This little EP, exclusive to Japan, is almost like a miniature “greatest hits” for Extreme. Of the six songs, five were singles. You might say “It’s not a greatest hits if it doesn’t have ‘More Than Words’ on it, and that would be a valid point, but that breakthrough ballad hadn’t been released as a single yet in November 1990.
Opening with the current single “Get the Funk Out”, we are off to a good start. This track works most excellently as an opener. That bass rolls in, before the guitar riff starts to rip. Once the horns kick in, your face is thoroughly melted. This EP focuses on fun. There’s nothing here that’s a drag.
An edit version of “Decadence Dance” is unblunted. It’s mostly just the intro stuff that’s missing anyway, and that belonged on the concept album from which it came. The bonus here is you get Paul Geary’s cymbal count-in instead, which you can’t hear on the Pornograffitti album. So dance to the beat of the decadent drummer, and get rocked. This is one of Extreme’s best bangers, a full-on Van Halen romp with hooks and flash…as you like it.
Back to the self-titled 1988 debut album for the next three tracks. A remix of “Mutha (Don’t Wanna Go to School Today)” may have more bass, edge and clarity. It’s not a radical remix. Nuno’s guitar fills jump out nicely. The first Extreme album was a mixed bag of material, with none of it reaching the upper echelons like the second record. That said, “Mutha” was probably the best track of the bunch, and the most like what came later.
“Little Girls” only loses about 20 seconds, so you’re fine with this version. Again, it’s the opening missing. This song is notable for some remarkable harmonica playing by Rapheal May. Really impressive stuff here, just as superb as Nuno’s guitar work. The lyrics, however, can’t be saved. They were never good, even by 1988 standards. “Incestual blood is thicker than water,” has to be the worst words that Gary Cherone has ever penned to paper. Roll up your windows if you intend to sing along to this song. Shame the band is so hot.
The album version of “Kid Ego” is here unaltered, it’s just not that interesting of a song. The groove plods along in a lazy, 1980s way that every single band was doing. It sounds like every band had their metronome set to the same time.
The B-side “Nice Place to Visit” has been released in a number of places, such as the “More Than Words” single in 1991, but first it was the B-side to “Little Girls”. As an outtake from the so-so first album, this song is also so-so.
The final track, and the only one exclusive to this CD, is a message from Extreme! These messages from band members were fairly common on Japanese EPs and singles by Western bands. It is geared specifically for the Japanese fans, and it’s adorable hearing their deep Boston accents. This message is fairly light. Nuno talks about their goals as a band, and Gary assures the fans that they will see them real soon. Apparently, the Japanese fans also sent the neatest, tidiest mail.
Good EP for its time. There’s even a sticker inside.
SVEN GALI – Bombs and Battlescars (2023 Music In Motion Entertainment)
Look at me, in the eyes! When I say “Sven Gali is back,” I’m meaning it! The Canadian Quintet revitalised themselves with the 3 EP in 2020, and took their time with their next full-length (their first since 1995). They recruited Coney Hatch bassist/singer Andy Curran for some of the production duties, picked a Triumph song to cover, and hit the road playing well-received shows in 2023. Bombs and Battlescars is the name of the record. Of note, the late Dee Cernile is credited with co-writing several tracks, and the album includes some unreleased demos from the before-fore times. Let’s have a listen.
One thing for certain: don’t expect Sven Gali to suddenly revert back to the sound of their self-titled debut. This is a much heavier, more pounding and frankly more satisfying Sven Gali. Opener “One Gun” slams with a more viscous brutality, but singer Dave Wanless is still the same. If I wanted to hear the sound of ’92 again, I’d play the original purple platter by Sven (recently reissued on coloured vinyl). I want the sound that satisfies the “me” of today – and I’m as frustrated as Sven Gali sound on “One Gun”. The snaky guitar solo is just icing on the cake. “I’m losin’ faith!” proclaims Wanless, and I believe him.
