photo by Theresa Kereakes
SEPTEMBER, 2009: What is it about debuts that are so appealing? The influences are easier to spot, the band is new, fresh, vital, ready to take on the world. Of course, some of our favorite bands absolutely stank when they started out, taking three or four albums to figure out what they were doing. If you're wondering what our critierion were for this piece, here goes:
Our selections below were subject to the following standards: 1. No singles. We need at least an EP of five songs to count it as a debut. 2. Strong songs from start to finish. 3. The work is either the band's best album, or on par with their best material. Many of the debuts are the first in a series of great releases, while others capsized into suck-dum directly afterwards.
Considering the above-mentioned critierion, this is one of the weirdest lists we've ever done. MAIDEN, but not PRIEST? ZEPPELIN but not PURPLE? As much as we wanted to throw in the first SAXON or THIN LIZZY album due to personal preference, we had to stick with the debuts that we felt were real zingers right out of the gate, regardless of how the rest of the discogs crumbled. Yup, we left out a ton of your favorites, probably on purpose. Read on!
THE VENTURES - "Walk Don't Run", 1960:
Hard to believe, but there was a time when the whole ‘electric
guitar’ thing was just thought to be a passing fad like hula hoops and
letter sweaters. Lucky for us, Wilson and Bogle started laying down the
singles that would make up this remarkable record when they did, or Kerry
King may have ended up the most evil accordion player on planet
Earth. In terms of instrumental rock ‘n roll, this is the band that every
guitarist should get to know intimately. While the band would go on to
release a mind-numbing stack of records showcasing multiple styles, the
debut is one of the most memorable. Bob Bogle’s dreamy, lyrical leads
in “My Own True Love
(Tara’s Theme)" and “Sleep Walk” simply must be
heard to be believed. The band switches effortlessly from dark, murky
ripples to poppy, swinging melodies like “Night Train” (a track like many
here that have been used in hundreds of TV shows and movies) with endless
panache and flair. The restraint and song quality of the early VENTURES
records could provide medicinal value to many of today’s boring MESHUGGAH
and DREAM THEATER-obsessed shredders. Quick! Someone send 100 copies of
this disc to the guys at Sensory Records – this is how instrumental
music was meant to be played!
THE WHO - "My Generation",
1965: Whilst the debut albums from the majority of the 60s greats are an exercise in repackaging early singles alongside a rake of carefully selected covers and the odd self written credit, THE WHO's opening 33 introduces the considerable talents of PETE TOWNSHEND with no less than 8 of the 12 selections from his pen. There's a couple of JAMES BROWN covers that remind of the "maximum R&B" apprenticeship served as the HIGH NUMBERS and a group credited instrumental in "The Ox" that displays the power and explosive qualities the disparate four combined to produce, but amongst the eight from TOWNSHEND appears the titled track would become
legendary, if a little out of context when still performed by the remaining pair over 40 years later. "The Kids Are Alright" survives too, underlining perhaps its lasting quality rather than its garage rock influence. That other numbers such as the BEATLES like "It's Not True", the deeper lyrical fare of "Legal Matter" or the excellent heavy blues treatment given to a cover of "I'm A Man" have been overshadowed in later life though is simply testament to the fact that the band were able to keep producing the goods for years to come.
THE SONICS – “Here Are The Sonics”, 1965: Unlike many of their contemporaries from the original “Nuggets” compilation, Tacoma’s SONICS moved beyond a couple of catchy singles. In fact, “Here Are The Sonics” is pretty much thee prototypical garage rock album by which all others should be measured. Gerry Roslie and crew blast through a hand ful of originals and a whole bunch of covers, successfully capturing all of the loud, unpredictable, out-of-control mayhem of late 50s rock ‘n roll pioneers. It’s all banging on pianos, screaming, hollering, tearing guitars to pieces (Parypa’s scathing lead on “Night Time is the Right Time” is to die for), and raising hell in every possible way. Originals like
“Strychnine” and “Boss Hoss” have been covered and recovered by every garage rock band from Boston to Beirut. Start your garage rock education right here, kiddies.
THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION - "Freak Out!",
1966: In his autobiography, The Real Frank Zappa Book, FZ claims that the band received a record deal only because MGM's Tom Wilson happened to walk into the Whiskey during their "big boogie number" (the only one they knew). Of course, as the sessions for this magnificently packaged double LP (the first in rock history?) unfolded, it became obvious that this was no simple boogie-bar band. Don't be fooled by the Nuggets-y guitar tones and faux-sappiness in tracks like "How Could I Be Such A Fool"; this early release is absolutely Frank, crashing into the sixties with oodles of satyrical weirdness, psych-ish excursions, odd noises,
brawny blues riffs, and unbelievably cheezy doo-wop choruses. In retrospect, it's shocking that MGM spent thousands of dollars to press tracks like "The Brain Police" or allowed a room full of Sunset Boulevard freaks into the studio to clang, squeak, and mutter along to "Help, I'm A Rock", but somebody paid for it all, and the rest is...well, cream cheese.
THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE - "Are You Experienced", 1967: When your debut album redefines what was previously capable with your chosen instrument, provides rock with a whole new set of classics to be shamelessly butchered by learner guitarists and succeeds in making iconic statements in every way you conceivably thought possible; where do you go from there? Sit back and rest on your laurels or simply set about achieving the same with the other albums from your all to brief crop? Hendrix chose one of those options, and I'm sure you know which. "Are You Experienced" redefined the capabilities of the electric guitar with style; no wonder Clapton was shitting his pants.
THE VELVET UNDERGROUND - "The Velvet Underground and Nico", 1967: Radical, radical, radical. There are so many reasons why this debut is an art rock milestone: The chaotic, slapdash mixes, the shrieking violas, Nico's ethereal vocal contributions, the strange drones, and morbid lyrical fascinations with the dark side of drug addiction and sexual deviance, all stark contrasts to the love-in hippy jams or garage pop synonomous to the time period. Its been criticized for everything from musical ineptness to self-indulgence to senseless worship of chemical refreshment, but albums that divide the critics can make for some of the most rewarding discoveries. In the midst of all
Lou Reed's peculiarities, these songs are still insanely catchy and the disc is rife with primal, aggressive performances. Rock would never be the same.
PINK FLOYD - "Piper at the Gates of
Dawn", 1967: Sadly, the face of PINK FLOYD has become the dullard,
arena-filling progressive rock snooze-fest of their 70s run between "The
Dark Side of the Moon" to "The Wall". But their debut was something far
removed from the "every suburban home must have at least two copies" tedium
of those monolithic Gilmour albums: fresh, bold, exciting and
fearlessly stoned, "Piper at the Gates of Dawn" moves from child-like
innocence to angular hunks of brain-storming hard rock. In all, a seminal
record from PINK FLOYD that doesn't reek of Sunday morning radio-rock
fodder, and an exercise in Syd Barrett's warped genius.
MOBY GRAPE - S/T, 1967: Quite simply, the hippy blues explosion of MOBY GRAPE's debut represents one of the best albums to come out of San Francisco, period. Skip Spence and crew blow through easy, breezy blues in "Someday", and sparkling guitars with dark folk overtones in "Sitting By My Window" that make even THE BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD sound like a bunch of hacks by comparison. It's a super-solid collection of colorful blues ballads and country folk rockers that the band sadly couldn't match with 1968's lackluster follow-up, "Grape Jam". Your Deadhead friend has a copy somewhere, so buy him a six pack and borrow the record.
BLUE CHEER - "Vincebus Eruptum",
1968: The BLUE CHEER debut, with its strange moniker and spooky cover, "Vincebus Eruptum" is apparently what happens when you play the blues way too loud. Though the critics and, indeed, the band's peers may have thought this to be simply careless bludgeoning, this debut struck a chord rock's underground. It's the sound of rock played harder than CREAM, more primal than Hendrix ever imagined and possibly through a broken amplifier. "Vincebus Eruptum" shows just what you can achieve if you don't mind blowing up a few speakers in the process. Out of step with the times, but loved forever after.
FREE - "Tons of Sobs", 1968: Paul Rodgers and crew laid out the entire career plan on this debut disc: Creeping, quivering blues rock adorned with touches of soul and Paul Kossoff's uber-distinctive vibrato bends at every turn. Rodgers demonstrates soulfulness beyond his years over Koss' weeping blues in tracks that just ooze coolness like "Wild Indian Woman" and their brooding version of "The Hunter". It's remarkable how these gorgeous blues tunes achieve ZEP quality, despite the band's youth and studio inexperience at the time of recording. Page fans that haven't explored the first three FREE discs in detail should hang their heads in shame.
THE STOOGES - S/T, 1969:
Even in the free love late-1960s, a band that couldn't play their instruments recording a full album in less than week would have been sneered at by many of their contemporaries. After much begging while producing the album, VELVET UNDERGROUND member John Cale successfully managed to reign them in enough and harness the bizarre energy of THE STOOGES onto tape. "Psychedelic" may have been dropped from the full band moniker however there was no escaping the lingering psych in the lengthy slow-burning "We Will Fall" and "1969"'s wah-wah effects. The stripped to the bone rawness and punk energy of "I Wanna Be Your Dog" and "No Fun"
delivers an unbridled simple swift but shattering kick to the teeth. The album and resulting shows would attract as many detractors as fans; for every rock fan that 'got' the music, at least one was horrified and disgusted by it. The crude, unrefined rock would continue in the form of iconic, timeless records like "Raw Power" and "Fun House". Sadly, despite the enlisting of bass player extraodinaire, Mike Watt, like many recent comeback albums, 2007's "The Weirdness" suffers from a lack of songwriting chemistry and an incoherent flow that makes the effort misplaced.
