| REVIEWS LIST | - R | ||||
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RAINBOW - DOWN TO EARTH (1979)
Down to Earth came out in 1979 and it was the the first Rainbow album to not feature
Ronnie James Dio as the bands vocalist. This was also the last Rainbow album to feature
legendary drummer Cozy Powell.
Graham Bonnet is a good singer though and in my opinion it's the best Rainbow album of
the albums not featuring Ronnie James Dio at the microphone. The band started moving in a more commercial direction after Dio left and this is somewhat of a transition album into that era. The Russ Ballard cover Since You Been Gone was a huge hit from this record, so they surely met their commercial or financial goals with this record. But I prefer songs like Eyes of the World, No Time To Lose and Danger Zone that sounds more like the Rainbow I fell in love with.
For me, Rainbow are their first three records, the more commercial sounding stuff is alright
when I'm in the mood for it but if we're talking sheer quality, the first three Rainbow albums
is where it's at. But I do think that this is the best post Dio record of theirs.
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There's only six songs on Rainbow's Rising but the two b-side tracks clocks in over eight minutes (Stargazer and A Light in the Black.) Just a crazy B-side to an album, add to that the A-side: Tarot Woman, Run With the Wolf, Starstruck and Do You Close Your Eyes. This is a near perfect record.
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RAVEN - THE PACK IS BACK (1986)
RAVEN - STAY HARD (1985)
By 1985, Raven had signed to Atlantic Records, and critics immediately noticed the shift. Stay Hard is cleaner, more melodic, and clearly aimed at the US market. Some reviewers praised the band for evolving; others accused them of sanding off their edges. The truth lies somewhere in between.
The songs are tighter, the performances more focused, and the production finally gives the band the sonic punch they always deserved.
RAVEN - ROCK UNTIL YOU DROP (1981)
Raven’s first album is the purest distillation of the NWOBHM’s wild side, not the polished ambition of Maiden, not the denim and leather of Saxon, but the feral, hyperactive, borderline cartoonish energy that only Raven ever truly mastered. They called their own style for Athletic Rock and that's a good description even if I think that Raven played metal and not rock.
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⭐⭐⭐
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RAINBOW - LONG LIVE ROCK 'N' ROLL (1978)
Rainbow's third studio album and the final one with Ronnie Dio. This is a legendary album, I consider it to be one of the greatest records of the 1970's. This album is packed with classic song such as Long Live Rock 'n' Roll, Lady of the Lake, L.A. Connection, Gates of Babylon and Kill the King.
The album might not be as epic as Rising but it's more consistent and perhaps a little
more metal sounding, even though Rainbow were perhaps more of a hard rock band than anything else. Ritchie Blackmore's guitar play is excellent and hardly even surpassed to this day add to that a young Ronnie Dio in his prime. For me that's just hard to beat.
Even though Dio joined Sabbath and then went on a successful solo career, it's always a bit sad to think of what Rainbow could have been if they kept Dio and kept building on what they had during the late 70's. Long Live Rock 'n' Roll is a legendary record and pretty much every track on the record has been played on the classic rock radio channels ever since.
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⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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RAINBOW - RISING (1976)
Rainbow's Rising came out in 1976, the same year as Judas Priest's Sad Wings of Destiny. So one could claim that it was here that metal started to develop from the heavy sounds of Black Sabbath into something less bluesy and more focused. But Rising is not just an important album, it's a great album as well.
Stargazer is generally seen as one of the greatest songs in metal history. From the amazing drum intro by Cozy Powell, the fantasy inspired lyrics and all.
"You built a tower of stone
with our flesh and bone"
It don't get much better than that.
Rising is a classic album and a mandatory listen for all fans of hard rock and heavy metal music.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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RAINBOW - RITCHIE BLACKMORE'S RAINBOW (1975)
After Ritchie Blackmore left Deep Purple he recruited the guys in Elf (including Ronnie James Dio) and created a new band that would be considered one of the defining bands of the 1970's. This was an excellent debut album, Ritchie's guitar play together with Ronnie James Dio's voice was a perfect match. Ritchie's guitar play is so unique, blending his neoclassical origins with the swagger and bite of his Deep Purple years.
Man on the Silver Mountain is one of the most recognizable rock songs
of the 1970's. It made Rainbow an over night success and Ronnie James Dio quickly rose to stardom.
Catch the Rainbow and Temple of the King are two of the greatest hard rocking ballads I've ever heard. Self Portrait is also a cool song with some swinging riffs. Since it's 1975 there isn't that much heavy distortion or anything going on here. So that might be off putting to some but don't let that scare you away from early Rainbow, their material is just so otherworldly and awe inspiring, still some 50 years later.
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⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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RAVEN - THE PACK IS BACK (1986)
This is the most controversial album of Raven’s career. Critics at the time were brutal, and even modern reviewers tend to treat it as a cautionary tale. The production is extremely polished, the songwriting leans heavily toward radio‑friendly hard rock, and the band’s trademark chaos is almost entirely absent. If you thought Stay Hard was a sellout then you're not going to like what they did on The Pack is Back.
Tracks like "Gimme Some Lovin'" (yes, a Spencer Davis Group cover) baffled critics, who felt the band had been pushed into a direction that didn’t suit them. The energy is still there, but it’s buried under layers of studio sheen and commercial pressure.
Most reviewers agree that The Pack Is Back isn’t necessarily a bad album, It’s just not a Raven album. It's the sound of a label trying to force a square peg into a round hole. The lunatics in Raven was suited to play over the top speed metal, They weren't supposed to be a b-grade Def Leppard. But fortunately the band understood that they screwed up and course corrected to a heavier direction with their next couple of records.
