RAINBOW

Reviewed:
- Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow (1975)
- Rising (1976)
- On Stage (1977, live album)
- Down to Earth (1979)
- Difficult to Cure (1981)
- Straight Between the Eyes (1982)
- Bent Out of Shape (1983)

- Finyl Vinyl (1986, live album)
- Stranger in Us All (1995)
- Universal Masters Collection: Classic Rainbow (2001, compilation)
- Pot of Gold (2002, compilation)


RITCHIE BLACKMORE'S RAINBOW          1975          (Polydor)
- Standouts: 'Man on the Silver Mountain', 'Self Portrait', 'Catch the Rainbow', 'Snake Charmer', 'The Temple of the King', 'Sixteenth Century Greensleeves', 'Still I'm Sad'

I'm re-reviewing this album because even though I do love the first four Rainbow records, apparently I gave this debut a 9.5/10 in 2017, which seems too generous even by my own standards. I just browsed the Quick Reference Guide to find anything else similarly rated, and I gave Back in Black the same score a couple of years ago. A 9.5/10 seems realistic for a revered record like BiB, but Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow? Just doesn't seem right!

Right, well, if you know rock music you'll probably know that Rainbow was formed shortly after Ritchie Blackmore's departure from Deep Purple. He was unhappy with the funk-tinged sounds of 1974's Stormbringer, and the way David Coverdale and Glenn Hughes had essentially taken over the band. Ritchie befriended singer Ronnie James Dio when Ronnie's band Elf had previously supported Purple, and Rainbow was formed when the two teamed up together to write songs. I remember seeing an interview with Ronnie whereby he claimed that he would only start a new band with Ritchie on the basis that he could hire the rest of Elf. So what you have with the first Rainbow album is essentially Elf (minus their lead guitarist) with Ritchie Blackmore as the guitar player. Only in terms of songwriting, musically this album has Blackmore's signature style written all over it, combined with Dio's fantasy lyrical matter.

Opener 'Man on the Silver Mountain' is still a 10/10 classic heavy metal song for me. It may seem odd to start things off with a song that isn't particularly fast, but it makes sense when you hear it. The riff is absolutely infectious, Ronnie's vocals and the way he lays them out is splendid, and the whole song has that '70s metal style fused with classical/medieval sensibilities that Rainbow were known for on their first three albums. It's 100% Ritchie, but it doesn't sound like Deep Purple because there were always more personalities involved in the writing of the songs, whereas Rainbow was more of a Blackmore/Dio project, at least originally. 'Self Portrait' is a fantastic song too; the whole "down, down down" vocal melodies sound uninspired on paper, but in practice they add tons of charm to this mid-tempo cracker. 'Black Sheep of the Family' is a little weaker than the first couple of tracks, but it's still a fine up-tempo rocker. It was also originally a Quatermass tune, but it's hard to even tell that it's a cover unless you know the original.

Like 'Man on the Silver Mountain', 'Catch the Rainbow' is one of the better-known numbers from this record. It's a soulful ballad with some very smooth lead guitar work throughout, and an epic vocal performance from Ronnie. Definitely one of my favourite Rainbow ballads. 'Snake Charmer' isn't as impressive vocally, but again, Ritchie's guitar playing is intricate and enjoyable. 'The Temple of the King' is another great ballad, this time with a focus on acoustic guitars and another soulful electric guitar solo. In general, it has a sense of mysticism about it, that Medieval style creeping it's way into the music. Blackmore always had an interest in Renaissance music, to the point where by the '90s he'd form Blackmore's Night as a way to perform that style of music. 'If You Don't Like Rock n' Roll' often gets the 'filler' label from others, but I like it. It's weaker than many of the other tracks here, sure, but it's still a fun little slice of rock n' roll that evens the pacing of the record.

'Sixteenth Century Greensleeves' is one of the heavier tracks on the album, with it's bluesy riffs and hard-hitting chorus. One of my favourite songs from the record, I just wish it lasted longer than three and a half minutes. I'll also say that the closing instrumental 'Still I'm Sad' - a different, and frankly much better take on the Yardbirds' classic - is also a favourite of mine, and it always has been. Ritchie's playing on it is mesmerising, and the percussion is infectious. I don't have a huge list of complaints when discussing this album, I still love it. But unlike the following record Rising, not every song here is a classic, even if they're all very good. 

Yep, it's still a brilliant debut. I knew that already, I just knew that I wouldn't be scoring it a 9.5/10 again if I were to re-review it! And I was right. It's a fantastic album, a classic on all levels - but even better things were still yet to come. Ritchie would sack everyone except Ronnie after this album, and I don't think that went over well with Dio. Ritchie's always been known for his 'difficult to work with' reputation (just ask Ian Gillan), but let's be honest, he always knew what he was doing. By firing the other Elf guys and bringing in musicians like Cozy Powell, Tony Carey and Jimmy Bain, things would only get better. So yeah, I think a 9.2/10 is in order.

Adam's rating: 9.2/10

Original review:
Ritchie Blackmore probably qualifies as one of rock's biggest douchebags for some people (personally I think he's fuckin' hilarious, he toys with almost everyone he speaks to in such a dry, subtle way), but you can't tell me he isn't a truly great musician even if you hate his personality. He's one of the five men responsible for milestones such as Deep Purple In Rock and Machine Head. I mean yeah, he did ditch rock completely for a number of years by the mid 90's and start playing medieval folk music (Blackmore's Night) instead, but hey, he got a new Rainbow lineup together in 2015 so he's not completely finished with rockin' out. Deep Purple's 1974 effort Stormbringer had left Ritchie with a bitter taste so he walked. Rainbow was his ticket and he quickly found talent in an extraordinary American vocalist - Ronnie James Dio (RIP). Dio doesn't exactly need an introduction, but he had been in the blues rock band Elf prior to Rainbow and obviously would go on to sing for Black Sabbath and his own solo band, Dio.

Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow was the band's introduction to the world and holy shit is this one killer record! You know, it may not be hugely ambitious as some of the later ideas, but this an absolute classic set of 70's metal tunes. Everything here just 'clicks' if you get me. Ritchie isn't trying to imitate Deep Purple yet any guitarist familiar with Purple should easily be able to decipher his playing here - just listen to the awesome closing instrumental 'Still I'm Sad' - and that was originally a Yardbirds' tune! While Deep Purple was join guitar-electric organ driven, Rainbow is definitely more guitar focused; fair enough seeing as this was Ritchie's band. What he wasn't expecting was just how significant Ronnie would be...significant to the point where Ronnie felt the album should have been renamed 'Ritchie Blackmore AND Ronnie James Dio's Rainbow'!

Dio brings his trademark fantasy/mythical themes about dragons and wizards n' shit, setting the template for power metal. Oh yeah, and his voice is pretty cool too! His iconic set of lungs was one-of-a-kind, and he and Ritchie came up with two of the best songs of the decade in my opinion - the outstanding 'Man on the Silver Mountain', which is heavy metal through-and-through, yet the riff is kinda funky too! At least, it would be if the tone was different. The other track is 'Catch the Rainbow' a simply staggering ballad. I remember seeing Opeth cover the song at Bloodstock, and it was better than any of their own material played. My other personal favourite tracks would be 'Self Portrait', 'Still I'm Sad' and 'Snake Charmer', but the whole record is outstanding. 
Adam's rating: 9.5/10


RISING          1976          (Polydor)
- Standouts: ALL!!!
Holy motherfucking ajhsdgfiuahzkncwmvbsdfoiqjergiouaq shit, what a triumphant slab of 70's metal!!! If I had to compile a list of the five greatest metal albums of the 70's (Led Zeppelin don't count...), it'd probably consist of Black Sabbath's Paranoid and Master of Reality, Deep Purple's In Rock, Judas Priest's Stained Class and this. Maybe I'd swap Paranoid with Deep Purple's Machine Head but it really depends on what mood I'm in. Point is, Rising will always sit in that list. The line-up at this point was epic - Ritchie Blackmore on guitar and Dio on vocals obviously, but you also had Cozy Powell on drums, Jimmy Bain on bass and Tony Carey on keyboards. Utterly amazing bunch of musicians if you ask me. And the music is just fucking awesome - Ritchie somehow came up with some incredibly catchy riffs and melodies without entering mainstream territory and using basic chords; 'Starstruck' is unbelievable! Dio's hook - 'Lady starstruck! She's nothing but bad luck!' - just fits so goddamn well with the guitar you HAVE to hear it!!! 'Do You Close Your Eyes' and 'Run With the Wolf' seem like straightforward rockers/metallers on the surface, but Dio's approach to the lyrics and the overall production of the album seem to give them this huge, almost anthemic quality.

What really makes this album such an important piece of music in the history of heavy metal are the lengthier songs 'Tarot Woman', 'A Light in the Black' and...'Stargazer'....

