Deliver Us

As I write this it is currently nighttime on March 13th, 2023, and if you’re wondering why this is important it’s because March 13th is, or rather was, the birthday of Warlord mastermind Will Tsamis as well as only a few weeks shy of the EP’s 40th anniversary. As such I decided to celebrate by writing a review of what I consider the single greatest piece of heavy metal ever written. It’s also my birthday but that’s beside the point.

If there was one thing you didn’t want your metal to be in the 1980s it was Christian. For every Trouble that used the imagery and didn’t come across as preachy, a dozen Strypers were being ridiculed by fans who didn’t bother to actually listen to the music and see if it was good. Then out of nowhere in early 83 Metal Blade Records released a little EP that changed metal forever. Not only did it help pioneer the niche genre of epic metal beating both Manilla Road’s Crystal Logic and Manowar’s Into Glory Ride, which were released later on in the year, but also the nascent US power metal genre that would reach its peak in the coming few years. Between Tsamis’ grandiose yet restrained guitar and bass work, Mark Zonder’s (later of Fates Warning) lived up to his stage name Thunder Child, and keyboard player Diane Korarens’ atmospheric keys truly elevated the music to a higher level when compared to what other bands on Metal Blade doing at the time. No small feat given the fact Slayer, Savage Grace, Armored Saint, Shakin’ Brains, and Bitch all put out material on the label that same year. However, for me, the true stand out are the vocals of Damien King I aka Jack Rucker in what would be not only his one official release with the band but also one of the only two non-compilation releases he’d ever receive a vocalist credit on which I consider a massive shame. His passionate vocals are the main reason why this is my preferred Warlord release when compared to that band’s latter material. It doesn’t help that my two favorite songs on the EP, Winter Tears and Penny For A Poor Man, are the only ones to not be rerecorded for the band’s debut album.

As alluded to earlier the lyrics on this album are from a Christian perspective as typified by the title track which reads almost like a prayer spoken before going into battle, and with song titles like Child Of The Damned and Black Mass it’s not exactly subtle, but honestly, I’d say that probably for the best. Might as well get out ahead of the accusations and just get it over with so that you don’t have to deal with closed-minded people complaining about it. I personally love how poetic they are though I’m also a dumbass who doesn’t have much of a grasp on poetry so that might just be why. Literally, the only complaint I have about this album is that I’m not a fan of the song Mrs. Victoria but that was originally released on Metal Massacre 2 a year prior and only included on the EP with later reissues so I’m not gonna dock points for a bonus track, I’m not quite that petty. YET.

At the end of the day, I consider this to be a perfect piece of music, and while I don’t attach numbers to these reviews (except for when uploaded to The Metal Archives) this would the only release I’d give a perfect score of 100%. I can’t think of a clever way to end this.

Best Tracks: Winter Tears, Penny For A Poor Man, Black Mass

This review was originally written for the Unsung Underground blog: https://thewalkingdeadpan.wordpress.com/2023/03/13/deliver-us-from-mediocrity/

Certain albums can be heard just once and be recognized for their greatness, that do not need to grow on you. You can still always hear something new and fresh with each listen, but it was known from the start that the music contained was something special. Deliver Us is such a release. The blistering songs hit the listener hard upon first listen and never lost their incredible edge. The six - sometimes seven - songs have all aged gracefully in the face of an ever broadening Metal scene, including the power metal sub-genre the band is linked to pioneering.

Now with such a positive declaration, it raises the question to why has the material not been more successful? Why did the band fade into obscurity until the digital universe was created and the most obscure material could be found much easier? The answers to both questions come down to a couple of unfortunate, and ironic, factors:

1) Originality! On top of being under a fledgling label who did not have the money to properly promote them, the band did not make anything easier by destroying each step they made in making a commercialized song.

