Metallica - Kill 'em All (1983)

No matter who you talk to, old or young, everyone knows Metallica, and everyone certainly has an opinion about them too. Arguably the biggest metal band to ever exist, the legendary group from Los Angeles has had quite a career with multiple ups and downs, and the whole world is surely watching every time they make headlines. But every band has a start, and back in the early stages of the 80's, the group was not nearly as prolific, even if that would change as soon as the debut record was released.

The debut was meant to be called "Metal Up Your Ass", but the band was forced to change it to "Kill 'em All", officially going from a "Dropping the soap in prison" title, to something more "Motif for a super villain". It is still kind of a daring title for its time, and it certainly caught the attention of young teenager who searched for the toughest music available. Fortunately for them, the title does encapsulate the sound fairly well, a fast and muddy brawler that was as fast as punk, but had the technical riffing of the NWoBHM movement.

Listening to it today though, one cannot get away from the fact that "Kill 'em All" sounds more like a Megadeth record than a Metallica one, and there are good reasons for that. Dave Mustaine is the original guitarist of the band, but was kicked out for his drug and alcohol issues, eventually replaced by Kirk Hammett. While Dave was no longer a member of Metallica when the debut rolled out, his mark was still there, being credited for 4 out of 10 songs ("The Four Horsemen", "Jump In The Fire", "Phantom Lord" and "Metal Militia"), all of them having the now trademarked Megadeth style, with tons of guitar work, not too much vocals, and a juggernaut mind set.

While Mustaine did not contribute with the remaining 6 songs, most of them followed along in a similar fashion. Songs like "Hit The Lights", "Whiplash", and "No Remorse" are all really fast tunes that did not take any prisoners, just pure primitive bangers that instantly hits the right nerves. I especially love "Whiplash" just for how simple it is in its execution, and that it is the overwhelming speed that does the talking. "Hit The Lights" also have a similar strategy, but it pounds you with solo after solo until you get dizzy. Those with an allergy for guitar wanking should stay away.

Despite there being so many bangers on this record, I kind of hate that the only song from "Kill 'em All" that is still a main stay in the band's live setlist is "Seek & Destroy". It is an okay song, but it is dull as hell when compared to the rest, feeling like a slightly heavier version of AC/DC. It does have an exciting solo, but that is it, the rest of the track does not have the fire like the other 9 songs. It is slightly better than the bass instrumental "(Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth" (sorry Cliff), but it is also the only song it beats.

The grittiness of "Kill 'em All" is ultimately its strongest point, because it brings out the band's personality at the time in a way you barely can do anymore. So while it has a lot of dirt under its fingernails, "Kill 'em All" is a very enjoyable debut record with a lot of bite to it, a young band that burst through your speakers in a very impactful way. It laid the foundation on one of the most successful careers in metal history, cementing an impressive legacy from the very start. It certainly killed the opposition, close to all of them.

Songs worthy of recognition: Whiplash, Hit The Lights, The Four Horsemen, Jump In The Fire

Rating: 8,5/10 Phantom Lords

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Motörhead - Another Perfect Day (1983)

After Eddie Clarke left Motörhead in the middle of the "Iron Fist" tour, the band entered a pretty chaotic phase that would start with the new guitarist, the former Thin Lizzy member Brian "Robbo" Robertson. Brian got the gig thanks to the fact that drummer Phil Taylor was a huge Thin Lizzy fan, and at first it seemed like a great fit, but as soon as the band hit the studio to record "Another Perfect Day", the cracks started to emerge.

For us listeners, the guitar change is clearly evident in the opening track, the now classic "Back At The Funny Farm". The band once again hits a home run with their opening, a fast paced tune that knocks everyone off their feet, but the guitars sounded very different here. There is nothing wrong with the shredding here, it is actually fantastic, but the sound just  feels off, not like it truly belongs in Motörhead. It is more melodic, higher in pitch, just plain odd. It is definitely noticeable that they did take in a former Thin Lizzy member (and it was apparently even more evident in the live shows, but I am not gonna go more into those details).

Fortunately, the guitar is not that off putting in the rest of the tracks, it actually gives the album a personality that is kind of strange, but works to some extent. I do think the album do describe what was going on with the band during this time, not only on the acid inducing cover art, but with the far from perfect chemistry too. It is still controlled enough to keep this album away from the toilet bowl, and the playing itself is of good quality. Technically, Robbo might even be a better guitar player than Eddie, but he just does not fit the Motörhead life style, that is all.