KING CRIMSON - "In the Court of the
Crimson King", 1969: When one thinks of progressive rock "absolutely
terrifying" is hardly the first phrase that comes to mind. While
progressive rock had barely established itself as a viable force in rock
at this point, KING CRIMSON were already pushing the term in its most
literal sense. Who else could be this heavy, this haunting, whilst still
retaining that progressive edge and all the while they were accessible
- "21st Century Schizoid Man" is heavy like a hammer blow but it will still
be stuck in your head for days. Truly a monumental feat that still sounds
fresh today.
MC5 - "Kick Out The Jams", 1969: Towards the end of
the decade, the sixties protest movement had begun to crank up the volume;
ZEPPELIN and THE WHO, amongst others were twisting their amplifier
dials to ear-splitting full capacity. There's the feeling of rebellion
on MC5's opening call for a revolution that precedes the anthemic ZEP-ish
"Ramblin' Rose", but the truly daring move was releasing a live
album right at the starting gate instead of waiting until their
were a few more albums notched up on the belt. "Kick Out the Jams" with
its bouncy riffing and drumbeat oozes a primitive appeal. The chaotic
dueling guitars of Wayne Kramer and Fred Smith mixed up with strong
vocals and catchy
sing-along hooks making for a winning combination. MC5 exercise control and take
a leisurely approach in "I Want You Right Now" and add a slow swaggering
blues twist in "Motor City is Burning". Not bad overall, especially considering Kramer and crew cranked out two more first-rate records before their demise.
LESLIE WEST - "Mountain", 1969: In terms of heavy hippy masterpieces, the debut album from Woodstock alumnus Leslie West is pretty tough to beat. The monster fuzz bass, boisterous vocals, booming organ lines and magical vibrato only play a small part in the album's staying power. Really, the quality lies in the songwriting, as tracks like "Blind Man" and "Baby I'm Down" would be just as spellbinding on simple acoustic guitar as with full rock bravado. Just take a listen to this album compared to 'hallowed' titles from RANDY HOLDEN or MAY BLITZ around the same time period and notice how the CREAM does rise (pun intended).
LED ZEPPELIN - S/T, 1969: ZEPPELIN's debut would simply be worth a mention in this list for simply sending one of the music world's greatest gladiators into the arena for the first time; but though after-the-fact revisionism may suggest otherwise; this really was something completely different. From British folk, to expansive, gloomy numbers to the proto-punk, proto-metal blazing speed of "Communication Breakdown" LED ZEPPELIN proved themselves as both the Jack of All Trades as well as the master of many. Let's face it, folks, you're not likely to get much heavier than "Dazed and Confused" in 1969, but the main point would be that you're not likely to get much better, either.
BLACK SABBATH - S/T, 1970: Ah, yes… the oncoming thunderstorm, the toll of the bell, and then the three notes that started this crazy mess we like to call heavy metal. And then the realization comes: This album couldn't possibly be 40 years old, can it? Well, long before the controversy and lawsuits, these four boys from Birmingham sought to utterly destroy all those hippie notions of peace and love in an effort to show a much colder, darker world… the one that they saw. Employing the bellowing riffs that would become their trademark and enough distortion to wipe out a major city, it's here that we see a group of guys going for absolute broke. Even after all this time, that epic
title track still scares the piss out of weaker souls ("Are they really singing about THAT?") and leaves the rest with a voracious hunger for more. Of course, there is indeed plenty more where that came from, as listeners go on a journey with "The Wizard," take a peek at what's "Behind the Wall of Sleep," discover the secret unholy agenda behind "N.I.B." and find themselves in a "Wicked World." Finally, Tony Iommi takes the blues to its absolute limit with the 14-minute "A Bit of Finger." And if imitation really is the sincerest form of flattery, the SABS have got to feel more flattered than any other band on the planet. Not just in the obvious choice of the doom metal genre, either… EVERY single piece of heavy music made since then owes its very existence to this album. But, as they always say, there ain't nothing that can hold a candle to the original.
SIR LORD BALTIMORE - "Kingdom Come", 1970: Looking for some hard-n-heavy 70s rock but find DEEP PURPLE to be too polished? If so, SIR LORD BALTIMORE is one obscurity worth uncovering. This Brooklyn act was composed of the trio of John Garner (vocals/drums), Louis D'ambra (guitar) and Gary Justin (bass). The first of only two albums, "Kingdom Come" was chock-full of new, fresh ideas that would become commonplace just a few years later. "Master Heartache" and the title track were as heavy as anything BLACK SABBATH was doing at the time, while the harpsichord-heavy madrigal style of "Lake Isle of Innersfree" easily stands up to that of LED ZEPPELIN.
Meanwhile, high-octane hitters like "Hard Rain Fallin'" and "Hell Hound" laid the foundation for bands like MOTÖRHEAD (the latter song's riff will remind MAIDEN fans of "Murders in the Rue Morgue"), and John Garner's psychotic episode on "Lady of Fire" makes Oderus Urungus from GWAR sound like Ben friggin' Stein. Oh, and it was SIR LORD BALTIMORE, not SABBATH or PRIEST, who were the first rock act to be described by the rock press as "heavy metal." While the band's short-lived career and subsequent fate as a "rare gem" may be unfortunate, rock fans can rejoice knowing that Garner and D'ambra have resurrected SIR LORD and have recently released new material.
ROXY MUSIC - S/T, 1972: While some iconic 70s glam bands took years to develop, this London five-piece delivered a sizzling Technicolor rock ‘n roll experience from the very first record; a platter every bit as exciting visually as it is sonically. In fact, the very first track “Re-make/Re-model” sashays down the catwalk with drop-dead groovy basslines, rollicking piano, and an ongoing duel between Phil Manzanera’s guitar and Andrew Mackay’s otherworldly sax lines (one in each channel simultaneously!). Bryan Ferry’s schmaltzy lounge singer persona looms larger than life, the perfect foil for Brian Eno’s unabashed keyboard weirdness. One minute, its castanets and fifties doo-wop (“Sea
Breezes”), and others it’s creepy, seductive art rock (“The Bob”). The glam era produced many a single-dominated album rife with filler, but ROXY MUSIC’s debut was only the first in a string of quality records that would continue deep into the 1970s.
CAPTAIN BEYOND - S/T, 1972:
Though the band never truly made their way into rock's premier league, CAPTAIN BEYOND's debut proves a mammoth exercise in spaced-out, hard rocking excellence. Lead by DEEP PURPLE's Rod Evans's cooler-than-thou crooning and Rhino's frankly acrobatic drumming; the band crafted a legendary debut that sounded like THE DOORS and THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE getting high in the desert and jamming into the night. "Captain Beyond" proves itself to the epitome of a cult classic and is truly first rate, easily holding its own against the hard rock giants of their time. In all, it's the perfect soundtrack for freaking out squares and marvelling how big your hands are.
STEELY DAN - "Can't Buy a Thrill", 1972:
Now we're really starting to get into the good stuff. Becker,
Fagen, and their arsenal of guitar wizards set out to absolutely rule
the 70s from the very first record. Not many bands are able to raise the bar for pop and rock music single-handedly, but that's exactly what happened when budding bands encountered the jazzy sensibilities of "Only A Fool Would Say That". The early dream team of Denny Dias and Jeff "Skunk" Baxter laid down some truly terrifying guitar workouts in "Kings", "Change of the Guard", and of course, "Reelin' In the Years". But for all the scarifying musicianship, these songs are marvelously crafted, enhanced with
a sense of flair and sophistication that would fuel a streak of magnificent records and strong singles spanning the better part of a decade.
THE NEW YORK DOLLS - S/T, 1973:
After all these years, it's possible that Beethoven
is still rolling over this record. Sure, the older readers may have caught hell from their parents for succumbing
to the origins of rock 'n roll trash, and to be fair THE DOLLS were playing
pretty much the same songs Jagger, Berry, and others had in years
prior. But this time they were a little shorter, the chords were a little
sloppier, and some guy in a dress was yowling about Frankenstein. Offering
a much grittier sound than their Euro-glam contemporaries like BOWIE and
T REX, THE DOLLS dispensed brilliantly simple examples of rock ‘n roll
degeneration like “Bad Girl” and “Trash” with hooks that lingered like
a stubble
‘n lipstick kiss. Todd Rundgren may have seemed like an unusual choice fora producer at the time, but the riff tones he coaxed from the sessions absolutely smoke. Surprisingly, the band was able to deliver
two very solid records before the inevitable implosion, providing a crucial link between THE STONES and stuff like GNR, FASTER PUSSYCAT, THE BACKYARD BABIES, and HELLACOPTERS. Evidently Johansen still has the dress he used to wear and faded feathers in his hair, because the remenants of the band has been touring and recording again of late.
LYNYRD SKYNYRD - "(pronounced 'leh-'nérd 'skin-'nérd)", 1973:
THE ALLMANS may have been the original southern rock prototype,
but the CREAM-worshipping dudes from Jacksonville were more accessible
and the most charming. Listening to "Pronounced..." today likely produces
the same greatest hits listening experience as "Boston"
or "Appetite For Destruction". Loaded as it is with classic
rock staples from "Simple Man" to "Free Bird", this debut sparkles with
badass blues riffs, tinkling piano, and Van Zant's complex turmoil-ridden blue-collar
croons. The 2001 reissue includes the searing and dare-I-say essential
slidework of the "Banker Man" demo. Incidentally, the name of the band
was derived from an oppressive high school gym teacher.
MONTROSE - S/T, 1973: Another Bay area gem, this time centered around the mind-bending guitar talents of Ronnie Montrose (already renowned for his work with VAN MORRISON and JOHNNY WINTER). Fronted by a very young Sammy Hagar, this debut is significant not only for it’s unyielding tracklisting of flash rockers (“Bad Motor Scooter”, “Rock Candy” etc) , but also for it’s prophetic use of brevity. While many bands of 1973 were still stuck in lengthy, meandering jams, this album provides a glimpse of the decade to come with hot leads and condensed cuts in the 3-5 minute range. Plus, a Sammy Hagar record with no prom themes! Unfortunately, the follow up “Paper Money”
wasn’t nearly as strong, and Mr. Hagar would soon be on his way, penning anthems to highway speeding and lock boxes.
