MALICE (CA) — License To Kill (review)

MALICE (CA) — License To Kill album cover Album · 1986 · US Power Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
Stephen
"License To Kill" showed Malice's more mature approach, a bit of commercial bite, but still riding on the same Judas Priest avenue, unleashing the ear-slashing screamer and a sharp double guitar riffs salvo. James Neal's voice is very close to Rob Halford or like a high-pitch version of Bruce Dickinson while Reynolds and Zane are both heavily influenced by the Tipton/Downing style. Based on the year of its release, 1986, "License To Kill" is more in the veins of Priest's "Vengeance" or "Defenders", and maybe a slight influence from Dokken's "Tooth and Nail" era, so if you like the albums, chance that you will like this as well.

Several of my favorite tracks here are the flaming opener, "Sinister Double", the title track, "Chain Gang Woman", and "Breathin' Down Your Neck". Other valuable tracks to check out are "Against The Empire" and "Murder" that's executed in the traditional way of heavy metal. "Vigilante" and "Christine" actually have the potential with good riffs but suffered with an average chorus, and "Circle of Fire" is the worst track here with a disappointing composition and Neal's overkill squeal.

This disc used to be rare and expensive but after Wounded Birds' reissue version available at market, you can buy it for a cheaper price compared to the original press, and for fans of mid-80s heavy metal, "License To Kill" is a good addition to your collection.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Metal Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

The Goblin Sessions Heavy Metal
THEM
Buy this album from MMA partners
Tormenta De Arena Metalcore
VORAGO
Buy this album from MMA partners
Infinite Metalcore
FUTURE GHOST
Buy this album from MMA partners
Heretic Melodic Death Metal
SUNCINDER
Buy this album from MMA partners
The Skull Burned Wearing Hell Like A Life Vest As The Night Wept Mathcore
FRONTIERER
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

Future Ghost - Wolves (Official Music Video)
FUTURE GHOST
Bosh66· 1 day ago
Future Ghost - Nemesis Game (Official Music Video)
FUTURE GHOST
Bosh66· 1 day ago
Harrowed TwentyTenVideo
HARROWED
Bosh66· 2 days ago
Sunmancer - Realms of Dilemma (Official Visualizer)
SUNMANCER
Bosh66· 7 days ago
Sunmancer - Lower Cavalier (Official Visualizer)
SUNMANCER
Bosh66· 7 days ago
More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed