Crippling Velocity

One of the funniest YouTube comments I've ever read.*

Vaguely-thematically-related videos I can throw in to pad this post's content:

*The only one I can think of at the moment that comes close (and which sadly seems to be deleted from YouTube) was "kill this guy and bring back escolas," which someone had posted on a newish Steel Assassin live video.

Dark Angel is guilty, the crime is life, the sentence is death...

When watching the Vegas video above, YouTube recommended several Dark Angel live vids from their 2014 Sweden Rock Festival appearance, which was the first time I saw any significant amount of the Rinehart reunion stuff.  So now is as good a time as any for a post about Dark Angel and the Don Doty debacle.

Let me preface everything by saying I don't come from a place of obsessive Darkness Descends worship. It's a great album and I enjoy it; "Perish in Flames" is especially awesome and "Darkness Descends" is of course killer even though I think the verses are a bit too, well, verbose.  There's even some intertwined nostalgia since I vividly remember getting Darkness Descends on CD.*  As much as I like it, I'm hesitant to even put it among the company of my favorite US thrash albums.  It just never resonated with me the way things like the first Whiplash album did.

As for the Rinehart-era albums, I'm pretty indifferent.  Leave Scars is solid but I never listened to the album much, opting to get my Rinehart exposure from Ultimate Revenge 2 or the 3-Way Thrash video.  At least I can remember some of the music, which is more than I can say for Time Does Not Heal.  I don't hate the Rinehart stuff, but I'm squarely in the Doty camp.

My favorite Dark Angel album is actually We Have Arrived (pleasingly, a sentiment that's not as unheard of as I would have expected).  Aside from the obvious connection of both bands having early releases on Azra/Metal Storm, stylistically I'm reminded quite a bit of the first Overkill album; both albums can be roughly divided into thrash-based and speed metal-based songs, and both exude quite a USPM aura at times (Overkill perhaps more so).  So I applaud Mr. Richards for his fine musical taste and talent seeking abilities.  His obsession with shaped picture discs, not so much.  Anyway, when the whole Don Doty fiasco happened and it became clear he wasn't going to be involved in an official Dark Angel reunion, I actually found myself fervently hoping that Rob Yahn or Jack Schwartz would resurface to play with Doty.

So, my impressions after seeing footage of both recent Dark Angel and Eliminate:

Dark Angel
Musically, fine.  Initially after seeing some of the Sweden Rock Fest vids I thought Rinehart had lost his high range, but he does pretty well during the 2014 Finland and Chile shows.  He seems to be somewhere inbetween for the 2016 Japan shows.  My main complaint is that all sorts of aggroisms are steadily creeping into the vocals now--Ron often slips into barking vox, tough talk, and Hetfield-esque growls.  Unfortunately, the band look rather lame nowadays.  Rinehart is the biggest offender--his work shirts and wallet chain bring to mind many terrible non-metal Roadrunner Records acts.

Much better than I expected, and though it may not look it based on the band's appearance, the old songs are treated with appropriate respect overall. Hopefully they'll stick to playing as a live act and stay out of the studio, as I would not trust this lineup to write any new material that is worthwhile musically--SwinE, Hunger, Oil, and even Dreams of Damnation don't exactly inspire confidence.  I think it's been years since Gene has drummed on anything I would find remotely interesting.**

Eliminate
First was that teaser clip that didn't have any vocals.  Then came that weird, super-hoarse karaoke version of "Darkness Descends."  Then finally, actual live vids of Don singing.  From the limited footage available, it seems like his high range is totally shot.  He sounded hoarse and raspy, which is to be expected, but I would argue his vox are better suited to thrash than some of the aggro silliness Rinehart tends to belt out at times.  The cadence of the vocals was pretty spot-on and his performance came off pretty well overall.  No issues with the rest of the band.  Like Dark Angel, much better than I was expecting.  In fact, my biggest complaint is Don's babbling stage banter (unfortunately nothing fun like the old intros to "Perish in Flames").  Case in point, "The Burning of Sodom," which has kinda awkward banter summarizing the biblical story of Lot--"I'd like to welcome you to Sodom" from '86 will do quite nicely, thank you.

The short Eliminate instrumental clip circulating sounds okay and doesn't seem to suffer from any modern pitfalls, but isn't mind-blowing either.  For now, I'm skeptical about any future release.  However, I think the prospect of something decent coming from veteran Devastation and Hirax axemen is far better than for DA.

So there you have it.  Time does not heal, indeed.

***

* To summarize, I ultimately picked it over a Coroner CD at the record store.  I'd love to be smug and say that Priest was right, You Don't Have to Be Old to Be Wise and all that, but it really comes down to a fundamental metal fiscal concept--when funds are severely limited, allocate them to the album with the coolest band logo and/or cover.

