Another
formerly "impossibly rare US Metal"-album that suddenly turned up in boxloads
(or just about.). Well, that supply may last forever or it may not, so
better to be safe than sorry. The infantile fantasy cover art has surely
done its part in raising an interest in the album, at least it did for
me. Of course there's no way in hell an album looking like this will have
even a half-decent production. It's like a universal law - no need to
explain it. Still, apart from the bass laying slightly too high in the
mix, the raw sound doesn't affect the overall listening experience in
any way. I mean, it's not bloody prog rock so who cares, right? Yes, after
picking it up at KIT II (thank you Mr. Riermaier!) I was happy to discover
it contained pretty much the same raw and unpolished d.i.y./basement-Metal
I expected.
The title track stands out though. "White Stallion" dishes out classic
US-Power/mid-paced semi-Thrash in the fine tradition of bands like METAL
CHURCH or NASTY SAVAGE. A superb, haunting, doomy break in the middle
elevates the song even higher. Great fucking start, guys! "Black Rider"
is a heavy rocker galloping away alongside
CRYSYS
and early TWISTED SISTER, perhaps missing a fence or two along the way,
but hell, this is amateur hour.
According to the back sleeve, RAW ENERGY apparently stands for
Raging
Atomic
Wild
Entering
Now
Existing
Ripping
Grinding
Yells (now there's a T-shirt waiting to happen..)
and gives cheers to all metal heads & thrashers. So are they Thrash?
Hm, well, in the same sense that HOLOCAUST and RAVEN were, I guess - that
is: no, but they're sort of inventing it all over again. "Rockin
You" explains this much better than my measly scribblings. Listening
to the last song on this curiosity, the doomy/sludgy proto-thrash of "Death
Stalker", I kinda wonder why they never turned up on New Renaissance
Records? They would have looked great on stage alongside MEDIEVAL or DREAM
DEATH. So I may keep forgetting their songs, but I honestly dig their
sound. It's very American, in a trashy sort of way, and at least they
lived up to their moniker, which is more than I can say for plenty of
other bands.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Should you find an unopened copy of this album,
demand
to have it opened and checked so that the vinyl is not warped. Several
copies have turned up which are. (mine just barely played without skipping)
Originally written in German. Translate to:
Genauso erbärmlich wie die künstlerische Ausgeburt des Coverarts zeigt sich die Soundumsetzung der vier Nummern, absolute Kellerdemo-Qualität, welche aber nicht über die vorhandene musikalische Klasse hinwegtäuschen sollte. Diese selten gesehene 12“ ist ein verborgenes Kleinod, nicht schlechter als beispielsweise THUNDERRIDER oder OVERLORDE, reinrassiger US-Metal mit Powermetal-Referenzen. Gerade der Titelsong in seiner gladiatorenreifen Kampfesdarbietung weiß spätestens nach dem epischen Mittelteil zu überzeugen. „Black rider“ zeigt mit dem „ewigen“ Galoppriff den Soundtrack zum Nackenschütteln, hart und wohltuend. „Rockin you“ ist dann nur ein netter Durchschnittsrocker, der nichts weiter ist als die Einleitung zum Ausbruch des gewaltigen Rammbocks „Death stalker“, was für ein schwer schnaubender, hungriger Lindwurm! Hier eine druckvolle Produktion eingepflanzt, dann ging’s abwärts zum Wirlpool Luzifers. Simpel aber effektiv! RAW ENERGY definieren sich selbst am Backcover mit den Worten: „Raging Atomic Wild Entering Now Existing Ripping Grinding Yells“. Dem ist wohl nichts hinzuzufügen.
A great Mini-Album with a fine coverartwork. The obscoure item has a raw sound but thats no problem. When you hear this record you remember the good times of Metal!! A must-have!