Search - Wild Dogs :: Reign of Terror

The Epitome of Classic 1980s Metal

Stephanie Sandlin | Spokane, Wa | 11/18/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Reign of Terror - wow, what an album! This is one of those albums if you appreciate classic metal you have to own. Pawn your Metallica, trash your KORN, recycle your Slipnot - you must own this record in thier place.



Its been 17 years since this album was first released by Enigma Records. This record has lost none of its excellent songwriting, passion, screaming guitars, edge and a well earned place among the best metal records of the 1980s.



This album rocks harder, faster, more melodically than anything Metallica has ever done. But we all know Metallica were the cheesepuffs of metal even back in the 80s....



Back to the review of this fine record. One of the beautiful things about this record is that its material is exceptional from stem to sterm. It also flows brillantly - which is a lost art in todays music.



The album starts of with Metal Fuel (In the Blood) which sets the tempo for the record. Man Against Machine follows it up holding the energy and attention of the listener. Call of the Dark is the next cut - good stuff, Siberian Vacation is up next. Finally things slow down a little bit but for only a moment, SV picks right up once you get past the intro which culminates in one of the heaviest bridges I've ever heard in a song. The next tune - Psychoradio at first listen seems to be out of place on Side 1, but it gives a momentary change of vibe then gets rolling.



Side 2 gets going with my personal favorite song on the album Streets of Berlin. For a metal song it combines the urgentcy, the passion, guitars and the melody that seldomly converge in metal. Its simply a high water mark in metal IMHO. Next up Spellshock is a stomper similar to Side 1's tunes. Reign of Terror, the next track.... damn. I can't say enough about it. It takes you on a hell of a ride and throws some curves at you as a listener you'll just be like me sitting there going - damn (in a good way). The last track - We Rule the Night - a wonderful closer. Fitting, a little slower tempo but rougher and edgier. This is where vocalist Micheal Furlong really hits a good stride. He is singing across from the meat of the tune in the early part of the song which is just well, kick*ss.



Sadly, I don't own the release on CD at this point. I have the 1987 Enigma Records vinyl of the album. So I cannot comment on the bonus tracks availible on some bootleg versions out there.



Wild Dogs were a relative obscure metal band compared to the corporate whore metal and psuedo metal bands of the era. That put WD in a catagory of only the lucky knowing about them.



The bottom line of this whole review. Get this record, it is up there in a elite metal category by itself. It screams 17 years later to the corporate, devoid of any depth NUmetal fluff of today - and schools them on how to play metal. This stuff here is the real deal.



Reign of Terror is simply a essentual purchase for metal fans."