Stating the obvious, heavy metal has branched out throughout the entire world. Bands come from all four corners of the globe and have entertained metalheads all over. Many singers of these bands and solo ones too, sing in English, even though it isn’t there native language and I think that while we are enjoying their vocal abilities, we sometimes forget this fact. For example: When I first heard Japanese metal sensations, Loudness’s “Thunder in the East” album, I thought Minoru Nihara’s vocals were just brilliant. Then I listened to an interview with him and let me just say that the man definitely sings better in English than how he speaks it. Therefore, it takes a special talent to take words from a language which isn’t their own and make it sound great. That’s why, over the next I don’t know how many posts, I am paying tribute to these singers.
Note: I will be posting singers I have experienced and everyone is welcome to contribute more. It is also why that even though I respect the fact that Indochine’s Nicola Serkis sings in his native French, he doesn’t qualify to be included here.
Japan
Minoru Nihara, Loudness
Genki Hitomi- Vow Wow
2. France
Joe Duplantier, Gojira
Nathalie Geyer, Mystery Blue
Patrick Hernandez
These are the ones I have most experience with and people are free to add here. Then again, the next nation I’ll be honouring may take a couple of posts.
In 1991, as a part of the UK’s Channel 4’s “Banned Series,” they showed a documentary called “Dancing With the Devil.” The programme explored America’s religious right’s obsession with heavy metal and it’s links with Satanism. I found it to be rather amusing and at the same time interesting. Some of the historical events relating to music, which I have posted about are included in the documentary and there is a live record burning ceremony. That’s why the comment in the above photo. It’s an hour long but I think it’s definitely worth an hour of your time.
Watch and let me know what you think.
What are your thoughts?
Next post: A Long Ignored Tribute
To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: [email protected] (I secretly hoped they’d burned copies of the book)
The start of 1990 wasn’t good for Judas Priest. They were embroiled in a criminal case and civil lawsuit regarding their song, “Better By You, Better Than Me,” which parents said the lyrics of said song drove their sons to commit suicide. For more details about that, you can read my “Triumphs and Tragedies” post for 1990. One knock on effect the trial had was to delay the release of the album, “Painkiller,” which was completed in March but do to the legal bull shit, wasn’t released until September.
To my shame, because of that thing called life, this album nearly passed me by and it’s now I realize how musically aloof I was becoming back then. Fortunately, my sister made the save when she sent me what I call the hidden gem of the album, “Leather Rebel.” Judas Priest goes speed metal on this one, not that I ever doubted their ability, and it sounds like they went back to their angry days of the late 70s and early 80s. Part of the reason for this could be down to the acquisition of former Racer X drummer, Scott Travis, who used the double kick drum. In any case, this song takes me back to the Judas Priest I cut my teeth on.
“Painkiller” produced two singles from the album and unlike “Turbo” these aren’t AOR type tunes. The title cut, which is the opener as well, may not be speed metal but intensity it does not lack. I also like Rob’s more high pitched vocals on it. The other single,” Touch of Evil,” while more of an anthemic number, also takes me back to the glory days. I also thought that “Night Crawler” might have been released as a single too because it’s on their “Greatest Hits” album, “Living After Midnight,” but the evidence says otherwise. Still, it does take the ferocity of “Painkiller” and the anthem induced “Touch of Evil” and combine it to make a really cool song. The spooky intro helps as well.
One of the criteria which defines a good album for me is when the deep cuts are so good, I have to really listen hard to find the hidden gem. To gain hidden gem status, “Leather Rebel” had to fight off some really stiff competition. The guitar work and ferocious speed metal of “Metal Meltdown” made it a strong contender. “All Guns Blazing” and “Between the Hammer and Anvil” were also major challengers for the title. Both are classic Judas Priest songs in the true spirit of the band and we can’t forget the closer, “One Shot at Glory,” while I might not have considered it for hidden gem, it’s still a great track. With all the great songs, “Painkiller” can’t help but being a fantastic album.
Track Listing:
Painkiller
Hell Patrol
All Guns Blazing
Leather Rebel
Metal Meltdown
Night Crawler
Between the Hammer and the Anvil
Touch of Evil
Battle Hymn
One Shot of Glory
Judas Priest
Rob Halford- vocals
Glenn Tipton- guitar
KK Downing- guitar
Ian Hill- bass
Scott Travis- drums
Additional Musicians:
Don Airey- keyboards
In spite of the greatness and success of “Painkiller,” things wouldn’t be so good in the Judas Priest camp. Rob Halford departed the band after the tour and there wouldn’t be another studio release until 1997. Since that’s history for another day, I say kick back and get your head smashed with this phenomenal album.
Note: This is the final album of the 1990 tour and I thought it’s a great album to end with. As I said in my New Year’s post, I will be taking some time away from posting albums but instead I’ll be posting about other metal related ideas I’ve been eager to do. I hope you’ll continue on for the ride.