A steady chunky groove introduces “Coming Home”, a headbanger with a dark Metallica vibe. Dan Fila and Shawn Minden lay down this beat that just boils. The lead guitars are like liquid adamantium, but beneath it all churns a volcanic pressure cooker. This is possibly the highlight of the new songs, a memorable track that demands to be cranked. Car test it for good measure. (The band is rounded out by guitarists Andy Frank and Sean Williamson.)
The Triumph cover is, appropriately, third in line. “Spellbound” suits Sven Gali surprisingly well, but they don’t play it straight. They’ve thrown the track into the darkest night, but let the chorus light the way. Guitar textures are added. This song should make the longtime fans very happy. It’s Triumph, but presented as heavy as possible. Listen to Fila annihilate his drums!
Darkness dominates on “Life Inside”, a dusky dirge with some pretty cool guitar work. The atmospheric “Monster” resists being called a “ballad” but it’s the slowest moment in the journey thus far. “Monster” just kills, not straightforward or easy to categorize. It’s moody and doesn’t let up.
“Hang Me Out” is the first of the unreleased demos, and there’s something nostalgic about that. You can hear an audible shift in sound, and “Hang Me Out” definitely has a mid-90s vibe. There are twists and turns in the music that bring you right back. Then the wah-wah pedal comes out for the relentless guitars on “Hogs”. The funky groove here definitely brews nostalgia, but this track should have been released long ago! By the end of it, you’ll be shoutin’ “HOGS!” The 8th track “All” goes for speed and groove while the guitars ring in chaotic perfection.
Finally, a record needle drops and the acoustic guitars come out for the closing ballad and classic in the making: “Nothing New”. As much as Sven are known for rocking, some of their big hits were ballads (like “Love Don’t Live Here Anymore”). “Nothing New” is a lovely, stripped down ballad with sweet melodies and the purity of acoustic music.
Ultimately the demos are just as entertaining as the rest of the album. They make you wish they’d come out ages ago.
Well done to Sven Gali on Bombs & Battlescars, a blazing comeback with a surprisingly tender ending.
Before the Rainbow there was Elf. It was basically the same band – Ronnie James Dio on lead vocals, Mickey Lee Soule on keys, Gary Driscoll on drums, and Craig Gruber on bass. The one and only difference was Steve Edwards on guitar, who would have no place when Richie Blackmore came knocking a year later. Their second album, Carolina County Ball, was produced by Deep Purple’s Roger Glover. It’s fair to say that Dio hadn’t found his niche yet. With Mickey Lee Soule, Ronnie co-wrote every song, but was seeking a bouncier Guess Who direction at this point in time.
It sounds like Mardi Gras on the opening title track, with clarinets, trombones and trumpets accompanying the band on this “boogie-woogie Friday night”. Soule shines, ticking the keys with delicate intent. Heavy metal, this is not not! Not even close. There’s a guitar solo but it’s a secondary feature. Only at the end does the song pick up the pace. It’s actually a great tune, but anyone expecting dungeons and dragons had better head back to their gamesmaster for a new dice roll. Expect boogie.
“L.A. 59” opens like an old bar room, with a piano taking up all the space. The opening figure sounds like it’s emulating a train, which is probably a good guess. “Get me back to L.A., 59!” sings Ronnie, sounding a bit more like the mighty mite he would become. “Hello, hello sunshine!” Upbeat, with the guitar taking up more of the song this time. A great upbeat tune to start your day.
A little bit of a funky swing emerges on “Ain’t It All Amusing”, demonstrating the talents of the rhythm section in particular. Driscoll was no slouch and Gruber had no issue filling the bottom end with interesting vibes. This fun song really is about rhythm with a pinch of funk. It sounds a lot like Deep Purple Mk I, especially with the long percussion break that ends it.