To be fair, all seven songs do have strong commercial sensibilities; the structures are simple enough to warrant airplay and the production is high enough that it did not lose its metal edge. To the above point #1, while all of these songs are cut from a commercial cloth, only moments of a few songs sound similar to any other band.

2) Jack Rucker! This will be the more ironic of the two points. Whatever the explanation is for Jack’s very brief stint in the band - and their inability to hire him back at a later time - he is and always will be THE vocalist for Warlord.

Every other singer the band has used have all been incapable of simply placing Jack’s microphone stand in front of him at a gig. These songs will never sound better than here if with a different singer, these were meant for this one mans voice. It is not because he had anything to do with the writing - that according to chief songwriter William Tsamis - but because Damien King 1 had a masterful voice.

That all said an albums merit should never be judged by the accessibility of the material but how competent every expected trope is executed and hopefully evolved somehow. So there are also a couple factors as to why this album is, despite its still relative obscurity, one of the finest Metal albums crafted. That is a pretty bold claim but I hope to make clear why.

1) Mark Zonder! You are not a fan of percussion, regardless of genre, if you fail to at least know who this man is and what he does. To the point, his face should be on the Mount Rushmore of percussionists; an extraordinaire of the highest order. He is one of the most musical drummers ever in Metal, similar to an Ed Warby or Richard Christy, making his fills as composed as any other instrument. Maybe due to the production but each song Warlord has ever done have all had Mark’s precision time keeping that was never dulled because of the reliance on…

2) Jazz! That is right. Jazz. I should reveal that, despite writing on this site, Metal is not my favorite genre, it is behind both Jazz and Classical. This may be why I am drawn to this album; with its classical flourishes scattered throughout each songs many different passages. However, the way I hear this album, it is just different kinds of Jazz played with overdrive. Sure, this album is Metal because there is a metallic crunch and sounds closer to an assault of blistering power then an orchestra for dancing. However, because of the reliance on Jazz percussion, the songwriting bleeds energy like few I’ve ever heard. My point of course is helped by the admission from Zonder himself that he plays Jazz when not playing Metal.

Moreover, all of the songwriting demonstrates Jazz leanings by focusing on intricate chord progressions that opened up an endless array of possibilities for fast lead playing. Playing abstract Jazz chords as lead in a Jazz setting requires a great deal of mental effort. Not to criticize Metal but it is much easier to show off her your chops as a guitarist. Chugging riffs with mountains of distortion are done by everyone, but when playing intricate chords as lead at a 250 BPM, with little to no overdrive, you better be damn good. It’s equally as exhausting to the mind as it is to the body. All of this Jazz talk goes back to Zonder and I think where that shines best is the masterpiece Lucifer’s Hammer.

I am not referring to the horribly thin sounding remake in 2002 with Jocaim, this one is not embarrassing, here is just power and splendor. A mournful piece about Armageddon is backed by a blistering rhythm section, Mark making the cymbals and toms ring beautifully in unison. It has a sick metal rhythm but is benefited most by the sporadic use of the double bass, it does not detract from it. A less competent drummer would have just used a repetitive sixteenth note drum pattern played with double bass since he/she thinks every riff has been lifted from Stained Class. The use of chord sequences much more vibrant and in major scales give the sustained chords a chance to provide backing for that sporadic double bass and not the other way around.

Going back to the point about Jack Rucker for just a moment, this is also where he shines best. Every word he utters on the album is fantastic but it is the last line of the final verse, “Throw yourselves in and hide,” that sounds like part desperation and part terror, the sound of his voice fit’s the menacing lyrics so vividly. Also to note, each vocalist after Jack has made their own version and all of them are laughably inferior. It is much more objective to state Jack is the single most important factor in this EP’s great quality.

The only other song I should spotlight is Mrs. Victoria. I discovered Warlord in 1986 when I purchased Metal Massacre III, for only $2.75, in a thrift store pile, stuffed between an album by The Four Tops and Barry Manilow. Compilation vinyls were a very significant item before the digital universe. Bought my copy of Deliver Us in 1990 just by the name when it was in a record store, though I forget the price it was.