Aaahhhhhhh.....mannnnnnnn I just creamed my boxers thinking about 'Stargazer'!!! Fuck me, it might just be my all-time favourite song EVER! Power metal isn't even one of my favourite metal subgenres but the aforementioned three tracks are essentially the birth of power metal, before it evolved into the uber-cheesy style it is today. But fucking hell everything about 'Stargazer' is just so amazing; from the huge chorus, Ritchie's EPIC neo-classical guitar solo and the use of strings that come in during the last couple of it's eight and a half minute long track length...as far as I'm concerned power metal might as well just start and end RIGHT here! And this was 1976!!! So yeah, Rising may only consist of six tracks, but every one of 'em is a fuckin' banger and if you haven't got it then you suck. I'm not sure if this is Blackmore's greatest work as I'd put it on par with Purple's In Rock and maybe Machine Head, but I definitely think Dio never topped this one, and he sang on Sabbath's incredible Heaven and Hell for crying out loud!
Adam's rating: 10/10


ON STAGE          1977         (Polydor)
Releasing a live record after having made just two studio albums isn't exactly common place these days, but since Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow and Rising were both dope as fuck, who can blame them? On Stage only features 6 tracks in total, but among 'Man on the Silver Mountain' is a lengthy, improvised blues jam that eventually merges into 'Starstruck', forming one entire song that lasts 11 minutes. You just don't get cool shit like that with modern rock live records these days, and it's nothing you see happen at gigs much either. Instrumental 'Still I'm Sad' lasts less than 4 minutes in it's studio form, here it's 11 minutes. And the amazing ballad 'Catch the Rainbow' has been extended to over 15 and a half minutes! They also played a rendition of Deep Purple's 'Mistreated', from the Burn album. These are the kind of live albums I want to hear. I don't mind it when bands cram as many songs as they can into a setlist as such, but somehow you don't get a sense of a the band having as much fun. My only real complaint with On Stage is the fact that 'Stargazer', easily my favourite song Blackmore has ever penned, was not performed. Maybe they just couldn't replicate the strings towards the end of the song, or maybe it just wasn't as popular at the time, who knows?
Adam's rating: 9/10


LONG LIVE ROCK N' ROLL          1978          (Polydor)
- Standouts: Once again, everything.
Rising stands as Rainbow's finest work in my humble opinion, but this and the debut come close. Depending on what mood I'm in, some days I'd put Long Live Rock n' Roll above the first record, other days it's vice versa. This album was the last to feature Ronnie James Dio on the mic as he'd join ad help reinvent Black Sabbath with the Heaven and Hell record by 1980. This album is a bit more straightforward than Rising in the sense that there aren't any real 'epic' length numbers on here like 'Stargazer' or 'A Light in the Black' (except for maybe the exceptional 7 and a half minute closing ballad 'Rainbow Eyes'). Instead you've got outstanding rockers like the title track, 'Lady of the Lake', 'Kill the King', 'Sensitive to Light' and...well, the whole album really. 'Gates of Babylon' is sort of proggy with it's keyboard work. Personal all-time favourite tunes from this one would be the awesome 'Kill the King', which kind of has this early speed metal sound going for it and the mid-tempo 'L.A. Connection' which should've topped the charts!!! It peaked at 40 in the UK chart, but I think it's their best radio-friendly hard rocker of all time. Whatever, the whole thing is a classic record that deserves it's place in your collection.
Adam's rating: 9.5/10


DOWN TO EARTH          1979         (Polydor)
- Standouts: 'All Night Long', 'Eyes of the World', 'Makin' Love', 'Since You Been Gone', 'Danger Zone', 'Lost in Hollywood'

I guess Ritchie's ego must've grown by this point, because after Long Live Rock n' Roll, he decided he wanted to take Rainbow in a more commercial direction, something Ronnie wouldn't stand for. Dio wanted to stick with the heavy metal sword and sorcery themes rather than sing pop rock stuff like 'Since You Been Gone', 'I Surrender' etc., and subsequently left. Of course, by 1979 he'd joined Black Sabbath, who were certainly much more 'up his street' (check out my Sabbath page for complete reviews of the Dio material... and everything else they ever made for that matter!), but Ritchie argues that one of the other reasons he left was because he thought he wasn't getting enough credit for his contributions. Whatever the case, Ritchie replaced him with Graham Bonnet, who was already an established singer in Australia (despite being British) - but not necessarily in the world of hard rock or heavy metal. Rather, Bonnet became associated primarily with heavy rock later due to his association with Rainbow and everything that came afterwards. To be fair, when Ritchie recorded this album, Rainbow might as well have been a supergroup. Obviously Ritchie will always be associated with Deep Purple as much as Rainbow, but he also brought in Roger Glover on bass as well as producer... kind of ironic really, since Ritchie pretty much fired Roger a few years earlier when they were both in Deep Purple (I still find it weird seeing old videos of Roger playing with anyone else besides Purple!). Cozy Powell was still on drums while Don Airey had stepped in on keyboards, and Don's played with a massive list of top-tier artists (and also eventually ended up in Deep Purple). And while Graham Bonnet was probably fairly unknown in most parts of the world at the time, he's now become something of a star in his own right.

Frankly, the lineup here is the stuff off dreams, it's just a shame Ritchie decided to take Rainbow in the more radio-friendly direction... well, up to a point. It's true, this album does have it's poppy hard rock hit singles on it, namely 'Since You Been Gone' and 'All Night Long', plus a handful of other more commercial-sounding tracks, and even though I don't think Down to Earth comes close to any of the first three albums, it's really not a bad album at all. Sure, some of these tracks are poppy rock numbers, but they're good poppy rock numbers! Let's be honest, the stupidly catchy 'Since You Been Gone' is a far cry from a song like 'Stargazer' or 'Man On the Silver Mountain', but I'll bet you never turn it off when whatever classic rock station plays it! And while 'All Night Long' features all the melodic vocal hooks you could ever want in a hard rock song, Ritchie's guitar riffs and licks are superb. I love 'All Night Long', and I've absolutely no shame in admitting that to the Dio die-hards. And even though Graham obviously sounds very different to Ronnie, he's still one of the most underrated vocalists in rock history. I'm not saying he's better than Ronnie, but his voice is still instantly recognizable, and he really does have the pipes for a traditional hard rock or metal band. He's an awesome vocalist who sounds great regardless of whether he's singing with Rainbow, Alcatrazz or his own solo projects.

And a fair chunk of this album isn't even that mainstream-sounding anyway! 'Eyes of the World' is the only real lengthy track on here, but it's a brilliant heavy metal tune that has plenty in common with any of the Ronnie material, and the same can be said for 'Danger Zone'. 'No Time to Lose' is a fairly straightforward rocker, but it does just what it sets out to do - it rocks! 'Love's No Friend' actually reminds of some of the soulful, funk-tinged Mk. III Deep Purple stuff on Burn and Stormbringer, and possibly even Come Taste the Band which they made with Tommy Bolin on guitar... and that's certainly not a complaint, no sir! 'Lost in Hollywood' is a faster rocker too, and I've always really liked it save for that stupid synth interlude in the middle. Aside from that, great track. True, 'Makin' Love' is a poppy number, but it's very catchy and Ritchie's main picking riff throughout is kind of a like a preview to that hypnotic riff he came up with in Deep Purple's 'Perfect Strangers' a few years later.

Down to Earth was the last great Rainbow album, in this humble fans opinion. No, it isn't in the same ballpark as the first three (certainly not Rising), but to me those albums are absolutely among the best heavy metal records ever made. And while it is poppier than said albums, I don't think it's anywhere near as radio-friendly as some idiots make it out to be. It's only really 'All Night Long', 'Since You Been Gone' and 'Makin' Love' (and I still think they're good songs anyway) - the rest of the album is actually quite comparable to the stuff with Dio, but Bonnet adds his own charm to the formula. I will admit that I don't think it's quite within the 9/10 realm, but either way Down to Earth still stands as classic Rainbow.

Adam's rating: 8.8/10


DIFFICULT TO CURE         1981          (Polydor)
- Standouts: 'I Surrender', 'Spotlight Kid', 'No Release'

Ironic that Ritchie always had a problem with Graham Bonnet's image - even though he was by far the coolest looking guy in the band, Ritchie didn't like his shorter hair and clean-cut rockabilly image, so he replaces him with Joe Lynn Turner, who looks more like a middle-aged housewife from a god-awful American sitcom (I always thought Graham was one of the coolest-looking guys in rock in those days, because he had his own distinct style). Luckily, Joe's a competent vocalist, even if I think Graham was better - and he's certainly no Ronnie Dio either, but regardless, Joe does just fine on the vocal front. As for Difficult to Cure, Joe's first outing with Rainbow, well, it's the start of a downward spiral for the band. I mean, Down to Earth was a step down from Long Live Rock n' Roll, but I still think it's a great record, and definitely not the 'sell-out' some people like to brand it. Difficult to Cure treads deeper into mainstream territory - I never cared much for it originally, but replaying it again for this updated review has taken it up a notch (slightly) in my books, thankfully. Cozy Powell thought differently however, having left by this point for similar reasons to Ronnie. He was replaced by Bob Rondinelli.