“Happy”, which is ironically anything but, is a bit filler-ish. It’s Elf playing in a smokey nightclub and it’s all a bit repetitive. “Annie New Orleans” picks it up, with another Elf piano boogie-woogie. Whitesnake have also done songs of this nature in their early days. Then the awkwardly titled “Rocking Chair Rock ‘N’ Roll Blues”, which is a ballad more or less. It boasts a nice guitar solo and a laid back sound, but it’s going to have some reaching for the skip button. They shouldn’t, because three minutes in, a new riff arrives and transforms the song into another rockin’ boogie-woogie. Listen for some of Driscoll’s fun cowbell work on the back end too.
The one title that grabs everyone’s eye is “Rainbow”. Don’t get too excited. It doesn’t sound anything like Blackmore’s Rainbow; more like a a third rate tribute to The Band. The boogie-woogie is starting to wear a little thin, and same-samey now. “Do the Same Thing” is more like it. It sounds like a prototype to Rainbow’s “If You Don’t Like Rock ‘N’ Roll”. This allows the players to shine a bit more.
The album goes out on a cringey ballad called “Blanche”, with Dio singing about “Rainy days, rainy days” in a voice quite unlike the power he would later master. This is little more than a silly album outro; nothing to be taken seriously.
Every album and every band will have its defenders, but Elf was the least of Dio’s four main bands over the decades (counting Black Sabbath and Heaven and Hell as one band). Carolina County Ball lacks focus, and Glover doesn’t provide any punch in the stale production. The album rests on the songs and performances alone. Fortunately the band could play, though they seemed uncertain about who they wanted to be.
This CD, Undead or Alive, is my first exposure to Evil Elvis. I was aware of singer K.C. since the 90s, from his band Blackglama who were featured on Raw M.E.A.T Vol 1. Unsure what to expect, I was delighted to find this album is both hard to describe, and excellent! They call it psychobilly, and I get it. It has elements of that familiar rockabilly sound, but there’s way more going on here. It’s hard to distil down into words, but here we go.
Surprise #1: Lush and vibrant backing vocals. I expected something way more ragged, but these guys are all singing in complementary harmony. Really well produced too.
Surprise #2: Just how flat-out catchy each and every song is.
Surprise #3: Singer K.C. has only gotten better in the three decades since I first heard him.
Perfect example, I love when he screams “GO!” on opener “The Dead Are Walking”. This timeless ode to zombies has some nice theremin-like sounds, and a breakneck beat. Even faster, “My Evil” has tasty organ over a shuffle beat. If it had horns, it could have been the Bosstones. K.C. is a commanding singer, throttling through several voices in just the opening verse alone. Sometimes he’s like Elvis (obviously), but he seamlessly goes to a growl next, and then back again. Then he’s in a Tom Waits rasp like on “Apocalypse”, one of the catchiest songs about zombies I’ve heard to date. “Adrenaline pumping fear and lust, we’re hellbound to fight these zombie fucks!” But the chorus!…top quality. “Bodies piled to the sky, I want yours next to mine!” Love it.
Each song has a slightly different direction, but all of them contain hooks galore, fast beats, and great singing from K.C. Example: “Backseat Love” is a duet with Sarah Beth for variety. This album no shortage of variety, even within the confines of its psychobilly direction. Each song has its own flavour, sometimes drawing from the wells of other genres, such as heavy metal, on bonus track “Sick of this Shit”.
Tremendously fun album, expertly executed for high voltage kicks. Recommended.
ARKELLS – “The Last Christmas (We Ever Spend Apart)” / “Pub Crawl” (2021 single)
I usually prefer an original Christmas song to a traditional one. We’ve all heard those standards a million times. How about something new? For Christmas of ’21, the Arkells put out a single with two originals: “The Last Christmas (We Ever Spend Apart)” and fan favourite “Pub Crawl” (from 2020).