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⭐⭐
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RAVEN - STAY HARD (1985)
By 1985, Raven had signed to Atlantic Records, and critics immediately noticed the shift. Stay Hard is cleaner, more melodic, and clearly aimed at the US market. Some reviewers praised the band for evolving; others accused them of sanding off their edges. The truth lies somewhere in between.
Tracks like "On and On" and "Stay Hard" still have that Raven swagger, but the production is glossy, the choruses are bigger, and the riffs are more controlled. Critics often point out that the band didn’t lose their identity, they just tried to package it in a way that would appeal to a broader audience.
The album isn’t as wild as their early work, it has sellout tendencies due to them experimenting with accessibility and like pretty much every NWOBHM band wanted to make it big in the US after an album or two. It's annoying but then again this isn't Def Leppard-soft either. This is average or slightly above it heavy metal.
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⭐⭐⭐
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RAVEN - ALL FOR ONE (1983)
Produced by Michael Wagener, All for One is widely considered Raven’s most complete early album. Critics praise it for striking the perfect balance between the band’s trademark insanity and a newfound sense of structure.
"Break the Chain" is the standout, a track that manages to be catchy, heavy, and completely unhinged at the same time. But the deeper cuts are just as strong: "Take Control", "Mind Over Metal", "Run Silent, Run Deep" and "Seek and Destroy" (no, not it's not a Metallica cover) show a band that’s still sprinting, but now knows exactly where it’s going, Delivering material that's not just full speed ahead but also heavy and more emotional.
Critics often describe All for One as the moment Raven proved they weren’t just a novelty act or a chaotic footnote in NWOBHM history. This is the album that cemented their legacy as innovators. The bridge between the movement’s raw beginnings and the speed‑metal explosion that followed. All For One! One For All!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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RAVEN - WIPED OUT (1982)
After their great debut album Rock Until You Drop, It was time for Raven to put out their sophomore work. Critics routinely call this one of the most intense albums of the entire NWOBHM movement, and not in a metaphorical sense. This is the album that made future thrash musicians pull out their notebooks.
The opening track, "Faster Than the Speed of Light" is exactly what it claims to be: A breakneck sprint that sounds like it was recorded in a single take by musicians who were physically incapable of slowing down. The rest of the album follows suit. There’s no pacing, no ballads, no mid‑tempo relief. It’s just 40 minutes of pure, unfiltered velocity.
Critics often highlight how Wiped Out captures the exact moment when metal stopped being a heavier version of rock and started mutating into something more extreme. The riffs are sharper, the drumming is more frantic, and the vocals are delivered with a kind of manic urgency that feels like complete lunacy.
This is the album where Raven accidentally invented half of speed metal and a good chunk of thrash. It’s messy, it’s wild, and it’s absolutely essential.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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RAVEN - ROCK UNTIL YOU DROP (1981)
Raven’s first album is the purest distillation of the NWOBHM’s wild side, not the polished ambition of Maiden, not the denim and leather of Saxon, but the feral, hyperactive, borderline cartoonish energy that only Raven ever truly mastered. They called their own style for Athletic Rock and that's a good description even if I think that Raven played metal and not rock.
Critics often describe this record as "raw" but that undersells its importance. This is the moment where heavy metal stopped being polite and started sprinting. The production is primitive, but it works in the band’s favor: the guitars buzz like a live wire, the bass clanks like a dropped toolbox, and the drums sound like they’re being played by someone who's running for their life. John Gallagher’s vocals are a perfect match, part banshee, part street‑punk, part unhinged frontman who don't understand the concept of restraint.
Tracks like "Hell Patrol", "Don’t Need Your Money" and "Rock Until You Drop" show a band that isn’t just playing fast, they’re playing recklessly, as if speed itself is the point. Critics still point to this album as one of the earliest examples of speed metal, and you can hear why: the riffs are frantic, the tempos are unstable, and the whole thing feels like it might collapse at any moment. But it never does. That’s the magic.
This is NWOBHM at its most chaotic and joyful. Raven came, they kicked in the door and the next generation of thrash fans took notice, including the big four.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
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RAZOR - DECIBELS (1997)
Whomever produced this album needs to be prosecuted. Sure, Razor always had problems with a lousy low-budget production, but now in 1997
Whomever produced this album needs to be prosecuted. Sure, Razor always had problems with a lousy low-budget production, but now in 1997
the problem is perhaps worse than ever. The whole album feels like it has some industrial filter laying over it. Sure the music feels thrashing but with those compressed and distorted Nine inch nails-sounding vocals on top of everything sounds awful. It just has so many tricks from the late nineties that it spoils this album totally. Razor never was a trendy band so it feels kind of odd that they jumped the bandwagon and recorded this chunky mess. The album might perhaps have been decent at a demo-level before they added those chunky and dry guitars, and those autotune-vocals combined with the most lazy and generic drumming from Rich Oosterbosch who has as much personality to his drumming that the drum machine from the Open Hostility-record feels like a better alternative.
No Razor should have went another direction here and perhaps released an album true to their roots or done something unexpected like going for a more technical sound. But this feels just generic and lazy and I don't understand what fans an album like this is going to flirt with? A new audience and forgetting about the past? They aren't Metallica so they can't earn a buck that way. No Decibels was a mistake and nothing else. Right now I feel like that transparent guy on the album's artwork, trying to scream and plug my ears to avoid this nasty mess, haha. But I do hope that Razor can return someday and prove to me and their old fans that they are still relevant and still can perform thrash metal of the highest quality in this modern age.
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No Razor should have went another direction here and perhaps released an album true to their roots or done something unexpected like going for a more technical sound. But this feels just generic and lazy and I don't understand what fans an album like this is going to flirt with? A new audience and forgetting about the past? They aren't Metallica so they can't earn a buck that way. No Decibels was a mistake and nothing else. Right now I feel like that transparent guy on the album's artwork, trying to scream and plug my ears to avoid this nasty mess, haha. But I do hope that Razor can return someday and prove to me and their old fans that they are still relevant and still can perform thrash metal of the highest quality in this modern age.
