Tag Archives: 1986

Classic Rock, Genre, Hard Rock, Song Reviews

David Lee Roth – Big Trouble (Song Review)

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“I feel like a yo-yo, I’ve been here too long”

Big Trouble‘s magical “I bet if you asked them, our heroes would say…” hook alone is enough to make it one of my favourite songs ever. But the track, from David Lee Roth’s 1986 album Eat ‘Em And Smile, also has a hypnotically groovy and sexy riff running all the way through it, a dazzling career-peak performance from guitarist Steve Vai, and Dave Lee Roth rapping away at his witty, quirky and evocative best. As always, he ain’t talking ’bout love, but Big Trouble is romantic and profound. Like a glimpse into Diamond Dave’s philosophy of life. Because Roth knows what our heroes would say. Somehow, he knows.

Album Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, Genre, Thrash Metal

Kreator – Pleasure To Kill (Album Review)

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Kreator – Pleasure To Kill (Noise Records 1986 – 2017 Reissue)

Today I’m indulging in one of my favourite extreme metal classics: Kreator’s Pleasure To Kill. This 1986 album is obsessed with the various ways one might meet an end (whether it’s death by the blade, an axe in the back or a ripping corpse attack). It’s a masterpiece of thrash but such a raw, violent and bloodthirsty one that it also satisfies a craving for death and black metal. And it’s strewn with absolute classics: unforgettable bangers like the title track, Riot Of Violence and Under The Guillotine. Pleasure To Kill is the kind of bullet-belted lunacy that makes you feel glad to be alive.

Album Reviews, Classic Rock, Hard Rock

Magnum – Vigilante (Album Review)

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Magnum – Vigilante (1986 – Polydor)

The “My Little Unicorn” artwork isn’t the only thing about Magnum’s Vigilante that will have you exclaiming “ermagherd!” There’s a whole bunch of the band’s best tunes here: the hard-rocking title track; the passionate Midnight (You Won’t Be Sleeping); the sublime anti-war ballad Need A Lot Of Love; and When The World Comes Down, the winter warmer single that should have been a Xmas number one! Shame it was released in February. Queen’s Roger Taylor produced this 1986 album and his 80s pop sheen might not be for everyone, but the songs are pomp rock heaven.

Classic Rock, Genre, Heavy Metal, Song Reviews, Thrash Metal

Metallica – Orion (Song Review)

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I have a notion to write about some instrumentals so let’s start with one that’s often rolled out as the best metal example of the form: Metallica’s Orion. I’m not inclined to rank such things but I wouldn’t argue with this song taking top spot on such a list. Orion is classy and classical metal and a great showcase for Metallica’s much-missed bassist Cliff Burton, who’s writing and musicianship dominates here. It’s extremely well-paced with not a minute wasted as the tune shifts from claustrophobic mega crunch to more open lead breaks and melodies. Burton excels throughout with a range of bass leads and harmonies that all cement his legendary reputation. I especially enjoy the organ-like churn that gets the song off to an ominous start and the tranquil melody mid-song is one of the band’s most moving moments and still takes me back to the feelings of wonder and discovery I felt as a teen getting into all this stuff in the first place.

Black Metal, Genre, Heavy Metal, NWOBHM, Song Reviews

Venom – Seven Gates Of Hell: Live 1985 (Song Review)

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“And man and beast are one”

Chaotic, train wreck live shows are a big part of Venom’s notoriety and their live album Eine Kleine Nachtmusik lives up to that legend. That said, the Geordie trio do a pretty good job of holding it together on this live version of Seven Gates Of Hell. It’s one of my favourite Venom tracks and one of their more controlled, brooding efforts. And while this live outing adds a wallop of cavernous excitement and brute force, the song’s charm remains. The moody mid-section is especially captivating as Cronos’ bass bulldozes over Mantas’ enigmatic chords. Sadly, by the time Eine Kleine Nachtmusik hit the shelves in 1986, the band’s classic lineup was no more. But the Venom legions could console themselves by listening to their beloved black metallers knocking seven shades of shite out of Seven Gates Of Hell.

Genre, Heavy Metal, Song Reviews, Thrash Metal

Tankard – Mercenary (Song Review)

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“Fleeing. Fleeing fastly”

I don’t think I’ve ever heard the word “careful” used this forcefully in a song before. Repeatedly. Here’s Tankard: generally renowned for songs about drinking beer and being a thrash metal ne’er-do-well. But on Mercenary (taken from 1986’s Zombie Attack) the Germans take on the subject of soldiers for hire in their endearing “English as a second language” way. It’s just great fun: a punky, speed metal mosh. And the chorus gang shout of “Mercenary! Be careful! Mercenary! Careful! Carefully, carefully! The mercenary, the mercenary” is unforgettably demented. You might enjoy it a little too much so… careful!

