I'm finally getting around to releasing some articles again, and it feels good. This will be the first of the Retro Reviews, focusing on older albums and leaving the New Releases as their own things. This time, we're definitely getting into some classics, and while they may not have been incredible, they all had their stamp on rock and metal for their time.
Declaring herself to be metal royalty might be pretty bold, especially with Lita Ford and Doro probably being better known, but maybe it's one of those first-come-first-serve things. In any case, this Canadian rocker sought to plant her flag in the growing metal scene of the 80s with this album and succeeded to some degree. I admit I didn't know what I was getting into with this, as I checked it out kind of on a whim, but it turned out to be a pretty nice, if average, chunk of radio-friendly metal.
It's biggest problem is that the songwriting is kind of generic, with lots of metal clichés, and a big, poppy production much like the glam metal of the day. The guitar work is solid, but nothing really outstanding. The album really does hang on Lee Aaron's vocals, and fortunately, she's pretty good. She's got a nice bit of grit, and has this Dio style of reaching for those epic notes and wails. "Lady of the Darkest Night" and "Deceiver" are solid rockers, while "Got to Be the One" and "Steal Away Your Love" have a slower, more dramatic feel. However, "Shake It Up" is pretty cheesy, trying to be a danceable metal song, and the closer "We Will Be Rockin' " isn't much better. While I've definitely heard worse from the decade, and it certainly has its charm, it's hard to feel like this isn't much more than a novelty at best.
Motorhead is one of those bands that was really influential, but never really got a ton of attention or massive success like their contemporaries. While I've enjoyed some of their songs, I admit I haven't spent much time with their albums. So here I am, picking up their third, as I've listened to the first two before. Unsurprisingly, it's a pretty consistent chunk of rock and metal, though it does have a few rough spots.
The album starts off well with "Dead Men Tell No Tales," an anti-drug song that has some good energy and chugging. However, the album kinda drags after that. The songs aren't bad, but they don't really have much beyond the Motörhead grit. Things pick up again with "Stone Dead Forever," featuring a fun rock jam at the end, "Step Down" is a mean bluesy piece with guitarist Eddie Clark doing the singing, and "Bomber" is an energetic rocker that closes the album well. Motörhead really does have their distinct style, one they've never felt the need for change. Basically, what I'm saying is that you know what you'll get with this band when you pick up one of their albums (much like with AC/DC), and there's something to be said for a band that's honest with itself and its fans.
Going from their latest to their first is quite the jump, I must say! However, in an effort to flesh out my Anniversary Article from last month, I figured I should check out some classic NWOBHM metal. While I've enjoyed Saxon's stuff here and there, I have never checked out their debut. While it's a little rough around the edges, and has a stronger 70s rock vibe, the band definitely started off well with some catchy songs.
Things start off well with "Rainbow Theme" being an instrumental start to "Frozen Rainbow," an epic that teases the grandeur the band would reach for throughout their career. However, the rest of the album is definitely more rock 'n' roll focused, with plenty of 70s energy. "Big Teaser" and "Still Fit to Boogie" fall into a kind of AC/DC, party rock vibes, "Judgement Day" has some solid riffing, and "Militia Guard" ends on another epic, though it's weirdly upbeat for the tragic story it's telling. Biff Byford's singing is iconic from the start, despite how young he sounds here, and the rest of the band were clearly ready to push themselves into the new wave of metal they were in.
While it may not be a strong album (and quite short at under 30 minutes!), looking back on it now, it's hard not to see it representing the shift in rock music at the time. Still retaining the bluesiness of the 70s, but stepping into the chugging metal of the 80s, it's very much a time capsule of what was going on and where things would be going. On its own, it's a solid collection of rock songs
I'm gonna try and step things up more for this blog, as there are a lot of albums I want to listen to, especially classic ones, so keep an eye out for more of these Retro Reviews. I've got another Anniversary Article coming at the end of this month, featuring one of my favorite years for rock and metal. Until then, rock on! \m/
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