Plankton

For Z, try these guys out for size:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoetrope_(band)


zoetrope - Detention - YouTube

They have some full albums on youtube too.

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Trollheart

Killers --- Iron Maiden --- 1981 (EMI)

Now this was an album sleeve that scared me when I was younger. Well it would, wouldn't it? Look at the snarly face of Eddie on the cover, bloody axe in his hand, no sign of remorse, pity or even motive on his skeletal face, the despairing hands of his victim gripping his shirt as their owner slides to the ground in a pool of blood. If you want a nightmare that evokes the worst fears of walking home alone through a bad neighbourhood at night, this comes pretty darn close. But looking at the sleeve, I'd always imagined the music within to be equally scary, raw, evil even. I had at the time no idea who or what Iron Maiden were, to the extent (don't laugh) that I thought Eddie was called "the iron maiden" --- yeah, I thought he was a bird. Well, he has long hair hasn't he, and I'm sure we've all dated worse. No? Just me then.

Anyhow, after the revelation that was "The number of the Beast" I immediately began to backtrack and of course this being the album prior to that chartbusting success it was the first one I lighted on. Truth to tell, there were only two, as I bought NOTB when it came out, so had only the two prior albums to sink my suddenly hungry teeth into. I did of course buy the debut, and as mentioned elsewhere I have already reviewed that, but compared to "Killers" it's a big disappointment. "Killers" was I think where Maiden began to grow up and mature as a band, the first signs of what they could be evident in some of the songs here, and whereas "Iron Maiden" had been a raw, primordial but somewhat confused debut, their second outing showed them coming out of the traps guns blazing, with much tighter songwriting, a clear image and of course, far better production, this being the first album that the legendary Martin Birch worked on with them.

It's also the first time we hear Adrian Smith , as he had not been there for the debut, and the album is written almost exclusively solo by Steve Harris, Paul Di'Anno only contributing to the writing of the title track. And of course, as all Maiden fans know, speaking of Di'Anno, this would be the last album to feature him as vocalist. After "Killers", arguments over substance abuse would lead to his being asked to leave the band, to be replaced by Bruce Dickinson, who would take the band to the top of the world, where they remain to this day, one of the most loved and respected, and successful, Heavy Metal bands on the planet.

Maiden have never been ones for instrumentals, so it's perhaps odd that this album features not one but two, the opener being the first, as "The ides of March" sets the scene for the first real track, "Wrathchild", which had appeared on various EPs and demos as well as metal compilation albums such as "Metal for muthas". Steve Harris's iconic basswork opens the track then the twin guitar attack that was to go on to become the trademark of this band changes the whole shape of the songs, and though I was never a fan of his, I will admit Di'Anno does a great job throughout this album. His growling, snarling vocal is just the right side of menace that a song like this, and indeed those that follow, requires. It trundles along nicely, not breakneck speed or anything like it, but then Maiden would never really go down the speed metal route, and while they undeniably wrote fast songs, it was never the most important thing to them.

Dipping into Harris's love of literature and horror, "Murders in the Rue Morgue" is loosely based on the Edgar Allan Poe story, and starts off with a deceptively gentle guitar intro, that slowly turns up to become something of an introductory solo before the whole thing takes off, and this time speed is the thing. The closest to the punk immediacy of the debut, it's a machine-gun fast vocal delivery from Di'Anno, with to his credit completely understandable lyric, while Clive Burr bashes out the drums with manic fury. The partnership between Dave Murray and the new guy really starts to shine here, as they trade licks on the solo, a sound that would become ingrained in Iron Maiden lore and make of both of them legends on the scene.

For a four-minute song it goes by pretty quickly, possibly due to the punkish style of the vocal, and we're into a full-on fretfest to mark the opening of the considerably slower "Another life" with a kind of almost echoing vocal from Paul. This has never been one of my favourite tracks on the album, though I love "Killers" and there's really nothing on the album I don't like. There are no weak tracks, but if there are some less strong and powerful than others, I'd put "Another life" in that category. Great build-up guitar work halfway through as the song really speeds up and then kicking into a searing solo to take it to the final verse and a big screaming guitar ending into the second instrumental. "Genghis Khan" has a sense of, not really that surprisingly, military march in its beat, and of course it's a real chance for Adrian Smith and Dave Murray to show off their guitar chops and further cement the partnership between them that would only be to Maiden's advantage as they went on to take on the world a year later.

