The crackling discharge of electricity that accompanies a
trip through a dimensional portal was barely over when I recognized where
Bloodmace and I had been sent. The smell of sorga flowers in the Jenkabala
forest is unmistakable. My brother has
already arrived and he is leaning against the trunk of a tremendous sourwood
tree. “Hai! So it’s back to the northern forest we have been sent.” Quickly he
strides over to the spot where I stand, hand on his
signature weapon. “There is
much you have to answer for, Demon Scourge. You must explain yourself or we
must finish this battle once and for all.” Bloodmace’s countenance was grave as
he took up his fighting stance. With little time to choose, I hastened to
explain. “It was in this very spot, if I’m not mistaken. This was our campsite
the night Tolar came with his warning, the place where we were captured by the
Wyverns. I know not if Tolar is on the side of Headron but the one who came to
us in that form stayed within me until that fateful night at Castle Thrashstone. Just as we were about to open the portal, this terrible larva
burst forth from its cocoon and took command of my body. Brother, there is no
way to alter these events, but we must prevent another cataclysm from
destroying Centon.” Bloodmace regards me sternly for a moment then extends his
hand. As I grasp his arm in solidarity he says to me in a low menacing voice, “We
will go on to complete our mission, but if you make a move towards me or any of
the others I shall destroy you so you will never return to this realm again.”
First, we heard the early 80's most underrated and criminally ignored hard rock band, Alcatrazz. Their first album, No Parole From Rock 'n' Roll, was packaged and marketed as LA party metal in the vein of Motley Crue and Quiet Riot, but it is so much more. Featuring former Rainbow and Black Sabbath crooner Graham Bonnett, and Richie Blackmore disciple Yngwie Malmsteen, this is more of a slick 80's update of the former band and Deep Purple for heshers a few IQ points above the rest of the glam rockers. Which is probably why it flopped. Songcraft and mood takes precedent, shredder Yngwie seeming almost restrained, his massive chops perfectly complimenting skinny tie clad Bonnett's tasteful wail. They dominate the whole album, while the rest of the band churn away, workmanlike and professional. Lyrics are the real surprise; intelligent, non-pretentious, with a slight air of 70's mysticism. I fucking love this album. So does Demon Scourge. So should you.
This concert vid contains most of the album, and also a Rainbow track or two.
Chronicles of the North Part 1.2 - Sign of the Jackal
I was about to reply to Bloodmace’s warning when something moved in the distance. Without a word we both leap behind a huge root protruding from the soft ground near where we stand. After a moment of breathless silence I peer out across the forest floor but all I can see is a few leaves floating lazily down from the treetops high above. Bloodmace rises as well and we begin to slowly scan the wilderness for any sign of life. I turned to Bloodmace just in time to see a slender, grey thread descending from the ancient foliage above but as I open my mouth to cry out, a slimy tendril grasps me across the chest and we are both yanked upward, the ground falling away into a sea of empty space. As we approach the fragrant canopy, abundant with white sorga flowers, our travel slows dramatically and our captor comes into view. At first its form seems to be simian, standing upright with a small head mounted on a large hairy body with feet that terminate in vicious claws. Sprouting from the sides of its body however are two sucker covered tentacles that flop menacingly as we are heaved onto the tremendous branch. The creature motions for us to follow as the wet organic rope around our sides disintegrates. When the strange hybrid reaches the trunk it reaches with a tentacle into an orifice on the side of its body and produces a foamy yellow goop witch it proceeds to shovel into a sharp toothed maw sunken into matted fur. With a strange noise our captor spits the viscous substance, now grey, onto a neighboring branch. Yanking the threads out of its mouth the creature attaches them to the branch we are standing on and points with rubbery appendage at the other side. Slowly, Bloodmace and I make our way across the chasm. We step on to the branch, steadying ourselves with the thick stems of the flowers witch dwarf us on every side. The wooden pathway widens out enough for the two of us to walk side by side, now obviously a flat walkway. Strangely familiar symbols are carved into the polished surface. Bloodmace, pointing down breaks the silence, “Look at the path, do you think…” his voice trails off as we push aside the foliage ahead of us to reveal that the path now slopes into the interior of this arboreal catwalk. Carved into the entry are the mystic symbols of T’Chah Karnac. “Well,” I say to Bloodmace “I guess we know why we were sent here.”
