Wolfsbane
Live Fast, Die Fast

In my opinion, Wolfsbane were the greatest street metal band of the late '80s and early '90s.

Formed in Tamworth (UK) by Blaze Bayley, Jase Edwards, Jeff Hateley, and Steve Ellett, they released three beautiful and fun albums, the first of which I will examine, released in 1989 by Def American and produced by Rick Rubin (yes, the same one who made masterpieces like Slayer's "Reign In Blood" and total trash like Linkin Park's "Minutes to Midnight"). "Live Fast, Die Fast" kicks off with a bang with Man Hunt, crowned by Jase's superb riff and the impressive and unexpected vocal performance by the great Blaze (unexpected for those who only know him from his experience with Iron Maiden, which I will discuss later). Also very nice is Shakin, characterized by more Rhythm & Blues sounds with a very catchy and sufficiently mean chorus. The following two tracks (Killing Machine and Fell Out Of Heaven) are quite angry but don't particularly stand out. It's a bit better with the ironic Money To Burn, which brings us back to the sounds of Shakin, followed by the forgettable Greasy. Is that all? you might ask... NO!! With I Like it Hot, we enter the best part of the album: it's carefree, fun hard rock without too many pretensions that would bring a smile even to the gloomiest and most depressed Blackster, closely followed by All Or Nothing, an essential gem of Ramones-style punk that in just two minutes encapsulates the spirit of the album; beware, it may be addictive!

There are still two tracks left, and could an album like this exist without at least one big ballad? Of course not, so Tears From A Fool arrives right on time, where Blaze delivers another champion performance in both the sweet verses and the intense and passionate chorus (Nothing like Axl Rose's irritating squawk in the highly overrated Sweet Child o' Mine). The album closes with the excellent Pretty Baby, true Wolfsbane-style Hard n' Heavy from the manual.

In conclusion, it is an album (and a band) that proposed a much more enjoyable, sincere, genuine, and less glossy street metal compared to all the overseas garbage like Motley Crue, Aerosmith, and the aforementioned Guns n' Roses. Absolutely worth rediscovering. UP THE BLAZE