GIRLSCHOOL • Running Wild LP

PolyGram Records 1985
Alright, I think this one is a bit of a rarity... certainly I'd never seen or even heard of it when I stumbled across it at Hamilton's crustiest record shop Hammer City. I had an inkling that it was gonna be bad based the discogs note that simply states "infamous release", and that just made me wanna hear it more! For my money GIRLSCHOOL's first 2 records and early singles are the only things that are truly great - after Hit & Run they seemed to consistently miss the mark. Running Wild is their fifth record and first without Kelly Johnson on guitar, and also their first (and only?) as a 5-piece. Oddly enough Running Wild never saw a UK release... perhaps they knew their old-school fans wouldn't appreciate the poppier sound and glossy production on offer here. This is pretty mediocre stuff to be sure, but each side has a couple of decent tracks: "Something For Nothing" and "Are You Ready?" on the first and "Love Is A Lie" and "Can't You See" on the second. This one is worth a shot - it's honestly not as bad as rumoured to be.
DOWNLOAD: GS-RW85.rar (86.46 MB)

THE REJECTS • Quiet Storm LP

Heavy Metal Records 1984
When Quiet Storm was released it was clear that these guys were no longer the COCKNEY REJECTS I knew and loved... the cover alone made that painfully obvious. I mistakenly assumed that they'd become a full on Metal band (airborne BC Rich lightning rod anyone!?!), but no, that'd be too easy. This record is much more confusing than that, and really nothing could have prepared me for what was in store. While the bands previous record, 1982's The Wild Ones, was a straight ahead riff rocker reminiscent of AC/DC, Quiet Storm sees the band stepping even further away from their Punk Rock roots. The Rock songs are simplistic, bluesy, and somewhat stiff 60s or 70s throwbacks. The remainder of the tracks range between ROLLING STONES-ish faux country ("Fourth Summer"), ELTON JOHN cum SUPERTRAMP ballads ("I Can't Forget"), funky, unintentionally jokey, BB KING influenced white-boy Blues ("Jog On"), and piano and keyboard laden ballads ("Quiet Storm"). It's bizarre to be sure... and I quite like it. I tend to find these sort of "off" records very intriguing. You know, when a band tries to disengage itself from the past and break new ground (Into The Unknown, Grave New World) or reinvigorate itself to reclaim former glories (Born Again perhaps). Extreme changes are frowned upon by most fans who are content with hearing the same record over and over again by their favourite bands, that makes a record like Quiet Storm a ballsy proposition... and I appreciate that.
DOWNLOAD: TheRejects-QuietStorm.rar (68.33 MB)

WAR DANCE • Live June 24, 1989

Private/Indie 1989
OK so here it is, as promised... WAR DANCE live and in their full metallic glory. Barely recognizable as the same band that recorded Monkey See, Monkey Do a scant five months later. Marvel at Gizz Butt's guitar histrionics, and a band tighter than a gnat's ass stretched over a rain barrel. Amazing stuff... even if the cheering on the first track is obviously and laughably fake.
DOWNLOAD: WarDance-LiveJune24-1989.rar (57.41 MB)
PS: Just stumbled across this YouTube gem of the band performing O.P.D. at this very same show!

WAR DANCE • Monkey See, Monkey Do LP

Hageland Records 1989

Finally got my hands on a copy of WAR DANCE's only full length "official" release, Monkey See, Monkey Do, and I gotta admit, I was more than a little disappointed to see Gizz's name absent from the band's line-up. In fact, bassist/vocalist Andy Frantic is the only remaining member from the band's None But The Brave and A Short Sharp Shock demos... kinda weird. No matter, I forged on undeterred. Right off the bat this version of WAR DANCE is looser and punkier, the metallic edge maintained by Gizz Butt is completely absent, as are guitar solos and general advanced musicality... and unfortunately these are some of the things that I loved about the demos. Frantic's catchy songs remain, and high energy abounds, but vocalist "Sonny" Lister is a bit lacklustre and uninspired. I was honestly hoping for a the full blown Metal attack that WAR DANCE displayed live (evidence to follow), but alas Monkey See, Monkey Do is a bit of a step backward in that regard. Still, this is a cool Punk/Hardcore record, just not what I was expecting and/or hoping for.
DOWNLOAD: Wardance-MonkeySeeMonkeyDo.rar (60.62 MB)

