ANGUS is Back! A Review Of Both Reissued Albums

Dutch legendary heavy metal band Angus finally gets both their albums reissued on CD with plenty of bonus material thanks to Sonic Age Records and their subsidiary Cult Metal Classics. Both albums got released in the mid 1980´s on a small label with very limited distribution. Sentinel Steel Records reissued both albums on one CD in 2001, but this is the first time they get issued on individual CDs with plenty of bonus material (including their first 4-track demo from 1983). Many fans of this kind of classic heavy metal never even knew these albums existed (including myself!). They prove to be a great find now that they are available again.

Biography
Angus started in the spring of 1983 when four friends started to rehearse in the attic of an old canal house in Amsterdam, Holland. They played as fast and as loud as they possibly could. The four friends were Ed Sprey on guitar, Ed Lois providing lead vocals, Gerard Carol on bass and finally William Lawson on drums. Sprey described their music as "rugged" like a Scottish bull. That particular type of bull is called Angus which was also the first name of one of his favourite guitar players, Angus Young of AC/DC. It proved to be a perfect name for the new band.

Original Angus line up.
Picture courtesy of Jolly Jokers Ohrenbalsam

The Dutch metal scene in the early 1980´s was dominated by bands that combined speed and melody. The initial Angus sound was based on classical musical structures which was quite different from most other bands of the era. That combination of uptempo metal guitar riffs, classic etudes and fast double bass action made the material unique and stood out from the rest. The band recorded a 4-track demo after just a couple of months as an active band and started to play gigs around the Amsterdam area. In 1984, they launched their first national tour of Holland. The first line-up changes occurred when Sprey was replaced by Bert Foxx, taking over the guitar duties. The first opportunity to commit some of their songs to vinyl came in the summer of  1985 when they recorded two songs for The Heavy Touch compilation ("Lonesome Fighter" and "Aliens"). Together with five other Dutch metal bands on the rise Angus went on tour throughout Holland once again. The compilation album got a lot of positive press and the album sold well.

The compilation album brought Angus to the attention of Boudisque Records subsidiary Megaton Records which signed the band.  The debut album called Track Of Doom was recorded and released in 1986. This album was filled with great classic heavy metal and was produced by the band themselves. The result was really impressive with Lois' mighty vocals and a really tight band that had crafted a bunch of really strong songs. The album was played on national radio stations and on TV channels in Holland. Track Of Doom also made it into the top 20 in the Polish metal charts. Poland was at that time a socialist country behind the Iron Curtain so that was no small achievement. The record sales were promising and the album got a lot of positive reviews from the press. Track Of Doom was released in the US in early 1987 on Restless/Enigma Records which also handled bands like Poison and Stryper.

Cover of 7" single Papa Don´t Freak
Picture courtesy of Jolly Jokers Ohrenbalsam

Before work on the follow-up started the band re-worked the epic Madonna hit "Papa Don´t Preach" into a metal setting  rebuilding, rewriting and renaming it "Papa Don´t Freak" which was released as a single. The cover of the single shows the band members in women´s underwear in front of a peep show shop in Amsterdam´s famous red light district. It was another unusual move by Angus and the result was the media renaming their music as "Sexmetal".

In the summer of 1987 the band entered the studio to record their sophomore effort with British producer John Tilly. Production wise the album was recorded with the latest studio and computer technology of the time. During the recording bass player Gerald Carol had to leave the band due to medical complications so studio bass player Andre Versluys laid down the basslines on Warrior Of The World. The album was released in 1987 and on the live dates that followed Mike Shultz played bass. The album shot Angus into the top league of Dutch heavy metal with its pure classic heavy metal sound coupled with strong melodies. Music Maker Magazine named it heavy metal release of the year in Holland. Warrior Of The World was definitely a huge leap forward for the band who supported the album with another national tour. Unfortunately, the band broke up when the driving force of drummer William Lawson left the band after a disagreement with Megaton/Boudisque Records and their management in 1988.

Reunion

Reunited Angus. Picture courtesy of  Heavy-Metal-Gems.com

In 1999, Denis Gulbey of Sentinel Steel Records contacted William Lawson and they started to search for old Angus material. The master tape for Track Of Doom was found in the vault of CBS Records in Los Angeles. The album was remixed and mastered for a re-release. Lawson re-formed Angus with a completely new line-up in 2011 and the band has started to write songs for an all new Angus album. The current line up includes Nico Perreijn on lead vocals, Pat "the Axe" on guitar, Rene "Basbeer" Bouwer on bass and of course William Lawson on drums.