Classic Rock, Genre, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Song Reviews, Thrash Metal

Piledriver – The Fire God (Song Review)

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“Burn all the sinners in my way”

In the mid-80s Canada’s Cobra Records reckoned that, as long as you put a wild cover on it, any old metal shite could sell 20,000 copies easily. So they set out to create a bunch of pretend metal acts and whack out some albums. One of these was Piledriver.

Although Piledriver boasted various fictional members (including “Knuckles” Akimbo on guitar and “Former” Lee on drums!) all the backing tracks were written, performed and produced by Leslie Howe with vocals handled by Piledriver himself (real name: Gordon). But by second album Stay Ugly, Leslie was gone and Piledriver was assisted by none other than Virgin Steele’s David DeFeis (writing and producing as “The Lion”) and Edward Pursino (writing and playing guitar as umm… “Bruizer” Bernette).

The Fire God is one of the album’s standout tracks. Leathery speed metal with a blasphemous flavour of Venom. It’s crude enough that it sounds a bit bashed out but it’s not just any old metal shite either. It’s got heart, hooks, harmonies and ripping guitar. It was good enough that Virgin Steele did their own version years later and it’s proof that good music can come out of the the most crass and contrived circumstances.

Genre, Heavy Metal, Song Reviews, Thrash Metal

Nuclear Assault – Brain Death (Song Review)

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“Licensed to give death”

In 1989 the BBC documentary series Arena ran an hour-long episode called Heavy Metal. It was a huge deal for metal fans. Videotaped, rewatched repeatedly and quoted endlessly… “whooaa dugga dugga dugga!” There is a fantastic scene filmed in Nottingham’s Rock City nightclub where a circle of guys throw some unforgettable shapes to an amazingly hypnotic riff. Uncredited in the documentary, the source of this riff remained a mystery until years later when I heard the song Brain Death by Nuclear Assault.

Brain Death would be a pretty standard speed metal bash if it wasn’t for that riff kicking in at the 3.30min mark. There’s a quiet opening that builds up some nice dread and the chorus is instantly memorable but this song is all about the Nottingham Rock City mosh. A lot of bands might just play that kind of slower breakdown briefly before picking up the pace or launching into a guitar solo but Nuclear Assault ride it out for nearly 3 minutes, giving it that hypnotic intensity. And it gives you plenty of time to do some serious air guitar damage too. I love it and by the looks of the Nottingham Rock City footage, I’m not the only one. Whoaa dugga dugga dugga!

Classic Rock, Genre, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Progressive Rock, Song Reviews

Queensrÿche – Prophecy (Song Review)

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“Begotten are the fools who’ll never know”

I was first introduced to Queensrÿche’s Prophecy via the live version on the Building Empires VHS, before acquiring the studio version as the bonus track on the CD reissue of the band’s 1983 debut EP. Nowadays you’ll find it as a bonus track on the reissue of 1984’s The Warning because it was written during that era but I’ve since discovered it wasn’t actually recorded until the sessions for their 1986 album Rage For Order! Bloody hell. But it doesn’t really matter because this song holds it own anywhere. It’s got the classy Rage For Order production sheen but its traditional melodic metal style fits in nicely on The Warning and the EP. Some extremely bouncy riffing, catchy hooks, nice vocal harmonies and some nifty and memorable guitar soloing from Chris DeGarmo and Michael Wilton make Prophecy a standout favourite… wherever you hear it.

Album Reviews, Classic Rock, Genre, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal

Dio – Finding The Sacred Heart: Live In Philly 1986 (Album Review)

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Dio in his spectacular 80s live prime: explosions, lasers, crystal balls, knights, heraldry and a big fucking dragon! None of that on the CD version though… but have no fear! The music is just as spectacular. The band, including new guitarist Craig Goldy, breathe fire into the new material from the under-rated Sacred Heart album: King Of Rock N’ Roll is an explosive opener; Sacred Heart and Like The Beat Of A Heart are stately magnificence; and Hungry For Heaven and Rock N’ Roll Children are fun melodic anthems. The powerful band does a great job on the older Dio tracks like We Rock, Stand Up And Shout and Rainbow In The Dark too. In particular, the version of Don’t Talk To Strangers here is goosebump city: the best version of the track I’ve ever heard. Unfortunately, some of the other Dio, Rainbow and Sabbath classics get shoehorned into medleys, which are enjoyable enough but a bit frustrating. Especially when drum, keyboard and guitar solos are allowed to drag…on(!) for 18 minutes of valuable running time. So there’s both heaven and hell here for Dio fans. If you can find the sacred skip button, you’ll discover golden renditions of your favourites and fresh excitement from some lesser-heard treasures. Buy the live DVD too… it’s got a big fucking dragon in it!