Judas Priest is one Metal Band that I cannot ignore, especially when they release a new album. These Metal Gods can release a studio, greatest hits and as in this case, a live album and I will eagerly buy it. A Touch Of Evil Live is live with all the glorification of Judas Priest’s heavy history… and why shouldn’t this legendary Metal Band be glorified? The guitar duo of Glenn Tipton and K.K. Downing is dominant on each and every song, with the Metal God himself, (Rob Halford), showcasing his vocal exuberance. Ian Hill on bass guitar and Scott Travis on drums are in Metal sync together, they add all the more Metal fuel to these live Judas Priests songs. As I listen to A Touch Of Evil Live, understanding that this is live recordings from 2005 and 2008 fills me with total Metal wonderment, that this band has not grown old, only grown better. In my Metal opinion, Judas Priest sounds as heavy, fast, hard and vicious as they did in the early 1980’s. I would lay it on the Metal table and be truthful, if A Touch Of Evil Live sounded like a bunch of half enthused, Metal musicians, going through the motions. Judas Priest IS Metal, captured live with all the power and mystique that I have appreciated from them, these past three decades.

The song list on A Touch Of Evil Live is a very strong representation of vintage Metal, showing just how many great songs are in the Judas Priest catalog, dating back to 1977. This live album may not have the household hits from Judas Priest, instead, it encapsulates the deep album cuts that made Judas Priest legend. Dissident Aggressor, from the 1977 album Sin After Sin, is brought forth to live sensation three decades after it’s initial release. Beyond The Realms Of Death is re-energized live, giving a nod to the unreal great 1978 album - Stained Class. Eat Me Alive comes across live, with the same Metal nastiness that The Priest originally set out to convey, from their 1984 album Defenders Of The Faith. Painkiller, A Touch Of Evil and Between The Hammer & The Anvil are three potent Metal songs from the now classic Judas Priest album from 1990 – Painkiller.

Judas Rising and Hellrider are the first two songs on A Touch Of Evil Live, both songs cementing the Metal foundation to follow that is patented and hell bent Judas Priest. These two opening songs, have me appreciating the reunion album Angel Of Retribution from 2005… all the more. Riding On The Wind is a great choice to represent the Screaming For Vengeance album from 1982. Riding On The Wind deserves all the Metal acknowledgment it can derive, being a deeper track from such a monumental Judas Priest album. Prophecy and Death are the two songs taken from the newest Judas Priest studio album released in June 2008, the concept album – Nostradamus.

* My favorite song on A Touch Of Evil Live is… A Touch Of Evil. The thunderous Metal charge, that this song pounds away with, gets me 100%, certified psyched out. Trudging with flares of being an anthem, A Touch Of Evil IS as bona fide a Judas Priest song you can ever ask for.

I have always been a fan of live albums, especially when they are not tweaked apart to death, this live album from Judas Priest is not tweaked over, in my Metal opinion. A Touch Of Evil Live has all the hard and heavy that I have come to expect from Judas Priest, they give these songs that extra Metal power – live. Hey, this is not the greatest Judas Priest album ever, nor is it the greatest live Metal album ever made either. What A Touch Of Evil Live does demonstrate, is that Judas Priest has kicked some Metal butt the past five years, reestablishing themselves as one of the Metal elder statesmen that do and should command Metal respect. Since 2005, one thing has been Metal certain… The Priest Is Back! A Touch Of Evil Live is a very good, live Metal album from an ultra great and Metal historic band… Judas Priest.

A Touch Of Evil Live Was Released On July 14, 2009

…and it doesn’t sound tired one bit! Cauldron is a band from Toronto, Ontario, Canada but sound as if they could’ve been an 80’s NWOBHM band. Influenced heavily by bands such as Angel Witch and Saxon, these guys crank it up loud as fuck just as the bands back in those days! Their debut album “Chained to the Nite”, is a louder-than-all-hell heavy metal record which demands to be listened to over and over. Evil, melodic, fast, and just a fucking all-around great album! Every song sounds well-written and solid, and the thick & heavy production just makes it even more enjoyable. This sounds, to me, like it could be one of the most promising metal records in years! Make sure to pick this Earache release up THIS FUCKING SECOND!