Track Of Doom 
Time to spin the debut album a couple of times. The album starts off very unconventional with an instrumental track called "The Centaur" which to me is a very strange opening track. I think the album would have benefited greatly by using a track with lyrics as an album opener. It is followed by "When Giants Collide" which starts with a fast guitar riff that transpires into metal groove when bass and drums join. Then a short stick and some double bass drumming as the song kicks off for real. This song features a very strong vocal performance from Ed Lois whose vocals on this song very much remind me of the great Steve Grimmett of Grim Reaper/Lionsheart fame. Lyrically it's a song about the Gods fighting for fun and it sounds like a giant collision. Up next is the title track "Track Of Doom" which starts out with a great guitar riff and a nice and melodic verse. A mid-tempo rocker with a great guitar solo from Bert Foxx making it one of the strongest songs on the album. The song also has a couple of interesting tempo shifts and it's a tune that deals with the threat of a nuclear war. Next is "Heavyweight Warrior" which starts with an ultra fast riff and continues in an up-tempo beat  throughout

Original LP of Track of doom
Picture courtesy of Play it loud forever.

 most of the song. A tune about an undead army waking up at sunrise to steal your soul. Up next is "Finally Out" that starts with an acoustic intro which then fades out and the heavy and fast riffing takes over again with some really fast drumming from Lawson. "Finally Out" has one of the best and catchiest choruses and some of the strongest melodies on this album. A great heavy metal song about love gone wrong. It ends with another acoustic outro. It is followed by "The Gates" which starts off with a Priest-like guitar riff from Foxx that naturally drives the song forward. A memorable and punchy chorus and this great riff makes this song one of the top picks of Track Of Doom. The song is simply about the Heaven's gates being open for you and me to enter. Once there its time to let the rage begin.

The latter half of this remastered CD (including bonus tracks) starts off with another fast paced instrumental song that is somewhat of a filler called "Dragon Chase". A song to skip with the remote. The mighty voice of Ed Lois is back again on "Lost Control" which is also the last song on the original vinyl album which contained only eight songs. It starts out with a strong groove and a couple of really nice guitar harmonies/solos from Foxx. A couple of nice tempo shifts with the odd acoustic guitar adds more value and keeps me interested throughout the whole song. Then the four bonus tracks from the first demo take over with original guitarist Ed Sprey handling the guitar. The first song is "Night Fight" which starts with a slow, almost ballad like, intro which then turns into a fast paced song. The chorus features some falsetto screams from Lois that is not my cup of tea. You can hear this is a band in the early stages of development and the lyrics sometimes do not follow the English grammar. The song is about a killer stalking at night and you have to try to stay alive. The tempo changes again for a slow outro of the song. The CD continues with track no 10 which is "Keep On Shouting"  and it  is a much stronger song than its predecessor. It starts with a nice riff from Sprey and this mid-tempo rocker has a decent chorus and a melodic hook to go with it. A song about dancing, shouting and partying. Up next is "Virgin Girl" which is a nice mid-tempo rocker with a distinct chorus. A drum intro is joined by a heavy grooving, almost Sabbath-like guitar riff. Definitely the strongest song off the first demo and would easily have made the album in my book. The CD ends with "Leading You Back" which is another groovy and heavy song about leading you back to the place where you were born and where you belong. It's easy to lose your way.

Picture courtesy of  Jolly Jokers Ohrenbalsam

Track Of Doom is a little bit speedier than the sophomore effort Warrior Of The World but still within the formula of classic heavy metal though. The band bio presents it as a speed metal record, but I would not label this as speed metal. More of a traditional heavy metal record with a few faster songs. The production is a little bit rough around the edges. The music reminds me quite a lot of The Rods, Picture and at times Manowar. What really strikes me is the very strong vocals from Ed Lois who sometimes sounds like a dead ringer for Steve Grimmett and at times, as fellow Dutchman Shmoulik Avigail (The Rods). The songs are great heavy metal songs and the musicianship is top notch. but lack some of the direct impression a great chorus can have. My top picks from this album would be "Track Of Doom", "Finally Out, and "The Gates". The bonus material from the first demo is a nice addition and an important historical document in the Angus history. The sound quality and the production is of course dated but if you can live with that you will find this to be a great bonus. I reckon many fans of Heavy Metal/Hard Rock had not even heard of this band before (including myself) and most of you will find this a great find if you give it a couple of spins. The original vinyl hardly made it´s way out of their origin country of Holland (Poland being the exception) so now it´s time for the rest of the world to discover Angus thanks to the guys at Sonic Age Records.

