Description

2015 re-issue with 4 bonus tracks

Artch was formed in 1983, and they released two demos before hooking up with Eric Hawk, a killer vocalist from Iceland. With Hawk on board, Artch would eventually sign with Metal Blade Records and release Another Return To Church Hill, their debut full-length. 1991 saw Artch unleash their sophomore album, For The Sake Of Mankind. The band made quite an impression with their critically acclaimed debut Another Return a few years earlier, which put a European spin on the American power metal sound, and was ready to do the same with their second release. What strikes you right from the start with For The Sake Of Mankind is that Artch really dialled up both the speed and the power. Another Return had plenty of power, but it was a more refined, early Fates Warning/Queensryche kind of power. For The Sake Of Mankind sounds more like Dio meets Vicious Rumors. The thrashing riffs pair perfectly with vocalist Eric Hawks (real name Eirikur Hauksson) killer range and massive vocal power. As impressive as Hawk was on the Artch debut, he’s an absolute force of nature on this album. When Angels Cry and Turn the Tables are two of the more powerful tracks on For The Sake Of Mankind, bringing to mind Liege Lord and even Accept. The whole album is hard hitting and very strong though. The only head-scratcher in the bunch is the band’s cover of Nazareth’s Razamanaz, and even that one got metalized fairly well. Sadly, Artch didn’t last too long beyond this album’s release. They were another casualty of the grunge revolution, and disbanded for the better part of a decade. They never became a major name in the power metal scene, but Artch still left behind an impressive musical legacy. For The Sake Of Mankind remains an underrated classic, and one that just about any serious fan of Crimson Glory, Dio, Vicious Rumors, Liege Lord and the 80s heavy/power metal scene in general ought to hear.

Track listing:
1. When Angels Cry
2. Appologia
3. Burn Down The Bridges
4. Paradox
5. To Whom It May Concern
6. Titanic
7. Confrontation
8. Turn The Tables
9. To Be Or Not To Be
10. Batteries Not Included
11. Razamanaz
12. Daredevil
13. Jezebel
14. Dog On The Run-demo
15. Sirens-demo