The Christmas tune doesn’t particular sound like a Christmas tune. It sounds like an Arkells song. The synth strings and Beatles-y guitar solo dominate the music. It’s upbeat with singalong qualities, but the lyrics kind of nail the Christmas vibe of the last few years. Reflecting on the pandemic and the holidays we didn’t spend together: “Last Christmas, I didn’t get to hug you, last Christmas, it almost broke my heart.” I really like this verse: “Are we Catholic, are we Protestant? Jewish somewhere down the line? Got a cousin who’s Republican, I promise I won’t pick a fight.” Once again, the Arkells tap into those real feelings. It’s a good song, though it probably won’t usurp anything from your favourite seasonal playlist.
“Pub Crawl” sounds a lot more Christmas-y though the lyrics are only vaguely so. “Maria’s dancin’ around, and she’s singing Mariah,” is a reference to Mariah Carey’s ever-popular Christmas album. Instead of 12 days of Christmas, they have 12 pubs to crawl through. It starts as a piano ballad, and then kicks up into a rocker complete with guitar solo and handclaps. Max even references himself in the lyrics by name: “And Max is about to cry (I’m about to cry)”.
THE FORREST WILLIAMS DEMOCRACY – “The Optimyst” (2023 single)
Forrest Williams, Scott Maybee, and Matt DeMatteo are back with their third single (check out the firsttwo if you missed ’em), and this is the best one yet. The Democracy play a hard-to-pigeonhole mixture of 90s and classic rock with a dose of progressive, among other elements. When these elements fuse, the molecules of music produced have been radiant. With three songs released to date, we can now track a trend: each song is better than the last, therefore the future is looking bright for The Democracy!
Fellow reviewer Jex Russell noted that “The Optimyst” reminded him of “Solsbury Hill” by Peter Gabriel, and I hear what he’s getting at. There’s something in that bright rhythm of the guitar part, and the uplifting vocal melody (verses by DeMatteo and choruses by Maybee, if the music video is to go by). But there’s so much more to this track than just the melodic. Listen to the drums! Williams makes creative use of toms and cymbals to form an integral part of the song’s landscape. The drums don’t distract, but they add a hell of a lot of depth and hookiness. They carve hills and valleys in the music.
The lyrics are uplifting and the message is universal. “‘Cause bad times will get better!” Don’t give up hope! “You feel hopeless, got to pay the Monday dues.” That’s pretty accurate! “I’m all fired up by Wednesday, it’s Friday soon…” Amen, brothers! I think most people will be able to relate to this song, and I hope they can feel its sunny vibes, to feel better about whatever is getting them down.
Everyone needs to hear “The Optimyst”, no matter what mood they’re in. It’s that good and it deserves to be heard far and wide. Positivity is often in short supply these days, so thank you to The Forrest Williams Democracy for bringing some sun in December.
Sometimes it is fun to review an album on its first listen, so that’s what we’re doing today with Hagar’s Three Lock Box. I only know a handful of tunes so this will be mostly brand new to me. Released December 6, 1982, Three Lock Box was Sammy’s seventh solo album. Jon Cain (Journey) and Mike Reno (Loverboy) make guest appearances, and it contains Sammy’s biggest charting solo hit. Let’s give it a spin, on this fancy Japanese CD pressing.
The title track is familiar, with its slightly funky riff and rich organ backing. I don’t know why, but that refrain of “One, two, three lock box!” reminds me of the kind of melody and simplicity of a children’s song. But child’s play this is not! A couple minutes in, and the gears shift to full blown hard rockin’. This is a catchy and rhythmically clever little tune.
“Remote Love” might have a bit too much keyboard in the mix, but this is a cool laid back rock ballad. It sounds like something from a past age perhaps. Loud keyboards aside, there’s something purely classic about it, especially when you get to the soulful chorus.
Cain and Reno appear on “Remember the Heroes” (co-written by Cain). Very Journey-esque, but Mike Reno sounds absolutely brilliant! What a powerhouse singer, and when he and Sammy team up on the chorus, it’s mighty great! You could easily imagine Journey doing this song, and perhaps they should have.
“Your Love Is Driving Me Crazy” (#13 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock songs) is clearly hit material. It’s all melody, smooth and polished. The production has the bells and whistles and the track is just really hard to resist.