ROGUE MALE • First Visit LP

Music For Nations 1985
If I'm not mistaken, ROGUE MALE were to have us believe that they were some sort of post-apocalyptic future warriors... or wait, that might have been ATOMKRAFT, but I think ROGUE MALE were on the same tip. Only the band's "look" conveys any sort of futuristic vibe, as the tracks on First Visit have a decidedly (cock) Rock feel. They are much heavier than yer typical commercial Metal band, falling somewhere between MOTORHEAD and TKO, but futuristic they ain't. I was mightily impressed by this record, because my recollection was that it was a turd, when in fact it's a pretty good time. Any record with a track called "Crazy Motorcycle" can't be taken too seriously, and I don't think that was ROGUE MALE's intent... simply download and enjoy.
DOWNLOAD: RogueMale-FirstVisit.rar (71.47 MB)

HERETIC • Burnt At The Stake EP

Thunderbolt Records 1984
Heretic. Burnt at the stake. Sounds pretty heavy right? Well don't get your hopes up, cuz like the majority of NWOBHM acts, HERETIC's presentation was much more sinister than their actual sound. Opener "Water Of Vice" starts things off in fine form with a riff similar to WITCHFINDER GENERAL's "Requiem For Death", but things quickly become more lightweight with each passing track. Solid guitar work and solos reminiscent of early 80s, Snowy White-era, THIN LIZZY are the saving grace here, and weak vocals are the major stumbling block. Still, it's a fun light hearted romp if yer up for it.
DOWNLOAD: Heretic BurntAtTheStake.rar (33.1 MB)

FROM THE MEGAVAULT LP

Megaforce Records 1985
In 1985, when From The Megavault came out, I foolishly had zero interest in the collection of rarities culled from the Megaforce archives, but today, as I'm sure it did then, it stands up as an absolutely top notch comp. The exclusive tracks from OVERKILL, EXCITER, RAVEN, S.O.D., and BLESSED DEATH all make this essential, with tracks from T.T. QUICK, ANTHRAX, and unknowns MEDIEVAL STEEL and IMPERIOUS REX only sweetening the deal. BLUE CHEER's take on the oft covered "Boney Maroney" is the odd-man-out here, with standouts being the Violence And Force-era outtake from EXCITER and the live RAVEN track. Download with confidence.
DOWNLOAD: FromTheMegavault.rar (64.5 MB)

WÜRZEL • Bess EP

GWR Records 1987
When MOTORHEAD expanded into a 4 piece in 1984 I was convinced that Würzel was the superior player in the new-look twin-guitar MOTORHEAD. Honestly this was based on little more than the fact that he looked the part (being an ugly motherfucker who might have given Lemmy a run for his money), because I still don't know who's playing what on those Burston/Campbell records. I have an inkling that Phil Campbell was responsible for those crazy half-cocked wah solos on Rock 'n' Roll, but again, that's just speculation. So, it seems that Würzel felt the need to spread his wings, step out from the shadow of Lemmy, and put out this here EP, the oddly titled Bess. Thankfully he did, because none of the 4 tracks on Bess would have been suitable for his day job. "Bess" is a slow bluesy instrumental that fails to excite and as such is an odd title/lead-off track. "Midnight In London" and "People Say I'm Crazy" are both up-tempo rockers, the former recalling the NWOBHM... with a slight whiff of DEF LEPPARD detectable. Würzel's got a good voice, with a gruffness and edgy incompetence that helps to elevate the fairly standard music on offer. Bess wraps up with another instrumental guitar showcase that meanders through Rock and some mild touches of Jazz (fretless bass solo anyone?). It's an interesting listen, but that interest will likely only extend to MOTORHEAD diehards.
DOWNLOAD: Wurzel-BessEP.rar (23.44 MB)

