Metal Massacre III - 1983
1. Slayer - "Aggressive Perfector": Another band that shows you just how influential this series, Metal Blade Records, and California metal in general were back then. They got ****ing Slayer for Christ's sake, after which they got to release their debut album. And of course it's a bitchin' Slayer song. It's ****ing Slayer.
2. Bitch - "Riding In thunder": Couldn't find this song on the Tube so I had to go for the album version. I kinda couldn't have cared less for this band's song from the first Metal Massacre, but this is a vast improvement. And by that I mean it has a bitchin' riff. I guess they're kinda like
Shout at the Devil-era Motley Crue. The chick singing is growing on me. I wouldn't say she's the most versatile singer ever, but she brings an energy that goes well with the music. I get the feeling that she was as much eye candy as she was a singer though since apparently their stage shows were rather...S&M-ish.
3. Tyrant - "Armageddon": I'm pretty sure that Jag Panzer was originally called Tryant, but had to change their name because of this band. So I kind of want to hate them out of spite, but I can't. Tyrant rule. Maiden-ish heavy metal with some badass chugging riffs and a double-helping of cheese. Their vocalist has goes from a growl (think a not quite as ugly version of Tom Araya from
Show No Mercy) to an ear-piercing shriek without a hint of class or intelligence and the lyrics appear to be about the final battle of Armageddon. Pretty ****ing Epic indeed. The Batlord is vaguely smitten. Along with 3rd Stage Alert this is one of the bands I want to explore the most after all this.
4. Medusa - "Piranhas": Had to use a demo for this one, and boy does that production suck. The ****ey prod can't hide the energy of the proto-thrash on display though. These guys are kickin' some ass. Now I gotta check to see if these guys have an actual album...nope. Oddly enough though they have a previously unreleased EP that was put out in 2010. Need it.
5. Test Pattern - "Bite the Knife": I think I'm hearing the evolution of metal on this disc. Already the tone is getting harder, heavier, and faster over the space of these three albums and this band is an example of this. Definitely close to trad metal, but the hardcore influence is starting to rear its ugly head with the riffing and especially the vocals. I'm curious just how fast this progression will become over the later comps. Cool song BTW.
6. Black Widow - "Blitzkrieg": The ****? Was that just an instrumental? I can't tell cause I was busy mocking DJ for wearing an owl onesie. Yup. Instrumental. Was okay.
7. Warlord - "Mrs. Victoria": How is it possible for a Christian metal band to make a song that sounds evil? More top notch epic heavy metal from this band. I'm really starting to love these guys.
8. Virgin Steele - "Let's Go All the Way": THE ****?! I know what Virgin Steele sound like. This...I don't know what the **** this is. This sounds like UFO had a love child with Deep Purple and stole a car while I stared on incredulously with my now useless keys in my hand. Cool song BTW. Now I just have to figure out if this is Virgin Steele or if it was misnamed. Even the Youtube comments are useless. They just ramble on about weddings and selling RV's and somebody who is not Buffy the Vampire Slayer who might actually be called Buffy.
9. Sexist - "Fire and Wind": Pretty standard heavy metal.
10. Znowhite - "Hellbent": Sounds like somebody had listened to Metallica before. These guys (and girl singer) definitely have that primitive speed metal mixed with hardcore thing down. They don't have a whole lot more going for them, but I'm still entertained.
11. Marauder - "The Kid": I can't tell if there's a cowbell going on or if they just have ****ty production. Well, if not they still have ****ty production. And to make it worse the guitar is coming out of the left speaker and the drums from the right. Dude...what? They're alright, but not alright enough to make me want to put up with this.
12. La Mort - "Fist and Chain": Trad metal. Can't really be arsed (love British slang) to say anything else.