I did not spotlight the song just because it was how I discovered Warlord however, it’s also the darkest song, lyrically, in the bands catalogue. These six minutes tell a brief story of insanity and possible possession like few others ever have. It is a very clever take on a traditional heavy topic.

Of greater significance once again is Thunderchild’s percussion and King 1’s vocal delivery, despite this song having a splendid guitar solo that, just itself, builds to a vicious crescendo. It too is less purposeful than those killer drums.

- Just like all but one song on the album - Penny For A Poor Man - this also has a complex and brilliantly executed climax. Right after the plot twist in the lyrical narrative, the character is left laughing insanely as the camera pans out to show 'Johnny', "inside an asylum for the insane.” Seriously, this ending has so many stop and go twists, one must be amused by it.

I highlighted Lucifer’s Hammer and Mrs. Victoria because those two songs, just at 10 minutes combined, is most of what Warlord has ever wanted to say. Everything thereafter have been rehashes all with failed vocal attempts, so much so that the last studio album was just way inferior remakes aptly named The Hunt for Damien. Not sure why you fail to have seen the obvious but your first clue should be in that fucking name, Hunt. Why have you been hunting? You grand slammed on your first pitch and have struck out ever since. Reunite with Jack Rucker and show everyone where you might have led to.

Every other incarnation has shown what Warlord could be but only this incarnation shows what Warlord should be.

The concept of power metal was a bit more subjective circa 1983, and was used to denote a number of very divergent sounds, not the least of which being that of Metallica (at least based on an early demo with those two words in the title) and Manilla Road. In some respects these bands had a subtle, if not wholly indirect influence on the development of both the American and European schools. In fact, most of the direct movers in the development of the genre are more closely associated with traditional sounding bands who took points from the explosion of NWOBHM acts. That’s pretty much where the short-lived and not terribly prolific Warlord fits into things, and sadly they would also come to personify how the crowding out effect can deny a good number of competent bands their due exposure.

The debut EP that is “Deliver Us” enjoys a somewhat less auspicious place in history than that of their contemporaries from Seattle Queensryche, but musically it carries a highly similar level of power and actually became something of an influence on a more British sounding variation on European power metal that was spearheaded by Hammerfall (they actually covered one of these songs and their singer would later join this band for a reunion album as lead vocalist). Yet ironically, this album is marked by a more complex mode of song structure that is more in line with a handful of bands who were slightly more informed by the recently demised 70s progressive rock movement, not all that dissimilar from early Manilla Road, though with a vocal character that is more befitting of a standard NWOBHM outfit.

The reason for this album’s continued obscurity is ultimately the epic songwriting approach, which when coupled with the less repetitive and hooks driven character of the progressive sound, limits its accessibility. For all the lengthy song durations put out by Manowar, most people can grab onto it because of those signature fanfare choruses, which are generally avoided here. The only song on here that really conforms itself to what was more visible in the NWOBHM dominated early 80s is “Child Of The Damned”, which takes most of its cues from Iron Maiden and moves at a faster tempo that is well within the proto-power metal paradigm. The riffing approach actually comes close to what would be explored by Maiden a couple years later on “Aces High”, though the influence was more likely from that of “Purgatory”.

Save the aforementioned lone radio-friendly offering, the bulk of the remaining contents on here exude a virtuosic eclecticism that borders on Neo-classical at some times, and a semi-70s character at others. Acoustic guitars are employed at an unusual level of frequency compared to most rustic British oriented heavy metal acts, and with it a creepy atmosphere that is almost dark enough for Mercyful Fate, yet ultimately a bit safer and well removed from the speed metal tendencies of said band. Keyboard usage is also uncharacteristically concentrated for an American heavy metal act, though just a few steps shy of Malmsteen territory. There isn’t really one defining niche that this band tries to cling to, and this EP ultimately draws its strength from a level of uniqueness within the still developing metal scene.

