Album:
Thundersteel
Year:
1988
Genre:
Power Metal / Speed Metal
Riot
stepped it up big in 1988. Their addictive, surgically precise power /
speed metal combination was in full force and was easily as good as any of the
bigger acts of the era. Seriously, go ahead and compare this record to
what Priest, Maiden, Queesnryche or any of the mainstays were putting out in
1988. I think you’ll find this record should have been huge as it can
easily hang with the aforementioned bands.
Thundersteel lies somewhere between Armored Saint, Helloween and Painkiller-era
Judas Prest in playing and power. It
seems a changing of the guard at vocals, bass and drums kicked guitarist extraordinaire
Mark Reale into a high gear that this band never performed at previously. Every aspect of the band became more intense
and purposeful. It's the kind of album that would have Manowar sniveling in a corner wondering what they're doing wrong. Although not exactly
radio friendly, this type of metal was gigantic at that time and should have
dominated media opportunities like Metal Shop and Headbangers Ball. Not everyone was flocking toward glam or
thrash which ruled the day. True metal
has always had its audience, yet even with major label backing, Riot, and this
album, garnered second class citizen status behind the larger bands of the
time. A damn shame because this is a
bulletproof metal record. Riot has
persevered throughout the years, but has never come close to writing another classic
like this one.
Listen to "Thundersteel" here.
No comments:
Post a Comment