...SIŁA I PIĘKNO MUZYKI TKWIĄ W JEJ RÓŻNORODNOŚCI...


..::OPIS::..

Speed thrash metalowy klasyk wznowiony w 35-rocznicę premiery.
Debiutancki mini-album Razor z 1984 roku, 6 dodatkowych utworów z demo.


Before becoming the thrash-oriented powerhouse that these Canadians are known for, Razor took the stripped-down, traditional heavy metal approach in line with the NWOBHM acts. That was a very short-lived experience, and while it may show its roots on their full-lengths, the debut EP Armed And Dangerous is the only release to fully flash these lights. It’s a short, sweet experience that’s nice and clean. That alone gives it a standout charm, alongside the superior songwriting.

Despite being the least-aggressive approach, there’s a primal energy to Armed And Dangerous that feels flattering. There’s little in the vein of vocal focus, taking the early ‘80s Pantera approach without any glam fluff and instead just boasts attitude. To match, we have a mildly fuzzed overcast from the bass and lower production value. That raw foundation allows the leads to pierce the surface as the forefront of the experience; consider this helpful, since the leads are Razor’s strongest feature.

And yet, some songs make their presence a little more brash, namely looking at the likes of “Hot Metal.” A need for a harder drive contrasts the laid-back approach of the title track’s steady and heavy focus, and the fact that they compliment each other so well is a great selling point. If that’s not enough, the drums feel more prominent in the latter of the two tracks, working with the leads to establish a mature approach. And if you still crave the speed, look forward to “Take This Torch.” For something so brief, there’s a little taste of everything that this genre is heavily known for.

While maybe nothing groundbreaking, this is everything I look for in those older, brief traditional metal releases that precede a classic career. Nine times out of ten, you can get a whiff of what’s coming, but it’s divorced from the central selling point. Perhaps a hot take, but I like this better than any Razor full-length. Worth seeking out for fans of early Def Leppard, early Pantera, Angel Witch, or Tank.

Sweetie


“…feel the white hot metal, feel it burn your skin, experience the torture, pay for all your sins…”

Easily the rarest of Razor discs, these seven tracks are an early-stage aural portrait of what the four-piece will do for the rest of its existence. Unlike a band such as countrymates Voivod who would transmogrify into something more abstract and otherworldly with each and every subsequent album, Razor’s dial never clicked to a different network, never faltered in their quest for thrash dominance, and…well, no sense rehashing…read my Evil Invaders review for the rest of this diatribe.

These tracks resemble the production value and thinner thrash delivery that's featured on Executioner’s Song rather than Evil Invaders where thickness like swamp water soaks the tracks and the band starts the ascent into their own legendary status. Four of the tracks here are featured on the band’s debut full-lengther, so this ep is more of a hardcore collector’s wet dream, the fan who doesn’t mind dishing out $200+ for two additional songs that will probably turn up on some future compilation/best of release.

It’s easily noticeable that traditional elements in “Killer Instinct” and “Hot Metal” overtake the thrash vehemence that is just clawing to escape, meanwhile the longer title cut possesses one of Sheepdog’s most feeble screams, a mere kitten compared to the masters of the hunt on Evil Invaders that have a tendency to set steel afire.

The first true stroke of thrashmania ignites with blue flame appeal in “Take This Torch” and an opening riff of frantic, flesh-peeling proportion that cannot be overlooked. The chorus fans the flames into a screeching inferno while McLaren unleashes screams more akin to his seminal lungs. It's a quintessential thrash song that (obviously) doubles as the best track on the record and was chosen to punt Executioner’s Song into orbit. Not far off with additional thrash fervor is “Ball and Chain”, meanwhile “Fast and Loud” takes its own advice, pummeling away with a conspicuously insatiable chorus that shoves the track right over the edge. The almost useless “The End” should be tied to it, never to be heard again, but shows up closing their debut nonetheless.

Before the low grumbling on Evil Invaders, Sheepdog’s vocals were more a crackling shriek, amateurish even more so than the additional tracks on Executioner’s Song, and really isn’t all that endearing to him, but a true fan will get over it. Even a non-collector can see the investment value in this. The album’s worth can only go up unless someone finds a glut of them tucked away in the corner of some warehouse. Yeah, I’m not worried either.

"...ready or not, take this torch..."

Gutterscream



..::TRACK-LIST::..

1. The End 2:04
2. Killer Instinct 2:42
3. Hot Metal 2:18
4. Armed And Dangerous 5:07
5. Take This Torch 3:16
6. Ball And Chain 3:32
7. Fast And Loud 3:54

Bonus Tracks [pre production Demo]:
8. Ball And Chain 2:43
9. Hot Metal 2:30
10. Take This Torch 3:25
11. Killer Instinct 2:51
12. Fast And Loud 3:54
13. Armed And Dangerous 5:03

Tracks 1-7 were recorded and mixed at the Waxworks in St.Jacobs ,Ontario, Canada.
Produced by Terry Marostega and Razor, originally released by Voice Records in 1984.
Tracks 8-13 Armed and Dangerous pre production Demo
Recorded April 16th 1984 at Octo Sound Studios, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada.
Produced by Terry Marostega.



..::OBSADA::..

Dave Carlo - Guitars
Sheepdog - Vocals
Mike Campagnolo - Bass
M-Bro - Drums



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZmLgF1mdro



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