Warrior Of The World

Warrior of the world original vinyl press
Picture courtesy of popsike.oom

Angus' follow-up album was recorded with a proper producer (John Tilly) and the latest studio technology and you can clearly hear the sonic evolution as well as improvement in the songwriting department. Warrior Of The World starts out with the title track which is a strong heavy metal song with a catchy riff and a driving melody. Ed Lois' vocals are more polished which I decide is a good thing. What is the song about? This short line in the verse says it all: "We are here to steal your soul with metal rock n roll" - priceless! My head starts banging immediately and involuntarily so I guess that means they stole my soul. "Moving Fast" is up next and this song is literally moving fast. With a riff and hook that is repeated one too many times this is not the strongest song on the album. The lyrics deal with living fast - dying young which is somewhat of a classical theme for a rock song. Song number three on the album is "Leather And Lace" yet another typical cliche lyric of a rock song but with Angus you wouldn´t want it another way, would you? It starts off with another catchy and driving riff from Foxx that carries the song onward. A strong song but somehow lacking that big chorus you are waiting for. Sadomasochism is the theme of this song. "Money Satisfies" starts off with double bass drumming and it is an upbeat metal song with an interesting chorus that stands out a bit from the rest. All this makes it one of the most interesting songs on the album. It's a song about seeking fortune, how money can make you feel good and working really hard to succeed. Then it is time for one of the albums faster songs called "Black Despair" which is an OK fast paced rocker with some nice guitar work from Foxx. A song about lying in your bed trying to sleep when depression takes over. A situation many of us can relate to I guess. Then we have the epic and long "2086" which has got a lot of progressive elements and tempo shifts. It also deals with heavy issues as destroying ourselves in an apocalyptic war with aliens and returning 100 years later (in 2086) to see that life is slowly coming back once more. A song that does not hit you instantly in your face but grows the more you listen to it. A very complicated song texture makes it harder to easily dig into. Definitely something new from Angus but also a song without a memorable chorus line. After that treat, its time for another straight ahead rocker in "Freedom Fighter" with  a great melody pulsating throughout the tune and a cool bassline from Andre Versluys forms a great background. A song about fighting for your freedom and your right to choose the way you live.

Angus bull with logo
Picture courtesy of Metal-archives.com

The second part of the CD starts off with the first and only ballad ever from Angus and it's a really good one; "I´m A Fool With Love". It starts with a beautiful acoustic guitar from Foxx and some nice keyboard harmonies building a delicate background. A great vocal from Lois and a nice guitar solo from Foxx makes this one of the highlights of the album. An attempt to gain some radio play and write that power ballad that turned out really nicely. Then it´s time for the song with the longest title and the very last song on the original vinyl album; "If God´s In Heaven (Why Is There Hell On Earth). This song is carried by another great and melodic riff and a nice vocal from Lois. That question in the title of the song very much sums up what the song is all about lyrically as well. This song has got a really strong chorus. The bonus material starts off with "Lonesome Fighter" from the compilation album The Heavy Touch from 1985. Again Gerard Carol handles the bass on all the bonus tracks as they all were recorded prior the Track of Doom sessions.The sound quality and production is not as good as on the album but it is a great up-tempo song with a really strong chorus that you can easily sing along to when taking a shower. A song about having to fight for your life in the night although you are not a killer or a criminal. You can be attacked anyhow by some shady figure. Definitely a great addition to this CD reissue. The liner notes say this was the strongest song on the compilation and I can certainly understand that. Up next is the second song from Angus on that compilation called "Aliens". It starts off with some fancy stuff from Foxx on the guitar and continues on in a furious tempo. Not as strong as the previous song and a song about having to leave earth that has been invaded by "Aliens" who no longer had air on their home planet. Now we are fleeing from the "Aliens" from star to star. The next song is "Ruthless Men" which is a pre-production demo that in the end did not make the album Warrior Of The World. It seems to me to be an earlier version of "Warrior Of The World"- the melody for the chorus is the same just the lyrics are different. Up next is an unrecorded and unreleased song called "Men of Hades" and the below par and bad sound quality becomes almost unbearable. I guess it was included for historical purposes. It´s a song with another apocalyptic message which the band seemed to be heavily into at the time. The CD then rounds off with the cult single and remake of Madonna's super hit "Papa Don't Preach". In the Angus world, the chorus has been re-written to "Papa Don´t Freak". This single's cover art also sported the band in women's underwear and they were labeled as "Sex-metal" by the media.  Hilarious! It starts out with the band singing acapella and they have really given it the Angus treatment with a heavy guitar riff and thumping bass. A great addition and bonus material! My top picks from the album would be "Warrior Of The World", "Money Satisfies", "I´m A Fool With Love" and "If God´s In Heaven (Why Is There Hell On Earth)".

