A Feast Of Heavy Treats
Well, things sure have picked up over here, after a bit of a famine, you're now enjoying the "Otherwise" feast!!! There's no way i'll be able to keep up this kind of posting pace, but rest assured, the quality won't dip, even if the frequency of the posts does.
Here's another fistful of obscurio quality early '80's international Heavy Metal.
First up, as promised, the debut EP by Sweden's mighty Axe Witch. It's from '82 and it goes by the name of "Pray For Metal". I'm pretty sure "irony" was not top of their list of priorities, these were simpler times, it rocks hard.
AXE WITCH - Pray For Metal EP (1982) Sweden
http://rapidshare.com/files/11161138/Axe_Witch_-_pray_for_metal_EP__1982_.rar
Next, from Manchester, it's the sole EP by Kraken from 1980. This is some fine no-frills NWOBHM for those who appreciate the beauty of the form. It also boasts a track with the brilliant title of "Winged Bulls Of Ninevah"! It got some terrible reviews at the time, but it sounds pretty darn good to me. Try for yourself.
KRAKEN - Fantasy Reality EP (1980) UK
http://rapidshare.com/files/11258261/kraken_-_fantasy_reality_ep__1980_.rar
I haven't posted any US Metal thus far, consider that rectified right now, with a classy one-off 7" artifact by Anvil Chorus. Nice stuff which created a bit of a buzz back in the day, members later went on to feature in Bay Area Thrashers Heathen, and also with Seattles venerable Metal Church. Apparently they're back together and looking to record again, i'll look forward to the fruits of their labours if they're half as good as this.
ANVIL CHORUS - Blondes In Black 7" (1982) USA
http://rapidshare.com/files/11433475/Anvil_Chorus_-_blondes_in_black_7____1982_.rar
Back to Scandinavia now, for the sole 7" from Denmark's Witchcross. They recorded this in the same studio with the same team as produced Mercyful Fate's classic "Melissa". Now, i'm not going to try and claim that Witchcross were in the same league as the King & co., but they were pretty damn good nonetheless.
WITCHCROSS - Are You There? 7" (1983)Denmark
http://rapidshare.com/files/11434564/Witchcross_-_Are_You_There_7____1983_.rar
If you're a fan of the classic Priest stuff, you should do yourself a favour and check out this next nugget, the debut EP by Obsession. Great cheesy sleeve too folks! They made a couple more albums after this one, before their singer jumped ship to sing first with Jap Rockers Loudness, then teaming up with "The Fury" himself, Yngwie J. Malmsteen, for a record or two. Obsession recently reconvened and have a new cd out now.
OBSESSION - Marshall Law EP (1984)USA
http://rapidshare.com/files/11256410/OBSESSION_-_Marshall_Law_EP__1984_.rar
Last, but by no means least, we return to the NWOBHM, with the 1st release by Bleak House. Their 1980 EP is one of the outstanding moments of the whole "movement", it commands silly money on the auction sites, now you can find out why. If you like this one, head on over to Time Traveller to pick up their later "Lions In Winter" EP too. I've also got a complete live soundboard recording from 1980 coming up here in the not-too-distant future.
BLEAK HOUSE - Rainbow Warrior EP (1980) UK
http://rapidshare.com/files/11362481/BLEAK_HOUSE_-_Rainbow_Warrior_EP__1980_.rar
As per usual, no passwords needed, art & txt files in rars.
Keep those comments & requests a-coming, we need the feedback friends.
Here's another fistful of obscurio quality early '80's international Heavy Metal.
First up, as promised, the debut EP by Sweden's mighty Axe Witch. It's from '82 and it goes by the name of "Pray For Metal". I'm pretty sure "irony" was not top of their list of priorities, these were simpler times, it rocks hard.
AXE WITCH - Pray For Metal EP (1982) Sweden
http://rapidshare.com/files/11161138/Axe_Witch_-_pray_for_metal_EP__1982_.rar
Next, from Manchester, it's the sole EP by Kraken from 1980. This is some fine no-frills NWOBHM for those who appreciate the beauty of the form. It also boasts a track with the brilliant title of "Winged Bulls Of Ninevah"! It got some terrible reviews at the time, but it sounds pretty darn good to me. Try for yourself.
KRAKEN - Fantasy Reality EP (1980) UK
http://rapidshare.com/files/11258261/kraken_-_fantasy_reality_ep__1980_.rar
I haven't posted any US Metal thus far, consider that rectified right now, with a classy one-off 7" artifact by Anvil Chorus. Nice stuff which created a bit of a buzz back in the day, members later went on to feature in Bay Area Thrashers Heathen, and also with Seattles venerable Metal Church. Apparently they're back together and looking to record again, i'll look forward to the fruits of their labours if they're half as good as this.