TED NUGENT - S/T, 1975: Shy, meek, liberal, "pro-gun
control" are hardly phrases that spring to mind when one thinks
of TED NUGENT, so is it at all surprising when his 1975 solo debut is
an all-guns-blazing hard rock master-class? Though Ted may have all
the subtlety of several elephants in your living room and the political
views of a German official circa 1942 he plays the guitar like, well,
a motherfucker and with Derek St. Holmes (not to be confused with SPINAL
TAP's David St. Hubbins) handling vocals he's never sounded better.
Mandatory listening, and if you disagree, well, you're probably too
old… or young.
THE DICTATORS - "Go Girl Crazy!", 1975: It's been over three decades since this album came out, and NYC's THE DICTATORS are still in a class all by themselves. While "Go Girl Crazy!" could easily be overlooked as a joke record, it was in reality so much more than that. With the combination of the fun-loving DIY songwriting of Andy Shernoff and the metal-worthy riffs and leads of Ross the Boss, "Go Girl Crazy!" really is the missing link between 70s hard rock and NYC punk. We pointed out a while back that these cats were the very first to make the Rock 'n Wrestling Connection, but the band's equally strong passions ("I Live for Cars and Girls," anyone?) should strike a chord with every
pimple-faced geek in the country. Oh, and lest we forget, we've also got Handsome Dick Manitoba. It took them three albums for the band to realize that he should handle lead vocal duties, but he still packs plenty of Neanderthal machismo into "The Next Big Thing," "Two Tub Man" and his duet with Shernoff, the unforgettable cover of "I Got You Babe." Put it all together, and it's quite possibly the quintessential party record. Even though some of the jokes would never get past the political correctness filter of today ("Master Race Rock," "Back to Africa"), it's all in good fun. Besides, as they said quite clearly in the title of their 1981 live album, "Fuck 'em if They Can't Take a Joke."
CRACK THE SKY - S/T, 1975: The music on this record blasts, tickles, grooves, soothes, and even pokes a little fun at the listener, but you’ll be having such a grand time, you’ll hardly notice. The raucous opener, the appropriately titled “Hold On”, roars from speaker to speaker, greeting the listener with CRACK THE SKY’s signature sound of blasting riffs and snaking, jazzy changes led by Joe Macre’s commanding basslines. Before you know it, the band is crashing into the next track, the barnstorming “Surf City”, a delightfully rockin’ track with quirky lyrics centering on a lighthearted search for identity. This track takes the energy level of the record up a few ticks from the opener with bold,
harmonized leads from the guitar team of Rick Witkowski and Jim Griffiths. The combo of “Hold On” and “Surf City” rocks so hard, and creates such a temptation to stand on your seat and clap along; you would think that CTS would want to keep you there. But instead, the band completely changes gears in favor of the soft piano tones of “A Sea Epic”. The rest of the album continues on in much the same way, juxtaposing Palumbo’s wacky lyrics and piano virtuosity against heavy metal guitars and beefy basslines. For some reason, the band could never get arrested anywhere but Maryland, where they are forever considered classic rawk gawds.
THE MODERN LOVERS - S/T, 1976:
Formed way back in 1970, these VELVETS-worshipping weirdos from Beantown
called it quits way before this debut hit the shelves. While
the disc may not get as much name-dropping recognition in proto-punk circles
as THE STOOGES or MC5, it's an absolutely prophetic slacker-art gem with an
edge that no band of the 'alternative nation' could replicate. Jerry
Harrison's keyboards weave cool little melodies that greet the listener
at every turn (despite John Cale's production credits, the record does sound more like THE DOORS than THE VELVETS
in many spots!) Frontman Jonathan Richman's unrestrained, apathetic what's-he-gonna-
say-next vocal style steals the show, from the priceless Hippy Johnny meandering in "I'm Staight" to the deadpan delivery of "Pablo
Picasso was never called an asshole", to the marvelous misspellings
in "Girl Friend". It's all the
more tragic that Richman's follow-up records centered around horrifying
kiddie renditions of 50s rock 'n roll songs. Leprechauns, Martians, and
shopping centers aside, Richman's best work is on this album right here and
that's as far as you'll need to investigate. No, really.
RAMONES - S/T 1976: Onetwothreefour! What is there to say about this debut that hasn’t been overanalyzed and overdiscussed in every indie mag from Mojo to Spin to whatever else? Even so, it’s a pretty dang irresistible listen; four musical ignoramuses bashing out their best two-minute approximations of bubblegum 60s pop songs. It’s still difficult to spin “Chainsaw” or that Havana Banana song without cracking a smile. “Leave Home” is a little better, and “Rocket to Russia” is a little better still. Things get patchy after that; fancier production really reached a point of diminishing returns with these guys, but “Too Tough to Die” and most of “Pleasant Dreams” are worth exploring.
RIP Dee Dee and Joey.
YESTERDAY AND TODAY - S/T, 1976: You may remember them for the boondoggle of late-80s BON JOVI-style records. But in all fairness, the first few Y&T discs are heavy stomping Zep-style slabs that seem to sip from the same cup as MONTROSE's debut. The recording is superbly in-your-face, Leonard Haze's warlike drums and Phil Kennemore's bass collectively tearing your woofers a new one. Poised performances like "25 Hours A Day" and "Game Playing Woman" provide a glimpse into the chemistry that fueled the legendary live shows. Dave Meniketti's hypercharged licks light a fire under every track, especially the provocative ballad "My Heart Plays Too" and the SKYNYRD-esque
party anthem, "Alcohol". This debut consists of zero cover tunes, no keyboards, and riffs for miles. The string of quality would continue into the early 1980s, culminating into their tour de force, "Earthshaker". And yes, that is a Flying V on the cover.
THE CLASH - S/T, 1977: Rather
than rebellion for its own sake like THE PISTOLS so ardently followed,
or playing THE STOOGES at a million miles an hour as THE DAMNED did (both
being admirable pursuits), THE CLASH were the band who cared.
Of course, what with this being THE CLASH's most visceral moment it still
spat, shat and fought with bare-knuckled guitars; just with a more anthemic
touch that the was undoubtedly different to their more nihilistic counterparts.
Even at this early stage in their career the band where already incorporating
reggae elements on songs like "Police and Thieves", it was clear these boys
were never going to be just a punk band for long. A riot of their
own, indeed.
My top five debut albums of all time.
Stefan Gebedi (THANATOS, HAIL OF BULLETS)
THE SAINTS - "I'm Stranded", 1977: For a long time geographical isolation down under was problematic, and artists with the ability and desire to take their music to a more populous audience often relocated in another country. The raw octane of THE SAINTS first record is at odds with the eternal warmth of their home city and it's easy to comprehed their move to the colder climate of the United Kingdom. Pre-dating the heyday of UK mohawk brigade and dyed-hair punk, THE SAINTS balls-out sound demonstrated a sort of kindred spirit to Detroit rock like the MC5 and THE STOOGES. "No Time" and "Stranded" are polished recordings but remain catchy as influenza. The recording on the
rest of the album is rough as guts, so the strength and hooks of the songs really shine through the grittiness. The blazing guitar work on "Wild Abour You" and "Erotic Neurotic" blitzes all and sundry in its path. The band remained consistent for years; Everything up through "Prehistoric Sounds" is recommended, but the 80s wanderings into pop rock territory are best left alone.
WIRE - "Pink Flag", 1977: Wire's collusion of minimalism and sophistication sounds like postpunk, but since "Pink Flag" came rolling off Harvest's assembly line at the tail end of '77, we can't really go there. There's not much to be gained by naming individual songs; all 21 are sharp, clever, and ridiculously hooky with more stops and starts than a loaded schoolbus. Even when guitarists Newman and Gilbert go for a solo, the band's get in-get out style makes contemporaries like TELEVISION or PERE UBU sound like THE ALLMAN BROTHERS by comparison. 1978's "Chairs Missing" may be the better album, but "Pink Flag" is one of the most timeless-sounding, shit-hot debut records on this page.
THE DAMNED - "Damned, Damned, Damned",
1977: THE DAMNED got it right. And they were first (at least the Brits claim, due to the fact that the single for "New Rose" hit the streets in the fall of 1976. Of course the RAMONES debut had been out for months...) At any rate, this Motor City-inspired collection of speeding punk tracks seems much closer to DIY spirit, eschewing some of the glossy production that PATTI SMITH, THE PISTOLS would employ later on. Not very produced by Nick Lowe, "Damned Damned Damned" is a collection of maniacal anthems from UK street urchins. Highlights include the slacker vocals of "Born to Kill", the deranged three-chord attack of "Stab Your Back",
and the simple racket of "So Messed Up". This was not music to cure cancer or save the planet: this was beating on instruments to alleviate boredom. The follow-up, "Music For Pleasure" brought absolutely none, and Lemmy was actually in the band for an hour or something at one point.
ELVIS COSTELLO - "My Aim is True", 1977:
We'd be remiss if we didn't mention that "My Aim Is True" is a great guitar
album. But then again, it's a great drum album. It's a great
bass album. If punk's mission was to return rock 'n roll to it's
roots, EC took the command literally, judging from the Motown flavors
of "No Dancer" and "Pay It Back", and the Buddy Holly-worship of "Miracle
Man" and "Mystery Dance". And honestly, how did Mickey Shine get that
crisp, earthy drum sound captured to tape, anyway? The faux-reggae rhythm
he settles into with Johnny Ciambotti in "Watchin' The Detectives" is
absolutely sick, man! At any rate, there's not a weak song to
be found here; "The Angels
Wanna Wear My Red Shoes" sparkles, "Welcome To The Working Week" seethes Costello's sarcastic venom, etc. This a textbook definition of a shit-hot band taking no prisoners right out of the gates.
