METAL Massacre VI (6) CD PROMO compilation. Incl. Possessed: Swing of the Axe (different Version), Dark Angel, etc

Description

Metal Massacre VI
Label: Metal Blade
Format: CD, Compilation PROMO
Country: Hellas
Style: Thrash, Heavy Metal, Death Metal, Doom
Tracklist:
1 Possessed Swing Of The Axe 3:49 Possessed – Swing of the Axe(Metal Massacre Version)
2 Nasty Savage XXX 5:27
3 Steel Assassin Executioner 5:02
4 Mayhem Tear Down The Walls 5:43
5 Hades Easy Way Out 4:49
6 Hallows Eve* Metal Merchants 4:24
7 Hirax Bombs Of Death 2:03
8 Pathfinder Fountain Keeper 3:50
9 Dark Angel Welcome To The Slaughterhouse 5:25
10 The Obsessed Concrete Cancer 3:16
11 Martyr En Masse (Stand Or Die) 5:10

Concept By Brian Slagel
Executive Producer Brian Slagel
Mastered By Eddie Schreyer*

Mastered at Capitol Records

Side A:
1. POSSESSED – Swing Of The Axe
Early death metal, sounds like DEATHs debut.
2. NASTY SAVAGE – XXX
Killer thrash metal. Later rerecorded for their Indulgence LP.
3. STEEL ASSASSIN – Executioner
Great JAG PANZER style power metal with warbly vocals. Bassist Phil Grasso went on to form Madd Hunter. Later reissued on their From The Vaults CD.
4. MAYHEM – Tear Down The Walls
Portland, Oregon thrash with killer vocals that stick in your head. Singer Nick Damis was replaced by Matt McCourt (WILD DOGS) on the Burned Alive LP.
5. HADES – Easy Way Out
Quite different to their later material, this sounds like a more hard rock oriented WITCHFINDER GENERAL.

Side B:
1. HALLOWs EVE – Metal Merchants
Early METALLICA style thrash that is surprisingly good.
2. HIRAX – Bombs Of Death
Typical HIRAX speed/thrash.
3. PATHFINDER – Fountain Keeper
Awesome Canadian power metal that features Rik Anthony (BREAKER) on vocals.
4. DARK ANGEL – Welcome To The Slaughterhouse
Sounds like a more extreme SLAYER but far too monotonous, unlike DARK ANGELs later material.
5. THE OBSESSED – Concrete Cancer
Decent doom metal with very Ozzy like vocals. Later released on Incarnate CD.
6. MARTYR – En Masse (Stand Or Die)
The Dutch MARTYR, this is cool mid-paced power metal that reminds me of WARLORD in parts. Later released as a bonus track on the For The Universe CD.

Possessed – Swing of the Axe(Metal Massacre Version)

This is the Metal Massacre version from ’85. Its more raw than the Eyes of Horror version.

Thrash was the king of the day at this point in time in metals history, as can be clearly seen by the amount of thrash bands on “Metal Massacre 6”. Possessed, while having awful lyrics, were one of the better bands musically. Many credit them with being the first death metal band. Nasty Savage, of course, tear it loose with “XXX”, a song that also appears on their album “Indulgence,” although this version is different than the album version. Hades are one of the few that aren’t of the thrash variety, but in my opinion, give us one of the best songs on this disc. Hallows Eve, Hirax, and Dark Angel also turn in some speed laden, metal mayhem. Hirax have a very unique sound, thanks mostly to vocalist Katon DePena. “Welcome to the Slaughterhouse” is the most Slayer-like of all the bands here. If I am not mistaken, this is the same versions of “Welcome to the Slaughterhouse” that appeared on “We Have Arrived.” The Obssessed also stear clear of the thrash genre, offering up some melodic, heavy doooooom! Excellent, haunting vocals from Scott “Wino” Weinrich. Overall, this is one of the better Metal Massacre releases and probably the one I revisit the most over the years.