1339. Bad Religion / The Gray Race. 1996. 4/5

For a band that was considered an underground success through its tenure of the 1980’s decade, the arrival of the 1990’s and the explosion that came with the onset of grunge and alternative rock could either be seen to be the greatest stroke of luck that Bad Religion every received, or just partly the result of their own hard work in the genre through that previous decade. The increase in their exposure at the end of that decade and into the beginning of 1990 and 1991 was, according to guitarist Brett Gurewitz, due to a necessary change for their sixth album “Generator”. “We did it in a different studio, but as far as the songwriting, it was a deliberate effort to try something different”.
That album, released in 1992 proved to be somewhat of a catalyst. With the rising tide of the alternative scene, Bad Religion signed to Atlantic Records, and released their first album on a major label titled “Recipe for Hate” in 1993, and saw them reach their highest position in the US charts to that time. Though only getting mixed reviews fro so-called critics, they found an audience willing to take them on, and the tour to promote the album only saw their popularity grow. This was followed the following year by “Stranger Than Fiction”, which became the band’s most successful album. Based around the hits like the title track, “Infected” and “21st Century (Digital Boy)”, as well as recording the song “Leaders and Followers” for the soundtrack of the hit indie film “Clerks”, “Stranger Than Fiction” reached 87 on the US charts. The success of this album led the way for bands such as Green Day, The Offspring and Rancid to follow them into commercial success.
However, this had led to the departure of Gurewitz from the band following the recording of that album. Gurewitz owned and ran the label Epitaph Records whom the band had been with until they signed with Atlantic, and with the exploding success of one of the label’s other bands The Offspring, whose album “Smash” had just crushed it on the charts, he said he needed more time at the office than being in the band would allow. The conflict came from him also suggesting the band had sold out in the chase for more money. It led to an uncomfortable relationship between himself and lead singer Greg Graffen for a time.
With the change in personnel, and a change in the writing partnership having come about due to this change, the band entered the studio with producer Ric Ocasek (formerly of The Cars) to begin work on what would become their ninth album, the album called “The Gray Race”.

The album opens with the title track, which sets the tone immediately, with a brisk tempo, tight harmonies, and that excellent sense of urgency that perpetuates the band’s best tracks. It’s Bad Religion doing what they do best—questioning conformity and the systems that shape identity. This is followed up by “Them and Us”, another example of the best the band has to offer, and has been considered one of the band’s most popular tracks. Discussing social division that they saw as prevalent in the world, the song still has an upbeat feel about it, helped along by the great fast tempo and guitar lines that pervade a positive attitude that the bleak subject matter contravenes. “A Walk” was the first single released from the album, one that has a simple back beat and lyrics that are easy to sing along to, making it accessible to all fans of different genres. It’s punchy, catchy, and built around a simple but effective riff. Lyrically, it’s a meditation on personal governance and the absurdity of modern life. It is easy to see why this became a fan favourite. “Parallel” offers a more introspective action, discussing alienation and the difficulty in finding a meaning to life in a world that is fragmenting around them. It has a lot of parallels to the world of 2026 as much as it did to 1996. Graffin’s vocals soar through the chorus, and the harmonies offered are terrific here again. You can hear snatches of Husker Du here, which in turn also offers comparisons to what Foo Fighters did later on as well. “Punk Rock Song” is the anthem of the album, the fast, easily deciphered message of the lyrics punching out at you from the speakers. It is sardonic, loud, and focused on political hypocrisy. The song’s bluntness is part of its charm—it’s Bad Religion at their most direct, and it works superbly. It is my favourite song here.
One of the great aspects of this album, as with the majority of Bad Religion’s work, is the short time span each song takes up. The longest song on the album is 3:48, while the average length is just over two minutes. It means that the album keeps moving forward, not dwelling too long on one aspect or mood. Case in point is this middle section of the album. “Empty Causes” rushes through with the same best fast tempo this album produces, laying waste to those with activism for show and hollow causes beautifully. “Nobody Listens” pushes on just as fast, the rhythm section taking the lead and charging onwards while Graffin sprouts his disdain about communication breakdown and oblique noise in society. “Pity the Dead” marginally draws back the tempo, drawing more on a more emotively sombre weight within the music and vocals to express the heaviness of the subject matter. And “Spirit Shine” speaks of the business of selling spirituality, and making it a commodity rather than a personal philosophy. These four tracks, all bright and breezy with serious subject matter made to sound like fun while being a hard dissection of the story, take up less than ten minutes of your time, just like the best punk styled songs do.
“The Streets of America” changes the mood and tempo completely. As the longest track, it also drops back in tempo but raises the intensity of the message in the lyrics, specifically the way inequality, neglect, and disillusionment shape everyday life in the United States. The imagery is sharp, and the chorus is one of the album’s most memorable. And it is another song on this album that could have been describing 2026 rather than 1996. “Ten in 2010” picks up the speed and cynicism aspects. A peek at the future form the now-past, imagining overpopulation and environmental overwhelming. The frantic pace offers a feeling of urgency that matches what their lyrics are suggesting. Classic Bad Religion is restored with “Victory”, a song where the skeptical tone of the lyrics is contrasted by the upbeat melody of the music. Have fun while bouncing along to the music and discussing the downfall of humanity! Fabulous. “Drunk Sincerity” moves down a different path, speaking of vulnerability, the kind that surfaces when emotionally overwhelmed or simply exhausted by the world. It’s not so much about alcohol as much as it is about those moments when honesty is forced to the surface through fatigue. It is poignant as well as musically sincere. “Come Join Us” returns to the bands biting critique of political recruitment and ideological manipulation. It draws sarcastic and cynical vocals supported by hard hitting drums and great riffs. It’s another beauty. And the album then concludes with “Cease”, a song that draws together all of the themes explored on the album, the disillusionment and search for meaning, and explores them all as the finale. It is a broader track musically as well, closing out the album with a sense of closing out a speech. In many ways, as the concluding remarks on a wide range of issues the band has brought to the table on this album, that is exactly what it does.