** Possible exception: I have not heard the new Viking album from last year, but will give it a fair shot.

***I love the hyperbole of the ad, don't get me wrong, but for the record, Seven Churches over Darkness any day.

"Deeper into the Vault" CD (1991)

Megaforce rarities (well, mostly) compilation, with the title and content making it a clear successor to the 1985 From the Megavault LP (and even including 4 tracks originally on that release).  Aside from the currently-ubiquitous Venom, Fate, and Overkill tracks, a surprising amount of the material here is still otherwise unreleased on CD.  Excellent compilation overall, although looking back on it now, it's a sore reminder of how quickly Megaforce lost the plot.


Comes with a 24-panel foldout insert.  One side has the "Metal Rap" lyrics, brief notes about each track, and a short chart listing the earliest independent Megaforce releases.  The reverse has a collage of vintage Megaforce-related pics (helpfully numbered and indexed), and a reprint of an official complaint letter from the Township of Old Bridge, NJ to the Zazulas (letting bands on tour sleep and rehearse at their home was a zoning violation).

Testament (Legacy) - Burnt Offerings
Chuck's vocals on the album version have more of a genuinely menacing feel than Steve's sneering style, but Zetro does throw in some very pleasing OTT screams.  Hard to pick an outright winner--the Testament version, while sharper and thrashier, seems more constricted; the demo version's guitar solo is oddly low in the mix.

Venom - Acid Queen
Classic Venom.  On here due to licensing deals, in this case being Megaforce's Immortals of Metal #1 picture disc version of the "Die Hard"/"Acid Queen" EP.

Mercyful Fate - Black Masses
Incorrectly listed as "Black Funeral."  I think this is actually a better choice than "Black Funeral" due to the catchiness of the wailing chorus coupled with those SUPER SUBTLE lyrics about infant sacrifice. GIMME SOME BABY BLOOD!  As with the Venom track, Megaforce released a "Black Funeral"/"Black Masses" Immortals of Metal #2 picture disc EP.

Anthrax - Across the River/Howling Furies (Live Texas)
Always liked how "Across the River" suddenly throws in that Maiden-worship section in the middle.  While I don't normally think of "Howling Furies" as one of my favorite tracks from the debut, it showcases some fine twin guitaring.  Oh yeah, listen for Joey remarking "nice tits!" towards the end of the song. If the date is correct, Spreading the Disease wasn't even released, and they were already getting chicks at gigs?  Chicks who flashed, no less?  Amazing.

Lone Rager - Metal Rap
I intend to do a full post about the Lone Rager 12" shortly, so discussion of the actual music will wait until then.  Just as a dorky novelty track, it probably should merit at least one listen in your lifetime, especially considering it's not actual rap music (c'mon, you owe it to The Rods).  Whether it truly deserves a slot on this compilation is arguable, though it's not as much of a throwaway track as the S.O.D. contribution.

Hilariously, the liner notes here strongly hint that Lone Rager was some sort of groundbreaking rock/rap fusion that was ahead of its time.  I'm surprised Jonny Z. didn't just throw a certain signee of his under the bus and take all the credit for inspiring "I'm the Man" and "Bring the Noise."

Blitzkrieg - Blitzkrieg
The ultimate version of this NWOBHM mega-classic, from the Buried Alive single.  Especially after the last track, it's rather heartwarming to read in the notes that this was included because of its greatness and influence, not because Megaforce licensed it for a release.

Overkill - Sonic Reducer
One of the best punk-to-metal cover songs, though not particularly rare or desirable since it's included on virtually all later pressings of Feel the Fire.

TT Quick - Victims
From their '84 EP, which has yet to see any sort of reissue.  This song (and the EP in general) are heavier and more in line with the early US metal scene than the band's later material.  Avoids the more accessible rock influences and AC/DCisms of their first album, and far superior for it.

Raven - Take It Away (Live)
Taken from the Live at the Inferno sessions, but ironically better than anything on the actual album.  Raven's best/second best song, forever jockeying for position with "Inquisitor."

S.O.D. - Ram It Up
Inferno cover, though I don't think it's identified as such anywhere on the CD.  The Inferno version is quite punkish, whereas the cover has a thrashier/crossover feel and could easily pass as a S.O.D. original.  Vocals sound better than those of the original.  Included on some CD-reissues of Speak English or Die.

The Beast - Is This Life
The Beast - The Shape
2 of the band's 3 tracks from the excellent Born to Metalize comp., with a pre-Ripping Corpse (and pre-dental surgery) Scott Ruth on vocals.  Solid traditional HM, though the omitted "Randall Flagg" is probably the strongest of their three tunes.  "Is This Life" is more straightforward, while the creepy intro, Halloween-themed lyrics, and some Mercyful Fate-esque touches give "The Shape" a clear horror-tinged vibe.

For a long time this was the only material from Born to Metalize available on CD, but the Hades songs eventually appeared as bonus tracks on reissues.

M.O.D. - If The Shoe Fits
From the Gross Misconduct recording sessions.  Similar to (and better than much of) the material on the album.

