Voivod - Rrroooaaarrr - March 14, 1986

I've never understood why Voivod's early work is regarded as legendary. Their first album is a sloppy mess of punk and metal with a drunken French-Canadian ranting about being a fish over top. Upon revisiting their second release though, I realized there is some promise here. The overall sound is still sloppy and the vocals are still largely incoherent, but the band benefits greatly from much better songwriting. Songs like "Slaughter in a Grave" and "Thrashing Rage" are good excercises in punky Motorhead-tinged thrash. There's still not enough here to convince me that this album should stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the likes of Feel the Fire or Bonded By Blood, not to mention that it might be the worst album title ever, but it's a definite improvement on the first and I'm kind of intrigued to listen to Killing Technology again...

1. Korgull the Exterminator
2. Fuck Off and Die
3. Slaughter in a Grave
4. Ripping Headaches
5. Horror
6. Thrashing Rage
7. The Helldriver
8. Build Your Weapons
9. To the Death

Score: 5/10

Metallica - Master of Puppets - February 21, 1986

I always find it a little more difficult to review an album that I've listened to about 3000 times than one that is fresh to my ears. It makes it all the more difficult when it is one that evokes such strong emotions as Master of Puppets. I've read a lot of differing opinions on it, from it being the best album in thrash/metal/popular music to that it is the album that killed heavy metal. I'm in neither camp, but if I had to pick one I'd be closer to the former.

The main gripe I have with Puppets is that it's a near clone of its predecessor, Ride the Lightning. Did they get lazy? Did they just go "hey that worked really well, let's just do it again!" There are differences of course. The album doesn't sound quite as deadly as Lightning did, but it's still very powerful. The songs have also gotten longer for the most part, almost to the point of ridiculousness in some cases.

I'd be lying to myself if I didn't give this album a favourable review though. Just like with Ride the Lightning, Metallica still seem like they're a couple steps ahead of the competition. Songs like "Disposable Heroes", "Damage, Inc." and the title track are all time thrash classics. "Orion" is a step down from "The Call of Ktulu", but it's still one of the best metal instrumentals I've ever heard. This is a controlled, very structured effort, much more so than anything Metallica had done before. In the grand scheme of things, Master of Puppets is a transitional album, setting the stage for what would be Metallica's thrash metal swan song.

1. Battery
2. Master of Puppets
3. The Thing That Should Not Be
4. Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
5. Disposable Heroes
6. Leper Messiah
7. Orion
8. Damage, Inc.

Score: 9/10

Mysto Dysto - The Rules Have Been Disturbed - February 7, 1986

It's finding albums like these that make this little 'journey' totally worth it. I mean, who the fuck is Mysto Dysto (one of the worst band names ever, they would later change it to Mandator) and what does their only full-length sound like? Well, it's pretty fucking good! I mean, the vocals aren't great, the production is about what you would expect for some random band from the Netherlands in 1986 and there are some kind of 'WTF' moments, but this is some very nice thrash metal with a classic melodic European sound. The other cool thing about this album is that most of the songs go into these lengthy instrumental passages with blazing guitar solos. This is good stuff. I'd recommend it to anyone who is a fan of the more melodic, speedy side of the genre.

1. Power of the Law
2. Confused
3. Tarantula
4. Atilla the Destructor
5. Full Speed to Hell
6. Indenter
7. One Night Stand
8. Visit of the Vikings

Score: 7.5/10

Znowhite - Kick 'Em While They're Down - 1985

Znowhite's first EP didn't do a whole lot for me. It wasn't bad, but it was kind of primitive, if not competent thrash metal. Their second EP finds them still searching for their sound, but they've definitely made some improvements. While All Hail To Thee was more fun and light, this one is decidedly meaner -- not as mean as say, Overkill, but maybe like a less catchy Anthrax. Of course, it's not all good; album closer "Turn Up the Pain" is a snooze and "Run Like the Wind" finds Nicole Lee singing out of her range. The band is at their best when they're playing quick, dirty thrash, with the clear winner being "All Hail To Thee" (I know, it's the title of their previous EP, confusing) which is carried by an excellent verse riff. If nothing else, this EP makes me very interested to hear what their lone full-length, 1988's Act of God sounds like -- I've heard good things.

1. Live For the Weekend
2. All Hail to Thee
3. Run Like the Wind
4. Too Late
5. Turn Up the Pain

Score: 6/10

Zoetrope - Amnesty - 1985

From what I can tell, Zoetrope's debut is a very strong album indeed! While there's nothing groundbreaking about it, Zoetrope plays a nice gritty style that makes me think a little bit of Motorhead and probably a little bit of Overkill as well -- Razor around the same time period isn't a bad comparison either. The band self-described their music as "street metal" which is bang-on... I can only assume this would have been the perfect soundtrack for Chicago thrash pits in the mid-80's -- screaming guitars, gang shouts, mosh riffs, yes please!

1. Indecent Obsessions
2. Kill the Enemy
3. Mercenary
4. Amnesty
5. Member in a Gang
6. Break Your Back
7. Another Chance
8. Creatures
9. Trip Wires

Score: 7.5/10

Morsure - Acceleration Process - 1985

It's pretty apparent when listening to Morsure's (French for "bite-wound") lone full-length that these Frenchmen like to play fast! The album is one big blur of crackling guitars, pounding drums and horribly-constructed lyrics. For 1985, there wasn't much that was this fucking FAST. Unfortunately for Morsure, fast does not a good album make. The production is pretty awful -- the drums are too loud, the guitars are thin, the vocals are buried (which may actually not be a negative), and there is not enough variation in the songwriting. I can probably count on one hand the amount of times that the band isn't blazing at full speed, and most of the time it's a little bass or guitar interlude. There does however seem to be some interesting things going on when you cut through all the racket, and there's some potential for some pretty cool stuff. Unfortunately we'll never find out.

1. M.A.D.
2. No Moral
3. Ahriman's Heart
4. Et Not Fracta Est
5. Morsure
6. Neither Pity nor Remorse
7. XX World
8. L'Irrémédiable
9. Oderint Dum Metuant
10. Vreder Strack

Score: 3/10

Anthrax - Spreading the Disease - October 30, 1985

From the extremely violent (Seven Churches) to the extremely catchy (this!)... Spreading the Disease is where Anthrax really hits their stride. Definitely not as aggressive or abrasive as the other members of the "Big Four", Anthrax plays a style that is still very close to speed metal or NWOBHM in places that relies on big choruses to pull the listener in. Witness tracks like "Lone Justice" (Justice, law and order) and "The Enemy" (He is but a solitary man) where Belladonna's soaring vocals guide you over some pretty great riffs. This album also features a lot of gang vocals, which is something Anthrax would utilize frequently throughout their classic output. In fact, looking at the track list, almost every song features some shouts from Scott Ian and company. All in all, this just might be the best Anthrax would ever sound, I haven't quite decided yet.

1. A.I.R.
2. Lone Justice
3. Madhouse
4. S.S.C./Stand or Fall
5. The Enemy
6. Aftershock
7. Armed and Dangerous
8. Medusa
9. Gung-Ho

Score: 9/10