QUEENSRYCHE – QUEENSRYCHE (EP) – METAL REWIND

L to R: Geoff Tate, Scott Rockenfield, Chris DeGarmo, Eddie Jackson, Michael Wilton

Hey Metalheads, Happy Wednesday. Hope you’re having a great week so far. Today we take a trip back to 1982 to the self-titled EP by Queensrcyhe which was released independently on 206 records and reissued in 1983 by EMI.

When Queensryche, originally called The Mob, were getting ready to go into the studio, they called upon singer Geoff Tate, who was in another band at the time, to sing on their upcoming recording. The band changed their name to Queensryche after “The Mob” was not available and released the EP which received glowing reviews and prompted Tate to leave his current band to join Queensryche full-time.

In support of the EP, Queensryche went out on tour and opened for bands like Quiet Riot and Twisted Sister. They released “Queen of the Reich” as a single and shot a video for the song. The classic lineup for the EP includes Geoff Tate – vocals, Michael Wilton and Chris DeGarmo – guitars, Eddie Jackson – bass and Scott Rockenfield – drums.

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO BELOW FOR “QUEEN OF THE RYCHE”

METAL CHURCH – THE DARK

Happy Wednesday Metalheads. Today, we take a trip back to 1986 to the second album by Metal Church called “The Dark.” This was the last Metal Church album to feature the lineup of  David Wayne – vocals, Kurdt Vanderhoof  and Craig Wells – guitars, Duke Erickson – bass and Kirk Arrington – drums.

Pictures Courtesy of Flickr

The album dedicated to Metallica bassist Cliff Burton focuses on such dark themes as death and struggle. The band’s first music video for “Watch The Children Pray” received substantial airplay on MTV’s Headbangers Ball and the song “Ton of Bricks” was used as the opening song for Charlie Sheen’s 1987 movie ” No Man’s Land.” The track listing for The Dark is as follows:

1. Ton Of Bricks
2. Start The Fire
3. Method To Your Madness
4. Watch The Children Pray
5. Over My Dead Body
6. The Dark
7. Psycho
8. Line Of Death
9. Burial At Sea
10. Western Alliance

In 1998, Metal Church reunited with original singer David Wayne, however their reunion was short-lived when Wayne left the band for the second time in 2001. Sadly he passed away in 2005 due to complications from a car crash. While the band had called it quits in 2009, they reformed in 2012 with singer Ronny Munroe. Ronny however departed in 2014 and the band announced that singer Mike Howe, who sang with the band from 1988-1994 would officially rejoin the band. Currently, Metal Church are getting ready to release a new album this coming December called “Damned If You Do.”

Check out the video for “Watch The Children Pray” below:

CORONER – MASKED JACKAL – METAL REWIND

L to R: Tommy T. Baron, Marquis Marky and Ron Royce

Today we take a trip back to 1988 to a track from Coroner’s second album, “Punishment for Decadence” for the track “Masked Jackal.”

Coroner got their start as roadies for the band Celtic Frost and decided to form their own band. “Punishment for Decadence” showcases Coroner’s progression into more melodic guitar work and song themes about politics and personal introspection.

The video for “Masked Jackal” received substantial airplay on MTV’s Headbanger’s Ball and helped to put Coroner on the map. The band released a few more albums and ended up parting ways in 1996 but reunited almost 15 years later and have plans for a new album this year with a new drummer as original drummer Marquis Marky left the band in 2014.

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO FOR “MASKED JACKAL” BELOW:

LIZZY BORDEN – ME AGAINST THE WORLD – METAL REWIND

Happy Wednesday Metalheads! Hope you’re having a great week so far. Today let’s take a trip back in time to 1987 to the song “Me Against The World” by Lizzy Borden from their “Visual Lies” album. Formed in 1983 in Los Angeles, Lizzy Borden,  who specialize in “shock rock” were one of the prominent bands featured in “The Decline of the Western Civilization 2:  The Metal Years” movie directed by Penelope Spheeris . 