A haunting tone enters on “In the Room”, a completely different vibe. It almost sounds like a lost Alice Cooper number from the same time period. “I’ve been caught in the room, that moment of sleep when you think you’re awake.” The lyrics match the music perfectly. This is one of those must-have deep cuts, a song that absolutely deserves more attention. It’s so different for Sammy. “Rise of the Animal” follows with spooky sounds, and then a synth pulse. “I just came out from the room…” sings Sammy, continuing his thoughts from the prior song. “I saw the rising of the moon. This ain’t no ordinary night! Look to my left, look to my right.” It starts slow and picks up the pace, and ends with some brilliantly frantic soloing from Sam.
Another great deep cut is the pop rocker “I Wouldn’t Change A Thing”. A radio-ready corker, it could have been a hit in an alternate universe. Let’s call it the Sammyverse. A universe where everything is bright, colourful and shiny. I wouldn’t mind hanging out in the Sammyverse, and “I Wouldn’t Change A Thing” could be its anthem. Wave your red flags high!
“Growing Up” has a highschool-tough sound, while Sammy sings of the girls in their summer clothes. The Sammyverse only has short skirts and high heels. It’s probably the filler track of the album, as it doesn’t seem to have the hooks of previous tracks. Fortunately “Never Give Up” is all hooks. Another pop rocker with memorably melodies and smooth guitars, it’s just a fun song. Easy singalong in the car. Speaking of cars, the Sammyverse is fond of ’em, and the closing track “I Don’t Need Love” races like one of Sammy’s Ferraris. It’s a brilliant rocker and probably the heaviest track on an otherwise pretty mainstream rock album.
Sammy Hagar albums don’t have a lot of pyrotechnics. They are often meat and potatoes, workmanlike and easily accessible. Three Lock Box has its strengths not in the production or flashy performance, but in the songs and the singing. It’s a satisfying listen and I understand why it is so well liked. It may not have a lot of edge, but it’s a fun, feel-good listen.
SAVATAGE! This Florida metal band reigned from 1979 to 2002, and is now back ready to unleash a new album called Curtain Call! They never received the recognition they deserved over the course of 12 mostly excellent albums. Let’s fix that here and now!
We begin our story with tragedy, but also triumph. Lead guitarist Criss Oliva was killed by a drunk driver, almost ending the band permanently, and shattering the soul of his brother Jon. Jon Oliva was not even a member of the band anymore, having abdicated the mountain king throne to new singer Zack Stevens a year prior. Undaunted, Oliva wrote and recorded almost all the instruments on the next Savatage album Handful of Rain. Even though bassist Johnny Lee Middleton and drummer Steve “Doc” Wacholz are pictured inside, they did not play. Jon did. Joining him on lead guitar was former Testament master-shredder Alex Skolnick. An immensely powerful team up. They produced a somber album, but not without power and thrills. The title track, available as a 5:25 extended edition or the standard 5:02 version, boasts acoustic verses and a powerful chorus that will stay with you for days.
The final Savatage epic from the final Savatage album. Jon Oliva was back on lead vocals. Zack Stevens departed to form his own band, Circle II Circle. This song utilizes a powerful, relentless riff and a host of backing singers taking care of a complicated vocal counterpoint. Different lyrics and melodies all overlap to form a cohesive and weighty segment of an already powerful song. With piano and guitars intertwined with equal emphasis, Savatage may have taken their new operatic metal style to its peak here. Though a comeback is planned, the band has remaining largely inactive ever since. Regardless, at least they finished their first life in style, and with masterful progressive metal music.
Though this song commences with a corny keyboard bit and a ballady melody, it is far from that! The battle grunts of the “warriors” soon join in with a sharp metal riff. An alloy of iron and titanium, “Warriors” boasts a relentless chorus. The verses are fun too. “Armed to attack! The soldiers react!” Not poetry, but it matters not when Oliva screams. This is simply heavy metal, down to the basics, and executed with youth and naivete. The thing is: it’s really good and catchy!