Okay, let us talk more about the music in "Another Perfect Day", because there is a lot of good songs to be found here. The variety here is top notch, bringing us a little of everything that Motörhead stands for. Some groove, some country, some speed, yeah no stone is left unturned when this 44 minute behemoth powers through your eardrums. I definitely think the song quality here is in the leagues of both "Overkill" and "Iron Fist", tingling your music nerves just right. A song like "Dancing On Your Grave" is a good example, for a title like that, it actually is a pretty calm song, but it hits the right spots, making it a good soundtrack for a good jig on a tombstone.

While not a lot of songs has gone to history as some of the band's best works, they are still really enjoyable songs that work well together. Songs like "Tales of Glory", "Shine", "One Track Mind" and the title track might not end up as one of your favourite Motörhead tunes, but they are competent enough to bring a smile to your face. Also, how can you resist a song that is called "Die You Bastard"? It is fast, and it is maybe a direct reference to the band's original name, gotta love it.

So yeah, even if the guitarist is like that awkward kid in school that is in the group, but just does not seem to fit in, "Another Perfect Day" is just another good quality Motörhead record. It may not steer off too much from its predecessors, but it delivers some good metal that certainly rocks. The band powers on the chaos that was surrounding them, acting like nothing is bothering them, and does so with an album that has gone to history as one of the more interesting albums in the band's career, for several different reasons of course. So while it may not be a perfect album, it is another Motörhead album, and that is good enough for me.

Songs worthy of recognition: Back At The Funny Farm, Dancing On Your Grave, Rock It, Die You Bastard

Rating: 7,5/10 Tales of Glory

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Slayer - Show No Mercy (1983)

Funded by a loan from Kerry King's father and the savings of the famous respiratory therapist known as Tom Araya, "Show No Mercy" was released in 1983, and marked the beginning of Slayer, one of the founding fathers of thrash metal. The young band certainly made an impact on the public, quickly becoming the highest selling artist in (the still relatively young) Metal Blade history.

But what was it that gave Slayer this head start? Many would probably point out the satanic theming, and they would be right. Slayer was far from the first band to include satanism into their music (Black Sabbath, Mercyful Fate and Venom, to name a few, already did it), but these lyrics was combined with a sound that could as well have been stolen from any of the 7 circles of hell. The speed outclassed anything from that time, the riffs are outright demonic, and Tom Araya is probably the meanest and fiercest respiratory therapist out there (imagine his business card back then, "Tom Araya, Therapist and singer of Slayer").

The production however is kind of... meh. It is gritty, muddy, and in a lot of ways, cheap. Sure, the band got what they paid for, but they could have tried a little harder at least. It still got some type of charm to it that makes it tolerable, but it also takes away a good chunk of the band's excellent performance. Oh well, fortunately, that did not affect the band all too much in the early stages of their career.

What really mattered in the end, is the song quality, and sure enough, "Show No Mercy" has a pack of great Slayer songs. While they might be considered as typical Slayer songs nowadays, they were close to revolutionizing back when this album was released. Some songs have not aged all too well though. Songs like "Tormentor", "Fight Till Death" and the title track are okay at best when you know what the band would come up with in the future. In fact, some of these songs are closer to pure speed metal than thrash, which obviously showed that the band had not fully developed their own personal style yet.

The best songs on here are really good, still holding up to this day. Both "The Antichrist" and "Die By The Sword" shows up in the band's live set from time to time, and no wonder why, they are great songs that fits the band like a glove. But the crown jewel of this album is without any doubt "Black Magic". This is Slayer as we know it today. Frenetic riffing that sounds evil, fast drumming to get you pumped up, some shrieks from Araya, and best of all, an amazing solo that is sure to make you go nuts. If the previously mentioned songs held up to today, then "Black Magic" could almost be considered to be timeless, still sounding fresh today. A prime example of what would come with this band.

Everything that "Show No Mercy" lacks in production value is made up for with a great performance from the band, and the good song quality. Slayer truly laid the foundation to their legacy here, and while it may be rough around the edges, it still holds up as a solid piece of thrash/speed metal even today. After all, it is still a fast album that will get your blood pumping and your head banging, no matter if you are a seasoned veteran or a rookie. It is simply Slayer, even if it is kind of a warm up for what would come.

Songs worthy of recognition: Black Magic, The Antichrist, Die By The Sword

Rating: 7,5/10 Tormentors

Black Sabbath - Born Again (1983)

Man, Black Sabbath is not good at all at timing their album titles. First we had "Never Say Die!", which  was the last album before the definite death of the original line-up, and now we have "Born Again", a title that should have been more fitting on "Heaven And Hell". But at the same time, it was understandable why the band had chosen this title. Bill Ward was back in the line-up and they also had a new singer in Ian Gillan, whom you may recognize from Deep Purple, so you might think that Black Sabbath wanted to start on a new page once again.

