Metal Church - "The Dark" (1986)

Metal Church came back with another album that arrived into the already-developed thrash scene--"The Dark"! The production and intensity have risen since the self-titled release and for obvious reasons, easily said.

I can't tell if Wayne's wearing a wig . . .

This album has a few thrash classics including the first track with face-melting yelling and hard drumming in "Ton of Bricks." The next track "Start the Fire" is catchy and makes you headbang like there's no tomorrow. The last of the "thrash classics" I've mentioned is "Watch the Children Pray," which has actually had a music video running in circulation on VH1. Anyways, the album is insanely great up until "Psycho." After that, it kind of degrades and loses its shine. Regardless, this is a must-have thrash album.

LINEUP:
David Wayne:Vocals
Kurdt Vanderhoof: Guitars
Duke Erickson: Bass
Craig Wells: Guitars
Kirk Arrington: Drums

TRACK LISTING:
Ton of Bricks – 3:00
Start the Fire – 3:50
Method to Your Madness – 4:52
Watch the Children Pray – 5:57
Over My Dead Body – 3:36
The Dark – 4:11
Psycho – 3:32
Line of Death – 4:42
Burial at Sea – 4:58
Western Alliance – 3:18

Final thoughts on Metal Church's "The Dark": It's an overall enjoyable album, but the last four tracks are the ones that aren't exactly as well as the others. 8.5/10.

MEDIAFIRE LINK

Edguy - "Kingdom of Madness" (1997)

Now here's a definite power metal band to look forward to; It's Edguy and it's their first album "Kingdom of Madness"! If you love power metal and/or true metal hailing from Germany, this one sure is a keeper.

Now this album starts with a pretty sweet intro, I'll tell you. It reminds me of . . . a Spanish guitar and it's enjoyable and relaxing. After this, it goes into your typical power metal point which makes you feel like headbanging. In fact, the whole album is like this and I don't believe there's any songs that are easily to be skipped, but maybe you'd want to get through the 18 minute song as fast as you can because it's too damned long!! Overall, it's a well done power metal staple--yet surprisingly it came out in the late '90s! Shock!

LINEUP:
Tobias Sammet: Vocals, keyboards, bass.
Jens Ludwig: Guitars.
Dirk Sauer: Guitars.
Dominick Storch: Drums.

Credits to: Chris Boltendahl (Vocals, co-vocals on "The Kingdom")

TRACK LISTING:
Paradise – 6:24
Wings of a Dream – 5:24
Heart of Twilight – 5:32
Dark Symphony – 1:05
Deadmaker – 5:15
Angel Rebellion – 6:44
When a Hero Cries – 3:59
Steel Church – 6:29
The Kingdom – 18:23

Final thoughts on Edguy's "Kingdom of Madness": It's an energetic, fun power metal album that any metal enthusiast would enjoy. It doesn't degrade at any time. 8/10.

MEDIAFIRE LINK

Helloween - Keeper of the Seven Keys Part 2 (1988)

Classic Helloween, definitely. I can't say I remember how I first started listening to them, but I'm sure it has to do with listening to HammerFall first . . . and I suppose I was supposed to review the earlier works such as Keeper of the Seven Keys Part 1 or even Walls of Jericho with Kai as the vocalist, but I'll get to that later on.

Don't you remember the good ol' days?

This album, as a whole, is generally a delightful experience that feels like it is telling you a story from beginning to end. Its melody, uplifting and knowledgeable lyrics, and intense guitar solos definitely helps along with the superb production. Kiske did a hell of a job on the vocals, easily heard on "I Want Out," "We Got the Right," and "Keeper of the Seven Keys."

LINEUP:
Michael Kiske: Vocals
Kai Hansen: Guitars
Michael Weikath: Guitars, Keyboards
Markus Grosskopf: Bass
Ingo Schwichtenberg: Drums

TRACK LISTING:
Invitation – 1:06
Eagle Fly Free – 5:08
You Always Walk Alone – 5:09
Rise and Fall – 4:22
Dr. Stein – 5:05
We Got the Right – 5:08
Save Us – 5:13
March of Time – 5:14
I Want Out – 4:40
Keeper of the Seven Keys – 13:38

Final thoughts on "Keeper of the Seven Keys": It's the staple German speed/power metal album which I HIGHLY recommend to anybody who has interest it the fusion. 9.5/10.

MEDIAFIRE LINK

Metal Church - Self-Titled (1984)

"Good ol' Metal Church." That's basically what the elderly woman at the record store said when I bought this album awhile back. I only heard the song "Metal Church" on accident and I was searching quite a lot until I found out this particular group sang it and I've loved it ever since. I could definitely speak infinitely of them--this album, more importantly.