'I Surrender', the Russ Ballad cover was the hit, and while it's an extremely catchy little pop rocker, it still annoys me that tracks like this are the one's that casual rock fans tend to know Rainbow for. This is about as poppy a Rainbow song can be; a far cry from the likes of 'Kill the King' or 'Starstruck'. But whatever. Anyone who actually dug deeper into Rainbow's discography knows that 'I Surrender' is not Rainbow in a nutshell. 'Magic' is drifting into Foreigner-territory; it's poppy arena rock, and it's not surprising given that Ritchie himself was admiring what Foreigner were doing at the time this album was recorded.  

Like the predecessor, a decent chunk of the album is not especially the pop rock project I've seen the occasional listener describe it as. 'Spotlight Kid' and 'No Release' are fine slabs of hard rock with great performances from each band member. They're proper Rainbow songs through-and-through, and while I don't think the instrumental 'Vielleicht Das Nachste Mal' is in the same league as 'Still I'm Sad' from Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, it's still a very nice track with some extremely soulful lead guitar work from Ritchie. And 'Can't Happen Here' and 'Freedom Fighter', although a little lukewarm in comparison to 'Spotlight Kid' or 'No Release', is honestly not that bad either. However, they are extremely tame 'rockers' by Rainbow standards - if you can even call them rockers in the first place. 'Midtown Tunnel Vision' is definitely better, reminds me of the kind of stuff Deep Purple would be doing in the late 80's/early 90's - but it's no classic either. The album ends with another instrumental, which is the title track. It's essentially a guitar rock reimagining of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9, and obviously Ritchie plays real good on it, but it certainly feels like a novelty at times. But hey, at least Ritchie was having fun! Regardless, I do like this track, though I imagine it probably worked better in the live setting more than anything else.

I originally gave Difficult to Cure a 6.5/10. I've upped it by .2, because even though the majority of this album is vastly inferior to anything else that came before it, I still don't outright hate anything on here. It's probably around 60% hard rock, 40% pop rock. Joe Lynn Turner is definitely a little less unique than Ronnie or Graham as a vocalist, but his voice is still recognisable enough that he holds his own. The problem here is in the songwriting, sadly. 

Adam's rating: 6.7/10


STRAIGHT BETWEEN THE EYES          1982          (Polydor)
- Standouts: 'Death Alley Driver', 'Power', 'Rock Fever', 'Eyes of Fire'

Well, this album starts off brilliantly - 'Death Alley Driver' is an instant classic, a driving heavy metal anthem, Rainbow style! Kind of unexpected given the direction of the last album. What a kickass song! Now, if only Graham Bonnet was singing on it, and not Joe Lynn Turner (sorry Joe!). Either way, love it! The main single, 'Stone Cold' (can't say those words together without immediately following them up with 'Steve Austin'...), is obviously much more mellow by comparison, but it's actually a pretty good rock ballad, though it's only Ritchie's leads that really make it stand out from all the other 80's rock ballads. I prefer it to the main hit from Difficult to Cure, 'I Surrender'. It may be a ballad, but it's not quite as obnoxiously poppy as 'I Surrender'. I couldn't call 'Stone Cold' one of my all-time favourites however, even if it is a standout on this record - that would be way too kind. 'Bring On the Night (Dream Chaser)' is something of a hidden gem - well, maybe 'gem' is an overstatement, but it's a nice little melodic rocker with some fine vocal melodies from Turner. 

'Tearin' Out My Heart' is kind of a crappy attempt at another Foreigner-type arena rock ballad, but luckily this is the lowest point of the album. The slow, chunky blues rocker 'Tite Squeeze' is decent enough, 'Power' is at least heavy enough to qualify as a solid hard rock song, with some good riffage along with hooks. 'MISS Mistreated' has just about enough flair to sound like a Blackmore-penned pop rocker, and thankfully 'Rock Fever' is another very solid track with Ritchie going in hard on the riffs! Definitely the other best track on here along with 'Death Alley Driver'. I'd say 'Rock Fever' is a hidden gem from this band. 'Eyes of Fire' is kind of like a baby 'Stargazer' - the band are trying to sound 'epic', and it's inferior in every single way possible of course, but it's still pretty good all the same. 

I think Rainbow were really starting to lose their identity at this point. Ritchie's Foreigner-worship wasn't doing the band any favours, and I'm sorry, but I don't think I'll ever be a fan of Joe Lynn Turner. It's not that he can't sing - he can, I sorta just find him to be the ultimate generic hard rock vocalist. I don't instantly withdraw when I hear his voice - he's listenable, he's just... well, he's kinda faceless. Ritchie brought him in to Deep Purple during the late 80's/early 90's, and Turner sang on their Slaves and Masters album. I reckon Ritchie was trying to groom Turner into Purple as best as possible, in an attempt to permanently replace Ian Gillan, but this never happened thankfully (Ritchie and Ian never got on with one another for 90% of their time together in Deep Purple). Gillan won his way back and basically kicked Ritchie out in the end! Yeah I know, I just went off topic, but I guess I just wanted to talk a little more about Joe. Despite my attitude towards the guy, like I said in my Difficult to Cure review, I wouldn't point the blame entirely to him for what was happening to Rainbow at this point in time. If Joe sang on any of the first three Rainbow albums, I'd still probably regard them as legendary.

Straight Between the Eyes is not a bad album by any means - in fact, I'd say it's actually a good album (aside from 'Tearin' Out My Heart' at least). However, given that this is motherfucking Rainbow we're talkin' about, it's not as good as it should be. I will say that it's an improvement over Difficult to Cure because it does at least it rock slightly harder, but only marginally.

Adam's rating: 7/10


BENT OUT OF SHAPE          1983         (Polydor)
- Standouts: 'Stranded', 'Fire Dance', 'Drinking With the Devil'

Like Difficult to Cure and Straight Between the Eyes, I've owned this album since forever, but I rarely ever listened to it. Why would I? It was the third and final album with Joe Lynn Turner and the last album before Ritchie split up the band to take part in the Deep Purple reunion in 1984 (although he would revamp Rainbow once again in 1993, albeit with a new lineup). As I've already stated many times before, the JLT-Rainbow stuff never did much for me, but I do at least consider Straight Between the Eyes to be a decent album these days, and Difficult to Cure is a passable effort too. Bent Out of Shape is... well, it's just more JLT-fronted Rainbow.

The first thing I always notice about this album is the overall more '80's' sound - extremely echoey guitars, big reverby drums... generally not a good thing, and I'd probably say the tracks on this record would sound a little better if they'd been produced differently. To be honest, as much as I love Roger Glover as a bass player (top bloke too, and unlike Ritchie, no ego at all), I never liked the bulk of his production work in the 80's ad early 90's. The Deep Purple albums Perfect Strangers and The House of Blue Light suffer from the same issues. Thing is, I think if anyone else produced Bent Out of Shape, it'd probably have sounded the same. This was the 80's, man!

As for the songs themselves, well, some of them are actually a step-up once again from Straight Between the Eyes (surprisingly). The fast, melodic centrepiece 'Fire Dance' is spectacular, and part of the reason why Rainbow were so great in the first place. And there's other great stuff on here too, like the driving hard rock of 'Stranded', and I quite like 'Fire Dance' too. It's a little poppy for a hard rock song, sure, but it's not a blatant Foreigner or Styx rip-off like some of Ritchie's past attempts. But the hooks are great, and so are Ritchie's guitars. Same can be said for the short instrumental 'Anybody There' - I can listen to Ritchie play soulful guitar melodies all day and not get bored. 'Desperate Heart' is okay save for those horribly dated synths that come and go during the chorus. 'Street of Dreams' is just 'Stone Cold' part two - luckily I sort of liked 'Stone Cold', so I'm generally okay with this even if it is a pretty lazy attempt at a rock ballad. Thankfully 'Drinking With the Devil' cranks up the intensity once again, and is a very solid heavy rocker. 'Snowman' is a pretty stupid instrumental however, I mean, why do we need a rock-fused rendition of 'Walking in the Air'?! This ain't a Christmas album! Stupid. The album ends on another good rocker, 'Make Your Move'.

So, uh, yeah. As the last Rainbow album for well over a decade, they didn't exactly go out with a bang. I prefer this one to Difficult to Cure because most of the songs here are fairly good; on par with the predecessor's, it's just the production that brings them down a notch. It's clear that Rainbow had run their course by this point, though. Ritchie was obviously busy with Deep Purple after this, until he fell out with Ian Gillan yet again. Roger went back to Purple as well, and stayed there for good (still there to this day, as he should be). Joe was involved in a lot of projects; he made a ton of solo records, sang in Yngwie Malmsteen's band for a while and was even brought in to replace Gillan in Deep Purple, but his stint only lasted a few years. Listening to these JLT-era albums again for this blog... they're better than I remembered, but they're still not great. They're just bog-standard 80's hard rock albums, but the fact they have Ritchie Blackmore playing guitar on them makes them slightly better somehow. They don't exactly do Rainbow's legacy much justice however.