Summary

Both these albums contain great and surprisingly fresh traditional heavy metal the way it sounded in the 1980´s. I must give a great thumbs up to Sonic Age Records/Cult Metal Classics for a great packaging with 16 page full-colour booklet containing all the info you would need. You have got a band biography, all the lyrics reprinted and who plays what on every song in detail. The bonus material gathered for these re-releases are just fantastic and for the first time available to the masses. These releases must be the ultimate Angus re-releases making all prior ones obsolete. I have never been a fan of putting together two albums on 1 CD and the previous CD issue did not contain any bonus material. So even if you bought the Sentinel Steel reissue you will find plenty of reasons to buy this re-release.

When it comes to the music both the production and songwriting are better and more mature on Warrior Of The World compared to Track Of Doom. It, on the other hand, has got a nice rawness to it. My guess is that you never heard of Angus before either. In that case - do yourself a favour and pick up a copy right now. This reissue is limited and will not be available for a long time. Both these albums prove that Holland could produce great heavy metal and it was not only limited to Picture. I would give Track Of Doom a 7/10 rating and Warrior Of The World a 7,5/10 rating. Time to take the bull by the horn and spin it one more time!

The Lionsheart

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BUY Track Of Doom here! / BUY Warrior Of The World here!

Lady Beast II Cooks Up A Delicious NWOBHM Feast

Remember the NWOBHM (New Wave Of British Heavy Metal) movement that began in the late 70's/early 80's with bands such as Iron Maiden, Def Leppard, Judas Priest, Saxon and many
more? Many of the bands that fall into this sub-genre or category are securely placed among my all time favorites, and pretty much any band playing that style is something that I enjoy. Well, I'm pleased to announce that classic formula NWOBHM in all it's headbanging glory is alive and well in Pittsburg! Wait....Pittsburg? That's not in the UK! But yes, that's right, there is a group of young folks (in their twenties at my best guess) from Pittsburg, USA that are serving up huge heaping steaming bowlfuls of blistering metal. The name of this savior of NWOBHM comes in the form of Lady Beast. In fact, if one did not know one might venture to say that they originated during the NWOBHM period.

The beginnings of Lady Beast can be traced back to 2008/9, but it wasn't until 2011/12 that the lineup was solidified with frontwoman Deborah Levine, drummer Adam Ramage, bassist Greg Colaizzi and the twin axe assault of Tommy Kinnett and Chris "Twiz" Tritschler. Somehow the band's (originally) self-released and titled debut album found its way into my extensive musical library and has been spun quite regularly in the past couple of years. The old school throwback to the NWOBHM that oozes throughout Lady Beast nods to some of the greats mentioned above, blending together the best elements of the era. Finding out (through some internet research) that the album actually contains compositions written by four different guitarists was quite surprising and while the album is certainly not perfect, it succeeds on every level!

So, when Lady Beast was the fifth and final band to be announced as appearing at the M-Pre-Party (prelude and party starter to the M3 Festival in Baltimore) on April 30, 2015 I was instantly pumped. 2014 had been my first M3 Festival (including M-Pre Party), instantly creating a new addiction and I was ready to experience it all over again in 2015, but this was just like the sugary frosted icing on the cake. I re-visited said debut record and still continue to do so as a portion of my gym workout playlist. This Lady Beast live set promises to be one of the clear highlights of the three-day rock fest for me.

Does it get any better than that?...Well, actually yes it does! Lady Beast are unleashing their sophomore effort on March 27 with a live show release party at Cativo in Pittsburgh on March 28, 2015. I wonder if I can slip away from work? (searches flights in another internet window as he types this)

In contacting the band frontwoman, Deborah Levine, she was more than kind enough to forward me the album's MP3 tracks for the purpose of this review and all I can say is "Holy crap!". This album, while not overly inventively titled (Lady Beast II), absolutely kicks ass! Holding true to the NWOBHM style and could have easily fit in with the bigger guns of the era. Lady Beast II is even stronger, more cohesive and polished than the debut and it's easy to see how the solidified lineup and maturity in the band along with all members contributing cohesively to the process have worked wonders.