Production: 9/10 (super thick, but I’d like it a bit more raw for these guys)

Musicianship: 9/10 (they aren’t the best musicians, but they’re damn good)

Songwriting: 10/10 (heavy as hell, never gets old to me)

• Chained to the Nite

For additional information.

VENOM
«Prime Evil»
CD
Kraze
Reedição – com uma faixa-bónus – do sexto álbum, lançado originalmente em 1989, dos Venom, que influenciaram toda uma geração de black metal com a sua intoxicante mistura de NWOBHM e speed metal tocada com um poder maligno e uma aura de escuridão indescritíveis com meras palavras. Peça essencial na colecção de qualquer fã de música extrema!
€ 12,00 Myspace

Even at the time, the concept of Neat Records releasing a 12″ EP called “One Take, No Dubs” confused me no end. Because the implication of the title surely involved other Neat releases having had a) more than one take and ii ) some dubs. And that couldn’t be right? Surely not? I mean, we’ve all heard some of them over the last few months on GHMI. But that was the conceit of this release. It was going to be instant, electrifying and mesmerising. And if by that, they meant ropy, out of tune and mesmerising (but not in a good way), then they were right.

So, what did 1982 have in store for us?

Well, first up were Alien. Not Sacred Alien, not the US glam band, this lot were just plain Alien, and resolutely not glam. And not very good either, although Ron Anderson did seem to know his way around a guitar. Their one take, no dub was the sum total of their Neat career.

MP3 one – ALIEN – Could Have Done Better

Next up are the much better known Avenger. I absolutely loved their ‘Too Wild To Tame’ 7″, and predicted big things for them. Naturally, I was wrong, and it was back to McDonalds for Brian Ross (V), John Brownless (G), Mick Moore (B) and Gary Young (D), despite two actual album releases. Naturally, they reformed a few years back, although I think only Mick and Gary are still there. They’re doing a Greek tour next year, so you may want to plan your holidays around that. However, they rawked their rawk. Respect.

MP3 two – AVENGER – Hot and Heavy Express

Next up are another band who shoulda, coulda done better. Black Rose.

Their 1984 album “Boys Will Be Boys” is a much played item at Mr H Towers. But the usual inability to keep anyone in the band for more than about a week, and the general demise of the NWOBHM pretty much put paid to them. They packed it in about 1988. Shame.

MP3 three – BLACK ROSE – Knocked Out

Last, and very close to being least, are Hellenbach.

People actually praised them, claiming that their debut album “Now Hear This” is a lost classic. These people are liars. DO not believe them. All you need to know is that Hellenbach “developed” their style, and became a rockabilly band called Bessie and the Zinc Buckets. This is not a lie.

MP3 four – HELLANBACH – Full Scale Emergency

Next time out, we’ll be taking a break from the mighty Metal. Seeing as how it’s December, the next edition of GHMI will be devoted to the Magic Of Cliffmas, as we present our Cliff Richard special.

Riot – Thundersteel (1988, CBS Records)

1. “Thundersteel” … 3:49
2. “Fight or Fall” … 4:25
3. “Sign of the Crimson Storm” … 4:40
4. “Flight of the Warrior” … 4:17
5. “On Wings of Eagles” … 5:41
6. “Johnny’s Back” … 5:32
7. “Bloodstreets” … 4:39
8. “Run For Your Life” … 4:08
9. “Buried Alive (Tell Tale Heart)” … 8:55

Band:
Tony Moore – Vocals
Mark Reale – Guitar
Don Van Stavern – Bass
Bobby Jarzombek – Drums

Additional Musicians:
Mark Edwards – Drums (Tracks 2, 3, 5, 7)

Producer: Steve Loeb, Rob Hui and Mark Reale

What was I thinking ?!?!?! Never judge an album by its cover because then you miss out on some great music! That’s a lesson I’ve learned quite well with Riot. Despite reading for years that they were a great American NWOBHM-style band, I never bothered picking any release up. The main reason? Those awful album covers. I can’t think of any other band that has had so much terrible cover art. It really put me off and had me thinking these guys were cheap, cheesy metal that was not worth my time. How wrong I’ve been proven with Fire Down Under and now Thundersteel!

Out of the two Riot releases I’ve heard so far, Thundersteel is definitely my favorite. Fire Down Under saw the band in fully entrenched in New Wave of British Heavy Metal coming off like Diamond Head, but Thundersteel has a blend of NWOBHM, power metal and a more traditional ’80s metal sound that brings to mind Helloween, Iron Maiden and Judas Priest.