Adam's rating: 6.9/10

FINYL VINYL          1986          (Polydor)

Not a bad collection of live performances! This two-CD compilation covers every era of Rainbow, although 75% of it, give or take, focuses on the Joe Lynn-Turner version of the band. Of course, this was the worst Rainbow period for me personally, but I must admit that almost every song I wasn't a fan of on the studio albums sounds better from the live perspective, especially 'Street of Dreams'. To be fair, both discs are very enjoyable from start to finish. The mixture of different lineups throughout the album can make it feel a little disjointed at times, but it's also never boring because of it. Of course, most of the performances here stay quite true to the studio originals; Ritchie wasn't jamming so much post-Dio, so if that's a problem for you, go listen to On Stage instead. In addition to all the live content, you also get a couple of previously rare studio B-sides, 'Jealous Lover' and 'Bad Girl'. 'Jealous Lover' is a good, if unspectacular melodic rocker with JLT on vocals. It does have Ritchie's unmistakeable guitar wizardry on it, and I like it overall. 'Bad Girl' however, is an underrated hard rockin' classic from the Graham Bonnet era, and sounds like a nice blend of Rainbow and 80's Deep Purple to me. 

I must admit, as much as I love Rainbow (or at least the Ronnie and Graham eras), it took me a long time to obtain Finyl Vinyl. I think the reason for this was because I treated it as 'just another live album', and wasn't actually aware that it had a couple of studio tracks on it that I'd never heard before. Whatever. I own a copy now, and I totally recommend it to everyone else!

Adam's rating: 8/10


STRANGER IN US ALL          1995          (BMG)
- Standouts: 'Wolf to the Moon', 'Cold Hearted Woman', 'Too Late for Tears', 'Silence', 'Hall of the Mountain King', 'Still I'm Sad'

In 1993, when Ritchie Blackmore was out of Deep Purple for the last time, he reformed Rainbow with a new lineup, including new Scottish vocalist Douglas 'Doogie' White. By 1995, they'd recorded this album, and I have to say that I've always thought it was a big step up from any of the stuff with Joe Lynn Turner. I've had it in my collection for a very long time now, but I didn't actually get round to buying a copy of Stranger in Us All until, I want to say my early 20's. I had all the other Rainbow albums when I was still in my teens, and I kinda forgot this one even existed. Even though I've had it in my collection for at least seven years, for some reason I haven't actually played it much in that space of time - I've no idea why, because this really was a step in the right direction for Ritchie in '95. I actually like Doogie White more than Joe Lynn Turner - I just find his voice is a tad more distinctive by comparison, even he's still not in the same league as Dio or Bonnet.

The album starts off with a couple of blazing scorchers, 'Wolf to the Moon' and 'Cold Hearted Woman', which are more comparable to the Dio-era than anything else, so you won't get any complaints from me there. 'Hunting Humans (Insatiable)' has a whiff of pop about it, but it's a nice, moody track with great hooks from White and a very catchy rhythm to it as well. Sorta sounds like something from Down to Earth, minus the vocals of course. 'Stand and Fight' is a good little melodic rocker too, and it sounds fresh to me. 'Ariel' has a little bit of an Arabian-tinge to it, and it's a very strong, progressive ballad overall. 'Too Late for Tears' is another solid, riff-driven hard rocker. I guess 'Black Masquerade' has a touch of arena rock in it's vibes, but it does have some really good, kind of medieval-inspired folk acoustic guitar touches in the middle of the track. 'Silence' will rock you, and rock you well! Has a little bit of a bluesy rhythm to it, in my opinion. I like 'Hall of the Mountain King' - a hard rock reworking of Edvard Grieg's classical composition. Unlike 'Difficult to Cure', which took the same concept of rearranging a classical piece, 'Hall of the Mountain King' here has vocals and is much more than just a fun instrumental. The added keyboard usage on it adds to a mild gothic, mystical kind of sound, and that makes the song stand out for sure. The album finishes with a new version of 'Still I'm Sad', which, admittedly I don't enjoy as much as the instrumental version from Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, but Ritchie's extended introduction is very cool. And it actually works rather well White adding lyrics too, somehow.

It's a shame then, that Ritchie split up Rainbow in 1997 and since then, we've had no new studio records to speak of. True, in 2015, Ritchie reformed the band for a third time with another new lineup, but he doesn't seem interested in recording new songs. It was in 1997 that he formed Blackmore's Night with his future wife, Candice Night (who actually performs some backing vocal harmonies on this record), so Rainbow kind of got put aside for such a long time. Richie seems happier writing and recording medieval renaissance music with his wife these days than making rock albums! I guess I can't blame him for doing what he wants at this point; he doesn't owe anyone anything, but I really think what he did with Rainbow on Stranger in Us All was the best thing he'd done since Deep Purple's Perfect Strangers in 1984. I much prefer it to any of those albums with JLT, but sadly, it was the last full-on heavy rock album he'd ever make. I don't think Stranger in Us All has any truly outstanding numbers on it, but it's still a very strong 'farewell' studio record.

Adam's rating: 8/10


UNIVERSAL MASTERS COLLECTION: CLASSIC RAINBOW          2001          (Polydor)
I don't remember buying this compilation. I must have still been in school though. It compiles 16 tracks from every album bar Stranger in Us All. I guess the record label has something to do with this? Despite this, it's still a good summary of the band. Of course, I could moan and say that too many songs from the first three records are missing, but in reality I think this would do a casual listener just fine. The songs sound as if they have been remastered to some degree too, the mix is much louder than on most of my actual copies of the studio LP's. 


POT OF GOLD          2002          (Spectrum)
Another compilation, this one featuring 13 tracks. Again, all of them are from the debut to Bent Out of Shape. It isn't as good as the other one since it's missing a lot of Dio-era numbers, but I picked this up first when I was 14 and had only heard a handful of Rainbow tunes. That and I couldn't afford to buy all their studio albums. Back in those days I was buying an album every week, maybe more if I had enough cash, hence, compilations like this helped me discover great bands.

JETHRO TULL

Reviewed:
- This Was (1968)
- Aqualung (1971)
- Thick as a Brick (1972)
- Too Old to Rock n' Roll, Too Young to Die! (1976)
- Songs from the Wood (1977)
- Stormwatch (1979)
- A (1980)

- The Broadsword and the Beast (1982)
- Rock Island (1989)
- A Little Light Music (1992, live album)
- Living with the Past / Nothing is Easy: Live at the Isle of Wight 1970 (2014, live album combo)


THIS WAS         1968          (Chrysalis)
- Standouts: 'A Song for Jeffrey', 'My Sunday Feeling', 'Beggar's Farm', 'Cat's Squirrel'
Frontman Ian Anderson has taken Jethro Tull through several different phases throughout the band's career. I guess most people will associate them with the proggy sounds of albums like Aqualung and Thick as a Brick most, but on This Was, their 1968 debut, they mostly play blues rock with Anderson's trademark flute playing thrown in for good measure. Blues rock was big with British bands throughout the 60's thanks to bands like Cream, The Yardbirds, the Bluesbreakers etc. (coincidentally, all these groups featured Eric Clapton at one point or another...), but Anderson's flute is really what sets This Was apart from a lot of the other groups at the time. I mean, honestly, how often do you hear a flute in any kind of rock music? Saying that, most of the music on here is really, really bluesy and nothing like they would sound in the coming years. And to be fair, while Anderson may be playing his flute, it isn't on every song. A lot of the music is instrumental too, and has a very improvised feel too it, like ' Cat's Squirrel'. Some of the tracks like 'My Sunday Feeling' and 'Beggar's Farm' have more structure however. 'Dharma for One' features an impressive drum solo. I like this album a fair bit, but on certain tracks I kind of forget I'm listening to Jethro Tull. Sometimes the music even sounds like John Mayall's Bluesbreakers or really early Led Zeppelin.
Adam's rating: 7.2/10 


AQUALUNG          1971         (Chrysalis)
- Standouts: Everything.
I've always been fond of this record. I mean, it is generally considered to be Ian Anderson's greatest output, but it's a record that I find more to like about it as the years pass, if that makes any sense. I guess I was about 14 when I picked it up, and even then I thought it was brilliant musically. I didn't pay much attention to the lyrics until I got older, and when I did, I realized that Ian Anderson can be a genius when he wants to be. Lyrics on songs like 'Wond'ring Aloud', 'Hymn 43' and 'My God' seem to make sense the first time, yet are still open to multiple interpretations. The album explores themes such as religion ('Hymn 43'), God ('My God'), the homeless ('Aqualung'), eccentric figures ('Mother Goose') and, uh, a schoolgirl prossie ('Cross-Eyed Mary'). Ian also touches on personal matters, like him visiting his terminally ill father ('Cheap Day Return'). Despite the often serious topics, he often uses a subtle amount of humour throughout - not so much that it's completely in your face, but just enough for you to at least notice. Some people even consider Aqualung to be a concept album about the distinction between religion and God, but Ian denies this.