THE SEX PISTOLS - "Never Mind The Bollocks...Here's
The Sex Pistols", 1977: Conversations abound that the SEX PISTOLS
were nothing more than a manufactured pop group from Malcolm McClaren's
manipulating mind. The debates about who kickstarted punk and perhaps
saved rock from overbloated pompousness in the UK without fail
include this debut. It's really not surprising considering the PISTOLS
courted media controversy wherever they were presented with the opportunity
and because the opening chords of "Holiday In The Sun" are more than just
a warning of an impending ass kicking. Contrary to popular belief most
of the core band members actually knew how to play their
instruments.
Johnny Rotten's technical singing ability is dubious, but the snarling, sneering rage he delivers more than makes up for it. "Bodies" is a wonderful distorted noisy abortion of a song with
Steve Jones' solid guitar playing and Rotten spitting out more disgust
than a nun scolding a Catholic school boy for reading a porn mag. "God
Save The Queen" "Anarchy In the UK" and "E.M.I." are anthems with the
requisite punk spitting contempt at authority. Later albums were some
of the same songs with a few tacked on extras.
TELEVISION - "Marquee Moon", 1977:
Never mind Andy Summers. Forget about U2. This is the band that
determined how new wave guitar would sound. The interlocking tightrope-walk
guitar trade-offs of "Marquee Moon" established this debut as one of the most original, addictive,
and provocative guitar records of the 1970s. Verlaine's cool Jazzmaster
chirps and swells dance gracefully with Richard Lloyd's angular lines
in masterpieces like "Venus", "Elevation", and the 10+ minute title track.
It's an enlightened guitar album by way of Mars, and every song is excellent.
While the follow-up, 1978's "Adventure" packed a fair share of inside-out
guitar explorations, the album lacked the
solid songs and staying power of the debut. Nevertheless, practically every guitar hero of the 'alternative
nation' owes props to this record.
DEAD BOYS - "Young, Loud, and Snotty",
1977: If you substitute NY DOLLS-esque swagger for the whole
Malcolm Mclaren boy-band aspect of THE SEX PISTOLS, the releases are actually
quite similar. Both bands feature shocking, obnoxious lyrics ("I just
wanna get in your pants") delivered by a rabid, freakish frontman
(Bators used to hang himself on stage regularly). Both albums are considered
foundations in punk rock history, but both debuts are superbly produced
and obviously the result of a lot of studio work (check out the layered
guitars in ""Aint Nothin' To Do" and "I Need Lunch" and compare it to
something like THE MISFITS), and both albums feature a superb set of songs,
but in the case of THE DEAD BOYS, the material actually borders on proto-metal. "Not Anymore", "What Love Is", and "All This and More" showcase Stiv Bators' sexist, dirtbag song construction talent was in full flower. By any standard, it's a dark and compelling rock record, rife with thrilling performances and surprisingly rich production.
VAN HALEN -"Van Halen", 1978: Pure and simple,
VAN HALEN's debut shook the foundations of heavy rock. Producer Ted Templeman
captures the barnstorming, cocksure, lock-up-your-daughters brilliance of
the foursome for the entire world to hear. It's a musical three-ring circus,
sounding like everything and nothing you've heard simultaneously. Ed's pre-show
warm-up "Eruption" would become the decade-long blueprint for arena rock
guitar solos. David Lee Roth, smart enough to recognize his own vocal limitations,
douses the proceedings with charismatic jive-shuckin' goofery. The performance of "I'm the One" is absolutely sick, Edward grinning broadly, shifting
back and forth between stratospheric leads and iron-wrought rhythms, brother Alex's jackhammer percussion snaking in and out of hairpin turns. The cover of "Ice Cream Man" is timeless, guitars and drums storming in big-band style to follow Roth's acoustic intro. As a whole, "Van Halen" is a performance that sent many a hopeful artist back to the drawing board. The vocal harmonies, the attitude, the guitar insanity - it would raise the bar significantly while creating a thousand imitators. It's been nearly thirty years, and folks are still flipping Frisbees to "Jamie's Cryin'" and "Runnin' with the Devil".
GANG OF FOUR - "Entertainment", 1979:
Andy Gill and Dave Allen’s mix of post-punk angles and funk groove deserve mega-props for rewriting the role of the guitar and bass in terms of melodic abrasiveness. Gill’s sparse blips and abbreviated leads in “Return the Gift” and “I Found That Essence Rare” are sharp enough to draw blood on the first listen. This collection of spluttering static-noise and Jon King’s monotone vocal marches would have punk fans wondering whawazzat for years to come. Before you mess with PIL’s “Metal Box” or WIRE’s “154”, pick this one up. It’s beyond essential; Hell, the Chili Peppers are still ripping it off to this day.
PRETENDERS - S/T, 1980 : By
1980, most of punk's class of 77 had moved into docile territory, and
even some of the more-marketable 'new wave' bands had begun to lose their
luster (those that had any to start with). Somehow, in the middle of all
this, the first PRETENDERS album hit the streets; a brazen collection
of brass-knuckle power pop riffs built around Chrissie Hynde's impossible
off-kilter rhythms, punk sneer, Ain't-I-a-bitch lyrics, and sexy balladry.
The late, great James Honeyman Scott proves to be one of the most versatile
and colorful guitarists of the new decade, cycling through snarling riffs
in "The Phone Call", wailing sputter-noise in "Tattooed Love Boys", and
the gorgeous
show-stopping jangle-solo in "Kid". While there are hints of British
Invasion-style arrangements here and there, THE PRETENDERS created a sound
that's incredibly unique, at least for the skinny tie era. And "Pretenders II"
is even better. Yes it is. Yes it is.
My top five debut albums of all time.
Mike Williams (EYEHATEGOD, OUTLAW ORDER)
DEAD KENNEDYS - "Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables", 1980 : The first wave of UK punk was at an end with anarchist politics often considered more important than producing interesting music. In the USA, spearheading the first wave of heavily political punk bands, "Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables" sported a provocative edge that messed with heads and lead to ongoing debates with right-wing organizations. Due to the speed of the band, some listeners could have been convinced that the record they were playing on 33 was mistakenly pressed and meant to be played at a slower pace. The recording quality sounds like it was all done in one take using a walkman placed a safe distance
away from DEAD KENNEDYS explosiveness. Jello Biafra's distinctive nasal voice carries more than a side of biting sarcasm over East Bay Ray's surf guitar tones and clenched-fist tight rhythm section. A natural organic edge punches through in the catchy choruses and breakneck speed of "Kill The Poor" and "Chemical Warfare". "Drug Me" blasts along like a lawnmower, and a nasty metallic raw edge pervades "California Uber Alles" and the rapid rollicking classic "Holiday in Cambodia", earning the disc holy grail status among punk records. After the similar quality of "Plastic Surgery Disasters", the band experimented more with speed in later albums whilst pointing fingers at authority figures and mindless sheep in the punk scene.
OZZY OSBOURNE - "Blizzard of Oz", 1980 : Just a short time after the final tired offerings of the once mighty BLACK SABBATH, a reinvigorated, re-directed OZZY resurfaced with the hot new talent of RANDY RHODES on board and produced the album of his solo career first up. The blistering runs of RHODES on classic opening pair "I Don't Know" and "Crazy Train" are a stark contrast to the heavy, industrial thunder of his former guitar playing colleague whilst the controversial "Suicide Solution" and the majestic "Mr. Crowley" complete the four cuts that would be the foundation of the live set for years to follow. The lesser lauded yet equally impressive "Revelation (Mother Earth)"
is surely the forgotten track of OZZY's solo career. Initally conceived as a band project with the same "Blizzard Of Ozz" moniker, only a sad 2002 reissue that wiped original players Lee Kerslake and Bob Daisley off the recordings slightly tarnishes this solitary essential purchase from OZZY's post-Sabbath catalogue and that poor choice of action is a hint why we'll never see the man produce anything as good as this again.
IRON MAIDEN - S/T, 1980: Why
is it that IRON MAIDEN was the only true commercial success to come out
of the NWOBHM movement? Was it the marketing potential of their mascot
Eddie? Not a bad guess, but we think it has more to do with the fact that
the band started strong right out of the gate. The self-titled IRON MAIDEN
album is the kind of debut that most bands can only dream of, displaying
both the band's youthful energy ("Prowler," "Running Free") and thoughtful
maturity ("Strange World," "Remember Tomorrow"). The dueling lead guitar
and galloping bass is just as strong here as it is on anything the band
has done since. And despite the limitations of vocalist Paul DiAnno,
his
punk rock vigor was perfect for delivering that leather clad, street tough
ethos. A veritable cornucopia of info can be found regarding MAIDEN and
the whole NWOBHM in Mark Marchman's massive buying
guide… you totally want to check it out…
KILLING JOKE - S/T, 1980:
This debut flew in the face of the skinny-tied new romantics and the easy-listening
pleasantness new wave bands were dishing out. Taking the synthesizer sound
from their contemporaries "Requiem" and "Tomorrow's World" gently lull
a listener in. Precision-steady factory worker repetitiveness bangs in
"Bloodsport". But KILLING JOKE also marries the sound with primitive tribal
rhythms soundtracking an oncoming apocalyptical disaster. Warning of impending
doom is "The Wait", "Wardance" is a bouncy bass-driven abrasive affair
completed with Jaz's grizzle-grunt vocals. Synthesizers drive "Complications"and
"Primitive" hiding a dark undercurrent in the driving
industrial rhythm.
Despite the fact that the synths nearly vanished completely for 1981's
"What's THIS For?", the jaunty, chaotic beats in tracks like "Follow the
Leader" kept the string of quality intact.
