Transcript of the liner notes:
1980. NWOBHM echoes could be heard everywehere and bands like Iron Maiden, Saxon, Def Leppard and Judas Priest made England the Heavy Metal Mecca. But not only there Metal was becoming a youth phenomenon. At the same time five young German boys got together to play the same kind of music their english heroes played. They didn't take themselves very seriously and just wanted to play their mix of Kiss, Motorhead and Judas Priest in schools around their city. Their band was called Metal Gods, a clear homage to Judas Priest. Later the band was rebaptized IRON ANGEL. At that time, there weren't many German Hard Rock / Heavy Metal acts. Scorpions, featuring the Schenker brothers, had some success with their melodic rock and Accept followed a more traditiona english style, where
Udo Dirkschneider's
unusual vocals were a highlight. However, there was a brand new underground scene willing to breakthrough and show the world a new style, heavier but still influenced by all those classic bands. Everywhere in the world, new bands started popping up, each one adding new feature to Heavy Metal. Some Of these (Such BS the swedish Bathory and the Swiss Hellhammer) followed the steps of the english Venom, a band that became a reference in extreme and Satanic metal. Soon, new bands that differed a lot fom the english sound and look started appearing in Germany. Running Wild and it's unusual lyrics, Avenger, who would soon become Rage, and the ultra fast and melodic Helloween were some of these new German bands. All of them had something in common, and they were pretty different from the traditional english bands, so the term Power Metal started being used to describe their sound. IRON ANGEL was born in this first Power Metal wave. However, they were the first to mix the obscure lyrics from extreme metal bands to the speed and melody of the other German bands. This mix was called Speed Metal, and their first demo tape, LEGIONS OF EVIL, was one of the first German Speed Metal recordings ever. After gaining some recognition in the metal underground scene and releasing some other demos, the band resleased their first album HELLISH CROSSFIRE.
HELLISH CROSSFIRE showed a fresh and a raw sound, based on speed, killer guitar riffs and inteligent dark lyrics. This unusual approach would become th seed for a whole new Thrash Metal wave from Germany, where brilliant bands like So-dom, Kreator and Destruction were born. Songs like THE METALLIAN, RUSH OF POWER and HEAVY-METAL. SOLDIERS put IRON ANGEL on the heavy metal world map. It was only the beginning...
HELLISH CROSSFIRE track review:
THE METALLIAN: This track opens the album with a fantastic guitar riff. This song is one the band's greatest classics and it shows clearly where the German Thrash Metal Gods had their influences.
SINNER 666: Although the excellent guitar work in the beginning of the track, Dirk Schroder's excellent vocal performance is the highlight of this song. It's impossible to forget the chorus "Cause I'm a sinner"!
BLACK MASS: The drums are very loud in this track. Slower than the others, this is the track for the fans to sing along with the whole band the amazing chorus.
THE CHURCH OF THE LOST SOULS: Pure power! This is real Speed Metal. Fast riffs and even a smal drum solo make this song one of the of the album.
HUNTER IN CHAINS: After a riff that reminds me of Deep Purple's "Burn", you'll find all the elements of IRON ANGEL's sound.
RUSH OF POWER: Perfect song for mosh pits. After the technical intro, power and force take over and rule the track.
LEGIONS OF EVIL: Remember NY's WHIPLASH? This song's intro reminds me of the classic "The burning of Atlanta". But this is their only similarity. IRON ANGEL's song is outstanding, specially the chorus, sung by the whole band.
WIFE OF THE DEVIL: Thrash Metal! Kudos to drummer Mike Matthes!
NIGHTMARE: The calm beginning may make you think this is a ballad. Even if it's the slowest song from the album, it's far from being one.
HEAVY-METAL-SOLDIERS: This song is something special, with galloping guitar riffs and a slightly different vocal approach. The guitar duel in the solo is fantastic.
Revision by LEO CASTRO
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