Musically the album definitely qualifies as progressive rock. There are plenty of folky, acoustic moments but the band also utilizes elements of hard rock on brilliant songs like 'Cross Eyed Mary',  'Hymn 43' and the absolute classic 'Locomotive Breath'. 'Slipstream', 'Cheap Day Return' and 'Wond'ring Aloud' are short, entirely acoustic folk pieces that are absolutely wonderful - the latter features one of my all-time fave lyric of any band EVER: 'and it's only the giving that makes you what you are...'. 'Mother Goose' and 'Up to Me' are folk rock songs through and through; Ian Anderson handles all the flute and acoustic guitar work and he is backed up by Martin Barre's outstanding electric guitar playing. The signature title song and lengthy 'My God' combine everything that makes Jethro Tull so great in the first place - folk and hard rock. Oh, and an absolutely crazy flute solo on the latter. All in all Aqualung is one of the 70's greatest rock albums. I don't know if all rock fans will enjoy it due to the unorthodox instrumentation (flutes probably aren't everyone's cup of tea...), but fuck, you should still give it at least one listen regardless. Despite the album's status, Ian himself doesn't consider it to be his finest hour; apparently the studio where the album was recorded was a converted church and the room was massive. To him, nothing sounded right when it was recorded, but there you go. Interestingly, at the same time Led Zeppelin were recording their seminal fourth record downstairs at the same time as Jethro Tull.
Adam's rating: 9.5/10


THICK AS A BRICK          1972          (Chrysalis)
- Standouts: All of it - it comes in two parts.
Progressive rock was arguably at the peak of it's popularity around the early to mid 70's with bands like Yes and Genesis dominating scene (and the mighty Jethro Tull of course!). Concept albums were something of a trend among prog bands, and Ian Anderson had taken note of this. People thought Aqualung was a concept record, Ian denied this of course. With Thick as a Brick, Ian decided he'd take a punt at making a concept album, but given how popular it was to make these kind of LP's at the time, Thick as a Brick is actually a parody of what other bands were doing. Monty Python was even one of it's influences. The humour is fairly subtle though; subtle enough that when the record was released, many people assumed it was a serious attempt and compared it to Yes and Emerson, Lake and Palmer. The entire album consists of two continuous parts each lasting over 20 minutes. Both parts are still a medley of individual songs however. Despite the lyrical approach and themes, musically this is Tull at their finest. Well, for me Aqualung still tops it, but there seems to be an ongoing debate over which record is better. Both parts consist of all that makes Tull such a great band, but they also experimented with classical instrumentation and tempo shifts, presumably to throw in as many aspects of prog rock traits possible. It's all good experimentation - it just sounds good even if it isn't meant to be taken seriously!

Apparently the album was a hoot for the band to record, but sometimes I think musicians can still write amazing songs if they aren't in the zone and 100% focused. I know this is a bad comparison, but Van Halen's Diver Down is a classic album and it's full of goofy covers and silly ideas! Anyhow, Thick as a Brick is a classic of the prog rock genre, and it's one that needs to be heard in full each time. This makes it less accessible than the average Tull record, but one that is deeply rewarding if you really concentrate on the music. I've got the 2012 Stereo edition, which was mastered by Porcupine Tree's own prog wizard, Steven Wilson.
Adam's rating: 9.3/10


TOO OLD TO ROCK N' ROLL, TOO YOUNG TO DIE!         1976          (Chrysalis)
- Standouts: 'Quizz Kid', 'Taxi Grab', 'Too Old to Rock n' Roll, Too Young to Die', 'From a Dead Beat to an Old Greaser', 'The Chequered Flag (Dead or Alive)'
Unlike the often mistaken Aqualung, 1976's Too Old to Rock n' Roll, Too Young to Die! is a concept record. The album tells the story of an ageing rock star, and it is told through the lyrics, 'natch, but also a comic strip in the record sleeve. To be honest, from this perspective, the album's nothing sophisticated or artsy; Ian Anderson is not Lou Reed. Musically however, I think Too Old to Rock n' Roll... is pretty damn solid. The record takes elements from past works by fusing folk and rock to create Ian's own brand of prog, but it's a little more straightforward and probably easier to listen to than seminal works like Aqualung or Thick as a Brick. There seems to be a little more emphasis on rock than folk in my opinion, with more hooks and more prominent electric guitar licks from Martin Barre. John Evan's piano work here is outstanding, with a 'rocky', almost ELO- like playing vibe throughout. Songs like 'Quizz Kid', 'Taxi Grab', 'The Chequered Flag (Dead or Alive)' and the title song are classic Tull numbers, surely? Also, 'From a Dead Beat to an Old Greaser' is a respectable ballad. The music isn't as ambitious or epic in track length as some previous songs like 'My God', but it really just feels as if the entire band knew exactly what they were doing and how to please the fans on this CD. It isn't a masterpiece, but it is a classic for sure. 
Adam's rating: 8/10


SONGS FROM THE WOOD          1977          (Chrysalis)
- Standouts: 'Songs from the Wood', 'Jack in Green', 'Ring Out, Solstice Bells', 'Velvet Green', 'The Whistler', 'Pibroch (Cap in Hand)'
Ian does the full folk rock on this record. He's always been influenced by the genre, but this album is probably enough to qualify as folk rock on it's own, even if it is more of a progressive kind of folk rock. I'm not too sure where I stand on this one; I think the musicianship is amazing with some truly outstanding melodies and performances from every band member on songs like the title song, 'Jack in the Green', 'The Whistler', 'Velvet Green' and the lengthy 'Pibroch (Cap in Hand)', but on the other hand it kind of makes me yearn for the more diverse sound established on albums like Aqualung. If I'm in the right mood however, this album hits the spot up to the point where I'd take it over any other Jethro Tull album (bar Aqualung). There's also a song on here called 'Ring Out, Solstice Bells', a Christmas song that isn't pure cheese like Band Aid's 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' or Wham's 'Last Christmas'. My family has had this double-CD Christmas compilation since before I was born and 'Ring Out, Solstice Bells' is on it. I've loved the track since I was a little kid, basically. However, I can't really listen to that song at any other time than December as I think it's morally wrong to do anything even remotely Christmassy before then (I friggin' hate it when people get their trees and shopping in November!!!). But yeah, Songs from the Wood is an amazing record when I want to hear it, it just isn't my go-to Jethro Tull album.
Adam's rating: 8/10


STORMWATCH          1979          (Chrysalis)
- Standouts: 'North Sea Oil', 'Flying Dutchman', 'Dark Ages'
Many people seem to regard Stormwatch as the last of a folk rock trilogy that started with 1977's Songs from the Wood, but folk has always been a huge part of Jethro Tull's sound to begin with. Maybe it does tend to lean on the folkier side of things than some of the early-mid 70's records, but I don't think I could outright label Stormwatch purely as 'folk rock' unlike Songs from the Wood. Some of the songs like 'Home', 'Warm Sporran' and the excellent 'Flying Dutchman' do qualify as folk rock, true, but then you've got more prog rock numbers such as 'Dark Ages' and tracks such as 'Something's On the Move' touch on hard rock. I'm pretty sure this disc does not qualify as a concept record, but it does have a common theme going (the environment, resources running dry etc., Greenpeace hippy type-stuff), and it's noticeable from the get-go on opener 'North Sea Oil'. Bass player John Glascock, who had been with the band since 1976's Too Old to Rock n' Roll, Too Young to Die! and previously played in the prog rock band Carmen, tragically passed away just months after Stormwatch's release. This led to key Tull member's Barriemore Barlow (drums) and John Evan (piano/keyboards) to depart and it had a dramatic effect on the band's sound for the next few years. Getting back to Stormwatch though, I like it overall, but I feel like the band were running out of steam at this point - at least the particular lineup that recorded it anyway. 
Adam's rating: 7/10


A          1980         (Chrysalis)
- Standouts: 'Fylingdale Flyer', 'Working John, Working Joe', 'Black Sunday'
The death of John Glascock resulted in a major line-up shift for Jethro Tull. Only Ian Anderson and Martin Barre remained, and they were joined by legendary Fairport Convention bass player Dave Pegg and an American drummer called Mark Craney. I'd heard mixed things about this CD. I knew it was the first time Ian properly experimented with synths, so I had no interest in picking it up until I stumbled across a used copy for £3 in my favourite local record store. For that price I decided to give it a go.