⭐
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RAZOR - OPEN HOSTILITY (1991)
Prior to the recording of this record, Razor's drummer Rob Mills was in a car accident so he was unable to play the drums on this album. Instead of finding a session-drummer Dave Carlo programmed the drums with a drum machine. That might set of your internal alarm clock but the drum machine actually sounds pretty good. It's not a thing that you will notice instantly, at least not for a drummer novice like myself. Razor also filled the vacant bass spot with Jon Armstrong.
Stylewise the album continues with the sound they've had for the last two releases "Violent Restitution" and "Shotgun Justice". But Open Hostility has somehow fallen into the shadows of those albums. It might not be on the same high level as those but Open Hostility is a strong release, no doubt about it. But the songwriting ain't as strong as on their two previous records. The Production is clear and the album has a typical early 90's production. Maybe a bit on the muffled low-budget side as always but not in any way as bad as their earliest efforts. Open Hostility is an underestimated album, it might not reach the heights of Razor's best moments but Open Hostility delivers some good thrashing fun.
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⭐⭐⭐
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RAZOR - SHOTGUN JUSTICE (1990)
Can there be a Razor without vocalist Stace 'Sheepdog' McLaren? Yes it can. Newcomer Bob Reid's arrival made Razor sound even more hostile. He feels more direct as a vocalist and less like a crazed lunatic. I prefer Stace but Bob does a good job and I guess that his voice is a better fit for Razor's frenzied thrash. Bob Reid has a harsh barking voice and he spits out his lines rapidly.
Razor delivers insanely fast and furious thrash metal. There are absolutely no stop signs on Shotgun Justice, it's full-speed ahead all the time. Razor was one of the best thrash metal bands back in the day but they never fully got the recognition they deserved. I guess it was because they were from Canada and not the USA. Too bad they we're Canucks.
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⭐⭐⭐⭐
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RAZOR - VIOLENT RESTITUTION (1988)
From the first seconds of Violent Restitution you'll understand exactly what you're getting here. The most lunatic and violent thrash-album ever to be produced in the nation of hockey rinks and maple syrup. But let's go back in time,
After 1987's semi-flop Custom Killing, Guitarist and mainman Dave Carlo recruited two new members for his Razor, first he recruited his own brother and bassist Adam Carlo and then he recruited Rob Mills to handle the drums after Mike Embro left the band.
I think that was a wise decision to find a new drummer, because M-Bro's drumming was far from good. On Violent Restitution everything falls in place. The schreeching vocals by Stace 'Sheepdog' McLaren has never sounded as psychopathic as now, his high-pitched screams will twist your ears. Dave Carlo's riffs are better and crunchier than before. Rob Mill drumming is far superior to Embro's drumming.
It's also the first time a Razor-album feels well-produced, the sound balances well between clarity and noisy brutality. The whole album is so violent, abusive and rough. I like the song "Taste the Floor" with it's cool chainsaw-effects, it's brilliant. Violent Restitution is like a soundtrack for a proper chainsaw massacre. It's so unrelenting, brutal, violent, testosterone-filled evil bashing so I have hard finding words that are hard enough to describe this hellish beast. Sadly this was also the last album to feature original vocalist Stace 'Sheepdog' McLaren but he surely left in style. Violent Restitution is the quintessential Razor album!
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⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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RAZOR - VIOLENT RESTITUTION (1988) (Review by: Mr. Thrash)
In 1988 the thrash metal tank Razor released "Violent Restitution". And it was an important album for Dave Carlo (Guitarist and founder of Razor) who had been criticized for his lack of ability to write great music after the rather weak album "Custom Killing". And as an answer to that "Violent Restitution came with vengeance. This is nothing else than a lesson in what's thrash metal is all about.
The songs is played without a lots of intros and similar shit (But the opener is instrumental). This 14-songs album has 10 songs that plays under 3 minutes. In fact there is only one song over 4 minutes, and that's what thrash metal is all about. Razor plays very intense and organized, and it is a heavy album. How do I summarize this album then, well it's fast, heavy and wellplayed without lots of overtechnical melodies and it sounds just like only Razor does. Besides they got wonderful songtitles like "Taste the floor" and "I'll only say it once". I issue a warning over certain neckdamage when it's impossible to sit still and listen to this album. What drags the rating down is that the songs intend to be too similar to each other. But I do recommend this album which can be found in the most wellsorted metalshops.
Quote from the jewel case:
”Warning: The musical and lyrical content of this album is NOT recommended for those with a weak heart”
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⭐⭐⭐⭐
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RAZOR - CUSTOM KILLING (1987)
Compared to earlier Razor releases, Custom Killing has a revitalized sound, one that most fans didn't ask for and certainly didn't expect. There are several good moments of progressive thrash here. I'm not saying that they sound like Coroner or Watchtower or something, they didn't do a complete makeover, but there is definitely another feel to Custom Killing. Razor even tried to compose two eleven-minutes long tracks for this album.
All their previous albums were fast thrashers clocking in under 40 minutes, this time there is only eight songs and the album is 46 minutes long. I'm a fan of prog-thrash in general but at the same time it's hard to see Razor leaving the debauchery behind to become something cleaner and slightly different. Everything about it seems a bit more controlled than their wild past, especially Sheepdog's vocals. The production was always Razor's weak side and it is still a bit muffled here. I didn't like Mike 'M-Bro' Embro's drumming on Malicious Intent but he does a better job now. I kind of like the simplistic yet cool album cover, it is something you rarely see in todays thrash. In conclusion, Razor tried a new grip on thrash here but the end-result wasn't as satisfying as their earlier material. Custom Killing is a highly average thrash album and Razor's weakest effort so far.
