SWORD — Metalized (review)

Album · 1986 · Heavy Metal

4.5/5 · 2016-06-06
voila_la_scorie

I remember listening to the Monday Night Metal Shop (I think that's what it was called) on Vancouver's radio station, C-FOX, and this song "Stuck in Rock" came on by a band called Sword. Damn that was one monster riff! Add to that the vocalist's banshee screams and I knew I had to get this album.

Sword's debut album in 1986, very aptly entitled "Metalized" was an album of songs that were just as I imagined metal should be. Many of my favourite bands were adding synthesizers, lightening their sound, going more "mainstream". Ugh! The thrash movement was were real heavy metal was about but there was a tendency for bands to race through songs as fast as possible. I wanted some slow and heavy numbers as well, or just heavy riffs was fine too. I wanted vocalists who could sing, not just shout and roar. Well, okay, I liked the shouters and roarers, too. But this band Sword had a terrific blend of slow and heavy ("Stoned Again"), medium tempo heavy melodic ("Children of Heaven"), raging vocals in thunderous metal music ("Dare to Spit"), Anvil-like speed and thunder ("Outta Control"), and a whole arsenal of straightforward, heavy rockin', keyboardless metal music with lots of great riffs.

I had this on cassette initially (back in '86) and later bought it on CD. It had been packed away for many years but recently I unearthed it and put it in my iTunes library. While it's great to hear this awesome headbanger of an album again, I find it in need of remastering. That bright eighties production is a little harsh on the ears at higher volumes, and this is an album that needs to be heard loud. It's probably one of the best non-thrash albums to come out of 1986!

more than 2 years ago
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voila_la_scorie wrote:

more than 2 years ago

adg211288, I am glad you think so.

adg211288 wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Checked this out yesterday and definitely seems a great album on first impressions.

voila_la_scorie wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Well, I'm glad to know others like it too! Isn't it wonderful when you hear a new-to-you artist thanks to someone else's review or suggestion? That's one reason why I love MMA and PA.

Unitron wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Yeah, now I remember seeing it on the list. Forgot about it though as I was just focused on the ones I had heard.

adg211288 wrote:

more than 2 years ago

I actually put this on the 100 trad albums challenge list I made on List Challenges, but I don't know anything about it. I should check it out.

Unitron wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Wow! I just listened to it, and it was amazing! It's just packed with monstrous riffs, great drums and bass, and epic vocals. Thanks for the review, I'll be listening to this one a lot. I probably wouldn't have heard of it otherwise.

voila_la_scorie wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Thank you, Unitron. Based on what I know of your taste, I think you'll like it.

Unitron wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Good review, sounds cool. I'll have to check the band out.