The album opens with "Heavy Metal Destiny" for which the band issued an advance YouTube video via their Facebook page in January, 2015 (included below). The track starts out ominously before a nice little riff begins surging it forward as it gives off an Iron Maiden style of epicness. An awesome opener to Lady Beast II! "We Are The Witches" is the next selection exhibiting a catchy chorus to it. With Levine's vocal style, which is not as high-pitched or shrill as some, she's more Doro-ish in her delivery and that's a lot of what comes through to me on this track. The whole band shines on "Bind The Runes" with its tempo changing chorus, driving riff, meaty basslines and machine-gun drumming. "Caged Fury" lyrically deals with
 inner anger issues I think, a message to those finding themselves in that situation. Another thumping bassline from Colaizzi (who owns Cobra Cabana Records responsible for issuing Lady Beast II on vinyl) can be heard during "Heroes Of Our Time", another track waving the Maiden flag. In a little internet searching it appears that "The Frost Giant's Daughter" was actually released on YouTube in 2013 (link below) and is not a cover of The Sword's 2008 track of the same name. This one blazes along and is over far too quickly for me at just under three minutes. "Forrest Of The Impaled" seems to tell a macabre tale while "Lose To Win" is a straight out classic rocker. While it's more than a difficult chore to choose one track over the rest here for winner of the "Top of the Heap" accolade, if you held a gun to my head I'd have to go with the album's closer of "Banshee". It's grinding and abrasive, smashing through from start to finish in a catchy fist-pumping anthem. Sure hope that one makes the live set on April 30! The sadness that you feel when the record is over can easily be alleviated by doing as I do and hitting play all over again. After listening several times a day since receiving the album ten days before writing this review, I still haven't had enough! The Lady Beast simply roars and for optimum results I recommend playing at an ear-bleedingly loud volume!

All throughout Lady Beast II you can hear the influences or draw comparisons to some of these bands and players, for example at points Levine has a Doro style of delivery and some have even said an impressive resemblance to the late great Ronnie James Dio. There's also a little Halford mixed in there but at times she feels a little restrained. I would love to hear Deb let loose with a primal blood-curdling scream or two (and she does on "Banshee"), I can literally feel that power in her lungs! In any case, I say that Doro should rest comfortably knowing that there is a protegee out there to carry on her "Metal Queen" reign should she retire.

***Unfortunately, I have just discovered that after the album's release show guitarist Tommy Kinnett will be calling an end to his tenure with Lady Beast so he will not be performing at the M-Pre Party. Apparently the decision to leave in order to concentrate on his family life was an amicable one with no "bad blood" on either side. It is already announced that Lady Beast's original lead guitarist, Stephen Lauck, having recently moved back to Pittsburgh from California will be stepping in.***

Cheers,
The Meister

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Lady Beast Bandcamp / Lady Beast on Facebook

Inferno Records Website / Cobra Cabana Records on Facebook

D-Toxin Productions Website (M-Pre Party) / M-Pre Party Facebook

Anticipation of M3 2015 / M3 2014 (Part #1) / M3 2014 (Part #2)

Sarasin: Metal From The Hammer

What's this? A plain kraft paper envelope in my mailbox addressed to "The Meister"!  I slid the CD and the accompanying promo package out of the envelope.  The cover art was rather uninspiring, let me re-phrase that.  The drawing was quite intriguing, a serpent of sorts swallowing itself so that it's encircled in a ring, but what makes the cover unappealing is the for lack of a better description mustard brown hue that everything is tinted with, not a favorite colour of The Meister.  The back cover displayed a faded version of the serpent with the eight track titles imposed over it and the whole package came with a "Promotional Copy" sticker
affixed to the outside.  The included biography of Sarasin offered much more interesting fare to the Ole Meister.  It included phrases such as the opening paragraph: "If you are a classic heavy metal listener and have Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden and Judas Priest in your record collection (CHECK), it makes sense to give the new Sarasin CD a listen (OK, I WILL).  We haven't tried to re-invent the wheel (HONESTY AND HUMILITY), but we take great pride in paying homage to our heavy metal Gods with 9 songs (THE BACK OF THE CD SHOWS 8) that fit right into that genre without sounding plagiaristic." And a little farther down: "Sarasin has been around longer than we care to admit (LOL), and this has afforded us the luxury of playing every shithole in North America (OK YOU GOT A CHUCKLE OUT OF ME)."  "With the decline of everything good in life (AHHH....THE ONSET OF GRUNGE AND SEATTLE SCENE) it was clear that by the mid 90's, even if you had a record deal you were running out of places to play (SAD, BUT TRUE).  We've always had a loyal fan following based out of Hamilton, Ontario (NICKNAMED AS "THE HAMMER"), but if you're looking for an extensive Facebook following or super polished website, we apologize (MORE HONESTY).  Somehow putting a guitar down to jump on a computer or cell phone never had much appeal for any of us (MORE ON THIS POINT IN A SECOND)."  I really liked the underlying humility, honesty and sense of humor running through the bio and right away I was intrigued to check out Sarasin.  I loaded the CD into my computer as I do with every disc to add it to my digital library and then transfer to my MP3 player or cell phone for listening on the go.  What's this?  There's actually nine tracks, must be a misprint on the back of the CD.  A quick message via Facebook to Roger Banks (drummer and sender of the promo package) results in the correct track listing, but also in him offering me the job of manager since I'm the only one to proofread and catch the track listing error.....or was it a test of some sort?