Of course, we should not forget Steve, who works his bass like it's an actual six-stringed guitar, and makes it do things perhaps only Phil Lynott or Gene Simmons could do. And the whole thing is as ever driven by the steady, no-nonsense drumming of Clive Burr. Another big guitar opening with Harris massaging his bass like a lover to kick off "Innocent exile", which runs along with a kind of strut/boogie sound, but again it's one of those tracks I'm not overly fond of. With a title like "Killers" it'll come as no surprise that many of the songs concern murder and killing, and this is no exception, with a great Texas boogie style guitar break and some fine riffing from the boys. Di'Anno gets to do his thing too, with a big, tonsil-searing scream to end the song.

The title track is up next, and it's certainly one of my favourite tracks on the album, and in my top ten favourite Maiden songs. The ony one co-written with anyone, Harris is helped out by Di'Anno on this. His urgent bass accompanies shouting and yelling from his co-writer, who then drops about an octave to a menacing, gutteral snarl as the vocal proper begins. With screeching, scratching guitar painting the backdrop, Di'Anno warns of a madman on the loose who will kill without mercy --- "A footstep behind you/ He lunges, prepared for attack!" The drumbeat from Burr helps make this song into a classic, trundling along at just the right speed, like a frightened heartbeat, but to be fair it's really Di'Anno who takes the prize, his persona of the mad killer --- of course it turns out he's talking about himself in the song: "He walks in the subway/ My eyes burn a hole in your back" --- perhaps meant to be schizophrenic or maybe a Jeckyll and Hyde deal, I don't know. It's a powerful song, and certainly deserves to be the title track.

"Killers" is a relatively fast song, thundering along like the retreating, desperate footsteps of the quarry who tries to get away, and in some ways can be seen as a sequel to the title of the debut, but what follows is pure ballad, and a rarity at that. There aren't many Iron Maiden ballads, and after "Strange world" on the debut and this, there won't be another really until "Journeyman", over twenty years later. It's always nice to see how a metal band cope with a ballad, and I'm glad to see they didn't go down the acoustic route, with Smith and Murray showing they can tone it back as easily as they rock it out, and providing a very calming but still heavy backdrop to a really superb vocal from Di'Anno, who really shines on this song.

Fantastic laidback solo on the halfway point, and I think both of the guys take half of it, and really, from the title track to the end there isn't anything to complain about. Like many albums, this has its cutoff point but perhaps uniquely or certainly unusually, it's only in the second half that the album, for me, really gets going and the boys show what they're capable of. "Purgatory" is another rip-roaring rocker, kicking everything back up to ten as the guys head towards the big finish, Clive Burr putting in a fine performance that must have wrecked his arms, and another rapid-fire vocal from Di'Anno with I guess an unintentional message in the lyric as he sings "Please take me away/ So far away!"

And that would have been a decent closer, but Maiden aren't happy with that, so they pull out all the stops and bring the curtain down with a roar of flame and a cloud of smoke as "Drifter" punches its way in, rolling, whining guitars setting up the soundscape as Paul yells "Rock and roll! Yeah!" and the album finishes on a high, the energy practically leaking out of the grooves (you'll forgive an old guy: I bought this on vinyl, remember) and a super hook --- "Gonna sing my song/ And it can't go wrong!" It certainly could not. Sweet little slick solo from one or other of the guys slows the song slightly down before on a mounting scale it rises back up to the speed of the opening, Burr helping usher back in the proper tempo as Di'Anno stands side by side with Harris, Smith and Murray as they go for it, squeezing out every inch of passion and fervour till the song finally end on a high, screeched vocal from Di'Anno, and you feel drained as the last notes fade away. Now that's how to end an album!