This song is a personal favorite of mine and every single time I listen to it, I get pumped up to fight against any adversity that happens in my life. If I have to fight, then as Lizzy sings “my strength is in my will.” Check out the video for the song and the definite 80’s throwback style.

ME AGAINST THE WORLD

METALLICA – KILL’EM ALL – METAL REWIND

Today we take a trip back to 1983 to the classic first album by Metallica called “Kill ‘Em All” released on Megaforce Records.

The band was planning to name the album “Metal Up Your Ass” with the cover art featuring a toilet bowl and a hand clutching a dagger but was changed after suggestions from Megaforce Records. The new title came about after Cliff Burton said in response to the situation: “Why don’t we just kill ’em all?”

The lineup for “Kill “Em All” includes James Hetfield, Kirk Hammettt, Lars Ulrich and the late Cliff Burton. Dave Mustaine, who was the original guitarist in Metallica received writing credits on four of the songs on the album (“The Four Horsemen” (originally titled “The Mechanix”), “Jump In The Fire”, “Phantom Lord” and “Metal Militia”). The album was ranked number 35 on Rolling Stone’s 1989 list of The 100 Greatest Albums of the ’80s and was listed by Kerrang! magazine at number 29 among the “100 Greatest Heavy Metal Albums of All Time”.

What more can you say but Hit The Lights and Jump In The Fire!!

BRITNY FOX – GIRLSCHOOL

Happy Wednesday Metalheads! Hope you’re having a great week so far. Today we’re going to take a trip back to 1988 to the self-titled debut album by Britny Fox for the track “Girlschool.”

The song received substantial airplay on MTV and was written by then singer “Dizzy” Dean Davidson.  The song, Davidson has said in interviews was inspired by the Paul McCartney and Wings song, “Mull of Kintyre.” The popularity of song and album helped Britny Fox to book opening act slots on tours with Warrant and Poison and the album hit #39 on the Billboard Top 100 chart in 1988.

80’s lingerie/video model Kim Anderson also appears in the video as the main student who is listening to her walkman when she walks into class. Anderson has appeared in several music videos and even guest starred on an episode of “Married…With Children.”

Britny Fox disbanded for awhile in 1992, but reformed with original bassist Billy Childs, Johnny Dee on drums, Chris Sanders – guitar and singer /guitarist Tommy Paris. Their are plans for a new album, but no tour plans at the moment.

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO BELOW FOR GIRLSCHOOL

 

GOTHIC SLAM – WHO DIED AND MADE YOU GOD – METAL REWIND

Today we take a trip back to 1989 to a thrash band from Hoboken, New Jersey called Gothic Slam. Formed in 1984, Gothic Slam released two albums, Killer Instinct on Torrid Records in 1988 and 1989’s Just A Face In The Crowd album on Epic records which included the song “Who Died And Made You God.”

“Who Died And Made You God” was played regularly on MTV’s Headbangers Ball and the band often played the New York/New Jersey area club circuit at many now defunct classic metal clubs including Studio One in NJ,  Streets in New Rochelle, NY and L’amour’s in Brooklyn, NY. The lineup included Daniel Gomez (Vocals), Klaude Ryker (Guitar), Billy Genese (Guitar), J.T. (Bass) and Dave Chavarri (Drums). Gothic Slam had gained respect of many of their peers and fans because they considered themselves kids in the crowd. Although the band broke up, drummer Dave Chavarri who spent time in M.O.D. and Laaz Rockit went on to form Ill Nino in 1998. Singer Daniel Gomez also had a stint in Ill Nino.

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO FOR “WHO DIED AND MADE YOU GOD”

CANDLEMASS – BEWITCHED

Happy Wednesday Metalheads! Hope you’re having a great week so far. Today we’re taking a trip back to 1987 to the second album by Candlemass called “Nightfall” for the track “Bewitched.” This was the first Candlemass album to feature vocalist Messiah Marcolin and is considered one of their best selling albums to date.