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⭐⭐⭐
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RAZOR - MALICIOUS INTENT (1986) (Review by: Mr. Thrash)
When people speak about old thrash they are fast to mention bands like Anthrax, Metallica and so on. It seems like they have forgotten about the Canadian thrash metal band RAZOR.The band who released their first EP "Armed and dangerous" back in 1984. (The same title Anthrax used a year later!) They released two saluted full-lenght albums in 1985 (Executioners song and Evil Invaders).
The album "Evil Invaders" is often hailed as Razors best work and it's worshipped by old school thrashers all over the world. And that's why people had high expectations on "Malicious intent". And in the magical thrash year of 1986 Razor released an album that are a complete masterpiece. But it had some strong competition on the recordshelf this year. The album is consistently fast and agressive and filled with hordes of hitsongs like "tear me to pieces" and "night attack".
Razor succed all the time with combining simple and fast riffs with supreme melodies that they twine together into exquisitive songs with very intense drumming. And sure Dave Carlo throws in some short scraping guitarsolos here and there. The vocalist Stace "Sheepdog" McLaren delivers in his own special way, with the recognizable lunatic screams that cuts through bones and marrow, combined with his typical talking style. I regard this album as their most melodic album and you just can't get bored by it. There are always some new small and interesting riffs and choruses that sticks, gives you appetite and then headbanger lust. Razor is a band with attitude, speed, agression, spikes and leather. I can't do anything else than recommend this insane overlooked album to you all.
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⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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RAZOR - MALICIOUS INTENT (1986)
Malicious Intent was a follow-up to the mega-classic Evil Invaders, which was released just one year earlier. On Malicious Intent we're presented with the same old Razor. Their music is somewhat repetitive with some crazy vocals by 'Sheepdog' McLaren. Somehow the Canadians seems to have the wildest vocalists in the genre. Malicious Intent is also a bit underproduced but their production sounds a little better here compared to their earlier material.
This does at leat not sound like it was recorded in someones garage. Malicious Intent might not be their most recognizable record in their back-catalogue, because it is a in-between record. Between the noisy beginnings of Evil Invaders and the later classics in Violent Restitutiton and Shotgun Justice. But I do think that Malicious Intent stands well on it's own. Riff-maestro Dave Carlo fills the fast pumping songs with meaning, he surely know how to pump out high-paced riffs.
In my mind he is the own that drives this album from average to good. Especially when the production and drumming is average at best. If you're new to Razor I suggest you look elsewhere in their catalogue, but if you are already into those albums you should give Malicious Intent a spin and don't forget to... Turn it up! Turn it up! LOOUUDEEEEEEEEEERRRRR!!!!!
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⭐⭐⭐⭐
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RAZOR - EVIL INVADERS (1985)
This is a classic Canadian thrash metal album, It was released just six months after Executioner's Song in 1985. and I'm talking about Razor's excellent Evil Invaders here. This time we are offered a slightly better production, but it's still so raw and noisy.
The album is a bit repetitive at times and the reverb-filled underproduction doesn't always do the songs justice but on the other hand the album is played really fast, with thousands of great riffs and hooks. The vocals by Stace 'Sheepdog' McLaren is shrieking and he is earpiercing at times. Mike Embro smashes the hell out of the drums and Dave Carlo is pumping out fast killer riffs one after another. The title track Evil Invaders is a magnificent song with a great chorus. This album has no ballads, no stopsigns and no professional production. This is was thrash metal is all about, it's noisy, fast and ripping. This album is one of the best Canadian thrash metal albums of all time, if not the greatest.
Evil Invaders: Death deception in the night
Evil Invaders: Corruption as they fight the fight
Evil Invaders: Spreading out to take command
Evil Invaders: The future of mankind at hand
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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RAZOR - EXECUTIONER'S SONG (1985)
After the success with their self-released debut EP, Razor was ready to take on the world. They signed with (the same label as countrymen Anvil) Attic records and the debut LP Executioner's Song was made.
They remixed four tracks from the Armed and Dangerous-EP and released them as a part of their full-length debut album. So they recorded seven new songs for this release. This time they had better production, but still it's real noisy underground oozing stuff. Vocalist Sheepdog McLaren has a raw rabid voice and the riffs are intense and speedy. The album starts of with Take this Torch, which is a killer track with smashing riffs and relentless drumming. The album has a few similarities to what Exciter and Anthrax did at the time.
It also has quite a strong resemblance to neighbours Voivod's first release War and Pain but 'Sheepdog's vocals are more of the screaming type. Executioner's Song is a perfect exemple of raw, under-produced 80's speed metal that will snap your head right off.
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⭐⭐⭐⭐
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RAZOR - ARMED AND DANGEROUS (1984)
This four-piece from Guelph, Ontario in Canada recorded and released their debut EP Armed and Dangerous in 1984. At that time there weren't so many thrash metal bands around, certainly not in Canada. The most extreme bands in the country was the pioneers Exciter and Anvil and Razor's sound has a lot of similarities to those bands. If throw in some Motörhead and Fistful of metal era Anthrax or Armed and Dangerous era Anthrax for a double effect, haha. Four songs (The End, Hot Metal, Take this torch & Fast and loud.) would later end up on Razor's full-length debut Executioner's song. The track Take this Torch is a fucking killer. It's one of the best thrash metal songs I've ever heard.
This EP is a real collectors item today and rightfully so as it was groundbreaking, great and also rare as it was only made in 1200 copies. Armed and dangerous is a speedy record and almost punkish in it's approach. Very primitive and with a raw unpolished production and who doesn't love the iconic album art. The vocals are hoarse and at times screaming. Razor's sound would mature over the years into a more common thrash metal style. This is where it all started, the first faltering steps into a long and somewhat succesful career in thrash.
