Unchained

“Unchained” is the second reissue of the classic and cheesy musclebound metal by Thor on the Finnish label Ektro that is run by Jussi Lehtisalo (Circles Bass player). Thor are a Canadian heavy metal band who are fronted by ex-bodybuilder and former Mr. Canada and Mr. USA Jon Mikl Thor. “Unchained” originally appeared way back in 1983 as just an ep, but here it’s boosted to a full length with five extra tracks.

Just a few months back I praising and called “Only The Strong” (the third reissue by Ektro) my favourite Thor release, but know I have to say that “Unchained” is now my new favourite album by the band, and there’s two reasons for this. Firstly, each song here is headbangably cheesy, great, and memorable. Secondly, many of the songs here have an extra layer of subtle, yet effective keyboard playing and synth textures that I can't recall on any of the band's other albums.

Mostly the album offers up fist-punching and riff-chugging 80’s metal sing alongs with that distinctive and cheesy Thor feel, yet there also a few slower and more atmospheric moments here too like “Laser Eyes” with its wavering rock ballad mixture of synth textures and melodic rock base or the synth bass meets slowly chugging guitar and sci-fi synth laser effect-laden instrumental that is “Death March”.

Simply put, “Unchained” is a great and classic slice of 80’s metal cheese that I’d say is up there with some of the best metal albums produced at that time, so if you dig memorable, masculine, and subtle synth-ribbed metal, this is a must have.

Originally posted at: www.musiquemachine.com

"Give me a weapon of power which no one else beholds, defend the gods with honor, lead the brave and bold..."

You’ll be hard pressed to find a soul who doesn’t think Thor’s a goofball in all metal circles. Musically, they were traditionally minded with shock savvy. Visually, they had a gimmick; head honcho god of thunder Jon Mikl (Thor) would bend mike stands into pretzels, burst hot water bottles with his lungs, and looked like a Manowar dropout, but he and his band have their place in the genre…on its inescapable island where the only thing that occurs is that people get older and more forgotten. Woe be the unlearned fan who picked up a release from this Canadian four-piece thinking it's something akin to Manowar.

“Lightning Strikes”, the insipid, but most distinctive track on the ep, is a contradiction to the sound of four of the remaining songs. Heroic vocals stoutly proclaim lyrics concerning Mjolnir… “Bequeathed to me by Odin, molded by the dwarves…” over probably the band’s heaviest moments while a dejected chorus sleepily announces the title. Great stuff. “Anger” takes the monolithic tone and smashes it on the rocks with shrilling new wave keyboard and a chorus that pales in heaviness to A Flock of Seagulls’s “I Ran”. On top of that, the vocals have lost the triumph for a more glammy performance. “Rock the City” is more conventional, less limp-wristed, and anthemic with its simple, yet catchy chorus and thumping main riff, and the cheesy keyboard dynamics are kept to a minimum.

Side two brings us more nearly intolerable lite practices in "Lazer Eyes" that Poison could probably overpower, but the promising, heavy-riffed start of “When Gods Collide” has me leaning forward. On par with “Lightning Strikes”, this is a top track with a slower, methodical pace, no keys, and manly chorus, meanwhile “Death March” does as it says and marches this ep right off my turntable.

Unchained is something you throw on when you want to show people just how gay, and in some cases, gimmicky metal can sound. You don’t need Poison, Trixter, or Kix. Just grab this and throw it on. If you miss, no big deal.

Yeah, behold the hammer.