The lineup for “Nightfall” includes: Leif Edling – bass, Messiah Marcolin – vocals, Mats Bjorkman and Mike Wead guitars and Jan Lindh – drums.  The cover art of the album is a portrait made by Thomas Cole, the last in his “The Voyage of Life ” series entitled “Old Age.”

The video for “Bewitched” features vocalist Per Yngve Ohlin otherwise known as ‘Dead’ from the Norweigan Black Metal band, Mayhem, who sadly ended up committing suicide in 1991 at age 22. The “Bewitched” video directed by former Bathory drummer Jonas Akerlund helped to propel the band to international status and the album sold over a million copies worldwide.

Check out the song and video below and Messiah’s Doom Mosh!

JEFF HANNEMAN – A BIRTHDAY TRIBUTE – METAL REWIND

Happy Friday Metalheads! Today, we remember Slayer guitarist, Jeff Hannemann, who’s birthday would have been this coming Sunday, but sadly passed away in 2013 at 49 due to liver failure.

Jeffrey John “Jeff” Hanneman met Kerry King in 1981 while auditioning for another band and approached him about playing together and forming their own band. King, who was in agreement with Hanneman, introduced drummer Dave Lombardo to Hanneman and after recruiting bassist/vocalist Tom Araya, Slayer was born. The band often played covers of Iron Maiden and Judas Priest songs at clubs and parties. During a show at the Woodstock Club, Slayer were noticed by Metal Blade Records founder, Brian Slagel, who asked them to record an original song for his Metal Massacre III compilation. The song “Aggressive Perfector” led to a recording contract with Metal Blade Records.

Jeff contributed both musically and lyrically to every Slayer album and wrote the songs “Raining Blood”, “War Ensemble”, “South of Heaven”, “Seasons in the Abyss” and “Angel of Death.” Jeff was a huge fan of early heavy metal and punk music and sported a DK (Dead Kennedys) symbol, as well as the likeness of Sex Pistols singer Johnny Rotten on his guitar. ESP also released a signature Jeff Hanneman model guitar, based on his Jackson Soloist. In 2011, Jeff had contracted necrotizing fasciitis which forced him to take a hiatus from Slayer and while the band had announced that he had recovered from the disease, he was still not well enough to return to Slayer. His death sent shockwaves through the metal community and changed the face of metal forever.

As a longtime Slayer fan who grew up in the 80’s when I first heard Slayer I was hooked. The first time I heard “Show No Mercy” and “Chemical Warfare”, there was no doubt in my mind that Slayer would achieve the success they have attained and beyond. If you went to any metal club, you would hear “SLAYER” chanted at least once or twice during the night and Slayer shows always have some very intense mosh pits. Rest in peace Jeff, you left us way too soon and the legacy you left the metal world will live on forever!!

CHECK OUT SLAYER FROM STUDIO 54 IN NYC ON THE COMBAT TOUR FROM 1985

LEE AARON – METAL QUEEN – METAL REWIND

Photos Courtesy of Kerrang and Wikipedia

Happy Wednesday Metalheads! Hope you’re having a great week so far. Today we take a trip back to 1984 to a song off the album of the same name, Metal Queen by Canadian singer Lee Aaron.

The album resulted in a multi-album contract with Attic Records which resulted in Aaron forming an 11 year song writing relationship with her guitarist, John Albani. The album spent two weeks at #69 on the RPM Canadian Album chart and Aaron toured non-stop between 1984 and 1992.

After a few projects that didn’t take off, Aaron switched to jazz but has been playing both rock and jazz shows ever since including a return performance in 2011 at the Sweden Rock Festival.

Aaron released her first all-rock album “Fire and Gasoline” in 2016, 20 years after her last hard rock/metal album. The album was self-financed on her Big Sister Records label and she has made appearances at several European shows in Germany and London to name a few. Her latest album released earlier this year “Diamond Baby Blues” showcases her rock side mixed with blues to once again prove the “Metal Queen” hasn’t skipped a beat.

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO BELOW FOR “METAL QUEEN”