First up is my review for the soundtrack to the 1981 R-rated animated classic Heavy Metal. Watch for my enthusiastic of the review of the film itself coming soon....
Ok, on to the soundtrack. For a soundtrack released in 1981, this one is unique in it's diversity shoving artists like Stevie Nicks and Journey right up against heavy-hitters like Dio-fronted Black Sabbath and Blue Oyster Cult. Metallers in '81 must have been irked by the inclusion of "Open Arms" but every song on here is still well-crafted rock 'n roll by 2008 standards. Let's do a track-by-track breakdown!
1. SAMMY HAGAR "Heavy Metal"- This song actually lives up to it's title, providing us a dynamic riff-driven rock'n roller that gets the soundtrack off to a groovy start.
2.RIGGS "Heartbeat"- Solid commercial rock from a band that never really went anywhere but based the cool licks and infectuous chorus on display here, it was not from lack of talent.
3. DEVO "Working in a The Coal Mine"- Ok, I love this band, so this review might be biased. Not as druggy or hypnotic as their stunning cover version of "Satisfaction", Devo nonetheless gives a completely original, robotic re-interpretation of a song we've heard a hundred times.
4.BLUE OYSTER CULT- "Veteran of The Psychic Wards"- I already knew and loved this positively spine-tingling BOC track from the tremendous Fire of Unknown Origin album, but it was cool to see it's inclusion here. Perfect moodiness for the film's soundtrack. This tremendous band was originally tapped to do the entire HM soundtrack. Now that would have been cool.
5. CHEAP TRICK "Reach Out"- Not available anywhere else, and if you are a Cheap Trick fan, this and "I Must Be Dreamin" are reason alone to buy this. Quality pop crunch from the Tricksters with lots of scintillating synth work for you new wave fans.
6. DON FELDER "Heavy Metal (Takin' a Ride)"- More atmospheric than the Haggar track and with some cool BOC-ish harmonies in the chorus. I like this song; it makes me want to cruise down the coast with the sunroof open in my car.
7. DONALD FAGEN "True Companion"- About as far from metal as you can get, but I still really dig this. Not on par with Steely Dan's best work, but Fagen delivers a fusion-y cocktail lounge trip that gave me visions of city lights and lonely bars.
8.NAZARETH "Crazy (A Suitable Case for Treatment)"- Nice mid-tempo groover from Nazareth. This reminds of their slick "Expect No Mercy"- era stuff. Again, one of my fave bands from the 70s.
9.RIGGS "Radar Rider"- More cool-guy rock from Riggs. Trippy vocals. I need to get this band's full-length debut... does anyone have a review for it?
10. JOURNEY "Open Arms"- Alright, here's the insurance policy track for the soundtrack's chart status. I think Journey is good, but this song is them at their overblown worst. Give me Journey ballad "Lights" any day over this piffle.
11. GRAND FUNK RAILROAD "Queen Bee"- The 1980s were not kind to GFR but this song is fun. This doesn't have the groovy heaviness of their 70s work, but it's still straightforward rock with cool vocal harmonies and energetic playing. Throw this on to a party mixed tape, and no one in the room will bat an eye.
12. CHEAP TRICK "I Must Be Dreamin"- More cool and trippy sci-fi rock from Cheap Trick, the band definitely experimenting with their sound a bit here. The space-tech intro reminding me of Wang Chung's soundtrack for "To Live and Die in L.A."
13. BLACK SABBATH "The Mob Rules"- This is just a heavy classic in every sense of the phrase. Prime Dio-era Sabbath title track from one of the coolest albums of all time (with cover art by Greg Hildebrandt). Great use of this galloping track in the film too, during a bloody battle sequence. Perfect.
14. DON FELDER "All of You" -This guy and Joe Walsh have to be the coolest musicians to ever be in the Eagles. Felder makes excellent rock drenched in atmosphere. I think I need to seek out some of his solo stuff...
15. TRUST "Prefabricated"- Who is Trust? From the sounds of "Prefabricated", it's radcial NWOBHM-style rock with almost punk vocals. Reminds me of Paul Di'Anno fronted Iron Maiden, but not as heavy.
16. STEVIE NICKS "Blue Lamp"- Something about Stevie Nicks turns me on. This is more pop than "Sleeping Angel", which to my knowledge is also soundtrack-only to "Fast Times at Ridegmont High". This is a slick, upbeat way to end a metal soundtrack, but the music is so well-performed that I don't find fault with it. Fun.
I'm giving this album a 9/10. One point shaved off for the shameless inclusion of overplayed pretentious weepie "Open Arms". Other than that, put this on at a party or in your tape deck for those long road trips and you're all set. You'll only have to skip one track.
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