I remember, as clear as if it happened yesterday, back in 1996 when I first became aware of this album. Well, to be fair, it was initially just a song. I was watching “Rage” on ABC TV one Saturday morning, at a time when they used to play the new release single videos in Australia in full. And this song just burst out of the TV speakers with intensity and a hard rocking punk riff, and it grabbed my attention immediately. It was the video for “Punk Rock Song”, it lasted a couple of minutes, but also had some words scrubbed into silence. And I thought “Wow... I really like that!” So the following morning, when they used to do exactly the same thing, I was there and I recorded it onto VHS on my metal music video, and there it remained for posterity, being played back over and over. I walked up King Street in Newtown to one of my local record store haunts, Fish Records, and couldn’t find a copy of this album, but I did find the CD single of “Punk Rock Song” and bought that instead. And played that over and over. This was my introduction to “The Gray Race”.
That late 1990’s decade was one where I fell in with the commercial punk and alternative bands of the era. Bad Religion was a part of that, along with The Offspring and Green Day and NOFX and Rancid and Therapy? For me it is a tight and narrow window, where the albums of those bands still resonate with me, but beyond this time period I have rarely looked for their work. It is true of Bad Religion as well. I own “Stranger Than Fiction” and this album, but that’s the extent of my real knowledge of the band’s music. And that ties in a bit with where I was living at the time and where I was in my life. It was slightly tumultuous, and this genre of music was good for me at that time.
Listening to the album again over the last week has been fun. It brought back a lot of memories from that time, and it reminded me not only of how I felt about this album at the time, but that I still find it great to listen to. It is true that over the past week I have often found myself considering what song I was actually listening to. The short sharp time span of the songs on this album still works well, but the somewhat similarity of the structure of some of the tracks does mean that it can sound like it is four songs on repeat. Not all of them, mind you, just some. But that doesn’t matter to me. I still thoroughly enjoy this album and what it stands for.
Bad Religion moved on after this album, but this has been as far as I have ever investigated their music. Perhaps one day I will get out there and check out their albums post 1996. I’m sure I’ll like them. But sometimes it is just an album, or a song, that is what you really want to hear. And when it comes to Bad Religion, it is really this one that is all that I need.

1338. Iron Maiden / Killers. 1981. 5/5

The burgeoning phenomenon that had been Iron Maiden’s rise from East End pub band into full blown heavy metal leaders of the pack had reached its crescendo with the release of their self-titled debut album in April 1980, an album you can hear about on this podcast on episode 48 should, you be interested in reliving the past in that way. That album had finally given the fans what they wanted, something they could take home and relive over and over again. It created new fans which in turn created even more fans, and the band’s popularity continued to rise. The album reached number 4 on the UK charts, and it created interest in other fan bases around the world. To support the release of that album, the band embarked on a headline tour of the UK, and then went on to being the opening act for Kiss on their European tour to promote their “Unmasked” album, and also supporting Judas Priest on other dates of their tour. The exposure the band received from this trek also gave them a huge boost in those territories.
Following the Kiss tour, guitarist Dennis Stratton was dismissed for what was said to be creative and personal differences. In an interview with Jon Hinchcliffe in October 1999, Stratton gave his side of the story: “I used to listen to things like George Benson, Average White band, Eagles. Loads of Eagles, just relaxing. Little River Band, you know all interesting melodic stuff. And it got to the point we were in one Hotel and Rod Smallwood came up and started shouting at me saying I am not supposed to be listening to this type of music. And I said to him "If I listen to Motorhead 24 hours a day my brain would be gone. You can't do things like that to people" and he said, "Well you can't be into the band if you are listening to that sort of stuff.". It just got silly. It got out of hand. We weren't mixing well and it got round to Oslo I think at the end of the Kiss tour. I had "Soldier of Fortune" by Deep Purple on Stun volume because I was in the Shower. And he had heard it. And he was saying "If you are going to keep listening to all this slow soft stuff ... " and it just got a bit silly. I said something like "You're just a bully" and we just fell out. And after the Kiss tour he said "Right we're not getting on. You're not into the band." I said what do you mean "I'm not into the band?" He said "I can't fault you're playing and your singing, but you are just not into the band." I went "Oh f**king hell" and just walked out of the office and that was it”.
Stratton’s replacement was an easy choice. In 1979, Adrian Smith had been approached to join the band, but had declined as at the time he felt that his own band, Urchin, was on the verge of making their own ascension in the music business. It was something that he eventually regretted when the band folded in 1980 without have reached the success he had been hoping for. Now though, with Stratton gone, he was asked once again to join the band, and this time he jumped at the opportunity. His first gigs with the band were the conclusion of their UK headlining tour in November and December of 1980, and he appeared in the band’s live video recorded then “Live at the Rainbow”.
As a precursor to the album being release, a single was recorded as the band was unsure about any of the track they had written for the upcoming new album as being single. Their publishers suggested covering the song “Women in Uniform” by Australian band Skyhooks. This they duly did, as well as filming a promotional video for the song.
Having been disappointed with the production of their debut album, the band and manager Rod Smallwood were making no such mistake with their follow up. The call came for legendary producer Martin Birch, whose stellar career had already led to producing albums from bands such as Deep Purple, Rainbow, Whitesnake and Black Sabbath. While his name had come up when it came to discussing producers for the first album, no one thought that he would stoop so low as to agree to produce a band that no one knew. For his part, Birch himself later admitted in interviews, including for the Classic Albums episode for “The Number of the Beast”, that he was bemused as to why they hadn’t asked him to be their producer on that debut album. Birch of course remained with the band until his retirement from the industry in 1992.
Thus it came to pass that less than ten months after the release of their debut album, Iron Maiden returned to the shelves with their follow up album, one that would again showcase the many faces that the band had to offer to the growing genre of heavy metal, the album that was called “Killers”.

