THE HILLBILLYS HAT

"On with the action", as a certain Phil Mogg used to say, lots of great Hard Rock & Heavy Metal for you tonight, toes will tap, fists will shake and heads WILL bang.
Up first for your toe-tappin', fist-shakin', head-bangin' enjoyment this time, we're proud to be able to bring you the debut album by Canadian Hard Rockers Helix. This is "Breaking Loose" from way back in 1979 which was released on the bands own H&S label. Their identity is well & truly in place even at this early stage in their recording career, must've been the 5 years which they'd already put in on the rough'n'tumble Canadian bar circuit prior to this recording. As you'd expect, this is raw catchy anthemic good time Hard Rock'n'Roll, there are a couple of subtler moments too but nothing to ruin your buzz. Terrific stuff!

HELIX - Breaking Loose (1979) Canada

http://rapidshare.com/files/57303679/HELIX_-_Breaking_Loose__Canada_-_1979_.rar

More great late '70's Canuck Hard Rockin' for you now, this is "An Act Of..." by the mighty Goddo from that same year of 1979. This one captures the band at the height of their powers, merging the best aspects of the bands great catchy songwriting with some of the best examples of their sarcastic and humourous lyrics, all finely tuned after a couple of road doggin' years. This is the best they ever captured their live sound in a studio, sophisticated but still Rockin'. Go get!

GODDO - An Act Of Goddo (1979) Canada

http://rapidshare.com/files/57286182/GODDO_-_An_Act_Of_Goddo__Can_-_1979_.rar

After that double bill of Maple Leaf mayhem, we head to the USA for power trio Battle Axe's sole release "We're On The Attack". This full lengther appeared in 1985 on their own Battle Axe label, and showcases a band who have honed their Heavy edged Hard Rock over several years to lay it down on black vinyl only for the world to turn up it's collective nose. Stylistically, this is probably a little behind the times, had this come out in '82/'83, chances are they would have had a decent multi album career, but the times they were a changin', and this was neither heavy enough for the thrash crowd or slick enough for the glamsters. So through the cracks of history they slipped, life's a bitch.

BATTLE AXE - We're On The Attack (1985) USA

http://rapidshare.com/files/57271294/BATTLE_AXE_-_We_re_On_The_Attack__USA_-_1985_.rar

Another American private pressing for you now, this is the highly regarded self titled EP by Image. Canny lads that they were, they were able to combine their meat & potatoes Metal with some elements of the Thrash sound and wound up sounding, at times, like the bastard offspring of ANVIL and RAVEN. Great guitars on this one, whether they be riffing or soloing, there be awesome six-stringing all over this little gem. I believe this was all she wrote for Image, i'm sure you'll let me know if not, but for the life of me i can't fathom why, they seemed to cover so many bases that they couldn't fail. Lady fate is a cruel mistress indeed.

IMAGE - Image EP (1986) USA

http://rapidshare.com/files/56550871/IMAGE_-_Image_EP__USA_-_1986_.rar

Completing this trilogy of US HM private pressings, we move on now to Chicago, Illinois based quartet Quest and their sole self-titled release, 1984's "Quest" EP. This is a corker which slipped out unnoticed in the USA on the bands own Soundplex Creations label. It attracted some glowing reviews in the European Metal press however, but despite this the band folded in '85. This is some great old style US Metal, anthemic but tuneful, aggressive but catchy, loaded with great riffing which reminds me at times of Lovedrive/Blackout era SCORPIONS at their heaviest.

QUEST - Quest EP (1984) USA

http://rapidshare.com/files/55480137/QUEST_-_Quest_EP__USA_-_1984_.rar

Something a little more modern for you now, but just as rare and just as good. This is the "Bambi" 7" from 2001 by Oakland based 70's style Hard Rockers Drunk Horse. As well as having one of the finest band names ever, the Horse are one of the finest combos ever to crank tube amps and shake lank locks. Imagine if you will, a collision between '70's ZZ TOP, classic THIN LIZZY and something along the lines of SIR LORD BALTIMORE, then add a little FRANK ZAPPA and leave to simmer. Really, they are that fucking good. This 7" is completely unrepresentative of their overall sound, being as it is a pair of PRINCE covers. I'm just whetting your appetite for some more of their stuff. Imagine, if they can make the purple pixies compositions sound this irresistible, what does their own material sound like? Stay tuned and you'll see.

DRUNK HORSE - Bambi 7" (2001) USA

http://rapidshare.com/files/57260154/DRUNK_HORSE_-_Bambi_7____2001_-_USA_.rar

Finally tonight, another obscure Swedish delight courtesy of Dom, this is the great "Orphan Devil" 7" by Eskilstuna based band Shakespeare. Another piece of Swedish gold from the collectible Pang label! Stylistically taking their cues from early MERCYFUL FATE, these two tracks are compelling riff-fests with really odd vocals and a dark menacing atmosphere. Nice stuff indeed!

SHAKESPEARE - Orphan Devil 7" (1983) Sweden

http://rapidshare.com/files/57288977/SHAKESPEARE_-_Orphan_Devil_7____Swe-1982_.rar

So that's yer lot for this evening, hope you enjoy 'em. Fear not NWOBHM heads, there's still plenty more of that stuff in the locker as you'll see next time out.