THE GUARDSMAN'S HAT

Right then, let's get on with it shall we?
I got lots of terrific stuff to make your day for this post, so i'll stop fannying about and get right to "the crux of the biscuit", the music.
From 1977, here's the self titled debut album by Canada's Goddo, an excellent if atypically quirky Hard Rock trio. Connoisseurs of Canuck Hard Rock hold these guys in very high esteem, a couple of spins of this one should be all it takes for you to join the ranks of the converted. There's great songwriting a plenty, clever lyrics, great arrangements and some rather brilliant playing, what more could you ask for?

GODDO - Goddo (1977) Canada

http://rapidshare.com/files/56007145/GODDO_-_Goddo__Can_-_1977_.rar

To Germany now, for the debut album by Munich's Railway, the imaginatively titled "Railway I".
A great collection of incendiary Rock, this weighs in at the heavier end of the scale, ( for 1984), the nine tracks rockin' mightily with nods to the NWOBHM, fellow countrymen THE SCORPIONS, and US Hard Rock. They followed this with "Railway II" in '85, probably their finest moment, and although they kept playing in one form or another until 1995, this early one-two was never bettered. Get on track, get Railway.

RAILWAY - Railway I (1984) Germany

http://rapidshare.com/files/56611246/RAILWAY_-_Railway_I__Ger_-_1984_.rar

Now, all the way from Connecticut of all places, another nice rare slab of US Metal which remains deserving of your attention. This is the lone album by Titanic, the self explanatory "Then There Was Rock", released on their own White Lightning label back in 1985. There were many bands playing this sort of thing back in '85, (depending on your point of view it's HARD Hard Rock or commercial Heavy Metal), but few were doing it as well as Titanic. Key to their excellence in their chosen field is singer Bobby Torres, a man with a great set of pipes who should really have gone on to greater things. Check this one out, the guy's got some range, but doesn't feel the need to constantly show off all over the place, he reigns it in and uses it sparingly and to great effect.
Top stuff!

TITANIC - Then There Was Rock (1985) USA

http://rapidshare.com/files/56561279/TITANIC_-_Then_There_Was_Rock__USA_-_1984_.rar

For those of you with senses of humour and open minds here's another EP featuring the talents of Wax Audio. This time the sacred cow getting a good "Waxing" is the once-mighty Metallica. Again, the scope of what's been done with these tracks is staggeringly clever and amusingly irreverent in equal measure. If you enjoyed the previous MAIDEN EP, you'll lap this up. If you didn't, then frankly i pity you.

METALLICA Vs WAX AUDIO - The Mash Up EP (2007) USA

http://rapidshare.com/files/57328398/The_METALLICA_Mash_Up_EP__2007_.rar

Time now for some of the old NWOBHM that always seems to go down well with you all.
Up first, here's the debut EP by the fantastic Rogue Male, "All Over You", which was released to much fanfare in the UK Metal press by Music For Nations in 1984. Formed by former members of DEEP MACHINE, LE GRIFFE and DIRTY TRICKS, Rogue Male were being touted as the "next big thing" by the press in 1984. Unfortunately they didn't catch on with the general public ultimately, whether as a result of their "Road Warrior" image or the hype in the music papers. It can't have been the music though, for it's fantastic, great big guitars, great big choruses, and the lyrics eschew the cock-rock-squawk of the times for the most part focusing on social & political themes. Not on this EP though. This is vile sexism of the most knuckle headed kind, and all the more amusing for it. Check out that chorus. They don't make 'em like that any more, they wouldn't dare!

ROGUE MALE - All Over You EP (1984) UK

http://rapidshare.com/files/56010938/ROGUE_MALE_-_All_Over_You_EP__UK_-_1985_.rar

Up next, the sole release by Berlin Ritz, the "Crazy Nights" 45, released on their own Big Muff Records back in 1980. I must confess, i've not even had the chance to hear this one yet myself. It arrived on a cd from a trader friend as i was putting this post together, and i thought you all might like to hear it. So i hope it's worth hearing after all that. I'm sure you'll let me know.

BERLIN RITZ - Crazy Nights 7" (1980) UK

http://rapidshare.com/files/56587966/BERLIN_RITZ_-_Crazy_Nights_7_____UK-1980_.rar

From the same disc, and with the same lack of info comes another obscure piece of vinyl from the opposite end of the NWOBHM time frame. This is the "The Singer & The Artist" 7" by BEG TO DIFFER on Micro Records from 1985. Again, i've yet to hear this one , so i'll look forward to seeing what you think of it, good or bad.

BEG TO DIFFER - The Singer & The Artist 7" (1985) UK

http://rapidshare.com/files/56591918/BEG_TO_DIFFER_-_The_Singer___The_Artist_7____UK-1985_.rar

Finally, here's a nice rare little artifact which was kindly passed on to us by blog visitor metalrorschach, many thanks buddy! This is the Gloucestershire NWOBHM band Tyrant who released the rare & excellent "Hold Back The Lightning" 45 back in 1984. Members of the group came from bands as diverse as MAX HAVOC, CHINATOWN & WRATHCHILD and would go on to join TOKYO BLADE, and in the case of singer Mark Kelsa, briefly replace UDO in ACCEPT for a brief time in '84! Most of us only know of the bands legacy as a result of that 7", thanks to MR we can now hear the bands rare demos. This is some good stuff folks, go geddit!

TYRANT - Demos (1982-84) UK

http://rapidshare.com/files/54582530/Tyrant_NWOBHM_demos_80s_METAL_RARITIES.rar

That's a lot for y'all to work your way through, hope there's something amongst it all to make you beam. Comments, praises, grumbles, requests, reviews - all welcomed, use the "comment" button.
See you all again soon.