Thankfully, A isn't really as bad as I was expecting it to be. For some reason I figured it was going to sound like Tull attempting to create a new wave sound, but really it's more like a less-folky Tull with synths and keyboards instead of pianos. Obviously Martin's guitars aren't quite as prominent either. Ian still has plenty of flute moments, so it has that going for it. The brooding 'Black Sunday' is arguably one of the band's better songs of the 80's, and I do like 'Fylingdale Flyer' and 'Working John, Working Joe' too. In fact, individually most of these tracks aren't all that bad, it's just when listening to A in full, I kind of get fed up about two thirds in. The keyboards have been brought forward too far into the mix to really make this one of Ian's better records. Also, I think if Martin Barre's playing had been emphasized, I'd like this one more. I don't think A is a failed experiment because it has a lot of cool ideas here and there - and it still sounds like Tull for sure, but you should definitely treat it with caution on a first-time listen.
Adam's rating: 6/10


THE BROADSWORD AND THE BEAST          1982          (Chrysalis)

- Standouts: 'Beastie', 'Clasp', 'Fallen On Hard Times', 'Slow Marching Band', 'Broadsword', 'Seal Driver'

Contemporary reviews of this album seem to be mostly negative and critical, but I've seen many more recent online reviews to be far more positive. It seems as if people like it now, but hated it back when it was new. So, is this one of Jethro Tull's most misunderstood albums? I couldn't really tell you myself, since I'm no Tull expert, but I do prefer Broadsword and the Beast over the last album, A. I guess the majority of the retrospective criticism stems from the fact the band were still using keyboard synths, but they seem to be better integrated within the songwriting this time around, and they aren't totally prominent in every track either. 'Beastie' and 'Clasp' certainly sound like none other than Jethro Tull to me, even with the latter's synth intro. Strangely enough, the keys on this album actually give the music an added, almost medieval/baroque dimension that I quite enjoy. Sort of sounds like a rockier Age of Empires soundtrack! 'Fallen On Hard Times' is excellent - it's a folky, but driving rock song with some very nice mandolin usage. I don't quite understand why it just suddenly fades out after three minutes though, could've easily gone on for another minute. 'Flying Colours' starts off quite slow and moody, I assumed it was gonna be a ballad, but in actuality, it ends up being a sort of rocker. 'Slow Marching Band' is a piano-driven ballad, and quite a pretty one too. 'Broadsword' is quite an epic song, actually. The only thing I dislike about it is the loud, 80's sounding synth that comes and goes (probably the worst use of keys on the album), but the rest of the track is superb. Martin Barre really goes all out on this track, displaying his talents on the electric guitar. 'Pussy Willow' mostly goes full acoustic folk, and again, sort of has a medieval-tinge going for it. The chorus does escalate to a bigger sound however. Maybe the decidedly electronic-driven 'Watching Me, Watching You' is a little too much to handle on a Tull record. This is probably the only track on the album that I dislike, but it's not entirely awful either. 'Seal Driver' is the other epic number on here; it's quite progressive, with some brilliant guitar work from Mr. Barre in the middle of the track.  

I guess the initial criticism of this album was down to what the fans were looking for back in the 80's. To me however, this sounds like prime Tull. The only iffy track is 'Watching Me, Watching You', the rest is very good.

Adam's rating: 8/10 

ROCK ISLAND          1989          (Chrysalis)
- Standouts: 'Kissing Willie', 'The Rattlesnake Trail'
I'll be honest here and admit that aside from this, 1989's Rock Island, the only other Tull albums of the 80's I've listened to is this record's predecessor, Crest of a Knave and 1980's A (reviewed above). I'm definitely more of a Tull enthusiast than I am a fan. Again, I found this CD used (this time on eBay) for £1.99 years ago, and when I listened to it for the first time I thought 'what happened?!'. The only other records of theirs I'd actually heard at the time were Aqualung, Thick as a Brick and Too Old to Rock n' Roll..., and while it's clear that Ian Anderson wrote and performed on Rock Island, it's certainly a departure from their proggy 70's works. Like A, the folk and acoustic elements are kept to a bare minimum throughout the disc, and the music to me sounds like specific Jethro Tull trademarks (i.e. Ian's voice and flute work) mixed with melodic hard rock bands such as Magnum and Night Ranger, maybe even Dire Straits at times. Aside from Ian's flute melodies, the music is largely built around Martin Barre's guitars - which are pretty excellent by the way - there's just a little too much emphasis on them to really sound like classic Tull, in my opinion.

Listening to this album again however, it's a little better than I remembered. I don't think it's awful or anything - 'Kissing Willie' and 'The Rattlesnake Trail' are cool songs and there isn't a track on here that I particularly dislike (even 'Another Christmas Song' was better than I expected).  The problem is - and it's my own problem - that I haven't heard enough Tull records between 1979's Stormwatch and 1987's Crest of a Knave to really know if this CD's focus is a natural progression. Many of the key 70's members bar Anderson and Barre aren't present and at least three albums were made in that space of time, so yeah...
Adam's rating: 6/10


A LITTLE LIGHT MUSIC          1992          (Chrysalis)
This live CD is made up of many performances spanning several different shows in Europe, 1992. The title refers to the fact that the album consists mostly of softer and more obscure material, and for the most part it's very acoustic, save for 'Locomotive Breath'. It's for the fans, really. The reason I have it in my collection is because it was compiled with my copy of A for some reason.  I actually quite enjoyed it overall, even if the only tracks I was really familiar with from the top of my head were 'Living in the Past', 'Bouree', 'Locomotive Breath', 'Too Old to Rock n' Roll, Too Young to Die' and 'A Christmas Song'. Hmm, dunno what else to say about this one.
Adam's rating: 7/10


LIVING WITH THE PAST / NOTHING IS EASY: LIVE AT THE ISLE OF WIGHT 1970          2014          (Eagle)
This package combines two Jethro Tull live records - Nothing is Easy: Live at the Isle of Wight 1970 and Living With the Past. The former was obviously recorded in 1970 but it didn't see the light of day until 2004. It was quite amusing to hear Ian Anderson introduce 'My God' (one of their most famous tunes) on this disc as 'here's a new song...' since Aqualung had not yet been recorded. Obviously they'd only made three studio albums at this point and the music was still largely bluesy with the occasional flute melodies and solos. I must admit I do quite like this Brit blues period of the band even if I think they did get better as songwriters by the time Aqualung came along in 1971, and the performances here sound very natural and sometimes improvised. Considering I'm not really a Jethro Tull buff by any stretch of the imagination, I've enjoyed this CD each time I've listened to it. 

Living with the Past was actually originally released in 2002 and recorded in 2001 at the Hammersmith Apollo, but I wanted to discuss it after the other half of the package purely because the recording itself comes decades later. I was pleasantly surprised by just how good Ian and the gang sound here. I know they were still together up until 2011 but as I've already stated, I haven't followed this band religiously, so I can't compare everything they've ever recorded. As the title suggests, they play through many songs from their past, right from the debut This Was up until 1999's J-Tull Dot Com. I was blown away by just how close some of these tracks sound to their original studio counterparts; the session violinists and cello players for example play note-for-note perfect on 'Wond'ring Aloud'. Of the two discs, this one is probably the one I like best, but I had a good time with both really. I'm not sure how this 2014 Eagle reissue compares to the original releases of the CD's, but the jewel case comes in a slipcase and extensive notes within the booklet which is cool.
Adam's rating: 7.6/10 (Nothing is Easy: Live at the Isle of Wright 1970)
Adam's rating: 8/10 (Living With the Past)

HIRAX

PAGE UPDATED IN 2026

Reviewed:
- Not Dead Yet (1987, compilation)
- Blasted in Bangkok (1987, demo)
- Barrage of Noise (2001, EP)

- The New Age of Terror (2004)
- El Rostro de la Muerte (2009)
- Noise Chaos War (2010, compilation)
- Immortal Legacy (2014)


NOT DEAD YET          1987          (Black Devil Records)
- Standouts: 'Demons - Evil Forces', 'Blitzkrieg Air Attack', 'Bombs of Death', 'Defeat of Amalek', 'Raging Violence', 'Call of the Gods', 'Executed', 'Destruction and Terror' from Raging Violence, everything from Hate, Fear & Power since it's only 16 minutes long!
It feels like this disc has been in my collection forever, but in actuality I reckon I bought it in my late teens/early 20s. Pretty sure it was a Bloodstock festival market purchase 15 or so years ago when they actually had tons of stalls selling CD and vinyl, and not just merch. Then again, I'm nearly 34 now and that means I still obtained this album and started listening to Hirax about a third of my life ago! Time flies! About Not Dead Yet though - it's actually 2 albums packaged on a single CD. Those albums in question are Hirax's debut, 1985's Raging Violence, and their 1986 sophomore album Hate, Fear & Power. Both these records are pretty short - Raging Violence lasts half an hour in total, while Hate, Fear & Power barely clocks in over 16 minutes! So I think it makes sense to stuff both of 'em onto 1 disc. These records' short lengths sounds like a negative on paper, but I consider both of them to be classic slabs of US thrash metal. In fact, Hirax are sort of pioneers when it comes to the whole 'crossover thrash' scene. The songs are intentionally short and snappy, and that's where a lot of the hardcore punk influence comes into the music. The riffs and vocals are definitely more on the metallic side of things, but the attitude is total hardcore. Vocalist and main man Katon W. DePena has a trademark wailing style of vocals (at least during this early period of the band) - almost traditional heavy metal-like. Not a lot of thrash-associated frontmen go for this style... I suppose Joey Belladonna is a fair comparison, but Katon still has a unique and instantly recognisable voice to my ears.

