Overkill - "The Grinding Wheel"

Overkill - The Grinding Wheel
2017, Nuclear Blast

1. Mean, Green, Killing Machine
2. G*****n Trouble
3. Our Finest Hour
4. Shine On
5. The Long Road
6. Let's All Go To Hades
7. Come Heavy
8. Red, White, and Blue
9. The Wheel
10. The Grinding Wheel
Bonus Track:
11. Emerald

So as is sort of becoming an annual tradition, I've been trying to catch up on some of the albums from last year that have made various people's lists. Overkill's The Grinding Wheel was one of them. I've never gotten into them even though they've been around for a long, long time. The Grinding Wheel definitely delivers a pummeling thrash experience with a nice thick, meaty guitar tone and some infectious riffs. Yes... the guitar-work here definitely made me smile. However, there were a couple things that I had an issue with. First, the vocalist is... kind of strange. It doesn't always work for me - especially his higher range. My wife and Lexi say he sounds like a Dalek from Doctor Who. Truth be told... he... kind of does. Sometimes I'm not sure whether this is a plus or negative. Also, some of the lyrics are odd. I can't explain it but something just seems off about some of them. "Someone left the cat out in the rain" from "Shine On" is a particular favorite. Despite these niggling little things I really do like The Grinding Wheel but I don't think I'm going to be an Overkill die-hard soon.

Useless Fact: I've heard they have sort of a rivalry going with Avenged Sevenfold due to the similarity of that band's logo with theirs.

Guardian - "First Watch (Legends Remastered)"

Guardian - First Watch (Legends Remastered)
1989/2017, Retroactive

1. I'll Never Leave You
2. Mystery Man
3. Livin' For The Promise
4. Miracle
5. Saints Battallion
6. Kingdom of Rock
7. The Good Life
8. One of a Kind
9. World Without Love
10. Rock in Victory
11. Hyperdrive
12. Marching On
Bonus Tracks
13. Spiritual Warfare
14. Marching On

I never got to hear First Watch the first time around. I remember my cousin got it and listened to it. She didn't think it was that great. Based on her word I never gave it a second thought... that is until last year's reissue. I got it in my head that I needed to hear it and I'm glad I did. It's really good, actually. Take that cousin from thirty years ago! Being produced by Oz Fox this album has a little bit of Stryper in it. Mostly, though, revel in the sweet guitar licks of Tony Palacios. He actually reminds me a little bit of Nuno Bettencourt from Extreme. So... solid hooks, great riffs... pretty much great all around.

Except the vocals. Let me be clear - the vocalist isn't bad. He's not. It's just... I've heard Jamie Rowe. He's got such a distinctive and powerful voice it's hard not to listen to this album and wonder how much his presence could have elevated it. Now, it's not the band's fault, Rowe just wasn't around but it's definitely a handicap for a listener who started with Fire and Love. Paul Cawley's clear, slightly nasally tone just doesn't hold up. It doesn't make this album unlistenable - I'm really glad I got to hear this. I just wanted to note the trouble I had because I think not a few listeners will have the same problem.

Finally, Retroactive has really been knocking it out of the park with these reissues. It's got everything you could want, liner notes, an interview with bassist David Bach, lyrics. It makes me happy. Also, I pre-ordered so mine came with an album cover card signed by Bach.

Useless Fact: Apparently the label held on to this album for a year and made the band tour to generate interest.

X-Sinner - "Get It"

X-Sinner - Get It
1989, Pakaderm

1. Medicine
2. Steppin' On Toes
3. Hearts on Fire
4. No Way In
5. Get It
6. Accountable
7. Walking Evil
8. Lift Him Up
9. Kick 'Em Out
10. Livin' On The Edge

I remembered more about the circumstances of my borrowing this album from my cousin than I did the album itself. It was a Wednesday night and my first real girlfriend had her friend call me a couple hours before church to break up with me. Not my first experience with heartache, but it still stung. I then got to watch her at church that night fawn over some other guy the whole time. Fun. Oh! and also the U.S. began Operation: Desert Storm that same day. January 16th, 1991 - I know this because there's a Fluffy song about it called "1/16/91." I mostly remember listening to this album with that weird hollowed-out feeling you get when an important relationship ends.

Where was I? Oh, yeah! The album! It's pretty much Christian AC/DC, right down to the vocalist who does a spot-on version of Brian Johnson. Seriously, if you played "Medicine" for someone not in the know they'd think it was some lost AC/DC track from the Back In Black sessions. Or maybe The Razor's Edge sessions. I mean... it's AC/DC, does it really matter? To the band's credit, they do a pretty good job with solid hooks and interesting riffs. "No Way In" is notable in that it backs off the AC/DC for a second to be its own thing. Also, "Livin' On The Edge" sounds a bit more Def Leppard than AC/DC. This album is way out of print as of now - even the reissue is pricey.

Useless Fact: Main man Rex Scott was also the main man of Zion - another Christian metal band with some AC/DC type influences.

D.O.G. (Disciples of God) - "Unleashed"

D.O.G. (Disciples of God) - Unleashed
2017, Roxx Productions

1. No One Rides For Free
2. Seeking Your Face
3. Pay the Piper
4. Into Thin Air
5. Aliens and Strangers
6. Armageddon
7. Life or Death
8. Hey You

I heard about D.O.G. from Scott Waters' You Tube channel. I was pretty sold on the samples I heard. D.O.G. play a brand of old-school heavy metal that sounds not unlike Motorhead or Kill 'Em All-era Metallica. It's pretty stripped-down and no-nonsense. Maybe a little too stripped-down, though as there definitely seems to be something off with the mixing and mastering. I'm not sure if these are demo tracks Roxx decided to put out as is but it definitely sounds like it's maybe not mastered properly? I don't know. Maybe it's just the speakers in my car. Anyway, don't let that stop you as it's not unlistenable and the rough production actually feels genuine to the sound. I'm hoping these guys get a chance to do a full studio album as I think Unleashed shows some great potential.

Useless Fact: D.O.G. features ex-Holy Soldier drummer Terry Russell on drums and vocals. You'll remember Terry is the one who did one of the best drum solos at a concert I've ever seen.