Coroner - R.I.P. - June 1, 1987

While the USA's west coast was getting attention for some excellent technical melodic thrash albums, a band from Switzerland named Coroner made sure we wouldn't forget about the European thrash metal contribution! And what a contribution it is -- fast, heavy and with riffs so far out the ass they don't stink anymore, Coroner's debut is a powerhouse of tech thrash. A fairly unique-sounding album, with perhaps a little Megadeth flavour to it, R.I.P. is as solid an album as you'll find. There really aren't any weak spots. All band members are musicians of the highest order, with only Ron Royce's vocals being less than spectacular but they fit the music and do not take away from it. Seriously though, put it on random. You won't find a bad track -- even the intros are good.

1. Intro
2. Reborn Through Hate
3. When Angels Die
4. Intro
5. Nosferatu
6. Suicide Command
7. Spiral Dream
8. R.I.P.
9. Coma
10. Fried Alive
11. Intro
12. Totentanz
13. Outro

Score: 9.5/10

Possessed - The Eyes of Horror - May 31, 1987

At some point after the release of their influential debut, Possessed decided they wanted to be less cutting edge death metal and more conventional thrash. After a good but slightly confused transitional album in Beyond the Gates, Possessed released this 5-song EP, and the transformation seems to be complete. There are still hints of death metal -- the vocals for one remain unchanged and while there are some pretty twisted riffs present they just aren't as evil and ugly as they were only two years earlier. Very solid thrash metal is what we have here though, with a much cleaner sound than we've heard from this band before. Unfortunately, this is the last we would hear from the band until 2003.

1. Confessions
2. My Belief
3. The Eyes of Horror
4. Swing of the Axe
5. Storm in my Mind

Score: 7.5/10

Heathen - Breaking the Silence - May 1, 1987

If it wasn't already obvious with the debuts of Testament and Death Angel earlier in 1987, it becomes painfully clear with Heathen's first album -- the Bay Area sound has arrived. Much like the two previous bands, Heathen plays an aggressive, technical style with heavy emphasis on melody and hooks -- and they are probably the best example of it so far. Breaking the Silence hits the ground running, with the first three songs being absolute winners packing all kinds of great riffs into wonderfully crafted songs much in the same vein as Metallica's Ride the Lightning years earlier.

Breaking the Silence is a little top-heavy as the real gems are all found in the first half although the album does close on a high note with "Save the Skull". The songs also start to get slightly repetitive as most seem to feature some sort of speedy gallop. The cover tune, a very well done version of Sweet's "Set Me Free" breaks up the flow of the album a little as well. There are no bad songs though as even the worst would still qualify as most other bands' best.

1. Death by Hanging
2. Goblin's Blade
3. Open the Grave
4. Pray for Death
5. Set Me Free
6. Breaking the Silence
7. World's End
8. Save the Skull

Score: 9/10