While power metal might have originated with the likes of Ronnie James Dio led Rainbow and given a push more towards mainstream in the early 1980s by Iron Maiden, by the latter part of the golden decade and into the 1990s, it was German bands like Helloween and Gamma Ray who took it and made something even bigger. Then again, Gamma Ray was formed by former Helloween guitarist, Kai Hansen after he left his former band.
With Gamma Ray’s debut album, “Heading for Tomorrow,” Kai, who had been a principal songwriter in Helloween, takes what he did then and creates that same magic with his new band. The tracks “Lust for Life” and “Heaven Can Wait” could have just as easily been recorded by Helloween. In fact, it is the latter of those two tracks, which clearly defines what power metal is all about. You get the melodic vocals from Ralf Scheepers with just as melodic backing vocals supported by the power chords of Kai. Then he plays a blinding guitar solo and the tracks concludes in anthemic fashion, which is nicely done. I can see why it was chosen as a single.
Now, I don’t know if it’s psychological or just that my sister and I are on just on the same page when it comes finding the best song on an album but it has happened on the last three albums I’ve posted about. The song from the album, which she sent me on one of her tapes, is the hidden gem, “Space Eater.” It’s another great example of good power metal but there between the vocals of Ralf and the guitar licks from Kai, is a strong bassline from Uwe Wessel and some cool drum fills from Mathias Burchardt.
Naturally, the power metal party doesn’t end there. “Money,” and no, it’s not a cover of the Pink Floyd classic, carries things on. There is some weird chanting as the song reaches its climax, more of a fun song but nonetheless, good. Even power metal bands can have their token ballad, in this case, a power ballad and on this album, it’s “The Silence.” What makes this song is the anthemic mass backing vocals. If I had seen Gamma Ray live and they played this, I would have had my cigarette lighter in the air and waving it back and forth to the music as I sang along. The piano adds a nice touch and Kai doesn’t fail with the guitar solo.
It’s the end of the album where things get interesting. First there are two more good power metal songs, “Hold Your Ground” ventures more into speed metal, and then at the penultimate spot is the fourteen minute long title track. The various changes on it keeps one’s interest on a song that long. If I hadn’t known Gamma Ray were capable of such things from another track my sister sent me from a future album, I would have been taken by surprise. The album closes with a cover of the Uriah Heep classic, “Look At Yourself,” and they stick pretty close to the original. It is a good way to end the album .
Track Listing:
Welcome
Lust for Life
Heaven Can Wait
Space Eater
Money
The Silence
Hold Your Ground
Free Time
Heading for Tomorrow
Look At Yourself
Gamma Ray
Kai Hansen- guitar, backing vocals
Ralf Scheepers- lead vocals
Uwe Wessel- bass
Mathias Burchardt- drums
Note: Every photo I find of the band online shows five members but the album lists only four. I don’t know why.
Additional Musicians:
Dirk Schlacter- bass, (tracks 4&5)
Tommy Newton- lead guitar, track 8, backing vocals
Tammo Vollmers- drums, (track 3)
Mischa Gerlach- keyboards, piano
Piet Sielck- keyboards, backing vocals
Joal, Fernando Garcia, Petr Chrastina- backing vocals
Apparently, the reasons for Kai’s departure from Helloween was down to him feeling the band had become too big and money issues with the label. Well, full marks for forming Gamma Ray and putting out the fine album which is “Heading for Tomorrow.”
Is there something wrong with me? I ask because it seems that a lot of critics and fans sing the praises of Prong’s second album, “Beg to Differ.” When I first heard it, I thought the album sounded rather bland and hearing it again now, I find the album a little less bland. So, am I missing something here?
Let me stress the ‘little less bland’ part a bit more. Since giving it a few fresh listens, I do hear some good things coming out of the first three tracks, the opener, “For Dear Life,” being the best of them. That could be down to it being one of two tracks where Tommy Victor does any real shredding. I do like the riffage on the next track, “Steady Decline,” and I can see what they mean by groove metal because there is some groove to it. A similar thing can be said about the title track.
It’s the next three tracks where the blandness really kicks on. Don’t get me wrong, they aren’t bad tracks in any way but they don’t really do anything for me. However, there is a cool instrumental track in the form of “Intermenstrual D.S.B.” Now, I’m not sure what that’s supposed to mean but it is a cool instrumental in which to bang one’s head to. “Right to Nothing” is also a decent track, like the first three, and it has the other guitar solo. But after that, the remaining songs, although not bad, really don’t get me going. In fact, when listening to those tracks, I think each one is the closer. I had this album on cassette and I don’t remember there being a live track at the end but that could be my memory.
