DARXON • Tokyo EP

Wishbone Records 1985
In the mood for straight ahead, no frills Metal? Look no further my friend, cuz Germany's DARXON have got it in spades. Good songs. good production, standard mid-80s Metal/Rock that reminds me of a less Speed Metal GRAVESTONE (might just be that guitar sound though). Don't have much to say about these guys cuz I don't know much about 'em... I do however know I like 'em.
DOWNLOAD: Darxon-Tokyo.rar (31.93 MB)

OSTROGOTH • Full Moon's Eyes EP

Mausoleum Records 1983
An absolute stone-cold classic of Euro Metal brilliance! Not a weak track amongst the four that make up this, OSTROGOTH's debut EP. Brimming with energy and a slightly eerie mood, dual guitars fight for the harmonized spotlight while vocalist Red Star handily steals the show. Much like Canada's LORD RYUR, this record shares an indefinable cinematic spookiness that I simply can't get enough of. Why did it take me so long to rip this one? Fantastic question! But it's here now, so call the doctor, cuz you're about to catch "Rock Fever"!
DOWNLOAD: Ostrogoth-FullMoonsEyes.rar (31.65 MB)

EXCITER • Feel The Knife EP

Music For Nations 1985
Three quick classics from the mighty EXCITER! "Feel The Knife" sounds like a Violence And Force outtake and is nothing more than a simple and direct kick in the ass, the kind that only Beehler and Co. can deliver. Two classic amped up live tracks (recorded in the band's hometown of Ottawa ON) follow in the form of "Violence And Force" and "Pounding Metal". EXCITER were clearly a fine tuned machine as they blast through both tracks with aplomb and precision. Dan Beehler is a force to be reckoned with behind the kit, his playing is always intensely huge, memorable, and integral to the EXCITER sound. Pound this!
DOWNLOAD: Exciter-FeelTheKnife.rar (25.02 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)

BANSHEE • Cry In The Night

Metal Blade Records 1988
This slab, just one amongst many of Metal Blade's long forgotten one-off releases, is actually pretty dece. BANSHEE dealt melodic Metal that covers a lot of varied bases, from OZZY's riffy early solo outings, to RUSH ("I Believe" sports a blatant rip-off of "In The End" from Fly By Night), to MAIDEN and EXCITER on the title track. Totally solid band, great vocals and guitar playing, and heavy yet catchy tracks - you can't really go wrong.
DOWNLOAD: Banshee-CryInTheNight.rar (45.58 MB)

LEATHER ANGEL • We Came To Kill EP

Miami 1992 Records & Tapes 1983
When putting together an all-girl Rock band, I'd imagine that the vocalist position would be the easiest to fill (followed by the bass player perhaps), as strong female vocalists are not tough to find in the 80s Metal milieu (Lee Aaron, Dawn Crosby, Betsy Bitch, Doro Pesch, and on and on). It's slightly confounding then that vocalist Terry O'Leary is LEATHER ANGEL's weak link. She comes across as a second rate Cherie Currie, her vocal shortcomings heard clearly when she gets into the higher register (particularly during "Under Your Spell" with her falsetto sounding more like Kate Bush than any kinda leatherclad angel). Generally We Came To Kill comes across as an even lower rent, latter day (read: more Metal) RUNAWAYS... the band even referring to themselves as the Queens Of Leather, a possible nod to THE RUNAWAYS' Queens Of Noise nick. Maybe not mandatory, but definitely a fun listen in spite of the cringe worthy "Whole Lotta Love" cover.
DOWNLOAD: LeatherAngel-WeCameToKill.rar (42.28 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)

VYPER • Afraid Of The Dark EP

Greenworld Records 1985
Shockingly, I didn't hate this record! One look at the shoddy cover and sketchy band members and I was convinced that a torrential shitstorm was about to ensue. Granted, I went into this with extremely low expectations, and VYPER woulda had to suck some serious balls in order to meet 'em. It's like when you went to see Twilight and came out fully entrenched in Team Edward... not that that's happened to me... but, uhhh you know what I mean. Anyways, Afraid Of The Dark serves up 4 moderately heavy slabs of commercial Metal with "Time Flies" being the heaviest, most OTT and fulla manic guitar histrionics. The lyrics are suitably abysmal and just the title of "Daddy's Girl" should be enough to give you an idea of where these dipshits were at. But again, on the whole, not as bad as you might assume.
DOWNLOAD: Vyper-AfraidOfTheDark.rar (27.26 MB)

