THOR, BLOODY SIX - IN THE NAME..., BREAKER - DEAD RIDE, HOLLAND - EARLY WARNING

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5  Bundle Bonanza - Recommended by Tony Danza.

THOR - LET THE BLOOD RUN RED (12" Red Vinyl ....COOL!) (Ultra Noise, 1984)

A-Side: Let The Blood Run Red (Long Version)

B-Side: When Gods Collide

Condition: Near Mint

Catalog #: 12ION 165

~ The classic and cheesy (but good) musclebound metal by Thor! Thor are a Canadian heavy metal band who are fronted by ex-bodybuilder and former Mr. Canada and Mr. USA Jon Mikl Thor. Firstly, each song here is headbangably cheesy, great, and memorable. Secondly, many of the songs here have an extra layer of subtle, yet effective keyboard playing and synth textures.

Fist-punching and riff-chugging 80’s metal sing alongs with that distinctive and cheesy Thor feel!

Great and classic slice of 80’s metal cheese that I’d say is up there with some of the best metal albums produced at that time, so if you dig memorable, masculine, and subtle synth-ribbed metal, this is a must have.

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THOR - THUNDER ON THE TUNDRA (12") (Ultra Noise, 1984)

A-Side: Thunder On The Tundra (Extended Version)

B-Side: Hot Flames

Condition: Near Mint

Catalog #: 12ION 168

There's Thunder on the Tundra
There's Giants across the Land
There's Thunder on the Tundra
There's Giants across the Land

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BLOODY SIX - IN THE NAME OF BLOOD (Mausoleum Records, 1985)

1. Starchaser

2. High Class n' Wild

3. Let It Burn

4. Cold Winds Blow

5. Fuck the Nation

6. Rough Stuff

7. Black Eagle

8. Way of the Hunter

9. The End of the World

Condition: Near Mint

Catalog #: SKULL LP 8390

~ Accept were a band that had a far reaching influence on music, not only in their native Germany, but particularly in countries like Belgium, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. This doesn’t mean necessarily that anything that can draw a comparison with those lords of Germanic speed metal is necessarily a carbon-copy of the band, as Accept didn’t really ‘invent’ that much, and what they did ‘invent’ wasn’t out of nowhere; a little band called Judas Priest had to be considered along with the ‘oft forgot’ German outfit Scorpions. Accept-like is a term that is sometimes accurately used to describe the sound of those who discretely imitate the sound of Udo and co, with very little other touches present, and is also used to describe songs or bands that have a sound that ‘be compare to’ Accept. Here it’s sort of a blending of the two meanings, with timing, geographical location and sounds other influences being taken into consideration. If you hadn’t got what I’m driving at; Bloody Six were a somewhat Accept-inspired Swiss act, with tinges of distinction.

This album (yet another classic released the year of my birth) is a pretty solid no-nonsense affair with it’s biggest ‘downfall?’ being its overly Acceptish sound, which sometimes is great, and at others is annoying (for an example of the latter, see the track ‘Rough Stuff). Metal inbreeding in the small, often forgotten Swiss scene sees the addition of Krokus staffer Peter McTanner on vocals – which is a good personnel choice coz the vocals on this one stand out, when not being too Udo imperson-like. On this release you’ve got a pretty heavy sound that sounds like early-mid 80’s Accept, with good production.

There’s some weird great sing along songs like ‘Fuck the Nation’. The incredibly heavy ‘Way of the Hunter’ is a f**king top-notch track though, that any fan of traditional metal should appreciate. Your double-pace bass drums are present here, along with an all round heaviness in the riffs and vocals that is pretty magical – a definite high point in this one.

‘Cold Wind Blows’ is a slower number with acoustic guitar and reflective lyrics. ‘Let it Burn’ is a confrontational, rebellious number with a definite Screaming for Vengeance/Ram it Down feel. This Priest like quality is helped a long by the good use of self harmonised touches in the vocals. This song would’ve made a pretty good single – sampling the bands sound nicely, being one of the strongest tracks and showing of some punchy Germanic riffs and solos. Great held high vocal scream near the end of this thriller.

