Search - Savage :: Loose & Lethal

One of the overlooked Greats!

British Thunder 13 | Enola, PA USA | 02/06/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album fully captures the sound and feel of early 1980's New Wave Of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM). The guitars are some of the most powerful to come from this scene, with only Iron Maiden and Saxon being of a higher octane level. Chris Bradley's vocals are spot on and his bass playing is right up their with Algy's from TANK; THUNDEROUS! The first 8 tracks were done with drummer Mark Brown, who was a bit more pop influenced, and this is the only area that SAVAGE appear to be lax (definately not weak though). Dave Lindley hit the skins for the last 3 tracks and is much more NWOBHM oriented.

The only flaw in the album is that the recording technology was not really up to par and some tracks have a "fuzzy" sound. I still listen to vinyl too, so this doesn't bother me at all.

There ain't a bad track on this disc, and if you don't find yourself fully enthralled by tracks like "White Hot" and "Ain't No Fit Place", you need to take off your leather jacket and find another genre.

"Loose 'N Lethal" is a quintessential part of any NWOBHM Collection and I advise strongly that any Metal Fan that is into this era of Metal purchase this disc immediately."

Classic Metal

Justin Gaines | Northern Virginia | 03/17/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Savage's 1983 album Loose `n Lethal is so metal it hurts! If someone were looking for the perfect example of what the vaunted New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) sound was all about, this album does the job nicely. Savage's sound was not too far removed from bands like Iron Maiden and Saxon, though their guitars were a lot more distorted. The resulting sound is a little crunchier, a little dirtier, and all metal - fast, heavy, and aggressive. If hearing this album doesn't have you dusting off the leather jacket and studded wristbands, nothing will!



The 2001 Metal Blade reissue of Loose `n Lethal features digitally remastered sound and three bonus tracks (demo recordings from 1980). It's not quite as deluxe as some of the Sanctuary NWOBHM reissues, but it put a long out of print classic album back on the market, so I can hardly complain.



This is a must-have for all NWOBHM fans, and metal fans in general should own it as well.

"

The lost NWOBHM band

Bloodbath_and_Beyond | usa | 04/11/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"These guys came long just a little too late in 1983, by this time the NWOBHM had been abosorbed by the American thrash bands, as 83-85 was the years that those bands who had been filling their heads with this vile racket from England had taken the first steps needed to metal glory (Metallica in particular who covered the title track), however that is no reason to skip this album by as it is by far one of the best albums from the time. There were a lot of inconsistant NWOBHM bands (Satan, Jaguar, Samson, Tyrant) but the obvious masters of the genre (Venom, Tygers, Angel Witch, Saxon, Motorhead, Priest, and the obvious Diamond Head) have carried the torch into legendary metal lore for years to come, these bands never made it like our most famous and well known headbangers did but they're not forgotten. And Savage's 1983 debut album Loose 'N Lethal is one of the most "metal" records out there. It doesn't thrash to the point of monotiny, it just rocks out, plain and simple. The guitar sound is one of the most brutal and powerful ever caught on record. This is rock and roll straightforward. Dirty, raw, fun, and in your face. Of course these guys are obvious diciples of the more well known bands (AC/DC, Priest, Motorhead, and to a lesser extent Thin Lizzy). But who was original during this blooming time for the metal genre anyway? It's not the point. Tracks like Dirty Money, The China Run, White Hot, and the crushing Berlin (which might be the best track here) are perfect slices to educate anyone on real heavy metal. Of course like most of these bands of the time, they faded away not to soon after for the most usual reasons (bad management, bankrupt indie labels, personal disputes etc). But the tunes are still here years later and the 2008 Metal Blade re-issue features 3 great demo bonus cuts. All just as good as the album itself. While this may not be the exhausting platter other reissues like Angel Witch or Venom's albums feature, in today's music world, when something like this even gets the time of the day, it doesn't really matter. This is a true masterpiece for any self respecting heavy metal fan and while it may apply to the more simplistic and fun side of metal (i.e. Motorhead, AC/DC, Priest) and may not be enough for fans who prefer bands like Exodus, Slayer, or Kreator, you still owe it to yourself to get this record."