Year : 1984 (Stormspell Records Limited Edition 2021)
Style : Heavy Metal
Country : United States
Audio : 320 kbps + scans
Size : 149 mb
Bio:
BLUDGEON band from Wisconsin, US formed in 1979.Active in the mid-'80s.They recorded a 7-song demo in 1984, which remained in obscurity until it was released on CD (along with 9 live tracks that were also recorded in '84) by Stormspell Records in 2021.They had occasionally used the band name LYD (Lock Up Your Daughter) at live shows, in order for it to be easier to get gigs than it would have been under the Bludgeon moniker.
Album:
Heavy Metal band from Wisconsin.Little is known about this obscure combo (soon to be remedied from the band story published in the booklet) and mot much is available on the world wide web either. We gathered everything they have ever recorded, which is a 7-track demo from 1984 and a live show, broadcast on WQFM local radio station (again from 1984).Recordings are rough and the time has not been kind to the tapes, but it is what it is - a remnant from a glorious past. A treat for all those initiated diehard fans that can see through the sonic limitations and enjoy the timeless piece of heavy metal music history hidden within.Recommended for fans of early Iron Maiden (Paul DiAnno era), debut Anthrax album (with Neil Turbin), Armored Saint, Warrior, and so on.This One is Limited And Numbered To 500 Units.I bow my head in gratitude to Stormspell Records. Evidently they have started a new series called Beyond the Arcane, of which this release, by aggressive USPM obscurity Bludgeon – a five-piece outfit originally from Lake Mills, WI – is the first issue. This series is evidently devoted to unearthing and remastering rare demos and concerts from the golden era of power/speed/thrash and making them digitally available to a new generation of fans. Seriously: if this album is any indication of the quality of the releases they’re going to run in Beyond the Arcane, keep your eyes peeled for all the others, because this is excellent stuff.This band was evidently spearheaded by Lake Mills natives Scott Kruse and Chris Pike, who solidified their lineup after meeting bassist Eric Jorgensen. Heavily influenced by Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and the Scorpions, and aiming for more speed, their sound fit right into the emerging solid, crunchy US power metal vein. Kruse was evidently heavily into the darker aspects of Eastern European history: ‘Vlad the Impaler’ is, of course, about the (much-misunderstood) Romanian ruler Vlad Țepeș; while ‘The Mad Monk’ is about the (sadly too well-understood) the infamous Russian peasant-mystic-charlatan Grigori Rasputin. The band also touched on Sabbathesque anti-nuclear and anti-Cold War themes in ‘Metal Storm’.The musical tastes of the band, as well, are intriguingly broad and versatile, including not just metal but also prog rock, acid rock and blues rock. Of course they feature a Maiden cover on here, and with Kruse’s interest in Russian history, what else would they choose for this recording but ‘The Trooper’? But they also have a Blue Öyster Cult cover here (‘Stairway to the Stars’) and a Jimi cover (‘Red House’). The last one is particularly interesting, because the musicianship reminds one strongly not only of Hendrix, but also of SRV and Double Trouble (may they both rest in peace). Speaking personally, I strongly approve of the inclusion of these cover tracks. I appreciate the musical style on all three of them.Even though this album consists of a remastered demo tape and a handful of live recordings, and the production quality is therefore right around what you might expect, the musicianship is still remarkably and consistently high. It’s a true pity that the band broke up in ’86, since even just based on this demo they were making music that was right up there in quality alongside Liege Lord, Jag Panzer, Armored Saint and Savage Grace.Had they gotten greater exposure than those few local gigs and radio shows, and stuck it out longer, it’s easy to imagine them gaining the same kind of regional cult following that Slauter Xstroyes, Twisted Tower Dire or Cauldron Born enjoy. Among these songs, ‘Injector’ even shows some hints that their style was progressing in a more extreme technical speed-thrash vein that would later be honed to razor-keenness by their fellow Midwesterners Powermad and Realm. Albums like this one will always have a kind of wistfulness attached to them, precisely on account of fans who had heard them back in the day, or who are newly discovering them now, wondering about what might have been.So, Stormspell Records: once again, thank you so much for remastering this for a release this year. You’ve done the entire metal world a supererogatory service, and I hope Bludgeon do get a broader exposure on account of it. In the meanwhile, I’ll be awaiting further releases in your Beyond the Arcane run with bated breath.
Line-Up:
John Dorney - Vocals (1983-1986)
Scott Kruse - Guitars (1979-1986)
Chris Pike - Guitars (1979-1986)
Eric Jorgensen - Bass (1981-1986)
Dale Larson - Drums (1981-1986)
Tracklist:
01. Vlad The Impaler (Demo '84)
02. Injector (Demo '84)
03. Blood On My Hands (Demo '84)
04. Out Of The Cell (Demo '84)
05. CPTV (Demo '84)
06. The Mad Monk (Demo '84)
07. Metal Storm (Demo '84)
08. Vlad The Impaler (Live '84) missing
09. Injector (Live '84) missing
10. Blood On My Hands (Live '84) missing
11. Out Of The Cell (Live '84) missing
12. The Mad Monk (Live '84)
13. Metal Storm (Live '84)
14.The Trooper (Live '84)
15.Red House (Live '84)
16. Stairway To The Stars (Live '84)
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