Coming into their new album, the band already had a lot of material available that had not been used on their debut album, some of those songs having been played live in concert for years prior to the recording of the “Killers” album. Some had been composed and were in the process of being tested in the live environment after the release of the debut album. The new album’s title track “Killers” is a case in point. This song was played often in the latter half of 1980, with different lyrics and slightly different structure to what eventually became recorded on the new album. Many versions exist of the earlier version of the song. Songs that were played on the headlining UK gigs prior to the album being recorded include “The Ides of March”, “Wrathchild”, “Killers’, “Another Life”, “Innocent Exile” and “Drifter”. “Wrathchild” of course had been recorded and appeared on the “Metal for Muthas” compilation album in 1980 and had been bypassed for the debut album as a result, but its popularity and longevity from being one of the band’s earliest songs meant that it had to get its chance on album here. Both “Wrathchild”, “Purgatory”, “Another Life”, “Drifter” and “Innocent Exile” hark back to the very earliest days of the band, appearing on set list when Dennis Wilcock fronted the band. Indeed, it is acknowledged that only two completely new songs were composed for this album as it was being recorded, those being “Murders in the Rue Morgue” and “Prodigal Son”, an interesting comparison of songs that stand on different sides of the band’s defining qualities.
Breaking down this album as a study piece is an interesting project. Why were these songs, which had already been written some time beforehand, not utilised on the first album? If they were deemed surplus to requirement for the band’s first ever album, did that mean that they were second rate, and should not have been used at all? Does their use here indicate that the band had already runout of ideas and had resorted to using tracks they had ignored for their first album? Or was it simply that the band still felt these songs had plenty of strength in them, that they were indeed a part of what made the band who they were, and that they deserved tobe recorded for posterity and to allow all Iron Maiden fans the chance to enjoy them as well? Both sides of this argument have been discussed over the years, especially in discussing the strengths and weaknesses of the band’s first two albums and where they stand in the band’s catalogue as a result.
“The Ides of March” is the instrumental opening introduction to the album, inviting all listeners to get to their seats and ready themselves for the onslaught that follows. While it might be perfunctory in some fan's eyes, it does act as the perfect introduction to the song that follows, and the one everyone would consider the true opening of the album. As was spoken about on Episode 90 of this podcast that speaks about Samson’s album “Head On”, their song “Thunderburst” is basically the exact same track as this one, which is credited to the entire band along with Steve Harris. The Iron Maiden song is simply credited to Harry. Perhaps not the only time in the band’s history where correct credit to songs has not been forthcoming. And perhaps also the reason this version appeared on this album.
The arrival of “Wrathchild” and that marvellous bass and drums opening, along with Paul Di’Anno’s entry of “yeah” is still as iconic and marvellous as the day the album was released. Perhaps that is because this is the only song from the album that is regularly played live. It is also the reason many fans have fatigue over it. And yet, every time you put the album on, and Paul says ‘yeah’, you are away, dragged along back into the song and the album. Musically it's a great simple song driven by Steve’s bass guitar and Di’Anno’s vocals. The basis of the first two albums were these kinds of short sharp tracks that exude high energy and volatile lyrics and lovely guitar solos through the middle. It has been played for a thousand years, and it would certainly be nice to hear other songs from this era played live occasionally, but it doesn’t take away how important this song has been to the Maiden history, and how enjoyable it is every time it comes on.
“Murders in the Rue Morgue” is one of the two new tracks for the album, and it channels everything that made Iron Maiden the band on the rise they were at this time. The opening into the heart of the song is still such a wonderful mood setting platform, the bass harmonic, the clear guitar as the bass run builds to the entry of the drums and dual guitars, and then the burst of Clive Burr to take us hurtling into the heart of the track, with Di’Anno telling the tale based on the tale by Edgar Allen Poe. Harry’s bass guitar drums into your ears throughout this entire song, it just doesn’t rest, taking on almost lead guitar status rather than following the rhythm guitar. The driven high energy of the song explodes through the speakers. Di’Anno is at his finest here, and the combination of Murray and Smith in the middle section is still a joy to hear. Everything weaves together here to explore the best of what Iron Maiden does.
“Another Life” has the early live punchy feel that you can hear when you listen, and almost feel the sweat dripping off the wall of the pubs the band played in during their early years. The opening drum roll from Clive, the twin guitar burst, before the delayed guitar solo introduction into the heart of the song. I can see those long haired heads bobbing along at the front of the stage. The band played this live on their 2005 Eddie Rips Up the World Tour, and with three guitarists in the band, surely they could have made a better effort reproduce that delayed guitar riff solo in that instance. This blends into the instrumental “Genghis Khan”, where Clive Burr is the out and out star. His drum roll to enter the track with bass and guitar is fabulous, and then through the middle of the track the double timing he keeps is surely unplayable. Listen to the bass and guitars, they are almost struggling to keep up with him, and how he keeps that timing he plays is superhuman. Fortunately for all they all crash out of that to a more sedate turn for the second half of the song, allowing the melody of Dave and Adrian’s guitars to claim their spot to complete the song. This is a wonderful musical interlude, with all members showcasing their immense skill and creating another wonderful track.
“Innocent Exile” is a fan favourite, though has rarely been played live since the tour to promote this album. It is another song that harks back to their earliest days, and one as such that retains the kind of structure and format some of their pub days songs keep. It explodes outward in the back half of the song, picking up pace as the solo pieces from Dave and Adrian have their say, and this is where the real essence of the song comes to life, and closes out the first half of the album nicely.
The title track opens up the second side of the album, and it remains one of their signature tracks. Probably not politically correct for our lily hearted people in the modern day, but "Killers" is a great song to sing along to, telling the story of a serial killer in the mode of the Yorkshire Ripper. Once again it is the bass line and drum core that opens up a Maiden track, almost always a sure way to indicate one of the best songs from the band. And then Paul Di’Anno - he just takes charge. His positioned screams during the opening stanza are so perfectly tuned. The whole mood of the opening of the track sets the scene again, just as it does in “Murders in the Rue Morgue”, and like that song, the burst into the heart of the track with the arrival of the guitars is where it all bursts out of the speakers. The galloping bass line keeps the song charging along, and Clive’s perpetual drumming climbing aboard as well. Di’Anno excels throughout this song, his vocal dripping with the lip curling sinister atmosphere he creates, as he unfurls himself to reveal that he is indeed the protagonist of the song, and his exposed insanity comes to the fore. The harmony vocals of the breakdown in the middle of the track is fabulous. And the charge of the solo section with both guitarists given their head to fly along, all the while as Harris and Burr continue to crank the engine underneath. Di’Anno’s ability to channel the mood of the story and adapt his vocals to match it is pure artistry. “Killers” is a true classic, and here offers the very best that all of the band members, but especially Paul Di’Anno, have to offer.
Though on the original UK release of this album we move into the second newly written track, two other versions of the album have a different song inserted before its arrival. The US version contained the song “Twilight Zone”, a song that had been released as a non-album single a month after the release of this album, while the Australian version of the album, the one I first owned, had the pre-album non-album single “Women in Uniform” added in. Both, in my opinion, are excellent songs.
“Prodigal Son”, the other new track written for the album, is another example on these first two albums of a band that was so comfortable with itself that they were willing to step out of what they may conceive as their comfort zone and create a song that steps away from everything else that appears on the album. We heard that with “Remember Tomorrow” and” Strange World” on the debut album, and here we have it with “Prodigal Son”. Lyrically it is in a different world to what is composed musically. The song tells the story of someone who has been dabbling with black magic and now finds that the power he has been messing with is overpowering him and trying to take him away. Steve has written some wonderful lyrics here, and yet the music surrounding them is of a completely almost unrelated style. Gentler than most Maiden songs, the sweet harmonies exuded by the bass and twin guitars, as well as the completely underrated ability of Paul Di’Anno to sing a song in this mood, creates the almost calming and beautifully enamoured song that it is hard to reconcile with the music of the band, and of the lyrics with the music. In many ways, “Prodigal Son” is a conundrum, but a fascinatingly brilliant conundrum. It offers the kind of storytelling and melodic encompassment that allowed the band to further develop down the road without fear of being accused of selling out as a result. It is a wonderful song.
At the other end of the scale, “Purgatory” is almost a very early style of speed metal track, and must surely be the fastest song Iron maiden ever released. From the opening burst, when you listen carefully to what is here, it is hard to believe that the band was actually able to lay this down in the studio. There is simply, surely, no possible way that Steve Harris could have played this song live. It is just over the top fast. His fingers must have bled when he recorded this. On the frets and his right hand trying the hit each string at that velocity. That bassline throughout the entire length of the song is incredible, and still amazes me every time I listen to the song today. Add to that Clive Burr’s drums. I’m sorry, but how the hell is he playing this? Hit the hi-hats or the ride cymbal, cranking that right leg on the bass tom, and then throwing in his rolls as well. Far out. And yes, then Dave and Adrian following all of that up by playing what they do. My goodness I love this song; I love the fact that we have this kind of super fast paced song along with everything else the band has done on this album. They have covered most options and areas of metal on “Killers”, and shown they are capable of playing all of them.
The album is brought to its conclusion with “Drifter”, a song that had acted as a set closer for some time before its appearance on this album. It is a rambling and rumbling track, almost giving the feeling that the band is tumbling down the side of the mountain as it plays such is the increase in momentum it appears to gather along the way. It does sound like it is an end of gig jam, which of course when played live it became, often being extended with crowd chanting and audience participation. And by having this song close out the album, it feels like the perfect way to have that closure.

