Okay, so I got through my Formative Years listening to Rage and people always assumed I meant that band-with-the-similar name. It so pissed me off.
This is their third album, and marks the one where they broken out of the pure speed and fell into the power. It is more melodic than the earlier ones, despite the fact the line-up has not changed at all. Rage have released 21 studio albums over the past 26 or so years, one a year pretty much (except for '91, '97, '05, '0, '07 and '09) and as such their sound has become a little generic, excepting, of course, that they now perform frequently with an orchaestra.
I should warn you - I have a LOT of their albums. So many that when I find one in the music store I cannot buy it impusively since I cannot remember which ones I own. I even have one on vinyl. Alas, I cannot play it, because I do not have a record player.
The tracks on "Perfect Man" are very short, the longest clocking in at an epic 4 mins 26. The cover features a strange mechanical being bearing some resemblance to those in Alien. He is wearing headphones. Although he does appear on numerous Rage albums - much as Maiden have Eddy and Gamma Ray kept Fangface, he does not seem to get a name and a story until 2003, when they name him "Soundchaser" (maybe I should buy that album, what do you think?). The lyric booklet contains the lyrics for less than half the songs, but is graced with a two page spread advertisement for other Modern Music GMBH albums. Grr... Luckily vocalist Peavey Wagner has a strong voice, that manages to soar melodically up and down the octaves (but mostly up), with a slightly harsh edge, but almost perefctly coherant vocals. The music is hard and raw - pure, honest, old-fashioned speed/power metal intermingling political messages and songs about death with the occasional social sattire. They are both mature and intelligent with catchy choruses. Thus, very good stuff indeed.
I've listened to this album many times and it was one of the very first CDs I actually owned. I was quite late making the switch from cassettes to CDs. I know most of the lyrics to most of the songs, so this review should be one of the easiest I have done.
The CD opens with the pounding "Wasteland" singing about the destruction of the world via the human race:
"... Is there any race as destructive as we are?""In the Darkest Hour" reveals the dark truth of what happens to some people after dark with pounding drums, a catchy chorus and the occasional frenzied verse.
Birdsong leads us into "Animal Instinct" the natural and mellow being bulldozed by the thrashing guitars as the song begins. Contrary to this, it is not a song about animals at all, but about the darker side of human nature, following on from the same theme as before.
"Perfect Man" introduces a slightly sci-fi-ish edge as scientists work in secret labs to constrcuct a man that has:
"...Perfect mind and body..."Given Rage's inbuilt cynicism, this will of course fail. Or possibly end up destroying the human race. The lyrics are not *entirely* clear on this score.
Back to the political, "Sinister Thinking" is about the Iran and Iraq war - about the evils of religion and how:
"They drill this evil spirit in their children's head, so there's no end in sight, no..."Stepping aside from the more serious, we step into "Supersonic Hydromatic" which is picking fun at how people always seem to want to have the latest gadgets and devices - even if they have silly names and everyone needs it now, despite the fact that they never had one before. I always imagine it as being a bit like a Dr Seussian vacuum cleaner.
The rip-roaring opening chords of "Don't Fear the Winter" are immense and powerful. The choruses beautifully melodic. I can completely understand why this was chosen as the single from this CD. And for once, we have almost romantic lyrics. It's also one of the faster, heavier numbers. Pure Speed.
Every Rage album has at least one song about death - "Death in the Afternoon" is the first on this CD. It's about car accidents. The lyrics are very narrative.
"A Pilgrim's Path" is another pounding speed metal anthem.
Now we have a sorta-kinda-ballad, and another song about death. "Time and Place". It appears Peavey believes in reincarnation. At least for this album! It is quite a beautiful song, with some haunting music adding to the atmosphere. Of course, like many Rage sounds, it becomes more frenzied and urgent as it nears the end.
"Round Trip" is more of a rockin' number. It is something of a roadtrip song, with a certain amount of cynical irony in the lyrics. Basic fare, but good solid guitar rifts and drums.
Another speed metal piece with barreling drumbeats is "Between the Lines". Probably one of the least memorable songs from this CD. The bridge is raw and angry, the chorus soaring.
"Symbols of our Fear" expresses the fear of nuclear holocaust that was particularly relevant in the late 80s (following the Chernobyl disaster). More pure speed.
Taunting guitars open "Neurotic" with its rather vicious lyrics, and swear words, which I never really noticed because it's so fast that the words are almost indistringuishable. It is a mocking, taunting song, that is actually kinda nasty. With the pounding drums and raging guitars, it is pure, unadulterated speed metal.
Rage are a rockin' speed metal band. Their rifts are polished, their lyrics mature (mostly) and the vocals pretty damned sweet. They're not outstandingly original (at least, not yet, wait until I get into some of their later CDs**) but there is a clean edge to their sound that makes them a pleasure to listen to - unlike some of the raw and ragged speed metal bands from the same era.
Rage ROCK, and this CD earns an 8/10 from me.
* Okay, so RATM do have an awesome guitarist, and that one song has probably sold more and received more radio play than all of Rage's albums put together, but that don't mean nothing to me. Okay?
** Although some of those are a little bit boring too. When you're as prolific as Rage, you do get a little same-ish.
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