From the Vaults

Steel Assassin is something of an interesting phenomenon for their day, they had all of the key ingredients to make them an instant success in the burgeoning metal scene of the early 80s, yet they didn’t seem to catch on as much as they should have. Their sound is unapologetically 80s, featuring over-the-top vocals that would make the likes of Geoff Tate and Rob Halford feel challenged, fast paced riffs, and an overall atmosphere of magic and intrigue. The lyrical subject matters touch on several themes; be they historical, science fictional, or fantasy based. “From the Vaults” functions as a historical retrospective for the band as it contains all of their cumulative works between 1983 and 1985 in one nice little package containing the label of a rouge warrior’s arm raising a sword into the air.

The first 3 songs and the closing track “Executioner” are taken from the band’s 1984 demo and showcase a band that is hungry yet still a little green. The production is a bit dated, fairly similar to what is heard on the first Queensryche EP, but the songs are fast and the riffs are in good order. The best out of the bunch is “Phaeton”, showcasing the most infectiously evil sounding principle riff and the tightest arrangement. Doni Escolas’ vocals are heavily Halford-like on here, bending the laws of gravity for the male gender and occasionally getting so showy that it occasionally loses its sense of melody. “Executioner” is also a standout track from the earlier material, starting off with a doom-like intro right out of a movie about the inquisition, followed by some solid speed metal work ala Judas Priest.

The remaining music on here is taken from later recording endeavors and sees the band evolving in a different way from the bands that influenced them. “Cobra” is almost something of a novelty song, featuring an introduction that quotes the well-known eastern song “Snake Charmer”, a vocal delivery that imitates a snake with elongated letter S’s and some lead riffs that sound almost like a snake slithering. “Retaliation” is a faster version of the same Judas Priest inspired sound found on the earlier music, but the vocal delivery has become a bit more focused, similar to Tony Moore’s work on Riot’s “Thundersteel”. “Attila the Hun” sees the band starting to pick up a little on the thrash metal scene that was starting to come into prominence at that time, particularly during the tempo change in the middle which features the cocaine injected approach to the “Children of the Grave” riff that Dave Mustaine pioneered. “Sorcerer’s Mistress” is the lone ballad of the mix, comparing somewhat to Queensryche’s “The Lady Wore Black”, but with some faster metal sections and less emphasis on the romantic side of the story being told.

In short, this is fodder for NWOBHM fanatics who want to hear an American answer to Judas Priest in a similar vain as early Queensryche and Fates Warning. The principle flaw in this is that it is mired by a dated production and that the vocal delivery is not quite as tight and together as can be heard from the likes of Ray Adler and John Arch. Tracking down this collection of old gems from a band that didn’t quite make the cut in their day will likely involve picking up a used copy at a second hand vendor or importing it from Greece. The band has recently reformed and is working on a new album with a different singer. The music that they are working on is cut from the same tree as what can be heard on here so if you are unsure about whether to track this down or not, visit the band’s myspace page and picture a vocalist hitting a few more high notes and you’ll get the basic picture.