This was Riot’s “comeback” album after not having released any music since 1983’s Born In America. The band has continued to released albums every few years, but it’s a real shame this one wasn’t a huge success for them and that this band and album are fully appreciated like they should be.

While I had no problems with Guy Speranza on vocals, I much prefer Tony (his first album with the band), but I think each one was perfect for the type of metal the band was playing at the time. Tony has greater range though and that shows on “Run for Your Life”, which is actually my favorite song on the album. It sounds like the band was going for a Judas Priest vibe, right down to Moore’s vocals and the song would fit in well on Ram It Down.

A definite classic metal album well worth any headbanger’s time.

Highlights: “Thundersteel”,  “Sign of the Crimson Storm”, “Johnny’s Back”, “Bloodstreets”, “Run For Your Life”, “Buried Alive (Tell Tale Heart)”

www.officialriotnyc.com
www.myspace.com/officialriotnyc

Sad to say, we’ve reached the end of this awesome Best Of British season, but the best has most definitely been saved for last. Yes. it’s the one, the only, Baby Tuckoo. I mean, what were they thinking? You come from Barnsley, home of Saxon, and you name yourself after James Joyce’s ‘Portrait Of The Artist As A Young Man’! Madness, I say, madness.

Their guitarist was a proper NWOBHM fella, having plied his trade in the mighty Geddes Axe, but The Tucks, as no-one called them, were just so desperate for success, you could almost smell it. Their debut was a cover of ‘Mony Mony’ and they even released a cover version of ‘Tears Of A Clown’. Eejits. It was a shame, as I rather enjoyed their second, “Rock Rock” album. Their singer ended up in Accept for about a week in the eighties, but it was the ex Geddes Axe man, Andy Barrott, who was to cement a place in rock history, joining Chrome Molly, purveyors of the legendary ‘Thanx For The Angst”, the 12″ of which still adorns my record shelves.

Fact; I saw Baby Tuckoo and Chrome Molly on a co-headlining tour, just after “Rock Rock” came out. It was awesome, in a Barney kind of way.

MP3 one – Baby Tuckoo – Broken Heart

With The Best Of British at an end, I’m contemplating an outing for the “One Take, No Dubs” EP. Something that is even scarier than it sounds. Alien, Avenger, Black Rose, Hellenbach. Worried? You should be.

However, you’re getting a couple of bonus tracks this time out. As the comments boxes have been full of legendary Dumpy sighting, I felt it only fair to give you a double dose of the man himself. My encounter with Dumpy is a double header. His Rusty Nuts were supporting Hawkwind, when he embarked on his cordless walkabout, only to encounter me, tripping beyond belief, in full “Dumpy, you’re magic” mode. He actually stopped playing to enquire after my wellbeing, and after being assured I was OK by an acquaintance, picked up his solo where he left off, and moved on.

A week later, he was playing a pub in Embra, when he embarked on his cordless walkabout. Only to encounter me again. This time, it was a curt “oh, fugg,not him again”, and a swift return to the stage.

MP3 two – Dumpys Rusty Nuts – Get Out On The Road

And, of course!

MP3 three – Dumpy – Hawkwind

Dumpy Today!

Bonus Baby Tuckoo live 1984 video;

Endeverafter – Kiss or Kill (2007, Razor & Tie Records)

1. “I Wanna Be Your Man” … 3:06
2. “Baby Baby Baby” … 4:14
3. “Gotta Get Out” … 4:04
4. “Poison” … 4:14
5. “Next Best Thing” … 5:18
6. “Tip of My Tongue” … 4:06
7. “Road to Destruction” … 5:41
8. “All Night” … 3:35
9. “Slave” … 3:44
10. “From the Ashes of Sin” … 4:09
11. “Long Way Home” … 6:14

Band:
Michael Grant – Lead Vocals, Lead Guitar
Kristan Mallory – Guitar
Tommi Andrews – Bass
Eric Humbert – Drums

Additional Musicians:
Butch Walker, Grace Sims, Tom Jane, Azeron, Skye Nicolas – Backing Vocals
Jessica Catron – Cello

Producer: Stacy Jones with Bill Lefler

Here’s a strange album for ya! Endeverafter are a fairly recent band that seems be torn as to what kind of rock that they want to play. Are they the next Fall Out Boy? Do they want to be the next generation of pop metal? Or would they rather play nu-metal or NWOBHM or post-grunge? Well, they aren’t sure yet and neither am I because this album waffles more than John Kerry, but I’ll get back to you as soon as they decide!

