording history.

Satan hit the stage with “Trial by Fire,” only to be quickly followed by the classic “Blades of Steel.” The fans reacted quickly and with enthusiasm, and it truly set the tone for the rest of the evening. Satan continued to play a good mix of classic tracks and some new songs from their latest “Songs in Crimson” record. In many ways every track by Satan has that classic feel and comes across with that one-of-a-kind atmosphere.

The band themselves had a great time on stage and enjoyed a great interaction with the crowd. Vocalist Brian Ross is already in his 70s but is still delivering a quality performance with an edge. The man definitely has his quirks and a very dry British sense of humor, but perhaps that is a part of his charm and his appeal. This evening Brian was aided by something he calls a Firemeister, a wicked alcoholic mixture with a deadly punch.  This writer happened to be exposed to its potent charm right after the show.  Either way you look at it, Brian Ross was, is, and always will be a perfect vocalist and a frontman for Satan.

Instrumentally, Satan is like a well-oiled machine unleashed upon the unsuspecting audience. While the name may suggest the underground activities, this band soars! The instrumental exchange is very impressive, filled with deep emotions, and very quick in the delivery. Guitarists Russ Tippins and Steve Ramsey are so natural with each other. Their dialog and phrasing are just pure perfection, not to mention a very advanced sense of melody. If Murray and Smith are as good as it gets, then Tippins and Ramsey can’t be that far behind. That, of course, wouldn’t be possible without the very reliable rhythm section. Drummer Sean Taylor and bassist Graeme English make it look so easy and play with absolute confidence. They are the backbone of Satan!

This is the same group of players that made the classic “Court in the Act” album back in 1983, and now their latest is “Songs in Crimson.” Very few bands were able to maintain the original lineup and still release quality material. On stage, the band had a great time; they enjoyed being there and took the audience for another magical ride. As the time continues to pass by, this evening certainly will go down as historic!

Mark Kadzielawa

Tigertailz – For a Few Dollars More! The Archives Vol. 1: 1984-1991 (HNE Recordings)

 

Tigertailz was Britain’s answer to what was going on in Los Angeles in the 1980s. This band created their own feel and executed it with a certain level of perfection. They definitely had the look, the songs, and that priceless sleaze element. If that wasn’t enough, they even came out at the right time. The big question is why didn’t they make it big alongside Poison or Mötley Crüe? The answer is much more difficult than the question, though. In reality, there really is no good answer; the stars didn’t simply align for Tigertailz. Many had missed hearing this band in the first place; the records were out of print for a number of years, but now this archival box corrects the situation. What’s more, there’s a promise of more to come! 

This archive box is simply fantastic. Included here are the first two albums, Young and Crazy, from 1987, and the follow-up, Bezerk, from 1990. May claim, those two albums completely define who Tigertailz were and what they did. In addition to that, there are very hard-to-find EPS in this set as well. Namely: Shoot to Kill, Livin’ Without You, Love Bomb Baby, Noise Level Critical, Heaven, and Banzai. Trying to find those now rare releases is next to impossible, yet here they are, all in one place. There are even demo tracks dating back to 1984. HNE recordings certainly went out of their way to compile anything and everything that was significant in Tigetailz’s career between 1984 and 1991. There is also a great booklet with a lot of great photos and an informative essay from Dave Ling. Three CDs in all cover the whole spectrum! 

When listening back to these recordings, at times they sound dated, but so does everything else from that time frame. What’s really cool is the feel of the spirit that comes out of those songs, and that is timeless! If you were there, you would feel it right away, and that attitude quickly kicks into overdrive! Those were great party years on a scale that will never be repeated again. Your rock stars looked like rock stars, glam and glitz, taking no prisoners. Also, you quickly realize that Tigertailz had all of the ingredients and potential to be big. While superstardom escaped them, musically they delivered some great and memorable songs.

Mark Kadzielawa

Sacrifice – Volume Six (High Roller Records)

 

Sacrifice strikes back with all might and fury! The sound and style of Sacrifice are very specific, and “Volume Six” has all of the ingredients needed. The album displays a well-balanced combination of fast and mid-paced tracks. The real focus here is on texture, which is thick and punches back like a wall of sound. Also, they replaced the teenage angst and energy with experience. You still get Sacrifice, only more mature and very focused.

The ever-present Sacrifice “groove” still dominates the songs, and the performances are superb. These guys know how to play; well, they always did. The production aspect definitely complements the music here. Yes, it took 16 years to make this happen, and every single detail here is spoken for.

“Volume Six” is an enjoyable record; it flows, it punches, and it chokes when it needs to. If you can be this powerful in your mid to late 50s, then you know there is quality to you that only you can reproduce. While there is joy this album instantly generates, there is also the feeling that it might be their last. Good things always come to an end, although it would be pointless to abandon any hope for more.

Sacrifice definitely got things right; they took their time and made a record they can be proud of. After repeated listens, this writer is already picking up melodies and transitions that for some reason did not stand out initially. Once again, texture comes to mind, and “Volume Six” is rich in it. Much has to be said about the excellent musicianship and creative approach to the recording process. Each instrument is perfectly highlighted here, and you can feel how it mixes and blends together. The album is very musical, and while the heaviness is steady, there are interesting arrangements of riffs and solos. It all makes it a very adventurous release with a multitude of sounds to explore.

Mark Kadzielawa