LIEGE LORD Master Control LP Jag Panzer Metal Church Helstar OMEN savage Grace

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26

Starting the sale of a private METAL COLLECTION. Over the next TEN WEEKS I will be selling 40 records per week (about) so come on back! ALL genres of metal--private pressings, rare Death, Traditional, Thrash, NWOBHM, Black, EVERYTHING. 
SHIPPING: Domestic only, no International! $5 will get you up to THREE records at no extra cost (Double lp's count as TWO). So bid on one, bid on THREE. Shipping includes a PRO MAILER with cardboard backing and a TRACKING NUMBER. I am an old collector, I know how to pack and ship!

Excellent copy--Cover and vinyl are both vg++! includes insert! for fans of good us Power metal ala savage grace, oman, metal church, helstar and the like!
Liege Lord's music is fast, energetic, heavy, and catchy as hell - all the qualities of a top-notch power metal band. Their previous two albums are both very good 80s USPM, but they lacked the sheer perfection found in Master Control. If you've heard the first two albums, the first thing that you will immediately notice from the opening chord of Fear Itself is the production - It's good. It's not only good, it's fucking great; this is an album from 1988, but the production is several years ahead of its time. The previous two albums suffered from very lacking production, which always detracted from the enjoyment of the music, but fortunately this is not the case on Master Control. The guitars are crunchy and heavy, the drums are hard-hitting, and the vocals are clearly audible but not overpowering. The bass perhaps could have been slightly louder, but that's nitpicking - the production is damn near flawless.

However, the production isn't the only improvement from Liege Lord's previous works. Master Control features Joe Comeau on vocals in place of Andy Michaud, and while Michaud's vocals are certainly good, Comeau's vocals are simply perfect. While some may know the name from his rather mediocre work with Annihilator, Comeau hits you with an all out assault of aggression and melody on Master Control. His vocals generally are mid range, but he flawlessly hits the highs when necessary. The raw power behind the vocals is incredible, and it perfectly fits the musical style.

The musicianship is excellent, with the two guitarists Tony Truglio and Paul Nelson pounding out both stunningly fast riffs and blazing leads that will leave you gaping - the best example of this probably being the absolutely incredible dueling/harmony leads during the album's title track. The drumming is great; it's not particularly complex or technical, but it doesn't really need to be. As I mentioned earlier, the bass could be louder in the mix, but there are still some great fills scattered throughout the album.

Now onto the songs themselves. The songwriting is nothing short of brilliant; there are no bad songs on this album. At all. Of course, there are a few that just stand out - Fear Itself, the title track, Broken Wasteland, and Suspicion *really* shine, but the rest are all great. The album also includes a fast, energetic cover of Rainbow's Kill the King, which is possibly better than the original. And while power metal is much more about the music than the lyrics, the lyrics here deserve mention. From the sci-fi inspired title track to the cry for an end to pollution in Broken Wasteland to the damning warning of the dangers of Nuclear War in Fallout, the lyrics are all well-written and delivered perfectly by Comeau.

While Liege Lord died with the 80s (as did most decent USPM, sadly), this album is a shining example of the best the genre has to offer. From start to finish, Master Control never once disappoints. This is an absolutely essential album for any fan of speed or power metal. In fact, even if you're not a power metal fan, give this a listen - if you enjoy good music, you won't be disappointed.