Let's get to the tunes.  The band from Hamilton, Ontario open their self-titled Sarasin CD with "The Hammer".  This track captures my attention quickly and surprisingly it does not appear to be lyrically concerning their hometown of Hamilton, Ontario nicknamed "The Hammer".  Watch the interview video at the bottom of this review to find out what "The Hammer" is about lyrically. The track has a good, energetic pace with a delicious little solo and some strong vocals. The production seems to be a little dull and muddy, but that's just fine with me as I prefer a little character to my tunes.  Next up is "The Enemy Within" featuring a haunting beginning added to by the thunder & lightening in the background.  Before long the track opens up into a pounding grind for a song that has quickly become my favorite of the collection and has made its way onto my daily gym workout playlist along with "The Hammer".  "In Our Image" has a catchy bridge and chorus in this pace-changing composition for another solid track.  "Now" charges out of the gates and keeps things moving along nicely, with another memorable chorus adding to an already strong CD outing from Sarasin. Throughout the CD you can easily hear the band's previously stated influences of Led Zeppelin, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath while "Soul Invain" opens up another avenue displaying a little Alice In Chains style or feel to it.  The slower, chugging  pace of "SinkHole" appears next and was the track that was missing from the roster on the back of the disc. The moody and again slower paced track of "Live To See The Glory" follows.   The pace and energy ramp up again with the catchiness of "Forevermore" that seems to stay with you days after listening and things close well with "Wake Up" although it's another slower paced affair.

Not being a particular fan of the slower paced fare, I lost a little interest during "SinkHole" and "Live To See The Glory" or maybe I just have a short attention span. In either case, this is a great CD, with no real weak spots, just a few that outshine the rest. The compositions are strong and the musicianship solid throughout. A high recommendation from The Meister!

Sarasin drummer Roger Banks was kind enough to chat with me a little about the band and the latest Sarasin album. Listen to the highlights from our chat to find out what the song "The Hammer" is all about in the interview video below and check out the song.

Cheers,
The Meister

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(Sarasin Website) (Sarasin Facebook)

Get Ready For An Air Raid: A Review of Air Raid's Point Of Impact

Air Raid are yet another output from Scandinavian Sweden.  What the hell are they putting in the water over there to produce so many talented music artists in all rock/metal sub-genres? This traditional metal band began in Gothenburg in 2009.  Two years later saw them issue their Danger Ahead EP and the full-length
debut, Night Of The Axe in 2013. Now Air Raid are back with the North American release date of January 23, 2015 for their sophomore effort, Point Of Impact.  Andreas Johansson (guitar), Johan Karlsson (guitar), Robin Utbult (bass) and David Hermansson (drums) are joined for Point Of Impact by a new voice in Arthur W. Andersson.  Air Raid claim that "influences of traditional metal all the way through from Judas Priest and Iron Maiden to Riot and Chastain (including some slight Teutonic leanings in the form of Accept and Grave Digger thrown in for good measure)." is what we'll find contained in Point of Impact, a step above the band's previous efforts. Let's see shall we?

Point Of Impact leads off with the pounding drums of "Bound To Destroy" and quickly I can make the Iron Maiden comparisons mentioned in their press release quoted above, but as the song moves forward I find it a little Accept "Fast As A Shark"-ish as well. At the end of the day who cares, I like it! "Madness" oozes NWOBHM from every pore and Andersson's biting vocals top it off perfectly. Probably my pick for the "best in show award" of Point Of Impact is "Victim Of The Night" with it's chugging beat ramping up after the intro and loaded with tempo changes and a memorable chorus. "Wildfire" sits in the fourth slot with its' blazing metal assault and the instrumental fare of "Flying Fortress" closely nipping at its' heels. "Vengeance" shows a little speed metal influences, but struggles to pull me back after the instrumental, something which I'm not a particular fan of. I like vocals. "The Fire Within" does a much better job at awakening that fire within my listening pleasure and "We Got The Force" exhibits an epic beginning to this larger than life sounding opus
 but the earlier portion of Point Of Impact is clearly the strongest for me. Overall a strong effort, certainly enough to entice me to hunt down their back catalog.

Air Raid have appeared at the legendary Keep It True festival in Germany, played gigs in Japan, Spain, Italy and Portugal and plan to tour Europe extensively before long.  Expect to see a video surface for one of the tracks from this album as that's also in the works, but until then here's a sound sample video for "Madness" to check out.

