The NEW Heavy Metal Box Set From Rhino

“Yeah, billion dollar baby

I got you in the dime store,

No other little girl could ever hold you

Any tighter, any tighter than me, baby.

Billion dollar baby

Reckless like a gambler, million dollar maybe

Foaming like dog that's been infected by the rabies.

We go dancing nightly in the attic

While the moon is rising in the sky.

If I'm too rough, tell me,

I'm so scared your little head will come off in my hands.

Million dollar baby,

Billion dollar baby,

Trillion dollar baby,

Zillion dollar baby.”

--Alice Cooper, 1972.

Ok, this is a departure of sorts for me.

I am about to review something I do not own; and will not own for a few weeks.

No, I have not played it yet on Yahoo or anything like that; and I even own the majority of it.

Rhino has done what many people consider to be a Herculean if not Impossible task and created a Heavy Metal Box Set.

I ordered mine last week. I really should not be spending the money right now, but this was too good to avoid.

For the fans of Spinal Tap, the box itself looks like an amp that has knobs that one can push up to eleven—other amps only go to ten--still among the most humorous moments from the film.

The song list has some fairly expected and unexpected material. As shown on the Rhino site:

In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida - Iron Butterfly
Summertime Blues - Blue Cheer
Easy Livin - Uriah Heep
Highway Star - Deep Purple
Billion Dollar Babies - Alice Cooper
Lost Johnny - Hawkwind
Bad Motor Scooter - Montrose
Working Man - Rush
Man On The Silver Mountain - Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow
Detroit Rock City - Kiss
The Ripper - Judas Priest
Cat Scratch Fever - Ted Nugent
Lights Out - UfO
Godzilla - Blue Oyster Cult
Demolition Boys - Girlschool
White Witch - Angel Witch
The Phantom Of The Opera - Iron Maiden
Neon Knights - Black Sabbath
Ace Of Spades - Motorhead
Am Evil? - Diamond Head
Nice Boys - Rose Tattoo
Attack Of The Mad Axeman -Michael Schenker Group
Denim And Leather - Saxon
Blitzkrieg - Blitzkrieg
Gangland - Tygers Of Pan Tang
Witching Hour - Venom
You've Got Another Thing Comin' - Judas Priest
The Number Of The Beast - Iron Maiden
Star War - Raven
Say What You Will - Fastway
Black Funeral - Mercyful Fate
Animal (F**k Like A Beast) - W.A.S.P
Mean Streak - Y&T
Holy Diver - Dio
Queen Of The Reich - Queensryche
Whiplash - Metallica
Rock You Like A Hurricane - Scorpions
Metal Health - Quiet Riot
Into The Fire - Dokken
Balls To The Wall - Accept
Round And Round - Ratt
Wanna Rock - Twisted Sister
The Boulevard Of Broken Dreams -Hanoi Rocks
Midnite Maniac - Krokus
I'll See The Light, Tonight - Yngwie J. Malmsteen's Rising Force
Crazy Nights - Loudness
Shake Me - Cinderella
Watch The Children Pray - Metal Church
To Hell With The Devil - Stryper
A Little Time - Helloween
Wrecking Crew - Overkill
Caught In A Mosh - Anthrax
Peace Sells - Megadeth
Still Of The Night - Whitesnake
Rock Me - Great White
Talk Dirty To Me - Poison
Bathroom Wall - Faster Pussycat
Hall Of The Mountain King - Savatage
Kiss Me Deadly - Lita Ford
Hail And Kill - Manowar
Trial By Fire - Testament
Welcome Home - King Diamond
South Of Heaven - Slayer
One - Metallica
Cult Of Personality - Living Colour
Youth Gone Wild - Skid Row
Cowboys From Hell - Pantera
Beg To Differ - Prong
Dead Embryonic Cells - Sepultura

Yep, seems like quite a few tracks and the “experts” will argue with what shows up and what does not. For example, who does not expect “Summertime Blues” by Blue Cheer? Yet, Highway Star over Smoke on the Water? I understand it, as I made a traveling Metal CD for my car and chose Black Night by Deep Purple over either of those two selections.