During the early to mid 80s Metallica was quoted often that L.A. sucked, and a good deal of that impression was felt by most because bands like this didn’t enjoy the same level of success as the radio-friendly glam and sleaze scene. This particular offering is a bit obscure and difficult to track down in its original form, but the songs contained within can be found more readily via a couple of compilations floating around. Not every band made a huge splash during their time in the sun, but this one may still have some things to say about the future of both heavy and power metal for years to come, and that’s not a bad legacy for a band that wasn’t very prolific.

When people think of Los Angeles and metal, it's usually the glam scene that people think of. Or just a little later down the line, people may think of Megadeth, Dark Angel, Evildead, etc, but what about the power/heavy metal group, Warlord? These guys might not be the greatest band to ever come from LA, but they definitely deserve more recognition than the little they have, because the music on their debut EP "Deliver Us" is solid to say the least. And when you consider that this EP was released before power metal classics like "Metal Church," "Ample Destruction" and "Battle Cry" that surely has to serve as another reason why these guys should have been bigger.

"Deliver Us" came out before the aforementioned power metal classics, but I wouldn't call this EP straightforward power metal as it definitely leans towards heavy metal and even classic rock at points, but there is absolutely no denying that some of the music here sounds like Omen or Savage Grace. The track "Lucifer's Hammer" is a catchy, midpaced number that was more than likely a live favorite, and "Deliver Us From Evil" takes a little more of an epic approach with melodic choruses featuring soaring vocals that sound a lot like some of the Euro-power bands that would pop up later. "Child of the Damned" is some grade-A Judas Priest worship that comes complete with the melodic, upbeat riffage and opening screams, while "Winter Tears" is a melodic song that perfectly conveys the emotion of the lyrics while retaining a great amount of memorability.

Unfortunately, the second half of this EP just doesn't live up to the first and that drags down the overall quality of this recording. Had "Penny for a Poor Man" and "Black Mass" been on par with the earlier tracks, this would have undoubtedly been a masterpiece, but the lack of catchy passages and the unnecessary keyboards which made the band sound more akin to a band like Rush or Boston (Not that I have any problems with those bands, but I prefer it when keyboards stay the fuck out of my metal) rather than the very capable heavy band that they were. Luckily everything else on "Deliver Us" is terrific, from King's stellar vocals that are highly soothing to the ear, to the fantastic drumming, all the way to the solos. This comes with a high recommendation if you're into any of the other bands that were mentioned earlier on, and if you don't find yourself enjoying this then you might want to slip into some spandex and head out to a Motley Crue show.

Highlights
"Deliver Us From Evil"
"Winter Tears"
"Child of the Damned"

Originally written for Nightmare Reality Webzine.
nightmarerealitywebzine.blogspot.com

This little gem is one of the best releases of 1983, and one of the saddest stories of the 1980s metal scene.

By the time Warlord released "Deliver Us" the band had been slugging their way through the apathetic metal audiences of Los Angeles for a couple of years, reaching in vein for the attention of audiences who craved clones of Van Halen, whose fusion of glam rock and classic metal carried them to the heights of popularity. The embryonic L.A. glam metal scene would explode over the next few years, but there was scarce room for a power metal band like Tsamis and Zonder fashioned. Taking nothing away from the accomplishments of the spandex and hairspray crowd (musical or sexual), your scowling reviewer considers this a mark of grotesque ignorance. "Deliver Us" contributed immeasurably to the growth of power metal's sonic lexicon, helping to bridge the gap between bands like Dio and Mercyful Fate, and their successors in Queensrÿche and Crimson Glory.

