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Wrathchild
America: "Climbin' the walls" LP
Atlantic Records 1989
USA
Brad Divens - vocals, bass
Jay Abbene - guitars
Terry Carter - guitars, vocals
Shannon Larkin - drums, vocals
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Climbing the Walls
Hell's Gates
No Deposit, no Return
Hernia (Instr.)
London after Midnight
Candy from a Madman
Silent Darkness
Time
Day of the Thunder
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Here is it: the most overlooked
US Power Metal classic in history! It's not rare, so collectors do not care
for it a lot. Also it does not look spectacular. It's overseen by many,
not even mentioned in the 3 "US Metal" books (where from the quality
it should of course be included in the very first issue!). A real tragic
case is what we have here. But fortunately you have Forgotten Steel telling
you the true force inside "Climbin' the Walls" in detail: The
opener and title-track is the only weak, or better, not so strong track
on this album. It's a simple Power Metal track with a little weak chorus,
so not exactly what we all love so much. But after 4:26 min. it's over and
the fury of steel is unleashed! >Hell's Gates< is a mindblowing dark
midtempo Power Kut with the fantastic vocals of Brad Divens (sounds like
James Hettfield always wanted to but never could...). The first of the alltime-classics
that come in a nearly inflationary number of pieces on "Climbin'".
The next one directly follows: The fast and crushing >No Deposit, no
Return< with great melodies, above all in the refrain. Than comes >Hernia<
an instrumental I do not want to dissect here (don't like instrs. at all.
Only exception is the one on LIVING DEATH's "Protected from Reality",
can't remember the name now). Subsequent >London after Midnight< will
bring you to your knees with it's mighty melodylines and real sinister feeling.
After this comes the Madman himself, offering you some candy: And I bet
you swallow it, although you should know it'll make you loose your mind!
A haunting track you can never forget once you heard it! Than follows the
ultimate, the crescendo of doom, the swansong of Power Metal: One of the
best metal-tracks that I ever had the pleasure to hear, the midtempo based
and in the end accelerating >Silent Darkness (Smothered Life)<. The
story behind the track deals with the cruel fate of some poor guy who had
been buried alive. He hears the people above but they don't care about his
screams. So he lays in darkness and the only thing he can do is to swear
revenge after death. The lyrics and music harmonize perfect so the created
feeling is real intense. This song is nothing less than a Metallians [wet]
dream come true! Don't miss it!!! The next track is a not at all greasy
ballad, the cover-version of >Time<. Closed is the record by the heroic
Power Metal hymn "Day of the Thunder" in a classic way, dealing
with the senselessness of war. Hope I could at least wake an interest for
WRATHCHILD's first album, go and listen to it and build your own opinion!
The second album was entitled "3-D" and was also a good one, but
of course it never reaches the class of "Climbin'". But if seen
it can also be recommend for buying if not too expensive. Later WRATHCHILD
US changed their name to SOULS AT ZERO and played modern power metal/hardcore
style, not interesting anymore with exception of the classic track >Welcome
to the 90ies< (that shows the greatness of WRATHCHILD the last time....).
Do not confound WRATHCHILD AMERICA with a poser outfit that put out several
terrible LPs under the name WRATHCHILD that a true metal warrior should
avoid as the devil holy water! |