Description

An odd speed metal compilation album from Cosmus Records/Gama Musikverlags GmbH

S.D.I. (Satans Defloration Incorporated)
Sign Of The Wicked is probably the best album from S.D.I. It sounds like if Helloween played in a more aggressive way, or if Iron Maiden was into thrash. There is nothing bad with that album actually; each song was a killer catchy speed metal hymn which got stuck in your head after the first listening. If you like the track on this compilation then go out and get Sign Of The Wicked, its one of the liveliest and intense speed metal albums ever, and it can’t be missed by any thrasher or speed metal head. Just play it loud.

Killer (Switzerland)
Killer from Switzerland managed to release 4 studio albums during the 80s that all had their moments however none of them really have that killer tune. The strongest part of the band were singer Mark Broman that had been replaced by Mark Lay for the bands 1986 album Young Blood. Being from Switzerland its obvious that they band has picked up one or two influences from Krokus. Even though Killer felt like quite an average act its still enjoyable to listen to them. It has those powerful melodious songs and fine vocals

Vectom
Down near the bottom of the massive pile of 80s German speed metal bands lay one of the most visually bizarre, yet sonically commonplace of outfits in Vectom. Their entry into the fray was certainly early enough for them to get a leg up on the competition, but despite having an extremely fast and reasonably competent sound, they’ve largely become a passing fancy of metal history buffs and are generally forgotten for the likes of Iron Angel and the longer lived and iconic Tankard, both of whom have a level of commonality with what occurs in this band’s brief history. Nevertheless, credit should be given where credit is due, and despite not really having the most distinctive sound of the bunch, they do offer up an entertaining listening experience. Their debut album was a pure thrash metal album by 1983 standards, as “Speed Revolution” definitely possesses a lot of the same NWOBHM inspired riffing elements that fueled “Kill Em’ All” and “Show No Mercy”. The one area where this album definitely retains its German national character is in the vocal department. While Christian Bucher isn’t quite as nasty sounding as Schmier or Angelripper, elements of both factor into his gruff-drenched punk rock shouts. There’s an occasional banshee wail that rests somewhere between the early glass shattering moments of Araya and Blitz Ellsworth 1983-86, but largely the vocal assault functions in a way more appropriate to the nastier side of things seized upon by the Teutonic Trio early on. Pretty much the only thing that keeps this album from attempting to compete with “Infernal Overkill” or “Endless Pain” is the overall sameness of the approach here (which is pretty substantial given how simplistic the former album is), as songs are generally interchangeable with each other.

Midnight Darkness
To sum up this lost German band, I can offer only that it’s somewhere between the Scorpions and Accept, with the vocals reminiscent of a Klaus Meine at their lower range, screaming up into ridiculous heights that might have been best left alone by Jörg Reuter, since they do seem to break up in that register. Otherwise, the record has that good old ‘climbing the walls’ feel to it which one could only ask of most mid-80s metal that was not blazing a path of ambition or obscurity, but helping cement the status quo. Midnight Darkness chug a little harder than the next band, the tones of the album are thick and welcome, the drums hammering along like a garbage truck out of Hell, and one certainly feels the prototypical spine tingling force of the power metal genre running an undercurrent through their underpants. The track “Mindless” is a nice speed/power metal track

Veto
Legendary among those who love and praise German Heavy Metal. The band were founded in the early 80s but had major problems to find a permanent drummer. However in 1984 they managed to score a record deal with GAMA records. Even a record deal couldn’t help to attract the right drummer so label boss Peter Garattoni stand in as a session drummer during the recording of their debut album released in 1986. Just like most other Gama bands Gravestone, Noisehunter, Tyrant and Stormwitch they weren’t that well received by the media but more loved by the metal fans. The problem with finding a decent drummer would follow the band during their whole career so the band became more of a studio project than a live band. In 1988 the band released their second and last album ‘Carthago’ and Garattoni laid down the drums even this time. The second album was just as strong as the first one but still no media back up and soon afterwards the vocalist Harry Liebhauser had to leave and that was the final nail in the Veto coffin. The band tried with a new singer but they soon disbanded. Veto had the quality of uniting melody with class and metallic feeling, going from fast songs to melodic stuff and all between.

