Lost/Forgotten Album #219

[Jon]

This week's pick was a bit difficult since it is Halloween week and I needed something with that Halloween theme. 

"Horror Show" from Iced Earth would have been a perfect pick, but that was already featured a couple years ago and I don't believe in repeats. What about the OST for "Trick Or Treat" by Fastway? Well, it was pulled but then I remembered that Fastway was featured a month or so ago, so that one was out as well. There's another reason why that album was declined, but I refuse to mention why.

How about some early Opeth? That too was pulled, but then I remembered how much people would bitch and whine about the vocals. "My Arms, Your Hearse" was evil enough, but I'm not in the mood to listen to a bunch of whiny babies (you know who you are).

Evil was ditched. I just needed to find something that had just a LITTLE something to do with Halloween, and that's why this week's L/F pick is "Superheroes", the 2001 release from Racer X. The title has a Halloween feel as do some of the song titles.

What's even better is that there was a cry for help on the latest AOTW. Some poor sod was getting burnt out on a certain vocal-type but, thankfully, I am here yet again to save the day. 

And now, a mini bio of the band courtesy of allmusic.com:

"This Los Angeles band earned a reputation for melodic, technical, incredibly high-speed rock. Their original lineup featured Paul Gilbert (guitar), Jeff Martin (vocals), John Alderete (bass), and Harry Gschoesser (drums). Scott Travis replaced Gschoesser in 1986, when Bruce Bouillet was added as a second guitarist, beginning a period considered to be the band's best. Gilbert left in 1988 to join Mr. Big, and the band broke up soon afterwards, with Bouillet pursuing a solo career. Martin later joined Badlands as a drummer."

(NOTE: 100% collusion free! All facts are from jonsmindopedia, unless otherwise noted.)

Of course you need the album review, again courtesy of allmusic.com:

"From the outside, Superheroes seems to be a rather bizarre concept, as the band's members are all dressed to the nines in strange outfits and get accompanying odd nicknames; bassist John Aldrete is known as "The X-Tinguisher" and wears a red getup replete with several fire extinguishers. Apparently, the influential instrumentalists have watched one too many episodes of The Tick. Put the disc in the player and it's more along the lines you would expect from this virtuoso vehicle: a whole lot of shredding guitar solos courtesy of Paul Gilbert, intense drumming from Scott Travis (who rejoins the band during breaks from Judas Priest duties), and Jeff Martin's distinctive shriek. That said, there are some deviations from the norm this time out. Racer X's version of "Godzilla" is a Technicolor comeuppance of flash, truly making it their own; "Mad at the World" and the innuendo-laden "That Hormone Thing" border on hair metal commercialism, and "Evil Joe" is a sample- and quirk-laden rap-metal number. Still, you get the sense that Racer X will be relegated once again to preaching to the converted like most of the Guitar Institute set does."

So there you go. My Halloween album of 2014 plus it's the second time Racer X has been featured as an L/F album (for those counting). The first time was way back in January 2013 so enough time has passed. Deal with it. 

Did you know one of the songs on this album was featured elsewhere on this site at another time so very long ago? Did you?

Superheroes

1. Superheroes
2. Let The Spirit Fly
3. Godzilla
4. Dead Man's Shoes
5. King Of The Monsters
6. Mad At The World
7. Evil Joe
8. That Hormone Thing
9. Viking Kong
10. Time Before The Sun

Availability: Prices start around $13 used. 

[Gordon Williams]

If you like fast, shred filled, pounding rock n roll...well, you should like this. Not quite as good as their "Technical Difficulties" release, but this is still a high speed metal shred fest. Gilbert is one of the best in the whole world, Scott Travis just kills the drums, and the vocals are pretty good as well.

Best songs for me include "Let The Spirit Fly", "Dead Man's Shoes" (killer riffing on this one), "Evil Joe", and "That Hormone Thing". The cover of BOC's classic track "Godzilla" does not quite do much for me. I'll give them credit for "making it their own", but the slowed down tempo just does not fit for me.