TRACKLISTING

1. The ides of March
2. Wrathchild
3. Murders in the Rue Morgue
4. Another life
5. Genghis Khan
6. Innocent exile
7. Killers
8. Prodigal son
9. Purgatory
10. Drifter

Now, before anyone cracks their fingers before the keyboard in preparation for the comment, let me just point out again that I bought this on vinyl and at the time that was the tracklisting. I know that "Twilight zone" was added to later releases, but to me it was and never will be part of the album. I heard it in a twelve-inch single B-side, and that's how I know it. How it fits into the flow of the album for other people I don't know, but I'm intimately acquainted with this album and I know how I expect it to go, and for me there's no room for "Twilight zone", so sue me.

You can see from the talent evident on this album that this was not a band who were going to fade away. Okay, there are no really commercial songs on "Killers", no hit singles and I suppose the mostly darker nature of much of the songwriting would have precluded it from doing well in the charts or on radio. But there was no doubt, I expect, listening to that album in 1981 --- unlike me, who heard it afterwards --- that something great, immense, powerful and altogether unstoppable was coming. This was a monster being born, a wonderful, terrifying, awe-inspiring monster, and to quote WB Yeats, it was beginning to slouch towards Bethlehem to be born.

A year later, its birth cries would ring out across the country, and then the world, and indeed, a terrible, incredible and legendary beauty would be born. And the world would never again be quite the same.

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Trollheart

All good things....

And so we finally come to the end of Metal Month. I must say, I don't know about you but I'm drained, but happily so. This has been a gargantuan task involving a shitload of work, research, reviewing, listening, learning and in many cases cowering. I've learned there are bands I will never ever listen to again, but I've also been often surprised by how I've taken to others. If, as I said at the beginning of the month, I didn't feature your favourite album, band or both, forgive me, but there's only so much I can squeeze into thirty-one days.

A special note of thanks to the mods, who, despite my constant whinging in various threads, have overall done a stupendous job approving my many daily posts. Without your help, guys and girls, this would not have been possible, so I owe you all a debt of gratitude and I doff my cap towards you. Well, I would if I wore a cap. You get the idea. From here on in you can relax a little as regards my updates, as things begin to return a little to normal. Thanks again, and sorry if I was at times a little over-critical of your efforts.

And so, as the last notes fade into the night, the crowd begin to shuffle home, realising there will be no fourth encore, as the last guitar is packed away and the big rigs rev up, and roadies swarm all over the stage area like busy, leather-jacketed ants, we bid you farewell from Metal Month. We hope you enjoyed it; if you are a Metalhead we hope you got a kick out of it, if you weren't then we hope you are now, or have at least gained some appreciation for this wonderful music. If you're someone who hates metal with every fibre of your being (boo!) then we apologise for leaving you waiting all through October, but the doors are open again and you can safely re-enter the premises.

Thanks to all who commented, to all who read. Thanks in particular to The Batlord for his contributions and to Unknown Soldier for trying to point out where I fell down, when I did. Your input has been invaluable guys!

And now, it's time for me to climb into that stretch limo --- okay okay! Head for the bus! --- and wend my weary way home. The Playlist of Life returns to normal from tomorrow, when we will be featuring something as far removed from Heavy Metal as it is possible to be.

Of course Heavy Metal will never die, but for now it's just been moved into a room a little further away, where it can shred and scream and thunder and rock happily away to itself, a room we will most assuredly be visiting again from time to time. But for now, let's just close the door gently and open another one...

See ya tomorrow!

has concluded. Thank you for your custom.

"Metal Month" is a production of The Playlist of Life
Copyright (c) Trollheart MMIII. All rights reserved.
No Metalheads were harmed during the making of this feature (though my ears may very well have been on occasion!)

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Unknown Soldier

How about some stats like how many albums you actually reviewed and listing the best to the worst out of all the albums that you reviewed, which would make a good listening list to anybody glancing at the 'metal month' section.

Anyway 'metal month' needs a closing theme song and none come any better than this.