Gravestone
Gravestone was one of the many great bands that were on Gama records that never really got anywhere. This band released three good albums and the 85 album ‘Back To Attack’ is a true hammer stroke, still. Simple, pure Heavy Metal. Intelligently done and without any big weaknesses. Guitarist Mathias ‘Don’ Dieth later briefly showed up with Sinner and U.D.O.

Tyrant
One of several bands over the years named Tyrant, this version was a German band of the mid-eighties hailing from the Ulm area, employing a standard Judas Priest/Accept style that was quite prevalent in Europe at the time like bands such as Warrant, Gravestone, Running Wild, Grave Digger and many others. The initial Tyrant release, 1984’s ‘Mean Machine’, released by Camel Records and recorded in Spygel Studios in Kircheim in July through August of 1984 it was engineered by Batze Kramer, featured Kerrmit, the guitar pairing of Carl Tomaschko and Holgar Thiele, bassist Andre Papack and drummer Micky Budde. ‘Mean Machine’ is highly recommend to any true metal fan. There are plenty of German influences; I think they listened to lots of Roth-era Scorps and, of course, Accept. Obvious also is the Priest, Saxon, Maiden influence. They can be pigeon-holed into a Power/somewhat-melodic/kinda speedy metal description. Their singer sounds rough like Udo Dirkschneider or Chris Boltendahl, ‘Kerrmit’ also sings with a distinct sense of humour. Kinda like Martin Walkyier but without the social commentary. There are lots of sexual innuendo and references to beer drinking and hell raising with a distinct European overtone. If you are a fan of late 70s/early 80s metal you can do a lot worse than listen to Tyrant. It’s pretty standard stuff, but it does not disappoint, and any fan of German Metal at all get this; as these guys have influenced newer bands like Helloween, Blind Guardian and Primal Fear just as much as the aforementioned `big guys’

Vampyr
In the tsunami wave of German heavy/speed metal in the eighties, came a lot of obscurities that never made it as big as Helloween, Running Wild and many of the other Noise labels. However many of these bands are still worth to dig up as they includes some decent teutonic speed and heavy metal tracks. Gravestone, Tyrant, Stormwitch, Noisehunter, High Tension, No Trouble, Bloody Six, Midnight Darkness and so on. Vampyr with their only album ‘Cry Out For Metal’ from 1985 should be added to that list. The music is taking examples and inspiration from their German peers Warrant and early Running wild. ‘Cry Out For Metal’ includes some rooted standard but solid guitar work, sharp metal songs in middle and fast tempos and free from ballads or happy poser tunes. Vampyr surely won’t suck your blood out, but they may give you a few heavy scares and bite you a little.

Necronomicon
German act Necronomicon had hit their stride with their first two albums and were no longer just a mirror of the better known Destruction, but a band with something of worth to offer on their own. That’s not to say that they had suddenly bloomed into a garden of innovation and supreme songcraft, because this is still not a top shelf release. The band was down to a three piece here, with Volker Fredrich and Jürgen Weltin picking up the bass duties from the departed Lars Honeck. Fredrich still sounds mildly similar to Schmier of Destruction, and yet he’s acquired a harsher, standout bark to his tone that ends itself towards an individual distinction. There are also a number of well-placed gang shouts here that propel his presence quite nicely (“Death Toll”,). But most importantly, where the band always seemed to have a problem plotting out convincing songs before, they’ve really gelled here. “Death Toll” has some great guitars and bass, whether they’re thrusting along the speedway of the bridge or chopping out the slower verse chugging.

Track listing:
1. S.D.I. -Killers Confession-from Sign Of The Wicked 1988
2. Killer -I Want It-from Young Blood 1986
3. Vectom -Speed Revolution-from Speed Revolution 1983
4. Midnight Darkness -Mindless-from Midnight Darkness 1985
5. Veto -Unknown Soldier-from Carthago 1988
6. Gravestone -Dirty Tales-from Back To Attack 1985
7. Tyrant -Streetfighter-from Fight For Your Life 1985
8. Vampyr -Mercy Killing-from Cry Out For Metal 1985
9. Necronomicon -Death Toll-from Escalation 1988