A shorty, at under four minutes. The tempered steel of Criss Oliva’s riff is the main hook. Much would improve later on, such as Jon’s lyrics and the band’s writing skills, but they had everything they needed from the get-go. There’s a slower breakdown in the middle that only serves to re-ignite the powerful riff later on. Oliva’s shrieking was already in place, fully formed and under his complete control. Because the song is so short, you just have to go back and play it one more time.
Producer/manager Paul O’Neill was working with a little band called Badlands in 1989, featuring former Black Sabbath singer Ray Gillen on lead vocals. He made a hell of an impression before Badlands as a backing vocalist on “Strange Wings” by Savatage! This song, which boasts a powerfully simple riff, contains one of Savatage’s mightiest choruses! A melancholy metal song with oodles of power, “Strange Wings” is one of Savatage’s top deep cuts. There are many to choose from, but Ray’s singing on this one sets it apart. His voice, mixed with Jon Oliva’s, offers a rare metal duet of stainless steel.
A classic Criss Oliva riff, backed by the haunting screams of brother Jon! This song introduced Savatage to the metal masses. Few songs can top the power of its mighty riff, or the unholy notes that Oliva hits on the chorus. Not overly complex, but neither is it simple. After Criss’ solo, Jon simply lets loose with the howls of a banshee gone mad! Many would rank this song much higher than #5. Perhaps the Metal Man is one. It is extremely difficult, since Savatage have so many songs of different flavours. Of their era of pure metal majesty, this song is tops.
4.“The Wake of Magellan” from The Wake of Magellan (1999)
Savatage have utilized counterpoint vocals numerous times on their albums from Handful of Rain to Poets and Madmen. It is arguable that “The Wake of Magellan” is their most effective use of the technique. Multiple vocal parts and lyrics overlap over each other, with uncountable Zacks singing complementary parts over each other. Fortunately, the melodies are strong enough to stand out in the storm! While the band and orchestra cooks behind, Zack Stevens sings all the parts, overdubbed for simultaneous power. The first layer: “Don’t see the storms are forming, don’t see or heed the warning, don’t hear the sound of tyrants, surrounded by the silence.” Then a second Zack joins, singing the same. A third Zack emerges overtop, singing the extremely fast and challenging lines: “Columbus and Magellan and De Gama sailed upon the ocean in a world of ignorance with thoughts so primitive. That men were killed with no more will than that they simply had the notion, but in this world of heartless men this thing they never did.” Imagine singing that live, which the band had to do, at machine gun speed! Another Zack doubles those lines. Then a fifth Zack joins: “Don’t hear it, don’t hear it…” Then another Zack: “Got to keep it underground, pretend you never heard a sound.” More Zacks join with the lines “If they find it, kill it, blind it,” and “Lord tell me what is to be,” until all the voices coalesce together in the line “They whisper, and I…” Has there ever been a more epic song in any genre?
New singer. New lease on life. Zack Stevens was sometimes compared to Geoff Tate when he first debuted in 1993 on Edge of Thorns. The first single from the first album of a new era, combining the metal of Savatage’s early years and the piano epics of the previous two records. The brilliant title track from Stevens’ debut still raises goosebumps on the arms. An apex of this style of metal, “Edge of Thorns” has no dull surfaces. Every edge cuts deep, the scarlet blood stains lingering in your heart forever. “I have seen you on the edge of dawn, felt you here before you were born. Balance your dreams upon the edge of thorns…but I don’t think about you anymore.” Yet he clearly does. This theme recurs through the album on songs like “Conversation Piece”. Another genius Criss Oliva guitar solo is the cherry on top. Few bands can meld their different styles from separate eras together like Savatage did on “Edge of Thorns”. A masterpiece of a song.