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Metal Wars

Power Metal

Pounding Decibels- A Hard and Heavy History

Trollheart

After a month of posting metal albums and videos, and two months prior to that researching, reviewing and listening for Metal Month, I’m about all metalled out, so am ready for something of a change. Bit of a rest, as they say, so I’d like to turn in a totally different direction. Of course, I do love heavy metal and it will always form a vital and important part of my journals, but right now I’m ready to listen to something other than screaming guitars, thumping drums and singers who growl howl or shriek. So, to borrow an image idea from The Batlord…


I have never been a fan of electronic music, as most of you know, though I’m beginning to make small inroads into a genre I had never really thought I would be interested in. When I were a lad, bands like Human League, Heaven 17, Pet Shop Boys and Fiction Factory were all treated with equal disdain by me, who was a long-haired rocker and metaller, and as a workmate labelled these outfits, as “puff bands”. I had neither the desire nor the interest in exploring their music. I still don’t really, but when I heard about this album I thought I’d give it a go, for novelty value if nothing else.

All I know of Visage is encapsulated in one track --- well, two, but mostly “Fade to grey”. Everyone my age knows that, and it for me typified what these sort of new romantic/electronic/”puff bands” were all about: droning, soulless, lifeless drivel that made you want to slash your wrists and just depressed the hell out of you. It seems they have had something of an interesting career though.

Hearts and knives --- Visage --- 2013 (Blitz Ckub)

Strictly speaking, we’re talking about Visage Mk II here. Seems the original band, of whom the mighty Midge Ure was once a member, split back in 1985, after their third album, released the previous year, bombed in every way. Steve Strange, founder of the band, hung around with various projects but eventually got the band back together, so to speak, in 2004 but no new material surfaced until 2007, and that only one track. So this is only their fourth album, with a gap of just short of thirty years between this and the last one. That has to be the longest any band has left their fans waiting. I mentioned the delay between Helloween’s “Keeper of the seven keys” parts two and three, as it were, but that was nothing compared to this.

And it’s not the same band. Strange is there, of course, but longtime founder members Rusty Egan and the man who later found fame with Ultravox and of course Live Aid is nowhere to be seen either. Essentially this is a new band, formed by Strange under the Visage name, so whether we can expect a radical departure from the downbeat electro of their eighties music or not I don’t know, but I intend to find out. Of course, the whole scene has changed now; electronic music is still popular certainly, in some ways even moreso than when Steve and the boys trod the boards. But it has undergone something of a revolution and is barely recognisable from the likes of Ultravox, Depeche Mode and Bronskibeat, who commanded the charts and ruled the radio airwaves back then.

It’s a boppy, uptempo beginning that puts me more in mind of Human League or Ultravox really to get us underway as “Never enough” announces the rebirth of Visage. And it’s not half bad. Definite shades of Phil Oakey here. Interesting that there’s quite a lot of guitar, though in fairness there are a total of five keyboard players used on the album, so it’s very much keys and synth-oriented, but then you’d expect that. It’s almost a return to the heyday of the New Romantic period in the 1980s; certainly a lot of restrained energy and while it’s hardly rock and roll, I could see people dancing to this. Good start.

Strange is in good voice for a man who hasn’t sung in a band since 2007, and yet I can’t shake the comparison to the Human League frontman. Maybe they just all sounded the same? This similarity in singing style continues into “Shameless fashion”, where the synths take control more, especially the synth bass so recognisable from the music of that period. It’s still relatively uptempo though, and there is a decent guitar solo in the song. Interesting to see Visage kind of mock themselves, or at least the clothing fad at the time. A little slower then is “She’s electric (Coming around) with some nice backing vocals, mostly courtesy of Lauren Duvall. Little keyboard riff there right out of Tubeway Army, and we’re into “Hidden sign” with a nice funky bassline and the tempo rising again. Very synth-centric again. A spoken vocal section brings to mind Neil Tennant’s work with the Pet Shop Boys and again there are nice backing vox from Duvall.