Most of these songs I own, but I am intriqued by a few tracks: namely
the Hawkwind, Montrose, Girlschool, Angel Witch, Diamond Head, Rose Tattoo, Michael Schenker Group, Blitzkrieg, Raven, Fastway, Hanoi Rocks, Krokus, Yngwie J. Malmsteen's Rising Force, Metal Church, Overkill, Anthrax, Faster Pussycat, Testament, King Diamond, Prong, and Sepultura songs. Which essentially means I do not own these songs—I think.

The rest offers some unique moments like a Savatage cut—and one of my personal favorites on that one; Mercyful Fate; Lights Out by UFO is one of my all-time favorite songs by one of my all-time favorite bands; Ace of Spades is, if not THE greatest song ever released certainly among the top ten; a predictable yet fun BOC song (hey, someone sometime place Red and Black or Astronomy on something for the TRUE Blue Oyster Cult fans); The Saxon track is great; and Gangland is among the best cuts of NWOBHM (new wave of British Heavy Metal).

The tracks by others range from predictable (Another Thing Coming by Priest) to “HUH?” Like, and this is a minor bitch, but no “Breaking the Law” by Priest? Come Now. “Number of the Beast” and “Phantom of the Opera” by Maiden yet no “Fear of the Dark?” Alas, the fans will argue. It should be further noted that I refuse to not buy it because of the lameness of “Glam” bands like Poison, Ratt, Quiet Riot and the like; although I am fully aware that Rhino's Offices are located in Los Angeles.

I also figure contract/rights options must have eluded Rhino’s ability to put any Ozzy Osbourne Black Sabbath material or early Van Halen. And to be fair, some of the lines between what is Heavy Metal has blurred with Classic Rock; so that Sabbath and Van Halen might now have changed their position as metal bands; although I am betting even money this is a rights/distribution matter.

Personally, I miss the lack of current Power Metal and I think a bit more Thrash is offered here; but again my bias is showing.

None of my criticisms will squelch my enthusiasm for this Box Set to be released in early October. Finally someone has taken this vast form of music and try to give it a more definitive history. Who knows, maybe if this takes off, they will do a Power Metal, Thrash Metal, and Classic Metal box (someone email this blog column to Rhino).

Go reserve yours now; even if like me you own over half the songs. I am more than confident that the booklet included in the picture of the box set will be done in Rhino's committed style to detail and their professional quest of excellence. Thankfully someone had the foresight and the ability to make this Heavy Metal Box Set; I am very very pleased.

Viking Metal--Falkenbach--Heralding: The Fireblade

“The night the long swords where grinded

And the shields were forged in blood,

By the hands of most dexterous blacksmiths,

And sacrifices were given to the Goddesses and the Gods,

In the woods by the mighty tree,

Known in heathen kingdoms as the mighty Irminsul,

That was built as an immense landmark

Of heathen pride and honor

And a symbol of what shall be....”
-- Falkenbach “Heralder” from Heralding: The Fireblade

Lately I have been playing some Viking/Pagan metal.

No, really.

Some great moments exist on these albums, my current favorite is Falkenbach—Heralding: The Fireblade.

There is a beer hall chorus at least one of these songs on all albums. Usually there is some type of flute or winded instrument that rises to the forefront over the heavy bass and drum.

The guitars are more rhythm-ish in this style of music, often giving way to the background while a Mandolin or glockenspiel takes the center stage.

The bands also have an old age “pagan” sounding chorus at some point. Often the bands will sing in their native Nordic tongue. Falkenbach is considered among the most influential.

The keyboards act as symphony of sorts.

On Heralding the Fireblade, the opening track is very typical of Viking Metal. Heathen Foray has every above element and manages to sound very fresh and innovative.

On the second track, the guttural, screeching vocals of a crazed Norseman is heard as the guitars have a distinctive “POWER METAL” sound. Still, enough background sounds remind the listener of the past Norse conquests. Heralder is among my favorites on this one.

The rest follow the pattern of softer/melodic songs followed by the bellow and strength of thudding and thundering metal sounds.

Refined in such countries as Germany, Finland, Iceland, Denmark, and the like; this is a relatively untapped sound in the US.

And no, I do not consider HammerFall as Viking or Pagan metal.

Falkenbach-- Heralding: The Fireblade
Heathen Foray
Of Forests Unknown
Havamal
Roman Land
Heralder >mp3
Laeknishendr
Walkiesjar
Skirnir