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⭐⭐⭐⭐
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REALM - SUICIETY (1990)
Two years after their appreciated debut Endless War, Milwaukee based Realm is back for the very last time. Afterwards Realm broke up three of their members started the band White fear chain, but that's another story.
This album has progressive elements and the instrumental skills are truly amazing. I first gave this album two stars ten years ago when I reviewed it, but after listening to it again I have to give it two more stars. Because this album ain't bad, it's actually progressive / technical power / thrash at it's best. Mark Antoni seems to think that he is King Diamond (Mercyful Fate) or something, his neverending falsetto yelling can be too much.
Realm's sound is somewhere in the Hades/Watchtower region. perhaps a bit more massive due to the more modern production. If your're a fan of progressive thrash metal you must find this album and their debut, because both are excellent examples of prog thrash.
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⭐⭐⭐⭐
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REALM - ENDLESS WAR (1988)
Realm released their debut Endless War in 1988 without creating the buzz I felt they deserve. Their thrash is complex and played at the highest possible speed without getting blurry nor leaning towards death metal. This is more in the Heathen/Powermad/Paradox region. or a faster Agent Steel perhaps would be a way to describe them, even fans of Hades, Toxik, Sieges Even and Watchtower will be satisfied.
Their attempt to do a metal version of the Beatles song Eleanor Rigby is actually a quite good cover, fast and emotional at the same time. The vocals by Mark Antoni is superb they are high, soaring, clean and aggressive in the same time. The acrobatic twinguitar leads and the ripping rhythm guitars are just amazing. "Endless war" is an incredibly tight and technical album that deserves all the praise in the world. I'm not the biggest fan of progressive thrash metal but this album grips me by the neck and force me to bang my head over and over again.
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⭐⭐⭐⭐
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RE-ANIMATOR - THAT WAS THEN... THIS IS NOW (1992)
That Was Then... This is Now was Re-Animator's third album and the band has gone through some major lineup changes and only drummer Mark Mitchell is left in the band since their 1990's full-length debut Condemned To Eternity. It's questionable if the band should still go under the Re-Animator monicker. Anyhow, in 1992 the thrash landscape was undergoing changes and bands like Anthrax, Metallica, Megadeth and just about every thrash metal band around started to change to create some space for themselves in an ever-changing music business.
Re-Animator was one of those bands, some may blame it on the lineup changes and other on the trends of the time. But one thing is clear, that this is not a great thrash metal album in any way. It's kind of slow with no aggression to speak of. I don't know what to call it but the band has some type of funk / grunge elements to their music here and it's a rather boring album to listen to, even if it's a quite technical album. The vocals are at best average and the album's highlight seems to be a lazy Thin Lizzy-cover.
There have been a ton of bad albums by thrash metal bands, this might be a bad one, but compared to the musical tortures that we had to undergo in the nineties this try is rather forgiveable. But their intentions is still questionable.
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⭐⭐
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RE-ANIMATOR - CONDEMNED TO ETERNITY (1990)
Re-Animator belongs to the wave of British thrash that took over the metal scene's in UK when the NWOBHM-scene died off. Re-Animator full-length debuted in 1990 with this album titled Condemned To Eternity. It was quite typical for the Britih scene, it was a low-budget release with bad production and a typical English-accent. The bands sound was somewhere in the region between Metallica, Testament, Laaz Rockit and Xentrix.
Re-Animator delivers some good thrashing here with quite fast guitars and shouting backing choruses. What impresses me the most is the guitarplay that brings my mind to late eighties Testament. But as I said before, the production is quite bad and this album feels like a demo at times. Kev Ingleson is a highly average vocalist, his monotonous voice get's a bit boring after a while. Condemned to Eternity is not the most memorable album of all time and the band lacked a unique sound. There were practically hundreds of bands around in 1990 that delivered better or equal stuff to Re-Animator's debut. Not saying that this is bad, it's quite good actually, but good didn't cut it in 1990 when the alternatives were countless. You had to deliver something unique or truly great in all aspects. Re-Animator later developed a funkier and groovier sound but here on their debut it's all solid old school thrash.
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⭐⭐⭐
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RENEGADE - TOTAL ARMAGEDDON (1987)
Being an outsider one might not have guesssed that Australia had such a vibrant metal scene like they had in the eighties. But there were lots of talented thrash metal bands around and Renegade was actually one of the first to form in the big continent down under.
Renegade's style is characterized by John Beer's quirky and somewhat evil vocals combined with a wall of guitar riffs from the duo Feedback and Cartledge, Renegade delivers more than one might expect from an obscure act from the middle of nowhere. The guitar is always present on Total Armageddon and the album can be labeled as repetitive but repetition is not always a bad thing, here the choruses and the riffs repeated in an almost Exciter fashion, which also makes everything more memorable.
The lead guitars is a bit bland and the gritty production must also be seen as negative. But for those who are looking for fancy production values should look elsewhere, this is pure low-budget brilliance with some minor NWOBHM-undertones. But still I can't help being charmed by Renegade's Total Armageddon. It has that malicious old school edge that only a handful albums had after the year 1987. Me personally just loves the sound of the first thrash and speed metal wave from around 1984-1985. Musicwise Total Armageddon reminds me a bit of early Destructor, Onslaught, Slayer or even Destruction. So if you're a fan of the old school go and check out one of Australia's finest, Renegade!
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⭐⭐⭐⭐
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REVEREND - PLAY GOD (1991)
Reverend in retrospect most famous for being David Wayne's band after leaving Metal Church. But that's a bit unfair because Reverend were a talented band and their debut showed some potential but after that record the band had some lineup changes and the band recruited two new members. In came bassist Angelo Espino and Scott Ian's brother and drummer Jason Rosenfeld.