Those who have followed my journey with heavy metal music and Iron Maiden in particular will probably be familiar with my indoctrination with the band at the end of Year 10 in 1985, and the explosion of what one might call obsession with said band into 1986. Because my first experience with the band came through the albums “Powerslave”, “Piece of Mind” and “The Number of the Beast”, the exposure to “Killers” a couple of months after having devoured those three albums a hundred times over was of course a little confronting, because the singer on this album sounded different to how he had on those other albums. Oh, Iron Maiden had a different singer originally? OK, good to know.
The transition back from those three albums to what is contained on “Killers” is a truly interesting experience. Not only is the singer different, but the songs and their structure are also different. What “Killers” provides is the compilation of the rest of Maiden’s early years, the years where they were scraping together under constantly revised band lineups, but still playing the soundtrack created by Steve Harris, until he could find a line up and a means to get them all onto vinyl. So because these songs all came from that early era of 1975 through to 1980, they differed from what was written beyond this album, with a new singer and a whole different range that the band was able to explore. Whichever era you listened to first, there is an obvious divide between what came with “Killers” and before, and what came after. That for me when I first got the album was something that had to be traversed.
And I did. Quite comfortably as it turned out. Because most of the songs here are still incredible, and must have been even more so for those that heard this album on its release. For me, there are four outstanding songs on this album, and the remainder are only a notch below that. “Murders in the Rue Morgue”, “Killers”, “Prodigal Son” and “Purgatory” are those four tracks. Why do they stand out for me? It is the perfect combination that this line up of the band provides. Steve Harris and his bass guitar working overtime. On all four of these songs, he offers what made –and makes – him so different from almost every other bass guitarist. The way he writes the songs on his bass guitar to make that instrument so prominant, so integral to the greatness of the tracks. On all four of these songs he is front and centre, and in different ways. Melodically on Murders and Prodigal Son, belligerently on Killers and Purgatory. Clive Burr’s drumming is the other key. The way he and Harry lock in on those songs in particular, driving the tracks when necessary, and holding the fort when it isn’t. Clive is outstanding on this album particularly because he is able to play at the tempo that is required OF him by Harry, and that could not always be an easy thing to do. Dave Murray and Adrian Smith are terrific together, for the first time on a Maiden album. What I discovered listeneing to this album again this week though is that their presence is the least noticeable thing for me on this album. I’m not saying that what they play is not significant, because it is. And they are both excellent here, especially Dave who really shows his clout on the guitar on this album. But these songs for me are dominated by the rhythm of the bass and drums, and the vocals of Paul Di’Anno. And yes, Di’Anno is a star on this album, and these four songs in particular. Each so different from the other, and yet Di’Anno morphs to exactly what is required of each track. The storytelling of each story, each in the tone that the mood has been designated. He soars in Murders, he is sweetly beautiful in Prodigal Son, he is aggressively insane in Killers, and powerfully fast and iconic in Purgatory. The other tracks on the album are all terrific as well, and each member of the band is great on those as well, but for me these are the ones that create the grandeur of this album.
Not a year has passed in the last 40 where I haven’t listened to this album at least a few times. And 2026 is now no different, because I have been hammering it at work, and my vinyl copy still sits on my turntable in the Metal Cavern. And the undying love I have for this album remains undimmed. And why? If for nothing else, the ability to go from a song like “Killers” to a song like “Prodigal Son” and then to a song like “Purgatory”, and not miss a beat, and not lose a listener, and not lose any integrity in the work. And like I have already said, perhaps this IS just an album that draws together the remainder of the band’s song catalogue from the past, to ensure they all got their opportunity to be on an album. But thank goodness for that.
It of course also acts as Paul Di’Anno’s swansong, something that despite the years that passed he was never quite able to get over or get away from. Because when you listen to him sing on this album and its predecessor, you cannot imagine that he would not go on to be a force beyond this time, that his voice and charisma had to be an asset in reviving his music career. What it also probably proves is that in Iron Maiden he had a songwriter who was beyond compare, who gave him material that not only suited his character, but that he could also put a part of himself in to give it an attitude that helped make it what it was. In the years following, it always felt that it was the songwriting that let him down, and not his vocals. Despite this. Di’Anno’s legacy would always remain these two albums, for better or for worse.
As for Iron Maiden, their world was about to expand exponentially, with a success none of them could have imagined. The fact that “Killers” is a part of that springboard should not be forgotten. It should be celebrated.

