Artist: Lizzy Borden
Song: Abnormal
Year: 2007
Genre: Heavy Metal
I’ve had a fascination with longstanding, metal shock rockers Lizzy Borden since I was 13 years old. I’m not quite certain what drew me to this band because I never heard a single note before tracking down their debut slab Give ‘Em The Axe. I’m sure Lizzy being a Metal Blade Records band and the fact that they were named after one of the most famous American murderesses initially piqued my interest. Sorry, acquitted murderess; a fact I always forget. Lizzy Borden combined speed and power metal without cementing themselves into either category. They weren’t commercial enough to have a huge “hit” but not always heavy enough ride the recently arrived thrash wave that was gaining momentum at the time. The Brothers Harges (singer and drummer) have maintained this metal powerhouse for 40 years and have consistently surrounded themselves with incredible musicians. This band ALWAYS has blazing guitar players that will often use the Maiden-esque dual guitar lead. Lizzy Borden has the ability to write a musically challenging song without having to make it an epic. The songs are compact and to the point; lacking the more drawn out, European feel most bands assimilate when playing this style. The true make or break point of the band is the vocal performance. Lizzy, the man himself, has an unconventional, sometimes shrill, tone and style. He has a crazy octave range and control and utilizes it all to soar high above the music. This can be a turn off for some listeners. On the other hand, his grasp of melody and the harmonization skills he’s developed are unparalleled in metal; almost a mix of Rob Halford’s reach and Blackie Lawless’ harmonies. His vocals are truly astounding if you can accept them.
For three decades Lizzy and crew have brought their “Murderess Metal Road Show” to the masses, which includes lots of blood, creepy costumes, the occasional decapitation and even the beat down of Santa Claus. To this day I am a gigantic fan of their first two full length albums Love You To Pieces and Menace To Society, but by the late 80s my interest started to wane as each subsequent release didn’t sustain the high standards they set early on, although many will disagree with me and claim 1987’s Visual Lies is the ultimate Borden record. In 2007, Lizzy Borden swung the axe again and hit a blood-spurting bull’s-eye with Appointment With Death. There’s a sinister aura to this record as far as the visual presentation involving the title, artwork to the grim reaper meets “Road Warrior” look of the band. But, more importantly, when I played the first song, “Abnormal,” I was literally shocked by what I was hearing. This album is a return-to-form; mean, aggressive, flawlessly performed and bursting at the seams with every Lizzy Borden trademark that made me love this band so long ago. Like any true heavy metal record should, Appointment With Death seethes and snarls through 11 songs that combine melody and rage perfectly. The songwriting is raw in the places it needs to be and tones it down at the right time to give the whole album quite a varied and lively presence. The more I listened to it, the more I found myself wanting to hear it again…the true sign of a great record!