"Metal Church" is MC's debut album with vocalist David Wayne (Who also provided vocals for MC's "The Dark" and "Masterpeace"). They started in the early '80s under the name Shrapnel. Truly, their music was melodic, yet burning like fire, which can easily be heard on this album. Kurdt Vanderhoof's riffs in all of the songs are fast, memorable, precise, and skillful while David Wayne sang his heart out hitting high-scale keys perfectly with a raspy growl towards it that nobody can beat.

Now that looked like a fun photo shoot.

In this album, Metal Church put the pedal to the metal with intense lyrics, riffs, vocals, and general band compatibility. Saying that, this album definitely reflected off of it with an ambient-esque beginning with "Beyond the Black" to the A+ in effort and style of the last track "Highway Star" (Originally by Deep Purple). It's relentless, fast, and easily memorable for any die-hard metal fanatic.

LINEUP:
David Wayne: Vocals
Kurdt Vanderhoof: Guitars
Duke Erickson: Bass
Craig Wells: Guitars
Kirk Arrington: Drums

TRACK LISTING
Beyond the Black – 6:23
Metal Church – 5:03
Merciless Onslaught – 2:54
Gods of Wrath – 6:41'
Hitman – 4:39
In the Blood – 3:31
(My Favorite) Nightmare – 3:12
Battalions – 4:53
Highway Star – 4:39

Final thoughts on Metal Church's "Metal Church": 42 minutes of a unique twist to thrash that's simply one of the best albums of its kind. 10/10.

MEDIAFIRE LINK

Municipal Waste - "The Art of Partying" (2007)

Maybe it's a little late to say this, but perhaps I should have started on an old-school classic or anything of the like. Ah well.

After 2 intense thrash albums, Municipal Waste releases "The Art of Partying," a ~32 minute CD that includes tracks such as the self-titled, "Headbanger Face Rip," "Beer Pressure," and "Born to Party." With track names are bizarre as these, you would think you're about to hear an album from Andrew W.K.


You'd think they were gimmick, but are they?

But it isn't as gimmick as it seems; "The Art of Partying" is easily acceptable as an album that contributes to the revival of thrash. Easily enough, it isn't as intense as the original pioneers of it back in the '80s, but it's a great album nonetheless and in the words of Exodus, it's "Good Friendly Violent Fun." In ways, it sounds like Slayer's "Reign in Blood" with partying and comical fun added to it so give it a chance. After all, each song is ~2 minutes long anyhow.

LINEUP:
Tony Foresta: Vocals
Ryan Waste: Guitars, Vocals
Philip Hall: Bass, Vocals
Dave Witte: Drums

TRACK LISTING:

1. Pre-Game – 0:39
2. The Art of Partying – 2:04
3. Headbanger Face Rip – 1:51
4. Mental Shock (Deathripper Part II) – 1:48
5. A.D.D. (Attention Deficit Destroyer) – 2:12
6. The Inebriator – 2:07
7. Lunch Hall Food Brawl – 1:58
8. Beer Pressure – 2:37
9. Chemically Altered – 2:21
10. Sadistic Magician – 2:09
11. Open Your Mind – 1:54
12. Radioactive Force"– 2:27
13. Septic Detonation – 1:20
14. Rigorous Vengeance – 2:12
15. Born to Party – 4:20

Final thoughts on "The Art of Partying": 7.5/10.

MEDIAFIRE LINK

Introduction

Greetings.

My name (For now) is M. Blayde and I'm the blogger of 'Lucifer's Gold,' which specializes in power, thrash, and speed metal. There will be updates at least once a week, which will feature metal in these fusions, and surely it'll be joyful (At least to me).

Heavy metal has come a long way. Its roots come from various sources, including blues music from artists such as Muddy Waters. With this, areas like England created pioneer "metal" bands such as Deep Purple, Thin Lizzy, Rainbow, and the like coming with American "metal" bands such as Led Zeppelin.

In the '80s, heavy metal was limited to the mainstream audiences with glam-rock like Motley Crüe and surely New-Wave-of-British-Heavy-Metal (We'll get to that) and punk rock seemed to fit like peas and carrots and thrash born was basically born out of rebellion. Still popular today, thrash metal is fast, relentless, "good friendly violent fun" dealing with politics, issues in life, and various other subjects.

New-Wave-of-British-Heavy-Metal (NWOBHM) seemed to have a powerful impact in the Germany scene of metal, which led to the birth of power metal. With melody and lyrics pertaining to struggles, hopes, and often positive messages (Which generally weren't related to Christianity, however) this fusion has been around for quite sometime and doesn't seem to be leaving anytime soon either.

With NWOBHM in the scene creating these fusions, surely speed metal came in the picture with precision. Actually, this was in formation at the same time as thrash. But regardless, speed metal was easily extremely popular in the '80s and doesn't seem to be as active in this decade as the other two fusions (Heavily thrash).

Hopefully, you'll be able to find a gem you might like out of these three fusions when this blog becomes up-and-running. If not, well . . . you're on your own.

Thanks for reading!