HARDWARE • In Cold Blood EP

Steamhammer Records 1985
Fuck yeah! This is what I hope every record I buy is gonna sound like: bad-ass Speed Metal that's aggressive yet still somewhat melodic with memorable riffs that aren't sacrificed for the sake of speed. The vocals are raspy and at times approach LIVING DEATH abrasiveness, but never become quite that annoying, and like most German Speed Metal there's no mistaking the ACCEPT influence. Total bummer that I'm just hearing HARDWARE now, but it's better late than never. Top notch German Speed... you can't go wrong.
DOWNLOAD: Hardware-InColdBlood.rar (36.38 MB)

GILGAMESJ • Take One EP

Rave-On Records 1984
The most awkward band name of all time! It was really bothering me, and so I had to find out just what the hell Gilgamesj meant - thank you Wikipedia. Gilgamesj (or Gilgamesh) was an ancient Sumerian king rumoured to be two thirds god and one third man. The ancient Dutch band GILGAMESJ, on the other hand, are two thirds deriviative and one third adequate. Take One isn't likely to knock you on your ass, but it's got some decent hard rockin' moments along with some blatant rip-offs (that opening riff is way too close to something - not sure if it's ACCEPT, or TANK, or what). Not nearly as killer as other early Rave-On releases (MERCYFUL FATE, SORTILEGE) but still cool, and the album cover rules.
DOWNLOAD: Gilgamesj-TakeOne.rar (32.37 MB)

JINGO DE LUNCH • Cursed Earth EP

Bonzen Records 1988
Wow, this record is blowing my mind! JINGO DE LUNCH really got it right... heavy, hard-assed Rock informed by Punk or maybe Hardcore. As an example of just where their heads're at, there's THIN LIZZY ("Cowboy Song") and BAD BRAINS ("Pay To Cum") covers, and there's not a tongue in cheek anywhere to be found. The sound is huge, almost SACRILEGE-ous; the drums are massive, but the female vox are much more melodic than Tam's. A couple of the more metallic riffs remind me of SACRILEGE too, which is weird, because on the surface the two bands have little in common. "Pay To Cum" is on the record at the wrong speed, so I've included a proper, 45 rpm version as well as the original... because I care. Get this!
DOWNLOAD: JingoDeLunch-CursedEarth.rar (40.66 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)

WITCH • The Hex Is On EP

Axe Killer Records 1984
This record is hilarious. Take a look at that cover shot! Who knew that J Mascis could look so good in a pair of fishnets, knee-high boots, and 12 pounds of make-up!?! What? This isn't the DINO JR. mainman's new band! Fuck... duped again! I thought that Punky Peru or Peter Wabbit mighta been J's nom de plume. Oh well... instead of yet another Stoner Rock rehash, these SoCal misfits serve up a steaming pile of Metal Blade-ish tracks that could easily be mistaken for KRANK or some other forgettable Glam cum Metal outfit on the label's mid-80s roster. Much heavier than the band's image might suggest, The Hex Is On is balls out (literally) Metal with just enough sense of melody to tinge the proceedings with a touch of LA sleaze - kinda like a dingier Too Fast For Love. Surprisingly good, even if that ain't J wanking away on the solos (yeah yeah I know he plays drums in WITCH).
DOWNLOAD: Witch-TheHexIsOn.rar (34.01 MB)

TORCH • Torch EP

Tandan Records 1982
Good goddamn! This kicks so much ass I'm not gonna be able to sit for a week! TORCH deliver aggressive NWOBHM inspired Metal that reminds me of TYGERS OF PAN TANG a lot, and I detect a bit of PRETTY MAIDS in the mix too. 3 of the 5 tracks clock in at around 3 minutes and are short sharp shocks that don't mince notes or words. TORCH don't fuck around. Their purpose is clear: kick the shit outta the listener with high-octane Metal, and leave 'em wanting more. Metal the way it's meant to be played I tells you.
DOWNLOAD: Torch-TorchEP.rar (32.41 MB)
PS: This guy has some sick live TORCH videos from '85.

WITCHKILLER • Day Of The Saxons EP

Metal Blade Records 1984
Damn this record is warped to shit, and it skips like a motherfucker... ripping it was a serious pain in the ass. Maybe WITCHKILLER are just too Metal for wax. That'd explain why this is the only record that the band was able to put out. Metal Blade probably got fed up with complaints about warped vinyl, and decided that they couldn't afford to put out another WITCHKILLER record. Really too bad, cuz this is excellent stuff! Day Of The Saxons shows a strong Iron Maiden influence and is full of swords 'n' sorcery type lyrics... if that ain't enough to warp a measly slab of vinyl I dunno what is. Download it, but beware... it might be too heavy for your computer too.
DOWNLOAD: Witchkiller-DayOfTheSaxons.rar (34.13 MB)