BUY: Air Raid - Point Of Impact

Cheers,
The Meister

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PHOTO CREDIT: High Roller Records Point Of Impact Press Kit

(Air Raid Facebook)

Running Wild in Brantford...A Helix Concert Review

Well, a night of oddities and anomalies has just dropped itself upon the ole Meister!  Make no mistake however, for the most part that's a good thing.  Allow me to elaborate some.  For anyone that has read my ramblings previously you'll know that a rather long trek (usually via public transit) to a concert gig is not out of the ordinary for me by any means, but that's where I begin my story for today.  While at another awesome live music event and subsequent drinking experience at Decibel Geek photographer Brian Ronald's house in October (Halloween to be precise) he asked me if I would be coming out to Helix.  Totally unaware that there was an impending Helix gig, I enthusiastically responded with a "Hell yeah!".  The Helix gig in question was to take place on Friday, November 28, 2014 in Brantford, a three hour public transit venture for me.  I began to chat about the event around work over the following weeks as I was quite excited to be seeing Helix again, not having seen them since 2013's Monsters of Rock Cruise.

Anomaly #1: Two co-workers began to express an interest in coming with me to the show!  Serious?  Rarely does anyone outside of my circle enjoy my musical tastes, but it turns out they were dead serious.

Since they are also from my home town of Newmarket, Ontario their attendance would also be saving approximately two hours of public transit travel time.  Excellent!  That's where the trouble began.....we set out in plenty of time, planning on having dinner somewhere in Brantford prior to the event.  En route we encountered horrendous traffic like I've never seen before, turning a 1.5 hour drive into nearly 3.5!  The public transit game would actually have been faster!  Finally after pit-stops and the assistance of Google Maps we arrived and my first impression was; "Holy crap, this place looks all wrong!".  We had arrived at a strip mall plaza and a rather desolate looking one at that.  But the illuminated light-box sign reading "Army, Navy and Air Force Club" informed us that we were indeed in the correct spot.  As we entered the shopping plaza store front I was struck by another thought....this place really, really reminds me of a wedding reception hall or a year end sports team banquet at the local Legion!

Anomaly #2: I've seen Helix at festivals, on a cruise ship and at smaller clubs, but now I'm about to see Helix play at a wedding!

This event was actually a toy drive and as we entered the venue, presenting our unwrapped toys we received hand stamps and proceeded into the "wedding reception".  A Santa-dressed gentleman, who I assumed was the promoter or organizer of the event, was on hand at the door to warmly greet us and thank us for coming.  To the right hand side near the bar was an enormous pile of donated toys awaiting their Christmas destinations to those children in need.  Every child should experience the magic of receiving toys at Christmas and I was proud to see one of my favorite Canadian bands supporting such an event.  The three of us occupied chairs next to Brian and a friend of his.  Brian and I immediately lapsed into "rock talk" with preparing our "Top Ten Albums of the Year" lists for Decibel Geek and the latest Helix effort, Bastard of the Blues among the subjects.

Anomaly #3: I have known Brian for about three years and never, ever at a show, even on the cruise, have I seen him void of his camera apparatus as he was on this night.  As happy as I am to see him cut loose with some beers, I want some damn photos for this review slacker!

Unfortunately, we had basically missed the opening act thanks to our traffic nightmare, but we were able to catch the young lady and her guitarist as they wrapped up the final song of their set.  The evening's MC then took over for a series of prize giveaways and on-the-spot auctions, as well as drawing attention to other raffles that would be going on later in the night.  We learned that this was the third annual Helix Toy Drive event and I've already marked my calendar for next year's.

Helix was welcomed to the stage with a keyboard rendition of their most popular song, "Rock You" emanating from the PA sound system.  They blasted into "No Rest For the Wicked" to lead the charge and unfortunately the sound was not the best from our position seated at a long banquet table that was only missing the wedding tablecloths!

Anomaly #4: I have never seen a Helix show where pretty much the entire audience, let alone me, were seated!

"Wild in the Streets" was the next selection and that was it for me!  I'll be damned if I'm gonna let this flaccid crowd dictate how I see Helix!  Brian and I, both with freshly replenished beverages, headed up to the stage on the right side.  The sound was much, much better up here, probably the evils of bouncing off of the ceiling further back.  Brian Vollmer (vocalist) let the crowd know that Helix had just returned from a tour in Scandinavia as Brian and I remarked on the skills of newest Helix member, guitarist Chris Julke.  They went next to their latest release, Bastard of the Blues, for "Even Jesus (Wasn't Loved In His Hometown)", the first single.  With dry ice clouds billowing out from Greg "Fritz" Hinz's drum riser I was able to capture "Dirty Dog" on video.

Post by The Meister.

Anomaly #5: While there were now several patrons standing and approaching the stage, there seemed to be a force field in the shape of a semi-circle at the front of the stage that no-one seemed to want to break.  Certainly not the style of crowd that we are used to at a show!  Actually kinda nice not to be pushing and shoving, trying to defend your position leaning on the front of the stage.