Exciter - Death Revenge
Unreleased track from the Violence & Force sessions.  Another weird exclusion, as it would have been one of the best songs on the album.  Resurrected for several of the band's 2010-2011 live shows.  I thought for sure it would have been included on the Megaforce reissues of the early albums, but so far its only other CD appearance seems to be on a Brazilian reissue of Long Live the Loud.

The perfect disguise for beating up posers and sexually assaulting women

David Vincent takes a stroll through Ace's Records

Let's take a look at the second-best David Vincent video available on the net.  Old bands are discussed and little kids are perturbed.  Unfortunately, no questions about lemon pie or microwaves:

By the way, if you are a Chuck Schuldiner-fellating revisionist, pay very careful attention starting around the 1 minute mark.

Because There's No Shame in Reusing a Good Idea, Vol. 2

Righteous Metal CD

I can think of only two situations where the phrase "righteous metal" would realistically be used:

a) Some sort of white metal reference, such as a songtitle or compilation.

b) Uttered with a surfer accent in the late '80s/'90s by some Bill & Ted/Beavis & Butt-head type moron who should have left the horn-throwing to Dio.   WYLD STALLYNS!

Thankfully, this post deals with the first scenario.

Released in 1987, Righteous Metal was K-Tel's (through sub-label Arrival) attempt at a Christian metal compilation.  I'm hesitant to say K-Tel really pioneered anything here since their whole business model was based on capitalizing on trends, but 1987 (keep in mind, the same year the original California Metal compilation came out) was still pretty early for a compilation of this type.  It also means Righteous Metal pre-dated the release of any of the full-length Christian thrash albums (it's unlikely a label like K-Tel would have bothered with demo bands), though in 1991 there would be a second volume that included Believer and Tourniquet.

Bloodgood - Though I could do without some of the theatrical elements, one of their better songs and a solid opener.

Barren Cross - I don't know if it's admirable or ridiculous that a band with a singer whose natural voice is as close to Bruce Dickinson as humanly possible chose not to sound more like Maiden.  Not a very flattering track for the band, with its ham-fisted "ROCK!" gang-choruses and plodding tempo.

Stryken - Stryken has a certain amount of notoriety online due to their 1986 album cover (with the band members sporting awful spandex/repurposed protective sports padding getups that make The Pack is Back-era Raven outfits look subtle) being featured at the Bizarre Records website.  They also hold a certain amount of notoriety with me for completely different reasons.*

Now, I'm not against bands incorporating football pads into their costumes, but at least do it right, like Omen or the Italian Revenge.  I was hoping there would be something musically redeeming about a band who dressed and proudly posed in such a ridiculously over the top manner, but I was very disappointed when I heard the album; it reeked of L.A. commercialism.  Their contribution here is a corny glam metal attempt at a "We Will Rock You" type anthem, complete with a horrible artificial-sounding drum beat that's made to clap to.

Messiah Prophet - OH LOOK, A SONG ABOUT ME.  Good track, much more of a metallic anthem than the last two duds.

Saint - Priest comparisons are inevitable with Saint; Josh Kramer has a lot of vocal mannerisms immediately reminiscent of Halford, and this particular song has a mid-tempo swagger which instantly brings "Metal Gods" to mind, especially coupled with the lyrics.  Speaking of which, what's with said lyrics?  I can't tell if they're allegorical or not.  A guy hiding in the sewers to escape from mutants with lasers doesn't seem overtly Christian, but then there's that line about not taking the mark or bowing to the beast.  Anyway, this is great in comparison to some of the dreck on here, but I'm still undecided on whether this is necessarily the best Saint song to showcase on a compilation.

Jerusalem - Not going to complain about their inclusion, since this is quite heavy for them and it's not an unpleasant song.  Besides, much, much worse is just around the corner.  Hard rock with clear '70s roots due to the keyboard use.

The next 5 songs - Even with some kind of perverse, overly liberal definition of heavy metal, the inclusion of the Petra and Altar Boys tracks are indefensible, and the others are shoehorned-in hard rock tracks at best.

Philadelphia - REDEMPTION!  Easily the best track on here, and they would have easily fit in with the early Metal Blade bands.  In fact, had these guys been secular, there's no doubt in my mind dozens of Germans and Greeks would be raving about them and/or masturbating to them.  That's not to say Christianity was the only impediment.  Their first album varied quite a lot in song quality.  And then, there's the band name--I get why they chose it, but the only church of Revelation that potentially makes a worse band name is Smyrna.

*from Wikipedia: "In June 1987, the members of Stryken were detained by police after disrupting a Mötley Crüe concert in San Antonio, Texas. Carrying a large wooden cross and clad in full body armor (inspired by the theological teaching of the 'Armor of God' as found in the sixth chapter of the New Testament book, Ephesians), Stryken first proselytized concertgoers outside of the venue and then proceeded inside to the front of the stage. After being detained by police, the band was released without charges."
(Since that would have been Girls Girls Girls era, completely acceptable)

Also, there's a section of Stryken's "Crush the Head of Satan" where the word "crush" is repeated in a way that brings to mind a much later Megadeth song...