Of these 2 albums, I'll lean towards Raging Violence as my favourite. 14 short but sweet tracks, my personal favourites being 'Demons - Evil Forces', 'Blitzkrieg Air Attack', 'Bombs of Death', 'Raging Violence', 'Call of the Gods' and 'Executed' - but really the 30 minute album length and fun mish-mash of thrash and speed metal, hardcore punk and possibly even the classic New Wave of British Heavy Metal style riffs means the whole album is strong from start to finish. I've listened to it a million times and I still haven't tired of it yet. The production is kind of raw and simplistic, but who cares? A lot of my favourite metal releases are from this era and were produced on a presumably measly budget! A lot of shit these days sounds too clean and over-produced anyway. And I guess you could call Raging Violence 'primitive', but again, I don't see why that's a bad thing. You might as well just write-off all '80s metal in that case.

As for Hate, Fear & Power - like I said, it's really damn short, but the intensity has been cranked up another notch in my opinion. So maybe some of the classic speed/heavy metal influences are waning here and the thrash/hardcore sound is even stronger this time, and this does somewhat justify it's miniscule length. I actually like the fact it wastes no time on the listener, even if it does occasionally slow down a little on tracks like 'The Plague' and 'The Last War' - but this just makes the riff and drum work that teensy-bit more interesting. It helps that Katon's recognisable vocals add extra personality to the band too. Great follow-up then, but because of the uber-short 16 minute length, this isn't the sort of record I stick individual tracks into playlists from. I might be more of an album guy overall, but I do like making playlists for the gym or long drives too.

Raging Violence is an underground US metal classic in my books - I've got a patch of this one on my battle jacket. Hate, Fear & Power is a tad weaker, but still great. Either way, Not Dead Yet is the most convenient way to obtain them both, and as a diehard metalhead I think Hirax deserve their place alongside their contemporaries like Forbidden, Overkill, Testament, Exodus etc..
Adam's rating: 8.6/10 (Raging Violence)
                           8/10 (Hate, Fear & Power) 


BLASTED IN BANGKOK         1987         (Deep Six Records)
- Standouts: 'Fear the War Within', 'Beginning of the End', 'Dying World (Shock)'
A 3-song demo originally recorded in 1987. I have the 2001 reissue from Deep Six Records, and it must have been remastered because the sound quality on this CD is way better than any of the YouTube uploads I've listened to. It sounds pretty damn good for what it's worth! They've also thrown in a 1984 demo version of 'Bombs of Death' as a bonus number. But the remaining 3 cuts are all prime Hirax. The shortest of the 3, 'Beginning of the End', is over 4 minutes, while 'Fear the War Within' and 'Dying World (Shock)' both clock 5 minutes. So that's 3 tracks lasting a total of 15 minutes - that's almost as long as their second full-length album, Hate, Fear & Power! Since these tracks are longer, they cram in more buzzsaw riffs and crazy Katon vocals, and aside from the intro to 'Dying World (Shock)', the band are firing on all cylinders. Fast and furious underground thrash from the glory days of the genre! Hmm, quite hard to rate this one. Even if the CD has been remastered, the sound quality is still rough around the edges (which is to be expected from a demo). The songs are great - I think I might even like them more than anything from Hate, Fear & Power. Had they been recorded to the same standard as either of their 2 full-length '80s albums, Blasted in Bangkok could've been a true classic EP. As it stands, it's just a demo. Thankfully, a really good demo at the very least.

I had my eye on this one for quite a while. An eBay seller in the UK sent me an offer of £15. Not exactly cheap then, but considering I can't find a single copy of this CD for sale in the UK right now on eBay or Discogs, I'm glad I bit the bullet and accepted that offer. Even though there's a few foreign sellers charging a little less for this, every single copy I can see for sale right now would cost me well over £20 because of the postage rates. It's hard enough to find Hirax CDs at all in the UK, let alone stuff like this one.
Adam's rating: 8/10


BARRAGE OF NOISE (EP)          2001         (Deep Six Records)

- Standouts: 'Murder One', 'Barrage of Noise', 'Walk With Death', 'Broken Neck', 'Mouth Sewn Shut', 'Beyond the Church (Part One)'
Hirax weren't really around very long in the '80s. They made Raging Violence and Hate, Fear & Power, and then split in '89. In the early 2000s though, Katon De Pena resurrected Hirax with a new lineup and released a couple of EPs, one of which I'm missing (2000's El Diablo Negro). I do have the other one on CD however - 2001's Barrage of Noise! When this thing dropped in 2001, over a decade had passed since Hirax made a record - so there's been some evolution, musically speaking. The guitars seem like they've been recorded in a lower tuning now, and the overall heaviness/aggression of the music is more intense than both of their '80s albums. But the '90s had already come and gone - and look how much heavy metal had evolved throughout that decade. By the way, none of this is a bad thing, because Barrage of Noise totally sounds like Hirax. This is great stuff! 

It may only be an EP, but there's 8 tracks in total and the entire disc lasts 22 minutes, meaning it's actually longer than Hate, Fear & Power! Some of the songs like 'Walk With Death', 'Mouth Sewn Shut' and 'Beyond the Church (Part One)' are pretty standard length, 3-4 minute metallers, but others like 'Broken Neck' and 'Barrage of Noise' have the short 1-2 minute lengths in similar style to their first 2 albums. The shorter numbers are fast and ferocious blasts of raw thrash metal, but the longer tracks incorporate plenty of mid-tempo riffage and even some melodic segments at times. I  suppose you could say Katon was possibly morphing Hirax into a more conventional thrash band now - I feel like the hardcore element of the older stuff isn't quite as prominent anymore, even if it does still exist within the shorter tracks in particular. There's even a couple of little instrumentals to sit through - 'Jade' and 'French Pearl', the latter of which is acoustic. But they keep the EP varied and show Hirax could be more creative than we thought. The production here is raw and almost demo-like by 21st century standards, but it actually works in the CD's favour overall. Maybe the guitar tones are a little murky, but I can dig it.

There's nothing fancy going on here (although the 2 instrumentals were kind of different for the band at the time I guess), but if you liked the first couple of Hirax albums then you're gonna really like this EP as well. It's a strong comeback. I think I picked this one up at Bloodstock too, but I don't remember what year!

Adam's rating: 8.1/10

THE NEW AGE OF TERROR          2004          (Black Devil Records)

- Standouts: 'Kill Switch', 'Hostile Territory', 'Swords of Steel', 'Into the Ruins', 'Hell on Earth', 'Suffer', 'El Diablo Negro', 'Unleash the Dogs of War (Open the Gates)'

That Barrage of Noise EP sounded like a natural progression for Hirax - it was a tad more accomplished musically than their '80s material, but still had the same energy of that era. In 2004 they put out a new full-length album with The New Age of Terror. Unlike Barrage of Noise which still had that rough demo-like quality about it, this album sounds much more polished and professional in the production department. And even though there's still a handful of short, swift tracks like they've always been known for, 7 out of 11 of them are 3 or more minutes long, giving the whole album a 37 minute length. Yet again though, the songwriting and composition only feels natural, and not really a huge departure from what came before.

The most important thing here is that The New Age of Terror is a basically a pure, unadulterated thrash record. Probably more-so than a lot of what the other classic thrash bands were putting out at the time. Oh sure, I'm pretty sure the guitars are tuned lower than E-standard, and you can tell that the album's not a product of the 1980s (not that this is a bad thing by the way) - yet the album still feels old-school, which is what you want. Songs like 'Kill Switch', 'Hell on Earth', 'Hostile Territory', 'Unleash the Dogs of War (Open the Gates)' and 'Swords of Steel' are breakneck thrashers that serve only to tear arse! Others like the title track and 'Suffer' have their small share of mid-tempo riffage in them (even then, they're still probably faster than 'mid-tempo' overall) - maybe a hint of groove to keep those riffs memorable - but even these songs still up the intensity when they need to. There's also a couple of instrumentals on here - 'Massacre of the Innocent', which feels a little bit like a heavy intro 'Hell on Earth'. The other is the moody, melodic 'El Dia De Los Muertos (The Day of the Dead)' - it's helps to pace the album. The short, snappy 'Into the Ruins' feels like a throwback to Hate, Fear & Power while 'El Diablo Negro' is actually a re-recording of the title song from the 2000 EP of the same name. It slots in amongst the rest of these tracks just fine.