This reminds me a bit of early Metal Church with a thicker 90's production similar to the heaviness of Metallica's ...And Justice For All or Testament. Play God is a majestic album filled with mid-tempo brilliance and heaviness.
The most memorable track is Fortunate Son which is a Creedence Clearwater Revival cover, the song has never sounded as heavy as this before even I'm generally against cover songs.
Sadly this was the last time Brian Korban and David Wayne worked together, David Wayne continued Reverend sporadically and he recorded once again with Metal Church before he passed away in 2005. Korban on the other hand has returned to Heretic these days.
Divebomb records have reissued the album so you'll probably find a copy of the album quite easily. Play God might not be an essential thrashterpiece but if you come across it you should definitely pick it up because it's a strong album with above average musicianship, no doubt.
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⭐⭐⭐⭐
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REVEREND - WORLD WON'T MISS YOU (1990)
When vocalist Mike Howe was recruited to join Metal Church. David Wayne teamed up with the remaining members of Heretic and thus Reverend was born. Reverend draws not so surprisingly big similarities to Metal Church.
Though Reverend might just be a little heavier. Especially in the first two songs "Remission" and "Another Form of Greed" that starts the album off on a high note. The album also includes a few Metal Church-like ballads like "Scattered Wits" and "Leader of Fools". Reverend also covers the old Black Sabbath-tune "Hand of Doom" here. I think that David Wayne's original voice is what seperates Reverend from any other band at the time. His voice is instantly recognizable and he is such an underrated vocalist in the metal community.
He sounds like a mix between Rob Halford and Bobby Blitz from Overkill. The musicianship from the former Heretic guys is good without being jawdroppingly special, the drumming is quite intense and the guitars are almost played in a Vanderhoof-fashion. The production is average and all instruments are audible but the whole album suffers a bit from a monotonous mix that prevents the material from having the punch it should have. The album would probably get three stars if it wasn't for David Wayne's excellent singing.
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⭐⭐⭐⭐
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RIGOR MORTIS - SLAVES TO THE GRAVE (2014)
After raising $22,838 from fans all over the world, Rigor Mortis was able to make a fan-funded comeback-album. It's been twentythree long years since Rigor Mortis released an album and even longer since the original quartet of Corbitt, Scaccia, Orr and Harrison recorded together. Slaves to the Grave is Rigor Mortis third full-length album and it will sadly be their last due to Mike Scaccia's lethal heart attack in 2012. So how good is this postmortem released "Slaves To The Grave"?
First of all, the guitarplay is amazing. Mike Scaccia's passing is devastating. One of the greatest guitarist the genre ever saw has left us. His guitarplay is so fast and intense but at the same time quirky and those leads and solos are to die for. I like Bruce Corbitt's voice as well, it hasn't aged and his voice suits the music perfectly. There is two sides to this album, a few tracks are just regular full throttle thrash metal while others are more dreamy and melodic. The album starts out with the track "Poltergeist", a song with some incredibly fast riffing and towards the end the song takes a turn into some dreamy harmonic state which I thought was rather impossible for a band of Rigor Mortis stature but they prove themselves as not just being a gory band, because the album has some harmonies, not totally unlike some of King Diamonds material.
I also like how the song Sacramentum Gladiatorum leads into Ludus Magnus. The song is somewhat corny yet catchy, vocalist Bruce Corbitt takes your hand and leads you through a story about the savagery of the Roman gladiators. The track concludes the final chapter of Rigor Mortis.
Rest in Peace Mike Scaccia.
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⭐⭐⭐⭐
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RIGOR MORTIS - VS. THE EARTH (1991)
After leaving the major label Capitol Rigor Mortis signed up to the smaller label Triple X Records and released their second full-length album Rigor Mortis VS. The Earth (1991), which became their last record until their comeback in 2014.
Singer Bruce Corbitt left Rigor Mortis before the release of the Freaks EP and in came Doyle Bright. I prefer Bruce Corbitt and I think that Doyle Bright is highly average as a vocalist and he drags down the general impression of this album. The major difference from their glorious debut-album is the intensity and aggression. This album is mostly not as fast as the debut. This time it's more focus on melodies and songwriting. At times it almost sounds like a different band if it wasn't for Mike Scaccia's absolutely flawless guitarplay.
He is one of the genre's best guitarists, no doubt about it. But don't worry not everything has gone south by this release, the production is crisp and I like the intensity of the absolutely excellent tracks "Mummified" and "Contagious Contamination". I can understand that some people are a bit unsatisfied with this release if you expected another intense thrash-terpiece. But give "Vs. The Earth a chance", the guitaplay alone is worth it. A highly underestimated album.
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⭐⭐⭐⭐
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RIGOR MORTIS - RIGOR MORTIS (1988)
Rigor Mortis debuted on a fully crowded scene in 1988, and out of nowhere they created a growing fanbase after unleashing this underground thrash metal classic. The music itself is very intense, fast and evil.
Unfortunately for us fans this was their last recording with Bruce Corbitt at the microphone and Rigor Mortis only released one more full length-album before the saga was over. Internal problems and bad decisions was the reason these guys aren't a household name today. To sum it all up The album is hardly refined or matured. But sometimes you're in the mood for juvenile crudity and Rigor Mortis delivers it with plenty of muscle. Rigor Mortis will get you stiff, In one way or another!
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⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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RIOT - THUNDERSTEEL (1988)
Thundersteel isn’t just a comeback album, it’s a full‑blown resurrection, the moment Riot transformed from a cult ’70s hard rock act into one of the defining forces of U.S. power metal. After lineup chaos, tragedy, and years in limbo, Mark Reale rebuilt the band from the ground up, and what emerged was sharper, faster, and far more aggressive than anything Riot had done before.