Track Listing:
For Dear Life
Steady Decline
Beg to Differ
Lost and Found
Your Fear
Take It In Hand
Intermenstrual D.S.B.
Right to Nothing
Prime Cut
Just the Same
Third From the Sun (recorded live at CBGB’s in 1989)
Prong
Tommy Victor- guitar, vocals
Mike Kirkland- bass, vocals
Ted Parsons- drums
Looking at music history, I have to take Prong’s “Beg to Differ” album in a different light. While it doesn’t impress me, it is considered the first album to be called, ‘groove metal,’ and I can see how it would have influenced bands which came after. Still, I much prefer their debut, “Force Fed.”
Here’s yet another band where I have to thank my sister Dawn for. Sweet FA’s song, “Prince of the City,” was on the same compilation tape, which she sent me, as artists Steve Vai and Don Dokken. The thing is that “Prince of the City” is one of the songs which stood out most for me on that tape. It had remained in my head over twenty years and went straight to my MP3 when I finally got one. It was one of my favourite songs from 1990 but it is also sad reminder of the changing tides in regards to glam and sleaze metal bands at the time.
While that song has been a long time 80smetalman fave, it is only recently I got around to listening to the album it came from, “Stick to Your Guns.” I blame that thing called life and the unfortunate fact that Sweet FA didn’t cross the Atlantic. Well, in short, “Stick to Your Guns” is a very fine album. It combines the metal, sleaze and swagger into a beautiful concoction. Sweet FA had everything they needed to make it big in the metal world, had they not had the misfortune of being in the wrong time. Two years earlier and I believe this album would have been stellar. Steve David DeLong could have been included among the Coverdales, Roths and Dios of the metal world. The guitar duo plays with swagger and you get some great solos and then there’s the strong rhythm section to anchor everything down.
Although the standout track opens the album, the rest of the album follows on strong. You get some great metal, and good bluesy swagger for the first five tracks. “Rhythm of Action” is full of swagger and with it, you get what I mean about the guitarists. I don’t know which guitarist or if both plays the guitar solo on the track but it is a blinder. That continues on with “Do a Little Drivin.'” Tracks 2-5 spell out exactly what this band is about and maybe being holed up in a hotel in Georgia was what the band needed to make the album.
We get a nice little change up with the title track. This is done in a fashion which I might describe as ‘cowboy metal.’ Think of the Bon Jovi classic, “Wanted Dead or Alive” and you will know what I mean. Saying that, Sweet FA’s effort here is as good. Hint: I will be making a future post dedicated to songs of this type. Anyway, back to the album and after the title track, you get a couple more sleazy metal tunes, “Whiskey River” is quite good as is “Breaking the Law.” It’s not a cover of the Judas Priest epic, it’s a totally different song. Judas Priest’s song of said title is a belting, in your face rocker, while Sweet FA’s is done in the bluesy swagger. In fact, would anyone be interested if I were to do these two songs on a “Songs with the Same Title” post?
As it was with the times, the album does have it’s token ballad, although I might have been disappointed if there wasn’t one on this album. DeLong definitely has the vocals for it and I am confident that the guitar solo would match the ballad. Thus we have “Heart of Gold.” It not only ticks the boxes of what a good power ballad should be, it goes beyond that and might have made my list had I listened to the album before. There is a lovely soft acoustic intro followed by vocals of the same. The drums and the bass set the rhythm for the guitars to kick in and put the power in the ballad and of course, there’s a cool guitar solo. The power ballad is the big climax for the album and remaining two tracks are in place to end the album right, even if closer, “Southern Comfort,” is done in a more country fashion.
Sweet FA were another casualty of a changing time. If “Stick To Your Guns” had come out a couple of years earlier, it might have been much bigger. Everything was there for this band to have hit the big time. Everything but timing and luck, unfortunately.
First of all, let me wish everyone out there a happy new year! We can all agree that 2025 had it’s triumphs and tragedies all throughout the year. We had some rock and metal greats leave us for the great gig in the sky. On the flip side, while Ozzy might have left us, he went out in true Ozzy fashion with him and Black Sabbath totally kicking ass at their final show.
One task I intend to fulfill in 2026 is to write a final piece on Rock Heaven. After all, we can’t leave it in the hands of Satan, can we? Ozzy’s death, plus a few others has given me some ideas on how Rock Heaven can be taken back. Mike Ladano, I will need further liaison with you on this, especially as the Northern Lights Super Heroes will need to help. One question you all can help me with is what to do with traitor Johnny Cash?
Now for what you can expect from 80smetalman. Originally, I wasn’t expecting to still be writing this blog so much by now. My original endgame was to end the metal history tour at the conclusion of 1989, but since you all so overwhelmingly convinced me to go into 1990 and beyond, I have done that. With that said, the tour of 1990 only has a few more albums to go and then it’s a case of where I go from here. I can answer that now.