The music here is also notable for its high level of musicianship. The bass is nearly inaudible, but Mark Zonder's talents as a drummer are already evident, and Bill Tsamis conjures a great deal of impressive guitar pyrotechnics. He shows himself adept at melody, rhythm, lead, and soloing, all couched within a spectrum of appropriate guitar tones. His use of pinch harmonics adds just the right amount of extra flavor, and he knows exactly how and when to show of the flourishes of classical finger picking. Diane Kornarens displays a less prominent role in the band's sound, but her keyboard playing is always tasteful, and she adds a very welcome dimension to the band's sound.

Jack Rucker (AKA Damien King I) is the true "secret weapon" of this release. He quit not long after the release of this recording, but he also performed on the band's first two demos, and was the best and most appropriate singer Warlord ever had. He also appeared on Alkana's excellent 1978 release "Welcome To My Paradise," and the relative brevity of his career is nearly as disappointing as the music Warlord recorded after his departure.

If there's one legitimate complaint about this album, it's the lyrics. Much of the standard macabre fantasy material is here, but there's also a fair bit of emphasis on biblical themes. They're not overpowering, but when Tsamis disbanded Warlord to form Lordian Guard in the mid '90s, it became evident he was quite the bible-thumper. Religion is an obvious influence in a wide range of great art, but any skillful creation of narrative theme calls for a little more subtlety and less prostyletizing.

Persons wishing to hear this recording in its full glory should seek out the "Best of Warlord" comp. It contains all the tracks from their EP with an excellent mix and mastering job, plus the fine cut "Mrs. Victoria," which appeared on "Metal Massacre III." It's also worth seeking out their 2002 comeback LP "Rising Out of the Ashes," but that begins the story of another review…

“…do not be afraid, the world is near the end, is it better to rule in hell, than it is to serve in heaven?”

Despite all their capability, Warlord’s one of those bands that never quite got off the ground. Once “Lucifer’s Hammer” and “Ms. Victoria” appeared on Metal Massacres 2 & 3, there was little doubt in their musical proficiency, talent, and mild British influence, but still many seemed unmoved, so with their flair for semi-grandiose songwriting the LA five-piece released Deliver Us, and a common mistake owed in part to the elegantly rendered cover is declaring these six tracks imbued with fantasy ideals. Hell, Mercyful Fate could’ve swapped song titles from this ep with them and nothing would seem out of place.

Warlord’s sound isn’t a swaggering, fretboard warping ordeal, nor is it a stone’s throw from thrash. In fact, calling any of these six songs power metal is a stretch even Mr. Fantastic may raise an eyebrow to. One listen to “Deliver Us From Evil” and a poised traditional environment pans into earshot, catchy and calmly glimmering with an epic flamboyance. Its fluently marching gait harks the coming and going of the chorus while the classy, composed high mid-range vocals charges the song’s story-like progress. Even silkier are the vocals in “Winter Tears”, perhaps the most conventionally devised track of the bunch with soft, underscored keyboards, flowing melodies, and a serene atmosphere that uncoils with “Child of the Damned”. Firm, clean vocals flow through rhythmic cavities flanking an unforgettable main riff and elegantly pushes the track to top tier status.

“Penny for a Poor Man”, side two’s opener, is a delicate ensemble with a featherweight chorus sounding as if it could’ve been lifted off one of Anvil’s earliest offerings while “Black Mass”’s storyline advance and scaling keys handcuffs it at the moderate/mild pace. The best of side two comes at the end with “Lucifer’s Hammer”, a catchy and memorable number with some dual guitar soloing injected at various times and ends with a flair for acoustics.

More material like “Child of the Damned” could’ve vaulted this band to the top of more than a few peoples’ lists. In fact, more material in general could’ve kept Warlord in the spotlight. For instance, …And the Canons of Destruction Have Begun is nine songs, four from this ep, and would basically be it until ’02. What bugs me is that these dynamos haughtily managed to cash in not once, but twice with ‘best of’ endeavors (for barely fifteen collective songs). Unless you have the gleam of a collector in your eye, it’d be more logical to get one of those.