ANGEL WITCH - S/T, 1980:
The debut from London's ANGEL WITCH is to the NWOBHM what "In The Court of the Crimson King" is to prog; it's what the "Nuggets" records are to garage rock, and what "Vincebus Eruptum" is to psych. Like the first DIAMOND HEAD record, it's a link between metal's past and the future, the band all wound up and delivering heart-pounding, air-guitar grabbing, horn-throwing bliss at every turn. The spastic shrieks and morbid lyrical vision of "Atlantis" (The world is at its end / To wait for Atlantis to rise/ Atlantis to rise! Rise, Rise Rise!) is one of the record's defining moments. "Free Man" finds Heybourne wailing and lamenting through a tragic serenade sort of affair,
and the swells & surges of "Sorceress" represent one of the most commanding metal performances ever captured on vinyl (love the way they sneak in that Ken Hensley organ at the end!) It's a release of unyielding quality, a blueprint of dark metal perfection that competes with top-shelf metal from any country, any time period. Based on the strength of the preceeding singles and touring, the band seemed unstoppable at the time. Unfortunately, lineup changes and some promotional issues with the Bronze label kept them from what seemed like inevitable world domination.
MISFITS - "Beware", 1980:
Never underestimate the impact of a good singer. When you really listen
to classics like "Hollywood Babylon" and "Teenagers From Mars" (what
is it exactly that they don't care about?), it becomes obvious that
this band's appeal is all those hopelessly catchy choruses. The guitar
/ bass whatever is just a big brown blob blasting along at a hundred miles
an hour. Listening to the first riff in "Horror Business', it seems no
one was going to accuse these guys of being overproduced! While the
outlandish outfits and horror shtick may have seemed gimmicky at the time,
Jerry Only, Glenn Danzig and crew had a knack for crafting irresistable
songs, and this EP is
one of the best collections in the whole MISFITS catalog (many of them appeared officially for the first time for 1997's "Static Age" release). Plus, they've got one of the coolest t-shirt designs ever created (eclipsed perhaps only by MOTORHEAD). Too bad they absolutely suck now...
MINOR THREAT - S/T EP, 1981:
Playing at lightning speed and presumably whilst the band were proudly
kicking against absolutely fucking everything , MINOR THREAT's
self-titled EP is not only a seminal hardcore blast but also a radical
step for any rock band. Who before could have possibly had the balls -
or perhaps lack of groupies and legally aged band-members? - to proclaim
themselves against every rock' n' roll vice the world had going? It's
often said that angry young men make the best rock music and MT's
debut EP shows it and then some. Ironically, it's also great music
to drink to...
VENOM - "Welcome To Hell", 1981:
Any similiarites to actual music are purely unintentional. "Welcome To Hell" is the perfect album from the perfect band. VENOM didn't sound like anything created by man or beast in 1981; the riffs sound more like a pickup truck with decayed exhaust than actual guitars. Cronos' snarling reptillian babble about "dirty little bitches" and "the devil's child" left metal fans feeling beaten and violated. It was like these three scumbags crawled out of a landfill, followed by bimbos reading satanic prayers, marching along to the tribal beat of "In League With Satan" to corrupt all of mankind. Golden moments are really too numerous to list, but Mantas'
tottering into the first solo of "Poison" deserves mention, as does the foul tar-soaked guitar harmonies in "Witching Hour". Try to get a copy that includes the demo versions of "Red Light Fever" and "Angel Dust" if you can - the recordings are even nastier than this stuff.
DISCHARGE - "Why" EP, 1981:
This terrifying slab of UK street punk glycerine was a booming announcement that punk was going to get much heavier and uglier over the next few years. While the “Realities of War” single was gritty, it wasn’t until the excellent 1980 “Fight Back” single that the speeding, crashing, chainsaw guitar sound and provocative lyrics that would become synonymous with DISCHARGE began to emerge in tracks like “War’s No Fairytale” and “Always Restrictions”. By the time 1981’s “Why” hit the streets, the hellish racket was fully realized in buzzing, pain-inducing demonstrations of disgust and anger like “Ain’t No Feeble Bastard”. Bones’ wailing metallic leads still sound stunning, and
would reach their zenith for the full-length LP “Hear Nothing, See Nothing, Say Nothing” in 1982.
THE GUN CLUB - "Fire of Love", 1981:
After changing their name from CREEPING RITUAL to THE GUN CLUB as requested by Keith Morris of THE CIRCLE JERKS, the L.A. foursome independently released "Fire of Love", a trashy mix of slacker punk, rockabilly and blues. Guitarist / frontman Jeffrey Lee Pierce leads the band through eleven tracks of jangly, driving anthems spiked with his outlandish, panicky crooning. Remarkably, it's tough to tell the difference between THE GUN CLUB's gut-level originals like "Jack on Fire" and the covers on the album (like Robert Johnson's "Preachin the Blues", and Tommy Johnson's "Cool Drink of Water") as track after track of quality 'naw, screw it' rock 'n roll flashes by.
Although the band would never quite top the swaggering perfection of the debut ("Mother Juno" does come close), they were able to crank out quite a few keepers before Pierce's untimely demise in 1996.
BAD BRAINS - "ROIR Cassette", 1982:
Generally these days, cassette tapes are thought of as no good
and only really useful if you happen to driving long haul and own an antiquated
car stereo that plays tapes. ROIR was a music label specializing in cassette
releases that happened upon a demo from a band trading in a history of
playing jazz fusion in favor of hardcore punk fused with reggae. The results
are nothing short of legendary. Short bursts of adrenaline-filled raging
punk with H.R.'s Jamacian Rastafarian accent jab straight to the cranium
on "I", "Sailin On and "Attitude". The short slow fraction of "Banned
In DC' only serves to highlight the crushing speed of the rest
of the
song. The dub of "Leaving Babylon" simmers the mood with reflectful Jah-worshipping
reggae. There's frantic edge that rivals the most manic bo-polar
episode. No amount of Ritalin could capably sedate"The Big Take Over" or
"Pay to Cum". This cassette was pressed into vinyl in 1989 after BAD BRAINS
had a few albums under their belt. "Rock for Light" is a continuation
of this album with more polished versions of a few of the songs from the
tape release. In comparison to early works, "I Against I" slowly grooves
and stirs metal, funk and soul into the mixture. The metallic edge continued
on "Quickness". Later albums were patchy affairs with the band's live
performance reflecting their studio efforts. However in 2007 the band
climbed back on board with taking the vocal reigns after an on-off working
relationship as BAD BRAINS' frontman. While the format may have changed
over time, the intensity has not. Believe it or not, Mr. Ripley, after
all these years it's still possible to get this release on cassette.
MDC - "Millions of Dead Cops", 1982:
Texas punks MDC set an early standard for all things hardcore punk with cop-hating, anger-spewing titles like "Corporate Deathburger" and "Violent Rednecks". Everything's delivered at 1000 mph, and despite Kevin Bastin's monocolor singing style, the album packs quite a wallop. Plus guitarists Ron Posner and Dave Dictor weren't afraid to grab those strings and let an actual guitar solo fly from time to time (check out "I Remember" and "I Hate Work" for some examples). Just the way metal bands had a tendency to 'go commercial' with follow ups, some hardcore punk bands were just as notorious for 'going goofy', and MDC were one of the first to
demonstrate the phenomenon (you can add CIRCLE JERKS, NECROS, and a host of others as well) with 1986's horrific "Smoke Signals". Man, that Apartheid song still makes me shudder.
METALLICA - "Kill 'Em All", 1983:
We made the argument in our ginormous article a few years back that a major part of the success of METALLICA was Lars Ulrich and his insight into the NWOBHM scene across the pond. And indeed, traces of DIAMOND HEAD, HOLOCAUST and ANGEL WITCH can be heard loud and clear within the band's debut. Love him or hate him, Lars knows an opportunity when he sees one. Still, there was plenty that the MET boys did on "Kill 'em All" on their own that they can take full credit for: super-charging the speed of their riffs ("Motorbreath" and "Metal Militia" among others), building on the contributions of former member Dave Mustaine ("The Four Horsemen"),
coming up with some great hooks on their own ("Seek and Destroy") and not being afraid to show off their technical abilities (most notably on the be-all-end-all bass solo "Anesthesia: Pulling Teeth"). Sure, the main reason why the songs on this album see radio airplay is due to the band's latter, more mainstream material, but nobody here can dispute this album's place as a landmark in thrash metal history.
SLAYER - "Show No Mercy", 1983:
The metamorphosis of SLAYER over the years may not be the most drastic in history, but a kid who only knows "Reign in Blood" or "Seasons in the Abyss" may be in for a shock hearing this one for the first time. Far from the sound that became largely responsible for the creation of death metal, "Show No Mercy" is closer to the template of JUDAS PRIEST with the blatant wickedness of MERCYFUL FATE sped up to the tempo of VENOM. The words "SLAYER" and "catchy" may not be quite so synonymous now, but the verse-chorus-verse-chorus formula of tracks like "Evil Has No Boundaries" and "Tormentor" will stick in listeners' heads easier than anything on
Top 40 radio. And make no mistake: This is still one dangerously heavy album, as the reckless speed of "Fight Till Death" and "The Final Command" both give plenty of hints as to what's to come. While the excessive high pitched screams of Tom Araya may be history now (along with the black make-up, much to everyone's delight), the frantic, string-choking leads of Hanneman and King were there right from the start, as was the virtuosic percussion of Dave Lombardo. And sure, this album would have better stood the test of time given a better production (it was recording in only eight hours), but it's no doubt a tremendous start to a fruitful career of evil.
DIO - "Holy Diver", 1983: Armed with a new band, Ronnie James Dio continues the tradition of fantastic heavy metal records he began with RAINBOW and SABBATH. The fiery guitar licks of Irish hotshot Vivian Campbell add a biting metal edge to the proceedings. His remarkable solo in the title track is brash and energetic enough to win over the most hard-nosed metal skeptic, and the outtro riff of "Shame On The Night" is arguably the heaviest moment in Dio's discography. Almost thirty years after the fact, this disc is still an evil drug that makes metal fans lose their minds.