I’m going to take a short break from posting about albums. There are other ideas floating around my brain housing group and they are itching to get out. To whet your appetite a little, I have some top ten lists and some other rock and metal related topics as well. However, I do want to spend several posts paying homage to a large number of singers who do something we don’t really recognize. If you want to know more, you’ll have to stick around.
Once I get all that out of my system, I will go back to albums I missed out the first time around, starting with the 1970s and then progressing through the 1980s. Believe me, I should hang my head in shame at some of the albums I missed. Then I will eventually proceed to the 1990s, so don’t worry, all is in hand.
I hope you’ll continue to enjoy the ride because I’m excited about what I have in store on 80smetalman over the time to come. With that, since this is a new year, I will leave you with a song from a new album by the band I’ve been following since they mesmerized me at 2017 Download, Greywind. Their album is called, “Severed Heart City” and the song is called, “I Killed All My Friends,” enjoy.
First of all, I hope all of you had a very Merry Christmas or whatever you celebrate this time of year. As you can see, I made out good with the AC/DC goodies. On another note, maybe fate or karma or something was remembering the passing of Chris Rea, because today, I had to drive on the M25, London Orbital Road to pick up a client and it really was the road to Hell! Going there, the actual journey on the road to Hell should only take an hour but it took me three!
M25, the Road to Hell, Don’t worry, the car was at a complete standstill when I snapped the picture, perfectly safe.
Thinking back on the year, 2025 was a great year for me music wise. I went to three concerts, the most I went to since 2018. What was better, I got to see two bands, Savatage and Queensryche, who I saw as opening acts back in 1986, as headliners this time. It would have been the perfect trifecta if Accept, another band I saw as an opener back in 1986, came around as a headliner. However, I had the near trifecta because the third band I saw as a headliner this year, Testament, I saw as an opening act in 2009. Speaking of opening acts, I saw a few who quite impressed me, especially Night Demon, though I won’t take anything away from Induction or Nervosa. So, you could say that this old man had a headbanging 2025. Now I’m going to make you jealous or bore you with some photographic memories.
I am kicking myself once again for forgetting my mobile phone when I saw Queensryche and Night Demon.
Induction, June 2025
Savatage need no introduction, June 2025
These ladies from Brazil can thrash, Oct. 2025
Destruction showed they still have it, Oct. 2025
As did Obituary, Oct. 2025
Testament took it home, Oct. 2025
As we all know, 2025 brought its share of tragedy as not only did we lose Chris to the great gig in the sky, Ozzy and Ace Frehley also left the mortal realm. The other day, I found this piece on the YouTube, which listed all the musicians who passed away this year. God, I didn’t know there were that many! Some I had heard of, there were others who I hadn’t, even some before my time.
If I don’t get back on here before then, let me wish all of you out there a very Happy New Year and a prosperous 2026.
First, I would like to wish all of you, my readers, a Merry Christmas or simply Happy Holidays. Two days ago, we had the tragic loss of Chris Rea, who’s Christmas song, “Driving Home for Christmas,” was featured in that post. For this post, I am going with my intended song, “I Am Santa Claus,” by Bob Rivers and Twisted Radio.
For those who are new to 80smetalman, I have a soft spot for this Christmas album as it’s definitely not mainstream. It’s full of humourous Christmas songs, although I find the traditional carol, “Oh Little Town of Bethlehem,” sung to the tune of the Animals smash hit, “House of the Rising Sun,” a masterpiece of genius. However, I won’t be playing that one today either. Instead, I will be playing the title track because it is done in the format of the Black Sabbath monster hit, “Iron Man,” and it’s done beautifully. As you know, Ozzy departed the mortal realm back in July and while doing some research, I also discovered that Bob Rivers had also departed our realm back in March. Therefore, what better fitting Christmas tribute to both of these men than to play, “I Am Santa Claus.”
Ozzy Osbourne
On another note, Iron Maiden celebrated 50 years as a band and my stepson, Ash, gave me this for Christmas.
2025 was sucking anyway and just as we’re about to celebrate the Christmas holidays, singer/guitarist Chris Rea has passed away. He died in hospital after a short illness, he was 74.
Chris had a music career which spawned five decades and put out too many albums to count, more than my fingers and toes anyway. For me, he will be best known for his hit, “Road to Hell” which is about the London orbital motorway, the M25. Having driven on it a number of times, I can concur with the song’s sentiments. According the town’s mayor, Chris was also responsible for putting his hometown of Middlesbrough on the map. His last album was a Christmas album which came out very recently.
As it’s near Christmas, I think the best way to pay tribute to this stalwart of rock is to play his song, “Driving Home for Christmas,” which still gets a lot of airplay on UK radio this time of year. It’s only fitting that it gets more this year.
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