1337. Mortal Sin / Rebellious Youth. 1991. 3/5

By 1990, Mortal Sin had already achieved something rare and incredibly hard fought for an Australian metal band - international recognition. Their debut album “Mayhemic Destruction” was a thrash metal masterpiece, flawed as it may be seen by today’s standards in regard to production and note by note precision. It announced the band to Australian audiences as one of the up-and-coming bright lights of the genre. Their early work was raw, fast, and clearly indebted to the American thrash movement, particularly Metallica and Anthrax. They continued to gig extensively through 19897 and 1988, all while writing and recording their follow up album with producer Randy Burns. Due to delays at different levels, the album did not come out until April 1989. That album, “Face of Despair”, brought a maturity and intelligent upgrade to the band’s music without losing the power and aggressive output of their live shows. This was best represented when they supported Metallica on their Australia shows on the Damaged Justice world tour, shows that have gone down in legend in Australian music. Mortal Sin destroyed venues as the opening act, and their reputation was sealed. On the back of this, the band opened for Testament on their European tour supporting their “Souls of Black” album, and the UK opening for Faith No More who were on “The Real Thing” album tour.
The pressure behind the scenes was beginning to take its toll however. Two of the most integral parts of the band were removed during this time. Drummer Wayne Campbell, whose drumming on those two albums had been so important, was fired from the band following the Metallica shows, while lead vocalist Mat Maurer quit the band after the European and US legs of their international tour. Maurer’s vocals had been hailed, and his loss meant the band had to find someone who could not only be the frontman of the band but could handle the intense vocal duties at the same time. Steve Hughes from Slaughter Lord had come in on drums, but when he and the band’s two guitarists Paul Carwana and Mick Burke all quit not long after, it looked as though the band was finished.
Sole remaining member, bass guitarist Andy Eftichiou had other ideas, and began to rebuild the band. He had recruited lead singer Steve Sly shortly before the mass exodus, and between them they brought in Alex Hardy and Dave DeFrancesco on guitars and Nash Hall on drums. The reformed band began to tour and get the new lineup known to the public. As a part of this, they entered the studio to write and record a new album, one that they hoped would not only help promote the band with new material to play at live shows, but also to show that, despite the changing line up, Mortal Sin was still around and looking to reestablish itself with the fans. As seemed to be the case for the band during its existence, not everything ran according to plan, not even the new album. For some reason, it was released under two different names in different markets, something which obvious made it very difficult to market and promote properly. Some places had it called “Every Dog Has Its Day”, but in Australia, it was released under the name the band had wanted, and that album name was “Rebellious Youth”.