COBRA • Warriors Of The Dead LP

Criminal Response Records 1985
Technically this might not be an Ebony release, but surely Criminal Response Records was some sorta subsidiary or off-shoot, cuz this reeks of Ebony, and more specifically: it sounds like Ebony (i.e. like complete shit). However, much like they did on their Ebony debut, COBRA try their damnedest to overcome the crippling effects of a third rate production job by whipping out a serious collection of hefty, aggressive, NWOBHM killers. Manic off-the-cuff solos and loads of cool riffs are what make Warriors Of The Dead, and though lacking, the production is much better than Back From The Dead.
DOWNLOAD: Cobra-WarriorsOfTheDead.rar (54.58 MB)

THE COCKNEY REJECTS • The Wild Ones LP

A.K.A. Records 1982
I seriously questioned myself after picking this one up. I probably paid twice what it's worth (thank you Ric's Recollections), but was intrigued by a few things: a) the title grabbed me cuz of the THIN LIZZY connection, b) I'm a sucker for band photos on album covers (don't ask me why), and c) what the fuck were THE COCKNEY REJECTS thinking!?! As a kid I loved those Greatest Hits records, and still sorta regret selling 'em in order to purchase Metal records, but this is clearly not the same band. I wasn't sure if they were taking the piss, or if this was for real... 3 of the songs have Rock in the title, it's produced by Pete Way, no boots or braces anywhere in sight. Clearly the boys were influenced by the NWOBHM and it works for them. They crank out 9 tracks of pure knuckleheaded Rock, that's at times reminiscent of TANK, AC/DC, AEROSMITH, and THE KINKS even, but never shows any hint of the band's not so distant past. This ain't no "Flares And Slippers"! There's no denying it - I love this record, which means I can no longer turn my nose up at Quiet Storm or The Power And The Glory when I come across 'em in the dollar bins.
(For a good time) DOWNLOAD: CockneyRejects-TheWildOnes.rar (68.17 MB)

FALLEN ANGELS • Fallen Angels LP

Fallout Records 1984
Maybe my expectations were a bit too high for this record, but can you blame me? Knox from THE VIBRATORS backed up by HANOI ROCKS' rhythm section... sounds perfect right? But perfect it ain't. When I ripped this I thought it was awful, but subsequent listens show that it's not terrible, just lacklustre. It reminds me of those late JOHNNY THUNDERS records, you know the ones, where he's just going through the motions in a stupor and the results are completely uninspired and kinda depressing. THUNDERS fans eat that shit up regardless of quality, and I'm sure HANOI ROCKS and VIBRATORS fans will do the same with Fallen Angels. As an added bonus, I'm pretty sure that Michael Monroe and Andy McCoy make guest appearances billed as The Cosmic Ted and The Flashing Psychedelic Kid. And here's something I never thought I'd state: the sax solos are the highlight of the record (courtesy of Monroe).
DOWNLOAD: FallenAngels-FallenAngels.rar (72.94 MB)

TANK • Crazy Horses 7"

Kamaflage Records 1982
TANK are, in my opinion, beyond a shadow of a doubt, the greatest band of the NWOBHM era. I hesitate to lump them in with the masses of NWOBHM bands, as they undoubtly transcended the limitations of the genre and the scene... that is until the Brabbs bros. left and everything went to Hell in a hand-basket, but during their early days (read: first 2 records) they were untouchable! "Crazy Horses" is an alternate version of the Osmonds' classic (?) found on TANK's sophomore outing Power Of The Hunter, and the phenomenally titled "Filth Bitch Boogie" is a non-LP b-side. These have probably been tacked onto the end of CD re-issues, but in case they haven't, here they are in their infinite glory. Hold on to your toupees!
DOWNLOAD: Tank-CrazyHorses.rar (13.31 MB)