I’ll never forget hearing that opening piano figure. Loosely, Jon Oliva plays: “ding, ding, ding…” Then as he plays the notes become stronger and the tempo more steady. Suddenly the band crashes forth and “Gutter Ballet” careens through your stereo, into your soul. Savatage had never incorporated piano like this before, and by breaking new ground they broke down walls. No longer were they a simple heavy metal band. The doors to a whole new world of concept and drama had opened. Welcome to the Gutter Ballet. This track combines an epic piano melody with incendiary guitar riffs, an orchestra, and street-smart Oliva/O’Neill lyrics about the nasty gutters of New York City. “Balanced on their knives, little parts of lives, such a strange reality. Kill the unicorn, just to have its horn, soon he’s just a fantasy…” And the Criss Oliva guitar solo! A composition unto itself, backed by strings. Power, emotion, skill and fire combined together into one incredible song. An epic song that few bands could top. Few…except Savatage.
Within the context of the Streets story, the main character D.T. Jesus witnesses a luminous spirit emerge from a dying homeless man, that he follows up several flights of stairs to a roof of a building. D.T. opens his heart, and hears the voice of God. “Believe” is the perfect ending to an epic emotional journey. With all the power that Savatage can muster — overblown, dramatic, and pompous — “Believe” ends the rock opera (and this list) properly. Interestingly, it retains an epic section that was lifted directly from “When the Crowds are Gone”, as the two albums share a genesis. So epic is this segment, that Savatage had to re-use it. Then later, on the Savatage album Handful of Rain, part of it was re-used again, along with other parts of “Believe”. “Believe” ends this album on the bright up-note that you want a story to end with, your soul awash with light and musically uplifted. “I’ll be right there, I’ll never leave, and all I ask is believe”
Winters at the Record Store were messy! We had a little front vestibule – a glass enclosure that you had to enter before coming in the store. In the winter, it was always sloppy. Filled with slush, water, mud, dirt. It was impossible to keep clean for very long. Customers would come in, stamp the snow off their boots, and this would splatter snow and mud on the glass. In the winter time, as soon as you cleaned it, it would get filthy again. The mats in there were always soaked wet from slush and snow.
In that front vestibule was a snow shovel. We often had to shovel in front of the store after a bad snow. Pretty standard winter gear in Canada. The front vestibule was the sensible place to store the messy shovel during those times, rather than create a puddle of melting slush in the back.
I was working one afternoon when three to four aimless teenagers were killing time in the store. I hate to paint all teenagers with one brush, I was once one too, but I was never as snotty as the kids that I dealt with that day. Like most teenagers, they were just there to kill time. No money was spent.
I kept an eye on them on their way out, and saw one of them grab my shovel and make a break for it!
Who steals a shovel? A fucking shovel?
I ran outside into the cold and yelled.
“HEY! HEY YOU! BRING THAT BACK! THAT’S OUR SHOVEL!”
Having been busted, the kid turned around and said, “I was just trying to see how fast I could run…with a shovel…”
What what? A true WTF moment and one that had me lose faith in the next generation one more time.
I remember one other detail that must be relayed. I sometimes felt that the Big Boss Man did not have my back, and this was just one other incident. I called him and told him what happened, and his reaction was not what I expected. I expected a “Good job,” or “Thanks for keeping your eyes open.” Instead I received, “Mike…you probably shouldn’t have reacted that way.”
What? Now there are two WTF moments!
If the kid had stolen a $5 CD and got away with it, I’d be scolded for not paying attention. He tried to steal a $20 shovel, and I’m the one who got in shit?
I’ll never understand the upper management I dealt with for those years. And I’ve never had to deal with managers like that since. Tells you something.
ARMORED SAINT – Symbol of Salvation (1991 Metal Blade)
In 1991, an hour-long album was becoming standard. In Armored Saint’s case, it’s all killer no filler.