The album thrives on momentum. "Fight or Fall", "Johnny’s Back" and "On Wings of Eagles" blend speed‑metal intensity with melodic hooks that feel almost effortless, while “Flight of the Warrior” stands as one of the era’s most perfectly balanced power‑metal anthems. Reale’s guitar work is the anchor throughout: precise, melodic, and bursting with energy, but never showy for its own sake. The rhythm section keeps everything locked in with a tightness that gives the album its relentless forward drive.
I remember reading this, probably around 2005 or so where someone compared Thundersteel to Judas Priest's Painkiller and they claimed that Thundersteel was just like Painkiller but released two years prior. So in some way this is the original framework for what Judas Priest came to do two years later.
I remember reading this, probably around 2005 or so where someone compared Thundersteel to Judas Priest's Painkiller and they claimed that Thundersteel was just like Painkiller but released two years prior. So in some way this is the original framework for what Judas Priest came to do two years later.
What makes Thundersteel endure is its clarity of vision. It’s fast without being chaotic, melodic without being soft, and dramatic without slipping into excess. Riot reinvented themselves at a moment when many bands were fading, and they did it with an album that still feels urgent and alive decades later. Thundersteel isn’t just Riot’s masterpiece, it’s one of the essential American power metal records, a benchmark of speed, melody, and sheer conviction.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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ROSICRUCIAN - SILENCE (1992)
Rosicrucian (originally Atrocity) signed up to Quortons Black Mark Productions and debuted in 1992 with Silence. By then thrash metals popularity had dropped significantly and Rosicrucian's Silence was released with no further succes. The band delivered quite technical thrash metal with some groove metal riffing and rather terrible vocals. If you can live with bad vocals then this might be something for you but I just think the bad thrash / death metal roars sounds a bit out of place here.
The band dared to go outside the conventions of thrash and at times they experiment with piano, flute and strange beats. The instruments on Silence is better than what one might expect, at times they are really brilliant but the terrible vocals spoils it for me. Otherwise Silence by Rosicrucian has some strong similarities to early Meshuggah, pre Djent-bullshit. If you're interested in Swedish thrash you might just wanna check this band out but otherwise there are more interesting bands out there even if this is far from terrible. It might very well be amongst the top ten Swedish thrash albums from the first wave of Swedish thrash.
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The band dared to go outside the conventions of thrash and at times they experiment with piano, flute and strange beats. The instruments on Silence is better than what one might expect, at times they are really brilliant but the terrible vocals spoils it for me. Otherwise Silence by Rosicrucian has some strong similarities to early Meshuggah, pre Djent-bullshit. If you're interested in Swedish thrash you might just wanna check this band out but otherwise there are more interesting bands out there even if this is far from terrible. It might very well be amongst the top ten Swedish thrash albums from the first wave of Swedish thrash.
⭐⭐
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RUNNING WILD - DEATH OR GLORY (1989)
Running Wild were aging like fine wine during the eighties. After releasing several amazing albums in a row they released their fifth studio album Death or Glory in 1989.
On Death or Glory Running Wild brought their pirate‑metal identity, melodic instincts, and speed‑metal precision and fused it into something unmistakably their own. You would think that it would be almost impossible to top Port Royal or Under Jolly Roger but I think Running Wild just have managed to outdo themselves once again.
“Riding the Storm” is the crown jewel, a towering, galloping anthem that distills everything great about Running Wild into one track: soaring melodies and a chorus built for a thousand raised fists. But the deeper cuts carry just as much weight. “Bad to the Bone,” “Marooned,” and “Tortuga Bay” show the band balancing aggression with a strong melodic backbone, while “Battle of Waterloo” expands their historical storytelling into something grand and cinematic. Even the more straightforward speed‑metal burners hit with purpose, never feeling like filler. The production is cleaner than most pirate's breeches, giving the guitars a bright, cutting edge while keeping the rhythm section tight and driving.
Just like it's predecessor Death or Glory stands as one of the defining European metal albums of the late ’80s. A high‑water mark not only for Running Wild but for the German power metal scene that featured bands like Helloween, Blind Guardian and Rage. Running Wild truly realized their vision of pirate metal supremacy here on Death or Glory. Highly recommended.
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⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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RUNNING WILD - PORT ROYAL (1988)
Port Royal is the album where Running Wild’s pirate metal identity became a fully realized world. 1987's Under Jolly Roger was the humble beginnings of the pirate metal genre that Running Wild spearheaded. Which really was just regular power metal with a pirate theme.
Port Royal had sharp songwriting and tighter performances and a more confident embrace of the band’s nautical mythology. Rolf Kasparek leads the charge with a renewed sense of purpose, delivering riffs that are both melodic and muscular, anchored by a tight rhythm section
“Conquistadores” sets the tone immediately: fast, triumphant, and packed with the kind of anthemic hooks that would define the band’s golden era. The title track expands the lore with swagger, while “Into the Arena” and “Warchild” show the band balancing speed metal intensity with classic heavy‑metal melodicism. Even the deeper cuts carry that unmistakable Running Wild grit. With a sense of adventure baked into every chorus and galloping riff.
What makes Port Royal stand out is how cohesive it feels. The production is cleaner and more powerful than anything the band had done before, giving the guitars a bright, cutting edge without sacrificing heaviness. The pirate theme can be a bit too gimmicky for some but I think it works here. It shapes the atmosphere, the pacing, and the band’s entire attitude. This is Running Wild stepping fully into their own mythology and discovering a sound that no one else could replicate. Sorry Blazon Stone. ;)
In retrospect, Port Royal is one of the defining European metal albums of the late ’80s. I think they deserve more cred for what they did. Running Wild were there from the beginning and their music easily surpassed most of their peers. For me Helloween or Accept wasn't the best German heavy metal band of the eighties. It was Running Wild and Port Royal is one of the cornerstones of the band's legacy.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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RUNNING WILD - UNDER JOLLY ROGER (1987)
After the first two dark and evil sounding speed metal albums. Running Wild started to go in another direction. This was first realized on this LP from 1987 called Under Jolly Roger. Running Wild dropped the satanic lyrics and imagery and went for a pirate theme. The style change was a little of a gamble for the band but it was a success as most fans seems to prefer their new swashbuckling ways. Running Wild fastly grew into one of the leading power metal bands in the 90's and became the most important German metal band over the following decades together with Blind Guardian and Helloween, bands that also adopted this melodic European version of speed and power metal.