MARILLION - "Script For A Jester's Tear", 1983:
Emerging in the early 80s and quickly establishing themselves as the saviours-elect of a much maligned and at that point almost dying genre MARILLION effectively replaced the splintering PINK FLOYD, YES and the source of much influence to them, GENESIS via their first two magnificent releases. The 3 track "Market Square Heroes" EP announced the band, the complex 17 minute epic on it's flip side "Grendel" establishing their credentials. "Script For A Jester's Tear" emerged a short while later featuring none of the tracks from the EP but delivering six further excellent cuts. The title track finds commanding frontman FISH in instantly
impressive form both as a singer and a lyricist and for all the critisms of prog-rock the band also managed strong sales in 45rpm format too with "He Knows You Know" and "Garden Party" both charting in their native UK. They would go on to establish themselves as a major arena headlining band yet, just three albums later FISH would leave to explore solo avenues whilst the band would recruit a new frontman and continue but in a significantly different style. The debut however remains the best of when they were top of their league.
TROUBLE - "Psalm 9", 1984:
If Metal Blade’s original mission was to create a new generation of heavy metal icons, Chicago’s TROUBLE took the doom detail. In a time period well known for shitty, thin, transistor amp sounds, Bruce Franklin and Rick Wartell uncorked some electrifying riff tones in cuts like “Assassin” and “Bastards Will Pay”. Sabs-based but not Sabs-bound, TROUBLE embodied a new spin on classic doom sounds, marinated in the metallic crunch of PRIEST and MAIDEN and adorned with Eric Wagner’s one-of-a-kind banshee wails. Plus, the whole thing was wrapped up in this apocalyptic fear-of-God, death-from-above lyrical mood. Check out the sly nod to “Hand of Doom”
at the end of the title track – remarkable stuff. The string of quality records would continue throughout the remainder of the decade.
HELLHAMMER - "Apocalyptic Raids" EP, 1984:
This music is so dirty and ugly, it's a wonder that the German speed metal moguls Noise Records dared to originally pick the band up. The pre-CELTIC FROST power trio excelled in creating an organic, low-tuned passage of doom, distortion and madness whose evoked damnation and filth were only paralleled (possibly) in contemporary crust and noise rock. The music industry has since produced slick, glamorous metal symphonies describing cosmic evil, but despite all the money and production wizardry bestowed upon modern metal acts, they fail! These young Swiss maniacs were far more apt in their dive into the roots of Lovecraftian occult
horror, as the twisted and gnarled "pseudo-riffs" amalgamate into each other in blind hysteria, creating the warped mongoloid death-punk of "The Third of the Storms", heavily influenced by VENOM, and the crushingly heavy, driving, sluggish ceremony "Triumph of Death" which Stephen O'Malley could only wish to have projected, the original statement of death metal and black metal in which Tom G. Warrior's harrowing screams and experimental guitar capture the agony of a premature burial, or a vengeful spectre. Being enveloped by the morbid fury of the overall performance of the line-up of this mini-album, even the NWOBHM riffs sound like the whims of a maniacal killer.
SAINT VITUS - S/T, 1984:
SAINT VITUS’ ability to apply punk’s gutter-borne, scuzzy, strip-it-down ethic to the art of Sabbathean crawl was an entirely unique accomplishment. Of the American mid-80s doom debut trifecta (TROUBLE, VITUS, PENTAGRAM), these guys were the most sonically frightening, garage-borne madmen of all. Tunes like “Psychopath” and “Burial at Sea” move largely at the speed of continental drift, awash in filthy wah-pedal excursions and Scott Reagers potent metallic lyrical imagery. After years of Pro Tools and ridiculous multitracking, it’s still tough to find a doom metal gem capable of competing with the throbbing, single fist reverb-drenched
potency of early VITUS (an album that sounds like it was recorded on a four-track).
THE SMITHS - S/T, 1984: One of the most musically addictive songwriting alliances of the 1980s was forged when anti-guitar hero Johnny Marr and his sparkling, chorus-heavy arpeggi-jangles joined forces with Morrissey's biting, witty soapbox lyrics and croons. The result was an amazing record that upped the ante for indie pop, borrowing a bit from THE CURE's sullen melancholy in cuts like "Pretty Girls Make Graves" and "Ring Around the Fountain". Additionally, Marr and Co. deserve kudos for a largely clunker-free discography; follow-ups like 85's "Meat Is Murder" and 86's "The Queen Is Dead" are just as irresistable. Give it two listens, and you'll be shopping bag lady in no time, wearing
men's shoes and talking to buildings. You know the deal.
METAL CHURCH - S/T, 1984:
If there's one recording that encompasses street-wise toughness on an epic scale, it's this here self-titled debut from METAL CHURCH. Seattle's favorite son Kurt Vanderhoof actually originally formed the band in San Francisco (briefly including a kid behind the drum kit by the name of Lars Ulrich) before finding the clientele he needed back in Jet City. The end result is an album that really does have everything a metal fan could ask for, whether it's crushing riffs (the band's eponymous song) or catchy hooks ("Hitman") or engrossing narration ("Battalions") or creepy ballads ("Gods of Wrath") or all of the above ("Beyond the Black"). On top of all that, we have a cover that's
an inspired reinterpretation as opposed to a carbon copy ("Highway Star") in addition to the single most kick-ass instrumental in the history of metal ("Merciless Onslaught," later to be ripped off nearly note-for-note by WITCHERY). And of course, one of our favorite pastimes is trying to figure out what the hell David Wayne is singing, since the lyrics of the album have still never been officially revealed. A word of advice to all those other bands out there: Don't feel too bad if you can't top this album - METAL CHURCH was never able to, either.
My top five debut albums of all time.
Jim Wilson (ROLLINS BAND, MOTHER SUPERIOR)
ELVIS PRESLEY - S/T, 1956: Not only Elvis’ debut album but the debut of the rock & roll album as we know it. Imagine what this sounded like in 1956!! Scotty Moore’s guitar work on this album is totally inventive and way harder to play than Eddie Van Halen’s licks. The music is dark and strange and Elvis’ voice is already incredible.
THE BEATLES - "Please Please Me", 1963 : I was given this album when I was a little kid and I totally love it. Full of great songs like “Anna,” “There’s A Place,” “Chains,” “I Saw Her Standing There” and “Misery,” just to name a few. It’s the Beatles recorded live in the studio and giving it their all and their talent shines from the very start. And those vocals!
THE BAND - "Music From Big Pink", 1968: Bob Dylan painted the cover to this important debut album by a group who blended rock & roll, rhythm and blues and country and called themselves The Band. Genius songs and dark sounds that changed music and some of the most passionate vocals ever captured on tape. All recorded in a pink house. Brilliant.
CHEAP TRICK - S/T, 1977: I can’t listen to this album without getting jealous. Damn, they already did it! Turn this one up LOUD.
THE CARS - S/T, 1978 Yes, there are lots of bands that I like better than The Cars overall, but that’s not this list. As far as debut albums go, this is a strong one that plays like a greatest hits album. Killer tunes and the production is still fresh. With roots in Buddy Holly and the Velvet Underground (wait! I forgot The Velvet Underground And Nico!), this album’s filled with great songs and expert use of guitars and synthesizers. It really is a five star album.
PENTAGRAM - S/T, 1985: In a lot of ways, it seems unfair to call this record a debut; Virginia doom icons PENTAGRAM had oodles of singles and demos under their collective belts by 1985, consumed as they were in fighting managers, studio problems, promotion issues, and just plain bad luck (since their original formation in 1971). Even so, this nasty collection of dark, psych-laced doom metal is an absolute gem. Liebling's crazed vocals hiss and boom like some ghostly psych reincarnation from the 60s spinning tales of rough street survival, dirty women, and blasphemous evil prayers. Of course, Victor Griffin's blazing riffs in "Sign of the Wolf (Pentagram)" and "20 Buck Spin" still sound fantastic
nearly 25 years later. Originally released with little fanfare or promotion at all, the disc has thankfully been reissued several times under the title "Relentless", so seek it out.
POSSESSED - "Seven Churches", 1985: The search for the first death metal album tends to end up in a pointless debate around the metal message boards, but there is no denying the iconic status of this slab of darkness, not least because it features the classic POSSESSED anthem "Death Metal"! The OLDFIELD intro to the album mockingly reminds us of horror stereotypes, leading into the out-of-control burst of hostile artillery which is "The Exorcist". Whether or not they actually spawned the style, the album is 100% perfect as visceral, thrashing mid-80's style death metal whose hymnal demonic nightmares resemble and connect the turbo-NWOBHM of VENOM with the morbid
speed metal of SLAYER, while infusing the package with a seriously intense pace in guitar tremolo wristwork and extreme aesthetics in the growled vocals of a zombie Lemmy. Borne out of a desire to play as fast and brutal metal as possible, the torrent of riffs and the richness of evoked deathly landscape still amazes the listener, as Torrao's and future PRIMUS axe man LaLonde's suggestive and cryptic melodies leave an anxious, suggestive trace in the listener's brain and Sus' nearly haphazard drumming contributes barbarism with its quasi-generic pounding. The masterful leads are mostly careening wails reminiscent of keening demons rising from the netherworlds. Songs like "Pentagram" and "Holy Hell" were the wet dream to PMRC people seeking satanic messages in heavy metal. And they recorded this on a goddamn Easter break from school! How's that for profane?
CRYPTIC SLAUGHTER - "Convicted", 1986: Santa Monica thrashers CRYPTIC SLAUGHTER were extreme before extreme was cool. Predating the birth of grindcore by several years, the band's battering 'dry snare' blasts seemed the hellspawn of DRI and MINOR THREAT records played on 45 speed. Despite the insanity, guitarist Les Evans proves a master of riffs in furious tracks like "Hypocrite", and even sneaks in a few leads throughout the record. Bill Crooks' relentless auctioneer-style screams and Scott Peterson's mind-numbing bashing made this recording difficult for the most dedicated thrashers to embrace in the mid-80s. The band soldiered on, never softening their
approach for follow-ups like 87's "Money Talks" and 88's "Stream of Consciousness" before finally disbanding in the early 90s.
