Stricken by Might

Even 36 years after its release, I still do not know whether “Stricken by Might” was a parody or an album that wanted to be taken seriously. Its musical content does not give many reasons to complain, but who the hell divides a first full-length in “Side Icky” and “Side Pooey”? Who thinks it is a good idea to print “Hickory Dickory Dock, the mouse ran up the clock” and so on ("Peter, Peter, pumpkineater") over the complete back cover? Why does one band member get ridiculously covered in blood while others stand around bored in more or less stinkin' normal outfits? Some mysteries of metal will never be solved.

E-X-E were definitely no typical thrash band. Songs like “Metal Hell” (stereotypes are so unbelievably cool…) send greetings to bands like Omen (before they escaped to nowhere). But Omen did not deliver boring solos, therefore “Metal Hell” stands in the shadow of their compositions. Generally speaking, the pretty expressionless and normal vocals do not create a thrashing feeling and some high-pitched screams rather point into the direction of speed metal. The lack of really sharp riffs is also remarkable. E-X-E rather focus on a smooth flow and sing-along choruses. This approach results in truly great pieces from time to time. The stomping title track reveals a lot of pressure and is catchy at the same time. The heavy part in the middle of the song is obviously inspired by Slayer’s “Die by the Sword” and its “watch as flowers decay” section, but that’s not the worst inspiration, right?

“Side Pooey” does not want to fall by the wayside and so it delivers one great, almost fantastic song as well. “Fatally Wounded” is fiery, intense and boasts with inner strength. Here we get a real thrasher which does not focus on atmosphere but impulsiveness. Speaking of atmosphere, sometimes the band wants to create a menacing, gloomy, or oppressive mood (“Autopsy”, “Warchild”), but it is not really successful in doing so. Instead of giving you goosebumps, a lot of things get stuck in the rudiments. Especially “Warchild” could also be a song from W.A.S.P. after massive drug abuse in view of its heaviness on the one hand and its commercial vocals approach at the end of the song on the other hand.

The album presents a pretty rumbling production. It underlines the strange impression the record makes. Whilst on the one hand they want to piss with the big boys and even dare to write a political text ("Martial Law"), but on the other hand the outfit of the band members, the presentation and partly the song material don't seem to have been thought through to the end. Maybe some individualists find their sonic El Dorado here, but for me its just an odd vinyl in my collection – not bad, but neither overly authentic nor musically outstanding. Yet I must also say that total failures also do not show up. So it’s up to you if you want to lend an ear. Start with “Fatally Wounded” – if you do not like this track, you should stop the test run immediately.

"Stand up and shout! ... Metal Hell! Metal Hell! Metal Hell!"

When it comes to classic thrash discussions it's honestly not that rare to see E-X-E's debut here Stricken By Might get mentioned every once and awhile. When an album bleeds this much metallic steel, I can definitely see why the folks love this one. E-X-E finds themselves stuck in the middle of the thrash explosion, a little too late for 1985's "no rules" releases like Agent Steel's debut, Destructor's, etc, just to name a few - and this was before the early 90's when it seemed everyone had to have a perfect production. Don't get me wrong, while I love albums like Victims Of Deception by Heathen or By Inheritance from Artillery, I often find myself craving for a little rawness, an amateurish edge that says "these guys are just having some damn fun". E-X-E's debut here fits that bill.

Expanding a little more on that, the production and the tone to this album gives it a major plus for me. It's pretty raw but hardly anything terrible. Guitars are razor sharp and stand out more than anything else. The instruments themselves often sound downright evil, giving practically every song quite a dark and utterly "metal" atmosphere to the music that should bring a smile to any classic fan. Overall the production here sounds pretty comparable to Deathrow's second release Raging Steel, though with thinner drums. Other than that it's somewhat hard to make other comparisons.

Landing in the middle of the thrash road here, E-X-E seemed to take a little more influences from the speed metal side of things rather than Bay-Area or whatnot. Nothing here is quite as crazy as some stuff you'd hear in 1985, but the diversity is all over the place. Some tracks sound like Exciter slipping into hellish dark waters, others are excellent thrashers, topped off with a few traditional anthems that are pretty unforgettable. While E-X-E never really does anything out of the ordinary or insanely groundbreaking here, there's just something about this whole album that screams "metal". Nothing feels fake here and I just get this incredibly awesome vibe listening to it. Specifically there are two tracks here that stand above the rest in my eyes. Metal Hell, damn is this song pure heavy metal. Vocalist Joe Palma delivers a powerful and mixed performance on this one, using a variety of mid to high ranges (expect some great shrieks) that fit perfectly with the pacing. This is honestly a track that wouldn't have been out of place on Jag Panzer's Ample Destruction. Directly after this we have my second favorite pick, Slayer. This one again just screams pure unadulterated heavy metal. Palma's vocals sound like forceful shock waves that ignite into powerful "Slayer!!" screams left and right, while the swift riffs and rhythm's completely dominate the entire track. All topped off with perhaps the albums best soloing. There's just something about these two songs I can't get enough of. Fatally Wounded and Seek And Destroy are other honorable mentions.

