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In 1983, the Milanese Vanadium released an LP that would consolidate the fame (underground, of course, we're not in the UK) of what is considered the pioneering band for a certain kind of Heavy Metal in Italy. The Milanese combo had already caught attention with "Metal Rock", but it is here that they reach their compositional peak.
When all is said and done, we're talking about a record that not only has little to envy from the contemporary NWOBHM, but actually stands above many British productions. It’s really a shame that many forget to look within their own borders when searching for music beyond our confines. Steve Tessarin on the six strings oozes energy from every pore, Pino Scotto had not yet fried his brain and was a proper singer, Mimmo Prantera holds up the bass respectably, to be honest, in the not-so-complicated rhythmic sections, Lio Mascheroni amazes with his creativity behind the drums, truly underrated.
A mention for keyboardist Ruggero Zanolini, author of always convincing Deep Purple-inspired compositions. Speaking of the actual tracks, the album has very few weak points. The opener "Get Up, Shake Up" already makes things clear: powerful riffs that intertwine and a rock-infused momentum that sweeps away so many mediocre contemporary bands benefitting solely from being from more illustrious, rock'n'roll-renowned countries. One of the best heavy albums of '83 (a year that birthed albums like "Piece Of Mind" or "Holy Diver", to name a couple).
Next is "I Gotta Clash With You", the influences of Saxon are clearly visible. Vanadium offers us a solid, no-frills mid-tempo with a chorus that gets stuck in your head from the first listen. After two bursts, it's time for a semi-ballad, "Don't Be Lookin'Back". Pino Scotto is not a technical monster but he puts his soul into it here, and you can tell. The track is a succession of delicate arpeggios and bursts of heavy-NWOBHM style. When the track gains strength, it reaches very high levels, I challenge anyone not to be thrilled. The solo is also noteworthy although it does, truthfully, remind quite a bit of "Beyond The Realms Of Death" by Judas Priest at certain moments.
In the fourth position, we have the title track, a concentrate of raw and harsh energy, serviced by an incredibly tight rhythm section. Very nice solos, both on guitar and keyboard. This is followed by "Running Wild", which, along with the opener and the seventh track, marks the most successful moments of the record. Personally, I had the chance to hear it live a couple of months ago from Pino Scotto solo, and it was, to say the least, thrilling. The refrain should rightfully enter among the most successful of the eighties heavy rock. Endless energy. "Fire Trails" is personally the track I like the least, well-played but not up to the rest, also because it is compared against the following "Outside Of Society", a sort of heart-pounding speed metal. It starts extremely fast, slows down slightly in the chorus, but leaves you breathless. The guitar structure is impressive, supported by a rhythm that is a steamroller.
Closing with the instrumental "Russian Roulette", and even here our guys don’t miss a beat. Calm keyboard intro, guitar bursts in to create chaos (but chaos has never been so welcome!). The riffs are, needless to say, granite and bone-crushing. An excellent overall performance by all the instruments. The album couldn't have closed better. Unfortunately, there are no CD reissues of this LP, also hampered by poor production, but in those years it was the norm, considering there probably weren’t many rock-savvy producers in Italy.
The lyrics are nothing exceptional, but at least they settle on decent, with various criticisms of the society of the time, which frankly aren't very original. But if it’s originality that you're looking for, skip this work. However, if you're looking for pure heavy metal like it's from the source, energetic, solar, and raw that seems forged in the steelworks where Vanadium worked, listen to it and you won't regret it.
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