CANDLEMASS - "Epicus Doomicus Metallicus", 1986: Every doom head seems to have their preference between the debut album of Sweden's CANDLEMASS and their follow-up. And sure, "Epicus Doomicus Metallicus" does lack the virtuosic performances that vocalist Messiah Marcolin and guitarist Lasse Johansson contributed to "Nightfall." Still, there's one argument we can make in favor of the debut… like, say, the fact that it single-handedly redefined an entire friggin' genre. The bottom-heavy riffs, creeping tempos and epic lyrics of BLACK SABBATH remained, but now the compositions were longer and had more harmony and emotion. Case in point: Would Ozzy have ever sung a song
as gut-wrenching as "Solitude"? While the album's mere six tracks may leave it feeling a bit short, every last one of 'em qualifies as an album highlight. Whereas some albums suffer from a less-than-polished production, this is one album that benefits greatly from its raw nature, whether it's the scratchy guitar tone of a track like "Demon's Gate" or the eerie synth of "A Sorcerer's Pledge." And let's not forget the splendid performance of Johan Lanquist, easily the most underrated vocalist in the band's history. His narrations are heartbreaking yet avoid being cliché or over-the-top (bassist and band founder Leif Edling has gone on record saying he prefers Johan's version of "Under the Oak" to that of Messiah). Granted, "Epicus…" may be a bit dated and cheesy, but it's still one of the most imitated (non-SABBATH) doom metal albums ever made.
PIXIES - "Come On Pilgrim" EP, 1987:
A shoo-in. Fuelled by the glorious tension between Frank Black
and Kim Deal, the early PIXIES records have become the stuff of legend.
"Come On Pilgrim" boasts all the clubfooted delights that would become
synonomous with their irresistable appeal. Simple pop melodies like eerie
echoes of "Ring Around the Rosie" are twisted into freakish,
straitjacketed choruses like "Ed Is Dead" and "Levitate Me". Generous
doses of molested surf guitar and Spanish lyrics pop up on this brief
but potent masterpiece, and that warped acoustic riff in "Nimrod's Son"
alone is worth the price of an EP. C'mon pilgrim, you know he loves
you!
SARCOFAGO - "INRI", 1987:
The utter blasphemy and unrelenting violence of fast blastbeat and demonic growl oriented gasmasks-and-bulletbelts black metal (sometimes called "war metal") has of course some archaic roots in the punk attitude and chaos of VENOM and SODOM but the prime influence that made bands from MAYHEM to BEHERIT mutate from thrashers to dirty corpsepainted and spiked beasts of the apocalypse was Belo Horizonte's prime candidates for failed exorcism by Catholic priests: SEPULTURA's evil stepbrother SARCOFAGO. Cryptic, hoarse grunts intone suggestions of demonic sex, vomiting blood and alcohol and burning of all sacred material, while an inhuman,
decadent sonically compressed drum blast underlines the bad taste and hostility of this group of disillusioned punks. Some of the rhythms and basic riff structure sound like good old hardcore punk but Wagner Lamounier & Zeber Butcher conjure from some unimaginable layer of Hell a bit of classical melody so that each song sounds like a perversion of angelic themes and "normal music". While European early black metal perpetrators such as CELTIC FROST were all about doomy mood and atmospheric intricacies, SARCOFAGO bestowed a spiked fistful of physicality and terminal anger.
NAPALM DEATH - "Scum", 1987:
- Some bands out there have a history that not even the greatest fiction writers on the planet could dream up. Most fans know that the current NAPALM DEATH line-up features zero members from the band's debut "Scum." In actuality, the band has roots dating as far back as 1982, and by the time of their debut's release, the sole remaining member from the band's original line-up was bassist/vocalist Nik "Napalm" Bullen. The wackiness doesn't end there: The "Scum" release we know is actually two recording sessions with two separate line-ups combined into one package, and Bullen isn't even part of the second half! In fact, drummer Mick Harris is the only
common link between the two sessions. However, Harris' impact on both the album and style, such as referring to the band's crossover style as "grindcore" and his machine-gun drumming style as "blast beats," are still felt today. Stylistically, there's not much difference between the two halves of "Scum" (aside from the second half being tuned lower) so one should expect nothing short of manic schizophrenia throughout this 31-minute, 28-track episode of hell. Fleeting moments showcase finesse worthy of SLAYER (the intro of the title track, for instance), while the rest of the album is one small step away from indecipherable noise. And of course, this album sets the world record for brevity with the 1-second-long "You Suffer." Why else would guitarist Justin Broadrick and vocalist Lee Dorian move on to musical styles with slower tempos? This album even scared the piss out of the guys who recorded it!
SOUNDGARDEN - "Screaming Life", EP 1987: SOUNDGARDEN's mix of SABBATH rumble and Chris Cornell's conflicted, emotional wailing would produce a decade of heavy duty platters, but this early EP is proof positive of how far ahead of the pack they really were. At a time when mile-high hairspray dos and thrash clones clogged the metal racks, the free-forming Zep-borne melodies of "Nothing To Say" and "Little Joe" cracked the notions of traditional song structures and tired, phallic themes wide open. Matt Cameron's sly drumming and Cornell's plaster-loosening eruptions set a high watermark for originality and quality that only they themselves would top with subsequent platters.
GUNS 'N ROSES - "Appetite For Destruction", 1987: GNR exposed the other tight-pants, pseudo-dropout fare of the time period (RATT, CRUE, etc.) as the charlatans that they were. While it's hard to imagine now, Axl's R-rated lyrics and schizophrenic vocal talents merging with Slash's fresh, Joe Perry-esque Les Paul action was shockingly heavy on every front. Mike Clink's legendary production job yielded one of the tightest, most fluid-sounding rock records since the VAN HALEN debut. The seemingly endless barrage of riffing in "Nightrain", "It's So Easy" and "Mr. Brownstone" mingled in the space of fantastic arrangements with compelling melodic blues turnarounds and lyrical solos
from Slash. Even so, we were shocked when the songs began to receive airplay. "Appetite For Destruction" sent many a puffed-up 80s glam poser back to the drawing board. A hint for the uninitiated: This is what rock 'n roll is supposed to sound like.
SANCTUARY - "Refuge Denied", 1988:
Geez, what is it with Seattle anyway? Is heavy precipitation the key to
making one's band awesome? Whatever it is, Warrel Dane brings it to every
musical project he's ever been involved in. However, even among the Peacedogman
staff, there's an insoluble division between fans who prefer the modern
prog/thrash of NEVERMORE and those who choose to stick with the traditional
power metal style of that band's predecessor, SANCTUARY. But even the
NEVER-heads among us wouldn't dare to argue the fact that "Refuge Denied"
is one prime-cut slab of classic metal. The star attraction, of course,
is Dane's banshee wail, which during this time
rivaled that of CRIMSON
GLORY frontman Midnight. One listen to "Battle Angels" and the chorus
of "Crawl ON YOUR KNEES / The SLAUGHTER is ON!!" will be ingrained
forever. Apart from the high pitches, NEVERMORE faithful will also find
the subject matter of the lyrics quite familiar, whether it's drugs (their
cover of JEFFERSON AIRPLANE standard "White Rabbit") or protest ("Termination
Force"). Of course, the band backing him up is pretty good too, with plenty
of exercises in speed like "The Third War" and "Soldiers of Steel" that
get the blood pumping. Oh, and it doesn't hurt that this album has a gleaming
production courtesy of some guy you may have heard of by the name of Dave
Mustaine (he even plays a few licks on it). And unlike many of the other
entries to this list, SANCTUARY was able to come up with an equally great
(some would argue even greater) follow-up in the form of "Into the Mirror
Black." We geezers may already be in the know, but new-school NEVERMORE
fans would do themselves a severe disservice by not checking out this
one.
KING'S X - "Out of the Silent Planet", 1988: We really thought we had our metal genres all worked in neat little round holes, until this fantastic square peg hit the record racks in 1988. A trio dressed in strange Colonial robes led by a tall, black dude with a mohawk playing bass left-handed and a geeky looking guitar player with glasses? But it was love at first listen: The most monolithic riff tone to come down the pike in the last ten years, glowing choruses that bounce with the soul of HENDRIX and SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE, and guitar playing so original and creative, it almost begs for it's own genre. The ragged, nasty opening riff of "Sometimes" drags your ass through the mud, only to shift
into glistening clean melodies, vigorous gospel-inspired choruses and drum thunder. They're a band that we just can't seem to keep out of any feature. Meticulously produced, magnificently executed, KINGS X were awesome from the very first record.
MORBID ANGEL - "Altars of Madness", 1989: An indisputable milestone of death metal and black metal, this exhortation to Sumerian demons and profanation of all that is holy still has the power to flatten the casual listener with a plutonium fist. Five years and a myriad line-up changes since its formation MORBID ANGEL developed their techno-death from SLAYER-reading-Necronomicon type of rhythm exercises to a brutal noise whose atonality, horror themes and warped melody architecture make you seriously wonder if listening to it is conducive for mental health. Too evil for progressive metal and too complex for mundane death metal, MORBID ANGEL practically invented the rumbling,
serpentine harmonic variety that the genre has been obsessed with ever since. While the band went on to produce a series of classics, "Altars of Madness" remains a fan favorite since its atmosphere combines the spiked thrashers of mid-80's with somber explorations of literature and black arts, Pete Sandoval still sounds like a maniaco destroying real drums instead of a robot attacking with chopsticks and the Azagthoth/Brunelle combo unleashes several years of youthful wrath in the riff department, leaving no doubt as to which Florida cult caused most drawings of pentagrams and inverted crucifixes in school books and spawned most imitators with indecipherable logos and magical spells even professors of mythology can't understand.