Anyway, other high points in this particularly heavy affair include the decent ‘Starchaser’ and the Running Wild-ish ‘High Class an’ Wild’ an uproarious number with free-spirited lyrics that touch on the sleazy and rebellious. Pretty strong effort in this, their lonely little only release. Good enough effort to want more, one more album would’ve been nice from this pretty strong act in the Germanic vein. I would recommend this one for sure, seeing no real downsides in the music – fans of classic metal are in for a treat that got some staying power.

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BREAKER (Germany) - DEAD RIDER (1985, Bellaphon Records)

1. Run For Your Life

2. Born To Rock

3. Dead Rider

4. Shout Out Loud

5. Cold Hearted Woman

6. Rapist Killer

7. Street Fighter

8. Lucifer's Dream

9. Out Of Control

10. Together We Are Strong

Condition: Near Mint

Catalog #: BELLAPHON 260-09-063

~ Breaker was a rather obscure German heavy metal band, with a filthy appeal to it that might thrill seekers of the first two Running Wild records, or late 70s to mid 80s sounds by either Judas Priest or Accept. Eberhard Weyel has a certain level of grit to his vocals that serve him well with the band churning out some vicious, bitter material that certainly pushes the speed limit for Germany's traditional, NWOBHM-derived bands.

But the faster the better for this Breaker, as proven in the savage "Rapist Killer", where Weyel's vocals take on the tone of a psychotic killer. The guitars simply surge through the almost punk-dominated chords, the leads blaze across the bridge and you feel like you just had your ass stomped outside some German pit stop. "Shout Out Loud" with its Running Wild-like chords and the vicious Weyel create enough fun to weave through a junkyard like a pack of rats with tire irons, smashing every bit of glass that remains intact. Likewise, "Lucifer's Dream" has some sinister, cruel guitar riffs that grate over rather laissez-faire, but bad ass cruising drum beat. You've also got a fairly typical lament of the finer sex in "Cold hearted woman", though this is more of a Sunset Strip hard rock tune with a more metallic twist; and another high speed rager in "Born To Rock".

A few of the more controlled, mid to slow paced tracks like "Together We Are Strong" and "Dead Rider", and we're left with this almost completely forgotten legacy in the dust by the highway, the rust flecked off robot and motorcycle alike as it waits the final corrosion to wipe it completely from existence. Except for the hardcore "real metal" 40 year olds.

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HOLLAND (England) - EARLY WARNING (1984, Ebony Records)

1. Shout It Out

2. Second Time Casualty

3. Break Out The Booze

4. Early Warning

5. Do It

6. I Need

7. Kicking Back

8. No Chance

9. Liar

Condition: Very Good ++

Catalog #: EBON 17

~ A British act, Holland were one of the bunch in Ebony’s mile-long stable that kept the NWOBHM galloping into ’84. With a recipe written by sincerity, catchiness, and controlled energy, the five-piece go for broke for about half of this nine-songer, simmering in a capable and kinda unexpected More-ish vivacity, comparable to some of the pedal-stomped stuff on the band’s Warhead LP though probably taken down a peg in the bombast department. Unsurprisingly there’s an antidode to the bluster, elegance that’s not hard-boiled, but airy and airtight all at the same time and is evident during the lp’s more soft rocking moments where side two’s averagely-paced "I Need", name-accorded "Kicking Back", and flowingly Top 100-ish "No Chance" lie, the last of which features a cool entwined guitar solo from former Black Rose guy Kenny Nicholson and Bob Henman, an unremembered pair whipping out some pretty darn rememberable licks.

It’s not uncommon for one or more of these compelling choruses to rattle around my head hours after the album’s stuffed back into the closet. Passionate, hooky, and tastefully structured, anthemic "Shout It Out" and polished yet sinuously-chorused "Second Time Casualty" get the ball rolling for "Break Out the Booze", a pretty riled up octane guzzler that, while toothed and rustic, pales to the lp’s top aggressor and speedsters "Liar" & "Do It", closing a galvanic and grand side one with a ravaging punch that flies without reserve across the extra mile.

A very grounded, earthbound offering, with some great tracks across the album. Overall a bit more jovial than Grim Reaper ... but hence the name Grim Reaper!

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