SACRILEGE • Early Demos LP

Bootleg 2009
Lately I've amassed quite the collection of bootlegs, so in my next few posts I'm gonna attempt to weed through a few of 'em. First off is the mighty SACRILEGE. Early Demos contains, as the name implies, SACRILEGE's first 2 demos from November '84 and February '85 respectively. Cool to hear the band progress over a scant 4 months from crusty Punks to crusty Metal loving Punks. If you like SACRILEGE then you know what's in store: oppressively heavy Metal/Punk combining equal parts DISCHARGE and TROUBLE, and fronted by possibly the best female vocalist ever. SACRILEGE get my vote for having one of the heaviest and most distinct guitar sounds off all time - absolutely crushing! Right... so if, like me, you've resorted to buying AFTER THE BOMBS records to fill the void, and to get your SACRILEGE fix, you'll be plenty chuffed to hear this one. The real deal!
DOWNLOAD: Sacrilege-EarlyDemos.rar (46.07 MB)
PS: Forgot to mention how amazing the song "Out Of Sight Out Of Mind" on Early Demos is. It's reminiscent of "The Price Of Silence"-era DISCHARGE, and is very different from the version found on Behind The Realms Of Madness.

BLACK SABBATH • Born Again Unmixed CD

Bootleg 1983
Apparently Ian Gillan's response to Born Again went something like this: "I looked at the cover and puked! Then I heard the mix and puked!" Funny... but way off base. Not only is the cover one of the greatest things I've ever seen, but it's perfect for the music contained within the grooves of this monumental record. As far as the mix is concerened, it's sloppy and muddy, but it's integral to the overall menace of Born Again... and this is a menacing record if ever there was one. Oh shit... this ain't Born Again though... it's Born Again Unmixed. I downloaded this from a newsgroup a few years ago, and there was a story about how these were rough mixes that ended up in the possession of Bill Ward's girlfriend at the time. The entire record is here plus an unreleased track called "The Fallen" (rumour has it that there's up to 5 other unrleased tracks that were recorded during the Born Again sessions). Some songs have different guitar bits here and there, different lyrics, and missing vocal parts. "Trashed" has a neat extended bit after the solo, but the coolest thing about Born Again Unmixed is the 9+ minute version of "Zero The Hero"!!! The end of the track is just the main riff over and over again for about 3 minutes... that damned riff could go on for 20 minutes and I'd be happier than a pig in shit. Anyways, Born Again rules, and this is a very cool alternate version of that obnoxiously heavy, and downright scary, record.
DOWNLOAD: BlackSabbath-BornAgainUnmixed.rar (80.37 MB)
PS: Here's a cool link to loads of info about Born Again, including the original picture of the baby used on the cover. Awesome!

MOTORHEAD • BBC Sessions LP

Bootleg
I usually ignore MOTORHEAD bootlegs cuz they either contain songs that I have countless versions of on re-issue and rarity CDs, or cuz they're live shows that I couldn't care less about. This one, however, caught my eye cuz it's made up of BBC recordings (as the title suggests!?!) that I knew I didn't have copies of, and had never heard before. The sound quality is so good that it makes me think that these are probably available on CD, maybe even officially, but who knows (keeping up with every "new" MOTORHEAD release is something that I gave up on years ago). The '78 John Peel tracks are fantastic and on their own make this worth downloading, but add to that some Ace Of Spades era tracks (not sure if these are from '81 or '82 - the info is misleading) and a couple from the mid-80's Orgasmatron line-up and it all makes for a top notch collection.
DOWNLOAD: Motorhead-BBCSessions.rar (88.02 MB)

WAR DANCE • None But The Brave Demo

Private/Indie 1988
I wasn't big on this demo when it came out, preferring the more metallic direction of the band's second demo, but after hearing this with fresh ears and a new perspective, I gotta say that it's much better than I remembered. More melodic and less metal, with a post-punk kinda feel, None But The Brave is fulla great songs and awesome performances. Andy Frantic's bass is loud and propulsive, and Gizz Butt is stellar as always. There a couple of moments that remind me of FAITH NO MORE and the BAD BRAINS (I Against I era), so as you can imagine the music runs quite the gamut, from Thrash Metal, to poppy Punk, to indie Rock and all points in between. Great stuff from a shamefully overlooked band.
DOWNLOAD: WarDance-NoneButTheBraveDemo.rar (30.41 MB)