I know some people who has a hard time dealing with this change and I can somehow understand them. But I kind of like both but if you are a thrash metal purist, this album might not be as intriguing as their two first albums (Gates to Purgatory & Branded and Exiled). The album is still intense and has a lot of heavy riffing. It's filled with melodic guitarplay but you don't have to worry about it, this is not even close to the sissyfied sound of more melodic bands like Edguy or Nightwish. Running Wild kept releasing strong albums through the nineties, but I don't know if I will review any of them here on this site because this is still a thrash metal site but I wanted to review this album because it was their first steps into another sound and style. Don't be narrowminded like I was for many years, give Running Wild a chance now!
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⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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RUNNING WILD - BLACK DEMONS ON STAGE (1985) (Bootleg) (Review by: Tomas Ericson)
"The loudest, hardest, darkest heavy metal band Germany ever borne out...Running Wild!"....The shouted introduction to this concert shows what the deal was back in 1985. I wonder if this would apply to today's Running Wild? Wouldn't think so....Anyway, this live LP just blows me away. I hadn't had very great experiences with live shows from early thrash bands (sound quality-wise), but this record has a loud, clear sound, although the guitars may be a bit too low. The setlist is great (Running Wild hadn't had the time to do lousy records back then!) with the highlights being Diabolic Force, Black Demon (absolutely GREAT performance, better than the studio version), Preacher, Victim of States Power, Fight the Oppression and Branded & Exiled (hmm, only left out 2 songs....but hey, that's the way it is). Rock 'n' Rolf's vocals are rough like they ought to be, and his falsetto is quite amusing.
The backing vocals are great to listen to, the drums are loud and distinct, and there are some funny explosion effects occasionally. It is a tight performance overall. This is the real Running Wild, dark thrash metal at it's best, now forever swept away by the vexed winds of modern power metal.
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⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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RUNNING WILD - BRANDED AND EXILED (1985)
One year after their debut the german speed metallers are back. In 1985 Running wild still flirted with satanism even though the lyrics had been toned down quite significant on Branded and Exiled. Their sound is similar to their debut. The Venom-influences has been turned down a bit here, but still it's some type of darkened speed metal that Running Wild delivers. They later took a more modern german power metal sound, but on this release they where still bad guys. If you like their debut you would probably love this release too.
Catchy thrash/power/heavy metal at its best. Memorable riffs and choruses are Running Wilds strong side. The streaming guitars and Rolf Kaspareks thick german accent has become somewhat of the trademark for Running Wild's sound. Unfortunately after this album they took up their piracy theme and they moved away from their raw Venom-inspired metal. A step in the wrong direction if you ask me, but Running Wild has gained a large following over the years.
Most bands changed their style but only a few did it in the eighties, but it wasn't a sudden change of style, but a sound that matured over the years into something else. So I hope that you aren't afraid of Running wilds early days cause they once where a solid band in the german underground. Branded and Exiled is an incredible follow up to Gates to purgatory.
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⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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RUNNING WILD - HEAVY METAL LIKE A HAMMERBLOW (1984)
All songs except Ghengis Kahn and Soldiers of Hell are taken from their 1983 Demo. The livesongs are also recorded in 1983. Originally this was a demo compilation released by the band itself with a red frontcover. What I have reviewed here is the bootleg LP that later came out, don't know what year it was released though, but the for me it's more important with what year the album was recorded than what year it was released. Anyhow, old Running Wild is one of my favourite bands, with typical heavy metal lyrics, most of them with satanic hints. The music itself is very Running Wild, heavy metal at a higher speed.
The production is amateurish, but what to expect from a demo recording?. A few of these songs ended up on their first two LPs which is by far their best works. I'll only give this album four stars, mostly because the rough production, it sounds like it was recorded right into a tape recorder.
Anyhow so where Running Wild a respected band in the early eighties for their metal that where quite often called thrash metal. Today Running Wild can hardly call themselves a thrash unit. But the deal back in 1983 where different as they where one of the heaviest bands on earth at the time.
Guaranteely without any ridiculous piracy theme, old Running Wild where about satan and dark forces. Just look at the extremely cool frontcover, crosses turned up-side-down!! Some think of it as Childish but I love dark occult metal with an atmosphere to talk about, Metal should be serious! Not dorky like late eighties Anthrax or so. My advice for you is to get yourself their two first LP's. And then you can start collecting stuff, and this LP would not be that hard do find if you search the net. HALLOW THE HELL!!
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⭐⭐⭐⭐
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RUNNING WILD - GATES TO PURGATORY (1984)
In the early eighties Running Wild was signed by the newly started Noise records and soon Running Wild became a flagship for Noise and German metal in general. Way before the band adopted the pirate theme, Running wild had a darker image, inspired by their heroes Venom and Judas Priest they flirted satanism.
Rock'n Rolf's way of playing is so original that the rhythm guitar is really one of a kind in the realm of heavy metal. Another thing that impresses me is the variety and the structures. The production is clear and rough at the same time, nothing to complain about there. Rock 'n Rolfs vocals are rough with a strong german accent. Running Wild wheren't the most brutal band that emerged from the early days of the german extreme metal scene. But Gates to purgatory is a great album that most fans of early eighties extreme metal will fall on their knees for.
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⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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