THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: vinyl records (Page 11 of 474)

ATTAKK – S/T

February 16, 2025 /

Yep it’s another “one and they’re done” band, but this time they only managed to record this 6 track EP, no album. The band scored a deal with a Japanese label because of their guitar player, Kuma who came from Japan, and thus the EP came out in ’89 in Japan first. Unfortunately for the band, it was not pressed anywhere else so they had to send boxes back to California. I guess this was a major factor in the band collapsing.

Strange thing is, this a really good record and they should have done a whole lot more. The EP opens up with Thunder In The Night, an anthemic gallop in true Maiden style with a ripping solo. Without A Word is more of a power ballad with the emphasis on the power. Not Your Man closes out Side 1 with a mid pace pounder, a nice riff, and a rip it up solo.

Never Apart opens up Side 2 and it’s a syrupy ballad, which as we all know has no place on a six track power metal EP showcasing you to the world. Ride The Dragon reminds us what we are here for with quite a commercial sounding rocker. Great riff and guitar sound. So, the last track all too quickly arrives and it’s the band’s signature tune: Attakk. Double kicks all the way and we go out with a bang.

They definitely should have hung around for another record because I think they had a lot to offer.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

IMMACULATE MARY – Through The Eyes Of Youth

February 13, 2025 /

If you’ve been following me for a while, you may have noticed I do have a lot of albums from unheard of rock and metal bands from the 80’s and early 90’s. For every band that managed to breakthrough, there were squillions that didn’t. It’s not that they were all bad, they just never got the breaks.

Immaculate Mary are from Rochester in NY state, and this album creeped out in ’89. Apparently their claim to fame was that they were entered into The Guinness Book Of World Records for being the loudest band in the world in ’98.

This is pretty standard heavy rock and metal with a very sparse production, but I do like that FU attitude and naivety. Side 1 is okay with a not too shabby version of a Wild Thing, but Side 2 is where this album kicks off with the song Once Bitten. This track opens up with some heavy chugga riffing that leads into a Keel style hook and chorus, and is my favourite tune.

Main songwriter and guitarist Tommy Brunett is obviously the main man here as he writes the majority of the album by himself, as well as ripping on the axe wherever possible. You should be able to pick this up quite cheap because there was plenty of cut outs available.

7/10 from The Grooveman.

L.A. Guns – Checkered Past

February 13, 2025 /

Has Phil Lewis ever done anything better than the Sheer Greed album by Girl? The first two L.A. Guns albums are good, but they didn’t quite beat the delights of that Girl album.

This album is the unlucky thirteenth release for the band, that’s if you count all the different versions of the group. It’s not half bad if I’m honest. It ranges from the totally awesome Bad Luck Charm, and the just downright “meh” of If It’s Over Now.

Bad Luck Charm has a late sixties Zeppelin ascending riff that is just too cool for school and it’s defo my favourite tune on the album. The only other track that really shines my shoes is the close out tune, Physical Itch. You can’t go wrong with rehashed Sabbath riffs and this is no exception.

There are better L.A. Guns albums to spend your money on I’m afraid.

7/10 from The Grooveman.

BLACKFOOT – Marauder

February 11, 2025 /

I reviewed Siogo a couple of weeks ago and I mentioned the bands’ golden period. This was the pinnacle, and at the same time, the end of their classic period.

This was probably as heavy as any other southern band ever were. At the same time, the ballad Diary Of A Working Man is one of the few ballads I can appreciate. Not sure why I connect with this song so much, maybe it’s Ricky’s delivery or the subject matter, either way it’s a great song.

Fly Away was released as a single and it did quite well, but it’s the harder groove songs that really make this baby sing. Good Morning is a full tilt opener, Too Hard To Handle has a killer latin vibe that builds and builds, Dry County is southern soaked through and through, and Rattle Snake Rock N’ Roller is a sure fire boogie delight complete with Shorty Medlocke banjo intro. My favourite track is the Skynyrd inspired Searchin’ with obligatory killer rambling solo.  

In their time they were a great band, and this album is the best of the lot.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

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