The First Temptation

Tracks 1-7 on here are from the "Twelve Pounds And No Kinks" (humorously taken from a "call girl" ad) demo, tracks 8-11 are from the BBC Friday Rock Show Session. There is a definite production difference, but both are easily of good production, the demo just being of slightly less quality. Also, an interesting side note, all the tracks on the demo were live takes except for the second guitar solo on Ice Angels (and recorded in 10 hours). The demo was recorded August 6th and 7th 1980, and the BBC Radio session was recorded the 26th of August 1981. Both, I might add, contain awesome musicianship, killer riffs, classic 80's vocals, and a feel you wont quite find anywhere else.

The band formed in April of 1980, and by August they were laying down this now classic demo. The band name (fucking killer name) was derived from a night of drinking, and wanting to have a sleezy, "show stoping" name. This was a fairly important recording for the band, and they truelly did prove themselves on this. Its release came to the attention of Neat Records (lots of great bands on there, by the way) who then gave the band their debut release.

The opening track on the demo is at a level where few bands can even attain. Being one of the best songs on here, and being one of my personal favorites, this is truely a genre epitomizing tune, with some of the coolest leads, solos, and licks I've ever heard. Seriously, this shit is high intensity NWOBHM, with great vocals, impressive solos, endless creativity, a strong bluesy touch, and just overall a very competent, and complete sound, and this is just a demo recorded a few months after these guys formed. This is a very impressive album.

The opening to the song Bitches Sin just shows how ahead of their time this band was. In five years bands would be replicating riffs like these, except never holding the same production values. One killer track, with a total early Thrash driving rythm.

They go through some more straight on Rocking songs on tracks 4 and 5, except 5 is just about the closest I've ever heard a band sound to early Judas Priest. Track 5 (Ice Angels) is a total Priest styled Heavy Metal anthem with a doomy atmosphere ("All I feel is pain, fear grips my brain, but can I wonder why, as I start to die"). Yeah, a highly memorable track, total oldschool Metal, a must hear!

"Tighter Than Tight" is another song that has that Priest vibe, just great rythms that progress with flawless melodic perfection. Also, the humorous lyrics add a bit to the songs qualities ("Tighter than tight, but your mine tonight").

Heavy Life wraps up the demo, and it really is an awesome way to end it. A great fast mid tempo rythm that just pounds along with the great guitar leads, and shreddings, not to mention the killer tone of it.

For this portion of the album alone, this is entirely worth it.

Kicking off with a better produced, and little bit different band, these tunes really have a different feel to them altogether. I guess according to the Toomey brothers, they run a rough ship, and most people cant handle it, so they have to get new band members from time to time. Kicking off with a vicious recording of "Down The Road", you can tell straight away the band has definitely kicked it up a notch all together. The song is quite a bit faster, and the sound is killer. With out a doubt a fucking classic, and the solos I think were reworked, and sound unbelievible,...just very unique.

Fallen Star shows a bit different side of the band, and to me sounds similiar to some early Scorpians tunes. Really cool tune, and has an awesome lead on the chorus, not to mention one killer bass breakdown that leads into an equally great solo.

Track 10, Hold On To Love is probably the cheesiest song on here, just very catchy, and almost punk sounding in the chorus. Stand out vocals though, really just a perfectly fitting voice for it.

Strangers On The Shore, opening with killer taping is always appreciated, and when its lead into some utterly crushing riffs its always a broken skull good time. This is probably the heaviest, most unrelenting song on here, and oddly enough Neat Records thought at the time that it "didnt fit in with the label's sound". Also, note worthy is that this was for many people a strong high light on the Heavy Metal Records,"Heavy Metal Heroes"LP, and overall a very kickass song.

This session became a quite well recieved boost for the band, and led to the offer from Heavy Metal Records to do a release. Obviously it whent on from there, but these two releases are critical releases for this band, where they proved themselves to be an untouchable band at one time. Bitches Sin rules, get this album!