All in all, I again have to stress that while E-X-E may not be the most influential or mind blowing band of the bunch, there's a powerful aura to this one that gives it an incredibly awesome vibe. The consistency is as strong as ever and there really isn't any throw-away track in sight here. Though the two tracks I've mentioned above make it worth checking out alone. This is one of those albums that might not hit you at first, but the more you listen to it the better it gets each and every time. If you want some pure and true speed/thrash metal with a lot of timeless spirit behind it, this is highly recommended.

"...black priests are praised, tonight all must die..."

Somewhere out there, someone has a complete collection of the worst metal album covers. In it is this gem, the debut from this NY five-piece, though it’s probably not the caliber of Night on Brockton, Doomsday For the Deceiver, or the crème ala crème debut from Akilla, all of which have sparklers and sirens around them, but it’s in there.

While the front cover was giving the band’s credibility the ‘ol deep six, turning the sleeve over to see lead vocalist Joseph Palma wearing everything metallic or pointy he could find in his garage and bassist R.H. Boeckel paying tribute to George Romero didn’t exactly breathe any more into the project, especially in ’87…and Shatter Records? This bad first impression caused most to avoid this like the kid with lice, but those who breathed deeply and reached into their pockets found this to be another kind of gem – not quite a diamond, but more a topaz in the rough with some tracks taking on a bold thrash-like intensity while others deliver a cool traditional element that couldn’t be effective unless the musicianship and songwriting was at least par for the course.

Side one begins by almost camouflaging the band’s full capabilities. With initial tracks “Slaughter Disorder” and “Stricken by Might”, E-X-E barrel forward with Exciter-like appeal, a sturdy poor man’s version not without merit, and while Palma isn’t a hatchling of Dan Beehler, his throaty, mid-range rumble still brings justice to the music. Traditional elements slowly tiptoe out of hiding in the brief chorus of “Autopsy”, and with the coast seemingly clear, waves “Metal Hell” and “Slayer” out of the thorny brambles. “Metal Hell” is the first into the clearing despite its drastic reduction in pace and marches around, flag in hand, with its anthemic chorus of “metal…metal…metal”. “Slayer” and its melancholic, lightly strummed intro is more hesitant to come out of the bush, but when it sees “Metal Hell” running around like Rambo, cuts loose with a strong, flowing Euro-melody the first three tracks wouldn’t have thought of concocting. With the latter two tracks, the vocals unexpectedly shed a few rough skins to showcase an able-bodied, decipherable, and traditional veneer influenced by many early British acts.

Side two cuts loose much like the start of side one with “Martial Law”, another basher with militant drumwork marching over a quick flaring of dramatic keyboards, then becomes staunch with covetable thrash vigor. “Warchild” fights back with the most conventional formula of the tracks, its early ‘80s sound deliberately retro with a near-hymn for a chorus. By now, it’s obvious the quintet has one leg in the harsher, thrash/power-induced realm while the other is back at the start of the decade, and if my visual imagery is correct, should look like their sound is positioned in a mild split. Fans who enjoy their music planted in one genre may find this somewhat uncomfortable, but that’s where “Fatally Wounded” and “Seek and Destroy” come in, probably the most successful integration of the two styles, especially the latter track with its strong, driving rhythm, slightly anthemic mid-section, and clean, sometimes soaring vocals. “Crib Death” is dirtier and more intimidating; screeching feedback solos, mean and antagonistic riffs, devilish laughter, and the roughest vocals to be found on the lp – the evil finale leaning more toward filler material than substance.

Choosing cuts like “Warchild” and the title track for the same compilation would beacon the paradox in the band’s sound, confusing some listeners while showcasing their diversity to others. A playlist of tracks like “Fatally Wounded” and “Seek and Destroy” would’ve made the lp seem less attention-deficit, but what the tunes accomplish individually is enough for a decent rating. A competent band/album even if it doesn’t brighten your collection like a brush fire.

"...his hate for all is such he cannot speak..."