As I mentioned in the review of the reissue of “Guardians Of The Flame” that one was the first album of VIRGIN STEELE I ever bought. This one followed soon after, as I felt I needed to complete my collection of the day. Originally released in the year of their birth (1981), “Virgin Steele I” made rather a good impact, but not as much as their sophomore one. VIRGIN STEELE are from Long Island, New York, USA and make pure US Metal in many facets but with very different faces musically. But there is a way that you can tell that this is a debut album. And it is not because the songs are second rate or just not good enough. On the contrary, all the songs are of a very high standard, and played well from start to finish.

As I have the original album, and the info that came with these files didn’t mention it, I put down the line up and the instruments they play the same as on the outer sleeve. I liked that a lot. Just as I’m enjoying the music on “Virgin Steele I”. If you wish to know, this sounds more like a compilation album than a VIRGIN STEELE album. Why is that so? Well, I mentioned that this really is a debut album, and the band hadn’t decided on a definite musical direction yet. You will hear just about anything, from AOR and Glam Metal to Power Metal to US Metal and Heavy Metal. When you listen with the knowledge of today, you hear a lot of bands pass you by that have taken some of the elements that VIRGIN STEELE is using.

Is that a problem? Well, it doesn’t heighten the coherence of the album as a whole, but as all the songs are ranging from good to very good, I don’t see it as a problem. It just shows how good these musicians are. And as for this being a reissue, with the extra songs, the full album is over 73 minutes long. For me, it only has gotten better, as the sound has improved in comparison to the original, but that thankfully not that drastic that you feel that you are listening to a whole new album. No, this still feels like “Virgin Steele I” from the very first note until the last. If you are thinking of discovering VIRGIN STEELE for yourself, please start with this one, as although it is good, it can’t touch their sophomore album “Guardians Of The Flame”. That one is a benchmark album for VIRGIN STEELE, whilst “Virgin Steele I” is a very satisfying debut album.