Given this is almost completely an entirely new band from the one that recorded the first two albums, it is only natural to expect a different sounding album from those two. And that is what you get. Comparing it to those albums doesn’t make a lot of sense, because this band apart from its bass player has nothing in common with them. Indeed, it makes more sense to listen to the album without those expectations as a result. I feel it would be a lot higher regarded if this was the case.
The album opens up with the energetic “Inside Out”, leading with a two-minute clear guitared opening that builds in heaviness that sounds as though it should perhaps have had its own introductory naming, and allowed the actual song to crash into its beginning after this build. It sounds great, but because the two parts are so different from each other, they should have been split on the track list. Once into the heart of the song, the song explodes into a fast tempo with great grooving guitars, and Steve Sly opens with an over-the-top scream of vocals before falling back into his average range. Anthrax-like backing vocals complement the track, which kicks off the album in a great way. “Access Denied” leads off with its sci-fi story through spoken word, explaining the basis of the song before the opening drum and guitar groove enters to kick us in the right direction. Once we are underway there is a more traditional heavy thrash speed sound going on, with the urgent tempo pushing everything into overdrive. Sly’s vocals again have moments where they fit perfectly along with moments where they just stray into territory that they don’t quite fit. In some ways there is a King Diamond sense about the way he constructs his vocals, but cerainly not to the extremes that King does. The song that acts as the pseudo-title track, “Every Dog Has Its Day” is next, and it is one of the heavy anthems that works best on the album, bringing a great riff to the show and lyrics that can be chanted by crowds at gigs with ease. Is there a bit of Death Angel about this song? I think so. It’s catchy, and melodic both lyrically and musically, with great solos through the middle of the song. It’s a beauty.
“Behind the Lies” goes a little darker, and is also where Sly goes to his upper range for a majority of the vocals on the track, something that gives it a flourishing focus, and drives this track with a distinctive style that moves it apart from the front half of the album. The band then offers us “Wasted Days”, the track captures the album’s reflective side, with lyrics that explore regret, lost time, and personal struggle. When you hear a word like ‘wasted’ in a song title, you can almost always guarantee that this means that the album’s ballad track has arrived. This is no different with “Wasted Days”, though Mortal Sin has provided a song with a mid‑tempo groove and emotive vocal delivery that doesn't descend to the depths of the power ballad. The margins that draw this away from the central musical theme of this album allow it to be heard as a reflective tone rather than a ballad motive. While it mightn’t be my favourite song here, it is listenable and not a travesty.
The bass heavy tones of “From the Gutter to the Grave” mirror the groove-oriented guitars and drums that create the rhythm of the song. The mid-range tempo of the track allows the heavier tone to hold fort, while the breakout drum clubbing leads to the pace increasing through the guitar solo. The mixing of tempo and gravity inducing heavier feel through the song gives this a unique and entertaining sound from start to finish, showcasing there is more to this band than just the everyday metal riffs. Pulling out of this is “Side Effect”, which is short, punchy, and energetic, and injects a burst of adrenaline into the album’s second half. It doesn’t burst out along a typical thrash metal track, but it is one that mirrors the way that genre was heading at the time and creates a solid song out of it. “Blackout” is another great darker and moodier track, with terrific atmosphere inherent as it winds its way through the various moods of the song. The rhythm guitar and bass set itself in concrete from the beginning, creating the solid base of the track that allows Sly to motor along over the top. It is another track here that comes at the very beginning of the groove metal tones that were creeping into metal slowly at the time, and it succeeds in its presence.
“See No Evil” picks up the pace again, bringing together all of the styles the band has drawn together. It is fast and aggressive and is one of the closest to classic thrash on the album. If there is a song on this album that best mirrors what they have released before, then it is this one. The old Mortal Sin has not gone completely. “The Price of Peace” winds its way through themes of war, sacrifice, and political hypocrisy. The lyrics are thoughtful, and the music balances heaviness with melody. Sly again mixes up his vocal range here to provide the colour commentary to the track.
The true title track “Rebellious Youth” is another energetic and pulsing anthem, speaking as you would expect about the themes of this album as a whole: defiance, individuality, and generational tension. It is one of the most upbeat songs on the album, brought to life by the twin guitar solo section and Sly’s high range chanting vocal performance. The album then closes out with “Why?”, an introspective and groove inspired track with a heavier tone and driven vocal. The mid paced tempo and melodic focus draw a sense of finality, ending the album on an excellent note.
It is impossible to ignore the bands that Mortal Sin have utilised in the writing of this album. You can hear the sounds of Metallica, Anthrax, Testament and Death Angel drilled into the song riffs and melodies throughout. There is nothing wrong with that, drawing inspiration from your heroes, and the way Mortal Sin weave around that sound to incorporate it as a part of their own is fun to listen to.

My, wasn’t this an interesting album to purchase and listen to on its release. I had spent almost two years prior to this album being released listening to and probably obsessing over the band’s second album “Face of Despair”, released on the eve of their tour to support Metallica in 1989. And then i saw them live on that tour, and that album (along with And Justice for All) remained on my stereo for months afterwards. I loved that album so much, and when I then got their debut “Mayhemic Destruction” not long after, I loved it just as much. So it is fair to say that the band’s third album had a lot to live up to. What is even more significant is that this album was released on the day of the first night of two c0nsecutve nights supporting Megadeth in Sydney at the Enmore Theatre on their first ever Australian tour. Far out. How do you live up to that?
So I bought this album on that afternoon before I saw them support Megadeth, but couldn’t listen to the album until I got home, AFTER seeing this newly constituted band line up. And I had known about the whole band troubles through various articles in Hot Metal magazine. Anyway, I saw the band both nights in Sydney before I got to listen to the album. And the new line up with their new singer... left me underwhelmed live. But you know, I had probably overhyped the whole situation given the amazing experience seeing the more-or-less original line up of the band supporting Metallica where they were awesome. And I was very hyped to see Megadeth for the first time. So although my memory is that they were only average, perhaps that memory is slightly false.
The ALBUM on the other hand!... ummm... it was also underwhelming on first listens. I definitely wanted so much more than I got on those first listens. I wanted the full thrash experience that the first albums offered. And Sly’s vocals were not Mat Maurer. So I had the album on for awhile, but with the live experience behind me, it fell out of rotation. The first impression was not exceptional.
Eventually though, when I came back to it, I took to it. The band was on their first hiatus then, and I was curious as to whether or not they would ever get back together. And I gravitated back to this album without any preconceived notions. And what I found was surprisingly engaging. It probably helped that this era of music by then had rolled by, and it was actually nice to hear this late 80’s early 90’s form of thrash metal again. Comforting, probably. And as I have mentioned, you can hear their heroes in the music, and I enjoyed that. Steve Sly may have gone by then, but this time around I enjoyed what he has put down as vocals on the album, and the music was surprisingly good. And my enjoyment of this album came from that time rather than its initial release.
This album doesn’t come out often, but in reviewing it again for this podcast episode, I have rediscovered what I enjoyed about it all over again. This may never be an album that is considered a classic, but as much as I at least maligned it on its release – and there is only one person I’ve ever met who truly adores it – I have thoroughly enjoyed listening to this album all over again.
The questions that rose in my head as i thought about this album this week were various. It was 1991. Did the album work? Was it right for the time? My personal view is that, as well as having constant management issues, Mortal Sin suffered the same fate as dozens or hundreds of similar bands at the time. The music world changed, and if you didn’t move in the direction of grunge or follow the course set by Metallica with the black album, then you mostly doomed. Even those bands that DID follow those paths, it didn’t guarantee you would survive. In Mortal Sin’s case, they couldn't take a trick. Their struggles with their management, which then affected their ability to play gigs or even get paid for the ones they did play, meant further tension within the group and between the members of the group. The fact that their sound and genre of music was being overrun by the tsunami of grunge meant that it just wasn’t feasible to continue, which eventually led to the dissolvement of the band.
As of the recording of this episode, Mortal Sin has been resurrected for the fourth time, and are about to head out on tour in Australia once again. For old people like me, it is a trip down nostalgia lane, one I look forward to enjoying. Whether the band revisits any songs from this album, given its estrangement with the rest of the catalogue, remains to be seen. If it does, then no doubt these tracks will remain as strong on stage as they appear here. In a different world, this album would be held in far higher esteem that it is. It’s a shame it isn’t.

