France had their share of moments in the Metal scene, as far as the mid- to late-'80s went. Sadly, many of the acts who came from the country never got the worldwide recognition that allowed them to leave an indelible mark upon the genre's history; and JINX was one of those many. From 1985 to 1989 they pushed hard to release just three albums, two of which were demos. For standard 80s metal in the vein of ACCEPT, JUDAS PRIEST and GUNS 'N' ROSES this was France's contribution, and the band was actually very talented, displaying memorable riffs and excellent vocals all along the way. It's truly a pity that these guys never got the chance to headline the big shows during that era that would have given them a name the world over; seeing that their sound was what the vast majority of metalheads were craving at the time.

"Stand Up! (For Rock 'N' Roll Power)" is actually a re-release of all three JINX albums rolled up nicely into one full-length offering. The remastering was executed flawlessly, rendering a crisp, clean sound that resonates with perfect timbre, allowing the listener a chance to experience something from the analog past with that perfect sound we have all come to know and love in this digital future. One can only hope that more labels/distributors like No Remorse Records of Greece choose to take this route, and reissue a multitude more of these lost gems to the public, shedding light on obscure acts such as JINX themselves; ones that would otherwise be lost and forgotten in the generations to come.

The record in question opens with JINX's four earliest recordings, setting the stage for what is to come quite nicely. Of these four songs, track three, "Bad Boy", is the obvious standout, covering the listener in its clean, sustained chords that switch into classic crunchy riffs at just the right moments. The somewhat lengthy guitar solo towards the song's close is something to behold, for it exhibits the kind of playing that has the potential to give chills as the guitarist works the frets with effortless precision, showcasing hammer-ons and arpeggios that are nothing if not on point.

Another stellar addition to the discography contained on one disc is track nine, "Watch Your Blood". This tune has it all: dancing power chords, a groovy bass line, plenty of crash and splash showering the pause-and-start drumline, a dirty Rock guitar solo soaked in the perfect amount of reverb, Axl Rose-esque vocals, and yes, even a cowbell!! The song embraces more than one genre, and manages to flow from beginning to end without a single moment of let up.

As "Stand Up! (For Rock 'N' Roll Power)" comes to its finish line with blazing speed and old school fury, offering a substantial swath of previously unreleased material (some of which is very raw and devoid of any real production value) it becomes crystal clear that JINX played an essential part in the history and growth of the ever-expansive genre of true Heavy Metal, albeit a small one. I'll tell you one thing: had I heard these songs in the 1980s when I was banging my own head to artists such as G 'N' R, OZZY, Flotsam & Jetsam FLOTSAM & JETSAM, and SLADE, I would've been hooked instantly, and their songs would have made numerous appearances in my catalogue of mixtapes over and over again. I really enjoyed the few listens I have sat through already, and I'm happy to tell you that they will not be the last. If you're looking for a great example of standard 80s Heavy Metal, you need go no further than the record presented here by the wonderful French band, JINX!