Members' Top Ten Lists
Continuing Plankton's selction, on we go to number
6
where we find the first album on this list I have never heard before.
Metal Church --- Metal Church --- 1984
Starts off with a very Black Metal-style incantation, then breaks into a normal metal riff and really rocks out. This is the debut album from Metal Church. Released on the cusp of the NWOBHM and taking some of the elements of that and also the burgeoning American metal scene, which was just really getting properly started. Hints of Dio in here too. Pretty much old-school metal, the kind you don't hear too much these days, with all these subgenres and people getting up themselves.
Like the pullback from full-ahead metal in “God of wrath”, has a lot of early Rush in it, and shows Metal Church can tone it back when they need to. Sort of a progressive metal feel to it; actually reminds me of Marillion in places. When it kicks up into a power rocker it's something of a shock, but a pleasant one. “Hitman” pulls no punches, while “In the blood” has a slightly more rocking, boogie beat, treading a little close to the AOR line though never stepping over it. The vocal edges over almost into death metal territory at times, most notably in “(My favourite) nightmare”, at which point it almost becomes comical, but Metal Church have definitely the chops to make you forget that and carry on enjoying tracks like the power metal of “Batallions” and the close, a pretty cool version of Purple's classic “Highway star”.
All the way back to 1971 then for another classic, and another album I have already reviewed
At number
5
Master of reality --- Black Sabbath --- 1971
One of the classic albums from the Ozzy years, “Master of Reality” still stands as one of their best and most loved albums, with a timeless quality that has endured through over forty years now, and probably will for another forty or more. I have reviewed this extensively in my journal already, so will just leave it at that.
It was probably inevitable that Plankton would choose a Metallica album somwhere for his list, adn at number
4
he’s gone for
Ride the lightning --- Metallica --- 1984
For a moment, as Metallica's second album opens, I think I've accidentally put on Dio's “Last in line”, but then that familiar guitar assault explodes out of the speakers as “Fight fire with fire” begins, and we're off! The title track lives up to its name, belting along and has one of those descending chord progressions (is it?) that I love to hear when guitar solos are played. Grinds down a little with “For whom the bell tolls” --- I can kind of understand Hetfield's vocals better on this one. “Fade to black” may just be the best Metallica song I have ever heard, although I admit I have not heard all that much. But I love everthing about this one. Superb.
Interestingly, the closing riff on “Creeping death” bears a marked resemblance to Maiden's “Powerslave”, and this album was out a year before that one. Hmm. Well I'm always gonna stick up for my boys, so let's just chalk it up to coincidence. Anyway, those Egyptian-style riffs have been cropping up in songs for years. Love “Call of Ktulu”, the closer. So atmospheric, eerie and conjures up just the right feel for one of Lovecraft's terrifying stories. Great way to end the album.
Even though only two years in existence and with two albums under their belts, here we see Metallica already showing the young 'uns --- and some of the established acts --- how it's done. Terrific stuff.