1336. Deep Purple / Purpendicular. 1996. 4/5

It was often said over the years that the tension that brewed within the members of Deep Purple, and in particular between lead singer Ian Gillan and guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, was what helped them to create the amazing back catalogue of albums in their discography, that the drive to succeed and better each other and the group was what helped to create the superlative albums that the band had released. Perhaps there is an element of truth to that, but it must have made time in the studio and the constant touring far less enjoyable than it could have been. The band had slowly peeled away until its eventual hiatus in 1975, something that was discussed in more detail on the review of “Come Taste the Band”, episode 158 of this podcast. The return of the Mark II lineup in 1984 was heralded, but the old arguments returned, which saw Gillan remove himself from the group again for 1990’s “Slave and Masters” album, and then be reinstated for 1993’s “The Battle Rages On”. 1993 was the band’s 25th anniversary, and the record label and other band members wanted Gillan to return for it, something that Blackmore had been decidedly against, only agreeing to it when he receive what amounts to a $250,000 bribe to be a part of it. Good money if you can get it.
Things surprisingly didn’t improve. Tension was still rife within the group. Of particular contention was that Gillan had reworked much of the material that had been written with Joe Lynn Turner for the new album before he had been moved on for Gillan’s return. Blackmore felt that Gillan's rewrites had made the songs less melodic than they had been in their original versions. On the tour that followed, Blackmore became more disgruntled, and began behaving like a petulant child, often not performing his guitar parts and performing spats with crew and cameramen. Eventually Blackmore quit in November 1993, this time for good. Guitar god Joe Satriani was drafted in to complete the tour, shows that were met with unanimous praise and a feeling that perhaps the tension had finally lifted. Satriani was asked to join the band but declined due to his own commitments. Instead, the band unanimously went for Steve Morse, guitarist for the Dixie Dregs, to come into the band, which occurred in August 1994.
Deep Purple was now in a new and different era. Four of the five members of the Mark II lineup remained, alongside their much younger and sprightly guitar player. The 90’s decade had brought about a huge shift in the style and popularity of music genres, and there had to be questions as to where – or whether or not – Deep Purple and their style of music still fit in the changing world. What would their newest recruit bring to the table, and would that be enough to help right the ship? All would be revealed on the album that retrospect likely shows us was the beginning of the next great chapter of the band, the album titled “Purpendicular”.