KREATOR • Flag Of Hate EP

Noise Records 1986
This might be the heaviest thing KREATOR's ever done. The production is wide open and huge, and very simple; it sounds direct and unaffected, and heavy as fuck! Ventor's drums are gigantic (even if poorly played) and Mille's guitar is viciously biting. The rerecording of "Flag Of Hate" is cool, but it's "Take Their Lives" and "Awakening Of The Gods" that totally crush. KREATOR seemed to realized that slowing down a bit (compared to the manic speeds of Pleasure To Kill) meant that they could become infinitely heavier. The B-side contains 3 tracks taken directly from the band's Endless Pain debut which was only released a year earlier. I've always thought that Endless Pain sucked, but to my surprise I thoroughly enjoyed these tracks... not so shitty after all I guess. Pay attention to "Total Death", the EXODUS "Strike Of The Beast" rip-off is so blatant it hurts. Side A: heavy as all Hell! Side B: not as bad as you might expect.
DOWNLOAD: Kreator-FlagOfHateEP.rar (52.34 MB)

ALIEN • Cosmic Fantasy EP

Mongol Horde Records 1983
Heavy Metal ain't rocket science, and with Cosmic Fantasy, New York's ALIEN succinctly drive that point home. The band's moniker and intergalactic themed lyrics are diametrically at odds with their street-rockin' knuckle-draggin' brand of KISS-ish everyman's Metal. Nothing about ALIEN's sound is futuristic or otherworldly, but that don't mean it ain't fun. Sure it won't make the earth stand still, but it's got the right stuff if glammy semi-commercial wannabe cosmic Metal is yer thing. And really who doesn't love a bit of GSCWCM.
DOWNLOAD: Alien-CosmicFantasy.rar (41.23 MB)
PS: The band thought that the title track was so good that they included it twice.
PPS: Apparently ALIEN don't adhere to the Prime Directive, as evidenced by this cryptic backwards message that appears at the end of the record: We are ALIEN. The intergalactic Gods of Heavy Metal. We are here to embed our music in your minds. You've been warned!

LEATHERWOLF • Leatherwolf EP

Tropical Records 1984
It might be tough for you youngsters to imagine, but there was a time when every other band didn't have wolf in their name. No WOLF PARADE, no WOLFMOTHER, no AIDS WOLF, no WOLF EYES... just LEATHERWOLF (and HOWLIN' WOLF I guess). That's all we had, and we liked it. And really, after you hear this record you'll understand why LEATHERWOLF was enough... here's a hint: it's because they fucking rule! This EP's become an instant classic. Infinitely better than 98% of their peers, these guys were like MAIDEN x10 - and yet they remained virtually unknown. I've said it way too many times to be credible (I'm kinda like the boy who cried wolf ha!), but these guys really shoulda been huge. They had it all: interesting and engaging songs, top flight musicianship, and an over-abundance of energy. I'm not gonna suggest that you download this... I demand it!
DOWNLOAD: Leatherwolf-LeatherwolfEP.rar (40.34 MB)

SOUND BARRIER • Born To Rock EP

Pit Bull Records 1984
More top notch Rock/Metal from the hugely underrated SOUND BARRIER. Much like 1983's Total Control, Born To Rock is fulla hugely anthemic songs that are complex and at the same time commercial... no easy feat, but SB pull it off no probs. These guys have chops for days, and cram more musicality into a 4 minute ditty, than most bands can eke into an entire album... and they do it without sounding like some kinda self indulgent wannabe prog wankers. They even make the normally pedestrian "Born To Be Wild" into something wholly new, completely their own, and frankly pretty awesome. SOUND BARRIER's music is unpredictable, and so full of energy and joy (yeah I said it) that it never fails to impress or excite.
DOWNLOAD: SoundBarrier-BornToRock.rar (36.14 MB)

STRIKE • Strike EP

Tandan Records 1984
Sweden is a country that produces an inordinate number of great bands... as I'm sure we all know. Every subbgenre of Punk and Metal is littered with Swedish bands who put most others to shame - be it Death Metal, Hardcore, whatever, it doesn't really matter. Unfortunately STRIKE aren't one of 'em. This, their self-titled slab, is full of crappy wannabe American commercial Rock. This doesn't even qualify as Metal... it's more like HONEYMOON SUITE (OK they're not American but you get the idea) or a poppier, unbluesy GREAT WHITE... actually I can't even draw comparisons because this is the kinda shit I'd normally avoid. These guys make EUROPE sound absolutely crushing. If you're in the mood for some mindless big-haired party anthem Rock then this is yours to download, otherwise steer clear.
DOWNLOAD: Strike-StrikeEP.rar (37.43 MB)