THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Month: September 2024 (Page 2 of 4)

HITTEN – Twist Of Fate

September 13, 2024 / / 0 Comments

This is a reissue of Hitten’s third album by High Roller Records that originally came out in 2018. I came across Hitten in one of my down the rabbit hole searches on bandcamp where I lietened to the album that actually came out after this: Triumph & Tragedy. The first thing that grabbed me was the excellent sound and production. If you go back further to the band’s early releases, they pay homage to NWOBHM and obviously use that as a reference.

As they have progressed, the sound has changed to a more US vibe with a lot more melody and harmony, especially in the vocals, although still retaining that metallic edge. That is probably down to the change in vocalist to Alexx Panza, whose style is more in this vein. Though, on tracks like Evil Within, this is pure unadulterated 80’s metal but with a modern production and sound, and this is definitely my favourite tune. Stellar double kicks with max riffage, but that middle eight is just epic with a killer breakdown and solo. The title track is another monster tune with a killer riff and groove, and you are flooded with memories of times gone by as not many modern metal bands make music like this anymore. In The Heat Of The Night feels like Dokken, with more of that US vibe I mentioned earlier.

Great band that have gone from strength to strength.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

TWO BIT THIEF – Another Sad Story In The Big City

September 10, 2024 / / 0 Comments

Now, you’d be forgiven if you just looked at the cover and thought that these guys would be a stripped back barroom band, a bit like the Dogs DAmour or Quireboys. Well, that shows you how image is deceiving because Two Bit Theif are more of a hybrid of LA Guns, Bang Tango, and Circus of Power. They are an altogether more hard rockin’ beast.

This is their first album, that came out in ’90. They would record two more before disappearing around ’96. This album was released on Combat, which is more of an out and out metal label so it’s a bit weird to see a glam sleaze band on it, but the band do touch a lot of bases on this record. There is one thrash glam hybrid song, Broke Again that Overkill would have been proud of.

It’s the more hard rockin’ tunes that get my attention such as Love Hate, City Boy, Crime, a belting version of Rose Tattoo’s Remedy, and especially Hard Times which is my favourite song. There is an almost punk rock version of Flosam Prison Blues and a punk/metal crossover tune called Modern Revolution just to confuse the listener a little more. That’s maybe why they struggled for an audience.

They should have stuck to the harder glam sound, as that’s what they do best.

7/10 from The Grooveman.

HEAVENS GATE – In Control

September 10, 2024 / / 0 Comments

This is the German band’s first album released in ’89. Well, technically it’s their second album as they released an album in ’84, but they were called Steeltower back then. Following in the footsteps of fellow German outfits like Helloween and Running Wild, Heavens Gate offer up some great euro power metal. I mean, they all stole it from Judas Priest but each band added their own little twist.

I love old school metal like this, so it ticks all the boxes for me. Opening track, In Control is a full on power metal onslaught and it’s my favourite tune. Fast riffing and double kicks all the way. Turn It Down is a tribute to metal fans everywhere, “if you are made of metal, so raise your fist and yell,” I mean, even Manowar would be proud. Surrender turns the tempo back to Priest levels of riffage with a suitable anthemic chorus. Hot Fever closes out Side 1 and it’s a classic mid temp metal stomper.

Tyrants opens up the second side with a full double kick assault, and you have to keep checking the cover to make sure this is not some long lost Priest album. Path Of Glory takes the listener into battle in some medieval battlefield. Shadows is a slower plodder that builds and builds both with drama, volume, and power. The album closes out with a cover of the Joni Mitchell song This Flight Tonight, although I’m sure it’s the Nazareth version they have copied here.

Just a fun listen.

7.5/10 from The Grooveman.

WAR BABIES – Vault

September 10, 2024 / / 0 Comments

Not many people outside of the Seattle area would pay much attention to War Babies as they were a blink and they’re gone band. I’m sure that a lot of rock fans of a certain age will have heard of a band called TKO, especially their second album In Your Face which was a bit of a classic. It was recorded in ’81 and featured the legend that is Brad Sinsel on vocals and a then young guitar whizz called Adam Bomb on guitar. They recorded one more album called Below The Belt that came out in ’86, but by then the band were a revolving door of members, except for the ever present Sinsel. The next I heard of Brad was a band called Suicide Squad who released one EP on MFN in the UK, and then there was nothing until War Babies, who released one album and that was it.

This album is a selection of tunes that were to be on the second War Babies record, but that never happened. There are hints of old TKO but the staple here is a more sleazy, dirty, rock n’ roll vibe. When everything comes together like on When The Well Runs Dry, the band really flies. If Aerosmith and The Cult had a child then War Babies would be the offspring. They also do a very good Faces impression on slower tunes like She Wants More. My favourite track is Strange Love, a more up tempo groover with a very sleazy raw rock n’ roll vibe, which suits Brad’s vocal style.

This is not as good as their debut album for sure, but if you’re interested in Brad Sinsel or in the Seattle scene in general then it’s a curiosity for sure.

7/10 from The Grooveman.

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