“On we go”. No, that’s not me saying on we go, though on we do go. It’s the title of the next track, and it has a nice sort of atmospheric, almost organ sound reminiscent of Kraftwerk and a big dark bassy synth carrying the tune in a somewhat ominous vein. Could very well be an instrumental, as we’re halfway through the song’s four minutes and so far no --- ah no wait. There’s the vocal now. Very slow and almost menacing as the deep bassy synth propels the track, with another, almost vocal synth adding its own flavour to the tune. Probably the bleakest track so far on an album I expected to be fairly downbeat, and which so far has not really been. Though again I admit I know little of Visage’s work; “Fade to grey” may not have been typical of them.

Something like cello or violin, probably synth-based, opens “Dreamer I know”, the dark mood dispelled as the pop sensibility returns to the album, and it could almost be Johnny Hates Jazz or Curiosity Killed the Cat, or any of another hundred eighties pop bands; bit bland really and probably my least favourite track so far. Yeah, but it does make my toes tap, have to admit. “Lost in static” has another nice atmospheric, almost ambient introduction, some soft piano ushering in the bass as the song gets going, tripping along nicely. Squelchy, bassy synth then takes control as the vocal comes in, and Strange is more subdued here, though truth to tell this is not the sort of music where you hear too much in the way of passion: a little mechanised, a little synthetic, a little --- well, let’s be honest: a little soulless.

“I am watching” is not a lot better: very generic by-the-numbers electropop I feel, sort of mid-paced but not a lot to make me remember it. The rhythm almost puts me in mind of the dreaded Stock, Aitken and Waterman, though I wouldn’t be that disrespectful to any band as to link them with the awful Hit Factory. Still, it’s close. “Diaries of a madman” is in fact the one track that presaged the return of Visage, the one Steve Strange recorded way back in 2007, and so is the oldest song on this album. Nice guitar intro, but then it descends into very much a Human League rip-off song; I could hear this on “Dare”. The album then ends on a low-key ballad, not at all bad, with a nice soft texture and a smooth line flowing through it.

TRACKLISTING

1. Never enough
2. Shameless fashion
3. She’s electric (Coming around)
4. Hidden sign
5. On we go
6. Dreamer I know
7. Lost in static
8. I am watching
9. Diaries of a madman
10. Breathe life

Yeah, definitely not for me. I’m sure Visage’s fans, waiting for three decades for a new album will be delighted with it, and it will probably do well overall. But it’s not my kind of music. Echoing the dislike I had for electronic pop music back when I was young, this comes across as sterile, dull and pretty lifeless. There’s no doubt they’re good at what they do, all accomplished musicians and Steve Strange is a good singer, but there’s nothing here that excites or even vaguely interests me. I may be looking somewhat guiltily in the direction of electronica, thinking I haven’t exactly given it a fair shake down the years, and be searching for bands I can enjoy, but Visage won’t be one of them.

Unfortunately, a review that has to consist more of knives than hearts, I’m sorry to say.

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Trollheart

No. I've done enough work on this now, Stick a fork in it, it's done as they say. If people really want to see at a glance what I liked and didn't like they can run their eyes over the rating icons on each album.

Metal Month is over, Julian. It's over. Just accept it and let it go...

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Unknown Soldier

Oh **** I never saw that you had added a ratings system, now I'm going to go through them all.

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Metal Wars

Power Metal

Pounding Decibels- A Hard and Heavy History

The Batlord

Wait a minute. Whatever happened to the Carcass review?

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Powerstars

Hey Trollheart, you willing to look at The Killers? They're new wavy, '80s inspired rock. I reccomend Hot Fuss, their debut, which should be on Spotify if you're interested.

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Trollheart

I was going to laugh at you and say you really should stop masturbating, Batty but instead WHERE THE FUCK IS MY CARCASS REVIEW?? I put it up, I saw it be posted and now it's gone, so far as I can see!!! I now have to check if other albums have also disappeared!

Mods, can you please see if something weird has happened or if someone has deleted entries from my journal, deliberately or accidentally? Thanks!

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Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018