Wings of Death

Four years after the heavy metal demo Baptism in Blood, and we finally have the "classic" line-up of Armoured Angel recording together. Following a massive shake-up in 1987, bassist Glen "Lucy" Luck was left as the only member. Yet he was soon joined by Joel and Matt Green, two brothers who rounded out the band with newfound thrash metal power. Eight years later, history would repeat itself as the Green brothers left and Lucy once again would be the only remaining member, but until then we have one hell of a band to get through.

Armoured Angel's early years were pure thrash metal with the heavyweight delivery of bands like Dark Angel and Agoni. Wings of Death features fast riffs and galloping skank beats with memorable hooks and choruses. It balances the "brutal thrash" metal aggression with the distinct catchiness that Armoured Angel did so well throughout their entire recorded output. "Crush, Kill, Destroy" is the best example, foreshadowing the memorable melodicism and headbanging choruses that showed up on the Communion demo just one year later. It's only emphasized by an awesomely tasteful use of reverb on the exaltations to "Crush! Kill! Destroy!". And "Christian Slaughter" has some hella paunchy bass that serves way more than just root notes - the bridge/breakdown is the demo's best moment, and also one of Lucy's.

Joel Green's vocals feature that hoarse bark omnipresent in underground death/thrash. His gravelly voice exists in contrast to the higher pitches of much other thrash metal, especially in 1989/1990. But it works given how Armoured Angel's leads are already a lot deeper and greatly emphasize Lucy's bass-playing. And if you like bass, then Armoured Angel really is the band for you - especially in the kickstart-my-heart opening of their namesake track.

Wings of Death stands as this Australian underground mainstay's first release as they are and would be known. Powerful, chunky riffs that are completely different from the heavy metal demo four years prior - but immediately recognizable to anyone who's heard the LP of 10 years' time. Like Baptism in Blood, it still somewhat shows a young band finding their footing - "Madame Guillotine" is pretty similar in song and chorus to both "Christian Slaughter" and "Crush, Kill, Destroy". The band is also slightly not as tight as they would be, and Matt Green's percussive abilities only improved by the time Communion rolled around - not to mention the ruinous EPs that followed. But don't let that dissuade you too much - if Wings of Death is a little less sharp, it's only in comparison to the masterful.

In terms of black metal, the discussion about "true" and "untrue" bands is almost older than the sub genre itself. Thrash metal is a little bit more tolerant, but one thing is for sure. However one defines "trueness" in thrash metal, Armoured Angel doubtlessly belong to the true bands. "Wings of Death" is a very early document of the Australians and already this release showed impressively that the band hated fickleness, bastardization and effeminacy.

Back in the nineties, Armoured Angel did not show up on my metallic radar. Thus, I am all the more glad that I am now able to buy their music, quite apart from the fantastic design of the red vinyl. Armoured Angel unload tons of heavyweight riffs and it does not matter that a melody line of the intelligently titled "Christian Slaughter" pays tribute to Slayer's "Crionics". The Australians forge their own kind of dense thrash metal. Admittedly, the output cannot score with an outstanding production. We are talking about a demo from the early nineties and therefore the dull sound cannot surprise connoisseurs. It reflects the possibilities of a newcomer band of this time, no more and no less.

As mentioned above, Armoured Angel play thrash metal, not speed metal. I emphasise this, because the three musicians have written a lot of mid-tempo parts. Rapid sequences also show up, but the main feature of the demo are the profound riffs and their pulping effect. If one could make music with an anvil, the result would sound like these riffs. By contrast, the ordinary voice does not distinguish the band from its competitors.

Four years after the debut demo under the banner of Armoured Angel, "Wings of Death" marked the first sign of life of the line-up Luck / Green / Green. Having this in mind, one must speak of an above-average performance. Inter alia due to the less punchy sound, the EP does not have the penetrating power of "Communion", but the lively guitar work of "Madame Guillotine" indicates the potential of the band and the chorus of "Crush, Kill, Destroy" does not lack of raw catchiness. It therefore remains a mystery why the thrashing team from Down Under was not immediately signed by an ambitious record company. However, it did not happen and exactly this enigmatic omission forms the basis of the status that the band has today. Thanks to Hells Headbangers Records - the company has removed the dust from another Australian jewel, although it does not shine as bright as "Communion".

It was the "Merciless Disorder, vol. 2" compilation tape where I first heard that obscure band from down under, somewhere in the year 1990. The tracks in the compilation were "Madame Guillotine" and "Crush, Kill, Destroy" and I was very impressed by both of them. So, I found $5 and ordered their "Wings of Death" demo tape at once.
Well, this must be my most favourite demo since then. Four excellent Metal songs, Heavy, Thrashy and Powerful, as good as the best Thrash Metal bands of the `80s had written. Keep in mind that Thrash Metal is NOT always Speed Metal, and that`s what we have here, since the three of the four songs of the demo are mid tempo basically. The production is very good and clear and the band plays with the elan and vigor of the Light Brigade charging furiously against the Russian barricades at Balaclava! It`s a shame that there is not a proper CD out there with all the ARMOURED ANGEL`S demos in one package...