It wasn’t an easy time for the metal pioneers. Founding guitarist and songwriter Dave Prichard died of leukemia far too young. He left behind a handful of songs on a 4-track demo. All but seamlessly, Jeff Duncan of Odin filled his spot, while original guitarist (and brother of drummer Gonzo) Phil Sandoval returned to the band. With lead vocalist John Bush, and bassist Joey Vera, this lineup is still current today…although the band obviously broke up when John joined Anthrax for Sound of White Noise!
Although Symbol of Salvation was a triumph and a fine tribute to Prichard, the band did split afterwards. It was 1991, and there was little future for a band like Armored Saint. Fortunately they made this one count.
Symbol of Salvation is unrepentantly heavy. Opener (and lead single) “Reign of Fire” is notable for a number for things. 1) Its incredible heavy chug (written by Prichard). 2) John Bush’s voice, straining at the leash every time he screams. 3) Incredibly crisp and heavy production by Dave Jerden. 4) The very evil looking music video. 5) An awesome chorus! The album would be worth buying for this one song, but fortunately the other 12 are also great.
No less massive, “Dropping Like Flies” is melodic viciousness. Without the speed of “Reign of Fire”, it still retains that screamin’ heaviness. Another highlight is the more mainstream “Last Train Home”, an emotional and strong track that acted as second single. The indelible chorus is impossible to forget. This leads into the heavy “Tribal Dance”, spotlighting the percussion of Gonzo. Joey Vera’s bass work is also impressive here (as it always is). This is jungle metal, perhaps, a stomping romp through the bush with blades unsheathed.
One of the more divisive songs might have been “The Truth Always Hurts”. To these ears, the riff (P. Sandoval/J. Duncan) sounds like sleaze metal from two years prior. You could imagine Poison writing a song around it, though obviously not as heavy! Make no mistake, “The Truth Always Hurts” is heavy, but there are elements here that could work in other genres if stripped of the crunch.
Backwards guitar introduces “Half Drawn Bridge”, an ominous and progressive instrumental which introduces the ballad “Another Day”. It is unfortunate that this song never had a chance like Metallica ballads soon would. It is reminiscent of some of the ballads that Testament were known to do. In case you were worried, it picks up when it’s time for the solos!
The title track “Symbol of Salvation” is a riff monster. Perhaps Hetfield wishes he wrote a reptillian riff as lethal as this one. Brilliant heavy track; Bush at peak scream. Then, there’s a chugging guitar like “Street Justice” by Twisted Sister, which soon breaks loose into the main riff of “Hanging Judge”. Another riff, another chorus, another metal should-be classic. That is nothing compared to “Warzone”, like Iron Maiden on anabolic steroids. That is to say, it has the delicacy of some of Maiden’s work, but with the beefy pummelling of a boxing glove. “Warzone” could be the highlight deep cut – what soloing too!
There is still plenty of metal to go. In an earlier age, Symbol of Salvation would have been a double album (or at least a 3-sider!) but its length is not a weakness. “Burning Question” brings back the speed. It leaps and bounds, once again with brilliant solo work by Duncan/Sandoval. Yet it’s the riff you’ll keep coming back to (if not the chorus).
Perhaps the most impressive song from a technical point of view is “Tainted Past”, the only song with a Dave Prichard guitar solo. They painstakingly pulled his haunting and emotional solo from a demo cassette, and seamlessly used it in this track that Joey Vera wrote. It’s jazzy and progressive to start, before Gonzo’s rock beats begin. It’s definitely unusual and unlike any other song on the album. You could say it’s album epic, which suits, since it’s over seven minutes long.
An album like this deserves a memorable closer. That would be “Spineless”, a thrashing good time, and probably the fastest song on the album. Bookending the album with the fastest tunes, “Reign of Fire” and “Spineless”, was a cool move. It’s a neckbreaker for sure. “Spineless! That’s what you are!”
Every metal fan owes it to themselves to check this album out at least once. Do it.
4.5/5 stars
Don’t forget to check out John Clauser’s excellent album battle episode – Symbol of Salvation vs. Sound of White Noise!
EXTREME – Extragraffitti (1990 A&M Japan EP)
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