Armageddon USA - "Up In Flames"

Armageddon USA - Up In Flames
Independent, 2015

1. All Over the World
2. Spinner
3. Hypnotized
4. Wanted Man
5. In Your Face
6. Satisfaction
7. Allie
8. Crazy
9. Time Divider
10. Revolution (Peace of Mind)
11. Up in Flames

Here's a question... why Armageddon USA? Why not just Armageddon? Was there a copyright issue or something? Also, this cover art is... really crappy. It looks cheap and generic - especially when you compare this to the art of The Money Mask which was iconic, unique, and just looked darn cool. Up In Flames came out in 2015, some twenty-plus years after the debut. Not sure why I lollygagged around for two years and didn't pick it up, though. Anyway, it's...okay. It starts off a bit wobbly with a trio of songs that I wasn't wild about. "All Over the World" has a decent riff and groove but the lyrics kind of annoy me. They literally just list terrible stuff happening "all over the world" aaaaand...that's it. Without anything else being said it's kind of like...what's the point? Yes... things are happening. And? "Spinner" fares better but the disc comes screeching to a halt with "Hypnotized." It's a Black Sabbath influenced doom-metal type tune that really slows down the album's momentum and is kind of boring on top of that. Thankfully, the album as a whole picks up with "Wanted Man" which is just dang cool. Cool riff, cool hook, cool song. The album keeps up this level of quality throughout as well so if you can get past those first three tracks you're good. "Revolution (Peace of Mind)" is like a love letter to Psalm 9 era Trouble (I feel like they're using the exact same guitar tone). That's not a bad thing, mind you, it's just something I noticed. The band's lyrics are more political than religious this time around. If you were a fan of Armageddon from way back, go ahead and check this out. If not - you can probably pass this by. Except for "Wanted Man." You definitely need that one.

Useless Fact: Vocalist Mike Vance is pretty active on Twitter, usually talking about politics. He is not a conservative, nor is he a fan of Trump. I do not have a problem with either of those things.

Armageddon - "The Money Mask"

Armageddon - The Money Mask

1989/2007, Retroactive

Disc One:

1. The Money Mask

2. Mercenaries of Unjustice

3. More Than Conquerors

4. Looking Out For You

5. The Ship of Changes

6. (Liberation From) Blazing Wasteland

7. Nightlight

8. Giving It To You

9. The Judge

10. We're Outta Here

11. (Liberation From) Blazing Wasteland (East Coast Metal Version)

Disc Two:

1. Lookin' Out For You (rough mix)

2. We're Outta Here (rough mix)

3. More Than Conquerors (rough mix)

4. Nightlight (rough mix)

5. The Money Mask (rough mix)

6. Ship of Changes (rough mix)

7. More Than Conquerors (rehersal)

8. We're Outta Here (rehersal)

9. The Money Mask (demo)

10. Nightlight (demo)

11. Get in Line (demo)

12. In Your Face (previously unreleased)

13. Blazing Wasteland (demo)

Armageddon's first and only album is a little forgotten gem originally released on Talkingtown Records. You know... Talkingtown Records whose releases include... well... Armageddon's The Money Mask. Thankfully Retroactive has reissued this piping hot slab of 80's metal with an additional bonus disc of demos and stuff. Usually those demo discs don't really interest me and that's the case here too. I usually just care about the original music which has been remastered and reproduced perfectly. I had forgotten how good this album actually is! The guitar parts now remind me a little bit of older Ozzy songs with Randy Rhodes on guitar. Mike Vance's vocals are stay in a gruff mid-range and perfectly fit the songs. There are some tunes on here that almost border on speed metal like "(Liberation From) Blazing Wasteland" and "We're Outta Here." Those are mixed in with some more mid-paced tunes like "Nightlight" and "The Judge." Also I'd like to point how good the ballad, "Ship of Changes" is. When I had this originally on tape I never listened to it because at that time in my young life I skipped over ALL ballads. However, it's now one of my favorite tracks on the album!

An oddity: the original name for track two was definitely "Mercenaries of Unjustice." For the rerelease they've changed it to "Mercenaries of Injustice." He says "unjustice" in the song so I don't know why it was changed.

...and just because I haven't done it in forever - here's a weird association for ya. I remember listening to this while waiting for my ride to come and take me to youth group on Wednesday nights. Right beforehand I watched that old show on Nickelodeon called Hey Dude! Anyone remember that show? About a bunch of kids working on a ranch during the summer? Starred Ben Stiller's wife Christine Taylor? "It's a little wild and a little strange! When you make your home out on the range!" So yeah... this disc makes me think of that show sometimes.

Wow... I got way off track didn't I? Well let's wrap this up...

Useless Fact: The band was originally called Second Chance right up until the time they got signed. Talkingtown made them change their name. Have to say... I like Armageddon better.