Recca Records 1981
I was struck by the Blade Runner/SIGUE SIGUE SPUTNIK aesthetic of Leather Boys From The Asphalt Jungle and just could not pass it up. I knew nothing about FAST (or THE FAST as they're alternately known) before finding this slab, and internet searches don't yield much more information. It'd seem that FAST was a 2-man punk/rock/funk art project with the seediest sides of New York City as both it's backdrop and subject matter. Most songs juxtapose urban life with the wilds of the jungle and the survival of the fittest in both. I can't directly compare this to anything, but it's got a sorta poppy Punk/Glam Rock feel with some funky Disco tinged bass lines. Definitely an interesting and fun listen!
DOWNLOAD: Fast-LeatherBoysFromTheAsphaltJungle.rar (45.68 MB)
PS: The guitar sound on "Ride On The Wild Side" is killer!!!
FAST • Leather Boys From The Asphalt Jungle LP
BLACK ANGELS • Hellmachine LP
Bellaphon Records 1982
When you see a band photo like this, you might be tempted to think: leather, studs, big medallions, too cool for shirts... these guys have gotta be heavy, but look closer... there's one too many dudes in this band! 6 guys is always bad news. It means that there's at least one superfluous member who more than likely plays keyboards. I suppose there's a chance that the extra guy is a second drummer or percussionist (also an indicator of diminished heaviosity), or a third guitarist (in the case of MAIDEN, a guy who's probably unplugged and just prances about), or worst of all a horn player (thankfully DJs aren't something you have to worry about with a record of this vintage), but generally the sixth man is stuck behind a keyboard. Such is the case with BLACK ANGELS. In this scenario, the best you can hope for is a DEEP PURPLE sorta thing, and I suppose that's the best comparison I can make for BLACK ANGELS' brand of keyboard laden, 70s Rock. Unfortunately I've yet to hear a band that could match the hugeness and aggression of Lord's keyboard sound and playing ('cept for URIAH HEEP maybe). So despite the low rent album cover and misleading band photo, Hellmachine really ain't heavy at all. It's pretty cool, and the band is more than able, but it's nothing to write home about.
DOWNLOAD: BlackAngels-Hellmachine.rar (74.04 MB)
LOUDNESS • The Birthday Eve LP
Nippon Columbia Company 1981
Probably the most well known of Japan's 80s Metal exports, Osaka's LOUDNESS started life as more of a 1970s guitar hero tribute. VAN HALEN being the most obvious influence, but there's an undeniable Uli Jon Roth/SCORPIONS feel, blatant RUSH style Prog passages, and some bits of LED ZEPPELIN thrown in to complete the unholy Classic Rock mélange. LOUDNESS is very much Akira Takasaki's band; his guitar playing is technically beyond reproach, but also tasteful and widely varied... so good it almost makes you forget about those annoying vocals. Thunder In The East is the only other LOUDNESS record I've heard, and by that point they were fully ensconced in the sheen of big budget American production. The Birthday Eve is more raw, stripped down, and classic in feel and approach, with the only hints of full blown Metal found in Takasaki's playing and the high register vocals. Decent record, but mildly annoying, and I can't quite put my finger on why.
DOWNLOAD: Loudness-TheBirthdayEve.rar (74.18 MB)
HEAVY LOAD • Metal Conquest EP
Thunderload Records 1981
OK, so I'm showing up to the party a little late... but I partially blame you, dear reader. I bought this record in April '08, and, like some kinda jerk-off, let it sit in amongst all the crappy records I've amassed (and posted), and you.... you just sat by and let it happen. A simple email or comment: "Hey dipshit, post that HEAVY LOAD record" woulda sufficed, but nothing. And so it is that you're complicit in my negligence and ignorance regarding Sweden's mighty HEAVY LOAD. If you have even a passing interest in Metal, I'm confident that you're gonna drop a heavy load of yer own whilst checking out Metal Conquest.
DOWNLOAD: HeavyLoad-MetalConquest.rar (37.72 MB)
MASS • Swiss Connection LP
Strand Records 1981
Swiss Connection, MASS's fifth album, is full of decent Metal infused Rock that straddles the line somewhere between AC/DC and NWOBHM stalwarts SAXON. This certainly isn't gonna melt yer face, but a few of the songs ("Shoot Out", "Time Runs Out", "Dead End Rider Back Street Fighter") are well crafted, catchy proto-Metal romps that satisfy in spite of their derivativity (hey new word!). The highlight of Swiss Connection is guitarist Dave Schreiber's ripping lead style - he tears it up in wailing Nugent-esque frenzies of bluesy balls-out mayhem. Unfortunately, like most bands who blatantly cop AC/DC's style, MASS wind up sounding mediocre and boring. It's weird cuz that's the antithesis of all things AC/DC - I don't get it! All-in-all not a bad record, but not outstanding by any means.
DOWNLOAD: Mass-SwissConnection.rar (76.29 MB)
TAIPAN • Taipan EP
Bullet Records 1981
It kinda bugs me when people call bands that aren't English NWOBHM... but I don't know what else to call TAIPAN cuz I'm pretty sure there was never a NWOAHM (New Wave Of Australian Heavy Metal). There's that, and the fact that they sound just like yer typical NWOBHM band, and they were around during the NWOBHM surge. However... as sacreligious as it might be, I find most NWOBHM to be utterly forgettable, and TAIPAN are anything but. Like many of the early (good) bands of the movement, they combine hard rock with the rawness and energy of Punk Rock... unlike the glut of shitty bands that flooded the market in later years. Opener "Breakout" is a prime example of this winning combo: it's simplistic and kinda sloppy, with an absolutely infectious chorus, and phenomenal vocals. The next 2 tracks are similarly upbeat and totally memorable, while "The Cellar" finishes things off on a slightly different note. It's a mid-paced pounder, that's dark and menacing and is the stand-out amongst all the great songs on this record. This is a must download for NWOAHM fans.
DOWNLOAD: Taipan - Taipan.rar (26.59 MB)