And sure enough, it is a new Black Sabbath that enters in "Born Again", but it is not necessarily a better band that emerges. Just like with Dio, Gillian was heavily involved in the songwriting process, and it is noticeable. It may sound a lot like Sabbath, but there are hints of Deep Purple in the music that makes it easier for Gillian to fit in, which is totally fine since it sounds more like a Black Sabbath album than a Deep Purple album. But it was a problem in the end, because since Gillian came from a different musical background, he had trouble in adapting to the band's early works, which is also why "Born Again" became the first and only Black Sabbath album featuring Gillian.

As for the music itself, it is a mixed bag for me. Some songs like the dark and heavy "Disturbing The Priest" and the epic self titled ballad feels like they belong in this album and is a good continuation of the band's sound. But they are getting mixed up with songs that just throws the album off course. Despite its cool, long solo, "Zero The Hero" is one of those songs with its sluggish tempo and boring structure. And while "Digital Bitch" turns up the heat, it just feels a little too much like a Deep Purple song.

The overall experience of "Born Again" is that it could have been a really sweet album if some of the dents had been smoothed out. Because the main problem with the album is that it has a lot of cool ideas, especially in the solo department, but the final product is just sloppy and poorly made. The production is shaky, the album cover is horrible and the whole band chemistry was just not there. It definitely goes to show that just because you got a great singer with lots of talent at your disposal, it does not mean that you will automatically connect with this dude on a musical level.

This has been the hardest Black Sabbath album to rate so far, and that is all thanks to the uneven quality in the songs. Some songs were good, others were bad. This is without a doubt the most uneven Black Sabbath album up to date and it is not surprising that the record's line up only lasted one album. Ultimately, it is the negative sides that sticks out of "Born Again", which is why I cannot give this album any higher rating than this.

Songs worthy of recognition: Disturbing The Priest, Born Again

Rating: 4,5/10 Digital Bitches

Iron Maiden - Piece of Mind (1983)

Out of all the albums during Maiden's legendary era between 1982 and 1988, I have always found that "Piece of Mind" is the most overrated album released in that period. I don't really know why, but one reason could be that it only have one song with some real tempo ("The Trooper") or that it was some of a disappointment after the great album "The Number of The Beast". So it is about time that I took my time to really get into "Piece of Mind" and find out how I really feel about this album.

This album is, just as the title hints, a more progressive approach from the Englishmen. Besides from "The Trooper", you will not find a new "Run To The Hills" nor "Phantom of The Opera" among the 9 tracks. The band is trying to focus more on the melodies and the musical craftsmanship instead of relying on a catchy chorus and Bruce Dickinson's incredible voice. A good choice for the band? Well, I always say that a band is not complete when they do nothing to challenge themselves, so "Piece of Mind" could be a good way to show a new side of the band.

Unfortunately, I think that the band overdid it with the progressive part. Songs like "Where Eagles Dare" and "Revelations" are clear proofs that the music takes over more than it maybe should have. Don't get me wrong, I love the progressive Maiden, but the songs in "Piece of Mind" was a sign that the band was not fully ready yet to go that far into the progressive world. But there are good sides with this change. We get to see a new side of Maiden that increases the level of curiosity inside of us and it makes the band unpredictable, a very fine ability that few bands possess.

There is, however, songs in "Piece of Mind" that has that magical progressive touch that only Maiden can produce. One of these songs are the epic "Flight of Icarus" and with the excellent story about Icarus flight that was too close to the sun, this song is truly Maiden magic at its best. Another good track is "Die With Your Boots On" that shows almost every register that Maiden has to offer (except for the song writing). Last, but certainly not least, we have the power charger called "The Trooper". This song may have no chorus, but the thrilling riff, powerful singing and amazing guitar solo makes this song one of the most memorable songs in the entire Maiden discography. Every time this song plays it gives me the chills and the chills gets even bigger once Bruce runs through the stage with his outfit and his Union Jack waving all around.

The rest of the songs on "Piece of Mind" are nothing special nor worthy a big notice. They may have some parts that are interesting and memorable (like the chorus in "Sun And Steel" and the fine musicality in "To Tame A Land"), but they do not contribute on making this album special. There are no bad songs overall on "Piece of Mind", just mostly less good songs.

Overall, I still think that "Piece of Mind" is overrated. It is surely a good album, but it is far from a masterpiece. Maiden did a complete U-turn on the music direction which means that this sudden change killed some of the magic in this album. It is still the typical Maiden sound, but the band took a longer leap towards the future than they should have done. It is still an enjoyable album that every Maiden fan should hear at least one time.

Songs worthy of recognition: The Trooper, Flight of Icarus, Sun And Steel

Rating: 7/10 Revelations