format: Mini-LP
year: 1990
country: Singapore
label: Life
#: HM 2074
info:
style: Heavy Metal, Power Metal
Side A:
Side B:
As great and groundbreaking as the 2 first Rockers albums are, it is with their Monumental third album "Andalusia" that the band truly reached international standards of Metal Godliness. The heavy Iron Maiden-influence from the previous album is still there in part, but here is where they've started to develop a sound of their own - heavier, faster, better produced and with songwriting skills now honed to perfection. Just listen to the immense "Gagasan" and I double-dare you to tell me how you could possibly create a more perfect Power Metal hymn! (...without being Riot). "Kesesatan" could be the best song you never heard from an old Melodia-era Aria-album, and "Carikan Gaza"... what an absolutely glorious gem of True Epic Metal! Right up there with the best tunes off Belantara's "Inifinti" album. They even get it right with the Token Rocker this time, as "Rok Terus Rok" is a righteous Judas Priest-flavoured, pounding Hard Rock stadium-stormer.
We now interrupt this review with an important message from Life
Records, Malaysia:
"AAAAAAHHAHAHAHAHA!! GO FUCK YOURSELVES METAL FANS!! YOU DON'T NEED THESE SONGS - SUCK OUR FUCKING DICKS!!! BEND OVER AND HAVE SOME FUCKING BALLADS INSTEAD!! HERE! HAVE SOME MORE!! HAVE ALL OF THEM!!! FUCKERS!!! AAAAARRRRGHHHGHRRLLLGLLRRR!!!!...."
Because, why include all tracks from the official album on your limited vinyl promo version when you can just as easily leave 4 of them out. For no perceivable reason whatsoever. Other than being Evil. Fucking. Cunts.
I'm having a hard time remembering a worse moment of such stark disappointment in my record collecting career as when I realized this album
had been victim of such vicious mutilation
(...and later I noticed how this was a practice in no way unique among Malaysian and Singapore promos)
To finally get to the proper review of this particular release, let's have a look at what we're actually getting - there are after all some bright shining lights of hope in this sad story:
The remorseless opening riff to "Andalusia" emanates an aura of pure Might and Dominance, like the flaming hand of a vengeful god reaching down from the heavens to disintegrate the false ones, and in my mind it's pinching the heads of Life Records exec's, making squishy little sounds as their ugly noggins pop in clouds of blood and gore - *pop!* *squish!* *pop!* *squish!* *pop!* *squish!*
It's everything you'd ever want from an opening title track - an unforgiving sword of Vengeance!
Opening side B, madly dervish-dancing in the aftermath of the slaughter is the 2nd and last of the salvaged Real Metal Anthems, the fierce "Perjuangan" - another godsend beacon of raging Speed Metal PowerSteel, forged in the pits Olde Europe, riding down our enemies on their half hearted flight.
...So, yeah, I was a bit miffed that some of my favourite tracks were missing from this version of the release, but in case you think that I'm overreacting and are taking a poor marketing decision a wee bit too serious, I'd like to remind you that [__insert holocaust reference here__]