Don’t let the band’s looks and touring credentials fool you either — sure, they have opened for KISS, Poison and Cinderella but I have no idea what songs they would have played to win over those types of crowds when sound their sound has much more in common with Fall Out Boy than the previously mentioned bands. In addition to that, they’ve performed on ’80s rock packages like Motley Cruise and ShipRocked which makes their primary choice of music even more puzzling.

FOB is one of the worst bands to come out in the past decade. I have heard a lot of their stuff and it’s terrible and they’ve spawned countless (and equally terrible) copycat bands. The songs here with the FOB are just as bad as the real thing. Now, they did try to spice things up a bit. It’s not all alt rock/pop. A handful of songs break out of alt. rock/pop mode and get a bit heavy or at least bit more spirited than the majority of the album.

There is potential here. The band is totally Michael Grant’s show. He wrote all of the music and lyrics. He sounds way too much like Patrick Stump, but I hear bits of good hair metal (and good metal in general) within some of these songs. He just needs to decide what kind of band Endeverafter is. It’s too bad American Hi-Fi’s Stacy Jones, as producer, couldn’t straighten these young chaps out and tell them to pick a sub-genre and stick with it.

I totally took a chance on this band. Classic Rock magazine was hyping them up as the second coming of Poison and Motley Crue and that’s just not the case at all. Hm… Do you think it has anything to do with the band’s UK label being the Classic Rock-owned Powerage Records? Shame on you, CR!

Luckily, the album can be found fairly cheap so it wasn’t a huge loss. I would be interested in new music from this band, but I’d have to hear some samples first before buying.

Highlights: “I Wanna Be Your Man”, “Baby Baby Baby”, “Poison”, “From the Ashes of Sin”

www.endeverafter.com
www.myspace.com/endeverafter

The Best Of British Part 3

Yes, it’s the long overdue Part 3 of the series, they’re already calling “eh?”.

Sad to say that this installment kicks off with a tune from Di’Anno. Yes, the self proclaimed beast who was booted out of Iron Maiden, and who has spent the last 27 years desperately trying to find something to do with himself. Di’anno was the first shortlived outfit he was in post Maiden, only recording 2 singles and a live VHS, which only came out in Sweden. Then it was on to Gogmagog, Battlezone, Praying Mantis (for about a week in Japan), Killers, Nomad, another Di’Anno, and numerous permutations of the above. The first two Iron Maiden albums are the best thing that any of the lineups put out, but you can pretty much avoid everything since.

MP3 one – Di’Anno – Antigua

Scarily enough, our next band, Limelight, are turning into GHMI regulars. Which means I really need to get a life. Soon. Mansfields Scrimshaw brothers have already appeared here, thanks to a support slot with Chevy, but they’re back for more, overly melodic rock.

Their 1982 tour went;

South Shields Legion Club April 9
West Cornforth Rock Club 11
Birkenhead Sir James Club 12
London Marquee 15
London Golden Lion 16
Leeds Compton Arms 24
Sunderland Mecca 30
Stoke ON Trent Wagon And Horses May 1
London Marquee 8.

MP3 two – Limelight – White Fire

This installment comes to an end with Savage. Not Sweet, nor Electric, just plain Savage. ‘We Got The Edge’ was the lead track on their 12″ single release from 1984 on Zebra. Their earlier “Loose And Lethal” album was quite enjoyable, but that was absolutely no excuse for them making a comeback in the late nineties, releasing another album. They even managed to get a best of album put out in 2002 on Castle, which makes less than no sense. I mean, they were alright, but I don’t think anyone needed 80 minutes of Savage. Three minutes will do.

MP3 three – Savage – We Got The Edge

PS – Metallica used to cover this Savage track, back before they got their record deal. Fact. It may have been on one of the Garage Days things, but I couldn’t be arsed checking on anything to do with Metallica.

And here’s a live version from the reformed 90’s Savage.

You’ll be glad to know that I’ve decided to be an utter bastard, and hold back Baby Tuckoo for next time!