Overall, a very good week from the two album posting leaders, RJHog and Jon. Two good picks. Keep it up, boys...

[Jon]

Thank you. I try to only post quality unless I feel like posting something that sucks.

[Scott]

I can think of only one album that's worse...

[RJhog (Admin)]

Hmmm...based on the previous Racer-X post, my guess is this will not appeal to me:

1. Don't care for this style at all.  Non-stop shredding from a very talented guitarist.  Terrible vocals.  No appeal at all for me.

2. Definitely better.  I like the pace, slightly less shred fest of the guitar, and the vocals are just miles above the previous song.

3.  Cover.  Shred.  Easily forgettable. 

4. You'd think this was right up my alley.  Vocally, it's very reminiscent of Keel.  So yes, I do like it.  Probably right behind Let The Spirit Fly for best track so far.  The guitar is more melodic than shred-filled, so I like it better too.

5. The beginning of this sounds really cool.  Then the shred-fest returns.  But, the positive thing is that there are no vocals.  The bass stands out on this track to me.  Sounds exactly like what Billy Sheehan would play.  Slight time changes are cool.

6. Surprisingly, another good song.  It's Danzig meets Keel with a slight Alice Cooper riff (from the song Poison).

7. Is this a nod to Faith No More?  Maybe, but I'd suggest to leave it to FNM.

8. Not good.

9. Awesome song title.  Second instrumental.  Both are good, but I think the first one is slightly better.

10. The closer.  Not great but not bad.  Much better than tracks 7 and 8.

So, overall, 5.5/10.  That's pretty good numbers for Jonny.  Seriously, this is better than I expected and better than I remember the first Racer X album you posted.  I definitely think the band is at it's best when it reminds me of Keel.  

[Jon]

Keel??? Are you seriously trying to piss me off?

[Gordon Williams]

For me, the vocal work here is much better than any Keel I ever heard. But it's all about that "subjective opinion" thing...

[Jon]

He's just trying to start trouble.

Keel is lower than the stuff you scrape off the bottom of your shoes. Basically, a slight step below Kiss. 

[Gordon Williams]

I'm laughing, but see, I disagree...I do like Kiss, and I had two Keel releases that never get played anymore, but...

I'm trying to get past the "old me" where I let things other people said about music I like piss me off. Why get mad? It's not going to change their opinion, and it should not sway your opinion on how you feel about something. So, like, I could get upset about your COMPLETELY WRONG post on the Audioslave debut, but if you don't like it, why should I let it bother me? I love it, and I'll listen to it when I want. And you can listen to that Overkill, and RJ can listen to the Paul Stanley solo album, and Niels can listen to a prog album that lasts 3 hours over 4 songs, and Scott can listen to music that favors keyboards and such...see where I'm going?

So, who thinks Ted Nugent should be President? What?....wait....what??? You think Ted is a loud mouthed, draft dodging, motor mouth who makes Obama look good??? Just let me go call up all my buddies in the U.S. Marines. Oh just you wait, you not liking Ted just pisses me off so bad....  

[Jon]

You don't understand. It's Rjhog.

That's ok, dad. I'll take care of him. Go eat some Ramen noodles! 

[Gordon Williams]

Take care of who? Ted? The Marines? RJ? Me?

Just so you know...Audioslave is good (all 3 albums) and Overkill blows...

But the best band of all time...ALL TIME...is Anvil...

no wait, it's Men At Work...no wait, it's Blondie...no wait, it's Toto...no, wait...

[RJhog (Admin)]

It's Keel.

[Gordon Williams]

Another good laugh!

Now see, laughing is waaaaaaaayy better than being pissed off. But I'm pissed off too, because no one has EVER...EVER...posted what is truly, truly, the best CD of all time. The very best. It's never been posted here.