Re-Reissued Classic
Justin Gaines | Northern Virginia | 11/18/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)
"In an attempt to reach a wider audience, classic New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) band Satan changed their name to Blind Fury in 1985. In addition to a less ominous band name, they added vocalist Lou Taylor and opted for a somewhat less aggressive sound. Does that mean the band sold out? Probably, but they didn't exactly become Def Leppard either.
With their "debut" album Out of Reach, Blind Fury came out with a sound that was still firmly rooted in the NWOBHM scene, but one that had elements of the kind of power metal taking off in America at the time. Blind Fury's sound was remarkably similar to early Helstar, Warlord, Crimson Glory, and Queensryche. For whatever reason, the band's new sound did not go over well, and they soon abandoned the Blind Fury name and went back to calling themselves Satan. It's a bit surprising, because to my ears Out of Reach is a very strong metal album (and make no mistake, it IS a pure heavy metal album from start to finish) that should have gone over huge with American power metal fans, even if the NWOBHM scene rejected it.
NWOBHM collectors and serious fans of 80's heavy metal should definitely give Out of Reach a listen.
NOTE: Out of Reach spent the better part of two decades without an official CD release, until Majestic Rock's 2004 reissue. The album has been digitally remastered and sounds terrific.
NOTE 2: In a most frustrating case of double-dipping, Majestic reissued Out of Reach yet again in 2006, this time adding a trio of BBC sessions ("Contact Rock and Roll", "Hard Times" and "Feel Just the Same") as bonus tracks. It's clearly a superior release, but kind of leaves those of us who bought the 2004 reissue out in the cold. Stunts like that make me understand why the label is no longer in business."
Track Listings (11) - Disc #1