I want to get HMO circa 2019 off to a mighty start and it doesn’t get much mightier than everyone’s favourite brick-breaking, steel-bending and hot water bottle-exploding Canuck Jon Mikl Thor!
The former bodybuilding champ (and naked waiter) plugged away with various bands like Body Rock and Thor And The Imps before finally settling on Thor, releasing their debut album Keep The Dogs Away in the late 70s. The debut’s ropey (but infuriatingly catchy) glam made for a bit of a false start and it wasn’t until 1983’s Unchained EP that Thor finally hit his musical stride, with a nifty new band and a hard metal backing that was much better suited to his voice, persona and Herculean physique.
That physique and viking imagery often gets Thor lumped in with HMO-heroes Manowar but the music on Unchained is much more along the lines of the party-hearty block riffing of Twisted Sister. Traces of the debut’s glam approach remain, especially in the EP’s weakest track Lazer Eyes. But Unchained is even catchier than the debut and tracks like Anger, Lightning Strikes Again and When Gods Collide are instant favourites and mandatory listening for any true metal party!
Better still, the recent reissue from Cleopatra bolsters the already mighty EP with tons of quality bonus tracks like War Hammer and Rebirth Of The Hero as well as the ultra-rare Lightning Strikes Again EP from 1982 which features raw earlier versions of the Unchained tracks. When you’re fucking and fighting in Valhalla, Unchained will be playing in the background. Essential listening for anyone that needs some devastation with their musculation.
HEAVY METAL OVERLOAD 
Great selection! “When gods collide, the seas will divide. The sky will EXPLODE, when gods collide!”
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It’s just a shame that they’ve altered the guitars for the reissues. It’s not the original solos and a couple of verses are different (they’ve cut and pasted parts in Lightning Strikes). I prefer the original. Which we were fortunate enough to perform in its entirety as a backing band for Thor at Muskelrock in 2018!
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Interesting, was unaware of that. Any idea who redid the guitars? I did notice it said Steve Price in the booklet but I thought it was Karl Cochrane on the original? Thanks for the info.
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Were there any alterations to other albums or was it just Unchained?
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The Thor! Amazing stuff… definitely need to be getting some of this action.
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If only he was a chick.
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I think that’s why they put Pantera on the back cover… so you wouldn’t get too conflicted.
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I just like the way he glistens.
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Welcome back!
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Nice reissue! I want this.
I was hoping it would have Knock Em Down or Let the Blood Run Red though.
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Cool. Those are both on his next album after this, ‘Only The Strong’. I’ve got the deluxe edition of that too… hopefully review it soon as well.
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Thanks for the tip. Going to check Amazon now!
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This is the one I’ve got.
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Dude you are the best.
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Listened to both those songs this morning actually haha
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Perfect start to any day.
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Great track, that takes me back! I haven’t listened to any Thor in more than 30 years!
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I’d seen his live antics on TV before I’d ever heard any of his stuff!
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This post was a brick-breaking way to start 2019!
Nice to see an HMO post appear in my wordpress reader – and featuring Canadian Content too!
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I think I’m still meeting your quota requirements. Should keep me going for a few months and then I’ll do some Anvil or something.
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Not sure about the music but the cover is a 6/5.
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You’re Canadian so you have to like it. Its the law!
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I’m like Deke, couldn’t take that look to serious but in 2019 anything goes.
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Sure does. This looks positively cerebral these days!
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