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Cherry Red [Release date 31/01/25]
You’d need a degree in modern sciences to play with Chicago USA band, Wrath. Such is the technically demanding nature of their thrash metal sound.
The cover depicts a fresh face bunch of lads who, in 1986, were just about to cut a swathe through the heavy metal landscape, scattering all before them.
The fact that they were ultimately unable to parlay this into more than significant commercial success says more about the music business than the band.
This carefully assembled anthology comprises the band’s first 3 album releases. Only one bonus track, unfortunately.
CD1 : Fit Of Anger (1986)
CD2 : Nothing To Fear w/1 bonus (1987)
CD3 : Insane Society (1990)
Still treading the boards, 20 years later, the band’s lineup – Gary Modica, Brian Cashmore, Gary Golwitzer, Rob Noone, and Dave Sollman – has changed little over years.
Formed in the early 80s, the band: “were all individual fans of hard rock and metal growing up. Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Aerosmith, Ted Nugent and all that.”
That’s more than evident in the 1986 debut, Fit of Anger. Merging their evolved thrash sound with power metal would have been impossible without the glue of balls-out heavy rock to hold it together.
The debut’s fierce electric workouts, like the galloping ‘Fallen Angel’ and the frantic, oscillating instrumental, ‘Bones’ are the sound of a band creating their own genre niche.
Their label, King Klassic, got them back into the studio a year later for second album, Nothing To Fear.
It was produced by Ronnie Montrose, who liked what he’d heard on the debut. The band: “we couldn’t afford him at that time; it just wasn’t in our budget, but he was really cool. He took a huge cut just to do the record”.
Solid sales and a supportive label translated into major tours, sharing the stage with contemporaries Overkill, Testament and Danzig. But the icing on the cake was a track, ‘When Worlds Collide’ being chosen for the third movie in the “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” franchise.
The band were unable to capitalise further due to the loss of vocalist, Golwitzer. He was ultimately replaced by Kurt Grayson, Three years later they turned out the aggressive and gritty Unsane Society. But momentum had been lost.
The liner notes on this collection are a bit special. Written by Kevin Stewart-Panko, they track the band from 1982 to 1990.
It’s a blow by blow account of how the band’s ambition and drive got them over every hurdle in their path.
Not least the febrile political and religious atmosphere in the USA at the time, where many saw Heavy Metal as a satanic wooden horse.
An informative and entertaining read. ***1/2
Review by Brian McGowan
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