If like me you love 'ya classic thrash, I'd find it weird if you don't enjoy The New Age of Terror. Guitar solos and leads are maybe not Hirax's speciality - they're here of course, but I don't find they particularly standout. And don't expect any prog/tech-type stuff here, as that's not what Hirax are all about. Everything else about this album is really damn good - Katon's vocals only seem to get better with age, in that he still does the high-pitch wails when necessary, but he also has a little more grit and harshness in his voice post-reunion. Still sounds like Katon, just with some added complexity now. And the razor riffs combined with the tight drums and rhythm all adds up to make one rock-solid slab of pure thrash metal. There's better thrash records from this century, sure, but this is about as no-nonsense and unpretentious as the genre gets. And I like that!

Adam's rating: 8.4/10

EL ROSTRO DE LA MUERTE          2009         (Black Devil Records)
- Standouts: 'Baptized by Fire', 'El Rostro de la Muerte', 'Blind Faith', 'Horrified', 'Broken Neck', 'Violent Assault'

Another Bloodstock pickup from many years ago! I'm pretty sure other than The New Age of Terror (which was a Discogs buy), all my Hirax discs were purchased at Bloodstock festival. Despite having existed since 1984, El Rostro de la Muerte (translates to The Face of Death) is still only the band's 4th full-length studio album. They're one of those bands that have a lot of EPs and splits between albums, which I find to be more common amongst more groups within the metal underground. Anyway, this is another solid thrash platter, although I do find this one has maybe just a tad less of Hirax's usual personality about it. What I mean by that is, some of the little characteristics of past records don't shine as bright this time around, making the album sound a little less traditionally-Hirax to my ears. Although there are a couple of short-burst moshy cuts ('Death Militia' and the re-recordings of 'Blind Faith' from Hate, Fear & Power and 'Broken Neck' originally from the Barrage of Noise EP), practically every other track on this CD lasts well over 3 minutes, with the title track and 'Satan's Fall' clocking in at over 6 minutes! And there's even a short piano instrumental in 'Cuando Cae la Oscuridad (When Darkness Falls)'!!

Just to be clear, this doesn't necessarily affect the album negatively. It just makes the music a bit less old-school Hirax. The guitars are once again tuned lower than their '80s recordings, and the music has gotten very tight and precise now. The riffs are sharper than a bayonet, the songs heavier than ever and the overall intensity taken a step further. Katon still sounds great; harsher once again, and maybe a little less wail-y due to the more extreme nature of the songs, but still good. And the songs are good too - the title track and 'Violent Assault' remind me a lot of South of Heaven/Seasons in the Abyss-era Slayer, opener 'Baptized by Fire' is kinda brutal, 'Horrified' is a savage assault of the senses while 'Death Militia' does hearken back to the Hirax of old - which is great of course. And by default, the re-recordings of 'Blind Faith' and 'Broken Neck' are standouts for me. As I basically said before though, my biggest issue with this album is the way some of the longer tracks don't really give me that classic Hirax vibe. It's not a major complaint, because every track on here is still good - it just makes them slightly more generic-sounding I guess. But I also think there's maybe a few too many of them on here too. 14 tracks and a near-51 minute length makes this by far the longest Hirax album. Meh, is this really a big deal though if the songs are good?

I think The New Age of Terror got the balance of old-school and modern Hirax just about right. El Rostro de la Muerte is tighter, heavier and probably faster overall too. The musicianship is better from a technical playing perspective, but the old crossover thrash style is nearly invisible here and the music much more typically-thrash now. But outright labelling this album 'generic thrash' is unkind. Katon's vocals are instantly recognisable, and whichever way I look at it, the album is certainly enjoyable thrash. I like it a lot - it just isn't go-to Hirax for me. 
Adam's rating: 7.7/10


NOISE CHAOS WAR          2010          (Black Devil Records)

- Standouts: 'Murder One', 'Barrage of Noise', 'Walk With Death', 'Broken Neck', 'Mouth Sewn Shut', 'Beyond the Church (Part One)', 'Chaos and Brutality', 'Lucifer's Inferno, 'Summon the Death Dealers'

Not a full-length studio album, but a compilation of 3 Hirax EPs on a single disc - Barrage of Noise (2001) which I've already reviewed, Chaos and Brutality and Assassins of War (both 2007) - hence the 'Noise Chaos War' title of this disc.  The Chaos and Brutality EP feels more like a single promotion for the title song, as you're getting a re-recording of 'Walk With Death' - which was originally from Barrage of Noise, meaning the song pops up twice on this CD - and 2 short instrumentals ('100,000 Strong' and 'Lucifer's Inferno (Reprise)'). Whatever, the song 'Chaos and Brutality' is a pummelling thrasher! The tracks from Assassins of War are all cool - 'Lucifer's Inferno' thrashes hard, but there's still some melody in one of it's main riffs too which is kinda nice. 'Summon the Death Dealers' is a surprisingly lengthy number at nearly 7 minutes, but it's a riff-fest. 'City of the Dead' is a nice blend of mid-tempo riffage and pure Hirax thrash rage. 'Assassins of War' closes this compilation on a high note - Katon's vocals are old-school metal to max! This track could've easily fit on The New Age of Terror. The only so-so track would be 'Invasion' as it's a bit of a 'generic mid-tempo thrash' affair, but certainly not terrible.

If you treat this disc as a single entire album (which you shouldn't), it's gonna sound disjointed. Barrage of Noise is much rawer than either of the other 2 EPs, and sticks out like a sore thumb in that regard. But Assassins of War and Chaos and Brutality are both recorded similarly (cleaner and more professional) and go together rather well. And since this is a compilation after all, having Barrage of Noise here too is great - because that EP is great. Still probably my favourite of the 3 here. But really all the music on here is pure, no-frills Hirax. Not peak Hirax, but I'm glad it's in my collection. Unlike a lot of my other Hirax CDs, this one I can pinpoint to when I acquired it! According to my crappy old review (which I've deleted), I picked this up at the Season of Mist stall at Bloodstock 2018. I miss when Bloodstock had more stalls selling CDs! 
Adam's rating: 8.1/10

IMMORTAL LEGACY          2014          (SPV)
- Standouts: 'Black Smoke', 'Hellion Rising', 'Victims of the Dead', 'Thunder Roar, the Conquest, La Boca de la Bestia - the Mouth of the Beast', 'Tied to the Gallows Pole', 'Deceiver', 'Immortal Legacy', 'Violence of Action'
This album is kind of hard to find on CD here in the UK. Like most Hirax albums then! Although funnily enough I just saw on their social media the other day that they've just reissued Immortal Legacy on vinyl. Still, I'd been waiting for a reasonably-priced copy of this album - preferably UK-based - to pop up on either Ebay or Discogs for what has felt like years and years. The other week I saw a guy in the UK selling a near mint copy for £12.50. I bought it immediately.

As far as the music on this disc goes, well, this kicks ass. I personally feel that Immortal Legacy sounds closer to that of The New Age of Terror than El Rostro de la Muerte. I like El Rostro de la Muerte a lot, but there was definitely an ever-so-slightly generic modern thrash touch about it that was really difficult to pinpoint. Immortal Legacy however, although more structured and technically-proficient than their '80s output once again, feels like Hirax have evolved exactly the way you'd want them too. Most of the songs are pretty standard 3 or 4 minute long affairs, and the riffs and drums are so pummelling and relentless in true Hirax fashion. They're not reinventing the wheel on any of the 12 tracks here, they're just bringing the old-school thrash that you've come to expect. The tempo rarely ever slows down. Just listen to songs like the title track, 'Black Smoke', 'Violence of Action' and 'Deceiver' to understand what I mean. But there's also a nice smattering of tasty lead guitar work to speak of throughout the record; the 44 second instrumental 'Earthshaker' is a fantastic guitar solo to fill the gap between the scorching tracks 'Thunder Roar, the Conquest, La Boca de la Bestia - the Mouth of the Beast' (fuck me that's a long title) and 'Tied to the Gallows Pole'. Speaking of guitar leads, the melodic intro to 'Thunder Roar' reminds me of Muse's 'Plug in Baby' (!!)... yeah! Hell, there's even a bass solo instrumental in 'Atlantis'. The fact guys like Rocky George perform guest guitar work on the album probably has a lot to do with the excellent lead guitars throughout this CD. I'd also like to add that Katon is easily one of thrash's most underrated vocalists. He is absolutely as powerful here as he was on anything prior, and his high-range wails are instantly recognisable to my ears. And the production is once again great. It's clean enough that the music doesn't sloppy or amateurish, but not overproduced to the point where everything feels glossy and manufactured.

Well, I think I like this one about as much I do The New Age of Terror. Both are fine examples of classic-style thrash alive and well in this century. Immortal Legacy is just that - true thrash metal. Not the greatest of all time by any stretch of the imagination, but there's no weak songs to speak of either. When things do slow down, it's usually just a short instrumental and not a lazy, "half-speed thrash" filler number. Nope, this is honest, self-aware thrash!
Adam's rating: 8.4/10