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Avenger > Blood Sports > Reviews
Avenger - Blood Sports

Left in the dust. - 90%

GrizzlyButts, February 27th, 2018
Written based on this version: 2009, CD, Krescendo Records (Reissue, Remastered)

Of all of the sorely mistreated NWOBHM classics post-1983 Avenger’s debut full-length ‘Blood Sports’ has been the most unfairly trashed over the years. I usually don’t fume over defamatory or just unfairly cruel professional reviews very often but Allmusic‘s treatment of ‘Blood Sports’ as “very well the worst ever NWOBHM release” is pure fucking bullshit hyperbole. Think I might be way off base? Listen here on YouTube to the original tracklist/mix and tell me that’s the worst NWOBHM ever? Ridiculous. Well, the only reason I care is that this is also one of my favorite heavy metal albums period. It is well loved too, with even the 2009 remaster selling online for over a hundred USD for its superior sound/tracklist compared to the archival the ‘Too Wild To Tame – Anthology’ compilation. Anyhow, I’m getting ahead of myself: ‘Blood Sports’ is an excellent example of NWOBHM and speed metal’s traded influences as thrash metal began to quickly storm its way across the United States and Europe.

Avenger’s line-up represents a complex web of artists that make up some of my favorites in NWOBHM. Brian Ross, who is best known for fronting Blitzkrieg and most of Satan‘s output, was the original vocalist for Avenger’s demos and single ‘Too Wild To Tame’ and that is what originally drew me to the band being a huge fan of his. Interestingly enough Ian Swift, vocalist of Avenger and later Atomkraft, was briefly in Satan before swapping places with Ross. I know most people don’t care about this stuff much, but I was that kid who stared at those ‘History of Iron Maiden‘ genealogy charts that came with their live albums and write down all the side-projects and bands etc. Swift’s vocals are just as expressive as Ross’ but his tone leans away from theatrics and fantasy metal and instead has that ‘street’ NWOBHM feel of Jaguar or Virtue.

Though ‘Blood Sports’ doesn’t outdo the melodic expression of Tysondog‘s ‘Beware of the Dog‘ nor does it out-thrash the speed metal of Exciter‘s ‘Violence and Force‘ it still holds it’s own on the same playlist. The track order here is a peeve of mine because I typically prefer the arrangement of the 2009 remaster which saves the power of “N.O.T.J.” and “Enforcer” for the B-side and allows for more even pacing, though I think “Warfare” should end the A-side, as in the original release. Much like Satan‘s stint into commercial metal as Blind Fury, the strength of Avenger is always within their faster and more aggressive guitar work. Songs like “You’ll Never Take Me (Alive)”, “Enforcer” and “Death Race 2000” take their sound away from traditional heavy metal towards speed metal and the lead guitar work here is dizzying despite it’s fairly simple methodology.

Avenger’s second album ‘Killer Elite‘ just never sold me on it’s murky production and a switch towards stadium metal of the day rather than the jock-rockin’ club metal of ‘Blood Sport’ which felt more honest and heavy. The band would reform a few times over the years and eventually recorded ‘The Slaughter Never Ends‘ which has a classic speed metal feel that sounds highly influenced by classic German speed metal rather than NWOBHM. For my taste ‘Blood Sport’ is the definitive release from Avenger that captures that era that had them sandwiched between British heavy metal traditions and speed metal’s increasing stranglehold upon the old guard. It doesn’t deserve to be called the worst NWOBHM release of all time, not even close, and deserves the same respect that bands like Jaguar, Raven, Satan, and Blitzkrieg receive today.

Atribution: https://grizzlybutts.com/2018/02/27/retro-tuesdays-avenger-blood-sports-1984/

Sounds of the NWOBHM - 80%

Brainded Binky, January 8th, 2014

The NWOBHM was a time of prosperity for headbangers like us. It was a time when hundreds, maybe thousands of metal bands flourished in the British Isles, and made their mark in the world of metal. Some bands like Iron Maiden became famous, leaving an everlasting legacy for millions across the globe. Others, like Avenger, would almost be completely forgotten in time, and most split up within a few years, never to be seen or heard from again. Luckily, Avenger is also one of those bands that have reformed in recent years and will continue to carry on their little known careers. They cut their teeth and showcased much of their potential by making this awesome album, "Blood Sports".

Metallica were huge fans of the NWOBHM, but they may have never come across this album in their early days. If they did, it would be no surprise, cos there's no doubt that it could have some influence on them. All of their songs have a driving speed that I'm sure would be great enough for the young Metallica members to enjoy, and maybe even cover. That NWOBHM sound is present in the riffs of many of the songs. Though they are somewhat generic, even for that time, they're testaments to the legacy left by the NWOBHM. "On the Rocks" and "Rough Ride" are just two songs on the album that feature that sound that is a clear characteristic of any band at the time of Iron Maiden's days with Paul D'Anno. Combined with the driving speed that borderlines thrash metal , they deliver powerful songs that can be a little addicting to listen to (although "N.O.T.J." and "Warfare" are at slower tempos). Some of their music is influenced by cheesy movies ("Enforcer" and "Death Race 2000"), but I'm sure that it would be great enough to inspire many young metallers in the early '80s, and the songs would be easy to cover, too. But the fact that the songs are easy to cover brings me to the fact that the album isn't completely flawless.

Sure, it's kind of cool to listen to, but the album isn't the masterpiece that the band hoped it would be. I said before that the riffs that go into the music are generic, so there is a chance that you've probably heard those kinds of riffs in songs from other bands. This shows that while the band is really good at creating fast, driving songs, their creativity is somewhat lacking. I guess it's cos guitarist Les Cheetham didn't really have that much experience in creating riffs when he replaced Steve Bird, who had been with the band for the previous three releases. He probably had much to learn when making hooks when the album was released, thus generic-sounding riffs in "Enforcer". If that were the case, I can't say I'm surprised. The vocals of Ian Swift are also a bit of a problem, at least in my opinion. He sounds like someone who's trying hard to sing like Brian Ross, who was with the band when they released their first demo. If that were the case, he's not doing all that well in his impersonation. He sounds a tad bit like Michigan J. Frog, in a metal band, if anything. I'm not saying he's annoying or anything, I'm saying that he's no Bruce Dickinson. He's just a somewhat mediocre singer in my opinion. I know he's been in other bands like Atomkraft and Tysondog, but I'm just not a huge fan of his singing, it's just not the best.

Regardless of those qualities, I can totally see "Blood Sports" being an influence to aspiring young metal musicians at the time like Metallica. The riffs are kind of old, that's true, but they still make the songs somewhat addicting. Avenger might not be remarkable or special, but their songs are everything you'd expect to hear in a NWOBHM band such as them. "Blood Sports" is not a super spectacular album nor is it a ghastly flop, but their songs are still somewhat enjoyable. If a young Lars Ulrich had this album in his NWOBHM collection he had when he formed Metallica, it would be a wonder why they didn't cover any of the songs that it carries.