With so much pressure on the band and their new guitarist from the outset, both Deep Purple and Steve Morse deliver immediately from the opening track “Vavoom: Ted the Mechanic”. Not only is Morse’s staccato guitar riffing immediately prominent, offering his own playing while comfortably fitting straight into the style that Deep Purple have made synonymous, it fits around Gillan’s vocals and both are comfortable together. It has a live feeling about the track, and Morse with his own eccentricities bounds along. Ian Gillan’s lyrics are based around a story he heard in a bar, and he sings it in the narrative style that he performs so well. It’s catchy, has a terrific groove, and the band sounds as though they are having a great time while playing it. “Loosen My Strings” changes the mood up, coming at you with a melodic yet introspection of both music and lyrics, with the layering of Gillan’s vocals drawing more out of this as a result. This style of song is one that Deep Purple had been developing over its past three albums, with Roger Glover’s bass guitar setting the platform of the dulcet mood. Jon Lord’s keys are subtle but enhance that mood throughout, and the song builds through to the fuller sounding conclusion, with Morse’s guitar solo mirroring the beautiful nature of the song as it fades out. It is a song that echoes the direction the band would take into the new century as the band grew into its age and realised it wasn’t the hard rock trend setter it had been at its peak. “Soon Forgotten” has a darker and more experimental tone, driven by Lord’s organ and the offsetting riff he provides on it. Backed by the equally charged harmonics from Morse it is an eerie and unusual atmosphere created here, very unlike Deep Purple, and yet despite the shift in mood its unconventional structure offers a counterpoint to what most would expect from the band. Its adventurous, it's strange, but it is compelling.
Then comes the track that is the album’s glory, one which constituted the true beginning of the new era of Deep Purple, “Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming”. Beginning with Lord’s beautiful piano organ tone and Gillan’s soft and emotionally wrought vocal, it crashes in with the drums, bass and guitar along with the organ back in control, the rise in Gillan’s power slightly to emphasise the growing to the next level of the song. His articulation of his lyrics moves with the song, as Morse and his guitar beautifully accentuate the same beautiful parameters of the track, before crashing to the higher level as Gillan sings more forcefully and emotionally as Ian Paice’s drums drive the harder aspect of the chorus. Then, just as suddenly we sink back to the moving middle section, Lord and Morse switching the front and centre parts as Gillan continues his mid-range emotive exposition, and then climbing back into the chorus again. It is a rising and falling swell throughout the song, moving motions around as it goes. Morse’s solo is still one of the most beautiful things he has ever produced, and then we build to the powerful crash of the wave that blasts the track home, as Gillan tracks over his vocals to double down on the emotive outpouring he and the band have offered throughout. Words of description here barely begin to explain how amazingly beautiful and powerful this song is. Deep Purple used to write hard rock and metal anthems, alongside their amazing hits like “Child in Time”. This song is a thing of beauty, and while it may well be the final truly great song they have ever produced, it most certainly is that. It remains one of my favourite ever Deep Purple songs.
Having recovered from the emotional journey of the previous track, “Cascades: I’m Not Your Lover” brings you back to earth with the more straight forward and traditional hard rocking track. The energy of the live aspect of the band flows through this song, with Lord and Glover dominating the verse and chorus sections, and the drive coming from Paice on drums and Morse on guitar. Gillan’s vocals return to full strength along the way, and the middle section of the song where Lord and Morse are given their chance to shine give it the full Deep Purple candour. “The Aviator” has a true folk-rock feel about its structure, a surprisingly and somewhat humorous thing given the way their former guitarist went with his music over the following three decades. There are touches of Led Zeppelin about this performance, an understated track that Gillan’s lyrics evokes with flight, freedom and introspection. The semi-acoustic touches add another level to the music that the band has composed for this album. The changing depths to the music of this album is given another nudge here. “Rosa’s Cantina” mixes things up further, a very funk, groove-driven track that wouldn’t have been out of place on the Coverdale-Hughes era albums of the mid-1970's. Gillan’s harmonica also makes an appearance. Paice and Glover strut their stuff here holding down the funky groove, with Lord joining in during his musical interlude.
A return to the true merge of organ and guitar comes with “A Castle Full of Rascals”, a track with the mix of the best elements of each member involved. The break down in the middle, the quieter section that splits the song in two, draws in another element of change within the band’s renewed template. “A Touch Away” is a more melodic song, gentler in output more atmospheric in tone through the guitar and organ moodiness. Like “Loosen My Strings” it signals a deliberate change in the band’s direction, subtle though it is at this point of their career. It is another beautifully composed and played track that does not compromise the integrity of the band’s history while certainly pushing the initial beginnings of the band’s growth into its middle age.
“Hey Cisco” clicks back into traditional Deep Purple territory, and the byplay between Lord and Morse here returns in a more upbeat and fun sense, Gillan’s bouncy vocals drawing off the similar bass line from Glover and the busier drumming from Paice to create an enjoyable and tempo raising track. This is followed the lean back into the blues based hard rock anthem of “Somebody Stole My Guitar”, with Gillan’s best story-telling vocals when he sounds at his most confident. These kinds of songs are often Deep Purple’s best because the band sounds relaxed and the songs come across that way as a result. The album then concludes with “The Purpendicular Waltz”, a whimsical, rhythmically unusual track that blends rock with a waltz‑like feel. It’s a bold ending, once again showcasing the band’s willingness to experiment and that there is a definite air of change about what the band is offering. With their new guitarist on board, and a more collaborative feeling within the group due to Morse’s arrival, it concludes an album that exudes a new start for a band, one that hits all of the right notes.

The mid-1990's was a scene of massive upheaval in the music world that I resided in, along with the real world I was trying to navigate. The result of this was that 1996 was a year that I didn’t go out and find a whole lot of new albums that were being released. And despite my adulation of the band and ALL of the albums they had released up until that point, this album and its follow up passed me by on its release. It wasn’t until Deep Purple made their belated return to Australian shores after 15 years in 1999 that I found out this album and its follow up existed. I saw them live without knowing them, and after that concert I tracked both albums down. So the last Deep Purple album I had listened to had been the previous release “The Battle Rages On” with Blackmore, which I enjoy, but having seen Steve Morse live I was looking forward to hearing what he had contributed to the band in the studio.
This had been an interesting album when I finally got around to hearing it. And that comes solely from what I’ve already spoken about, the change in how Deep Purple were heading with their sound, that begins right here on this album. And that change is gradual over several albums, before they become the comfortable sounding almost lounge club act that they have become over their last couple of albums. Listening to the changes in musical style of the band through songs such as “Loosen My Strings”, “Soon Forgotten”, “The Aviator” and “A Touch Away” was something that, when I first listened to the album, I didn’t think I was prepared for. But in the long run I was wrong. Deep Purple was not the young, brash trend setting band they had been in the 1970’s. And with the movement in music genre that had taken place during the 1990’s decade, the fact that Deep Purple had not followed those trends, and had instead found what they were comfortable in writing and recording, and stuck true to their own core musically while incorporating the changes that THEY wanted to be directed by, meant that their integrity was retained, and for me as a fan I found that to be comforting. What is perhaps ironic is that there can be a case made that this was the kind of thing Blackmore had been pushing for with the “Slaves and Masters” album, and which had been stripped away when Gillan had returned for “The Battle Rages On”.
My CD copy of this album has been out again for the last couple of weeks, and to me this still sounds magnificent. This is still a Deep Purple album, despite what may be presented here in this review. It is a more modern, less bombastic version of the band from their heyday, but so it should be after almost 30 years, and the sound that they initially came from. Deep Purple has reinvented itself three or four times over its journey to this album, each to incorporate newer members of the band, and incorporating their sound into their music. And it has always worked. And it works again here. The core of the band here has been together for an eternity, and it is always a comfort to hear them play together. And Steve Morse is just marvellous, and his contribution to the album and the band is spectacular. None better than on this track, which is still one of the best things this band has ever produced.