THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Day: October 28, 2024

FINAL AXE – Beyond Hells Gate

October 28, 2024 /

This is one of those resurrected from the dead albums. The band came into being in about ’89 and this album (I think) was only ever released on cassette. For this reissue, remix, and remaster Stryper drummer Robert Sweet was drafted in to redo the drum tracks and give the tunes the balls they needed.

Now, this is a Christian metal album, and before you go running to the hills and dismissing it, I will say give it a chance because it’s rather good. Vocalist Kieth Miles has a great set of pipes and guitarist Bill Menchen is a riff lord. None of the songs are much over four minutesm they are short and to the point. It’s the more aggressive tracks that really do it for me. Baptized In Blood and Blind Faith are rifftastic monsters with the vocal to match. Close To Deliverance gets the favourite track award however, because the chugga riff is super simple, fast, and groovy as hell. In fact, this whole album is a heavy riff and groove fest.

I’m not sure how many of these were pressed, but I’m guessing not a lot so if you come across one, snag it up because it’s one big chunk fest.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

HELLION – Screams In The Night

October 28, 2024 /

Killer band with an average singer. Musically, Hellion are most defo on the money but it’s hard to get past the limitations of Anne Boleyn. She would be perfect in a sleaze/glam band but in a metal band as good as these guys, nope. Chet Thompson is a killer player and a definite fretboard gymnast and you have to wonder if they had a killer vocalist, would they have been a lot bigger in terms of sales and popularity?

Bad Attitude is a case in point. Great song with some monster playing but the vocal does the song no justice. Better Off Dead has all the possibilities to have been a metal anthem, killer intro and pounding groove with some ripping riffage but the hook and chorus just… well, you get it. The only song where the vocal doesn’t bother me too much is the opener to Side 2, Explode. This baby just blasts along with double kicks pounding and the solo is totally nuts.

You may think I don’t rate this record too high, but I don’t I think musically it’s a must have for all metal fans, just for the guitar alone.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

DIAMOND – S/T

October 28, 2024 /

I literally don’t know a whole bunch about Diamond other than the fact that they are from Long Island in New York. Built around the talents of guitarist Mitch Diamond they released this, their only self titled album back in ’86.

Melodic hard rock with big crunchy guitars is what dragged me in, having heard only the track Lonely In Love. Great song with the appropriate heavy riff and vocalist Matt La’Mour hitting all the notes. They are all decent enough songs but there is that special something missing that makes them great songs.

There are three stand out tracks: the already mentioned Lonely In Love, Rock The Nation (a very familiar kick ass riff with a groove that powers along, and a hands in the air chorus), and my favourite The Inatome.  An instrumental track that is a sort of a hybrid Michael Schenker/Iron Maiden blast with a very metal groove.

There were tons of these bands that released records on obscure labels back in the day, just like a million bands on bandcamp today. It’s. a fun listen.

7/10 from The Grooveman.

FLOTSAM & JETSAM – Blood In The Water

October 28, 2024 /

For some reason I have not paid much attention to Flotsam & Jetsam since I bought their first album, Doomsday For The Deceiver way back in the mists of time. So, when I purchased this after hearing a track online it was like listening to a completely different band. Today’s version of Flotsam is more akin to progressive metal, as opposed to the thrash universe they came from, although Brace For Impact is total thrash heaven. 

It’s interesting to see Ken Mary blasting the hell out of the pots and pans because I first heard of him on TKO’s In Your Face, and I didn’t think of him as this heavy machine-like  beast of a drummer, but he pounds the hell out of this record. Blood In The Water is pure dual guitar heaven as both Michael Gilbert and Steve Conley are just riff machines. In fact, it’s drums and guitars that make this a stellar album. Every song is a pounding groovefest. To pick a fave track is hard but I’m going for The Wicked Hour. Superb heavy pounding groove with matching riff and the cherry on top is a great vocal from Eric Knutson.

I think I might have to explore more of their catalogue.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

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