The next album we heard was UFO's 1977 release Light's Out. This is not a metal album, but hard rock with a few metal leaning songs that were highly influential on metal. This is also one of the few if not only album we've reviewed here that does not have an entry on Encyclopedia Metallum. This album was especially influential on the NWOBHM, and Iron Maiden in particular. Steve Harris counts the albums 7 minute closer 'Love To Love, as his favorite. It's easy to see its epic structure's influence on later Maiden behemoths, though the string section clearly dates it. This album is best known for AOR chugger 'To Hot To Handle' and 'Light's Out', the most balls out metal song on the album. Mostly, though, I can't really get too excited about this album. I don't dislike it, but the lighter, popper, bluesier songs make me crave more power cords and epicness(or at least some prog weirdness), which isn't the focus of the album. This is a classic hard rock album, but it ain't metal.
The third album is one that is very close to Demon Scourge's hell-scarred heart, Dokken's Back For The Attack. I have to admit, Dokken was never one of my favorite bands in the 80's, either for being not heavy enough, too poppy, too slick and later, not cheesy enough. But Demon's advocacy has deepened my appreciation of this band. Once again, it is pure song craft and George Lynch's tasty axe work that win the day. Once you get past the fact that this isn't going to be a screaming iron fest, you can enjoy this albums sometimes party hardy flavors. I'm never going to take Cryptopsy or Enslaved off my playlist in favor of Dokken, but when it the middle of the summer and you're cruisin' around trying to recapture your late 80's glory dayzzzzz, you could not do any better than to blast this album out your speakers.
This concert vid contains most of the album, and also a Rainbow track or two.
I was about to reply to Bloodmace’s warning when something moved in the distance. Without a word we both leap behind a huge root protruding from the soft ground near where we stand. After a moment of breathless silence I peer out across the forest floor but all I can see is a few leaves floating lazily down from the treetops high above. Bloodmace rises as well and we begin to slowly scan the wilderness for any sign of life. I turned to Bloodmace just in time to see a slender, grey thread descending from the ancient foliage above but as I open my mouth to cry out, a slimy tendril grasps me across the chest and we are both yanked upward, the ground falling away into a sea of empty space. As we approach the fragrant canopy, abundant with white sorga flowers, our travel slows dramatically and our captor comes into view. At first its form seems to be simian, standing upright with a small head mounted on a large hairy body with feet that terminate in vicious claws. Sprouting from the sides of its body however are two sucker covered tentacles that flop menacingly as we are heaved onto the tremendous branch. The creature motions for us to follow as the wet organic rope around our sides disintegrates. When the strange hybrid reaches the trunk it reaches with a tentacle into an orifice on the side of its body and produces a foamy yellow goop witch it proceeds to shovel into a sharp toothed maw sunken into matted fur. With a strange noise our captor spits the viscous substance, now grey, onto a neighboring branch. Yanking the threads out of its mouth the creature attaches them to the branch we are standing on and points with rubbery appendage at the other side. Slowly, Bloodmace and I make our way across the chasm. We step on to the branch, steadying ourselves with the thick stems of the flowers witch dwarf us on every side. The wooden pathway widens out enough for the two of us to walk side by side, now obviously a flat walkway. Strangely familiar symbols are carved into the polished surface. Bloodmace, pointing down breaks the silence, “Look at the path, do you think…” his voice trails off as we push aside the foliage ahead of us to reveal that the path now slopes into the interior of this arboreal catwalk. Carved into the entry are the mystic symbols of T’Chah Karnac. “Well,” I say to Bloodmace “I guess we know why we were sent here.”
The third album is one that is very close to Demon Scourge's hell-scarred heart, Dokken's Back For The Attack. I have to admit, Dokken was never one of my favorite bands in the 80's, either for being not heavy enough, too poppy, too slick and later, not cheesy enough. But Demon's advocacy has deepened my appreciation of this band. Once again, it is pure song craft and George Lynch's tasty axe work that win the day. Once you get past the fact that this isn't going to be a screaming iron fest, you can enjoy this albums sometimes party hardy flavors. I'm never going to take Cryptopsy or Enslaved off my playlist in favor of Dokken, but when it the middle of the summer and you're cruisin' around trying to recapture your late 80's glory dayzzzzz, you could not do any better than to blast this album out your speakers.
Words of the Elders
The Jenkabala forest is filled with mystery. From the soft,
moist floor to the verdant canopy of jade and amber, secrets are hidden. What dangers will
Bloodmace and Demon Scourge face in this wilderness, and what will become of
the rest of their party? Many miles south of this sanctuary lies the former
Jenkabala Palace, which is now Jenkabala mall. It is there that Lord Headron
holds court in the Hot Topic where the central listening chamber of Demon
Scourge once stood.CURSE YOU Headron! The vengeance of Bloodmace and Demon Scourge needs blood! YOUR BLOOD HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! You can hide in your fortress of consumer goods but it cannot deflect the heavy hammer of the righteous!
Until next week, Doomlords of Armageddon
Horns
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