Description
Attitude-provoking metal with thought-provoking lyrics. Up-tempo, but not speedy, with a driving, wall-of-sound attack. This is a band that helped to outline what is best known as Bay Area Thrash. Bands like Metallica, Exodus and Megadeth to name a few were highly impacted by Holocaust.It is well known that John Mortimer is a god-father of this scene and has influenced many in the METAL genre.His amazingly unique throat is second to none.With a back catalogue to boot, Holocaust is returning bringing their very best to light.
More or less a reissue of Hynosis of Birds with a changed track listing and three tracks from Heavy Metal Mania ’93.
1996-Neat Records UK-original 1st pressing
1. Into Lebanon 05:08
2. The Small Hours 07:02
3. Hypnosis of Birds 07:32
4. The Tower 07:51
5. Book of Season 02:21
6. Mercier and Camier 02:56
7. Summer Tides 02:54
8. Mortal Mother
04:17 9. Cairnpapple Hill 02:03
10. In the Dark Places of the Earth 06:38
11. Caledonia 03:58
12. Heavy Metal Mania 03:46
13. Death or Glory 03:20
14. Master of Puppets (Metallica cover)
08:09 01:07:55
John Mortimer: Guitars, Bass, Vocals
Steve Cowen: Drums
David Rosie: Bass
‘Heavy Metal Mania’. Boy was I surprised when after just a single spin it revealed itself to be an awesome anthem for our times, up there with the likes of ‘Denim And Leather’ and ‘Rock’n’Roll Mayhem’ as a 24 karat Kerrang! Classic.
Three minutes of delightfully gonzoid goonery, ‘Mania’ begins with the wailing air raid siren, is based around a slow deliberate riff and contains some of the most powerfully pea-brained lyrics you’re ever likely to hear.
‘Rock’n’Roll was far too slow / And so the adrenaline does not flow’ runs one particularly stimulating couplet, punctuated by hoarse Di’Annoesque cries of ‘Wowghh!’
But the highlight of the record is the rousing caveman chant ‘It’s HEAVY! HEAVY! HEAVY! HEAVY! Heavy Metal mania all the way!’ Absolutely devastating, I kid you not.
First called ‘Buzzard’, the group came together in Edinburgh during school holidays in June 1977. They went through a variety of names before settling on one “Which represented all the power and the force of the group members” – Holocaust.
With a stable line-up of Garry Lettice (vocals), John Mortimer and Ed Dudley (twin lead guitars), Robin Begg (bass) and Paul Collins (drums), the group worked steadily, quickly graduating from playing schools and community centers to the dance hall and night-club circuit, supporting the likes of the Tygers Of Pan Tang, Vardis and Saxon.
But it wasn’t until singer Lettice started work in a local record shop (no not a grocer’s) that matters really began to take shape. Storeowner John Mayer was swift to spot the potential of his employee’s outfit and signed them to his Phoenix record label .
5.0 out of 5 stars Returning Metallica’s favor… Raised from relative obscurity by Metallica’s cover of the fantastic “Small Hours”, highly influential NWOBHM band Holocaust return that favor by including an interesting cover of “Master of Puppets” on this, a reissue of the out of print “Hypnosis of Birds” (plus Extra tracks). Also includes “that” song: The Small Hours. An intelligent and innovative band, this album is a must-have, even if only to prove that Metallica didn’ t write “The Small Hours”.
5.0 out of 5 stars Holocaust expands This album isn’t as heavy or as brutal as “The Nightcomers”, but the more you listen to it, the more you realize how amazing this album is. The record is kind of a mix between traditional , thrash, and progressive metal. “The Small Hours”, originally only available as a live song, finally gets the studio treatment. It fits in well with the album, even though it was originally written back in ’81. this album are that a) most NWOBHM bands can’t or won’t evolve – Holocaust has; b) this album is really unlike most metal albums produced, then or now; c) there’s a distinct flavor to the music and lyrics that really add to the atmosphere of the album. It’s evil thoughts, desperate emotions, and controlled rage all rolled into one.There are three bonus tracks on this album, as it is a 1996 re-release of 1992’s “Hypnosis of Birds”. ” (to pay back Metallica’s cover of “Small Hours”) and I do enjoy Holocaust’s take on the Metallica song.
There seems to be some confusion going on regarding this release – while it’s tagged as “re-recorded” here, I don’t hear a sliver of difference between the first 11 of these tracks and the supposed originals from Hypnosis of Birds . click to read It seems to be a UK-exclusive reissue of HOB with some tacked on extra tracks from The Heavy Metal Mania EPand John Mortimer’s “thank you” answer cover song of Metallica (for them previously covering Holocaust’s The Small Hours), which is a decent approximation of the original, but doesn’t bring anything fresh to it aside from subpar production. Pretty much everything else there is to say about HOB naturally applies here as well, eclectic progressive metal / goth rock mix with thrash metal overtones and an atypically murky production, that’s not comparable to much else out there – really uneven and rough around the edges, but not without its Unique unpolished charm.
Content Details
The 3rd release of the scene revival of the long-established British metal band, which is said to have influenced Metallica. The dark and aggressive sound hides and hides the commonalities with former Metallica. The gothic metal approach is probably the result of being conscious of the British scene at the time.
Track
01. Into Lebanon
02. Small Hours
03. Hypnosis of Birds
04. Tower
05. Book of Seasons
06. Mercier & Kamie
07. Summer Tides
08. Mortal Mother
09. Cairnapple Hill
10. In the Dark Places of the Earth11
. Caledonia
12. Heavy Metal Mania
13. Death or Glory
14. Metal master
15. war in heaven
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.