DESTRUCTION • Live At World War III LP

Old Thrash Records 2010
I couldn't resist buying this record even though I knew it was gonna blow. Who gives a shit though... it's DESTRUCTION at World War III! Hadta have it! The WWIII festival is one of those fabled shows that I'da given my left nut to see. In November 1985 not only DESTRUCTION, but VOIVOD, POSSESSED, CELTIC FROST, and NASTY SAVAGE all descended upon Montreal's Paladium for one of the best line-ups ever! Anyways, I kinda remember a videotape of this floating around, and I'm certain that said videotape is the source material for this boot. Of course it sounds like total ass, but it's cool as shit, and is infinitely better than the SODOM boot I posted way back. After a couple of songs the guitar becomes audible so at least you can decipher what the fuck is going on. If you don't download this, you know the punishment... death, death, DEATH!
DOWNLOAD: Destruction-WorldWar3.rar (66.47 MB)

To open or not to open... that is the question

I kinda hate finding sealed vinyl, cuz of the eternal internal debate of whether or not it should be opened. This weekend at a local flea market I had the good fortune of happening upon this rare Canadian gem... sealed (and at a great price). Normally not an issue, I'd tear that shit off post-haste and slap it on the wheels of steel ASAP, but this one could possibly fetch a pretty penny, and so I'm torn. Though I didn't buy it with the intention of reselling (never do), the option is always there, and that shitty shrink wrap that is undoubtedly warping the virgin vinyl inside would definitely add to the asking price. My instinct tells me to crack it open and enjoy all the metallic wonders of OVERLORD, but there's that goddamn little frugal voice in my head telling me to leave it as is. If only it weren't sealed: I'd be rockin' it right now... and you'd be downloading it... and we'd all be happy.

RHETT FORRESTER • Gone With The Wind LP

Bernett Records 1984
I'm not all that familiar with Rhett Forrester. I know he replaced Guy Speranza in RIOT, but I like early RIOT so much that I've never been willing to hear anything after Fire Down Under (even though I own the Forrester-era records). Plus there's the whole Rhett Forrester/Rhett Butler Gone With The Wind thing - all a bit hokey if you ask me. But, I've sat on this record long enough and I figure it's time to take the plunge. Right off the bat this is much heavier than expected, the title track and album opener is a double time kick square in the nuts. The record carries on in similarly triumphant chest thumping fashion for it's entirety. Forrester's got a great voice, much like Blackie Lawless with a touch of David Coverdale thrown in for the more soulful bits. Good record, even if "Assume The Position" would make El Duce blush, and the drums are grossly over processed... these things can most likely be overlooked.
DOWNLOAD: RhettForrester-GoneWithTheWind.rar (72.33 MB)

GEISHA • Phantasmagoria LP

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)

MIDAS TOUCH • Presage To Disaster LP

Noise Records 1989
Sweden's never been known for it's prodigious Thrash output (neither in quantity nor quality), and save for AGONY and MIDAS TOUCH I couldn't name another band off the top of my head. Retro-Thrash the Swedes are all over, but back in the day they were a bit lacking. Presage To Disaster is decent, but MIDAS TOUCH were not breaking any new ground by sticking to formulaic pseudo-techno-Thrash that was popularized and running rampant in America. "When The Boot Comes Down" is the standout here, as it's a bit slower, more melodic, and a touch more trad Metal than the remainder of the record. I expected this to be better, and though kinda cool, it still falls a bit flat.
DOWNLOAD: MidasTouch-PresageToDisaster.rar (67.09 MB)

SEDUCER • Seducer LP

Universe Productions 1983
I don't know what the eff is going on, but I don't hate this record! I was sure it'd suck based on the band's tracks from the Holland Heavy Metal comp (even though they were better than SAD IRON... that ain't sayin' much!) and this righteously bad band photo (I can hear the guy up front now, the one who looks like Tony Orlando: "Hey guys check it out, I got this awesome goldtop Les Paul to match my gold lamé pants"). SEDUCER ain't Metal by any stretch, so if you can't stomach straight up Rock I'd move along and avoid this one. Imagine classic high octane TED NUGENT played at half time and with a quarter of the energy. Throw in a tiny bit of Southern Rock, some Russ Dwarf vocals, and a track that sounds like THE EAGLES' "Life In The Fast Lane", and you might be starting to get the picture. Yeah it's not great, but I expected much much worse.
DOWNLOAD: Seducer-Seducer.rar (60.91 MB)

STATORS • ...Never Too Late LP

Axe Killer Records 1985
One night at work, being beyond bored, I decided that come hell or high water I was going to solve one of Metal photo mysteries posted over at the always entertaining Test Your Metal blog. I literally spent hours researching and cross-referencing bands, photos, labels, discographies, and finally my hard work paid off... in spades! No, not really, but I did discover that the band in the cornball photo was France's own STATORS. And so it is that I felt overly acquainted with a band I'd never heard when I happened upon this record a couple of days ago. I can happily report that their wacky band photos are no indicator of the cool NWOBHM styled tracks STATORS have laid down here. I really dig the French vocal inflections (reminds me of the mighty SORTILEGE), and the well written songs are chock fulla interesting riffs and great lead breaks. I certainly did not expect to enjoy this record as much as I do. Good stuff, definitely worth a shot.
DOWNLOAD: Stators-NeverTooLate.rar (62.88 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)

DRIVE • Characters In Time LP

Rampage Records 1988
Based on the shoddy album cover, I assumed that DRIVE were gonna chauffeur me through the dim, well worn streets of generic, cliched, low-rent Metal straight to the heart Boredom Town... population: me. Thankfully messrs. Chavez et al. had no intention of treading that unfortunate path. Characters In Time may be ensconced in that abysmal cover, but the grooves contain top-notch modern Metal (by late 80s standards) that rivals OLIVER MAGNUM, bests WARRIOR, and is akin to a heavier QUEENSRYCHE. Mildly technical, highly melodic, vocally harmonized, and always engaging, DRIVE's debut may have taken the fast lane to the delete bin, but it's definitely worth a kick at the tires.
DOWNLOAD: Drive-CharactersInTime.rar (79.73 MB)

VICIOUS CIRCLE • Take It 12"

Noise Records 1984
When I picked this outta the rack I thought to myself: "Whoa! that Australian hardcore band put out a record on Noise!?! They musta really fucked up!", but calm yourself, cuz this most definitely ain't that band - these guys are German through and through. VICIOUS CIRCLE remind me of TYRAN PACE 'cept a bit less heavy, and a bit less PRIEST-y. The biggest similarity is in the soaring high pitched vocals. If Ralf Scheepers is a dead ringer for Rob Halford, then this dude is a dead ringer for Scheepers. It's a sorta... well... it's a vicious circle isn't it (sigh). The thing that really sold me on this is that it's produced by Horst Müller who did early DESTRUCTION and SODOM records... but please don't expect VICIOUS CIRCLE to sound anything like that.
DOWNLOAD: ViciousCircle-TakeIt.rar (22.5 MB)