ENTOMBED - "Left Hand Path", 1990: Imagine a flesh-craving horde of hardcore zombies, unleashed from the cemetery upon a night of full moon clad in their rotting patches and shreds of jeans and spiked hair covered in maggots to wreak vengeance upon the quietude of the middle class suburb, impaling, burning, and crucifying humans. What I'm describing is the rise of the spiritual plane of the Swedish death metal underground, led by ENTOMBED, arising from the midst of kids who used to hang in the Tunnelbana (subway tunnels), inspired by early CRYPTIC SLAUGHTER and NAPALM DEATH, possessed by the nocturnal illumination of graves and hating the corporate
sound that had suffocated the primal tribalism of heavy metal and thrash. ENTOMBED defy by spitting in the face of pretension and complexity, but instead turning the Boss Heavy Metal pedal to max with midrange turned down (instantly imitated all over), playing loud punk influenced death metal able to fracture skulls by the power of its riffs, so vicious and catchy that banging one's head into one's spiked fist is inevitable. The quick, to-the-point carnal attacks of tracks such as "Supposed to Rot" and "But Life Goes On" are morbidly humorous statements and a miniature "best of" in Swedish death metal history - the Sunlight Studios sound still lives among us in mutations such as the mainstream successes of Gothenburg and all revamps in the vein of BLOODBATH.
CATHEDRAL - "In Memoriam", 1990: Yet another milestone in doom metal appearing on this list (see CANDLEMASS and, of course, BLACK SABBATH). Still reeling from his time spent in NAPALM DEATH, Lee Dorian hooked up with a guitarist named Garry "Gaz" Jennings, and the two have been dominating doom ever since. A word of warning to newer fans, though: The four-track debut EP is NOT the fun-loving hippie rock of albums like "Supernatural Birth Machine." In fact, "In Memoriam" has more in common with the band's doom-death countrymen like PARADISE LOST or MY DYING BRIDE, albeit with a stronger nod to classic doom rockers like PENTAGRAM and WITCHFINDER GENERAL.
Here, Dorian's vocals are little more than bellowing reverb-heavy growls, and Gaz's A-tuned guitar work has a minimal supply of riffs with nowhere near the hooks we expect out of him today. Still, this is one album that does what it does exceptionally well, which is to scare the living piss out of its listeners. At eight minutes apiece, "Mourning of a New Day" and "Ebony Tears" capture the darkness of SABBATH like no one prior (or since) has been able to do. In addition, Bobby Liebling and co. are also revered with the PENTAGRAM cover "All Your Sins," and "March!" feels like being dragged into the depths of Hell.
BURZUM - S/T, 1992: It's by no means a stretch to describe "Burzum" as one of the most personal, least contrived and purely shocking black metal albums of all time. Constructed as a ceremony of diverse tempos, instrumentations and pieces in almost pretentious mannerism of art metal, yet all the way brutal, vile and aromatized by the stench of burning churches, BURZUM lays to table aching lead guitars ("Ea, Lord of the Depths" and "The Crying Orc"), traditional metal-cum-early black metal ("War"), hypnotic trance inducing steady beats ("A Spell of Destruction" and "A Lost Forgotten Sad Spirit") and some of the most absolutely throat-ripping screams ever heard in any musical
genre. DARKTHRONE and MAYHEM might have given modern black metal most of its sonic approach and visible attitude, but some of the nightmarish, possessed identity of "Burzum" is responsible for its capacity to musically transfer lunacy and terrorism into otherworldish ideas and a mythical perception of life, where warriors ride amidst bloodstrewn snow and mystical wanderers conjure ancestral evil from the woods. Somewhere in there Varg even managed to fit in one of his trademark minimalistic keyboard "symphonies" which is actually more TANGERINE DREAM than anything that band has created for 30 years.
VARATHRON - "His Majesty at the Swamp", 1993: Chances are that if you know only a couple of Greek black metal bands, VARATHRON isn't one of them because of the general disaster that was the band's career - a journey through ineffective labels and numerous lineup changes, the only constant being vocalist Stefan Necroabyssious who rarely composes a note of the music. Yet, if one album has to be chosen to fully epitomize the Achillean force and SABBATHian death groove of southern black metal, "His Majesty at the Swamp" excels because there's not a single song in here that isn't 100% captivating and intense. Necroabyssious growls fanatic occult-psychedelic
poetry written in the English of a mad arab, Jim of ZEMIAL and AGATUS fame plays traditional metal riffs like WITCHFINDER GENERAL gone mad but intersperses it with CELTIC FROST's spiked missiles of downbeat black thrash. The re-recorded demo track "The Tressrising of Nyarlathotep (Act I)" glows with ethereal beauty as the slithering leads (RORY GALLAGHER-in-black-robes style) beckon nocturnal wanderers towards the shrine of the mountain goats. Warm, fuzzy and approachable, it may turn stoner rockers (or even TROUBLE fans, unless they are the same thing) on to black metal but the nightmarish landscapes suggested by the desolate melodies and foreboding doom parts place this beyond possible critique as "black metal lite".
GRAVELAND - "The Celtic Winter", 1994 : Wolf-borne, cold, Transylvanian black metal sounds best when recorded with an Eastern bloc wartime propaganda transmitter, by barbarians whose idea of musicianship is to attack guitars and drums with swords and who in interviews threaten to kill and maim everyone. And no, I am not talking about early MANOWAR but the supremacy of 90's Polish black metal, led by GRAVELAND, BEHEMOTH and the Temple of Fullmoon collective. The wolfish howls, bloodthirsty rasps with Darken's spectral accent, cheap keening keyboards and stumbling percussion in tracks such as "Call of the Black Forest" and "The Gates to the Kingdom of Darkness" are not
something DREAM THEATER fans want to hear, but the atmosphere is so thick you need a heavy Polish sword to get across the room when this one is playing. Over the years GRAVELAND became obsessed with re-enacting the medieval times but on this early material the folk influence is minimal and the band conjures a scalding arsenal of DARKTHRONE and IMMORTAL influenced minor key melodies. The severe black-and-white imagery and texts in broken English evoke a sense of arcane violence that has been lost when black metal started haggling with emos and goths over designer boots. These vampires don't wear ruffled shirts and dance waltzes, they stand atop crenellations of gray castles, dungeons echoing with screams of the tortured, while over the snow covered landscape eternal twilight reigns.
THE OBLIVIANS - "Soul Food", 1995 :
Just how stripped down can garage punk get? Memphis' rock 'n roll cavemen
answered the question with this 1995 collection of pre-released singles
and new tracks that pulse with the simplicity of tambourine shake. Tracks
like "Sunday You Need Love" and "Jim Cole" pulse with all the intensity
of early SONICS crossed with the punk/blues obsessions of THE GUN CLUB.
Three chords, a boatload of hollers, and simplistic drums provide the
same sensation as tripping over beer cans. Greg, Jack and Eric also show
a remarkable knack for knowing when not to play during "No Reason
To Live", preferring manic drum crashes and crazed croons
to rule the
proceedings. It doesn't get much hotter than this.
QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE - S/T, 1998:
You can have your Dave Grohl, your Nick Oliveri and whoever else happened to show up later, because the 1998 debut is the strongest, most riff-crazy, cowbell-tonkin' Queens disc of them all.
Catchier and quirkier than even the best FU MANCHU material, Josh Homme's volume knob squiggles in "Regular John" and jaunty riff slash doo doo doos in "If Only" and "Walkin' On Sidewalks" suggest an air of KYUSS by way of THE CARS "Candy-o". While subsequent albums were solid, even bringing the band some mainstream and critical praise with 2002's "Songs For The Deaf", Homme never quite rekindled the deft, charming, filler-free quality of the original record.
DIRTY POWER - S/T, 2003 : Its a valid concern nowadays that after 50+ years of rock 'n roll, all the great riffs may be used up. Valid, of course, if you haven't heard this monster truck of a debut from SF's DIRTY POWER.
The chimera of perfect in-the-pocket AC/DC rifferama, KISS-style bombast and punk 'n roll aggression made this 2003 sleeper pick into a blueprint for how debuts should be done. Throw in a dollup of MAIDEN-inspired guitar harmonies and badass cover art and it becomes obvious that modern rock n roll is healthier than ever.
HUMAN EYE - S/T, 2005 : There are those that would assert Timmy Lampinen's HUMAN EYE is the music prison riots are made of. We prefer to describe it as DEVO robotics opening a closet filled with every kitschy musical device from the 70s to have it rain down all at once on the listener. Yet somehow, from the crazy spaceship-noise echoes of "Car Was Alive" to the ZAPPA-esque horn clunge of "Sly Glass Foam", there are so many toe-tappy moments, our demented readers couldn't help but fall in love with this music. If nothing else, HUMAN EYE represents a frantic, original sound built on truckloads of ideas that came before it, and that alone makes it a worthwhile exploration.
PRIESTESS - "Hello Master", 2005 : Sometimes our collective gushing about a debut record fades over time, but not in the case of Canada's PRIESTESS. Tunes like "Lay Down", "Run Home", and "Time Will Cut You Down" present the same Waynes World-esqe air-guitar bliss four years after the fact. Duelling leads pop up everywhere, backed by delicious QOTSA-cum-LEPPARD riffing and Mikey Heppner's visceral hot vocal hooks. Despite constant touring with everyone from DIAMOND NIGHTS to CONVERGE, the band hasn't quite achieved the household-name-status it deserves at this point. For the follow-up, we're suggesting they offer a $2.00 discount for fans that trade in shitty discs
from posers like JET and KINGS OF LEON in exchange for a brandy new PRIESTESS record. Just an idea...
Closing thoughts: Yeah, this was a long one. We get a lot of 'check out our new band' requests, some of which actually made it onto this page. Even as we hit post time, we're still sending emails back and forth discussing the ones we left out, but at least we made a dent. If you're unhappy with our selections, or we left out your personal favorite, make your presence known by leaving a comment below. Toodles!
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