Heavy Metal Worldwide 1987
Sometimes when you buy an album you have the good fortune of finding an unexpected surprise inside. Could be coloured vinyl, a poster, hand transcribed listener lyric sheet (kinda like winning the lottery in my opinion), or promo material. With this one I found a mini GEISHA promo package... just a brief bio and a buncha reviews, but it's always fun to read the hyperbolic nonsense record companies spew to pump up their second rate bands. According to the supplied info, GEISHA were on the verge of taking over the world and becoming the next big thing... or the next WRATHCHILD to be specific (aim high boys!). Anyways, someone failed to instruct the intern at the record label to not include the negative reviews... cuz at least 50% of 'em are less than flattering (ooops). I on the other hand think this is a pretty decent slab. Commercial and lunkheaded though it might be, it's still heavy and fun, and reminds me of SPELLBOUND's fantastic Breaking The Spell LP or a heavier RATT... making the phantasmagoric title and cover art a bit misleading. Mildly interesting factoid: GEISHA axe slinger Pete Blakk would go on to join KING DIAMOND for the Them, Conspiracy, and The Eye records. Oh shit... even cooler, vocalist Yenz Cheyenne (aka Jens Arnsted) was the singer in BRATS with Michael Denner and Hank Shermann! (thank you Encyclopaedia Metallum)
DOWNLOAD: Geisha-Phantasmagoria.rar (61.32 MB)
GEISHA • Phantasmagoria LP
BRATS • 18th January 1981 LP
no label 2008
Technically this might be a BRATS record, but you'll recognize a bunch of these songs as classic MERCYFUL FATE tracks, and you might even recognize some of these versions (I know a few are on the Curse Of The Pharaohs boot LP, and some might be on Return Of The Vampire too). Regardless, this is a great bootleg of a BRATS' rehearsal, and a very cool document of the proto-FATE band. The Pre-King Diamond BRATS had a distinct Punkish/NWOBHM sound and released one killer album, but this record sees the band heading towards the full-on Metal of MERCYFUL FATE. "Death Kiss" starts things off and there's no mistaking it as anything other than "A Dangerous Meeting", "Love Criminals" is "Into The Coven", "Powers Of Darkness" is "Return Of The Vampire", and "Night Riders" is the best alternate version of "Curse Of The Pharaohs" I've heard. That leaves 2 songs that I'd never heard before: "Sometimes You're Deadly" is nearly 10 minutes long, and is phenomenal! This song alone was worth every penny of what I paid for this record. "Fightin' For The Knighthood" is another marathon, clocking in at 8:50, but as you'd expect from MERCYFUL FATE, they cram enough riffs into that 9 minutes for 15 songs, so it never gets boring. Top notch boot that's a must have for MF fans, but maybe just a curiosity for BRATS fans.
DOWNLOAD: Brats-18thJanuary1981.rar (84.34 MB)
PS: Just discovered that there's a new BRATS LP out called The Lost Tapes. It's a full album that they recorded before they did the 1980 album... can't wait to hear it!
WITCH CROSS • Fit For Fight LP
Roadrunner Records 1984
I hope you're ready for some real Metal, cuz this album's got it in spades. Denmark. 1984. Recorded at the same studio as "Melissa" and "Don't Break The Oath". 'Nuff said? ...apparently not. WITCH CROSS sound nothing like MERCYFUL FATE, but goddamn if they don't kick just as much ass. These guys are way more Rock, and kinda reminiscent of a heavier SCORPIONS - like I said, this is serious shit! "Face Of A Clown" is too cool for words - the super loud harmonies in the main riff, great drumming, and vocal lines that are catchy-as-fuck... I absolutely love it. I don't feel like gushing about every song, but suffice it to say that the other 7 are just as cool. Adding to the greatness of this record is the production... it's all over the place. Every song has a different mix, and there's all kindsa shit going on in the background that's barely audible, but it definitely makes for an interesting listen. And finally, vocalist Alex Savage makes an incredible record even better with his fantastic voice (which is really loud in the mix), superb melodies, and spirited delivery. Do I even need to suggest that you download this?
DOWNLOAD: WitchCross-FitForFight.rar (75.25 MB)
