672. Sweet Savage / Take No Prisoners - Killing Time [Single]. 1981. 4/5

This is the first single release from Northern Ireland's Sweet Savage, which to all intents and purposes should have been the springboard to further success. For whatever reason may have eventuated, that success was never forthcoming, which I find remarkable.
"Take No Prisoners" is a smart song, led by the vocals of bass guitarist Ray Haller, and driven by the twin guitars of teenager Vivian Campbell and Trevor Fleming. This is backed by the B side "Killing Time", which also showcases the best of the band, with a speedy pace rocketing along with both guitars and drums. Both songs here are good, solid songs from the NWOBHM era, and perhaps this was drowned out by all of those bands who were clambering over each other at the time to try and 'make it big'.

Sweet Savage was never able to make it unfortunately, although this single did manage to influence others. Campbell eventually left to join Dio and later on Whitesnake and Def Leppard. Meanwhile, a young band called Metallica had discovered this band, and played "Killing Time" in their early rehearsal days, and some years and millions of record sales later, they recorded a cover version of the song for the B side of their "The Unforgiven" single in 1991. Recognition just a few years too late perhaps.