ANVIL CHORUS - Blondes In Black 7" (1982) USA
http://rapidshare.com/files/11433475/Anvil_Chorus_-_blondes_in_black_7____1982_.rar
Back to Scandinavia now, for the sole 7" from Denmark's Witchcross. They recorded this in the same studio with the same team as produced Mercyful Fate's classic "Melissa". Now, i'm not going to try and claim that Witchcross were in the same league as the King & co., but they were pretty damn good nonetheless.
WITCHCROSS - Are You There? 7" (1983)Denmark
http://rapidshare.com/files/11434564/Witchcross_-_Are_You_There_7____1983_.rar
If you're a fan of the classic Priest stuff, you should do yourself a favour and check out this next nugget, the debut EP by Obsession. Great cheesy sleeve too folks! They made a couple more albums after this one, before their singer jumped ship to sing first with Jap Rockers Loudness, then teaming up with "The Fury" himself, Yngwie J. Malmsteen, for a record or two. Obsession recently reconvened and have a new cd out now.
OBSESSION - Marshall Law EP (1984)USA
http://rapidshare.com/files/11256410/OBSESSION_-_Marshall_Law_EP__1984_.rar
Last, but by no means least, we return to the NWOBHM, with the 1st release by Bleak House. Their 1980 EP is one of the outstanding moments of the whole "movement", it commands silly money on the auction sites, now you can find out why. If you like this one, head on over to Time Traveller to pick up their later "Lions In Winter" EP too. I've also got a complete live soundboard recording from 1980 coming up here in the not-too-distant future.
BLEAK HOUSE - Rainbow Warrior EP (1980) UK
http://rapidshare.com/files/11362481/BLEAK_HOUSE_-_Rainbow_Warrior_EP__1980_.rar
As per usual, no passwords needed, art & txt files in rars.
Keep those comments & requests a-coming, we need the feedback friends.
posted by Anonymous at 5:52 PM
13 Comments:
Great heavy metal stuff. Many thanks.
I love it!!
NWOBHM Rules!!
Thanks a lot!
Keep up the good work.
Thanks!
To the feller who was asking for more Handsome Beasts stuff, a nice couple of "Sweeties" coming your way in the next post.
:)
Also, good news for Sergey, I laid my hands on some more Rage(UK),(ex-Nutz), which will be appearing here soon also.
If anyone has any requests, feel free to give us a holler, i can't guarantee that i'll be able to fill it, but i'll do my best.
Also, thanks to all who've left such positive & encouraging comments, it's nice to know we're "hitting the spot".
Bleak House were our "big" local band in St Albans. They played at the City Hall once supported by Clientelle (another bunch of local rockers) in a show that promised stage props/effects as used by Pink Floyd.
On the day the only prop I recall was the set of doors under the drum riser that the singer burst out of at the beginning. I have no idea to this day what the Floyd connection was.
They were named after Bleak House in St Albans - the inspiration for the name (if not the location) of Dickens' novel.
Any chance of their album - or Clientelle's album? The later became local celebrities (not much ever happened in St Albans) when they got to support Hawkwind on a few dates around London.
Dolly, thanks very much for the background info and recollections on Bleak House.
I'd hunted all over the web and turned up very little, in fact, your post was the most informative thing i've read on them.
As far as i'm aware, the only Bleak House releases are the "Rainbow Warrior" EP (1980)and the "Lions In Winter" EP, posted over at "Time Traveller" blog. I've never come across any mention of an album.
I have, however, got a 16 song soundboard live recording from 1980, which'll appear in the next post, it's very good quality and a great show. Hopefully, that'll satisfy your hunger for Bleak House.
As for Clientelle, i think i may have a 7" or EP by them, i'll have to have a rummage.
Thanks again for the info, and if any of our other visitors would like to share a bit of background or anecdotes about the bands posted here, please feel free. It's always good to find out more.
I'm fairly certain there was a Bleak House album although it was a long time ago and a lot of beer has washed over the brain cells since then!
They did produce a patch which I think I might still have somewhere. If I can find it I'll take a picture and link to it.
Clientelle definitely had an LP out though.
...and now I go to download the EP and the link takes me somewhere else!
Bah!
Definetely don't remember a Bleak House album but Clientelle had an album called 'Destination Unknown'& A 7'' both of which are mega rare as they were on a tiny label. Used to have a copy of the album as a tape trade and it was kinda traditional 70's rock sounding! Would love to hear it again, cheers.
I think i may have a copy of the 7" somewhere around here, but it may take a while to find it.
Great to hear Bleakhouse again, thanks, and it would be of interest to hear any soundboard recordings too. I used to live in the Watford area where the band played quite a few gigs, normally supporting larger bands. I recall seeing them at the civic centre in St Albans and a couple of times at Watford Town Hall. Toad The Wet Sprocket and Sledgehammer I remember being on one same gig. The opening riffs and the crowd shouting BLEAKHOUSE is something I never forget. Brilliant!
you are the man!!
NwoBhm forever and beyond...the base of all sub genres of metal!
should have way bigger
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you
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