NIGHTWING • Black Summer LP

Intercord Records 1982
My only prior exposure to NIGHTWING was the printed inner sleeves that came with LPs, and were used to advertise other releases on a particular label (in Canada this was a practice commonly employed by Banzai and Attic Records). So I've seen a whole bunch of NIGHTWING album covers (which are awesome as you can see), but had never heard a note 'til today. Album opener "Overnight Sensation" is a high-octane rocker with some tastefully sporadic keyboards, which is what NIGHTWING do best. Some songs meander into yer typical 70's Rock territory and can become predictable, not unlike Canadian commercial rockers TRIUMPH (especially the guitar playing). The keyboards in "Long Hard Road" kinda remind me of ZOMBI - and that can only be a good thing! Black Summer is a cool mix of 70's Rock and moderate Prog that (for me) is a welcome change of pace... and bassist/vocalist Gordon Bowley looks like an even more maniacal Dave Chandler - a definite selling point!
DOWNLOAD: Nightwing-BlackSummer.rar (76.86 MB)
PS: Listen for the spectacularly jazzy, subtle guitar solo near the end of "Don't Want To Lose You" - awesome!

METAL WARRIOR LP

Metalother Records 1987
It never ceases to amaze me when I find out what year records like this were released. In 1987, all the bands on METAL WARRIOR were still mired in the muck of the NWOBHM while groundbreaking records like Killing Technology, Master Of Puppets, Reign In Blood, and Into The Pandemonium were being released. This doesn't mean that METAL WARRIOR is a bad record, quite the contrary, it just means that the world seemed to be passing these guys by. Certainly not an issue for those who longed for the glory days of the NWOBHM. 6 bands make up this mini comp in: DEUCE (UK), CRISIS (USA), FIRST OFFENCE (UK), TROJAN (Ireland), NOT FRAGILE (Germany), and EZYMEAT (Ireland). I dunno if I'd wanna hear entire full-lengths by each of these bands, but on a comp there's no time to get bored, and so this record is a damn good listen.
DOWNLOAD: MetalWarrior.rar (55.42 MB)

DESTRUCTORS • Merry Christmas And Fuck Off LP

Death Records 1983
Well... if this album title don't sum it all up perfectly! Aside from the title, the best thing about this slab is the Pushead cover art. The music? Meh... simplistic UK82 Punk that's not nearly aggressive or angry enough, and a singer who sounds more like the Daily Show's John Oliver than a proper frontman. Only Gizz Butt's solos are worthwhile, and even those barely hint at what a great guitar player he'd become. I was never big on this record, and time has not been kind to the DESTRUCTORS' brand of weak and predictably bland Punk... I do seem to recall that their live record was a bit better than this, but I won't be diggin' it out any time soon. Consider this your lump of coal.
DOWNLOAD: Destructors-MerryXmasAndFuckOff.rar (78.87 MB)

HYDRA VEIN • Rather Death Than False Of Faith LP

Metalother Records 1988
Thrash Metal was never the UK's strong suit. Most bands were either mediocre (XENTRIX, RE-ANIMATOR) or straight up shit (ACID REIGN, D.A.M.), with SABBAT and early ONSLAUGHT being a couple of rare exceptions. I dunno why, but the limey's always seemed to miss the mark (though the current crop of UK Thrash revivalists are doing their part to rectify that situation). I was aware of HYDRA VEIN when they were releasing records, but because of of their woeful countrymen I paid them no mind. Too bad cuz this is a really good straight up Thrash Metal record. HYDRA VEIN certainly weren't breaking any new ground, but they were writing some cool songs, and were more than able players. It's clear that album opener "Rabid" is musically inspired by AGENT STEEL, and the vocals throughout are heavily influenced by SABBAT's Martin Walkyier. Though somewhat generic, and a bit tedious as the record carries on, "Rather Death Than False Of Faith" is delivered with enough venom to warrant your download and a few listens.
DOWNLOAD: HydraVein-RatherDeathThanFalseOfFaith.rar (73.24 MB)