ALIEN FORCE
Hell
And High Water
Line-up:
Peter Svale Andersen (voc), Henrik
Rasmussen (git), Michael Østerfelt (bs), Michael Rasmussen (dr)
format: LP
year: 1985
country:
Denmark
label:
Telaeg
#:
6 61 552
info:
No insert
style: Heavy Metal
Side A:
- To You
- Get It Out
- Ripper
- Nervous
- Fly Away
Side B:
- Stranger
- Night Of Glory
- Hell And High Water
- Time Is Out
((CLICK PICS FOR HI-RES SCANS))
Don't
ask me where I found this record. A rare strike of idiot luck I guess.
It was released in 500 copies shortly after the small Telaeg label went
bankrupt and it sold out in 2 months. Instead of making another pressing
of their debut the band concentrated on their 2nd LP "Pain And Pleasure",
which you may have seen on a few lists lately (I guess someone found a
box again), but trust me, this one is way rarer. With "To You" they blast
some classic "Killing Machine"-era J-Priestish riffing, sporting their
flawless production, fine vocals and solid musicianship. With each following
song they cement their rather plain kind of SAXON-minus-the-lame-pub-rock-parts/J
PRIEST old-school Heavy Metal into your head that gets quite likeable
after a few listenings. Then, suddenly without a warning, a truly rare
occurance in 80's Metal: a ballad which doesn't suck dead poser cock!
No kidding, "Fly Away" is a real gem. For once (?) the band in question
has decided to write some good, moody music rather than a token slow song
for the girls. Yeah, it's the best song on the album, reminding me of
the fine craftmanship of those old RAINBOW/DIO classics like "Touch The
Rainbow" etc. Side 2 kicks off with the great HEAVY LOAD-style "Stranger",
and together with the very catchy chorus of the title song and closing
HM-slugger "Time Is Out" this album will leave you with a smile on you
face. That is, if you have absolutely no interest in originality or extravagances
in you Metal food. ALIEN FORCE were a run-of-the-mill/middle-of-the-road/jump-on-the-bandwagon/only-a-tidbit-too-good-for-Mausoleum
type of band, but they had the kind of generic but classy riffing and
good vocals that at least Japanese Scanda-metal collectors will pay dearly
in blood for, so happy hunting if it sounds like your thing...