Brian Vollmer-photo by The Meister

The title track from the new album, "Bastard of the Blues", was up next featuring Kaleb Duck and Chris Julke both wailing on their guitars in an awesome display.  "The Kids Are All Shakin'" for some reason had me reflecting on the inaugural Monsters of Rock Cruise in 2012.  I had been dining alone sporting an older Helix tee and seated at a long eight person table in the buffet.  With my head down, shoveling in food in a flurry so as not to miss the next shipboard concert, I simply grunted approval without even looking up when someone commented "Nice shirt, mind if I sit at your table?"  It was a good several minutes later before it registered that it was none other than Brian Vollmer that had chosen to sit with me upon spotting my support for the band!  Kaleb Duck and Brian Vollmer now shielded their eyes and looked to the sky as the sound of an aeroplane passing overhead resonated through the PA system before Kaleb's guitar prowess lead off "When the Hammer Falls".  I've seen Helix quite a few times, but I can't recall a bass

Daryl Gray-blurry photo by The Meister

solo from Daryl Gray in previous events, so this was a new addition for me.  Gray called out "Give me some light!" and the fluorescent overheads illuminated the entire "wedding hall" as he pulled out what I believe was a violin bow to wield across the strings of his bass guitar.  I was also surprised to hear "Danger Zone" next as I don't think it's a usual inclusion in the setlist, either that or my memory's going in my old age.  One of my all time favorite Helix tracks, paling only in comparison to the rarely played "The Storm" and "Get Up!", "Running Wild in the 21st Century" saw me headbanging and singing away (apologies to those within earshot.....I'm tone deaf and tend to monotone hum the words that I don't actually know, but hey, I'm having fun!).  Vollmer made an appeal for us to support Canadian music, especially classic rock bands as Canadian radio is far from a supporter and buy merchandise from, not just Helix, but other bands as well.  This year marks the 40th Anniversary for Helix he informed us next.  He reminisced that when they first started out bar owners wanted dance bands to get the people up off their seats.  That's what the next track, "Make 'Em Dance" is all about.  The Crazy Elephant cover "Gimme Gimme Good Lovin'" followed before Vollmer told everyone that the band would be at the merchandise table after the set to sign autographs and take photos.  He then dedicated the next selection "To my lovely wife, a song from the Wild in the Streets album, "Dream On"."  "Deep Cuts the Knife" was next and after that I got the camera out again to film "Screaming At the Moon" from Bastard of the Blues.

Post by The Meister.

Getting into the festive season next with "Jingle Bells", I certainly don't remember any guitar work like Kaleb blisteringly delivered in the traditional version!  Asking about the Toronto Maple Leaf fanship in the room served as the intro for "All I Want For Christmas Is the Leafs To Win the Cup" and I sung "Go Habs Go!" in my head, not being a Leaf fan by any means.  "Heavy Metal Love" was on the roster now and as Vollmer jumped off the stage to sing in the semi-circle that still refused to be broken you can clearly see Decibel Geek photographer Brian Ronald in the "Metal On Ice" tee-shirt drunkenly rocking out in my video...way to go Bri!!

Post by The Meister.

A little instrumental break led us to Kaleb's awesome "William Tell Overture", this time with some help from Chris Julke, something that I've usually seen Kaleb play himself, came off really well with both guitarists in the mix.  As would be expected, "Rock You" wrapped things up and one or two crowd members broke the force field semi-circle, edging closer and closer.  The boys left the stage

Helix Toy Drive setlist

for a few minutes to towel off while the crowd did a fair job of making noise to bring them back to deliver "Heavy Metal Cowboys" for an encore.  As I carefully peeled the silver duct tape off of the setlist that I had pilfered from the stage, I saw the other encore choices listed that did not get played.  One was the awesome ballad that always makes me think of Maxwell House coffee, "Good to the Last Drop", and a serious surprise in "Get Up!".  Although I loved this Helix show as I do all their performances, I dearly wish they'd played "Get Up!".  There's so many Helix songs that I love, such as "Jaws of the Tiger", that will probably never see a concert, so the fact that "Get Up!" made the printing of a setlist gives me hope that I may just hear it live someday yet.

Even though I've met the guys many times over I headed to the merchandise table to do so once again and thank them for another awesome show.  I was surprised and proud when I saw my two friends, who had really seemed to enjoy the show even joining me at the front after a time, purchasing shirts and CD's!  I fear that Helix and I may have created a monster as they were very questioning about the Monsters of Rock Cruise during the drive home!  The whole band posed for a photo with them pointing at the Helix logo that appears in my full sleeve tattoo.  What an awesome night with an awesome band who truly do appreciate their fans and deliver their all on stage every single time.

Helix checking out The Meister's tattoo!

Thanks Helix.....when's the next gig?

BUY: Helix - Bastard of the Blues

Cheers,
The Meister

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