Description
Splatter vinyl with gatefold cover, printed innersleeve and one bonus track. Limited to 250 numbered copies
Hexx had a split personality, the first half of their career being traditional U.S. heavy/power metal, the other semi-technical death/thrash. Their moment, their big shining moment of metal glory, comes with the No Escape leadoff track, Terror. The ominous beginning breaks into a mid-paced, Priest-like riff, melodic and ferocious at the same time. The chorus riffing lifts the song even higher. Excellent. Vocalist Manzos vocals are wailing and mournful, hitting all the right notes, conveying a sense of dread and power. Hes got a voice very similar to that of Lizzy Borden: shrill and haunting, yet delivered with immeasurable grace and power. In particular, if you’re fond of the early works Give Em the Axe, Love You to Pieces and Menace to Society, you’re going to go ballistic over Manzo’s performance here, because its as sharp and piercing as a crystal sword cutting you straight down the middle. The guitar sound is odd. Mostly thin and covered up by the bass/drums, which is probably inept recording than anything else. Dan Watsons leads, however, come out striking to kill. He’s aggressive and melodic at once, and it’s not surprising how far out they are in the mix, considering this is a Shrapnel release. Manzo performs well throughout the rest of the album, but never quite finds the perfect combination of notes that he does on Terror. He’s shrill, a little thin, but also panicked and banshee-like. Would’ve been interesting to hear him stick around for the Under The Spell album. The title track No Escape is another memorable track on this album, with Manzo’s hooky wailing and some pretty busy guitar lines that weave in and out of a mid paced romp and then a climactic chorus riff which completely stands out here. I also love the creepy riff used in the intro and closing, and the solo is pure speed/shred terror ala Exciter. Other tight tracks here include the shuffling NWOBHM boogie of Live for the Night, where Manzo sounds most similar to Borden thanks to his incessant shrieking; Look to the Sky, which sounds like some hybrid of early Running Wild and Omen. If you’re just yearning to burn, then The Other Side and Invader should suit you just fine. There’s also a molten power ballad gone rocker called Fear No Evil which is quite boss. No Escape should appeal to fans of Helstar, early Lizzy Borden, Slauter Xstroyes, Warlord, and similarly dark U.S. heavy metal from the ’80s. Find a copy of the album and hear a flawed but interesting offering. Find a copy of the song Terror, and know greatness.
Track listing:
1. Terror
2. Invader
3. The Other Side
4. Look To The Sky
5. Beware The Darkness
6. Night Of Pain
7. No Escape
8. Live For The Night
9. Fear No Evil
10. Search For The King