Cherry Red [Release date 30.10.26]

CD1 : Terror And Submission (1987)
CD2 : Mind Wars (1988)
CD3 : El Revengo, Rare Demo Material (1988)
CD4 : Live In Dendermonde, Belgium (1988)
DVD: Live In Milwaukee, Chicago and Anaheim (1988)

To a man, and an occasional woman, critics lauded California band, Holy Terror’s debut album, Terror And Submission. Even the speed/ thrash metal sceptics in the music media stepped back in amazement.

And yet it wasn’t in itself ground breaking. What it did was take the genre’s limited template and filled it to the brim with irresistible head-banging rhythms and Mike Alvord’s spiralling, galloping riffery.

On the debut album, Terror and Submission, singer Keith Deen’s, vocals, distinctive and dynamic, led the way, leaping from metaphorical peaks to Stygian depths, and back again.

It’s pretty clear from the album’s unvarnished sentiments and emotional intensity – look no further than the first 3 tracks, “Armies approach the final gate, gathered there to watch and wait” (Black Plague); “Calling for mercy, darkness rears its head, Evil is rising” (Evil’s Rising) and “Blood spilled in vain for the sake of those profane” (Blood Of Saints) – that this was no ordinary metal band.

On an album full of power chords and crazy licks, their only concession is a judicious use of melody, almost as punctuation. It helps the medicine go down.

The punishing Thrash Metal of follow up album, Mind Wars, (which is coincidentally the band name chosen by Alvord, when he eventually formed his own splinter group in 2013), is a rawer, much more muscular affair, doling out cerebral heaviness across 10 tracks, and doing so at insane speeds. The best of which, ‘Do Unto Others’ and ‘Debt Of Pain’ are the fastest, most abrasive.

As one review had it at the time “they wanted to prove they could shove more riffs into 40 minutes than their predecessor band, Agent Steel”.

Mind Wars takes no prisoners.

And if we thought Mind Wars was raw and aggressive, the third CD, packed with rare demo material, will have you reaching for the diazepam, “to provide immediate relief from panic and extreme anxiety” apparently.

Live, the band give an airing to all the best stuff we’ve mentioned above, ‘Black Plague’, ‘Judas Reward’, and ‘Debt Of Pain’ open, and close this hour long set. ‘Blood Of The Saints’ and ‘Alpha Omega’ prove to be overwhelming powerful songs done live.

Keith Deen sounds more like Ozzy off his meds than he does like himself, clearly taking his cue from Mike Alvord, who squeezes out even more tortured riffery on stage.

The crowd love it. It’s most unfortunate that the the DVD was not available to view at the time of writing.

‘Scuse me while I wipe away the tears. ****

Review by Brian McGowan

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions,

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

Josh now hosts “Taerk’s Tracks” as part of the Singer Songwriter Sunday sequence on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio.

This is the first show broadcast on 27 September. Josh presents some of his inspirational artists and tracks.

David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast 27 September 2026.

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Power Plays w/c 26 October 2026

BLACK RIVER DELTA Shame On You (Despotz Records)
DAYTONA Listen To The Silence (Escape Music)
SUCKERTRAP Sacred Lies (indie)
WOOD BURNT RED Count My Blessings (indie)
BLACKLIST UNION Heavy Is The Crown (indie)

Featured Albums w/c 26 October 2026

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Singer Songwriter)

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