Artist: Attaxe
Title: 20 Years the Hard Way
Genre: US Metal
Release Date: 31st July 2020
Label: Pure Steel Records
Album Review
Tonight’s journey back in time is brought to you by Cleveland, Ohio’s ATTAXE. This band is the uncrowned king of line-up changes and they were on hiatus a couple of times but the there seems to be no way in heaven or hell to keep these guys from the stages of the world. ATTAXE was formed in 1985 and they released six demos between 1986 and 1989. 1990 was the year ATTAXE finally released the EP ‘Are You Ready?’. 2003 and 2006 saw the releases of two compilations that included the songs from the earlier demos one of which is ‘20 Years The Hard Way’ which will be released again by Pure Steel Records on the 31st of July.
The music is typical US Metal of the mid-eighties, a balance-act between Speed Metal and melodic pre-Power Metal coined by very melodic songs with a kick of raw Speed / Thrash here and there and vocals that fluctuate between raw escalation and high-pitched screams that is able to shatter bullet-proof glass. The compilation shows what the band did in more or less five years (sound-wise it is a quantum leap for Juan Ricardo), most of the stuff is too rough and uncut to really appeal to me but there are moments that are really cool. My faves are: ‘Pedal To The Metal’ and ‘Suicide’ (the scream at the beginning is just lovely). ATTAXE is like a weekend when you are a 18 year old rocker, you wake up on Sunday: headache, bad taste in the mouth, someone naked lies next to you and despite that nasty hangover you smile like an idiot...
Tracklist
01. Calling The Messiah
02. Metal Messiah
03. Unholy Realm
04. Blood On The Moon
05. Pedal To The Metal
06. Remember Me?
07. Suicide
08. Lovefire
09. Jealousy
10. Powermad
11. Out Of The Storm
12. Leave It All Behind
13. Capture The Universe
14. Are You Ready?
15. Playing With Fire
Line-up
Juan Ricardo – vocals
Paul Konjicija (song 2) – guitars
Ray Hitchcock (songs 5,7) – bass
Scott Stage (songs 4, 5, 7, 11, 12, 13) – guitars
Steve McCabe (songs 4, 11, 12, 13) – bass
Steve McDonald (songs 3, 15) – guitars
Bill Zurlo (song 3) – bass
Michael Siefert (song 2) – bass
Greg Perry (songs 8, 9, 10) – guitars
Calvin Burgess (songs 8, 9, 10) – bass
Joey Coach Hanna (song 2) – drums
Steve Sinur (songs 3, 4, 5, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15) – drums
Kenny Easterly (songs 8, 9, 10) – drums
Website
https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Attaxe/15370 / https://www.puresteel-records.com/
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 7
Sound: 7
Total: 7 / 10
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