When one thinks about the arena-filling, world touring acts that defined the Hard Rock / Hair Metal scene from the mid- to late-1980s, many European acts come to mind, such as WHITESNAKE, SCORPIONS, and DEF LEPPARD. France, believe it or not, contributed to the onslaught themselves with the short-lived band FISC. No Remorse Records has taken an opportunity to re-release this artist's first full-length gem, which has long been lost and forgotten, to the newer generations of metalheads out there who never had the chance to hear it, let alone even discover this band who only released one demo, this record, and one more LP after it.

As "Too Hot For Love" opens with its title track, it becomes immediately clear that FISC had their sights set on the world stage from day one. The song, full of head banging goodness and the smell of Aqua Net and leather, explodes like some sort of pyrotechnic fire show right away. When the listener closes their eyes, they can imagine these guys just dominating the stage the way so many of the bigger name bands of that era did so long ago. It's a mystery as to why FISC didn't take to the studio longer, and it's a shame that, for whatever reason, they never pushed forward until they reached the headliner status that they so obviously could have achieved. Nevertheless, this reissue of "Too Hot For Love" is back in a big way, and is able to scorch its way into the hearts of millions of virgin metalheads, which is a good thing.

Track two, "Tokyo Nights", was a song that was most definitely written due to personal experience. The lyrics tell of the thrills and spills encountered by a group of friends who ran into a heavy flow of cash in a foreign land that was designed specifically to accommodate the partying lifestyle. This is most definitely what that particular era in the evolution of the Heavy Metal scene was all about, and hearing the music that actually came from that time once again has the power to reintroduce older listeners such as myself to that flashy period in time that has all but disappeared. The fourth track on the album, "Rock The Night Away", has much the same effect with its wild guitars chopping away while singer Jimmy Martin chronicles many a night searching for the never ending party. It is as much an anthem to the Hard Rock lifestyle as any other song was by the bigger name bands around during that moment in time, and it's quite a treat to see it get some extra recognition well after its initial release.

The remainder of FISC's "Too Hot For Love" manages to keep the energy level at "full", each song rocking from start to finish. "Girls Will Be Girls" is another highlight, the riffing and solos absolutely relentless throughout. The re-release is closed out by two demo tracks, "Guardian Angel" and "Don't Fool With Me", both of which sound as if they were unearthed from some dusty tomb where they've slept untouched for the last few decades before being unearthed and restored to listenable status once again. The raw quality of these recordings actually makes them more enjoyable, in my humble opinion, and really embodies the essence of their antiquity.

All in all, we have an album here that is sure to agree with those who lived through those times, and the youth who has developed a fond appreciation for a genre that lived and died before they were even born. It's a great blast from the past, and it's wonderful to know that FISC will now get a second chance to receive that world recognition that they once had back in 1987.